Im consittering one as a future buy for me, what are the differences in them? SN or NT? what are there pors and cons? pics would be great too...thanx
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Warwick Dolphin...
- Thread starter goodeyesniper75
- Start date
I have owned a neck thru Dolphin Pro I 4 strings since 92. It is one of the best basses I have ever owned. Even though, right now my favorite bass is the MTD. I love taking the Dolphin for rides sometimes.
Dolphin is great. I don't own one, but I'm intimately familiar with the entire Warwick line, and I have to say the Dolphin has fantastic tone, balances nicely, too. Not to mention all the people talking to you about it. You'll see tons of Vettes (my babies), Thumbs, even Streamers, but you'll RARELY see anything else, much less a Dolphin. They ain't cheap. But they ARE great basses, imo.
I am buying a used one today!! An old 5-stringer. I will post pics when I get it (could be a few weeks). It's being picked up by a friend on the other side of the country 
Be aware that Dolphin basses have wide necks! Not a bad thing (unless you like pencil width) but certainly something to bear in mind.
The 4 strings clock in at 44mm at the nut (old school P bass width), I'm not sure what the 5 is as I've never owned one but the Warwick website should have the spec.
The 4 strings clock in at 44mm at the nut (old school P bass width), I'm not sure what the 5 is as I've never owned one but the Warwick website should have the spec.
I've had 2 through-neck Dolphins ('91 and '96, both wenge necks) and a Pro2 bolt-on. The '91 was better than the 96, but if anything I liked the bolt-on best, despite it supposedly being the poor relation.
I used to GAS over them majorly, and I still love what they look like, but I actually found I didn't get on with them particularly well. I found them to be somewhat neck heavy (and heavy overall) and found them ergonomically awkward. The necks are very wide (which didn't bother me a great deal), but I found the sound to be very thin and compressed. I compared my '96 side by side with my Rickenbacker CS and it sounded completely lost, although I did try a back to back with my '91 and a Stingray and preferred the Dolphin. I also prefer the Dolphin to the Thumb on average, but with hindsight probably preferred the Streamer Stage 1 to either. I can't say I wouldn't get another as I like the look so much, but it would have a very limited application if I did.
I used to GAS over them majorly, and I still love what they look like, but I actually found I didn't get on with them particularly well. I found them to be somewhat neck heavy (and heavy overall) and found them ergonomically awkward. The necks are very wide (which didn't bother me a great deal), but I found the sound to be very thin and compressed. I compared my '96 side by side with my Rickenbacker CS and it sounded completely lost, although I did try a back to back with my '91 and a Stingray and preferred the Dolphin. I also prefer the Dolphin to the Thumb on average, but with hindsight probably preferred the Streamer Stage 1 to either. I can't say I wouldn't get another as I like the look so much, but it would have a very limited application if I did.
all good info. a wide neck doesnt really bother me, neither does weight....what makes one sound better than others? electronics?
Well, any 2 wooden guitars will sound somewhat different because each piece of wood is different. I have 4 Rickenbackers and they all sound very different. But in addition my '91 Dolphin had an EMG circuit in it. It sounded a bit more refined to me than the MEC circuit in my '96, but to be honest even acoustically the '91 sounded better. I'd advise you try a few if you can, and bear in mind the more recent ones with the Ovangkol necks sound different again.
I've also played a Dolphin SN and that was lighter and more comfortable to play but the neck was enormous, like a baseball bat; it also sounded very dark, which was fine for some things but could be limiting.
