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Razor's NEW Warwick Buzzard

C

count_funkula

Dec 13, 1999
1,252
8
56
Greenville, Tx
#1
I'm have just about completed a new neck for Razor's Warwick Buzzard. He asked me to post pics a while back so here they are. All thats left is a little cleanup. It plays great and sounds cool. I had to get Hipshot to ship a new set of tuners. The ones in the picture have the gold plating peeling off. Hipshot told me it must have been a problem in the plating process so a new set is on the way.

Tha original neck was fretless with the standard Warwick headstock shape. Razor wanted something that flows with the body a little better.
 
#8
Guys, trust me..... this thing is amazing!! I haven't played Bass this much in my life!! I simply cannot put this thing down!!

I'm trying to figure out a way to get the "after" pics posted but they're pretty big. I'll get them on here soon I assure you.

Trust me when I tell you that Jamie is the man when it comes to "attention to detail" work.

When I was first referred to Jamie, he (Jamie) went over every detail of what I wanted done to a fine detail. He was able to match the grain of Ovangkol in the neck would almost exactly as on the initial fretless neck. The contour on the back of the neck was amazing and I wanted that on my new neck. Score again...Jamie matched it and it actually feels better on the new neck that on the original.

Ebony board with brass frets and gold Hipshot Ultralite machines make this thing sing with sustain.

Geeez...all this talking about the bird....I gotta go play her some more. Pics to come guys!!!

Thanks again Jamie!! :D
 
#11
Sound Chaser said:
Wow...I have serious Buzzard G.A.S. going on right now, too...

Hey Razor! Did you know James Lomenzo has his own site now?
Click to expand...

You know, I'd always heard they were a very, uhh, "special" instrument. Well, that's an understatement. This thing is amazing. The tones, the feel...it's my first "working" boutique bass but it's a truly amazing piece of craftsmanship. Warwick made this instrument very well, Jamie made it amazing.

Lomenzo is one of the friendliest and talented bass players I can relate to. I am familiar with his site and registered there. He's truly a wealth of knowledge and we've traded quite a few questions back and forth. It's actually pretty neat because he's very tech saavy and his playing style is very broad. James is a really great guy and a Black Label Brother. Check out his work with The Hideous Sun Demons. That's some amazing bass work there!!
 
#12
Jamie's probably the best person to answer this but I'll give it a try.

This is actually the first "Warwick" I have owned, or played much to be honest. I've played a few in stores and at shows when other guys had them out. The original neck on my Buzzard was a fretless with an unlined ebony board. It had the traditional Warwick headstock and it was an ovangkol neck. To my hands, it really didn't feel as thick as the other Warwick's I had played. The thing I really loved about the original neck was that it had a taper to it as your hand moved along the back of the neck up into the higher register. It kind of flattened out as you went up. This made for an amazingly comfortable feel.

When I first consulted with Jamie about constructing a custom, fretted neck, I made him aware that I really enjoyed this feel and would like to have it copied, exactly, on the new neck. Jamie was able to get the radius, and the back contour perfecton the custom neck. The only difference is, the new, custom neck feels a tad thinner from front to back. It's almost unnoticeable. The reason this was done (correct me if I'm wrong Jamie) was to compensate for the added dimension of the frets. All in all, it feels, to my hands, exactly the same as the original neck, except with frets added. :D

This is truly an amazing instrument, one I don't think I'll ever be made to part with.

If anyone's in or around the Dallas area, feel free to look me up if you'd like to see her. She's a beauty and I'm very, very proud of her.

Worshiper said:
so now is that neck as thick as a standard warwick?
Click to expand...
 
#13
Hey Allan, I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Your right about the neck profile. It's a tad bit thinner than the original fretless neck. I figured with the frets the action was going to be a little higher than on the fretless.

I didn't use any kind of templates for the profile. I just worked at it by feel. I had the original neck neck to me while shaping the new one so I could make sure they felt the same.

It was a fun build.
 
#15
Razor - man - I'm glad you turned the Buzzard into something perfect for you. As a fretless it was perfect for me, and I still miss it now that I've let my Buzz 8 go. (and I've had to forcibly stop myself from buying Buzz fretless number, what, 5?).... That new headstock is just right on your new neck tho. I agree with you on the neck shape, definitely tops among Warwicks (even tho they claim all their bolt necks are the same, I think it's the neck's position in your hand due to the body shape that makes it feel so good!)

Rock the F on.

Dave
 
#18
jammadave said:
Razor - man - I'm glad you turned the Buzzard into something perfect for you. As a fretless it was perfect for me, and I still miss it now that I've let my Buzz 8 go. (and I've had to forcibly stop myself from buying Buzz fretless number, what, 5?).... That new headstock is just right on your new neck tho. I agree with you on the neck shape, definitely tops among Warwicks (even tho they claim all their bolt necks are the same, I think it's the neck's position in your hand due to the body shape that makes it feel so good!)

Rock the F on.

Dave
Click to expand...

I do have to second the great opinions on the Buzzard as a fretless. I'm not a fretless player by any means, there are a few people who can attest to that because when I got the Buzzard I couldn't get the technique going to save my life.

I am not really a neck through kinda guy but I wanted a Buzzard and I wanted it with the traditional Buzzard headstock. When Dave's came available, the wheels started turning! With Dave's help making the purchase go off without a hitch, and Jamie's expert assisyance...I finally have my custom Buzzard. I've let a few Buzzard freaks here in the area play mine and they all comment that it plays and feels better than the stock Warwick and Status Buzzards.

And Stu...she's waiting on you to come give her a run for her money if you're brave enough!! :D
 

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