Warwick - The Difference

[Means2nEnd]

My Streamer Stage 2 is of course Afzelia and I have to say maybe not the most dramatic as far as color variances and contrasting wood grain it is still beautiful. It has been my main bass for years now and well I am extremely physical when I play. I use fingers, pick, slap and in general dig in very hard over the pickups and fretting. It has stood up like iron. It hardly even dents or marks and the tone is my favorite of all my Warwicks.
I looked Afzelia up and it's listed as an African mahogany as well. Is the mahogany you are referring too much different than my Afzelia and will the Afzelia still be available for years to come?

[JP Morin]

Didn't they always used steel reinforced necks ??
I mean my '88 SSII neck is very stiff and don't move at all over season change that are pretty drastic here in Canada, so I won't be surprised it is steel reinforced even from these years !! My '99 LX all wenge neck don't move at all too !! May be I'm wrong but I remind having read somewhere that Gibson guitars used steel reinforced neck pretty much from the start too...

[WarwickOfficial]

Yes, indeed...its been used from the very early days. Thanks!

[WarwickOfficial]

Without a shadow of a doubt, the bridge is one of the most important components of a stringed instrument, as its influence on richness of overtones and sustain is considerable. Due to its excellent tonal qualities and features, our two-piece Warwick bridge is already considered legendary. But now, we are ready to take another step towards perfection. Brass is considered to be one of the best-sounding and most high-grade materials for crafting bridges, but is also known to be somewhat difficult to process. We have now developed a technique that allows us to craft all bridges installed on our German-made models from pure, solid brass as of 2013.

Our brass bridges are manufactured using highly advanced CNC technology which allows for optimum stability combined with perfect manufacturing quality and consistency. The result is both an improved string vibration transfer to the body, and tone with noticeably faster attack and longer sustain. As a result, an all-new world of possibilities opens up for bassists of all styles, making complex, fast lines easier to play. Our brass bridges allow for richer tone from the lowest up to the highest registers, and bring out the true potential of our instruments!

See the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=8d2P_o403ZE

[JP Morin]

Cool feature... Warwick return to their roots : wenge necks and brass bridges !!!

[WarwickOfficial]

Without a shadow of a doubt, our woods are the single most important influence on the quality of our instruments. As a result, we make sure that only the very best quality lumber is processed in our production facility, and that all woods are allowed to develop their full potential. As tone woods are a living and breathing resource that is sensitive to the humidity in the atmosphere, we spare no efforts to process our woods optimally at ideal conditions.

In order to suit the properties and the needs of the precious material to the best of our abilities, we make sure that the humidity in the atmosphere of our entire production area is perfectly uniform. This is made possible by a complex climate regulation process by means of a highly sophisticated humidification apparatus. Our humidification system is capable of directly adjusting the amount of moisture in the air via humidity sensors which monitor our entire production facility day and night. Only by going to such great lengths are we capable of ensuring a constant humidity in our production facility’s atmosphere throughout the entire production process, starting with the processing of round timber all the way up to the finished instrument. As a result, our guitars and basses are granted the outstanding stability and perfect vibration transmission properties that they are famous for world-wide. And once the time has come for you to experience our instruments yourself, we are sure that you will be able to both see and feel that going to such extraordinary lengths is definitely worth the effort!

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

[WarwickOfficial]

In 1982, the year our company was founded, we searched for the perfect neck wood and found the West-African tone wood Wenge. This dark-brown-colored wood species sports not only a beautiful look and a great-feeling grain, but also excellent stability. As a result, Wenge has proven to be the perfect wood to utilize with the high tension of bass strings. However, the most important reason why Wenge would go on to become synonymous with our company name is its one-of-a-kind tone - “The Sound of Wood”!

It is plain as day that using Wenge as a neck wood is one of the key ingredients of the Warwick “Growl” and its strong, cutting mids. As obtaining this one-of-a-kind species of wood, with an unrivaled tone that cuts through perfectly, became near impossible in the 1990s, we began our search for a substitute. After laborious research and testing, we chose Ovangkol, which also originates from West Africa, due to its similar tonal qualities.

However, times change and the availability of Wenge has now remarkably improved again. As Wenge is now readily available once more, we have returned to our roots that are closely connected to the famous growl wonder and “The Sound of Wood”, which Warwick fans have been awaiting for years. All classic Warwick Made in Germany models are now once more crafted with necks made from Wenge wood, which we purchase exclusively from FSC-certified sources. This means we have brought back the classic Warwick Growl, now combined with the cutting-edge production techniques that you will only findin our one-of-a-kind manufacturing facility. The result is extraordinary instruments with peerless tone, punch, and playability that you will not find anywhere else. Experience the classic Warwick Growl – “THE SOUND OF WOOD “, made possible by our very own Wenge necks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=7PN02hkFV3U

[Darkstrike]

Oh my.... this is fantastic news.

[ilikebass7]

So excited!

[vin*tone]

Like.

[Musiclogic]

As a huge fan of pre 92 Warwicks, and former owner of an 89 streamer, 90 Dolphin, 91 streamer, and a 98 Streamer, I will tell you they are very different instruments.

As a woodworker and luthier, I will tell you as a matter of experience and fact, Ovangkol(Shedua) is nothing like wenge. Ovangkol is softer, less grainy, and much easier to work, more akin to a rock maple density but grainy like Mahogany. Wenge is much harder, and more brittle. Very splintery.

