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Show us your Status Buzzards (I and II)

#21
Good points Pbass101.
As you've probably gathered,I'm no lawyer,nor am I familiar enough with the facts to go into the finer points of who did what,when etc.
A couple of things that I do know,however,is that Warwick's Stryker bass shares little with the Alembic bass,who more or less copied that off Gibson iirc.
Warwick produce 2 basses who's marketing states that they're built with the full support of the John Entwistle estate.How that "support" is arranged I really dont know,but these 2 models are not what you'd call very profitable lines.Very few Buzzards are sold,globally & it's a similar story with Strykers.So it's really untrue that Warwick profits from them.It's more of a tribute to JE than anything.It's similar with all the signature series of basses Warwick build.The biggest seller would more than likely be the P-Nutt series,& only 50 ad are built of each series.Hardly grounds for accusing Warwick of profiting.I'm not accusing you of that,dont get me wrong.But it's been mentioned a bit so I posted that more or less for the benefit of others who might read this thread.
JE did leave behind alot of debt & I dont blame the beneficiaries of his estate for doing their best to square the books for his creditors.
Anyway mate,it's good to discuss this sorta stuff respectfully with you guys.If I come of as anything other than being friendly & respectfull,please forgive me.I'm an Aussie & kinda type the way I speak & that can sometimes come across os sounding sarcastic,arrogant etc.

Cheers mate,
Greg
 
#22
The Alembic Spyder was loosely based on Gibson's Explorer guitar, but the design mostly comes from JE's own design which was originally used by Peter Cook to build him a handful of "Fenderbird" basses using Gibson electronics and Fender necks. Still, the image of an Explorer bass, particularly with Alembic's sharper and pointier edges, is documented with Entwistle moreso than anybody.

Both Warwick's Stryker and Buzzard JE basses have been discontinued (I think...The JE Buzzard is still listed on their "Signature" basses page, so I don't know for sure) and I would imagine alot of the reason for their cancellations is a lack of popularity of the models combined with an overly high price tag. I think their JE Buzzard is/was around $10,000, which is inexplicably high. The Status B1 was around $7,000 new. Expensive yes, but the Warwick Buzzard competes with new Alembics as far as pricetags go.

I'm mostly upset at Warwick because I'll probably never see a Status Graphite B1 in my lifetime. :bawl: I don't rag on Warwick owners who are happy with their instruments, but I have a bone to pick with Warwick's ownership. Personally, I'd love to get my hands on an older Jack Bruce Signature Thumb, but that'll never happen either. :atoz:
 
#23
The Styker TCS is still a production model,as well as the JE Buzzard.The Buzzard bolt on was discontinued though.
The Stryker models that were discontinued were the Stryker mahogany & Styker ziricote.
The JE Buzzard lists for $8700US.Street price is around $5000US.
fwiw.
 
#24
Word up! That is all I was ever trying to say.

PBass101 said:
I'm mostly upset at Warwick because I'll probably never see a Status Graphite B1 in my lifetime. :bawl: I don't rag on Warwick owners who are happy with their instruments, but I have a bone to pick with Warwick's ownership. Personally, I'd love to get my hands on an older Jack Bruce Signature Thumb, but that'll never happen either. :atoz:
Click to expand...
 
#25
humpy thumb said:
The Styker TCS is still a production model,as well as the JE Buzzard.The Buzzard bolt on was discontinued though.
The Stryker models that were discontinued were the Stryker mahogany & Styker ziricote.
The JE Buzzard lists for $8700US.Street price is around $5000US.
fwiw.
Click to expand...

I must have thought the JE Buzzard was $10K because that's what Bass Central lists, or at least used to.
 
#26
PBass101 said:
I must have thought the JE Buzzard was $10K because that's what Bass Central lists, or at least used to.
Click to expand...

i'm quoting the 2009 price list.The only production(if you can call it that) Warwick with a list price of $9999US is the CRB(Jack Bruce Cream reunion bass)which you can get for $3000 euros.
The price list is basically the maximum price a dear can sell for & to remain competitive,99% of dealers will significantly discount that price.
 
#27
Hi all, new here but spotted the thread and thought I'd show you all my B1.
First of all - congrats Oliver, I know you have waited a long time!
My B1 was actually owned by John Entwistle. He used it on the 'A Walk Down Abbey Road Tour' of Japan in November 2001 and it was also his back up bass at many prominent gigs - including the Concert For New York. Put awdar in Youtube to see John playing it. it also came with John's flightcase and it is set up as John himself set it up - it hasn't been altered.
He left 2 of his Buzzards with Steve Luongo after that tour for easier access when he was in the U.S.A - he has kept one (John's favourite) and I have the other. Mine is the only one worldwide of John's that is actually played - all the rest are on HRC wall's or in the case of Steve's.... hung on the JEF building wall. I'm very proud to be able to keep at least one of John's Buzzard's making a bit of thunder!
Like Oliver I have owned and played both Warwick and Status Buzzard's and the Status wins hands down for sound and playability. Anyway, here are a few pictures of John's B1....
 

