Double Bass Warwick-Rockbass Triumph Lite EUB

[Dominic D]

Is there any thought of making a 5-string version???

+1

I'd get a 5-string in a heartbeat.

 

[TolerancEJ]

Is there any thought of making a 5-string version???
What a great sounding upright!

Great idea. My guess might be this initial 4-string Rockbass Triumph Lite is testing the water for public interest. I bet if this EUB is a success, they'll introduce a 5-string model next.

 

[Matt Wilson]

Has anyone actually played one of these? They seem very scarce for purchase.

 

[killcullen]

I am seriously interested in trying a Triumph Lite but they don't seem to be out in the world. A few online dealers but not much else. I can easily look at a Stagg EUB but am assuming that Warwick makes a much better product. Any insight out there?

 

[joppo]

I have one. It's my first upright of any description so can't really give you much of a comparison with any others. But it is well made, and plays very well. I also got a bow and can now see, in spite of never having bowed anything before, what arco is all about.

 

[WarwickOfficial]

Hey guys,

The triumph lite can be purchased through the NYC Custom Shop. You can reach us at 212-777-6990

Best,

Mike
Warwick USA

 

[Matt Wilson]

I'd have to go through the Custom shop to a get a Rock bass?

 

[WarwickOfficial]

Rockbasses can be purchased through a number of vendors including US Music any licensed retailer, and beyond. You can get a Custom built bass, made in Germany, through the custom shop.

Thanks!

 

[lowEndRick]

Can someone please comment on the portability of this bass? How sturdy is the bag? Is the neck removable for more compact travel? Can this fit in overhead storage on a plane? Is there a hardcase option?

 

[joppo]

The gig bag is padded and reasonably thick, but is still a soft bag. There is no styrofoam so I would be worried about, for example, checking it on an airline. I haven't seen any hard cases, but I haven't looked either. The neck is held on by 6 screws and is easily removed. The bridge is held in place by string tension and there is a small wooden spacer under the bridge that the bridge sits on and which holds the piezo element in the right place, so you would need to pack those. It isn't hard to pull apart, but it isn't really made for doing that frequently, but it does half the length of the package.

 

[lakefx]

Any comments on playability, specifically for arco, compared to similarly priced options such as Stagg, Ergo, or the NS Design NXT (I know that one's a bit more)?

 

[butterfingers]

Looking at the picture i wonder why they put the felt washers on the top side of the bridge, and not between the ballend and the bridge.

Almost certainly to damp unwanted vibrations from the string segments between the tailpiece and bridge. Unlike an acoustic upright, where this "ringing" is fairly quiet, on an EUB it can be nearly as loud as the played notes. I have made a damper for my Stagg EUB using a foam toe-separator. I also have one under the strings on the front of the bridge itself to cut down the sustain for a more realistic upright sound.

 

[bassist14]

Thanks for your reply.
i understand it now.

 

[fishstick666]

Any comments on playability, specifically for arco, compared to similarly priced options such as Stagg, Ergo, or the NS Design NXT (I know that one's a bit more)?

+1 on this. Would love to hear a good review from an owner.

 

[digitalien1]

I've had one of these for a about a year now. I love it. It plays great. When I first got it, however, it seemed as though the strings melted in my hands. I have never played strings that wore off on my fingers as much as the stock strings. In an hour, my fingertips were as lead colored as lead itself, and it started freaking me out thinking the stock strings were actually made from lead, the bass coming from China and all... $200 later I had a set of Diaddarios, but they were too long, so I had to cut them down. Problem #1 solved. The next thing I noticed had to do with the hardware that came with the bass and the brace that simulates the upright body portion of a acoustic bass. It connects to the bass with some turn screws. The heads of the turn screws are very pointy and when you touch one with your arm or hand you really feel how sharp they are. I have been told that the owner of Warwick has been told of this, so they might have changed this already. I will smooth them out with a grinder soon. Other than that, the initial set-up on the Bass was very high and I was able to lower it significantly from where it was at when I first received it. It is a great basic EUB.

 

[lakefx]

Thanks digitalien1! No offense to Warwick, but that review makes me feel better about getting an Ergo instead (used made it cheaper too). The brace is the primary part of the design that was drawing me towards the Warwick.

