Warwick worth it??

jongofett · #1 03-10-2011, 09:12 PM

Hey all, I currently play a fender precision standard that cost me £400 and was just checking out warwicks!! They look great but being as the cheapest one new at this point is £800 are they really £400 better than a fender?? And also what kind of quality are the rockbass range??

**Mound of Sound** · #2 03-10-2011, 09:19 PM

I don't know much about Warwicks other than I find them uncomfortable. The neck feels like a baseball bat to me. With that said, you will find the 'Warwick 'till the day I die' crowd come out of the wood work defending them. to each their own. I would try to take some time to test the waters with one to see what you think.

kjpollo · #3 03-10-2011, 09:19 PM

Some of the Rockbass models are pretty good. I've only found one that really isnt- I played a Rockbass version of the Corvette $$ and I was not impressed at all. I realize the Rockbasses are the cheaper import versions of the standard models but I found the sound of the Rockbass $$ to be totally lacking. No preamp and the only switching options you get are push/pull pots that change the pickups from humbucker to single coil.
I found the tone to be pretty one-dimensional when compared to the "regular $$" I can live with the fact that the neck wood is maple instead of ovangkol-thats a trade-off I can see, I can even see taking away the series/single/parallel switching for each pickup, but at LEAST leave in the 2 band preamp!
I havent seen any other of the newer Rockbass models to try so unfortunately, my ONLY experience with a new ROckbass left me underwhelmed to say the least!

gino3298 · #4 03-10-2011, 09:20 PM

If you have ever played a warwick on a decent amp then you will know for yourself that any warwick is worth every penny. It's smooth to play, fits perfectly in anyones hands and has a sound no one could compare to, some musicians like the feel of what theyre already use to in which isnt a problem but if you have the chance to get any warwick id personally recommend it, the one i want is worth around 1867 gbp, 3000 usd, it would set me back financially but the sound of it would be 100% worth it. i gotta say ive never played any bass with a smoother neck in my life, theres absolutely no effort to playing it

Gizmot · #5 03-10-2011, 09:29 PM

Once you get used to the neck profile on a Warwick, nothing else feels right. You might think they're clunky, but they are absolutely perfect after you play it awhile. The made-in-Germany Warwicks are superbly made and sound wonderful.
You will NEVER regret spending the money on one - they are worth every penny.

**garmenteros** · #6 03-10-2011, 09:36 PM

I've played quite a few of them. I like them. The necks take some getting used to but its nothing an experienced player should have issues with. They have their own voice as well.

**xed** · #7 03-10-2011, 09:38 PM

I have a '98 dolphin pro I that i like very much. The neck is definitely round on the first third of the neck but i kinda dig it on this bass. I don't consider it uncomfortable at all.

Chasbo · #8 03-10-2011, 09:41 PM

I play the Warwick RockBass $$ and so far it is everything the reviews say it is. As a lower end Warwick Bass, mine needed very little tweaking right out of the box. The action is fast and with the right amp and cabinets ( I play Hartke 210 & 115 cabs driven by a GK 400RB I am quite satisfied. I also play a Fender P also. I dont feel the baseball bat neck comes into play at all unless you have very small hands. Good luck with your decision whatever you decide.

Chrisk-K · #9 03-10-2011, 09:47 PM

I've owned 4 German Warwicks. Workmanship was impeccable and they all got killer tones. Warwick is probably the most consistent mass production bass. I've never played a lemon German Warwick.

IngerAlb · #10 03-11-2011, 12:32 AM

Starting from 2009, Warwick basses have a new neck profile: very thin & narrow. If you don't like chunky necks, keep this in mind (there are various differences even between the same W models, depending on the year they were made).

The thing most ppl would agree upon is that Warwicks have a voice of their own, a very distinct tone - you either love it or hate it. As previously said, it may take a while to get used to a W, but once you do, it's perfect in every single way.

As long as you don't mind playing a heavier bass (except for the ones with ash bodies) and you like their tone, you can't go wrong. Thing is, Warwicks sound totally opposite to a Fender, so it's a good idea to test some in person to see if it fits your needs.

sonic assassin · #11 03-11-2011, 12:38 AM

for better or worse, nothing sounds like a warwick. if you like it, then nothing will really do what it does. not a matter of better or worse.

i personally cant stand them. necks too big, dont do active, the passive ones sound worse. ill stick with a passive stingray or a jazz.

KsPiNeSh · #12 03-11-2011, 04:42 AM

If you're hesitant, look to the used market. Warwicks tend to have a lower-than-expected resale value anyway, so that is likely your best bet.

Scoopbass · #13 03-11-2011, 05:02 AM

I own an old German W Fortress One and also used an FNA fiver for a few years. I'm ambivalent to them, frankly, and I disagree that "nothing else sounds like them" as I have a large stable of basses and have a number of basses that can replicate the Warwick sound.

