=The Warwick Thumb Club=

Well, I get my Modded Thumb today. I'll wait to play it before I decide what to do with her. My first thought is to remove the Blue Paint, and maybe replace the Status Pickups/303 Preamp with Bartolini, EMG, or even MEC pieces. But the Mods look to be done well, and might be worth keeping them in place. (Plus it's got capacity for 18 Volt electronics!)

Here are some "Before" Pics:























Any thoughts and comments will be apreciated. I'll spend all night playing and setting her up, and the rest of the week evaluating this Intresting Intrument before deciding wheter I have a High Dollar FrankenBass or a Modifeid Monster that is All Thumbs.
 
On the verge of buying a Thumb BO 5. One is a 1998 with wenge neck at a current bid of 925 USD (and will go up probably), and the other is 2001 Ovangkol neck for 850 (buy now price). Would the wenge be so much better that I should try buying at a higher price?
 
My experience with comparing Wenge to Ovangkol is with Streamers & Corvettes BO's. And to be honest, I didn't really notice a difference in sound/tone. The Wenge necks Feel better to me. A little slimmer, Faster, and harder/stiffer/denser. On the other hand I felt more "feedback" while playing through the Ovangkol necks. More vibration and Warmth. Ovangkol Feels like Wood. Wenge feels almost Composite/Synthetic...But Wenge has that "Snob Appeal" as well! Personally I'd go for the Wenge, but if you're bassing this strictly on Tone, than the Ovangkol is just as good IMHO.
 
After playing my latest Material Possession for 4+ hours last night I must say that this Bass is a MONSTER!!!



I haven't played a "Stock" Thumb NT before, so I don't know how to compare the Mods, but the range of Tones is amazing. That little 3-way toggle opens a Lot of Doors to tones and variation of tones that just don't seem to end! I didn't really notice the Trade Mark Growl until I started playing with a Practice CD. Man! Does this baby Cut Through! Just a Nice Subtle Growl, almost a Pur! But with a couple of Tweaks I was able to get from that Purr to a GRrrrruurrrr!

I think my Fortress MM & Streamer ProM have a New Big Brother!!!
 
I purchased a 2001 Thumb BO 5 last night and it shipped today. Until she gets here, I can only show you this from ebay.
 
Well I should have gotten it today but there was a mixup with FedEx on my address at the marina (I currently live on a sailboat). Tomorrow it should be in my possession. Meanwhile do you Thumb owners have any suggestions regarding care and feeding of the Thumb BO 5? I've not owned any instrument requiring batteries. Is the electrics compartment easy to open and close? How about string gauges and types?
 
I got it today and here is a pic to show.






It's in better shape than the owner described it. A keyboard player had it, and it wasn't used much. The beeswax in the owner's kit had never been used. However someone incompetent had tried to tinker with the action. Since I got it sight unseen through ebay, I took it straightaway to my luthier, and he had to adjust everything from nut to bridge (which had a couple of saddles out of place- the "d" saddle was where the "e" saddle should have been for example), but everything came together fine.

I'm very pleased- it's a beautiful instrument and I'm in love.
 
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Beautiful!

And I love your new avatar picture as well :-)
 
Thanks guys!!

Flo, I figured since I was forming some friendships on this site, I wanted to give them fair warning in case we ever met. And I hope someday to get a chance visit with some of you guys.
 
Well, not easy to sail to Sibiu (it is possible though I guess) but maybe you find a hot air balloon, and you manage to visit this part of the world too :-)
 
Florin,

I've read articles in cruising magazines about how you can start from the North Sea into the river Rhine, and sail south via the Rhine-Maine-Danube-Canal into the Danube through to the Black Sea. To get as as close to Siubiu as possible, I could probably sail up the River Olt a ways. For the rest, I'll bring my bike. A sailing trip would have to be after I retire though. Perhaps I could fly over there and do an eastern Europe tour first. Anyhow, it gives me something interesting to hope for.

Noodles: Thank you, and I'm loving it!!
 
The Olt reaches about 15 km from Sibiu, and I can pick you with my car.
What the hell, I'll carry you in my back 15 km if you get there with the boat :-)
 
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