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Warwick Thumb 5 NT component upgrades, round 2

jez79

jez79

May 2, 2004
309
161
Canada
#1
My beautiful Warwick NT Thumb 5

bass2_by_jez79-d5e42cw.jpg


Nice wood, clean cavity box

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This is the result of my first upgrades, circa 2006/2007. Changed the stock MEC pickups to Bartolini passives, changed the stock MEC preamp to an EMG BQC with semi parametric mid (no Q control, just f sweep). I had the EMG preamp running on 18V (two 9V in series).

bass_3_by_jez79-d5e42fj.jpg


This is an AMAZING component. Had to special order from the manufacturer in Germany (~80$ incl ship didn't pay duty). Stacked Volume and Balance pots (three pots total as balance requires two sync'd pots) and a push/pull DPDT switch for true bypass.
Now, the bass originally came with this component, but having stock active MEC pickups, the balance pots were 25k/25k. This is insufficient for passive pickups as they will bleed out lots of highs (is what my research on TB and GS tells me...). I ordered the correct component (250k/250k balance) after playing with the tone sucking smaller resistances for a good 6-7 years. Looking forward to any subtle tone improvements!

bass_4_by_jez79-d5e42hk.jpg


Pickups wired. I admit that the pickup signal soldering was not super well done, but it works for now. Besides, if anything gets loose I always have a butane powered soldering gun in my gig bag!! :)
The remaning 14 solder points are tight and well isolated from one another. Difficult to pull off considering I had fairly girthy wire for this particular application.

bass_5_by_jez79-d5e42iz.jpg


The EMG preamp specifications stated that the preamp can run on voltages up to 27V. Following a suggestion on TalkBass.com, I rigged a small case for two Energizer A23 batteries, 12V each and can now run the preamp on 24V. The plastic box even has an on/off switch, in case I don't use the preamp for certain applications.
(Running at higher voltage allows for larger headroom (won't clip as fast) and more accurate reproduction of transients (attack and decay of notes)).

bass_6_by_jez79-d5e42kl.jpg


Cleaner cavity, tight soldering and placement.

bass_7_by_jez79-d5e42lv.jpg
 
#2
very beautiful bass. i getting rid of my entire rig, head, cab, and corvette 5 string just so i can get me one. ive been on this site religiously for the past few days looking a 5 string thumb NTs. im jealous.
 
#4
I got it for a decent price used (~2250?) HOWEVER! The poor bloke who mailed it to Canada from California did the the poorest (and scariest considering the instrument) packing job ever...

Bass in softshell Warwick bag, placed inside a slightly larger cardboard guitar box, LOOSELY filled with crumpled newspaper! No protection at all! It arrived slightly damaged from being crushed flat by something. The a string broke from the pressure, and several of the higher frets are scarred from string-squishing. Not enough to really affect tone or playing thankfully... I suppose it attests to the rock-solid construction of this instrument. I think it's a 1998 model.
(If I recall from my researches in 2002 when I bought it, warwick basses made in this time period are not as good as those made before then?)

I'm not sure if I'm that keen on the BQC anymore... I initially bought it to have mid-sweep control. Had that on Ibanez SR1200 and really appreciated the ability to tune-in the desired mid tone. (I usually ring out the 4th fret harmonics on D&G strings and dial in the mid frequency that boosts those overtones)
I now have an amp head that has parametric mid EQ so I might not need it on the bass. I find the BQC has an excellent low boost. But the pickups are louder through my effects chain when the preamp is bypassed. First thing in is a compressor, and it probably prefers the passive signal.

I posted with the general purpose of adding to the library of information on BT. Been a lurker for years, great place to research potential purchases.

I'm nearing the end of upgrading my pedalboard, I'll take pics and post the story when it's done.
Cheers
 
#6
Hi there, I'm curious if you ever tried EMG pickups with the EMG pre? I've had Delanos + Aguilar OBP-3 in my Thumb 5 until recently when the Delanos went microphonic and were sent off for replacement. Back to the MECs + OPB-3 for now, but I did an experiment with a set of EMG J pickups, two LJ-5s cherry picked from two EMG LJ/SJ sets. Sounded amazing, but the rails were too short and the B and G were not well covered. The E, A, and D were the best I've heard this bass sound though.

Any EMG experience, then? If so, which model did you find that had adequate magnet coverage for the slanted pickups on the Thumb 5?

Nice post btw, great pics.
 
#7
Whump said:
Hi there, I'm curious if you ever tried EMG pickups with the EMG pre? I've had Delanos + Aguilar OBP-3 in my Thumb 5 until recently when the Delanos went microphonic and were sent off for replacement. Back to the MECs + OPB-3 for now, but I did an experiment with a set of EMG J pickups, two LJ-5s cherry picked from two EMG LJ/SJ sets. Sounded amazing, but the rails were too short and the B and G were not well covered. The E, A, and D were the best I've heard this bass sound though.

Any EMG experience, then? If so, which model did you find that had adequate magnet coverage for the slanted pickups on the Thumb 5?

Nice post btw, great pics.
Click to expand...

I'm curious whether or not you can share any comments about the Delanos vs MECs (vs EMGs) in your Thumb. I too have a Thumb 5 NT with Barts (pups and pre) in it, and I'm wondering what other combinations sound like. Thanks!
 
#9
I've only ever tried it with the stock MEC pups/electronics and with the current setup (barts/EMGpre)
Can't remember what the difference in sound was... :(

As for changing the volume pots to 250k from 25k, there's a noticeable subtle clarity introduced. Made my old strings sound newer, that kind of sparkle. I don't usually add lots of highs (I can play hard and I don't like the clickyness of boosted highs), so it was hard to notice at first. More clarity and presence. I'd have to compare before and after recordings to be sure...
 

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