warwick thumb problem...

I have a 1994 Thumb BO5. When I got it about a month ago, it seemed that the D and G strings didn't sound as loud as the others. I have adjusted the pickup height like someone on this forum suggested (with the 2.5 mm allen wrench).
The sound is quite even on all the strings no matter at which positions or which strings I play.

Sietze
 
Josh,

You have a very good bass. With a good setup, new strings, etc, it should sound very good and even, and punchy.
You don't need a compression for this. The compressor is not a correction tool, but a creative tool. If you want to buy a compressor, go ahead, it is a good investment, but not to fix an uneven E string.

The thumb NT is a very good bass, it has some extra "personality", true. But the BO is a good animal too.

Does it have the same isue with flat EQ too?
Look for string height/ pickup height. Is it the E string lower than the others? Closer to the pickup?

Measure it with the 2,5 mm allen key you have in the kit.

Cheers, Flo
 
Ouch... sorry if I sound like "Oh! I know everything!" It is not my intention...
 
Official Ninja-White Noise/Hiss!

AAHHH! I've finally found someone else who's had the same issue with a Thumb as I'm having! Though I have a 97' NT Thumb, I still am getting the hiss/white noise as I bring the treble control fully clock-wise, and only when it's in the "active"-mode! In passive....completely gone!

I'm asking, how many Thumb user's have experienced this issue, and what was done to correct it, if anything?

Florin has recommended to shield the cavity, which will be done sometime in late Jan-Feb. hopefully, and with a copper shielding, and someone else has also recommended that I change out the treble pot! This will also be looked into at that time. I just can't believe that all Thumbs, leave the factory with this hiss/white noise issue, or that all develop this issue over time. Something along the way is occuring!

Could this also be due to the amount of "headroom", as my luthier calls it; the 18volt system in this bass?

Somebody....Anybody, care to respond, please?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't think you have similar isues man...
He probably has a poor setup on his bass.
You probably have a grounding/ shielding/ bad electronics problem.

Sometimes it is really hard if not impossible to find a solution without seing the bass.

One thing I am 100% sure, I can make Josh's bass to sound even, in 3 minutes with a 2,5 and 1,5 mm key :-)
 
When I had my thumb the low strings overpowered the high ones. This i think is due to the low mid nature of the thumb and it just naturally does this. My pickups where adjusted so they were not the same distance from the pickups, iirc i had about ~1 mm for the G and D strings and about 3.5 from the E and B.

This ofc will vary per player and not what warwick standard setup (and florin) states but it evened out everything for without having to compensate the miss match in my playing technique.

The compressed nature of the thumb BO especially with Warwick strings gave a really thick growling woody tone with a muted high end for me - no ping or zing unless i had day old strings on it. I would only switch to a NT if you wanted the sparkle ebony adds, as the high end opens up a little and the bass goes a bit deeper.
-------------------------------
The on preamp front

I've found the 2 band warwick EQ treble adds a bit of hiss, I think its just the frequency it boosts, its completely normal but it should not be over powering - if it is then i would think there is a problem!

You should have the same effect boosting 2-5 Khz on an amp. With slightly different sounding hiss depending on the frequency. If the hiss is louder (and i mean a lot louder) that the sound of the bass then you got a problem. if it bothers you the 3 band eq don't seem to have the same effect due i think to it having a different frequency for the treble. - it adds hiss but due to the higher frequency its less noticeable.

This is purely my speculation with my experiences on the preamps though.
 
Florin said:
I don't think you have similar isues man...
He probably has a poor setup on his bass.
You probably have a grounding/ shielding/ bad electronics problem.

Sometimes it is really hard if not impossible to find a solution without seing the bass.

One thing I am 100% sure, I can make Josh's bass to sound even, in 3 minutes with a 2,5 and 1,5 mm key :-)
Click to expand...

i have had my bass perfectly set up. i have had it set up several different ways, and it still gets the SAME result.
 
Hi Josh,

Just another question from this noobie--what happens when you are in passive mode? Does this change the relative output of these strings? Perhaps Greg alluded to this idea, but I didn't see your answer. Hopefully this is not a silly suggestion. I own a Thumb 4 BO (1999) that I love and it seems OK as far as equal volume on the D and G.

Ron
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Florin/Ninja response!

Afternoon Florin, Henry here! What I was relating to was a post from the "Official Ninja" about 16 or so posts up in this part of the forum, about the "hiss" issue he was also having! So, I'll hope to have an answer in a month or two regarding all of this, and thanks for your response. H ! :eek:
 
Isn't there supposed to be a plate in the preamp? I can clearly see the pots, but don't see the plate? Sorry for a stupid question.
The only time I had a problem like this, it was when I swapped the MEC pus on my thumb bo with Seymour duncan Basslines. A friend of mine had a spare pair and I decided to borrow them just to check the sound. It was a Jazz bass set of pus with a neck and bridge one. Thumbs have two bridge pus inside them.
I liked the sound, but as the result I got very quiet G and D strings and normal sounding lower ones.
Just a quick thought about the electronics on your bass, because the problem is definately there. Thumb is a killer bass, no doubt about that.
=g=
 
I recommend:

1. set-up your bass using the Manual
2. use DR Hi-beam strings (you will get all the hi freq. you need)
3. Don't use the on board EQ, or if you do, just use it to cut (boosting adds noise and distortes the signal ).
4. Listen to the bass unplugged. This will help you understand what is the tone of the Thumb

Also if your last bass was with more classic tone (fender, Music Man...) you may need some time. Get to know the Thumb tone.

