Hello. New bass player and new forum member. I started playing about a month ago. I got tired of guitar so I bought an ibanez sr305. So far I like. I recently contacted a guy selling a warwick corvette standard 5 string with hard shell case for $650. I believe it to be the bubinga body. I talked him down to 600. He said it's in perfect condition and from photos it looks like it. I guess I'm asking if this is worth it?
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Warwick Corvette standard 5
- Thread starter bodom85
- Start date
Yes that is a fair price IMHO. Probably about $100 under the low market value. Nice bass but can be heavey and sting spacing can be tight for some. I had a couple of Corvette 5's - thus is giving me gas for another one though!
My SR305 has pretty tight spacing (so I'm told) and that's been what I've been learning on so I'm guessing it probably wouldn't be much of an issue for me. I've always liked the look of warwicks and I hear the build quality is great.
I think Warwick Corvette must be around 17mm, so you're almost there
As already stated, brand new Ibanez Premium, with Nordstrand
Big Singles, play in not so far a league from Corvette Standard
with a distinctive Jazzy sound and proficient electronic
Difference being the price (which is close with MIK Pro series, while a lot cheaper if compared to MIG Corvettes) and weight:
MIG Corvettes can be really heavy, while Ibanez Soundgears stay among the lightest in their range
Cheers,
Wallace
As already stated, brand new Ibanez Premium, with Nordstrand
Big Singles, play in not so far a league from Corvette Standard
with a distinctive Jazzy sound and proficient electronic
Difference being the price (which is close with MIK Pro series, while a lot cheaper if compared to MIG Corvettes) and weight:
MIG Corvettes can be really heavy, while Ibanez Soundgears stay among the lightest in their range
Cheers,
Wallace
I had an old Jackson guitar that was like wearing a rock. The big difference now is that my Ibanez is really light and thin. I play mostly sitting down since I'm teaching myself to play. I'd like to join a band and gig but time is not on my side for that right now. I think my final deciding factor is: Is this bass going to be a big upgrade from my SR 305? I'm not worried about the weight so much as if this bass will last me a good bunch of years and is the sound better than my current bass.
Yes, if you don't mind the weight, value is right there, another
class of a bass from entry level Ibby.
Cheers,
Wallace
It might be sacrilegious, but I liked my Corvette 5ers better than a Thumb 4 I just had. They had more growl. If I still played a 5 It'd be a Corvette.
That's a very good price.
That's a very good price.
Thanks for the input. I should be picking it up tonight. My only other concern is getting used to no fret markers on the the finger board. I usually know where I'm at but I do get lost sometimes. I'll have to start using the markers on the neck. I have to say, I'm really impressed with the quick responses here. I'll definitely have to use this site way more often.
This seems to be an okay deal. I paid about $500 for one a couple of years ago, but the market price seems to have risen a bit.
The bubinga version tends to be heavier than the ash version. If you can find one, I would look for a Corvette Proline, it has flame maple wings. I had one and it was light and a killer bass.
Thanks for the replies. There are some battle scares but it appears to be an 02 model so it's 11 years old. I say that because the serial number ends in 02. Does anyone know what wood would be on the neck and fretboard? Really is a dream bass for me.
I took some quick pics last night with my cell phone, so they aren't the best. The case is a warwick hardshell and it has the active pickups. I have some final questions. Is there a wax I can buy local (walmart, kmart, lowes, etc) to clean it up with? It needs a good cleaning. Also there is a scuff on the bottom edge. Looks like nothing major to the wood but some white transferred to the bass. Is this fixable? And lastly, what size strings should I use? I don't want to put strings on that are too small or too big. Just whatever the nut was meant to handle. Thanks for all the help.
I can't see the bottom edge scuff but, being on edge of body, nothin' major to its resonation
Apart from that, if you don't fear to experiment (the body is almost unfinished) softly try to remove the "white" with - I dunno - a bit of nails or even somethin' slightly pointy
If you succeed in removin' it, don't worry about the scuff
Buy a Planet Waves (d'Addario group) lemon oil and polishin' cloths then act all over bass body.
If you don't put too much of it on the bass surface, you can just let it dry out in a few minutes, otherwise use a clean microfiber cloth to remove any exceedin' trace of humid oil
You can do the same for fingerboard... Pay no attention to maple fingerboard on Planet Waves lemon oil cover, 'cause maple fingerboard are always treated with something, never open pore, so it's silly how they even considered to picture maple fingerboards as to suggest you could eventually apply oil on them.
