Search For 'the' Warwick For Me!

R

Roland

Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Hey guys, i'm new on the forum here and for a reason. As the title implies, i am looking for 'the' warwick for myself. The problem however, is that i am looking for something quite specific.

First of all, i have owned 1 warwick: A Corvette standard 5 string, Ash and passive version. I absolutely loved the sound, but the neck profile and the balance on a strap were too much of a problem for me. Ideally i would like to get that specific corvette, only with a less chuncky neck profile and a little bit more balance on the strap.

Here is where i am lost, and where i hope you guys can help me! Is there such a thing as a Warwick with a neck profile that's somehow similar to a modern 'C'? Ideally, it would have a neck profile similar to a Fender Geddy Lee jazz bas or a Ibanez from the SR series.

The corvette i used to own had a neck profile that i would describe as a 'baseball bat', fairly deep and really wide. I think the wide aspect is what made it uncomfortable to play for me, i have the gift of being a bass player with pretty small hands.

By the way, i highly prefer passive pickups and electronics, but i would settle with an active bass if it really has 'the' growly sound i love so much about warwicks. Pickup configuration wise, anything should work as long as it has a pickup in the neck position and 1 pickup in the bridge position. (Just like my corvette, with the 2 J's)

Last but not least, my budget is about as high as €1000, maybe a tiny bit more if it really is my dream bass.

Does anybody have any idea which bass i should be looking at? My own guess would be a Corvette, Streamer or a Fortress. Maybe 1 with a wengé neck, i have read some things about these necks being slimmer than the Ovangkol ones.

All help would be much appreciated! :)
 
Hi Roland, my last Warwick was a $$ because those pickups are passive and allow coilmode switching so either humbucking or singlecoil modes can be used. They are more responsive then active MEC pups so that's nice!

Neck profiles varied a lot throughout the nineties and zeroes so you will probably have to inquire before buying anything used.
 
Hi Roland,

You can find slim necks on Warwicks before 93, and after 2009.
Balance issue has two factors. 1- the shorter upper horn of the body - that's standard on all Warwicks except Fortress. And 2- the light body wood (probably it was swamp ash)
Most of Warwick basses are made of heavy woods, so usually you don't have this balance issues.
Corvette - look for a post 2009 one. I suggest you look for a full active one, they just sound better (to me)
Streamer - more chances to find I guess, premium instruments. And they sound more aggressive than corvette.
Fortress - I am not sure I've seen an older one with slim neck, and past 2009 - is the 2014 LTD that might be over your budget.
 
Thanks for the replies so far guys!
I am looking for a 5 string, i forgot to mention that.
And my corvette was a swamp ash body, which was incredibly light as well. But i thought this was more or less standard on warwicks, good to know it's not!

As far as active instruments go, i really prefer the sound and 'feel' of a completely passive bass. It might be useful information as well to say that i usually play with a bass and/or mid heavy sound, with the treble nearly always cut. It is the main reason i never liked active electronics, as it usually brings that bright spark to the tone that is just not something for me as a player. I don't have a lot of experience with active pickups, but as far as my experiences go they tend to take away the natural dynamics that i enjoy.

Quite a lot of streamers that i came across the past few weeks have maple necks, how much does this affect the tone? I am one of those guys that really believe the tone of warwicks is in their wood choice, just like Fenders with their classic Alder/Maple/Rosewood combinations.

I happen to know a bass player that plays a Fortress with a wengé neck from the early '90's, i'll ask him wether that's a rather slim neck or much more like my corvette's baseball bat. I'll get back to that :)
 
I've never noticed a balance problem with my Corvette basses
 
Same. Should a bass really balance perfectly or are we whining about something unimportant.
We all got two hands, no? I never noticed a problem with my thumb other then it sounding thin and weak.
 
Roland said:
Thanks for the replies so far guys!
I am looking for a 5 string, i forgot to mention that.
And my corvette was a swamp ash body, which was incredibly light as well. But i thought this was more or less standard on warwicks, good to know it's not!

As far as active instruments go, i really prefer the sound and 'feel' of a completely passive bass. It might be useful information as well to say that i usually play with a bass and/or mid heavy sound, with the treble nearly always cut. It is the main reason i never liked active electronics, as it usually brings that bright spark to the tone that is just not something for me as a player. I don't have a lot of experience with active pickups, but as far as my experiences go they tend to take away the natural dynamics that i enjoy.

Quite a lot of streamers that i came across the past few weeks have maple necks, how much does this affect the tone? I am one of those guys that really believe the tone of warwicks is in their wood choice, just like Fenders with their classic Alder/Maple/Rosewood combinations.

I happen to know a bass player that plays a Fortress with a wengé neck from the early '90's, i'll ask him wether that's a rather slim neck or much more like my corvette's baseball bat. I'll get back to that :)
Click to expand...

