Warwick Love - Worth the Weight?

[mikeyjm2]

A few years back I did have issues with sciatic pain. This bears sharing:

Sciatic Pain Relief Stretches and Exercises for Piriformis Syndrome

with a hat-tip to @Lo-E

 

[socialleper]

I owned a German Corvette $$ 5 string for a while that I both loved and hated at the same time.
The Corvette body has an odd center of gravity that takes a while to get used to, and the mid-2000s model all had pretty big necks. On one hand the feel of the natural finish neck was great, but I did have a problem occasionally with splinters peeling off and puncturing my hand while I was playing.
I loved the way the bass sounded on its own, but I had a lot of trouble finding the right place for it in the mix. I think it really came down to the $$ pickups. Eventually I sold it. I'm not soured on Warwick because of that experience (I'm soured on Warwick because of their lousy availability) and if I had the funds for a newer SS2 or Thumb I would think about it. I like their look, design choices, and some of my favorite bass tones are guys that use Warwick.

 

[kikstand454]

I have a Corvette rockbass 5 and it is amazing. I love everything about it. I play it at least two hours every show. The weight doesn't seem that heavy to me- but then I was a les Paul guy back in my guitar days.
Like mentioned above, I personally feel they are amazing values across the pricing spectrum.

 

[Lo-E]

A few years back I did have issues with sciatic pain. This bears sharing:

Sciatic Pain Relief Stretches and Exercises for Piriformis Syndrome

with a hat-tip to @Lo-E

I'll be reading that site a little later today. Good link!

 

[Fair Warning]

I currently have a German Fortress I with a Maple body, Wenge neck. While being much lighter than my previous active Corvette STD, this Fortress does not get that powerful tone that the Corvette did. Oh, by the way, the Corvette was 13 pounds! I love this super skinny neck on the Fortress. I really need to play it more, but it is still missing that intense metallic sound that I remember with my Corvette.

 

[graphics1988]

I have a 2007 German Corvette $$ 4 string - stunning ...I LOVE it...but I am unfortunately going to sell it....I paid top dollar for it and you can see why - its MINT! My carpal tunnel and tendonitis flare up when I play this and my EBMM...so I don't want to be a closet collector and keep them for the sake of keeping them. I don't find it heavy and I absolutely love the neck profile - I put new chromes on it (which i don't like) but i can say that the Warwicks have grunt that no other basses (that i own anyway) can even match. This thing rattles my floor boards! LOVE it!

 

[Kael]

I've played Warwicks since '97, so weight hasn't been an issue (especially with my Streamer LX 6 string Broadneck, which usually tips the scale at 14lbs or so).

Get a good strap (my 5 string 'vette had a 4" Levy's leather, and the above Streamer LX uses a Gruv Gear DuoStrap), find a comfortable balance point and you'll be good.

I have a streamer lx6 Broadneck. 14 to 14.5 lbs sounds about right.The thing is a boat anchor but sustains like crazy. Never play it these days. Weight plus moving to a genre that favours fender styled instruments has it sitting in the case for the past 5 or so years. Ought to sell it or start using it.

 

[Jon Moody]

I have a streamer lx6 Broadneck. 14 to 14.5 lbs sounds about right.The thing is a boat anchor but sustains like crazy. Never play it these days. Weight plus moving to a genre that favours fender styled instruments has it sitting in the case for the past 5 or so years. Ought to sell it or start using it.

True on all counts. Most of my gigging is in a seated position, but I still play bass high enough that it doesn't rest on my lap, so a good strap for that bass is critical. The DuoStrap is the only one that had me feel like I could play for hours with it, with no discomfort. And since I got the strap, that has proven to be true.

 

[higain617]

i love my warwick basses. I have owned an infinity NT 4, thumb bo 5, double buck 5 and i still own my corvette pro bubinga 5 and thumb bass NT 5

My honest opinion about them is that they're without a doubt the most inspiring intrument i have ever played. Beautiful, powerfull, strong beastly instruments that really respond to playing styles. soft bubbly walking tones but when you hit it hard its comes alive and growls like a dog. truly an instrument you can express youself on. While i am still young, have good joints and strong shoulders, the weight and neck dive doesnt bother me the slighest. But maybe when i get older, when my hands hurt and my back aches i might need to consider something else. The neck and weight of the infinity might be my go too instrument in my later years. nice and light, super skinny neck, classic warwick sound.

It even makes an original japanese made ESP bottom bump look like a toy (not my bass, just borrowed it)

Sorry, I know this is a Warwick thread but that ESP is awesome. Do you know the model?

 

[anavar]

Sorry, I know this is a Warwick thread but that ESP is awesome. Do you know the model?

ESP Original series bottom bump.

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i used one for a month while on tour, if you want to know how it played, quality, pickup tone it just let me know.

 

[higain617]

ESP Original series bottom bump.

Invalid Link Removed

i used one for a month while on tour, if you want to know how it played, quality, pickup tone it just let me know.

Thanks, they look great. Sadly, they're well over 2 grand plus shipping from Japan. I really like the charcoal black finish.

