Well I think the time has come to break up the twins. I have a second Flashback and while I'll probably regret it, I think it's time for me to mix things up a little.
A fusion of vintage and modern styles, the Flashbacks are rare to begin with, and this one seems to be a later (probably '98) custom shop build - at least that's what Florin in the Warwick forums told me. He also suggested that Flashbacks are even rarer than I had previously thought - Here's what he said:
Quote:
| seems to be later made, as a CUstom Shop...the first Series of the Flashback we built with the 2Tek Bridge.. after this the supplier went out of business and we where building the Bass with the regular Warwick Bridge...Totally I think we made - 50 to 60 pcs. with the 2Tek Bridge and 150 Basses with with the Warwick 2 pcs. Bridge. So it is pretty rare :-) |
Comparing this to my other Flashback, there are some noteworthy elements that appear ton confirm it is a custom shop bass. First the beautiful wenge neck is EVEN SLIMMER on this Flashback than on the one I am keeping (which is already an old school warwick slim neck). So this Flashback appears to have the rare extra-slim custom shop neck. Second, the fingerboard extends past the butt of the neck at the joint (see picture) like on many vintage instruments. Third, the wenge of the fingerboard is cut with a banded pattern on the side, which contrasts with the darker wenge of the neck rather than blending together. It is quite attractive and kind of old school psychedelic! Finally, the strap mount is higher than on my other flashback.
All in all it is a heck of a bass. The low-output lipstick pickups sound particularly sweet through a tube amp (and they are very kind to hot preamps). THe electronics are entirely passive. Single coil neck pickup gives a warm and punchy sound that is somewhere between a 51 P-bass, a danelectro and a rickenbacker neck pickup. The bridge pickup is two single coils wired in parallel as a humbucker, and they provide a surprisingly crisp bite for lipsticks - a growly Warwick sound to be sure. There are great tones all over the blend knob.
EDIT: i have taken measurements and confirmed that this bass has the Warwick Extra-slim neck, about 1.5mm shallower at the nut than the already slim (1.5" nut width)
For those who assosicate chunky necks with Warwicks, here is a pdf of their neck profiles, and this page has illustrations for comparison. The neck you are familiar with is now known as the "fatneck" - the standard neck is jazz bass-ish. Again, this bass has the extra-slim neck in wenge, with a banded pattern on the side of the wenge fingerboard.
I'm including a near-new Warwick hardshell case and, on request, a set of dunlop flushmount straplocks to go with the original mountings on the Flashback. The bass is strung with fresh, snappy DR-Lo-Rider Nickels in MedLite. I won't ship outside of the CONUS or Canada unless you've got something I really really want in trade
NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE: $1600 SHIPPED IN THE CONUS or trade for something that will round out my arsenal of basses better. Here's what I will consider, add cash where appropriate:
1) A pre-2000 Warwick Streamer neckthrough P/J (preferably with wenge in the neck)
2) A Rickenbacker
3) A nice setneck shortscale hollowbody (or semihollow maybe)
4) Warwick Fortress R&B
I might consider other things but probably no bolt-on necks, and I generally prefer passive electronics. I don't need cabinets (unless it's a Mesa 8 ohm PH115 with the player control network and comes with a cool head as well) but bitchen heads that will run to 2 8 ohm cabs may be of interest. I like tube amps, but could use a premium SS setup - nothing TOO hi-fi though. For example Mesa, Aguilar and early Ampeg are names I like.
So try me - Whatcha got?
edit to add info:
I need to get it weighed properly before i give you a real estimate, but here's i CAN say that the swamp ash body is not only beautiful, it is "80s-japanese-shredder-bass-bunnyhop-around-the-stage" light. Lightest warwick I've ever encountered.
). I didn't think you'd be too into the bike, but it's in very good shape & I'll go through it(it's actually disassembled right now to do just that). For perspective, I'd need to get like $750 to make it worth selling, otherwise I'd just keep it as a spare/loaner.
