• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Warwick Thumb NECK DIVE (Bolt-on vs Neck-thru)

G

Gui_vero

Jul 24, 2022
17
7
#1
Hello folks! Quick question for you...!

I have played a german Warwick Thumb 4 strings bolt-on and what a punch, what a sound! However I really noticed the usual neck-dive that the Thumb is famous for. This is a not trivial thing for me. Egonomics matter a lot... Does the neckthrough version have the same neck-dive tendency or would you say that it balances better on the strap? Since I cannot play/test beforehand, any input of the warwick "connoisseurs" will be really appreciated!

Best Regards!
 
#4
Bass Viking said:
I think it’s probably more a matter of the individual bass instead of the construction method.
Click to expand...
This is my thinking as well - although the bodies of the BO Thumbs are a bit different in shape than the NTs and I'm not sure if that has any effect on the likelihood of neck-dive. I will say that the worst Thumbs I ever played (where neck-dive was concerned) were a couple of BO 5s, but that's too small a sample size to lead me to any broader conclusions. I do wonder if the "baseball bat neck" era Thumbs dive worse than the slimmer-necked offerings. Regardless, if ergonomics and having a neck-dive free bass are important to you then you might be better off staying away from Thumbs altogether.
 
  • Like
Reactions: basslifter, andruca, Aqualung60 and 3 others
#5
I owned a German NT for about a decade.

It was from the slim Wenge neck Era. Bubinga body.

Yes, it had neck dive.

It sounded like nothing else and was beautiful.

I sold it because I wasn't getting the sound to work for me live. It was re-homed with a Thumb lover who wanted an upgrade to his Thumb BO.

I think it was more a matter of the body shape, which makes the lower frets a very long reach, that is off-putting to many people. That seems to be a bigger factor than the subjective dive.

Even for a Thunderbird lover like me, it was a long reach. If that bothers you, then stay away. There isn't a Thumb of any Era that demonstrates better ergonomics, IMO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gui_vero
#6
Goatrope said:
I owned a German NT for about a decade.

It was from the slim Wenge neck Era. Bubinga body.

Yes, it had neck dive.

It sounded like nothing else and was beautiful.

I sold it because I wasn't getting the sound to work for me live. It was re-homed with a Thumb lover who wanted an upgrade to his Thumb BO.

I think it was more a matter of the body shape, which makes the lower frets a very long reach, that is off-putting to many people. That seems to be a bigger factor than the subjective dive.

Even for a Thunderbird lover like me, it was a long reach. If that bothers you, then stay away. There isn't a Thumb of any Era that demonstrates better ergonomics, IMO.
Click to expand...
I owned a Streamer Stage I for several years. It balanced much better on a strap than the Thumbs but it still had the long reach to first position.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barticus and Goatrope
#7
bass12 said:
This is my thinking as well - although the bodies of the BO Thumbs are a bit different in shape than the NTs and I'm not sure if that has any effect on the likelihood of neck-dive. I will say that the worst Thumbs I ever played (where neck-dive was concerned) were a couple of BO 5s, but that's too small a sample size to lead me to any broader conclusions. I do wonder if the "baseball bat neck" era Thumbs dive worse than the slimmer-necked offerings. Regardless, if ergonomics and having a neck-dive free bass are important to you then you might be better off staying away from Thumbs altogether.
Click to expand...
Agree with you, and it does depend on the individual bass… I think the neck wood also contributes as well (Wenge, Ovangkol, etc.). I’ve owned a couple of 4 string BOs with the baseball bat necks that had a bit of dive. I’ve played a couple NTs with the thinner neck profile that had little to no dive or stayed level.

My 2011 custom shop 5 BO also has a very, very thin neck and NO neck dive at all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FunkHead, MattZilla and bass12
#8
I have a 5 BO with a maple neck and HipShot Ultralites. it doesn't neck dive to an extent a reasonably non slippery strap won't prevent it, with an appropriate for a 11lbs bass strap for me it's not a problem at all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gui_vero
#9
SHORT upper horn is going to dive no matter what. Some of the neck-throughs appear to have slightly longer upper horns but still extremely short. That coupled with a bridge mounted far from the back of the body makes for a looong reach to the nut.

They sound like nothing else but I could not stand the ergo's at all.

Ryan Martinie finally tired of the ergo's of his Thumb 5 and had Fodera make him one that is comfortable (horn at the 12th).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Supadope, basslifter and Gui_vero
#10
I've owned my NT4 for over 30 years and have never had a problem with neck dive. However, due the its weight, I have always used fairly wide straps with suede inside surfaces. I'm also thinking that mine has a heavy body which possibly helps balance the neck, but it is a weighty bass.
20230312_144555.jpg

20230312_144702.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: GypsyBilly, Eidolon0274, MDStingray and 12 others
#14
Not to hijack your thread, but does anyone know if the Neckthrough Thumb has a slimmer neck profile than the BO? I’ve always thought the thumb was a cool bass but the neck profile on the BO is a put off
 
#15
I believe the neck profile depends much more on when the bass was made than whether it is NT or BO. Warwick neck profiles have varied quite a lot over the decades that the Thumb has been made.

Jason Bonilla said:
Not to hijack your thread, but does anyone know if the Neckthrough Thumb has a slimmer neck profile than the BO? I’ve always thought the thumb was a cool bass but the neck profile on the BO is a put off
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jason Bonilla, Goatrope and FRoss6788
#17
In my (admittedly limited) experience, the NT models have less neck dive than the BO models. However, there is still some neckdive there. I have found that replacing the tuners with something like the GOTOH res-o-lite or Hipshot ultralites helps a lot.

And you're right: nothing really sounds like a Thumb bass. I love mine (and I have collected a few of them over the years)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sparky Mark
#19
RyanOh said:
I bought a Warwick Dolphin and it's completely balanced. I later found out that the body shape is basically a Thumb stretched out to overcome the neck dive.

Get a Dolphin!
Click to expand...
Agree :D the Dolphin stays balanced even with a slippery strap. That said , Thumbs are far more common and have a unique pickup placement.
2 things that will help neck dive mitigation on any bass. Light tuners, and move the strap pin closer to the arm contour away from the centerline of the body. (Like the Dolphin)
Add to that, a wider strap with a grippy underside, and it will be tolerable
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: SC Bassboy and RyanOh

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back