Warwick Neck Question?

[FinMetalFiend17]

Yeah, I just found this forum and I'm a guitarist who plays bass and enjoys it a lot. But my friend who has been playing bass for 4 or 5 years has been badgering me about Warwick necks. He has been telling me that they are neck heavy and the bodies are too light. They are hard to support when sitting and sometimes when standing and playing. I own a Warwick RockBass corvette and I haven't had that problem with it. It's kind of a opinion thing but I wanted to know what you guys think.

 

[Figjam]

The rockbass models are a different case than what he is referring to most likely, because the rockbass models have necks made out of maple whereas the higher end models use ovangkol. It is true that some of the higher end models are known to neckdive quite a bit, the thumb model in particular.

 

[SurrenderMonkey]

The corvette $$ I used to have was 'slightly' more prone to neck dive than my ibanez, which has a perfect balance, but nothing to fret about. It was a 5 string, so neck was heavier as well. The 4 string corvettes are prefectly fine. I'm getting a ash passive (been gassing for a uncomplicated 4 stringer for a while). The body is light, the neck less so, but they are comfortable.

 

[LifeIsBass]

It really just depends on which model you're talking about. Many are significantly different. Some do have some neck dive. I've never found it to be a big deal when wearing a strap.

 

[genocide roach]

my fortress MM dives a little bit. maybe 6-8 inches. but its not bad, and certainly not a strain on my left arm. with a top horn like the fortress, it helps alot

and considering i bought that bass to replace my bc rich, which would dive straight to the floor, id consider it a massive improvement.
~gR~

 

[fishhed]

I have two warwicks, a Thumb BO and a Fortress Masterman with ovangkol and wenge necks respectively. They are heavy and they do dive, especially the Thumb. I am a big guy, and the lower neck position makes it more natural for left hand position as well.

For me though its worth is as I love the "woody" sound of the Thumb - prefereable to the "clear and bright" sound of maple (sounds like a piano to me). I use a wide strap and it makes a difference.

Fishhed

 

[FinMetalFiend17]

I forgot to mention I have played the higher end models (Corvette Ash 5-string & 4-String Double Buck$$, and Corvette Standard 4) as well, but sorry my question wasn't specific as far as a certain model. Thanks for the valuable information. I really want to get a higher end model (Warwick Infinity 5 one day .

 

[mournblade]

I have only played one Warwick, most of my playing has been done on a Custom Shop Jackson, Custom Shop B.C Rich's and a CS Rico Jr., and I absolutely hated the neck (Corvette double $$). For me, the bass was uncomfortable, neck dived as bad as my Mockingbirds (in their own right notorious for neck diving) and had a washed out tone (EMC MM style humbuckers played through a Ampeg SVT - 4 pro, ampeg 8 x 10). I know alot of people like them, but for me, based on the one I played, I was serverly underwhelmed. Finger style metal player here (Maiden, Sabbath, Speed/Thrash). YMMV

 

[spade2you]

Depending on your fretting style, it may or may not bother ya. If you want your bass to be horizontal, they're ok. If you're like me and keep the bass at ~45 degrees, a bass like the Thumb can be painful. The thick neck and lack of balance absolutely kills my left hand. Plus, I don't see the need for basses to be heavy as I get killer tones out of light AND balanced basses.

 

[mkrtu9]

I have a BO Thumb and it doesn't have any dive, but it is heavy I'll give it that. It sounds sooooo good though.

 

[FinMetalFiend17]

wow, it's refreshing to see a forum were you actually get help and info on things instead of being gawked at or being treated like and idiot.

Thanks

 

[rusty66]

bass players rule!

My NT thumb5 dives ever so slightly, but its the most comfortable bass I own & the sound is to kill for. There are a lot of people on here that bag warwicks ( like the guy a few posts above who has made his opinion based on playing only one of them.. ), but its personal preference. You play a bass thats comfortable to you, sounds good & also looks good to you.

Cheers
Rusty

 

[Ryan L.]

My Streamer Stage I balances perfectly, both on a strap and sitting.

The only Warwicks I've noticed any neck dive on were the Thumb basses, but I've heard that with a decent strap, this can be taken care of.

 

[NKUSigEp]

Yeah, I just found this forum and I'm a guitarist who plays bass and enjoys it a lot. But my friend who has been playing bass for 4 or 5 years has been badgering me about Warwick necks. He has been telling me that they are neck heavy and the bodies are too light. They are hard to support when sitting and sometimes when standing and playing. I own a Warwick RockBass corvette and I haven't had that problem with it. It's kind of a opinion thing but I wanted to know what you guys think.

Welcome to TB and allow me to introduce you to the search feature - this topic has been covered a bazillion and 1 times LOL. But here's my $.02... It depends on the particular Warwick that you're talking about and there are a lot of 'em to choose from. I think the most popular model is the 4 string bolt-on Thumb which many claim to have the "baseball bat" neck, which in turn gives Warwick a negative rep.

I never understood that analogy either - "baseball bat neck". Every bat I've seen has a very small and slender handle which is where you hold a bat unless you have a sparkly blue helmet and drool a lot (not trying to offend anyone, but who holds a bat at the fat part of it?!?!).

Also, Warwick and Rockbass are two extremely different basses with the only similarity being their shapes. Nothing wrong with that, it just is what it is, ya know?

 

[silky smoove]

My old 1997 Corvette Standard 4-string was the most well-balanced, non-neck diving bass I've ever owned.

 

[FinMetalFiend17]

Yeah, the rockbass has completely different materials alder body, maple neck. I was just interested in the whole neck dive thing...(Sorry Noob Question, I'm a guitar player ) But is there less neck dive in the neck-thru models? I'm interested in the Warwick Thumb NT 5-string to be exact.

 

[GRAHAM JACOBS]

>It depends on the particular Warwick that you're talking about and there are a lot of 'em to choose from. I think the most popular model is the 4 string bolt-on Thumb which many claim to have the "baseball bat" neck, which in turn gives Warwick a negative rep.

Even Thumb B/O's differ. My 2006 LTD 'Dirty Blonde' 4 string is a case in point. Very light and beautifully balanced with a slim neck - but then it has a swamp ash/poplar body with a maple neck. I love this bass and will never part with it!

BTW, welcome to the forum!