Warwick Pickups getting a Pick-me-up

gus1894 · #1 03-08-2010, 11:35 PM

I am planning on upgrading my Warwick Corvette Standard for a second time... A few months ago I changed out the Preamp for an Audere Classic 4-band. I wanted more versatility - I like the preamp, but I am not entirely thrilled with the pickups these days. The current ones are the MEC Dynamic Correction J's.

So...Do who do I go with (as I don't have a terrible amount of experience in this area)?

A. Bartolini
B. DiMarzio
C. Delano
D. Lindy Fralin
E. Nordstrand
F. Seymour Duncan
G. EMG

I am open to your suggestions and reasoning for them being that I am fairly inexperienced in this area...

Thanks!

Coliah · #2 03-09-2010, 12:15 AM

from what's posted around this board, i'd say either lindy fralins or nordstrand

i have absolutely no experience with either, i'm just saying what alot of others post for jazz pickups

grue · #3 03-09-2010, 12:27 AM

I just replaced (2 days ago) the Dynamic Corrections in my Corvette with DiMarzio Model J pups. I'm still getting used to them, but I can tell you my observations.

The DiMarzios are super quiet, while the MECs were ridiculously noisy.
The MECs have higher output.
The DiMarzios have way more mids, and a bit less high end, while the MECs were a little more scooped and "rock" sounding.
The DiMarzios definitely bring out the low growl of the Warwick and cut through the mix. They can get kind of honky, though. I had to mess with the tone on my amp for a while to keep from sounding like Jaco without the talent. Once I had it dialed in, though, they were great.
The MECs seem a little more compressed, while the DMs seem to respond better to dynamics in playing, and have a really punchy attack.
I've been experimenting with series/parallel wiring, and the DMs in series sound really huge, kind of like a cross between a Warwick and a G&L.
Wired traditionally, the DiMarzios sound like a jazz bass, but a little more modern. They have more subtlety and detail than the MECs, but don't have as much "bite".

If you are looking for something closer to the MECs, you might want to try another ceramic bar pickup. I know the EMG-HZ passive pickups use ceramic bars, except with hum-cancellation, so they may be a closer match in tone, even though they don't have any kind of cool factor.

Holy cow, I just wrote all that! Well, whatever. I've been thinking about the same thing and thought I would share. Maybe if you try a different pickup, you could write a review?

badboy1984 · #4 03-09-2010, 12:48 AM

I got EMG and john East preamp on my Warwick Corvette Standard. The sound is Hi Fi but the John East makes the sound more beefy. I like the tone and it sounds like the warwick is on cracks haha

gus1894 · #5 03-09-2010, 06:16 AM

THanks! Anybody else wants to chime in, I am still doing research, more opinion is better.

Coliah - yea. I like Nordstrand, thing about Lindy Fralin is I always figured them for more of a P Bass or JazZ Bass...

Grue, thanks - that surprises me about the DiMarzios...

Badboy - Thanks - the EMG's sound like the front runners so far - which ones did you use? Were they quiet?

badboy1984 · #6 03-09-2010, 07:20 AM

Hi, I use the EMG J set for my warwick corvette std. The Warwick I had originally was a passive version so no active stuff was involve. I change the pickups yo EMG J Set and also slap a set of John East standard preamp on the warwick, and the sound just come to live. The you can still hear the tone of warwick but with that hifi emg sound, then the john east pre beef up the sound of the emg so the bass sound killer now. Is my main axe at the moment along with a Fender RI 60 Jazz with Dimarzio and J-Retrol.

gus1894 · #7 03-09-2010, 07:25 AM

Thanks - just doing a little reading on the EMG's - do they run off a battery that is a separate power supply than the preamp?

grifff · #8 03-09-2010, 07:28 AM

The old Warwicks used to come stock with Bartolini's so you may want to look into them. The Warwick forum could probably tell you exactly what preamp and pickups too.

gus1894 · #9 03-09-2010, 07:53 AM

Heh. Yea. I was on there - it was like sacrilige when I mentioned changing out the p'ups.

To clarify: I have already changed out the Preamp to an active pre which I am happy with: Audere Classic 4-band.

I am looking specifically for pickups.

Thanks!!

KsPiNeSh · #10 03-09-2010, 10:19 AM

I have an Audere 4-band paired with Joe Barden pups in my Thumb NT... simply delicious. Thicker than the Thumb used to be while still maintaing *that* Thumb sound. Plus, the Bardens just look cool

Coliah · #11 03-09-2010, 03:37 PM

Off topic...I love the warwick growl. I want to buy a 5 string corvette standard just to play the e-b and fall in love with the growl.

How much growl does your warwick have?

badboy1984 · #12 03-09-2010, 03:42 PM

To answer your question about power issue.

My EMG active pickup and Retro Preamp on the bass run off the same 9V battery on the bass. So one 9v battery power the pickup and preamp. The battery seems to last ages, i had it for more than half a yr now and the battery was still good. But i did had problem at start when wire up the wrong thing so it sucks battery no matter you plug or unplug the lead.

Also i find it my warwick with EMG and Retro give plenty of growl and alot og aggressive attack on the tone. But at the end we all describe growl differently.

Hope this help man.

darkstorm · #13 03-09-2010, 03:45 PM

I'd vote for the emg JHZ passive J's or dimarzios J's myself. That with your preamp.

rebelscum · #14 03-10-2010, 10:51 AM

Hey all ... I'm replacing the stock MEC pups in my Vette STD as the previous owner destroyed them. Is there a good wiring diagram out there for this bass? I have looked, but I've either not looked hard enough, or in the proper sites. Any advise guys?

gus1894 · #15 03-10-2010, 12:40 PM

Wow. I tell ya - hijackers galore! LOL. And some good advice too - thanks all!

I am sitting on the pickup swap for right now. I want to think this one through thoroughly - once I buy the pups and put them in, I will be obligated to them - resale will never be that great IMO. So I am intent on making the right choice!

BTW - the growl is in the attack, IMO I can get a nice smooth tone or a good throaty growl out of my Wick.

And lastly...I just threw some new strings on her - D'Addario ProSteels - what a great sounding set of strings on my Vette! I am enjoying the tone I'm getting out of them!
Who knows??

ColinB · #16 03-11-2010, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebelscum

Hey all ... I'm replacing the stock MEC pups in my Vette STD as the previous owner destroyed them. Is there a good wiring diagram out there for this bass? I have looked, but I've either not looked hard enough, or in the proper sites. Any advise guys?

Warwick wiring diagrams are here...
http://www.warwickbass.com/modules/i...D=14542&&cl=EN