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Please recommend a Warwick for Jazz Fusion
- Thread starter louloomis
- Start date
MaddAnthony_59
Supporting Member
- Dec 16, 2006
- 4,599
- 708
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- I Channel Surf During Commercials. (Drives my Wife CRAZY!!!)
Well, About the only Passive Warwick bass you're going to find either is a Streamer STD (1999-ish), or an early (1994 - 1997) Corvette. Maybe there were some later Passive Corvette's as well, but yeah...The price would be under $1000 though! There's the Fortress Flashback that occasionally pops up in Passive, but <$1000 might be an issue.
You do realize that Warwick is known for their "Active Sound", and being more aligned with Rock/Metal than Jazz fusion?
Happy Hunting.
You do realize that Warwick is known for their "Active Sound", and being more aligned with Rock/Metal than Jazz fusion?
Happy Hunting.
I own a 96 Flashback..and if your lookin for a Midrangy sound that cuts through the mix..then??..This is the bass for you...
Thanks, everyone.
What about options with switchable passive/active electronics (4 string/under 1000 USD new/used)?
I thought they had more passive basses than what mentioned above....
Thanks again.
LL
I had a German Corvette $$ for a couple of years and it was a great bass, two band active preamp with coil taps on each pickup, so it had lots of adaptable sounds. It had a very fast wedge neck, too. That's the one I'd recommend first. The only one I'd consider as being a truly funk orientated bass was the Thumb Dirty Blonde, which had a very interesting P&J variation. It was stunning.
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Yeah I see Corvettes going for well under a grand in CL in my area all the time. There are usually a couple of fretted and at least one fretless within a 100 mile radius of me at any given time. They're everywhere in the Mid-Atlantic states it seems.
there is a 98 corvette with a wenge neck in the classifieds right now (it is a 5'vr though)
for 800 that's a GREAT deal.
for 800 that's a GREAT deal.
Just to let you know, all Warwick MEC pickups with the MEC written in gold are active pickups, and require a battery, even if bypassing the active preamp, which is in the majority of their basses.
The Rockbass line, which is definitely well worth the money, has the most fully passive offerings:
- Streamer Standard
- Corvette Passive
- Corvette $$
Also, the Streamer LX has passive pickups, but a non-bypassable active preamp... But it wouldn't cost a lot to rip it out and wire in a few pots and stuff.
However, I find the silver MEC's (their passive ones) to be the noisiest single coils I've ever heard.... They sound great, but the single coil hum is a bit ridiculous IMO, and I've owned the Rockbass Streamer LX, and the fully passive version of the Corvette.
Other than that, yeah look for a used Warwick... Though it does sounds like a Jazz may be better for you.
The Rockbass line, which is definitely well worth the money, has the most fully passive offerings:
- Streamer Standard
- Corvette Passive
- Corvette $$
Also, the Streamer LX has passive pickups, but a non-bypassable active preamp... But it wouldn't cost a lot to rip it out and wire in a few pots and stuff.
However, I find the silver MEC's (their passive ones) to be the noisiest single coils I've ever heard.... They sound great, but the single coil hum is a bit ridiculous IMO, and I've owned the Rockbass Streamer LX, and the fully passive version of the Corvette.
Other than that, yeah look for a used Warwick... Though it does sounds like a Jazz may be better for you.
Good to know Lou. If you do look at the Rockbass line, I'd highly recommend getting one of the ones made in 2009 or later, with the two-piece bridges and the Warwick "W" on the headstock...
They are decent players, but I'd also recommend playing before buying and giving it a good look for any issues. My Streamer LX had a loose wire to the battery terminals, and my fretless passive Corvette had the fretless side dots in the wrong position, which was admitted by Warwick to be a QC problem... None of these issues seem like they would matter for you, but worth noting none the less.
Also, anyone else reading this who is looking into them and is okay with active electronics, please bear in mind, that despite many of their early promo videos, these do not have MEC preamps in them... Well the Fortress does, but the other ones are Asian made knock-offs that have been approved by Warwick.
They are decent players, but I'd also recommend playing before buying and giving it a good look for any issues. My Streamer LX had a loose wire to the battery terminals, and my fretless passive Corvette had the fretless side dots in the wrong position, which was admitted by Warwick to be a QC problem... None of these issues seem like they would matter for you, but worth noting none the less.
Also, anyone else reading this who is looking into them and is okay with active electronics, please bear in mind, that despite many of their early promo videos, these do not have MEC preamps in them... Well the Fortress does, but the other ones are Asian made knock-offs that have been approved by Warwick.
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Also to add Lou, if you're looking for more of a Jazz-like neck, you'll want a Warwick that's either made in 1999 or earlier, or 2009 or later, as the necks made from 2000 - 2008 are the thicker ones that are usually referred to by many TB'ers as "baseball bats"... If I were you, I'd probably look for a used passive Corvette (silver labelled MEC pickups).
