Apples and Oranges (or: a Fender and a Warwick)

When in doubt, get a bass that has more usable sounds and PLAY IT WELL. You know what makes bass players stand out amongst the crowd? his playing!
If you have decent sounds, you will get gigs based on your skills. It does you no good to lose a spot in a band with the guys saying, "That bass sounds great, but you aren't what we had in mind just now." And for what its worth, the Fender has more usable sounds that pop out of the speakers with authority. And for recording, most engineers will like the quiet passive Fender electronics better.

 

If it were me I would buy the Warwick, because I prefer Warwick to Fender and already have a fretted bass.

 

I suggest that you get your steak and potato bass first, unless that Thumb is an unusually good deal.

 

I melt for the tone of a fretless warwick, personally. I've played the Roscoe, and it was nice.

This is definitely a choice between apples and oranges.I'd call the Fender the apple cuz you can bite right into it, while with the orange, you gotta peel a bit before even biting into it.

It's a tought choice, and I don't think you can go wrong. If I was in your shoes, I'd flip a coin....that's what I did when I was choosing between an SR5 and an L2500.

 

Buy the RB, and steal the warwick. Duh.

 

FWIW, and this is different than what you're looking at but...

I was at a blues jam recently and a guy let me use his Warwick. Neckthru, light for all the exotic wood, neck dive not a problem, neck played like butter, tone was unbelievaby suh-weeeet. And gorgeous looking. Then played with the full band and it got lost, even turned up, well it just wasn't there even though you could hear it.

Went back to my Precision, heavier, bulkier, uglier, big neck, ... but it just took over, said "I'm in charge here!" It plain out thumps, lets me drive the bus.

Apples and oranges indeed. Mike's right, get both (its easy to spend someone else's $$$$).

 

I bet you will find that they are more different than you think. Every bass is an individual.

Another way to look at it would be to get the one that is the better bargain, because the lesser of the bargains will be easier to find later.

 

I really like the Roscoe Beck 5 string. so I voted for that. thumbs are cool but the BO models all have pretty bad neck dive which makes them hard to play for me. definetly play them both. they have totally different vibes going on.

 

warwick just cause i have one

 

funny thing is these are the two basses (more or less) i got.

got a warwick rockbass corvette classic 5 string. seems the same as the bottom end german warwicks to me. like the high fi sound i can get as well as the bright raucous sounds.

but...

needed a traditional sound and got a fender jazz 4 string fretless and just picked up a fender jazz 5.

sooo. i think you NEEEED both

very different but i'd give up the warwick before the fender.

bill

 

This oughta kill the food metaphor:

You already have one order of steak & potatoes, but the steak is a T-bone. You have a choice of ordering a filet mignon with potatoes, or a nice-looking and nice-smelling bratwurst dish.

How hungry are you, and what does your palette say?

 

What if: you sell your bass and buy both?

I have no better ideas. the Thumbs are very good (quality, construction,..) but it is not as versatile - but you'll get a very nice tone with a nice bass

 

Get the Warwick.