 

[agfrag]

I owned one of these for a very short time last fall and had to take it back. I picked it up at Motor City Guitar here in MI after they had a demo event. I had at the time an NXT, and a BSX Allegro to compare it to. I really dug the tone kinda Eberhart Weber-ish, really fell in love with it at the store (and still listen to a recording I made of it straight into my DAW!) but noticed a bit of buzz in the upper positions but as it had a truss rod and adjustable string height I could tweak it out.

Got it home and noticed that the bridge was at strong angle tilted toward the neck. I figured it got screwed up at the store, and thought I'd straighten it when I loosened the strings to adjust the truss rod. Had to as it turned out the neck had a back bow, quite rare I'd say, only 2nd time I'd seen that in 30+ years of bassin'!

Then all hell broke loose. While loosening the strings, the tuners felt really rough, but worked, and So I loosened them to the floppy point. Then Itried to adjust the truss and it was locked! No movement either way, no how! Having built necks before, I suspected a glued in truss. Oh well.

While the strings were really loose, I checked out the extreme bridge tilt, and discovered that the flat bottom of the bridge was sitting directly on a thick piezo cable, and the clearance between the routed out bridge pocket and the bridge sides allowed the bridge to flop back or forth. Truly weird, I actually thought it was on the verge of collapsing when I saw it at the store but the bass guy assured me it was designed that way. Wrong...

So I figured nope, this has two quality issues rendering it un tweekable (due to the sharp angle of the strings behind the bridge, and the too big bridge pocket, I could not get the bridge to stand up) so back it goes boo hoo as I really liked the tone!

So, I started to tighten the strings and about halfway to tension, the A string tuner slipped! I examined it and found all kinds of shavings in the gears, and the chrome had also peeled off a couple places next to the gear cuts. I was able to nurse the string to tune without further slippage by pulling up the string. Try it someday... not fun! By the time I got it tuned, I'd discovered the D and G tuners were also all flaking the chrome and skipping.

I returned it to the store, but had to make an appointment with their Luthier so he could verify the issues, and he did. While at the shop, he and the owner called a Warwick rep, dunno who, asked a couple questions(like about the bridge tilt, the rep didn't know if it should tilt or not) and anyway, the store agreed to undo the purchase, and they arranged to send the bass back. I told the owner and I think the rep to contact me when they got it sorted out because, as I mentioned earlier, I really liked the tone, and would like to try one without the issues, but they never did, and after a few calls to the store without any luck trying to follow up on it I just gave up...

Too bad, I'd seriously consider purchasing another one if those 3 issues were addressed, but no one expressed any interest in getting back with me.

 

[brotondo]

Just got mine today!
First upright of any kind. Can't wait to learn to play it!
I wanted passive, but this things output is super hot! There is nothing holding the Pup stationary , just sits in a route under bridge. I'll try packing a couple cotton balls in there or something?
Bridge wanted to lean while tuning up first time.
But my only real concern: the tuners are junk. Has anyone replaced theirs yet? Which did you use? They look like an open geared p-bass style, so I'm optimistic on availability, but any experience there would be great!

 

[brotondo]

I'm ready to make a review
Apparently I was missing a very important piece under the bridge! warranty people were fantastic!! Hooked me right up with a replacement. I'm very happy now.
This bass sounds amazing through the SVT. Obviously not acoustic sounding , but has a tonal spectrum not obtainable with my regular electric bass, which I've sidelined in favor of this. A few fret marker stickers, and I've hit the ground running!
Tone is passive, but there is a 9v to power the pup. Nice usable tones, very hot output, so the body becomes kinda microphonic turned up.
It just looks cool, and feels right to play it, a no frills straight to business kind of instrument. I'd say I got a deal on it, and I'm glad it is mine. And it came with a nice gig bag.
Ive got Grover 142's and a Hipshot Extender already for it. Although the tuners on rep. bass are the same, they are working properly so far. The couple on eBay right now show higher quality tuners.
Cool bass, I'm hooked. Already dreaming of owning a German madeTriumph 5 string

 

[Oneirogenic]

My friend who works in a music store asked me to come in and play the one they had in stock to see what i thought. It played like crap and couldn't be adjusted and my friend agreed so he sent it back to Warwick. Are these QC issues common? The Rockbass bass guitars certainly don't seem to have these kind of problems.