=The Warwick Thumb Club=

As I stated previously, I completely agree. I am just trying to prevent the spread of misinformation, as there is already an overabundance of that around.

 

Hey all! I am new to the group and joined to get some inform and advice about my Thumb (bass).
Its a 91 NT 5.
Iv had it for a number of years now and have always been happy with its sound.
I have been thinking lately about moving it along and trying another tye of Warwick bass.
Firstly, if i were to sell, what sort of price does this type of Thumb go for?
Secondly, what other Warwick basses have an equally (if not better) sound and feel than the Thumb?

Thanks!

 

Welcome, mate!

Worth of a 91‘ Thumb NT5: maybe 1.800 Euro here in Germany.
Better sound: most people would say there is no better sound.
Better feel/playability: a lot of people dislike the neck dive of a Thumb 5 string. Only the Buzzard and the Stryker are worse, all other Warwicks offer a better balance.

My thoughts! Greetz!

 

Nothing sounds quite like a thumb, in my experience. Other basses sound different. Better or worse - that's a matter of taste entirely.

 

The one with another unique sound but better playability would be a Streamer II (imo) - probably around the same price

 

Just came across this video...

 

1988 OG Pomelle Bubinga with a bit of burl mixed in there. Played like a dream right out of the box when Fed-Ex dropped it off this afternoon... it sat around for sale on Reverb and Talk Bass forever. But I'm glad it did or I wouldn't own it. Has one flaw with a non proprietary truss rod cover being fitted (screw holes mercifully covered by standard version). I'm in love though, plays like a dream, super easy to play elaborate chords on, lightening fast and easy to finger. Way more playable than I'd have thought (my previous bass was a Tune Zi II that I begrudgingly played for years - fast neck, crap tone and super high string tension that always bugged me. Neck dive out the wazoo too).

I'm finally a member after a lot of years of standing in the door. I first played a Warwick Thumb in 1992 at the Bass Player in Melbourne Australia. It was a 5 string NT that always stuck in my head as being the nicest bass I'd played outside of a late 80s PRS bass I jammed on when I was pretty young. This is obviously a 4 string. But it's from the era I wanted, and there's plenty of time to get a 5 as well. Just so over the moon, I'm not really into the modern hype about wood, but I'm loving that weird grain from the burl. Not that appearances matter, I'm pretty sure back in the day a bass like this one was considered a problem sell (has grain shifting on the back that is cool as hell, but would have been a defect in 1988).

 

Realise that it's only a demo and it's for a local store, but while I love the basses watching that guy spruik a product makes me feel like I'm spending too much time with someone trying to get me to shell out for a 'game' at the local carnival.

 

Beauty, congrats!

If I recall the ad on TalkBass correctly, you're referring to the little blonde nub of Bubinga right next to the compartment cover. In my opinion, that's a super cool characteristic of that Thumb. Total score.

Keep in mind if you ever want the original truss cover, Warwick sells NOS vintage ones

Warwick Parts - Original 1985-95 Truss Rod Cover for Warwick Thumb Bass

Enjoy that beast

 

Wow thanks for the heads up on the original truss rod cover, that is awesome. Had no idea you could get them and honestly wouldn't have thought to look.

This is the one with the blonde Bubinga by the cover, and a second tiny small patch near the lower horn too.

I feel like it was a score, love this thing. Just have a smile on my face anytime I pick it up, no matter what I'm playing.

Appreciate the heads up again!

 

Had trouble finding the serial number. At the suggestion of some forum guys, I was able to find it, I think, at the top of the headstock:

I assume that is the serial number (assume because it's such a short series of letter and numbers...) Thanks for your help, guys.

 

Looks like J 2425 90 : J=September / 90=1990

 

My Thumb BO 5 got a little sister: an NT 4 from the 90's. I can't tell exactly because the D-tuner is hiding a part of the serialnumber.
She seems to be a bit more cultivated than her rowdy brother, but I will have to compare with a set of new and identical strings on both basses.
I am not sure which one I like more: the 4 string better matches my inadequate aiming abilities when slapping, the narrower string spacing on the 5 string is more comfortable for fingerstyle. I guess I'm bi-stringual

 

Bubble font truss cover and that C 024 start to the serial put it in the '95 region.

 

oh, great, thank you. I didn‘t realize that you also can tell from the beginning of the serial number. The brownish color of the headstock of the NT is quite different from the black headstock of the BO.

 

Man, been a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG time since I was in the Warwick forum. And back to join The Thumb Club!

Bit of backstory - my first Warwick was a CS Corvette I had made in 2009 as my 21st birthday present to myself. Swirly Bubinga top, bubinga back, matched headstock, gold hardware. Loved that thing to bits. Unfortunately had to sell it about 3.5 years ago - I was emigrating to Hong Kong for a dream job and couldn’t really take a lot of stuff with me, plus I needed some financial stability in my first few months. So I was Warwickless since then - a cruel fate I would never wish on anybody.

Well that changed this week - took delivery of one of those fancy GPS Thumb LTD 2020 models - the five string version, number 12/100. I suck at taking pics, but this is the exact one:

Warwick Thumb 5 GPS - 2020 Limited Edition Warwick bass guitars, Corvette, Streamer, Thumb, 4, 5, 6 string, German, Korea, China UK Basses specialist London, Manchester, Birmingham, USA, EU

Big shout out to Bassdirect in the U.K. for arranging the international shipping and getting me back into the Warwick bass family.

 

Sweet! Welcome back!

 

So, the NT 5 finally arrived.


First I thought of replacing the Barts with MEC but I kinda think it is not that much of a difference.

 

The barts are a little more warm sounding but my no means too mellow.
I have barts on a number of basses and absolutely love them.

That bass looks seriously great by the way!

 

Congrats - what a beautiful axe! Leave the Barts, always good to have a tone different from the other axes...