Warwick Rockbass Hesitations

[Domcaliss5]

IM having hesitations at the moment about a new bass

There's this store that seels a Warick RockBass Corvette Basic 5 String For 535$ (plus tax adds up to 615$ approx.) and I was wondering if it was worth it.

I have currently a LTD B-205SM NS bass, its great and all that, but would it be worth the moeny to get the rockbass described above?

There is also another store (steve's music store for all you Canadians in the East out there) that sells a Warick Rockbass corvette $$ 5 string, which also sounds good, but it's about 750$. WOuld this be a better investment?

 

[Fair Warning]

600-700 is the standard that you would pay new. The Rock Bass sounds fantastic and plays well. Resale will get you up to $350 however. $535 is a great deal. There might be price differences due to options like active electronics or HH pickups.

 

[Daedraziel]

Ive played a few rockbasses but my primary is an active german Corvette Standard. For the price point I would tell you ANYDAY to buy a used german model for around the same price and just go all in. The sheer quality control of the German instrument is better than most of the imported stuff imho, the fit and finish is better and its made by the same people in the same place where they originated.

Not that im knocking Rockbasses. Ill admit they are a damn fine playing instrument generally speaking

Ultimately its up to you and your price point, but lately ive been seeing some killer deals on german 'wicks. Keep your eyes peels on this board or ebay.

 

[Interspace Station]

You can definitely do better price wise on both, but I think the value of a $$ Rockbass is your better deal. You could get a German with J/J style pick ups for about that price, but the German $$ tend to run higher.

 

[uOpt]

A German-made Corvette is so cheap I wouldn't bother with the rockbass unless it's much cheaper than this.

It's a bit different for other models.

 

[Systolic]

Wonderful instruments. Those prices are a bit on the high side if they are US. If CDN, i can't say. I wouldn't look at either of those basses as much of an investment though. I just don't see them being at that level. So it more or less comes down to, do you prefer the sound of Jazz pups or Humbuckers?

 

[mancefine]

Too high for a rockbass. You could get a regular corvette or a nicer used Spector for that price.

 

[kikstand454]

Is the rockbass a newer model with the German hardware? This is important. Does it have the W on the headstock? Do the tuners have the W and say made in Germany?

Fwiw I got my German hardware, mec pickup Corvette rockbass for $300 on sale half off at GC. I LOVE IT.

 

[Domcaliss5]

the problem with my current situationis that i am in Canada, and german warwicks at music stores are 1200 and up. shipping from the US would be a good alternative, but many many websites mention important chardes on top of the shipping, so a 600$ instrument might end up costing more around 800$ :s

Ok, heres another question then: theres this spector Legend 5 string at 800$. Is that worth the price?

 

[awilkie84]

You can definitely do better price wise on both, but I think the value of a $$ Rockbass is your better deal. You could get a German with J/J style pick ups for about that price, but the German $$ tend to run higher.

A German-made Corvette is so cheap I wouldn't bother with the rockbass unless it's much cheaper than this.

It's a bit different for other models.

Where the heck are you finding a German Corvette for that price? Not even Fleabay has them for that in the Rockbass line!

 

[awilkie84]

the problem with my current situationis that i am in Canada, and german warwicks at music stores are 1200 and up. shipping from the US would be a good alternative, but many many websites mention important chardes on top of the shipping, so a 600$ instrument might end up costing more around 800$ :s

Ok, heres another question then: theres this spector Legend 5 string at 800$. Is that worth the price?

I've played both, like both...I'd get a Legend 5. They come cheaper than $800, though.

Sadly, Spector Dealers are few & far between because of the poor marketing job Axe Music (the Canadian distributor for western canada) does. They don't stock anything & only custom order, so they keep their prices down...driving out competition that would stock them in the stores.

 

[Kubicki440]

Is the rockbass a newer model with the German hardware? This is important. Does it have the W on the headstock? Do the tuners have the W and say made in Germany?

Fwiw I got my German hardware, mec pickup Corvette rockbass for $300 on sale half off at GC. I LOVE IT.

I also picked up my Corvette RockBass a little over $300 as well a couple of years ago at GC. I love mine, I put in a bass mods EQ and it sounds and plays fantastic. I haven't tried the Warwick RockBass $$. For about the same price as the $$ you can most likely get a used Corvette Standard (non-RockBass).

 

[Barfly]

Drive to Buffalo.
Only 1.5 hrs out of Toronto.

 

[DanGouge]

the problem with my current situationis that i am in Canada, and german warwicks at music stores are 1200 and up. shipping from the US would be a good alternative, but many many websites mention important chardes on top of the shipping, so a 600$ instrument might end up costing more around 800$ :s

Ok, heres another question then: theres this spector Legend 5 string at 800$. Is that worth the price?

I don't know what the used market is like in Montreal, but in Toronto right now you could get a German Corvette or Streamer LX (full disclosure: neither of these are my sales, don't know the sellers at all) for the price range you are quoting. I know some folks are wary of the used market, but these strike me as good deals, especially given some of the quality concerns expressed by others around the Rockbass line (this was a few years ago IIRC, don't know if they are better now).

 

[Domcaliss5]

that's really nice folks. Your advice is useful. However, I am looking for a 5 string bass, which tends to be more expensive form what Ive gathered so far. If you tell me that I can get a 4 string and arrange it in a way to have the same "string configuration" as a 5 string. in other words, is it possible to have a 4 string with B-E-A-D string configuration (sorry for the messed formulation, I'm not that good with jargon and technical terms, plus it's the first thread I've ever done on this website)

 

[uOpt]

Where the heck are you finding a German Corvette for that price? Not even Fleabay has them for that in the Rockbass line!

I didn't say the German ones are as cheap as the Rockbass Corvettes, but the difference is much smaller than with other brands and even than with other Warwicks.

There's a 5-string here for $575, isn't it?

 

[kikstand454]

that's really nice folks. Your advice is useful. However, I am looking for a 5 string bass, which tends to be more expensive form what Ive gathered so far. If you tell me that I can get a 4 string and arrange it in a way to have the same "string configuration" as a 5 string. in other words, is it possible to have a 4 string with B-E-A-D string configuration (sorry for the messed formulation, I'm not that good with jargon and technical terms, plus it's the first thread I've ever done on this website)

Yes.
lots of people play 4 strings tuned B-E-A-D. It is certainly an option.

My $300 Corvette rockbass is a 5 string. Like mentioned above...there's a 575 dollar German 5 string in the classifieds right now....

 

[johnny6644]

I'm surprised the Rockbass Corvettes are selling for that much. I got a floor model (a 4) several years ago for $99 at GC! I bought another four for $250 a few years later. Both are great guitars; our guitarist says it the best sounding bass he's ever heard. Of course, he's a guitarist...

I had a German Warwick Corvette that I didn't like at all... I prefer the Rockbasses. But I bet that's sort of a luck of the draw thing, as far as quality.

 

[awilkie84]

I'm surprised the Rockbass Corvettes are selling for that much. I got a floor model (a 4) several years ago for $99 at GC! I bought another four for $250 a few years later. Both are great guitars; our guitarist says it the best sounding bass he's ever heard. Of course, he's a guitarist...

I had a German Warwick Corvette that I didn't like at all... I prefer the Rockbasses. But I bet that's sort of a luck of the draw thing, as far as quality.

That $99 floor model you got was the old rockbass. The new ones are MUCH better quality & look.