 

[anavar]

ishibashi has them cheap.
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^ top of the page on the left. 1600 USD dollars.

 

[Matthew_84]

Yeah I didn't get that... "We're making basses in china using all the same parts as in germany" with a cost price lower than buying just a Warwick bridge and tuners from them in Germany... of course the hardware, pickups and preamp weren't the same - and I don't know why they were saying it was.

LOL, one of the first messages from the president of Warwick claimed that they never stated that they used MEC electronics in the Rockbasses... My follow-up email included two Youtube videos by Andy Irvine saying "MEC pickup and electronics" with a screenshot of one of them where the words "Active MEC 2-Band Electronics" were clearly printed in the video. I then followed up and posted these links in the heated Warwick forum thread about this issue.

They were very quick to delete the videos and change the website spec sheets, but I had the bass for two years before I found this out (meaning there was AT LEAST two years of false advertising where others were surely duped as well) and during those two years, I took every opportunity I could to post on here and recommend them and claim about what a great deal they were.

I don't think I ever got an apology either, and one of the honest responses by the president was something along the lines of, we get them made by a Korean company to our MEC spec, so they are actually MEC .... Yeah, so why doesn't it say MEC on them instead of a cheap sticker with Korean lettering??? Why doesn't German 'Wicks come with these "equal" electronics???

 

[SlugShellBass]

My Warwick Thumb nt 6 is literally a dream come true. I use a levi padded strap (that I got for $20 :O) and I've never had and real shoulder or back issues from it. The neck isn't as thin as say and ibanez SR model but it is definitely thinner than some of the other baseball necks on warwicks. The pickups are stock and I've been able to get just about any tone I need straight from the bass or from adjusting by darkglass b7k. My advice is anyone is having back/shoulder problems is to keep good posture and don't push down on the pickups with your thumb to hard. I've found that when I have long band practices of gigs that when I push down hard with my thumb, my back ends up hurting later.

 

[tbz]

I've found that when I have long band practices of gigs that when I push down hard with my thumb, my back ends up hurting later.

If thumb pressure causes back pain, you are really close to an actual injury.

Hit the gym, and start doing lat work, or lose the heavy bass. Just my two cents based on experience. Anything else and you'll be dealing with a side-effect eventually.

 

[SlugShellBass]

If thumb pressure causes back pain, you are really close to an actual injury.

Hit the gym, and start doing lat work, or lose the heavy bass. Just my two cents based on experience. Anything else and you'll be dealing with a side-effect eventually.

lol its not that I don't work out, I'm in a metal band that plays roughly 45-60 min sets so all the running around plus me pushing down so hard on my bass, my back just feels tired afterward. When I play my 4 string I'm completely fine.

 

[tbz]

lol its not that I don't work out, I'm in a metal band that plays roughly 45-60 min sets so all the running around plus me pushing down so hard on my bass, my back just feels tired afterward. When I play my 4 string I'm completely fine.

Not saying you aren't or don't

Just sounds like the few extra lbs of pressure you put on the bass is translating to strain. My personal first step would be to push my lat work. Much easier than dealing with an eventual skeletal issue.

 

[SlugShellBass]

Not saying you aren't or don't

Just sounds like the few extra lbs of pressure you put on the bass is translating to strain. My personal first step would be to push my lat work. Much easier than dealing with an eventual skeletal issue.

I hear yea brother. Ill do a super set of hammer-on exercises with my pull ups. Im gonna make allll kiiindz of gaaaaiiiinnnzzzzz

 

[Luke the Fluke]

LOL, one of the first messages from the president of Warwick claimed that they never stated that they used MEC electronics in the Rockbasses... My follow-up email included two Youtube videos by Andy Irvine saying "MEC pickup and electronics" with a screenshot of one of them where the words "Active MEC 2-Band Electronics" were clearly printed in the video. I then followed up and posted these links in the heated Warwick forum thread about this issue.

They were very quick to delete the videos and change the website spec sheets, but I had the bass for two years before I found this out (meaning there was AT LEAST two years of false advertising where others were surely duped as well) and during those two years, I took every opportunity I could to post on here and recommend them and claim about what a great deal they were.

I don't think I ever got an apology either, and one of the honest responses by the president was something along the lines of, we get them made by a Korean company to our MEC spec, so they are actually MEC .... Yeah, so why doesn't it say MEC on them instead of a cheap sticker with Korean lettering??? Why doesn't German 'Wicks come with these "equal" electronics???

... on the positive side - I've tended to find the MEC pup and pre s are the weak point in Warwicks.... they give it a specific nasel tone... which is nice if you like it I guess.

 

[anavar]

I hear yea brother. Ill do a super set of hammer-on exercises with my pull ups. Im gonna make allll kiiindz of gaaaaiiiinnnzzzzz

this you slug?



all kinds of gainz!! - i used to love the hodgetwins haha.

i am right into my bodybuilding and so is the rest of my band (Anavar...i mean cmon) and i found having a strong body does wonders for handing heavy instruments. Obviously not everyone can just pack on some muscle to help with shows so a thick strap does work wonders.