I believe that Warwick had to find a replacement wood when Wenge was becomming more scarce and the environmental groups were bringing attention to the people using Wenge at high rates. I don't think iit was anything more, as now Shedua is becomming harder to get, and Wenge supplies are back up. Also, Warwicks pricing has doubled in the past 5 years which will allow them to manufacture less in Germany and still continue the profit structure. Thus using less wenge. IMNSHO

Now if they would start making instruments like they did pre 1992, it would really be a great thing.

[ilikebass7]

From everything I have hear pre 92 was very inconsistent. I have a 88 thumb and its my favorite Warwick I have played. I agree there is a difference between the 2 but you really don't think you get warwickgrowl out of warwicks with different neck woods?

[ilikebass7]

2 things I adore a out my 88 thumb

[Octaves]

I can't wait to get my Warwick!

[WarwickOfficial]

Originally Posted by Octaves

I can't wait to get my Warwick!

Do you an order in, or just thinking about it? Any particular model or specs? Thanks!

[WarwickOfficial]

Many of the guitars and basses that come to life in our production facility are equipped with elaborate body and neck constructions which you will be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Our instruments are famous for bodies consisting of multiple layers of wood, intricate tops, and necks composed of multiple laminates. But no matter how many finely crafted segments come together to form our instruments, perfect stability and vibration transfer is always guaranteed. But what is the secret behind our masterpieces made from wood that are as stable as they are intricate?

Every experienced luthier is aware of the extremely important role glue plays when crafting an instrument. We at Framus and Warwick employ glue which hardens to a perfect crystalline state and allows not only for an optimum bond between all components, but also for immaculate vibration transfer. As a result, it contributes a considerable part to the exceptional tone of our instruments. And that is not all: ultra-thin glue joints which allow for a striking appearance are also made possible. Every skilled luthier will agree: high-quality glue is more than a tool, but one of the most important components of a well-crafted instrument!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=tmoVb0uocJ8

[WarwickOfficial]

As of 2011, all German-made Warwick Basses come equipped with the new Just-A-Nut III Brass Nut, which was entirely developed in-house. Our goal was to devise a new, updated version of the very first Just-A-Nut model crafted from brass, which prompted a sheer revolution in the bass guitar world upon its introduction in the year 1987. In one fell swoop, the Just-A-Nut offered more ways of achieving comfortably low action than any bass guitar nut before it. Furthermore, the cumbersome filing of nut slots had become a thing of the past once and for all.

The new Just-A-Nut III Brass is the ultimate version of the amazing original model, which takes its innovative concept to perfection. Crafted with precision down to a 100th of a millimeter using cutting-edge CNC technology, it is easier to adjust to the individual playing style of every musician than any other nut on the market.

As the high-quality brass that we use to craft the Just-A-Nut III possesses the same excellent vibration characteristics as our frets made from finest bell bronze, the tonal character of open and fretted notes matches perfectly. This provides our world-famous instruments with stunning, even tone that is nothing short of inspiring. Experience the perfect evolution of the outstanding Just-A-Nut, which proves that we can even exceed our very best accomplishments with ease!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=LWRosmx4HVY

[TNcaveman]

Alembic basses have had adjustable nuts before 1987. Here's a 1983 model Spoiler w/ one. http://alembic.com/club/messages/411...tml?1359422321

And a '77 Series I http://alembic.com/club/messages/411...tml?1307216245

And an '82 Series II http://alembic.com/club/messages/411...tml?1264011062

Not sure when Alembic started it though?


Stephen

[WarwickOfficial]

Here at Framus and Warwick, our beautiful woods form the heart and soul of our one-of-a-kind instruments. As a result, we are the owners of a peerless selection of tone woods, which is the most diverse in the industry.

More than 40 wood species are available in total, ranging from gorgeous Birdseye Maple and “CITES Rio Rosewood” to the extremely rare Pommele Bubinga type. Decades worth of experience in the field of music instrument making and our 50-year-long family tradition not only allow us to exclusively select woods that meet our high standards and are a perfect match for our love of the valuable natural resource that is wood. Furthermore, we can guarantee that the gorgeous woods which come together to form the basis of our instruments and are responsible for its peerless quality, only originate from trustworthy and transparent sources.

As this means that we rely on the natural resources originating from the forests of the earth, consistent environmental protection has always been one of our most important goals. Not only do we strive to purchase FSC-certified tone woods that originate from sustainable forest management exclusively in the future. What is more, as of December 2012, we are also the very first carbon neutral manufacturer in the entire music industry. We at Framus and Warwick will always continue to advocate the protection of the environment, of our future, and our children.

Once the beautiful tone woods have arrived in our manufacturing facility, they are cut with the help of the skills and decades worth of expertise of our experts, stored for an exceptionally long time, and then air-dried. Thus, we guarantee that the valuable natural resource that is our woods is not subjected to stress and that its natural beauty and unique qualities truly shine. Furthermore, every piece of tone wood is hand-selected, making every guitar and every bass a stunning one-of-a-kind instrument which brings out the true potential of the beautiful gift of nature. Here at Framus and Warwick, every lover of fine and unique woods will find instruments that will accompany them for a lifetime and take their playing to a whole new level!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=qheWv4_ihKo