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Warwick Thumb Bolt On Neck Pocket Crack

Should I steer clear of this bass?

  • Yes

    Votes: 35 76.1%

  • No

    Votes: 11 23.9%
  • Total voters
    46
HuxLux

HuxLux

Jul 30, 2023
26
21
#1
Hello knowledgeable folks,

I am in the market for a used Warwick Thumb Bass. There is a ‘95 bolt on bubinga body wenge neck thumb (in my research I’ve heard this is the best combo of woods?) near me on marketplace for a good price ($2000AUD/$1300USD).

Only issue, there is a visible crack in the neck pocket. This is what the seller has said in the description:

“Tiny superficial crack to surface near neck as photod. Had a luthier check on last set up and was told it's only on the surface layer.”

What do you guys think about the crack? Should I be worried?
IMG_4754.png


If you need any additional information or photos to help, I may be able to get some if you inform me.

Thanks in advance!
 
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#2
I don't think that's a problem, unless you are buying to resell it. The crack obviously starts at the corner of the rout and follows the grain, and stops at the junction between top and bottom wood pieces. There should be no stress there caused by the string tension, so it's probably caused by the wood drying/moving on its own.

Edit: Maaaaybe the two pieces are delaminating a bit towards the camera, in the glued joint.
 
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#3
Makten said:
I don't think that's a problem, unless you are buying to resell it. The crack obviously starts at the corner of the rout and follows the grain, and stops at the junction between top and bottom wood pieces. There should be no stress there caused by the string tension, so it's probably caused by the wood drying/moving on its own.

Edit: Maaaaybe the two pieces are delaminating a bit towards the camera, in the glued joint.
Click to expand...
Pardon for my ignorance, what does that mean? Is that an issue?
 
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#5
Having the pieces of wood that make up the body shrink at different rates isn’t uncommon with Warwicks. The wax that they recommend and supply with these isn’t always used and the slabs can dry out and make the seams noticeable to the touch.
The issue of the pocket crack is different and difficult to assess by pictures. Unless there’s an obvious scar somewhere on the body or neck from a major hit it’s not likely an issue to worry about but unless you can take a hard look in person buying it unseen is a risk that you have to consider.
In my business, managing a music store, pricing a trade-in or accepting any guitar deal without having it my hands is something I’ve learned the hard way never to do.
 
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#7
HuxLux said:
Hello knowledgeable folks,

I am in the market for a used Warwick Thumb Bass. There is a ‘95 bolt on bubinga body wenge neck thumb (in my research I’ve heard this is the best combo of woods?) near me on marketplace for a good price ($2000AUD/$1300USD).

Only issue, there is a visible crack in the neck pocket. This is what the seller has said in the description:

“Tiny superficial crack to surface near neck as photod. Had a luthier check on last set up and was told it's only on the surface layer.”

What do you guys think about the crack? Should I be worried?
View attachment 7306609

If you need any additional information or photos to help, I may be able to get some if you inform me.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
If they will go down about 500 I'd probably go for it. It's not going to be a beauty piece nor have resell value. But it's going to sound like a thumb bass so that's worth something.
 
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#9
Gervais Cote said:
Pandemic is over and the market is full of new and used basses, pass on this one, be patient and you will find another one.
Click to expand...
I know. I still remember back when you could get any production Warwick under 1k used no problem. Not Rockbass but actual German built. The funny thing is that when they first started making Korean built it actually just brought up the prices on everything and then when the Chinese built came around you ended up getting a more basic Warwick at the same price point as you used to get the more exotic ones. As for this one. If the seller comes down far enough then it's a deal but if you don't want to mess with the crack in the body there's more out there. Good news is that I've seen worse cracking and filled them and been able to play the hell out of them.
 
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#15
If there's a crack and the face lam glue line of the body looks a bit shaky (as it does in the photo), I would promptly check the neck for any glue line issues.

I have bought Warwicks that had body issues but no neck lamination issues and declined Warwicks that had neck lamination issues.

To me, a neck de-lamination is more problematic.

When I watch Warwick factory production videos, what I see is that they haven't invested as much R&D into their gluing as they have into other processes. I'd like to know what glue they use to bond all the tropical hardwoods. You can get industrial PVA glues with all sorts of enhanced properties like surface wetting out and cured rigidity. My guess is that they aren't using the best glue they could for their purposes.

I've looked at a fair number of Warwicks built with non-tropical hardwoods which are more forgiving to glue and I haven't found any issues with the glue lines on those.
 
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#17
Makten said:
I don't think I've ever bought an instrument with the intention to get rid of it.

-----

You do realize that a non-cracked one is A LOT more expensive?
Click to expand...
A undamaged unit can be sold for close to what it cost to buy. A damaged instrument has a low market value and represents a significant financial risk. So overall, likely ends of being far more

Whatever your reasoning for buying an instrument, the time may come where you will want to sell it.
 
#18
Fender_Bender said:
Looks to me like it starts right at the top of the picture and continues all the way down and around to top of the lower horn. Pass.
Click to expand...
i think you are looking at the seam between the top and bottom pieces of the body. OP's concern lies in the neck pocket. look at the corner of the body where the neck is. there's a crack from the corner that roughly follows the grain of the wood into the "crack" you are looking at.

kgb
 
#20
pb9717 said:
A undamaged unit can be sold for close to what it cost to buy. A damaged instrument has a low market value and represents a significant financial risk. So overall, likely ends of being far more

Whatever your reasoning for buying an instrument, the time may come where you will want to sell it.
Click to expand...
It is sold at a "low market value" for that exact reason.
 

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