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#29
Wow...nice Buzzards! I never dug the Warwick versions. They're ugly. I'd like them more if I were a person who liked Warwicks, but I don't. The headstock on them is the most hideous feature--it looks nothing like the headstock on the Buzzards that John acutally used. It's unique, but it doesn't match the body.

And congrats to all of you Buzzard owners!
 
#30
Chowderboots said:
Wow...nice Buzzards! I never dug the Warwick versions. They're ugly. I'd like them more if I were a person who liked Warwicks, but I don't. The headstock on them is the most hideous feature--it looks nothing like the headstock on the Buzzards that John acutally used. It's unique, but it doesn't match the body.

And congrats to all of you Buzzard owners!
Click to expand...

Dude,all Buzzards are ugly.Even JE admitted that.
fwi,Warwick Buzzards have a beak headstock.The traditional Warwick headstock was used briefly.
 
#32
PBass101 said:
I love the smashed Warwick Buzzard that he framed. Must have been an awesome bass. Can't seem to find a picture of a smashed Status Buzzard anywhere, though.
Click to expand...

dude, you want to try smashing a solid NT carbon fibre/graphite composite instrument? :p

I hear you though, I am one of those hateful Warwick fanboys but I do think the Status is by far a prettier bass, plus it was JE playing one that was my first introduction to The Who (wish I could find the youtube video...) absolutely incredible tone. Would love to own one of these, unfortunately I don't like Zebrano wood so I'm a little skuppered. :hmm:

Edit: it would be interesting to contact Status and hypothetically suggest that if they were to accidentally hit a few buttons and possibly run off a Status Buzzard, how much moolah would such a fictional instrument command?
 
#35
thetawaves said:
it was JE playing one that was my first introduction to The Who (wish I could find the youtube video...) absolutely incredible tone. Would love to own one of these, unfortunately I don't like Zebrano wood so I'm a little skuppered. :hmm:

Edit: it would be interesting to contact Status and hypothetically suggest that if they were to accidentally hit a few buttons and possibly run off a Status Buzzard, how much moolah would such a fictional instrument command?
Click to expand...

My first The Who experience was watching the Concert for New York back in 2001, right after 9/11. I was way too young to really appreciate any of it but I do remember my dad and some of his friends talking about Entwistle and how he stood still while playing like a madman. After that it was surfing around youTube trying to find cool solos from any instrument (I was young!) and I scampered across the Royal Albert Hall 5:15 solo. I had NO idea what I was watching, didn't even know a bass could make that kind of sound, I just knew I liked it. Oh, and that I wanted a Buzzard. :hyper:
 
#36
Gareth Buddy,
thank you so much. Well I am still jealous about your bass..... You know.
Well my B1 and B2 will be my main stage basses with our WHO tribute WHO ARE YOU.
Anyone in here wanna buy an Alembic Dragon Wing?
Cheers
Oliver
 
#37
garethox said:
If anyone would like to see/hear the B1 in action:

http://www.youtube.com/user/garethnh#p/u/5/YChy_aSyUlU MY GENERATION

http://www.youtube.com/user/garethnh#p/u/3/oh1B_gj2lWo SUCCESS STORY

from my channel http://www.youtube.com/user/garethnh
Click to expand...

That Buzzard sounds better there than it did with the Who. As much as I love Mr E, his tone in the later years always left me cold. That John himself owned the bass makes the whole thing insanely cool, congratulations.:bassist:

That's not your Alembic on the bay is it?
 
#40
This is my best mate,Florin Barbu.He's a pro from Romania,this was taken during sound check with his former band,Proconsul.They're a big commercial success in Ro.
Flo's a massive Buzzard brother & he's also a Warwiick endorser.He's playing his X-bass,which was based on a Buzzard.He's a 5 string player,so when he ordered this custom shop bass,he had to settle for another shape,a Streamer Stage 2.
The specs are,
wenge/zebrano neck
zebrano body
mirrored P pickups(later changed to Bartolini)
active 3 band eq which he usually bypasses
LED's.
amp is a Jonas Hellborg pre/power amp
Warwick 411 pro cabs.
what do you guys thing of his tone?
Not bad eh.

* Gareth.
Love your youtube vids mate.First class playing,tone etc.
I've posted them on the Warwick bass forum a few times & they always received positive remarks.
 

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