Warwick - The Difference

[WarwickOfficial]

The Difference: Our Water-based UV lacquer




A perfect lacquer finish entails a never ending development process. The expectations are lofty: highest finish transparency which rivals that of a diamond, and an ultra-thin surface which gives our instruments the very best sound quality - as well as compliance with the high environmental standards here at Warwick.

It took us several years of dedicated work, development and research in order to achieve this level of perfection. Now, we are able to offer one of the most flawless lacquers on the market to all musicians. We have created a type of lacquer which is highly transparent and vastly exceeds the capabilities of traditional finishes when it comes to purity and clarity. And yet, it is only applied as an ultra-thin layer, and thus reduces adverse effects to the treated wood’s vibration characteristics.

Features such as a lotus effect capability for satin finishes and higher abrasion resistance compared to conventional lacquers are now a reality, as well as responsible handling of resources and energy sources. Our water-based UV lacquer dries in seconds when exposed to a UV light source and does not require thermal energy, which in turn conserves fossil energy resources. As our UV lacquer is water-based, it does not give off any vapors that are harmful to the environment.

A perfect finish is only considered so until new technological achievements make further perfection possible. And for this reason, we will never stop improving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ThxZsbNe0s

[Means2nEnd]

That is awesome what year did Warwick start using this technology? What year?

[WarwickOfficial]

Means2nEnd - The UV lacquering technology was officially launched in 2012, and is the thinnest, most durable finish on the market. Because there is no chemical reaction taking place, its possible to achieve a clarity of 93%-95%...in comparison to most other finishes which are about 85% clarity. Also, our lacquer is water-based and environmentally friendly!

[WarwickOfficial]

Side dots installed in the edge of the fingerboard are among the most important tools guitarists and bass players require to feel at home on the entire fingerboard. They are an important guide for fingerboard navigation and help the player utilize the entire tonal range of the instrument quickly. Compared to traditional inlays, our side dots take this concept a step further.

They are fluorescent and self-recharging, and as a result, they are optimally suited for dark stages. Thanks to our one-of-a-kind Neck Processing Center, they are also installed with unequaled precision and amaze with their immaculate appearance. Stay unfazed on dimly lit stages and keep playing even in darkness - our side dots make the impossible possible!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=DjlZR9Apcgk

[WarwickOfficial]

We at Warwick have been innovators for more than 20 years also when it comes to the technique we use for pickup mounting. Already in the 1990s, we started utilizing special screw anchors for a secure connection between the wood and the pickup adjustment screws instead of threading simple wood screws into the body. This technique allows for a secure connection between the pickups and the body, while the pickup height can still be easily set according to the player's wishes without ever requiring force to adjust. This feature also comes standard on all of our RockBass and ProSeries models, which is unparalleled in this price range.

For our German-made models, this approach has now been refined even further. Thanks to an innovative technique, our pickups are now even more firmly anchored inside the instrument. Threaded brass screw anchors are screwed into the body wood which interlock with the wood fibers and provide a secure bond. Subsequently, high quality metal threads are fitted inside which accommodate the machine screws for pickup adjustment perfectly. Experience an ultra-tight bond between your instrument and its pickups for a better playing feel and a new level of playing comfort! What was already revolutionary in the past has now been perfected!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=kMQsMs64jUM

[WarwickOfficial]

The protection of our environment has always been among Warwick's highest priority. Throughout the entire company, whether in climate protection, waste avoidance, energy efficiency or species conservation, Warwick feels obliged to preserve our environment for future generations and goes way beyond legal requirements and customary standards. Immense investments in environmentally friendly technologies and our internal ethical standards are proof and have led to our EMAS III (English EMAS website) certification, which is the strictest European certificate for operational environment protection.

Being a manufacturer of instruments made of precious woods, Warwick considers responsible usage of these materials a necessity. This involves ecological aspects as well as the social conditions in the countries of origin.