The best thing about Warwick basses is how they sound in the mix. And a big part of that sound are the growling low-mids. So don't boost the lows and the hi-mids. The EQ with a smile is not the god thing to do here. If you boost the Lows and Hi-mids you will get only BUUUuuu ang SSSSSsss from the amp. In most of the modern music the range below 50Hz is cut and the Hi-mids are the play-ground of the guitars.

If you like the punch in the bass (Mudvayne) Thumb is the Beast . If you like to have almost guitar sound (Tool) you will need other types of wood.

P.S. again... Listen to the bass unplugged if you like what you hear the problem is not in the acustics of the bass (wood, strings), so check the chain:
1. set-up (string relief must follow the finger board, intonation...)
2. Pickups and electronics ( use EQ at 0 ), Set up the pickups height.
3. cables (if you have passive Pickups this may be the problem)
4. Amp (set the EQ flat and listen you should be hearing the natural ton of the bass with a little color from the amp).

sry for the English btw.
 
Josh,
You paid a luthier to do a complete set up & asked him to fix the problems with the bass?& he gave it back to you,not fixed?
It sounds to me like either there is nothing wrong with the bass istelf,& the problem is elsewhere,or electronics are not his forte,& someone better qualified would be able to fix it up.
Please,dont get upset by what I've said.I'm kinda stumped here & just trying to sort out a solution.Normally,when your bass has a fault,you take it to a luthier & pay them to hand you back the bass in 100% working order.But that doesnt seem to have happened.I understand your frustration,Mate,I'd be climbing the walls by now.But I dont think selling it & buying a Thumb NT will be the answer,if it's the inheriant tone of the Thumb that's not sounding thy you'd like it to sound.Like the other guys have said,the Thumb isnt your typical bass,in either tone,performance & handling.That's commonly why it's not the ideal bass for every player.You should try to go play a few other Thumbs,so see if they are sounding better to you.
Keep us posted mate.
 
Greg said:
Josh,
You paid a luthier to do a complete set up & asked him to fix the problems with the bass?& he gave it back to you,not fixed?
It sounds to me like either there is nothing wrong with the bass istelf,& the problem is elsewhere,or electronics are not his forte,& someone better qualified would be able to fix it up.
Please,dont get upset by what I've said.I'm kinda stumped here & just trying to sort out a solution.Normally,when your bass has a fault,you take it to a luthier & pay them to hand you back the bass in 100% working order.But that doesnt seem to have happened.I understand your frustration,Mate,I'd be climbing the walls by now.But I dont think selling it & buying a Thumb NT will be the answer,if it's the inheriant tone of the Thumb that's not sounding thy you'd like it to sound.Like the other guys have said,the Thumb isnt your typical bass,in either tone,performance & handling.That's commonly why it's not the ideal bass for every player.You should try to go play a few other Thumbs,so see if they are sounding better to you.
Keep us posted mate.
Click to expand...

i have taken my bass in to several different luthiers, some have got it fixed temporarily (one week), and many cant find the problem. its not like i have taken my bass to one place, then given up. i have probably spent $400 trying to get this fixed. i came here for a sort of last resort. and the luthier i gave this bass to last is one of the best in colorado. many players bring their bass here. such as a guy named vernon barbery.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Callum said:
When I had my thumb the low strings overpowered the high ones. This i think is due to the low mid nature of the thumb and it just naturally does this. My pickups where adjusted so they were not the same distance from the pickups, iirc i had about ~1 mm for the G and D strings and about 3.5 from the E and B.

This ofc will vary per player and not what warwick standard setup (and florin) states but it evened out everything for without having to compensate the miss match in my playing technique.

The compressed nature of the thumb BO especially with Warwick strings gave a really thick growling woody tone with a muted high end for me - no ping or zing unless i had day old strings on it. I would only switch to a NT if you wanted the sparkle ebony adds, as the high end opens up a little and the bass goes a bit deeper.
-------------------------------
The on preamp front

I've found the 2 band warwick EQ treble adds a bit of hiss, I think its just the frequency it boosts, its completely normal but it should not be over powering - if it is then i would think there is a problem!

You should have the same effect boosting 2-5 Khz on an amp. With slightly different sounding hiss depending on the frequency. If the hiss is louder (and i mean a lot louder) that the sound of the bass then you got a problem. if it bothers you the 3 band eq don't seem to have the same effect due i think to it having a different frequency for the treble. - it adds hiss but due to the higher frequency its less noticeable.

This is purely my speculation with my experiences on the preamps though.
Click to expand...

This is an excellent post. I agree on all of what your saying here.
 
On my thumb BO 5, there is no hiss, and all the strings play evenly.

I still think it's an electronic problem: wiring, bad pots, etc...
 
After reading this I feel pretty lucky! My 98 BO6 with basslines pu's is extremely balanced. I use SIT Power Wound Nickels, low action, with the pu's close to the strings. I use mainly the back pu with a tad bass added onboard. No hiss from the amp - I use 3 different setups and it's awesome. Even on my recordings it is simple to get the bass on top of the mix without being loud. No compressors etc - slap, pop, fingers, nails etc all sounds good!

There must be a problem with this man's bass...could it not be that the pu's are too close to the strings and choking the sound? Else all the connections needs to be unplugged, sprayed with a good switch lubricant. What a pity - there are no bad Warwicks!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top