The Official Warwick Club (Part 6)

[KimGT99]

Hi! Here's my recently bought Warwick Alien deluxe 6 string.

 

[B Major]

So I posted the pic of my Vette a little while ago. Wondering about getting a number?? Can anyone advise??

 

[RockinRonnie]

So I posted the pic of my Vette a little while ago. Wondering about getting a number?? Can anyone advise??

I don't think this club does the number thingy... just a cool thread for sharing pictures and information about Warwicks. I've been following for about 8 months, and never seen a number.

 

[BIG97BEN]

I've been following for a while and haven't seen numbers in 2 years, but lots of very nice Warwick basses. We are so cool we don't even need numbers.

 

[B Major]

Good answer...

 

[herbygardener]

Hey all,
My recent pawn shop score...'87 Streamer Stage One...Unbelievable deal on an amazing instrument! Just need some knobs.
Can't wait to get to know her better ;~)
Cheers!

 

[JonKim]

I have $2000 for a wenge neck stage 2 4 string if anyone is willing to sell!

 

[ilikebass7]

That is an insane pawn shop find. I'll take it off your hands

 

[TapyTap]

WarwickOfficial,

Do you happen to know which version of his signature bass Jonas Hellborg is using on the Art Metal album?

 

[Punk_Worst]

All of the electronics are legit MEC brand, just like a real Warwick.

The hardware is legit Warwick brand, just like a real Warwick.

The build quality, fit/finish, and quality of materials on the rock basses is top notch.

I have a rock bass and absolutely love it. I have a German Warwick that doesn't get near as much lovin.

Saw this post about a year ago but didn't join then to comment. Played a ton of Warwick basses looking for one that just felt right and sounded right, keeping in mind that for professional recording I would, most likely, rent something . Anyway, a year later I have to say that I am pleased with my "not made in Germany" Fortress bass. Not just pleased but ecstatic. I will buy another Warwick bass for recording purposes, but when I am playing Stevie Wonder tunes or my favorite Wes Montgomery tracks late at night just chilling out, I just laugh at the great sound coming from the Warwick Fortress. Like any musical instrument it has to feel good and sound good. For me, luckily, that happened with the Fortress. For me, money was no object. Questioning the quality of a Rock Bass is, from my experience, counterproductive. Spend that time practicing instead. This notion of "real Warwick" drives me around the bend. Find a bass that gives you the right feeling and the right sounds. Heck, even my Yamaha TRBX504 has plenty of upside and few people even discuss Yamaha basses anymore without qualifying their thoughts with words such as "Fender" or "Warwick" or "Modulus" as part of their collection of basses. Hey, if I only had the TRBX504 I would be most pleased. What has happened to us? When did we forget the music! Anyway, I apologize for the diatribe. It just seems to me that whatever bass one has that bass needs some proper attention not defensive comments such as "it isn't made in Germany" or "it is a Mexican Fender but I'll be upgrading soon." Spending more money does not equal upgrading. Finding one's tone and comfort level on a bass is upgrading. I would hate for any musician to fall prey to Failed Artist Music Equipment Acquisition Syndrome, which is even more prevalent thant G.A.S. Bassists, of all the musicians in the world, cannot be victims of F.A.M.E.A.S. or else the world is in a lot of trouble. Bassists straddle the all-important line that blends rhythm and melody. Does anybody in the audience give a damn where the bass was made? I'd bet the world they don't give a toss. Does anybody recall reading what kind of piano Beethoven had? No, I don't think so. Okay, second diatribe over. Play hard!

 

[ivandrago]

@Punk_Worst

excellent post, I've been playing bass for few years now, I'm in my late twenties. It seems like the younger generation defines the level of skill base on the brand of the instrument.

 

[TechJunky]

I recently re-did my office/music room and relocated the guitars on the wall. Been a little while since I've posted any pictures, so just wanted to share my SSII and P-Nut again. I absolutely love these basses! Any time I start to get GAS, I just pick these up, and it's GONE. Doesn't mean I don't want other basses though (especially a Stage II 5), but these basses cover everything I want and need, so it's easy to talk myself down and leave well enough alone.