The FSC® or Forest Stewardship Council® is an international non-profit organization which has established a certification system for responsible forestry that is accepted and applied throughout the world. It is supported by environmental organizations, unions, advocacy groups of indigenous peoples and many timber and forestry companies. All companies which are part of the manufacturing process and trade of wooden products can be certified and must completely document the origin of the woods, establish an FSC® management and strictly separate FSC® woods from uncertified material. Moreover, an annual audit is conducted making sure that all requirements of the FSC® are fulfilled. Certified companies also commit themselves to buy uncertified woods only under the following conditions:

- No illegally harvested woods

- No woods from regions where traditional or civil rights are violated

- No woods from endangered forests

- No woods from conversions of natural forests into plantations

- No woods from forests with genetically changed tree species

An important part of this certification is the complete verification of an uninterrupted chain of custody. That means that all companies involved in manufacturing and trading as well as all intermediate products from the tree to the final instrument have to be certified. If this is not the case, the FSC® logo must not be applied to the product and it is not allowed to use it for advertising the product as well. This also applies to products that are only partly made of certified woods. So, the FSC® logo guarantees the customer the origin from socially and ecologically responsible forestry and makes sure that all involved companies commit themselves to the same policies.

The observance of these criteria takes high entrepreneurial, administrative and financial efforts which contribute to the value and acceptance of the certificate. Unfortunately, there have been attempts to use the FSC® sign when the chain of custody was interrupted. Luckily, it is almost impossible that illegal usage goes unnoticed.

Warwick considers the purposes of the FSC® equal with its own and applied for certification. After several months of implementation, we can now officially announce that as of December 19, 2011, Warwick is FSC®-certified and may now use the FSC® logo. It is a unique distinction, which we at Warwick proudly accept. A customer not only purchases a precious instrument unequalled in sound and quality, but also makes a statement for the responsible use of our natural resources.

[WarwickOfficial]

When it comes to building a first-class instrument, one hundredth of a millimeter can often be a deciding factor as to whether or not the result meets the high demands of a musician. A vital point in this regard is the fingerboard. It is doubtlessly the most important part of an instrument, as it is where musicians use their hands to create their own, unique tone.


The idea of creating the ideal fingerboard has occupied us for years. Our goal was to find a way to minimize tolerance margins and to develop better solutions for crucial details in order to lend optimal support to the player’s creativity. The “Invisible Fretwork Technology”, in short, IFT, symbolizes a breakthrough which has allowed us to raise the standards within the craft of instrument making.



The IFT system allows for fret installation with perfect precision and previously unmatched, constant quality. Compared to traditional fretting techniques, the fret slots are not cut across the entire fingerboard. Instead, two millimeters of wood remain on each side. This results in a U profile which increases neck stability against twisting and improves the transfer of vibrations into the instrument.

State-of-the-art engineering and measurement techniques ensure perfect accuracy when laying the frets. This not only allows for extremely high precision. Thanks to the aforementioned U profile, the IFT system also prevents frets from extending beyond the edges of the fingerboard and impairing the user’s enjoyment of the instrument.


IFT – a synthesis of know-how and high tech for a better playing feel and playing experience.

Check out the video, here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=Ty5JZVn2lZg

[TechJunky]

When was this process implemented? I've only just recently started hearing about it, but wasn't sure if this has been in process unofficial for a while now, or if this is only the last few months that the basses were built in this manner.

[WarwickOfficial]

TechJunky - IFT has been in use since for all of 2012. Its truly a fascinating process, and is the only technology of its kind, worldwide. Thanks!

[WarwickOfficial]

Our woods are our biggest asset. Their quality is a direct influence on the finished instrument whose importance no other factor can match. A key component that allows for only the best possible wood quality is an ideal drying process at carefully chosen conditions. Outdoor drying is the most natural technique and allows for the most gentle process by means of the natural evaporation of the humidity contained within the wood. Furthermore, it is the most environmentally friendly method. It results from the natural circulation of the outside air, which means that no supply of outside energy is required. But that is not all - it is also the most laborious technique, as all woods must be purchased years in advance and stored so they can age like fine wine. However, as no other drying method suits our company ideology, and as both the commitment to quality and the protection of the environment and the earth's future are our primary goals, our choosing this technique is our utmost responsibility.


For this purpose, we at Warwick and Framus utilize a special, open wood storage, where our gorgeous woods are dried for at least three to ten years. As a result, a thoroughly natural drying process is guaranteed which does not subject the wood to stress. You will be hard-pressed to find another manufacturer anywhere in the world that values gentle, long-term outdoor drying to a similar extent. Reducing the drying time of our instruments in an effort to cut down on costs is out of the question for us, even if it means that we are forced to price our instruments within the upper range.

Only a perfect conditioning process for our woods enables us to lay the foundation of the famous "Sound of Wood" that our name stands for.

