Why Warwick

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bass101

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Been looking to replace my 4 string bass with a 5 string one for a while and was looking at buying a Warwick. But there are so many other brands out there like fender, yahama, musicman, schecter, ibanez etc that are still decent brands. Since i've never owned a warrick before, could you pls post what made you choose a warwick over the other brands. Any pro's and con's of the others would be helpful too.

Thanks,

bass101
 
My very very biased and short view of things:

-Fender: amazing basses, but stuck 50 years ago...
-Yamaha: good instruments, but a little "clinical"
-MusicMan: amazing basses, but stuck 20 years ago...
-Schecter: good value for money
-Ibanez: A little too Generic
-Dean: generic rock
-Esp: generic rock too
-Spector: Ned Steinberger designed the Streamer/Spector...
-B.C. Rich: a lot of looks, somewhat lacking in substance
-Alembic: Amazing tone, but astronimical prices
-Knuckle Guitar Works: worth a look, amazingly unique instruments
-Warwick? It's jazz, rock, metal, and everything in between, basses that growl, howl, grunt, thump, with a distinctive personality, an unmistakable look, and more balls than a three ton rhino...

But of course I'm not really impartial, here... :P
 
I love the low midrange growl that goes like "BWAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH" (that's bass lingo for get da hell out of my way; I'm coming throughhhhhhhh !!!!!). And I also really love the harpsichord like sound when played hard, or when popping. I also love the looks, construction and woods that are used.............. :D
 
When I recently was in the market for a new bass I thought I'd try and go in with an open mind (even though I desperately wanted a Warwick, I thought I'd try a load and settle on playability and sound).

I tried Spectors, Warwicks, Musicmans, Fenders, and a whole load of other stuff.

The only bass that came close to a Warwick in terms of sound flexibility was the MM Bongo, but it's hideous looking. So that was it - the Warwick was:

1) Beautifully made
2) Looked fantastic
3) Have been in business for years with a great rep
4) Sonically versatile
5) Nicely playable (although the set up in the shops was cak)
6) Great value for money when held up against the others

BUT the only way to decide is for you to play a bunch, you might find that something completely different floats your boat.

If you asked this question on a MM board or Fender board you'd probably get very similar replies!!

G
 
I'm betting that in a Fender forum "traditional" would be mentioned as a reason...
But I second everything TK276 said
 
KrisG said:
I'm betting that in a Fender forum "traditional" would be mentioned as a reason...
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Well, for some people "Traditional" is good...
For some people "Traditional" is synonym with "Backward"...
 
LX said:
Doc said:
Play one. Thats all I will say.
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THAT'S IT!
Click to expand...

I have played one!!!! :D

I was just wondering if there was any problems later down the line with owning a warwick. Some basses you get are awesome in the start, then it reaches a year and its all problems from then on.

thanks for the advice though!!!
 
They are built like tanks! Only problems will be wear and tear that you would expect from normal usage
 
bass101 said:
Been looking to replace my 4 string bass with a 5 string one for a while and was looking at buying a Warwick. But there are so many other brands out there like fender, yahama, musicman, schecter, ibanez etc that are still decent brands. Since i've never owned a warrick before, could you pls post what made you choose a warwick over the other brands. Any pro's and con's of the others would be helpful too.

Thanks,

bass101
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum man, and please, stay with us even if you don't buy a Warwick after all. This is a bass forum in the end, not all of us are playing a Warwick

I first bought a Warwick back in 95 just for looks :-)) Never tried one before, I knew some great bassists playing Warwicks and it was enough for me. But I found the Warwicks to be extremely sexy. That Corvette Proline was my baby for 5 years, and I was very happy with her.
In 2001 I've needed a 5 stringer, and I just bought the first 5 strings bass I've met with a tight low B. Since I hadn't a 5 stringes Warwick around me, it happened to be a Music Man SR5. Great bass, I don't consider it old school at all.
In 2006 I wanted to go for something better. I was very happy with my music Man in general, and this baby was really a good one. But again, there were some things I didn't like about it. It had a tinght low B, but the sound wasn't very present at all. In my band, with many instruments, it didn't cut through the way I wanted to.
So 2006 was the year for a new bass for me. I tried many, many basses, in my band, even took them in live shows, to ask my sound guy's oppinion. In the end, I've had to chose betweem Warwicks and Yamahas.
I've tried last year a few of them, and OWNED 3 yamahas and 3 Warwicks last year only!!!

