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The Official Warwick Club (Part 6)

#821
I still want a brass JAN III, just for the cool factor.
They're like $50 from the Warwick NY Custom Shop though, and word all over the Warwick Forum is they sound no different than the Wilferite JAN III, which I already have.

Still, brass nuts are cool.
Nice job Aaron!
 
#822
Here's a quick video I made comparing my Warwick P-Nut II and Stage II basses. I just used my computer microphone, so the sound quality isn't the greatest, but it turned out fairly decent for a spur of the moment, hastily made video.

Used a Markbass cmd121p with the settings as such (as mentioned in the video, bass eq's are flat):
14120921667_45ebea00e4_z.jpg



Video:
 
#823
Vlad5 said:
I still want a brass JAN III, just for the cool factor.
They're like $50 from the Warwick NY Custom Shop though, and word all over the Warwick Forum is they sound no different than the Wilferite JAN III, which I already have.

Still, brass nuts are cool.
Nice job Aaron!
Click to expand...

Thanks Vlad. Yea, the brass JAN III looks like a cool piece. I didn't know they were $50. I might have paid that even though the margin has to be crazy high and I'm still not sure why I need to adjust a nut anyway. When I ordered the nut, I didn't even know about ordering stuff from the Warwick custom shop. I'm new to Warwick. The searching I did just turned up some aftermarket parts and a few people on ebay selling the brass JAN III for $100+ - holy crap . .. wasn't going to pay that! After the ebay listings, $50 sounds pretty good. Seems like WCS could use a better web presence . . maybe an ebay store.

In any case, I'm pretty happy with how the $16 brass nut worked out.

Also, since I know about the WCS, I did order some pick-up screws and wax.
 
#825
I just picked up the SSI 4-string from GC's used section. Pretty reasonable price too. It's a 2006 and it looks like someone has replaced the nut (I assume the original was the JAN II) with the JAN III. That's the only mod, but a welcome one. It even came with the straplocks.

I spent some time on a setup, including moving the string spacing which was set to 17mm back to 19mm. New strings, boom.

SSI1_zpscb36d4b8.jpg



SSI4_zpsfe081390.jpg


And hey, it even matched my 5-string. Old picture, I'll have to take one of them together. :)
WarwickSSI.jpg
 
#826
Anyone ever compare the Fortress One to the Fortress Masterman?

I'm curious about their tonal differences and haven't seen a direct sound comparison on the forums, here or over at the Warwick forum.
I know what their construction differences are.
I just want to know what the tonal ranges are in comparison to each other.
warm, cold, snappy, muddy... etc..

BTW: Nice pair ModuMan!
 
#828
Vlad5 said:
Anyone ever compare the Fortress One to the Fortress Masterman?

I'm curious about their tonal differences and haven't seen a direct sound comparison on the forums, here or over at the Warwick forum.
I know what their construction differences are.
I just want to know what the tonal ranges are in comparison to each other.
warm, cold, snappy, muddy... etc..

BTW: Nice pair ModuMan!
Click to expand...

Ok; quoting myself cause Florin at the W forum told me basically....

Fortress One - 'classic' bass sound
Fortress Masterman - 'modern' bass sound

He admits he is generalizing, but the above is what one would expect from those two styles.
Not surprisingly, I want both...

Daveypoo said:
I just traded my Korean-made Spector for a Rockbass Fortress - one of the new ones with the classic W headstock, MEC pickups and 2 piece bridge. Anyone have one of these? It'll be the first Warwick I've ever owned - you guys dig the Fortresses?
Click to expand...

I've never tried the Rockbass version, but I love the Fortresses!
Hope to own one one day when my bass budget goes up from $0.
 
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#830
Daveypoo said:
Well, my budget is the same, sir, hence the trade. I'm super psyched to get my hands on it. I've heard that the the real difference between the Rockbass line and the MIG stuff is the preamp. Has anyone replaced the original RB preamp with a MIG one? Thoughts?
Click to expand...

At one point in time, I was going to replace it with an Aguilar obp-2 or 3? Here's a video for you to decide. I know it's a different model, but you can hear a big difference. Aggie sounds badass in it :)

 
#834
Picked up a new Fortress Rock Bass around a month and I gotta say I love this bass! I had been looking for an active bass with an aggressive modern tone. I currently play a '72 and '85 Fender Jazz as well as a Musicman Sterling which was my only active bass.

The funny thing is I had tried quite a number of Warwicks before I tried the Fortress. And these were the higher end German made models. And I honestly did not like them. Did not like the feel of the chunky necks or the tones. Now granted some were setup horribly, but none of sat right with me.

I really was trying to "like" Warwicks. Then I came across this Fortress from a on-line store. I loved the look and the fact it had active PJ MEC pickups. Also the Maple neck and Ash body really appealed to me. So I took a chance and bought.

Wow, this is one well made bass. The workmanship was absolutely flawless. And it had a neck to die for! Thinner than those German made basses I tried. And that tone is awesome! Just a well made bass, not to mentioned it sports allot of the same components as the German basses.

This bass really nails the tone I was looking for....and looks killer to boot. Here is live clip with me using it. A short bass solo around the 14:45 mark...



And the required photo...

fortress.jpg
 
#836
anavar said:
i do like the fortress rockbass a lot!

just cant seem to get them at a fair price in AUS. infact, nothing is.

Even pro series bass's are around $2299*
Click to expand...

I am surprised I do not see more of them. Guess the Fortress body is not as popular as the other body shapes. Not only do I like it the best, but that long upper horn really makes it balance perfect!
 
#840
I own a 96 Fortress Masterman and yes I totally dig that bass. Very comfortable and has one of the thinnest necks I've ever come across. To me, the Masterman gets you into that MusicMan sound ballpark.

And if you are interested, there is a Fortress Club on the forums here too, Fortress Footmen.
 

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