Check out the video, here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=u-68WFQ6RZk

[WarwickOfficial]

Even the most modern high technology solutions are no substitute for a natural and gentle outdoor drying process. Nevertheless, we use highly advanced drying kilns in our production facility, but only employ them as a complementary means. They serve to adjust our woods, which have been stored in our outdoor wood storage for at least three to ten years, to the indoor climate.


In order to achieve this goal, we use both vacuum drying and regular circulating air drying kilns which allow our woods to reach the desired target moisture content under optimal conditions. Due to a finely adjusted climate within the chamber and constant monitoring, we allow for a gentle and steady final drying process. Furthermore, all of our drying chamber units are built to allow for the lowest thermal energy consumption. During their operation in the warmer seasons, they are heated exclusively by means of scrap lumber. In the wintertime, our kilns are disengaged to allow for an economical and ecology-friendly use our resources. Our drying kilns are another manifestation of our very own, unique synthesis between traditional and cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, which makes us an exception within the market. And as a result, they are a considerable contributing factor to the many reasons why you can expect to receive nothing but a perfectly crafted instrument which will accompany you for a lifetime when purchasing a guitar or bass guitar from Warwick and Framus!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=cq7mvKsdlbU

[WarwickOfficial]

Mahogany is one of the classic woods used in instrument making. Since more than 50
years, instrument makers have sworn by the classic material. In the past, Honduras
Mahogany (botan.: Swietenia macrophylla) originating from South America was widely
used. Today, there is hardly anything remaining of those earlier tree populations, which
is why Honduras mahogany has been on the Red List of endangered species for quite
some time.

With African mahogany (botan.: Khaya ivorensis), we succeeded in arriving at a compar-
able alternative for a sustainable future. This gorgeous wood type is known for its uni-
que, reddish brown coloring. We only purchase FSC-certified African mahogany from
FSC-certified sources. It belongs to the same botanical family and possesses both the
same structure and the same excellent tonal qualities as the endangered, near-extinct
Honduras mahogany species. Our African mahogany provides Warwick basses with classic
tonal character and Earth friendly soul!

See the video, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=90GCrmjnzJc

[WarwickOfficial]

Wood is a living and breathing resource. The influence of its moisture content on its consistence and its quality is considerable, and also impacts the tone of instruments built from wood directly. This is why we use a one-of-a-kind technique to measure the moisture contained in our woods even before they are processed in our production facility. As a result, we are capable of tending to the special needs of woods with differing moisture content. It is a well-known fact that wood is capable of both absorbing and releasing moisture. Wood with low humidity content absorbs moisture from the atmosphere which causes it to swell, and wood with high humidity content releases moisture to its surroundings, which causes shrinkage.


By means of a cutting-edge measuring process, the moisture content of each body segment and every neck laminate is checked even prior to planning and marked accordingly. Wood pieces with a moisture content that is too low or too high are rejected and then re-dried in our drying kilns, or stored separately in order to re-adjust their moisture content to the climate.


Only by exclusively combining woods with perfectly balanced, uniform qualities and the same consistence can it be guaranteed that the entire instrument behaves like a single unit. As a result, our instruments are provided with perfectly constant stability and perfectly transparent tone. Thanks to our one-of-a-kind experience resulting from our 30 years of instrument making, we absolutely guarantee that every Warwick bass is a one-of-a-kind instrument.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=YYSjIhFcysM

[WarwickOfficial]

Our use of frets crafted from a special bronze alloy is one of our most famous inventions which helped us make our mark in the 1980s. Since 1987, our basses have benefitted from the stability and the unique tone of our bell bronze frets, which were developed in-house.


This concept was sparked by a single idea: combining the sound of a bass guitar with the transparency and the abundance of overtones of the ringing of a church bell. It is safe to say that our undertaking has succeeded. The unique and rich overtone characteristics of our instruments are immediately recognizable even after playing the first note - and our unique type of fretwire plays a large part in the one-of-a-kind tone of our basses. Furthermore, our special bronze alloy allows for excellent stability and considerably longer fret life compared to frets crafted from nickel silver. As you can plainly see, it pays off to be innovative. Especially if the results are as magnificent as our bell bronze frets!

