Thumb vintage 1986

fernandobicho

fernandobicho

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Hello!
Here's my vintage Thumb. Mr. Wilfer says it's a 1986, because it has recessed machine heads, an early exemple!
But someone can clarify the odd serial number D1 303 ?!!!
And the two piece bridge it was introduced in 1986?
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
t2.jpg

t3.jpg

t1.jpg
 
This bridge was exclusively used from late 87 up to some time in 88
therefore 86 is unlikely if the bridge was not changed afterwards by warwick on customer request.(this happend)

89ers have the broader version of the bridge so this is definitly pre89.

dunno about the serial (not a thumb expert:-) but it looks like a genuine pre 86 serial (in 86 they included the year in the serial) so I am little confused:-)

but I have seen this kind of serial before on a early Thumb 5 so I am pretty sure it is genuine
 
Thank you guys
Mr Wilfer write me this:
it is a personal guess that the Bass is from 1986 .. maybe early 1987.. can be
too but for sure not 1988.. it is the number 130 and which I believe, on of the
earliest Basses.. already with the longer horn and this was up from the serial
number 100 or 110 .. so it is possible end of 86 latest 87 but not later..., still
I believe it is 86..

any other opinion will be welcome. Thank you
 
regarding the serial Mr. Wilfer has the best knowledge I think. But has he considered the bridge?
in early 87 it was still 1 piece schaller but you knever know
maybe yours is the first wick with a 2piece bridge ever:-)
who knows
 
1988 or very very late 1987...
maybe the body was made in 1986 because of the serial but it been probably finished in 1988, word.
 
My Thumb is from 1985. Shorter horn, 1 piece bridge, serial G143 85..
Kind of strange that they didnt put a year on it.
 
i've played once a streamer stage II 5-string from the 90's without any serial:)
 
Actually, my first Thumb bass had serial D1 025...
I changed it for a 86 Steamer, because that was more stable..
 
Serial

Hi! Does the thumb bass have emg or Mec pickups?
I recently saw a red gloss thumb bass serial number R2 181
what does that mean? What year what month? Is r supposed to be a month in german?
Thanks
 
Well... The letters correspond to months: A to G January to February, the I doesn't exist, than J to M from September to December..... But an "R"?!
 
It's B not R ... Sorry

I think it's a B not an R; so the serial number would be
B2 181...
What does this mean? February of which year?
Here are some eBay pictures






it sounds better than any bass I have played in the past!!!
 
By the way, the red one that I'm talking about has I guess the shorter upper horn; the wood of the horn and the metal schaller strap button are lined to the 17 fret; In Fernandos bass they are up to the 16 fret; thus I think his is bigger than mine (the "Horn" I mean!).
I should be a detective !
I own a streamer 1 from 1986; one piece schaller/Warwick gold bridge; cherry wood wingss, gloss finish, wenge neck and board ; serial number on that one is:
K 515
86
which one is older the streamer or the thumb (B2 181)?

I find all of this fascinating and very interesting; thanks for all your help!
 
The number it's odd like mine. Even the Warwick's boss doest'n know very well as you can read in this topic. Anyway, your bass it's a custom shop, because it's painted. The machined aren't receased like mine, so, yours it's more recent. It has the mark inlays in the scale. Since 1991, the points in the scale disapeared. So, yours it's before 1991. That bass it's from 1988-1990 I guess.
Oh, my electronics are MEC, preamp, and EMG the PUs. cheers

By the way, I'll sell mine.... :( The reason it's I've just bought a Infinity 5 str and can stay with so many basses. This is a fantastic sounding handmade piece, as you know.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Serial number

May be you are right, but the shorter horn is supposed to predate the longer one right?also the serial number seems to indicate that the red bass is older, but may be not;
Spector built his first 500 basses from 1977 to December of 1981; and they were really popular in the late 70's and early 80's; so may be these warwicks just go by numbers too and the numbers indicate the succession they were made; that would mean that the red thumb is from 1985 or 1986, just like your bass , but then the recessed tuners add to the confusion too...
Any experts out there to help us?
How much do you want for your thumb bass??
 
Yours can't be before 1987, because the two piece bridge. That's for shure. Mine seems to be 1987, but, because the recessed machine heads (look the back of the headstock), maybe it's from 1986 and one of the first to have the two piece bridge. Mine it's serial D1303... yours B2181 ..... Yours it's younger than mine.
I don't sell it for less than 1500 euro. I have 30 basses and some have to go. But it's really sad. I have 5 warwicks and this one is one of the best. I only sell it to make some money I need. Thanks. Cheers
 
fernandobicho said:
Yours can't be before 1987, because the two piece bridge. That's for shure. Mine seems to be 1987, but, because the recessed machine heads (look the back of the headstock), maybe it's from 1986 and one of the first to have the two piece bridge. Mine it's serial D1303... yours B2181 .....
Click to expand...

Tenho um tal como o teu, com "recessed tuners", EMGs, etc mas ainda com a ponte de uma peça da schaller. no caso do meu o serial number contem o ano de fabrico, 86. Por causa da ponte, eu atirava para 1988/89, existem alguns exemplares ainda com os tuners assim. (um baixo do camandro já agora ;))

For the non portuguese forumites: I´ve one just like yours, with the old recessed tuners, EMGs and all but mine has the one piece bridge and it does have the year printed on the serial number "86". My opinion is that your bass maybe dates from 88 or 89.
 
Leste o início do tópico? O boss da Warwick diz que será de 86, no máximo 87. Em 88, 89 os tunners já não eram "recessed". Tenho um Streamer de 88 e o numero de série já tem o ano claramente. Se este fosse de 88 também teria. Portanto não será posterior a 87. No dia 6 de Dezembro, terça feira à tarde vamos fazer mais um encontro de baixistas em Cantanhede, em minha casa. Vem pessoal de Lisboa e talvez do Porto. Queres aparecer? escreve p mail fernandobicho at gmail dot com

Mr.Wilfer says it's a 86. Maybe because the bridge, it's a 87 or whatever. It's a strong powerfull sound bass, handmade in late 80's.
 
O facto de não ter o ano escrito poderá ser mesmo por esquecimento da parte deles ou lembraram-se numa tiragem qq de não pôr ano... (existem bastantes sem ano). Como te disse tenho um thumb JD de 86 e um streamer de 86 e ambos tem o ano escrito... A ponte é que me poe mesmo na duvida... o teu é JD?

Aqui tens o exemplo de 2 thumbs de 88 ainda com recessed tuners e já com ponte de 2 peças:
SANY0140.jpg

SANY0158.jpg


e este que está na ebay de 89 tb com recessed tuners

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por estas coisinhas é que digo que será um bocado difícil descobrir ao certo o ano desse baixo.

Agradeço imenso o convite para o encontro mas trabalho nesse dia... :/

So many doubts about the year of this bass... Whatever year it is, I'm sure it's an Awesome bass ;)
 
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