In the end I've chosed Warwick, for some reasons:
1- They have a very personal sound, still versatile. Yamahas are very versatile, but lacks a little bit in personality.
2- Warwicks are TOO cool, and Yamahas are really uncool looking basses ( this is just for me)
3- I know Yamahas are good work horses, but I don't know why, I felt warwicks more reliable.

Well, in the end, after almost one year of searching, and trying I chose Warwick.

I hope my little story helps :-) CHeers!
 
Thanks for the welcome!!!

I'll be around here for a long time, cause it takes forever to find the right bass that sounds right, feels right and most importantly looks right, whether i choose a warwick or not lol!!!

Florin said:
I've tried last year a few of them, and OWNED 3 yamahas and 3 Warwicks last year only!!!

I hope my little story helps :-) CHeers![/color]
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Wish I had the money to be able to experiment with so many basses!!!! :D
 
Not a big deal really. Buy one from Ebay, for a VERY good price, play it for 2- 3 weeks, and sell it to buy the next one ;-)
In the end you might have even a small profit ;-)
 
Never considered speculating in the bass market! It's like real estate :lol:
 
Florin said:
bass101 said:
Been looking to replace my 4 string bass with a 5 string one for a while and was looking at buying a Warwick. But there are so many other brands out there like fender, yahama, musicman, schecter, ibanez etc that are still decent brands. Since i've never owned a warrick before, could you pls post what made you choose a warwick over the other brands. Any pro's and con's of the others would be helpful too.

Thanks,

bass101
Click to expand...
I first bought a Warwick back in 95 just for looks :-)) Never tried one before, I knew some great bassists playing Warwicks and it was enough for me. But I found the Warwicks to be extremely sexy. That Corvette Proline was my baby for 5 years, and I was very happy with her.
Click to expand...

Hell yes!
 
I am a Chinese in Taiwan!

There is Thumb NT 4 show in a instrument store 16 years ago, they post a freaking expensive list price but that is the most beautiful bass I even saw, the shape, the color, the curve body, the angled turner....it make the Fender, MM, Alembic, Ibanze looks like shit, someone took it slap a little bit, super attack !!


I bought my first Warwick about 14 years ago(Thumb 5), a friend of mine brought it to me from Canada, the tone is not right. the agent bring many other cheap model like Corvette, Fortress.....they sound wonderful, I know my Thumb could sound better then that! it is hard to find a bass that both beautiful and sound great!! Warwick is the only one, every model have their own sound, I have SSI, SSII, Thumb BO 6 and Thumb NT 5(problem sloved), I still wanna buy more & more.........

I had buy other Bass like Fender, Tobias, Spector(euro), they are not cheap, the biggest problem is they don't sound good in live, Fender do the worst job, then Spector & Tobias, I think the Spector should sound as good as SSI but they don't.........not even close(euro), I sold them all.

I found that many bassist don't wanna buy a Warwick even know that Warwick is great, honestly, most of people just don't know about the beauty of art, they usually looking for a ugly bass which sounds great.

Haha, don't do that!!
 
ThirdthumB said:
I love the low midrange growl that goes like "BWAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH" (that's bass lingo for get da hell out of my way; I'm coming throughhhhhhhh !!!!!). And I also really love the harpsichord like sound when played hard, or when popping. I also love the looks, construction and woods that are used.............. :D
Click to expand...

Nothing is hotter than popping on the D string and letting it ring after you have restrung your Thumb 5. It has such a piano like ring to it, its hot. HOT I TELLS YA!
 
I got hooked on a rockbass 5 string corvette. So I knew a proper Warwick had to be good so I ordered corvette $$ and it is spot on. It feels just right to me. I like a thick neck. And it sounds amazing. The only other bass I'm curious about is Rickenbacker.

I tried a mates Fender and it felt like cardboard, but then he loves that bass and wasn't too keen on my $$ because of the thicker neck.

I've only had problems with the strap locks wearing out so I replaced them with some Jim Dunlop ones. Everything else is fine.


You ought to stick around. There's all kinds of tips kicking around here.
 
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