Watch the video, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=oBjkm5SoIwE

[WarwickOfficial]

Tigerstripe Ebony proves that in our quest for beautiful and excellent-sounding woods, adhering to age-old tradition is not always a necessity. Only a small amount of ebony trees possess wood with the famous jet-black appearance. However, the stunning and unique marbling ranging from light brown to off-white colors that is found in the heartwood of most ebony trees, has been ignored for a long time.

At Warwick and Framus we've recognized the true potential of Tigerstripe Ebony as early as the year 2000, and subsequently succeeded in establishing it in the market. The beautiful wood species, which we purchase from FSC-certified sources only, not only impresses with its beautiful marbling, but also possesses the same stability and tonal properties as the famous jet-black ebony type. Thanks to our use of Tigerstripe Ebony for our fretboards, we not only guarantee that each of our bass guitars becomes a beautiful one-of-a-kind instrument, but also contribute to the preservation of the population of ebony trees world-wide. Sometimes it is for the best to think outside the box and to choose not to follow long-established traditions blindly, of which our success is excellent proof!

See a video about Tigerstripe Ebony here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=VK086oe7PY4

[Jaymi]

That is some sweet wood! Nice contrast

[Means2nEnd]

I am glad to know Warwick is doing its part in preserving wood species and our planet in general at the same time doing most everything cutting edge. I wonder if Warwick is stamping the newer basses that are FSC certified as such or provide paperwork so when traveling in and out of our country that we won’t get hassled and our instruments possible detained. I heard after what happened in the Gibson factory that that was a possibility. I personally love striped ebony I love the character and the unique striping and color of it. An interesting YouTube video about the state of ebony this video is pretty informative.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anCGvfsBoFY

[WarwickOfficial]

An instrument can only be certified FSC if 100% of the wood used on it are FSC-certified woods. We do use quite a bit of FSC-certified wood, and some instruments may use some will not be FSC-certified because some of the wood may not be certified. As far as instruments being confiscated...this usually applies to woods like Brazilian Rosewood, and for these we do have CITES certificates. Thanks!

[WarwickOfficial]

And, regarding that video...I find it interesting that he doesn't mention FSC-certified wood, or becoming an FSC-certified factory(Forest Stewardship Council). If a government makes money off of something, they will certainly allow it and offer a permit. Does that make it legal, if there is no third party to keep tabs on things? The video talks about how the workers have been cutting down 10 ebony trees to find 1 that was pure black - The rest were being left in the forest as waste...even though the wood is exactly the same, just not pure black. And, how we must shift to using Ebony that is not pure black, but which has some streaking in it. Warwick has been using Tigerstripe Ebony for 12 years already...with the knowledge that it has the same sonic properties and feel as black ebony. Now, its trying to be marketed as something new. (Note: the same number of trees are being cut, and only legal by government authority. They have no FSC-certification) Still, there is no mention of FSC-certified wood in this video…where a 3rd party gaurantee's the wood is coming from a sustainably managed forest, under the strictest guidelines. Not only does the wood/forest need to be certified...but every handler along the way, and also the company that makes the end product. The only companys in the US that are FSC-certified are Martin, Gibson and (since February) PRS. In Europe it is Sonor and Warwick. To offer an instrument that is an FSC instrument - the ENTIRE instrument must be made from FSC-certified wood in an FSC-certified facility…not just a part of the instrument. As customers begin to learn about the situation, and as manufacturers adapt…FSC will get stronger, and play a bigger part in the industry. We hope by doing our part, we will contribute to a healthier future…and perhaps one day, it will be a standard in the industry. Currently the only FSC-certified Ebony comes from Ghana.In the forests there, trees are selectively tagged in 10 year increments. Only those trees can be cut, leaving a natural canopy for other trees to continue to grow, and replanted saplings to take root and survive. The interesting thing is that the company Taylor partnered with, Madinter, is FSC-Certified...but he doesn't purchase their FSC wood. Cameroon is one of the more corrupt nations when it comes to things like this, and their forests are not managed in any way...after talking to people in the industry, this video is a lot of marketing that includes tidbits of factual information - but in reality Cameroon's forests are being destroyed with no type of monitoring.

[Means2nEnd]

Thank you Garey, I self admittedly am unaware of all of those things and if it is on the Warwick site I obviously missed it. I am eager to learn as much as I can about it as I will be buying and playing wooden instruments for years to come and would prefer to do so in good conscious. I think most of us are unaware of all that entails being FSC certified. Another reason to love Warwick and the lengths they go to. Thanks