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Looking for a cheaper Warwick...

lkngro

lkngro

Feb 4, 2010
388
3
Hockessin, Delaware, USA
#1
I really REALLY want a Warwick. However, being on a budget ($400-600 USD) is preventing this.

I know that Corvettes go for dirt cheap in the used market, and I've found some that look decent. And 'Vettes are one of my favorite Warwick designs (after the Dolphin, Fortress and Zender sig).

But what should I look for in a used Warwick? I've seen alot of ones with passive MEC's. Will that make much of a difference in the tone (particularly that special growl)? And what about Rockbasses, are they an acceptable alternative?

Thanks guys,
Luke
 
#2
I really like my Rockbass Corvette I picked up a few months ago. It's my main gigging bass now. Very well built and sounds good. My only gripe is lack of sustain, probably because of the lighter woods and bolt on neck. Also, I had to adjust the truss rod tension recently. I've never had to do that on my Ric in thirty years.
 
#7
lkngro said:
I've seen alot of ones with passive MEC's. Will that make much of a difference in the tone (particularly that special growl)?
Click to expand...

I have a 2004 Corvette Std with active pickups. It is pretty fine in active mode. When switched to passive, the pickups are not hot at all. I have always been curious if the passive-only MECs are hotter than the actives in passive mode. If anybody has played both, do you have a preference?

I am thinking that the OP would be interested in this answer as well as me.
 
#9
RandyMolson said:
I have a 2004 Corvette Std with active pickups. It is pretty fine in active mode. When switched to passive, the pickups are not hot at all. I have always been curious if the passive-only MECs are hotter than the actives in passive mode. If anybody has played both, do you have a preference?

I am thinking that the OP would be interested in this answer as well as me.
Click to expand...

Yeah I would definitely want to know the answer to this as well.

Also, how to the Corvette Basics compare the the Standards?
 
#11
The new wicks have slimmer necks and the new rockbass is much better then it used to be only difference is the wood used and the country of origin everything else is the same ie pickups electronics hardware etc..only the high end wicks have 3 band eq and active pups even the $$ have passive pups. I would stick with a used vette and the necks are fine unless u have girly hands
 
#14
It's not hard at all to find a used German-made boltneck Corvette in excellent condition for $500-600 with ovangkol neck, wenge fretboard, and bubinga body. If you want a fiver you may need to reach deep down and come up with another (gasp!) $100.

If you can live with the previous model Rockbass Corvette (alder body, maple neck, one-piece bridge), you can get closeouts for under $400 Invalid Link Removed. I played a 5-string fretless version of this and was pretty impressed. Excellent pickups at that price.

77486.jpg
 
#15
JohnnyB53 said:
It's not hard at all to find a used German-made boltneck Corvette in excellent condition for $500-600 with ovangkol neck, wenge fretboard, and bubinga body. If you want a fiver you may need to reach deep down and come up with another (gasp!) $100.

If you can live with the previous model Rockbass Corvette (alder body, maple neck, one-piece bridge), you can get closeouts for under $400 Invalid Link Removed. I played a 5-string fretless version of this and was pretty impressed. Excellent pickups at that price.

77486.jpg
Click to expand...

What changes did Rockbass make to the 2010 models?
 
#16
My Warwick Corvette Std was originally a passive version of the bass. The bass sound like a warwick and it give you that warwick growl no matter is passive or active.

Wither the passive sound better or active sound better is a personal thing.

I end up putting EMG pickup on my and retro preamp on the warwick and it still sound pretty much the same but with more hi fi and balls on the tone.

In my opinion i think is worth a shot on the bass, if it feels good to you then it definate worth it.
 
#19
Grabbed my 6-string used custom Vette for about 1000$ (this is norwegian pricing though, I'm under the impression that **** is generally cheaper over there) and despite also owning a 4000$ thumb, the Vette is my main bass.

It's got awesome growl, long sustain, and with the right EQ almost an upright sound (despite being fretted). So an active vette is the way to go!
 
#20
FunkMetalBass said:
"Cheap" and "Warwick" will never work together, unless you want one that is missing half the body and has been gutted of all hardware, frets, and electronics...

It'll take some saving, but you're much better off waiting until you can afford a decent Warwick.
Click to expand...


I disagree. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on which side you're coming from), Warwicks don't hold their value much. I and everyone else here have seen lots of Corvettes and Katenas going for $400 - $500 which is nowere near their retail price. A 5 string Streamer Jazzman goes for $3400 new, and can be found all the time for $1100 - $1400. That being said...

After owning an active corvette, a streamer pro-M, and a streamer jazzman, I came across a Fortress 1 for $440 shipped on ebay. It's the only one of my warwicks I kept, and I like it way more than all the others. corvette was too heavy, often muddy sounding, and the high end just seemed to add lots of click. The pro M didn't cut like I'd have liked it to, and sounded nothing like my MM which I thought it might. The jazzman just didn't do much for me, it was a fretless though. The Fortress is the perfect weight, has the perfect growl, sits in the mix just the way I like. Actually seems a lot more versatile also than the jazzman, which it shouldn't. I love my fortress.

So that's my recommendation.. :) I'd put a saved search on ebay for a fortress 1, and wait it out. There are lots of them that go for right around the $500 mark. Oh yeah, and I personally wouldn't buy another warwick without a wenge neck (post 99?). I believe the shape and thickness of any bass neck just takes a matter of getting used to, but my warwicks with wenge definitely sounded better than the others. I do believe they have more growl.
 

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