Warwicks are both hideously over-expensive and massively prone to depreciation. The OP is British, clearly, by dint of the currency he mentions - he'd do far better to contact Alan at ACG in Scotland and enquire about one of his "ACG Graft" line of basses. The ACGs are handmade individual basses, built with love and care by just one guy (who happens to be an incredibly skilled luthier), while the Warwicks are made on an impersonal mass-production line. Amazingly, the ACG Graft, both 4 and 5 strings, is considerably cheaper than buying a Warwick in the UK.

Pricing of ACG grafts is here: A.C. Guitars - Hand Crafted Basses & Guitars

while Grafts soon to be available are shown here:
A.C. Guitars - Hand Crafted Basses & Guitars

Hope this helps.

TolerancEJ · #14 03-11-2011, 09:53 AM

Yes, the necks are wide and the basses are heavy. But consider that if you are comfortably able to play a Warwick, you should be able to play pretty much anything in the bass market.

I own a Warwick Thumb BO 6. The low B is killer and the upper range sounds superb.

woolfal · #15 03-11-2011, 10:07 AM

I own a black $$ warwick and I haven't touched my musician since I got it.

Rusty the Scoob · #16 03-11-2011, 10:14 AM

Personally when I see a Warwick I think "Wow, those were cutting edge in 1995." Then I think they got way overused, and they aren't really all that versatile . My 1995 (German-made) Fortress 5 was a really nice bass, just not for me. One of the few basses I've ever sold and I have no regrets.

But if you like Warwicks, you'll love a Warwick since they really are superbly made.

Evil Undead · #17 03-11-2011, 10:20 AM

I play a German Warwick, and it's the best bass I've ever laid my hands on. Well worth the bucks in my opinion. This bass will have to be buried with me.

Evil Undead · #18 03-11-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woolfal

I own a black $$ warwick and I haven't touched my musician since I got it.

Freudian slip?

dj150888 · #19 03-11-2011, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoopbass

I own an old German W Fortress One and also used an FNA fiver for a few years. I'm ambivalent to them, frankly, and I disagree that "nothing else sounds like them" as I have a large stable of basses and have a number of basses that can replicate the Warwick sound.

Warwicks are both hideously over-expensive and massively prone to depreciation. The OP is British, clearly, by dint of the currency he mentions - he'd do far better to contact Alan at ACG in Scotland and enquire about one of his "ACG Graft" line of basses. The ACGs are handmade individual basses, built with love and care by just one guy (who happens to be an incredibly skilled luthier), while the Warwicks are made on an impersonal mass-production line. Amazingly, the ACG Graft, both 4 and 5 strings, is considerably cheaper than buying a Warwick in the UK.

Pricing of ACG grafts is here: A.C. Guitars - Hand Crafted Basses & Guitars

while Grafts soon to be available are shown here:
A.C. Guitars - Hand Crafted Basses & Guitars

Hope this helps.

I play a 5 string Warwick FNA Jazzman, I think it plays fantastically and sounds great. I bought used and got a ridiculous price on it.

However, I'm about to pull the trigger on an ACG build which will probably replace my 'wick. If you're buying new, the ACG definitely offers better bang-for-your-buck, but in the used market, Warwicks are a great buy in my eyes.

Dark Horse · #20 03-11-2011, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gino3298

If you have ever played a warwick on a decent amp then you will know for yourself that any warwick is worth every penny. It's smooth to play, fits perfectly in anyones hands and has a sound no one could compare to, some musicians like the feel of what theyre already use to in which isnt a problem but if you have the chance to get any warwick id personally recommend it, the one i want is worth around 1867 gbp, 3000 usd, it would set me back financially but the sound of it would be 100% worth it. i gotta say ive never played any bass with a smoother neck in my life, theres absolutely no effort to playing it

Addressing you post, since it seems to assume that "everyone is the same".

Quote:

If you have ever played a warwick on a decent amp then you will know for yourself that any warwick is worth every penny.

For me they weren't. Nice basses, to be sure, but they didn't give me the tone, feel, or comfort that I was looking for.

Quote:

t's smooth to play, fits perfectly in anyones hands....

It certainly didn't fit perfectly in my hand. I found it quite uncomfortable, actually. Playable, but not "enjoyable".

Quote:

i gotta say ive never played any bass with a smoother neck in my life, theres absolutely no effort to playing it

And for YOU that is 100% true. Warwicks are quality instruments, no doubt...but your post makes a number of assumptions that just aren't true.

I like my Fenders. I've owned literally hundreds of basses, and I've always kept coming back to my Fenders. That's just me, personally.

Lots of people love Warwicks too. People have different taste in basses (as well as everything else) ...you cannot assume that what is "perfect for you" is "perfect for everyone else".