=The Warwick Thumb Club=

steembass

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for our forum members we usually make better prices..☝️😃👍🙏…good community
 

steembass

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Hello,

I've got a little question for the community, hope it's ok to ask here...:

I'm the owner of an old Thumb NT5 that doesn't get much action nowadays, so I'm thinking about selling it.
Thing is, I have no idea how much it's worth realistically in todays market. I've not been following the used market for quite some time.
I've seen some rather mental asking prices on Reverb and the like....no idea if those are pure fantasy or what's the deal with that.
So, could anyone here help me figure out a fair price to ask for this?

A bit more info about the Thumb:
It's completely painted in black (all original, no refinish) and the serial is painted over.
H.P. Wilfer told me that that was normal back then (they stamped in the serial first an afterwards painted the basses... 😅) and that it should be an '86 or at the latest an '87 model.
Supposedly one of the first with the final pickup position and the two-piece bridge. Still got the "JD Thumb" cover for the trussrod and the carved headstock.
It's equipped with an active 2-band preamp and EMGs, also all original.

The bass plays and sounds great, frets are in good condition, everything is working as it should.
Just a few dull spots in the paint and some slight scratches. Should be as good as new with a bit of polishing.
It's a bit on the heavy side, but I guess that's to be expected with solid Bubinga and Wenge...

I'm based in Germany btw.

Thanks in advance!
Janis


Oh, and here are a few pics:
View attachment 25080
View attachment 25081
View attachment 25082
btw: the nice cat is included?🤷🏼😂👍
 
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to be serious: I hope it is still a „free market“ out there…the realistic price is what customers are willing to pay! I think anything between 2000 to 2500 Euro - depending on the technical status of the bass (no neck twist, no neck break, trussrod ok and working, electronics, tuners ok, etc etc etc)…
Hey now, thats not what the previous sale prices was! :p
Anyway i'm still interested either way, let mw know.
 

steembass

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Very nice Thumb!
That one looks nearly exactly like mine, just in red.
Then I guess H.P. was right and mine really should be an '86 model too. Maybe even a tiny little bit older than yours, since mine even has the old "JD Thumb Bass" trussrod cover. ☺️
thanks!…about the age: yes, I think so. HP confirmed that the 2-piece bridge on mine is original - as they started end of 86 with the 2-piece bridge on Thumb 5.
 

steembass

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btw: I would keep her…maybe later you will feel sorry to have sold her🤭
 
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The older Thumb basses had the strap button located higher up on the back of the bass - what does this do to the balance of the bass? Is the dive worse due to this?

178_1543989499.jpg


On the other Thumbs that I have, the back strap button is located on the center of the neck.
 
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Oh the dive is definitely worse @eyvindwa ...but the cool factor is so much better ☺️

If you recall with the first JD's...the rear button used to be nearly on the top!


View attachment 25100
Thanks for the feedback @Hoggles - I'm seriously considering buying this bass locally. I guess I'll just have to move the strap button if I do (sacreligious, I know!).
 

steembass

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The older Thumb basses had the strap button located higher up on the back of the bass - what does this do to the balance of the bass? Is the dive worse due to this?

View attachment 25096

On the other Thumbs that I have, the back strap button is located on the center of the neck.
🤷🏼just my 2 cents: my Thumb 5 86 has got no head-dive. I think the „older“ Thumbs with massive 2-piece bridge and thin wenge necks had a - more or less- good balance. It worsened with the light 2-piece cast bridge and thicker neck profile, i e heavier neck.
 
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🤷🏼just my 2 cents: my Thumb 5 86 has got no head-dive. I think the „older“ Thumbs with massive 2-piece bridge and thin wenge necks had a - more or less- good balance. It worsened with the light 2-piece cast bridge and thicker neck profile, i e heavier neck.
My '88 sits pretty much at 90 degrees - no problem. Others from the early '80s like Alembic Series-I and Arias have a more pronounced head-dive.
 
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So, what would you say is a fair price for a 1990 Thumb 5 fretless in good shape?
 

steembass

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some time ago there was an ebay offer for such a bass at €2300,-, but it did not go…I think it really depends where you offer the bass (Germany, Europe or US). In the US - I think - you can get a lot of money for used Warwicks. German market alsways has been „difficult“…🥴
…and fretless basses even more..
 
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Hi gents, same kind of question here. Just registered on the forum to get some inputs from specialists of the WW brand. :) :)
I do have a J.D Thumb / 1986 / Seymour Duncan dip-switch pickup / EMG preamp / Schaller bridge
I have three questions :
-Is the EMG preamp original?
-Is the extended routing inside cavity original? It does not seem so. See pictures.
-What would be a fair price (to sell) for this bass? I think about selling it, as I had enjoyed Thumb's for a period and now want to test new models...
Pictures
 

Hardy

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Hi gents, same kind of question here. Just registered on the forum to get some inputs from specialists of the WW brand. :) :)
I do have a J.D Thumb / 1986 / Seymour Duncan dip-switch pickup / EMG preamp / Schaller bridge
I have three questions :
-Is the EMG preamp original?
-Is the extended routing inside cavity original? It does not seem so. See pictures.
-What would be a fair price (to sell) for this bass? I think about selling it, as I had enjoyed Thumb's for a period and now want to test new models...
Pictures
Hi mate! Looks all original to me. Seems to be a fine bass!

What price… hard to say nowadays because everybody tries to push the price level up. 2k€ I would say but you will find offers for 3k€ and more.
 

steembass

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Yup! The routing looks similar to that in my 86 Thumb 5. Back then Warwicks were handmade.☝️No worries! The electronics also looks original to me. It is not an EMG - afaik- but the first electronics made by Mr Hansal/MEC ‚based on EMG electronics‘, so to say🤭
 

steembass

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Prices…a hot topic: at the end of the day it depends on the region/country where you offer the bass. And what a buyer really is willing to pay. €2000,- is a good start (EU), US might pay even more🤷🏼
 
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Good to know that the routing + preamp seem original. :)
As for the price, that is aligned with what I was thinking about. Thanks gents. We sometimes see crazy prices on Reverb for these early models (and for other brands too) so it is now difficult to figure out the market value. Note that it does not seem that this kind of selling platform has brought any added-value to us other than global artificial price increase for bass gear... 😠
 

Hoggles

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Lots of people are stuck in the past with prices. Their choice. No worries. A Fender that no one special has played, fetches half a year salary, simply because of age and name. No one bats an eye at many "boutique" shop prices...partly because they've always been pricey. It's accepted. It's normal for those brands.

To think that Warwick prices should never, ever increase, is where some people are. They feel the price paid in 2002 should be the same in 2022, even for a truly hand built work of art from Wicks golden age. Zero price appreciation. Keep it the same, forever. No worries, the rest of us will gladly take their undervalued collection of their hands. 🙂
 
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