Furthermore your neck can be wenge and possibly your board as well (or rosewood) so they're open pore and there you go.
If you prefer to keep it in the family (yeah, I love old school thrash metal so are Anthrax) and stay d'Addario, you can adopt a set of 45-130 XLs or go Rotosound swing 66 same gauge
Great bass my friend,
enjoy
Cheers,
Wallace
Apart from that, if you don't fear to experiment (the body is almost unfinished) softly try to remove the "white" with - I dunno - a bit of nails or even somethin' slightly pointy
If you succeed in removin' it, don't worry about the scuff
Buy a Planet Waves (d'Addario group) lemon oil and polishin' cloths then act all over bass body.
If you don't put too much of it on the bass surface, you can just let it dry out in a few minutes, otherwise use a clean microfiber cloth to remove any exceedin' trace of humid oil
You can do the same for fingerboard... Pay no attention to maple fingerboard on Planet Waves lemon oil cover, 'cause maple fingerboard are always treated with something, never open pore, so it's silly how they even considered to picture maple fingerboards as to suggest you could eventually apply oil on them.
Furthermore your neck can be wenge and possibly your board as well (or rosewood) so they're open pore and there you go.
If you prefer to keep it in the family (yeah, I love old school thrash metal so are Anthrax) and stay d'Addario, you can adopt a set of 45-130 XLs or go Rotosound swing 66 same gauge
Great bass my friend,
enjoy
Cheers,
Wallace
The fingerboard is wenge, and since it's a 2002 the neck should be ovangkol (can't see the back in the photos).
Use lemon oil for the fretboard.
For the body, use Beeswax. The natural oil finish Warwicks need waxing often. I wax at every string change.
The white marks, I couldn't really see them, but one of mine had marks around the knobs and I used some scotchbrite on them while waxing, ie very lightly sanded them off. It's a natural oil body so you there isn't a finish you can spoil.
Strings; use a tapered B string, non-tapered ones probably won't fit in the bridge. Some file the bridge a little bit to make it larger to fit the non-tapered B strings (takes 10 mins), some flatten the bridge end of the strings with pliers, but there are many tapered B strings you can buy.
It looks like it has D'Addarios on, any idea what gauge they are?
Use lemon oil for the fretboard.
For the body, use Beeswax. The natural oil finish Warwicks need waxing often. I wax at every string change.
The white marks, I couldn't really see them, but one of mine had marks around the knobs and I used some scotchbrite on them while waxing, ie very lightly sanded them off. It's a natural oil body so you there isn't a finish you can spoil.
Strings; use a tapered B string, non-tapered ones probably won't fit in the bridge. Some file the bridge a little bit to make it larger to fit the non-tapered B strings (takes 10 mins), some flatten the bridge end of the strings with pliers, but there are many tapered B strings you can buy.
It looks like it has D'Addarios on, any idea what gauge they are?
I'll have to order some wax and oil. I want sure what sanding would do but good to know. The strings aren't dead yet but on they last leg. I don't know what the strings are. I bought it from someone selling off instruments from a fallen family member. The knowledge of the bass is limited.
I went to Home Depot and got some Howard's wax-n-feed and then to GC to buy some strings. I got a set of Ernie Ball Reg Slinkys. As I was taking off the new strings, the nut feel off. Looks like the original glue gave out. I super glued it back in place. I polished the crap out of this guitar, then polished it again. I didn't realize how back my pics looked blown up until recently so you may not be able to tell a difference but it shines now. I didn't have anything to treat the frets so that will have to wait until next go round. The scuff at the bottom of the body and top of the headstock came right out with the steaming method used to remove dings. I did that before I did everything else.
I got everything put back together, but the saddle for the B string was really loose and probably would have fallen out. What exactly holds them on? Also I'm not sure if its in the whole way. The base of the string was too wide so I tried to flatten it with a pair of pliers. How can I tell if its wrong?
I got everything put back together, but the saddle for the B string was really loose and probably would have fallen out. What exactly holds them on? Also I'm not sure if its in the whole way. The base of the string was too wide so I tried to flatten it with a pair of pliers. How can I tell if its wrong?
