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Have You Bought a New Warwick?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I bought a new thumb pro BO 5 a year ago and love it. It was at a local store and had been for a wile. I'm so in love with it I can't put it down and have grown more as a player in the past year than in the past ten.
Gotcha, I used to feel that way myself. Once I found an honest, affordable tech I became more comfortable buying used though. I've bought 7 basses in the past 4 years used with no problems. YMMV. I could have bought 3 or 4 of them, depending, if I had bought them new.
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I bought a new fretless Rockbass and it was terribly made so it went back. Think it was $399.
I have owned 2 German Warwicks but I bought them used. I wouldn't buy a new German Warwick due to resale as I tend to flip basses often.
I have owned 2 German Warwicks but I bought them used. I wouldn't buy a new German Warwick due to resale as I tend to flip basses often.
If I had the cash to get the exact model I wanted, I would pay the price. Of course that's a great theoretical isn't it?
There are a lot of reasons that real German Warwick basses come at such a high premium. On paper they have some fantastic engineering features that are unique and some great wood options. You also have to remember that as a German company they don't view their place in the world the same way. Europeans in general pay a lot more for luxury items (and a bass is a luxury item when you get down to it) than Americans do. They aren't about whoring out their labor for the lowest price. Very few find their way to US show rooms, so that keeps the price of the "new" models high. However, resale is something else altogether.
The rub is that they aren't for everyone, so when you see an ad for one, or see their insane roster of top notch bass players, you think "this has got to be awesome." However, they are heavy, sometimes awkward, and don't sit in every mix every time. So they end up re-sold at 50% of the cost.
It's an interesting combination of economic factors.
There are a lot of reasons that real German Warwick basses come at such a high premium. On paper they have some fantastic engineering features that are unique and some great wood options. You also have to remember that as a German company they don't view their place in the world the same way. Europeans in general pay a lot more for luxury items (and a bass is a luxury item when you get down to it) than Americans do. They aren't about whoring out their labor for the lowest price. Very few find their way to US show rooms, so that keeps the price of the "new" models high. However, resale is something else altogether.
The rub is that they aren't for everyone, so when you see an ad for one, or see their insane roster of top notch bass players, you think "this has got to be awesome." However, they are heavy, sometimes awkward, and don't sit in every mix every time. So they end up re-sold at 50% of the cost.
It's an interesting combination of economic factors.
Sorry OP to go off topic... If there's a shop near you that carries Rockbasses, I'd suggest going in and at least giving them a shot. Try before you buy of course, but I think the QC on the revamped ones are pretty decent.
I used to only buy used basses, until I bought a used MIA Fender. I thought it was a keeper, but after the nostalgia wore off, I realized it had some awful mildewy smell baked into the wood. I tried every I could find online to get rid of it (lemon oil, naptha, baking soda, coffee grinds, laundry sheets, fresh air and sun, etc.), nothing got rid of the smell. It eventually got to a point where every time I picked it up, all I could think of was that smell. There was also a good gash on the side of the neck at the E string's 7th fret, and it always bugged me because I didn't know where it came from.
After I got my first Rockbass, I decided to sell it, but because of the hideous smell, I decided to be upfront about it and sell it for about 20% less than what I paid for it. After that I decided I'd rather buy new basses, and learn to change pickups, and electronics if needed.
I used to only buy used basses, until I bought a used MIA Fender. I thought it was a keeper, but after the nostalgia wore off, I realized it had some awful mildewy smell baked into the wood. I tried every I could find online to get rid of it (lemon oil, naptha, baking soda, coffee grinds, laundry sheets, fresh air and sun, etc.), nothing got rid of the smell. It eventually got to a point where every time I picked it up, all I could think of was that smell. There was also a good gash on the side of the neck at the E string's 7th fret, and it always bugged me because I didn't know where it came from.
After I got my first Rockbass, I decided to sell it, but because of the hideous smell, I decided to be upfront about it and sell it for about 20% less than what I paid for it. After that I decided I'd rather buy new basses, and learn to change pickups, and electronics if needed.
bought a chinese Rockbass Double buck - For the price, you cannot get any better value. it outplayed my spector Euro XL.
Then i bought a new Warwick Pro series thumb bass - Killer, just love it. but now i got series gas got a REAL german warwick.
Then i bought a new Warwick Pro series thumb bass - Killer, just love it. but now i got series gas got a REAL german warwick.
New: All made in Germany
2003 Corvette STD 4
2007 Thumb BO 6 BN
Used: made in Germany
2006 Corvette $$ 4 red
All have been very exceptional build, the only thing I hated was the plastic nut.
2003 Corvette STD 4
2007 Thumb BO 6 BN
Used: made in Germany
2006 Corvette $$ 4 red
All have been very exceptional build, the only thing I hated was the plastic nut.
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I've been checking some out, but I have no idea what is what. The website its TERRIBLE, I don't what is made where or where to buy one and the ones I have seen seem to be consistently mislabeled. I'm afraid to buy anything but a used German, and have wanted to own a Warwick for quite some time now.
About 2 years ago I did buy a brand new black Warwick Star Bass,Pro Series made in Korea.$1600 NZ.
The build quality,attention to detail,hardware even the set up out of the box were all faultless.Great bass with a great neck,I loved it and enjoyed playing it.
but I just couldn't get it to work in our covers band and sound like I wanted it to sound,even my 20+ year band mates were silently unimpressed,and after that long with 2 guys you kinda read them pretty well.
I recently stuck it in $1 reserve auction and ended up with $750 NZ...thats how the cookie crumbles and wasn't crying over the loss.
Scored a new Sterling Ray 34CA with the proceeds.....so lets see what the guys will say about this one. As my fender P and J basses are both 3tsb with maple necks and black guards just like the new Ray they might not even notice.....
The build quality,attention to detail,hardware even the set up out of the box were all faultless.Great bass with a great neck,I loved it and enjoyed playing it.
but I just couldn't get it to work in our covers band and sound like I wanted it to sound,even my 20+ year band mates were silently unimpressed,and after that long with 2 guys you kinda read them pretty well.
I recently stuck it in $1 reserve auction and ended up with $750 NZ...thats how the cookie crumbles and wasn't crying over the loss.
Scored a new Sterling Ray 34CA with the proceeds.....so lets see what the guys will say about this one. As my fender P and J basses are both 3tsb with maple necks and black guards just like the new Ray they might not even notice.....
A few weeks ago I bought a new Blood Red Custom German Warwick Vampyre 5 NT. Fit, finish, set up, playability, tone, case, case candy and tool kit were top notch, but at the price I paid I expected them to be. My only very minor complaint is it was shipped with stainless strings installed and 2 spare sets of stainless strings in the case, I would have preferred nickel round wounds, I'm sure I'll get over it.
Here she is...
Here she is...
