Warwick Thumb doesn't like any strings!

[K-Funk]

I'm getting pretty frustrated with my Warwick Thumb BO 5-string...

I have another 5er as well, a Fortress One. I bought two sets of DR Long Necks (the taperwound stainless rounds), one for each bass. I managed to get a set onto the Fortress, but the Thumb is resisting! It currently has Dean Markley SR2000's on it, which I'm not really fond of.

Anyway, on each bass I carefully filed the ball-holder piece of the bridge a little wider so it'd be more accepting of different strings, but I wasn't able to file the saddles because the existing notches are already too close to the adjustment screws.

I managed to fit the B string into the bridge of the Thumb, but it won't fit in the nut! The Fortress has a brass JAN-I, but the Thumb has a plastic nut.

So, did Warwick design these instruments only to use Warwick strings or something? Ideally I'd prefer to use D'Addario nickel-plated-steels on them, but the strings are completely untapered and the B and E will in no way fit into the bridge.

Any advice? What do you use on your Warwicks?

 

[RCCollins]

Sounds like a question of string gauge more than string brand. I take it you're using heavy strings? It's not unusual to find that the nut needs filing to accomodate heavy gauge strings. Bridge issues are less common, but trust me, it isn't just a Warwick thing...

 

[K-Funk]

Nope, just standard stuff. .45-.125 was the gauge of the DR Long Necks I tried putting on, and the D'Addarios that I'd like to be using are .45, .65, .80, .100, .130, I think.

So, the strings I'm using are in the medium-light range, I guess.

 

[MyUsernameHere]

Weird. I have a BO 5 and was about to say I haven't noticed anything like this. But I bought it used, so I took a closer look just to be sure. It appears my stop bar had to be filed as well for the B string (non-tapered) to fit. I have no Idea about the nut though.

What a strange design flaw.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Maybe it's the other way round - the strings don't like Warwick Thumbs. I mean, they wouldn't be Robinson Crusoe, would they?

 

[Ryan L.]

I've got Elixirs on both of my Warwicks, and haven't had any problems. I've used several different brands of strings on the Warwicks I've owned over the years, and haven't had any trouble, as far as I can remember.

 

[uaudio]

For your nut problem: If you call Dana B. Goods - US Warwick distributor - and ask them nicely, they will send you new Just a Nut IIIs for you to try. At least they did last year when I asked.