Not great pics because my phone apparently sucks now...

 

[GBassNorth]

NBD content...
I'm already a member of this club for a late 1990's Thumb BO5 that I own and dearly love, but I just acquired this and thought I'd show it to the rest of the club.

You don't see too many of the Vampyre NT custom basses pop up very often. I've been looking for a blood red one with satin finish for more than 5 years and finally spotted it the other day. Still in the honeymoon phase but so far lovin it. My only negative comment, the treble knob is totally over the top on high end, too much of a good thing for my tastes. The mid and bass knobs seem to really dial in the tones I'm looking for so the treble knob is pretty much off. With the ash/maple body and the maple and ebony neck it's plenty bright without the treble.

Now for the next quest, a set of round wound strings that really darkens up the MEC pickup/preamp. Any ideas?

 

[AaronBass4]

NBD! Just received my 1999 FNA purchased from the classified: http://www.talkbass.com/threads/warwick-fna-4-string-for-sale-blonde.1078215/

Delighted so far. This is my first Warwick. It's quite a good-looking piece of wood. I did a bit of research on this model before purchasing but didn't find much. The Warwick site seems to only go back to 2000 and all I could find were the Jazzman versions (this one just has the single MM PU). Seems like the non-Jazzman version was fairly short-lived.

Are there experts here on this model? Does anyone know where I can find documentation? I downloaded the "Manual for all Warwick Basses" but the title is a little misleading as the FNA is not covered.

Specifically, I am interested in knowing more about the preamp: is it an MEC preamp? Diagrams? What are the trim pots for? I suspect one is for output. I thought I read somewhere that one is for setting the center of the mid-band (its a 3-band pre). If so, which is which and what is the adjustment range for the mid-sweep?

Who is the manufacturer of the PU? I took it out looked but did not find any labeling.

Anyone try flats on this model? If so, did/do you like the result?

Finally, one of the PU screws is stripped and broken (the threaded insert is fine). Where is the best place to get them? Is it a standard part. It's a machine screw and all my other basses have wood screws for PU mounting.

Thanks!

 

[bstar1456]

Excellent..I like this.

 

[AaronBass4]

NBD! Just received my 1999 FNA purchased from the classified: http://www.talkbass.com/threads/warwick-fna-4-string-for-sale-blonde.1078215/

Delighted so far. This is my first Warwick. It's quite a good-looking piece of wood. I did a bit of research on this model before purchasing but didn't find much. The Warwick site seems to only go back to 2000 and all I could find were the Jazzman versions (this one just has the single MM PU). Seems like the non-Jazzman version was fairly short-lived.

Are there experts here on this model? Does anyone know where I can find documentation? I downloaded the "Manual for all Warwick Basses" but the title is a little misleading as the FNA is not covered.

Specifically, I am interested in knowing more about the preamp: is it an MEC preamp? Diagrams? What are the trim pots for? I suspect one is for output. I thought I read somewhere that one is for setting the center of the mid-band (its a 3-band pre). If so, which is which and what is the adjustment range for the mid-sweep?

Who is the manufacturer of the PU? I took it out looked but did not find any labeling.

Anyone try flats on this model? If so, did/do you like the result?

Finally, one of the PU screws is stripped and broken (the threaded insert is fine). Where is the best place to get them? Is it a standard part. It's a machine screw and all my other basses have wood screws for PU mounting.

Thanks!

OK, so I feel like I killed the thread. Ha! Anyway, I answered some of my questions.

