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Is this possible, or am I getting my hopes up????

B Major

B Major

Guest
Nov 20, 2013
108
58
Boston, Ma.
#1
So around tax season last year I got the bass I really wanted; Warwick Corvette STD 4-string. I had only been playing for a short amount of time but figured buy the bass and I'd grow into it nicely. Since then I've had a daughter and bought a house. Needless to say, according to my wife, that was the last "big" toy for a while, to which I totally agree(d)... So herein lies the problem: I had a thought at the time that, as I progress, I would eventually want a 5 string. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Vette but find myself REALLY wanting a 5er. Specifically, I want a Warwick Thumb STD 5 ($1500.00 w/shipping @ the same boutique I got the Vette from).... Financially, I can justify coming up w/ $500 (max)..... So after all that's said, here's my question: Am I crazy to hope for $1000.00 for my Vette if I sell it independantly (i.e. craigslist/ebay/etc)??? Is that asking too much for resale?? The bass, again, is a 2012 Corvette STD German made 4, I'm the only owner and took great care of it (basically mint condition). I'll only get $500-$600 at the boutique/GC/etc....... What say you TBers??????
 
#2
Short answer? It depends.

The used price on them varies greatly in my area. I've seen them sell quickly for around what you want. And I have seen them list over and over again on CL for $500 and not sell.

This bass has been listed for months in my area.
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By the way, if you are into that bass, it seems like a screaming deal to me. But I don't follow Warwick stuff regularly so I could be wrong.

Here's what I would do if I were you. Try listing a for sale/for trade ad here first. Offer to trade plus cash for a 5 string Warwick that you want. My dealings here at TB have been great. Honest guys. Great gear. Fair deals.

There are thousands of bass players here. Odds are there's a guy who got his hands on a Warwick 5 who wants to move back to 4.

Also, basses are like cars to me. Let the guy who bought it new take the hit on value. No need to get a factory fresh one. I think your best bet to get the bass you want is either a partial trade or be prepared to buy a used one on the back end.

Edit to add: Sooooooooo if you got a used 5er for about $500 you would wind up with both. Just sayin............
 
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#3
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#5
Did GC actually offer $500-$600 for it? Because that seems a bit high. If you sold it privately, as mmbongo said you'd only get that much. So as a rule, GC is going to give you half of what they'd sell it for, which would probably be around $350 (since they'd probably sell it for a little more than you would privately).
 
#7
Corvettes are not worth that priced used unfortunately. You maybe be able to get around 800 if you're lucky. I know I got the one I had for around 600 and it was modded with a better preamp and everything. Not sure why their value drops so much. They are great basses.
 
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#8
Your story is all too common, and if history teaches us anything it's that you should keep your four string Vette, enjoy it, play it, and some day hand it down to your child.

In the meantime start a penny jar or any other fashion of discrete savings you can muster and keep an eye out for a good deal used on your five string. You may even encounter a five string bass much less expensive than the Warwick you seek, that you're currently not even aware exists, but could fulfill all of your five string dreams. Don't give up but don't sell your beloved 4 string.
 
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#10
Thx all.... Good advice.... No doubt my priorities have changed in the past few months, that's why I'm researching whether or not this is possible... If not, I'm not gonna rush it. I'll just be patient... Truth be told, I do wanna keep the Vette but really want the 5..... Maybe it'd be best to wait it out unless I luck out.....
 
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#13
I'd look for trade opportunities. As mentioned above, someone out there with a Thumb 5 is probably looking for some sort of Warwick 4 - I know this since just over a year ago I was in the same boat. In the end, I sold my Thumb and bought a Corvette Jazzman...but the difference in cash between the two was nearly $1500, so you'll definitely have to consider kicking cash into the deal if you do find a trade partner.

I also have no idea why Corvettes are so cheap, they are fantastic basses. It seems like all Warwicks take a beating on the used market though, which is great for buyers, not so good for sellers. As it turns out, I don't even have a Warwick anymore, I've returned to EBMM basses, as well as a custom ACG. As nice as Warwicks are and as much as you love them, it probably does make sense to take some of the above advice and consider picking up a 5 from another brand and using that as a "bridge" instrument until you can get the Thumb that you want. Who knows, you may end up liking it enough that you don't need the Thumb! :)

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do!
 
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#16
B Major said:
Thx all.... Good advice.... No doubt my priorities have changed in the past few months, that's why I'm researching whether or not this is possible... If not, I'm not gonna rush it. I'll just be patient... Truth be told, I do wanna keep the Vette but really want the 5..... Maybe it'd be best to wait it out unless I luck out.....
Click to expand...

Should have started with a 5er! haha just be patient and wait for a killer deal while saving up the pennies. Im actually in a situation where I went all out with 5ers and now I want a 4 p bass, go figure!
 
#17
I'm experiencing this too. Recent house purchase and two small children. My advice is to focus on gratitude for what you have, and then wait until the bass you want inevitably starts showing up used at a more affordable price. How nice would it be to end up with both basses, at a reduced cost?

One question, and forgive me if this is too obvious: Have you spent much time playing a 5, or this particular 5? I only ask because occasionally I'll become enraptured with the capability that something offers me, but the actual experience of using it isn't as great as I'd hoped. I've dealt with, and ended up resisting, GAS for things that would be lots of fun to own but not as much fun to play. For a purchase like this, I'd want it to not only look great and be an extended-range instrument, but to be more fun and expressive to actually play.

Good luck, and great avatar! GAS really is a "never ending story".
 
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#18
Red Four said:
One question, and forgive me if this is too obvious: Have you spent much time playing a 5, or this particular 5? I only ask because occasionally I'll become enraptured with the capability that something offers me, but the actual experience of using it isn't as great as I'd hoped.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of exactly that. I've had plenty of basses I've bought without playing, played for a few minutes at a store, and ones that just sounded like they had the right dimensions. Making the leap to a 5'er exclusively can be rather trying if you've learned on a 4. The string spacing, neck size, and setup are all things that can be a totally different game on 5 string basses.

It took me a long time, but the Ibanez CTB5 was the 5'er that worked for me. I even went to buy an SRA305 as a backup, but the neck just doesn't do it for me. I could go without playing bass, or only 4 strings, for a month...but picking up the CTB5 just feels right even after all that time. The thumb might be that way for you, but it might not, that's a real gamble to make unless you can spend some good time with the bass. You might want to shoot for a used Rockbass (Warwick's no-nonsense entry line) Corvette and see how it works for you. They use the same MEC pickups, preamps, and hardware that they use on the German Warwicks. Woods are less exotic, might need a setup, and might need more TLC when the weather changes but they are still VERY good instruments. I'd give that a try since the dimensions should be the same as more expensive 5'ers from 'wick.
 
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#19
Can't comment on the value of your bass, but really, really, REALLY make sure you want a 5 before you buy. I've had 5s and 6s but I always ended up coming back to my 4, and for the few times I'll ever use the low B, I simply can't be a**ed to play a big fat neck all the time. Personally I'd think long and hard before ever going down the 5 route again. (At least not without having a quality 4 string as my main bass.

More strings doesn't mean better-bass or better-player :) and remember, in reality you're only gaining 5 semitones.
 
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