Wenge necks are the way to go imho. I, personally, can't stand neck dive and have not experienced that dreaded issue with any of the wenge necked Warwicks I have, and some are Corvettes with swamp ash bodies. If your 5 string Corvette was a Rock Bass model, maybe they have lighter bridges. I don't really know, but you could always change the tuning machines to Hipshot ultra-lights to improve the balance. Also, some of the '90s Wicks have the bridge-end strap pin off-set toward the top which also improves the way it hangs on the strap. I think the newer models are superb instruments, but pricey for sure. Many all wenge necked Corvette, Streamer, and Fortress bolt-on models from the mid '90s era can be found on the used market, in good condition, for $1,000 USD, and frequently for less. I would look for the all wenge neck, with a volute, and the JAN1. I picked up a '97 maple bodied 5 string Fortress One with those features on Reverb about a year ago for $675 plus shipping. Look often and be patient if necessary. Good hunting!
 
I 'm with kimgee, a mid 90s wenge necked Warwick sounds like what you want. Welcome to the forum!
 
I'm with jester and kimgee, a mid-90's wick is probably what you're after. Something with a longer upper horn (fortress, vette, dolphin) is going to balance really well. You're going to be hard pressed to find a 100% passive bass unless you are looking at Warwick's lower end models (standards, Rockbass). All of them have the signature growl, but you'll find it less pronounced in maple/ash bodied basses.

My advice is play as many as you can get your hands on and pick the one that absolutely feels/sounds right to you.

Too bad you're not in the market for a 6, as I've got a solid '94 corvette proline for sale right now! ;)

Not a 5 string, but a great bass to boot: 1996 Warwick Fortress One
 
Last edited:
'Same. Should a bass really balance perfectly or are we whining about something unimportant.
We all got two hands, no? I never noticed a problem with my thumb other then it sounding thin and weak.'

From all the basses that i have owned and tried it, my corvette's balance was nearly as bad as a thunderbird. Even with a rough, sturdy strap it would drop horizontal instantly. It came to a point where an old wrist injury started to hurt again, in combination with the thick and wide neck of course. I actually had to add 1.5 kg's to the bottom of the strap to make it balance perfectly. I think it had to do with the construction, a Swamp ash body in combination with a thick neck is not the ideal construction for balance i think.

Good to know that there are limited passive models, i will adjust my search for a bass with passive pickups. Preferably with a bypass option on the pre-amp. I will put up a topic on multiple bass or instrument websites, with a search for a mid '90's warwick with a wengé neck.

As far as the 6 string goes SynapticGroove, i would love to try it out! I have owned a 6 string a year ago, which did give a great boost to my playing and creativity overall. I have considered picking up a 6 string again, instead of the 5 string, but i would have to try it out before buying a 6 string again. If i get a chance to try a 6 string in the near future, i will defenitely give it a go with the Proline in mind.
 
The small neck of my Buzzard, the position of the strap pin and the Hipshot tuners are game changing too. I didn't think a Vette could neckdive, but every Buzzard does. Except mine... Saw a black Buzzard on Ebay but resisted to buy it because I remembered the reason why I decided for a CS.
 
`

The whole idea of "THE" Wick for you, or
for me, or for Uncle Flo or Auntie Jo or for
just anybody at all ... is just cringeworthy.

If you bag THE one, then what ? You wind
up with just that one cuz you don't wanna
play any others. Thaz an unthinkable fate.
More is like always, you know ... MORE !

Call off that wretched quest. Get with the
program. Too many basses is never enuf.
 
True story there Golem, but i never said this would be my one and only bass ;) I still own my fretless Ibanez, Geddy lee and my Allen Woody basses, i just miss the sound of Warwick in my arsenal.
The warwick will primarily be used at home, i used my old Corvette in a couple of bands and projects but my other basses would fit in better.

But on the topic, i got some great news this week. I can finally move out of my room and start living at home again, which brings a couple of changes to the bass section. Right now, i own two 4 string basses and a fretless 5 string.
If i were to move back in with my parents, i can sell one of my 4 string basses as well. Since i am not that active in bands currently anymore (sad but true), i got the crazy idea to buy a 5 and a 6 string. 6 string for creativity and fun at home, 5 string as a potential work horse if i were to get in an active band again by next year.

Since i didn't get the best results using my Corvette in bands, i am currently thinking about buying a Warwick 6 string. As a future plan i got the idea for a custom Maruszczyk 5 string jazz bass, if i can get a neck made with a Geddy Lee signature neck profile. I find fender basses to be a bit generic and standard, but Jazz basses just fit in bands so well. The Allen Woody fits perfectly in any Bluesy/Rock situation, that one is definitely a keeper.

Thought it might be a fun little story to share with you guys. Maybe I will end up with both a 5 and 6 string Warwick, who knows! Too bad 3 Corvette proline 6 strings with Wengé necks just have been sold on this forum lately :(
Can i put up a topic in the 'For Sale:Basses' area, with a search for a 6 string? I might get lucky that way
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top