1) I found where I can send the serial number to Warwick and get the specs. I have the build specs now.
2) From the Warwick spec and a little more digging I determined that the pre must be a BassLines STC-3P. The trim pots are for adjusting the bass boost and mid cut when volume pot is pulled to engage the slap mode. Not much use to me . . . haven't slapped much since the 90's. Anyway, now I know.
3) The specs say MEC MM pickup. There are no markings on the pickup and the only reason I suspect anything is because there is a really bad solder connection on the pickup wire that I know is not how the Germans did it. Maybe just a repair. Not a big deal necessarily. What's there sounds great. If I can figure out how to post a pic (and if anyone is interested in confirming this for me) I will.
4) I've also discovered that the nut is not suppose to be just sitting there and it is, in fact, a broken JAN II and apparently this is an issue with this part. And, yea, I realize it still works even though its broken. I just don't like the fact that it's just sitting there, not straight, and teetering on just the 2 points of the adjustment screws. I ordered a pre-slotted brass nut from AxeMasters (on the bay) that claims to be a replacement for Warwick. I know a pre-slotted nut is a bit of a crap-shoot but for $16 I'm willing to give it a try. I'll report back here if anyone is interested.
5) I found that there is a Warwick employee here on TB. I sent him/her a PM about the screw. I think I've determined its a M2.5x35MM and that Lowes doesn't carry it .

I'm still interested in knowing if anyone here has tried flats on these. It came with Fender SS rounds but they are too zingy for me. I put a set of my favorite rounds on, DR Black Beauties, but I haven't had a chance to crank it up with the band yet so I don't know if they are going to work for me.

 

[rodl2005]

New to me:-
Warwick Streamer $$5

I had a Corvette $$4 a few years ago. Sold it asi needed 5s in the bands I was doing. F.F. To now- I finally found a nice $$5 for a good price and it's all I remembered the Corvette 4 $$ to be.
Amazingly versatile and sounds great in all settings- active and passive.

Very nicely made, great quality and VERY underrated basses.

 

[AaronBass4]

3) The specs say MEC MM pickup. There are no markings on the pickup and the only reason I suspect anything is because there is a really bad solder connection on the pickup wire that I know is not how the Germans did it. Maybe just a repair. Not a big deal necessarily. What's there sounds great. If I can figure out how to post a pic (and if anyone is interested in confirming this for me) I will.

Trying to post a PIC . . . clicking 'Upload a File' doesn't work . . . trying copy/paste . .

Here is the PU on my newly acquired FNA. Does this look like the stock PU?

 

[Vlad5]

I don't know when last I posted here, but here is fine story...

I've wanted a Thumb bass for ever, and about 5 years ago wondered into a local music store and found a beat up, twisted neck'd 2002 Thumb BO 5 string. Guy was asking 1k for it. It looked like this:

Just wrecked... I talked the guy into letting it go for $800, and hired his luthier (whom usually only works on classical guitars) to untwist the neck.

After 1 week in a vise and under a hot lamp (and a paltry $70), the neck looked like this.

I took the neck home, very happy, and went to work refinishing the wood, which looked worse than the above photo can describe.

After a week or so of sanding finishing, sanding, finishing (a bit of staining cause I liked it darker) it now looks like this.
I added a touch of poly to the body, but left the neck open grain.

And plays really well. I'm very attached to it, and can't ever see myself selling it. I added some Warwick straplocks and a big ol' neoprene neck strap. I added copper tape to the entire inside of the electronics cavity too, as well as a JAN III since the JAN II tabs were broken. This bass is dead quiet when plugged in and muted (not that it wasn't clean sounding before). It is a Heavy Metal machine now.

Anyway, that's my Wick, and my profile lists all the others I want too, which is many more than I can afford, of course.
Next in line is a Fortress of some kind. Gotta save some extra scratch for that though.
Then maybe a Streamer Stage II $$ custom in Nirvana Black, heh.

 

[AaronBass4]

4) I've also discovered that the nut is not suppose to be just sitting there and it is, in fact, a broken JAN II and apparently this is an issue with this part. And, yea, I realize it still works even though its broken. I just don't like the fact that it's just sitting there, not straight, and teetering on just the 2 points of the adjustment screws. I ordered a pre-slotted brass nut from AxeMasters (on the bay) that claims to be a replacement for Warwick. I know a pre-slotted nut is a bit of a crap-shoot but for $16 I'm willing to give it a try. I'll report back here if anyone is interested.

Brass nut from AxeMasters (Ebay) worked out well, I think, for my FNA with a broken JAN II. It was a little high so I ground off about 1mm with a stationary belt sander. Otherwise it fit very well. A luthier (which I am not) might find room for improvement but for now, it's working for me. I would recommend this as a cost effective repair for a broken JAN II.