Can anyone explain to me what the difference is between the team built and master built warwicks?
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Warwick build qualities
- Thread starter JimiLL
- Start date
Ok...so I guess master built means hand made in Germany, whereas the pro series is just made in Germany. My question is; Warwick recently invested mucho dinero in their Cnc machining tools, which as of the late 90s is how all Warwicks were made. So...now their top of the line is made by hand again?
What is the quality of these pro series, would anybody say it's on par with their 2000's offerings?
What is the quality of these pro series, would anybody say it's on par with their 2000's offerings?
I believe that the MasterBuilt series of today is what the Custom Shop was back then. Unlimited choices (for what they can do), and Team Built is just the usual German Warwick stuff, but I think they upgraded their CNC's once again around 2011-2012 (?).
This sums it up pretty well. All custom shop models are Masterbuilt. These are more or less built by a single master luthier and get more individual attention (and flexibility in options). Teambuilt models are more basic and have a few standard options, so they're easier to mass-produce. To be clear, they're all built in the same factory using the same tools and machinery.
I don't know when the CNC machines were upgraded, but they are constantly improving their technology and upgrading things as a whole. For that reason, the quality as a whole is better than in the past.
Source: visited the Warwick factory about a year ago, and own a masterbuilt SS2
So then for example would a thumb nt that's bubinga pommele, has an Ovangkol neck with wenge stringers and an ebony board be team built? Insinuating that it is more mass produced than the masterbuilt. I guess I'm trying to figure out if the thumb I have is a team built or master built.
The whole masterbuilt/teambuilt designation happened when they moved the Pro Series production back to Germany from Korea (not sure of the year for that, but fairly recently). If your bass was built before that (the last 2 digits of the serial number are the year), then there probably won't be a way to tell... I don't think there was a "Pro Series" before the Korean ones. The "teambuilt" models now refer to the Pro Series, which I think will have a serial number with "GPS" (German Pro Series) in it. My Masterbuilt bass actually says "Masterbuilt" on the headstock.
Warwick has a great serial number tool, plug it in and see if you learn anything new: Invalid Link Removed
Warwick has a great serial number tool, plug it in and see if you learn anything new: Invalid Link Removed
hasbeen
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- Sep 23, 2004
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It was a total mind job when W'ks declared team built, master built, dog dragged in and Rockbass. I was so pleased I bought either 2nd hand and new before they appeared an dodged them. They claim they were losing when making a Corvette Std, and why they got production of the whole Rock-Bass and others on Korea. From what Ive heard there way cheaper and play well. Its a cynical move just dump em off in Korea and because there not as valuable as humans get em knocked up for half the price. Get the kids on them instead of school. Im not laying any accusations at Warwick, they are or they are led by a philanthropist who will look after his workers. His German factory tells you he isn't all talk.
