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Warwick Hellborg Signature

#63
John Wentzien said:
I want one of those new amps he has out.
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I A/B-ed the Hellborg rig with my iAmp800 rig for more than an hour (several basses were involved: two different Dingwalls, couple of custom shop Warwicks and an NS CR4) . They are very very similar but the iAmp sounds a touch fuller in the low mids (very small difference though). Considering the price tag and the weight issue of the Hellborg rig and the slightly better low mid fullness of the iamp, I am sticking with my IAmp
 
#66
fullrangebass said:
I A/B-ed the Hellborg rig with my iAmp800 rig for more than an hour (several basses were involved: two different Dingwalls, couple of custom shop Warwicks and an NS CR4) . They are very very similar but the iAmp sounds a touch fuller in the low mids (very small difference though). Considering the price tag and the weight issue of the Hellborg rig and the slightly better low mid fullness of the iamp, I am sticking with my IAmp
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Ah, if that's the case I won't be looking at the Hellborg rig, as I'm not keen on the EA stuff.

I'd always assumed that the Hellborg bass was semi-acoustic, but having checked the Warwick site it isn't very clear on it. I can't imagine having a solid-bodied bass that thick, particulalry if you've got a bad back (I have, so I can base that on experience!). I should have asked Jonas at Bass Day UK when I chatted to him last year. He did tell me that he doesn't use any other electric basses now; in fact I got the impression he doesn't even own his old ones, although I can't confirm that.
 
#67
melt said:
I'd always assumed that the Hellborg bass was semi-acoustic, but having checked the Warwick site it isn't very clear on it.
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It isn't? I have to disagree, and to prove my point, here's the description from Warwick's site:

"This archtop set neck bass with double cutaway is dedicated to a great Jazz musician, the Swede Jonas Hellborg, who, like almost no one else, masterfully combines Eastern music traditions with Western. The construction of this bass is distinguished by a hollow body, the arched back and top, as well as the notch are made of AAA Flamed Maple. The front and back side of the body is bound with white/black celluloid . A Tigerstripe Ebony fingerboard is glued to the AA Flamed Maple neck. The double cutaway offers easy playing in the upper neck positions. The passive MEC Soapbar singlecoil humcancelling pickup is controlled by a single volume pot. At the trussrod cover is the signature of Jonas Hellborg, on the rear side of the headstock H.P. Wilfer has signed."

Even warwickbass.com, which is actually Dana B. Goods' site, not Warwick's own, clearly states that the Hellborg signature is an archtop. So, it is hollow alright (thank godess!). I really want to try one, though I can't imagine ever buying one.
 
#68
lousybassist said:
It isn't? I have to disagree, and to prove my point, here's the description from Warwick's site:

"This archtop set neck bass with double cutaway is dedicated to a great Jazz musician, the Swede Jonas Hellborg, who, like almost no one else, masterfully combines Eastern music traditions with Western. The construction of this bass is distinguished by a hollow body, the arched back and top, as well as the notch are made of AAA Flamed Maple. The front and back side of the body is bound with white/black celluloid . A Tigerstripe Ebony fingerboard is glued to the AA Flamed Maple neck. The double cutaway offers easy playing in the upper neck positions. The passive MEC Soapbar singlecoil humcancelling pickup is controlled by a single volume pot. At the trussrod cover is the signature of Jonas Hellborg, on the rear side of the headstock H.P. Wilfer has signed."

Even Link Removed, which is actually Dana B. Goods' site, not Warwick's own, clearly states that the Hellborg signature is an archtop. So, it is hollow alright (thank godess!). I really want to try one, though I can't imagine ever buying one.
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To clarify, that wasn't on the page I read yesterday, which states this:

Jonas Hellborg is a living legend in the music world and Warwick has collaborated with him to make this, the Hellborg Signature bass. This masterpiece features an archtop, set net body that is made out of solid AAA flamed maple with a white/black celluloid binding. The neck is also made out of AAA flamed maple, with a tigerstripe ebony fingerboard.

And yes, it does state later on that it's an archtop, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's hollow ( a Les Paul is an archtop, as are most Status basses), although obviously in this case, given the info you've supplied, it is. Personally I think the part in bold isn't clear. "Solid AAA flamed maple" does NOT suggest it's hollow, unless you have some powers of divination denied to the rest of us.
 
#69
melt said:
To clarify, that wasn't on the page I read yesterday, which states this:

Jonas Hellborg is a living legend in the music world and Warwick has collaborated with him to make this, the Hellborg Signature bass. This masterpiece features an archtop, set net body that is made out of solid AAA flamed maple with a white/black celluloid binding. The neck is also made out of AAA flamed maple, with a tigerstripe ebony fingerboard.

And yes, it does state later on that it's an archtop, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's hollow ( a Les Paul is an archtop, as are most Status basses), although obviously in this case, given the info you've supplied, it is. Personally I think the part in bold isn't clear. "Solid AAA flamed maple" does NOT suggest it's hollow, unless you have some powers of divination denied to the rest of us.
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Of course not, sorry if I came across as an arrogant git in my previous post, 'cause that wasn't my intention at all (I knew I should have put a smilie or two in there...). And I see your point about your quote from the Dana B. Goods site; it isn't all that clear - though the term archtop generally does refer to fully hollow guitars (I think the term "carved top", or similar, is more correct, often used, and less confusing when speaking about solid bodied guitars). However, warwickbass.com isn't Warwick's own site (warwick.de is), it's a site for the distributor for Warwick in the US (which doesn't excuse the lack of clarity about the Hellborg signature's features). Hence my initial confusion, as you refered to "the Warwick site", and point made in my previous post. Sorry for my besserwisserness. ;)
 
#70
lousybassist said:
Of course not, sorry if I came across as an arrogant git in my previous post, 'cause that wasn't my intention at all (I knew I should have put a smilie or two in there...). And I see your point about your quote from the Dana B. Goods site; it isn't all that clear - though the term archtop generally does refer to fully hollow guitars (I think the term "carved top", or similar, is more correct, often used, and less confusing when speaking about solid bodied guitars). However, warwickbass.com isn't Warwick's own site (warwick.de is), it's a site for the distributor for Warwick in the US (which doesn't excuse the lack of clarity about the Hellborg signature's features). Hence my initial confusion, as you refered to "the Warwick site", and point made in my previous post. Sorry for my besserwisserness. ;)
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Hey, no worries. It did come across a bit patronising, but I've accidentally done the same myself before now. Smilies can certainly come in handy!:) That's one of the dangers of this kind of communication.

I realised after you'd initially posted and upon double-checking that I hadn't looked at the official Warwick site; as I said I'd always assumed they were hollow-bodied and just did a quick check whilst reading the thread. Next time I'll check I've read the right page! BTW, I realise that "archtop" usually refers to hollow-bodied guitars, but it is also occasionally used to refer to a carved top solid body (see Status - "The combination of the small, arch-top, double-cutaway body, the headless neck and the BendWell" - re the Kingbass) and given the other information provided it certainly seemed ambiguous. Maybe the use is more common in the UK, where I'm based. Who knows?
 
#76
Hi,

I've bought this bass in natural satin finish one month ago...and it's a hollow body :)

The 32' scale is very confortable, it's an amazing bass, the tone and dynamic is unbelievable.

SNV83241.jpg


SNV83242.jpg


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I've made a lot of videos with it, here two of them

YouTube - ‪Basse solo - "Avant l'heure" - Bruno Tauzin‬‏

YouTube - ‪Warwick Jonas Hellborg - Improvisation - (Bruno Tauzin)‬‏
 

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