Me also. I have a Warwick German made FNA 5 string bass acquired brand new in 1999. And still loving it.
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Warwick prices?? Sweet Geezuz!
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Me also. I have a Warwick German made FNA 5 string bass acquired brand new in 1999. And still loving it.
they are well made that is for sure but the price I paid for my thumb BO 6 string brand new is pretty much the same as a EBMM Stingray in Canada.
Warwaick has 3 different price line ... Rock bass, Team build and Master build.
In Rock bass most models are below 1000$, in Team Build they are below 3000$ and Master build I've seen stuff going for 10 000$
Perhaps the prices of these expensive basses are not as expensive as we might think.
Calculate the value of $1 in 1970
Calculate the value of $1 in 1970
The newer Rockbass line is no joke. Some folks mistakenly compare them to Squier, but that's apples and oranges.. Got my Streamer for $330 new, scratch 'n dent pricing. Dropped another $100 for setup/fret-level and a hardshell case. So, sub $500 and I've got a near-pro level gigging axe. No, I'm not gonna be one of those dudes that says "ooohhh...better than German," etc, but the gap in quality is far less than the price would indicate.
Yeah, I have to say Warwick are pretty serious about the RB line. They don't want to make cheap instruments, they want to make affordable ones. They do all the final QC in Germany as well so getting a dud is rare.
If most people liked neck like that, most basses would have them. They're rare for a reason.
With the car you can kind of see the gradual increase in quality tracking the increase in price for the most part. With basses, after the 3-5K range, there's not much being added to really justifiy the price. I mean, what makes a 14k bass twice as much as a 7k bass? The 7k bass should already have impeccable workmanship and materials. I mean, maybe if you add diamond encrusted knobs or something.
Frankly I think they just charge that much because they feel like they can get it. The market gets small enough and there will always be some rich guy that wants a status symbol.
- Oct 7, 2000
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A while back I wanted a Jazzman really REALLY badly. There was no way though that I was going to drop $3000 on one. No way I COULD drop $3000 on one. So I waited, but searched regularly. Lo and behold one fine morning someone here had one in the classifieds, Corvette Jazzman that he was letting go for $700!!!!! It was blue, it was in excellent shape, and it was beautiful! I immediately jumped on it, and then a few hours later totaled my car. Had minimal insurance on it, so that was the end of that. Had to back out of the deal. Can't tell you how much that hurt... But I started my wait again.
About a year after that I saw a Streamer Jazzman (the bass I really wanted) for $1100 on Ebay. The following week it was in my house. The following year, it was out again and I sold it for the same price.
The thing that confounds me most about Warwick pricing is that there could be a $3000-$5000 difference in a bass model, without there being any huge difference in the bass. At the time I bought my Corvette, a Dolphin cost several thousand more. I bought mine at Rudy's in NYC and at that time was actually able to AB the 2 of them. Aside from different electronics and a different body shape, there wasn't a whole lot that was different. Oh, forgot- the Dolphin was a neck through. Eh... that still didn't warrant the difference in price, IMO.
Super happy I have my Fortress. It's light, has a wenge neck, and all the Warwick growl I ever had in any other Warwick. Das all I need.
My made in Korea Corvette is almost as good as the made in Germany one. The dealer and the tech at the music store told me the same thing. Nothing. And I mean nothing wrong. No fault. No problem. The fret job was perfect. It was even proven by the PLEK machine that the frets were perfect.
The two told me that the reason why they axed the Korean version was because it was posing a threat to the German version. The quality was that good. Whether this is true or not, I don't know. I do know that the Korean versions were really good. You can't go wrong with those. I wish they would bring those back.
Not sure if I agree with that.
Warwick offer a variety of models at a variety of price points, all with the same logo. Kind of how a Spector Legend is a nice bass but costs a tiny fraction as a US shop made one, but to the untrained eye looks pretty much identical. Actually, exactly like that. If people want to drop in excess of 5k-10k for a bass, and they want it to be a Warwick/Spector, they can do that. If they only want to do that for 1.5k-1K, there's a model for them too, as well as those who can only go as high as 500. Both companies were smart enough to realise that demand for their brand was growing, and in order to cater for this demand they put out a variety of models to satisfy demand, as well as grow as a company. That way there's a Warwick/Spector out there for everybody.
Unless you're talking about cars, in which case my knowledge reflects my standards, which are knowing how to drive one, whether it has 4 wheels or not, and whether I can fit a bass cab inside
Warwick has sold enough basses to make me think that someone likes their necks.
I love Warwick necks. I've got two now - a '93 Fortress and a '96 Thumb, and paid $800 each. I've got zero complaints about either bass... They both have very slim wenge necks, great craftsmanship, and even the stock pickups aren't horrible, although I've changed the ones in my fortress. I love them both to bits and don't see myself selling them anytime soon (I'm not really a gear flipper, tho).
I would love a thumb bo. Those are my favorite Warwick...
And I'm a P bass guy!
And I'm a P bass guy!
I agree that the prices are eye popping. Although I think the last time I checked their regular high end model, the Streamer Stage II, was between $5k and $6k. Anything over that is probably because of custom work.
The first thing you have to consider is that the German economy is very different from ours. They actually respect their skilled labor, and they make a living wage. Boom! Instant higher prices.
Then I look at what a Warwick really is. This is truly an evolved bass, not just a boutique retread of a basic Fender. The bridge and nut are some pretty interesting engineering. The body shapes are sexy as hell to me, the finishes are great, the choice of woods are exquisite, and the body curves are great. 90% of the time, when you hear a Warwick, you know it. That sort of creativity and engineering is going to cost you.
A few years ago I had a real bad case of GAS for a real Warwick (not a Rockbass) but I immediately ran into two big problems: price and availability. I don't like buying things without trying them first, specially for that price. As well known as Warwick is, you can't find them anywhere in the US. Once in a while a store will have a new one or a beater used one, but that's not a good sampling to know what is right for you. The prices are super high and for whatever reason they don't hold their value, so if you buy the wrong model and don't like it, you just lost 50% of your money right off the bat. After trying my luck with a used Corvette $$ that I just couldn't connect with, I gave up. I don't have that kind of bread and I'm not going to be famous enough to try to get a deal out of them. But if I won the lottery I'd be ordering a custom SS2 the next day.
Yep, the new ones seem very good. My RB Corvette is outstanding. Again, used German will give you a hell of a deal by all accounts, but for an alder body, active jazz p/ups, angry sound and great QC, no complaints here!
Depends on how you travel (you could sail..).....or who´s traveling (you could ask your american friend to bring one in his personal baggage). Tax to Norway is 25%
I owned a 09 German Corvette $$, and i REALLY loved the warwick growl, (my wife did not like the crown molding vibrating off the ceiling however)....but i ended up selling it locally, to fund another bass.... - it was stunning and QC was amazing, the flight case is ridiculous...i could have driven my truck over it and blown out the truck suspension! lol.... the bass was just too heavy but i liked the neck, but i always seemed to gravitate towards my Dingwall or whatever other bass was closer to me. Hence why i sold it....now, i apparently, am sniffin around the Warwick camp again. ... On a secondary note, i tried a Vampyre that was in a store - used - and THAT neck was F A T!
