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Warwick bass from China or Germany?

Trym Brovold

Trym Brovold

Mar 2, 2022
29
10
#1
Hello TalkBass community!
I have been looking for a 5 string Warwick for a while now, that doesn't cost 3k euro, and found myself a Warwick RB Corvette 5 $$ NB TS on Thomannmusic. I am situated in Norway, and they are a great supplier and shipper to my country.

Thing is, as I read the few reviews there were, that it's apparently made in China? From my research online, China-made Warwicks are not nearly as good as German-made ones, but how would I be able to find out if the models I'm looking at is made in China or not? This one that I mentioned had no information about product, at least not where it was produced.

Anyone have any idea where to buy a German-made Warwick bass from if Thomannmusic is only selling China-made ones? Anyone with any recommendation in general for any other bass models by Warwick (5-string is a must? Thanks!
 
#4
I traded a RB Corvette $$ 5 string for a MIG 4 string Corvette standard. Both basses are totally passive.

It played great, and the tone was big.

However, I had a hard time dialing in the variety of sounds that I was hoping for.


The workmanship was very good. It had an ash body and the maple neck with rosewood fretboard.
I think the pickups and the wood combined to have less Warwick character than I wanted.

I considered wiring the RB $$ for coil tap and a preamp, but I didn't love it enough to put that work into it.

The neck profile on the RB $$ was flat, wide and pretty shallow. The fretwork was excellent. It had stainless steel frets vs the brass ones on German instruments. The B string was great and the Red label strings that came with it exceeded expectations after reading negative reviews online about them. I never tried flats or ground wounds.

Ken Smith Slick Rounds (Round wounds ground flat) sounded great on the MIG Corvette standard.

The MIG Corvette neck is thicker, but not like the old baseball bat fatty necks.

Overall, I like the RB $$. It didn't add enough tonally to the basses I own. I have a MM SR5 that gets a big, active humbucking pickup sound for me.


RB double buck - 3.jpeg



I tried to use an Aguliar DB925 pedal with the RB $$. The output overdrives the input of the pedal. Yes, I realize I can lower the volume but it was too finicky, and I wasn't in love with the bass.


RB double buck - 1.jpeg



After the RB $$, I ended up trading a Sting Sig bass for a G&L L2000 from Fullterton. I was still chasing that dual humbucker sound. The L2000 probably gets closer to it for me, but that preamp takes some time to understand and coax tones out of.

One thing about the Corvette body - I have short arms so the reach to 1st position on the Corvette is far because the upper horn stops about the 14 fret.
The heel cutaway lets you shift the bass on your body to your right to compensate, but this is an issue for me.

Oh and I think it came with Dunlop straplocks.


It is likely why I prefer FSO for basses.
 
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#14
shirojiro said:
I traded a RB Corvette $$ 5 string for a MIG 4 string Corvette standard. Both basses are totally passive.

It played great, and the tone was big.

However, I had a hard time dialing in the variety of sounds that I was hoping for.


The workmanship was very good. It had an ash body and the maple neck with rosewood fretboard.
I think the pickups and the wood combined to have less Warwick character than I wanted.

I considered wiring the RB $$ for coil tap and a preamp, but I didn't love it enough to put that work into it.

The neck profile on the RB $$ was flat, wide and pretty shallow. The fretwork was excellent. It had stainless steel frets vs the brass ones on German instruments. The B string was great and the Red label strings that came with it exceeded expectations after reading negative reviews online about them. I never tried flats or ground wounds.

Ken Smith Slick Rounds (Round wounds ground flat) sounded great on the MIG Corvette standard.

The MIG Corvette neck is thicker, but not like the old baseball bat fatty necks.

Overall, I like the RB $$. It didn't add enough tonally to the basses I own. I have a MM SR5 that gets a big, active humbucking pickup sound for me.


View attachment 6972477


I tried to use an Aguliar DB925 pedal with the RB $$. The output overdrives the input of the pedal. Yes, I realize I can lower the volume but it was too finicky, and I wasn't in love with the bass.


View attachment 6972476


After the RB $$, I ended up trading a Sting Sig bass for a G&L L2000 from Fullterton. I was still chasing that dual humbucker sound. The L2000 probably gets closer to it for me, but that preamp takes some time to understand and coax tones out of.

One thing about the Corvette body - I have short arms so the reach to 1st position on the Corvette is far because the upper horn stops about the 14 fret.
The heel cutaway lets you shift the bass on your body to your right to compensate, but this is an issue for me.

Oh and I think it came with Dunlop straplocks.


It is likely why I prefer FSO for basses.
Click to expand...
Thank you for such a great comment! What type of music, or genres I should say, do you play, considering the RB $$ didn't satisfy you enough? Me myself, I'm a huge fan of a heavy, metal-ly, clanky sound, like Rex Brown from PanterA.
 
#15
Dyerseve14 said:
Your best bet is to buy a used German built Warwick. 3000€ will buy just about any used German built Warwick including the vintage handmade models and the latest Masterbuilt range!

Here is a perfect example of that right here on Talkbass:
https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/warwick-thumb-bo-35th-anniversary-ltd.1651137/
Click to expand...
It is a hefty price though. I'm no pro, not experienced enough to really use the 3k for all it's worth.. I was thinking about buying a used one, but the probably is that the customs and shipping will probably double the price. Bringing in anything to Norway is expensive as h..
 
#16
direktor said:
Warwicks do not hold their value. Out of the 6 I’ve owned, I’ve only bought one new, with the explicit understanding that I would take a serious bath when I sold it.

Just get a used German one. You can get a German Corvette for $1000 all day long.
Click to expand...
I don't know where you live, but do you know of any international sights for buying used instruments? The market is too small in my country, bordering countries as well. I will probably be on of the few with a Warwick in Norway (probably not, I just like to imagine it being so hahah)
 
#18
Trym Brovold said:
Thank you for such a great comment! What type of music, or genres I should say, do you play, considering the RB $$ didn't satisfy you enough? Me myself, I'm a huge fan of a heavy, metal-ly, clanky sound, like Rex Brown from PanterA.
Click to expand...
It sounded good, but I couldn’t get the characteristic growl and woody tone from the RB $$. The pickups were high output and very clear.

I play mainly rock, funk, and jazz.

I would agree that the German instruments are better. They should be with the higher price.

The latest Rockbasses are much nicer than the original ones though. The newer ones are much more similar to a real Warwick.
 
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