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warwick thumb neck dive.. help

IAmTheDood

IAmTheDood

Shake and Bake
Dec 15, 2006
1,096
5
Waterford, MI
www.myspace.com
#1
OK, so after having my thumb NT ('98) 4 string for a few weeks .. this is about the worse neck diving bass I've played.

I'll play for 30 seconds and the thing will just rotate to the point where the neck is parallel with the floor.

I absolutely love the bass otherwise, the tone, the playability .. it's awesome .. just this neckdive things makes it very uncomfortable to play as I keep having to hold up the neck with my left hand or adjust the position of the neck after each song I play.

I've got 3 very good straps, I just bought a comfort strapp per suggestions from another thread. I play the bass at about waist level. I've raised the strap, which didn't really help either as I was still constantly adjusting the neck angle.

Any help?
 
#3
i had the same problem with mine since i wear my basses up high, ended up trading it for a streamer. but i have a friend who moved the strap button on hers higher up on the body so it balanced a little better. the weighted pack idea is pretty good too.
 
#7
out of all the basses I own this is the one thats the most, "not for everyone". People complain about the neck dive or the ergonomics, this does not bother me at all on my thumb. Its got a great tone but it is drastically different feelwise to most basses ive played. Trying wearing it much higher or much lower than your used to. I cant wear this bass at belt buckle level. I usually wear it down around my knees and I dont notice the neck dive.
 
#11
The Thumb has got to be one of my all time favorite basses, the sound is incredible. I would own one and be done with it all right now if it wasn't so freakin' uncomfortable. I cannot stand the neck dive at all. It's a ridiculous design on Warwick's part IMO. They just have to give it a bigger body and horn, that's it. I guess it's a pride issue or something.

Per others' suggestions, I would try moving the strap button and getting some Hipshot Ultralight tuning machines.
 
#13
funkybassplayer said:
An extension? Got any pics of this?
Click to expand...

I don't, but some dude used some sort of metal tube that I'd guestimate to be about 1/4" thick that extended from the top horn about 3-4".

CapnSev said:
The Thumb has got to be one of my all time favorite basses, the sound is incredible. I would own one and be done with it all right now if it wasn't so freakin' uncomfortable. I cannot stand the neck dive at all. It's a ridiculous design on Warwick's part IMO. They just have to give it a bigger body and horn, that's it. I guess it's a pride issue or something.

Per others' suggestions, I would try moving the strap button and getting some Hipshot Ultralight tuning machines.
Click to expand...

The sound is interesting, although I'd think the electronics and pickup placement are about 60% of the tone. I would think the same results could be had by using traditional alder or ash wings with some sort of dense tone block down the center to get the additional attack without the weight.

Realistically, I think you're right about it being a pride issue. There are plenty of arguments that being sensitive to the neck dive means you're a wimp. I like the tone, but the dive doesn't jive with the form I spent about a decade or so developing. Really, the bicep is not a necessary muscle for playing guitar or bass.
 
#14
When I first grabbed up my '98 Thumb a few months back, I suffered the same way. Though I look at it a bit differently...it's not unbalanced...it's just too balanced. Like you said, it wants to hang horizontal on the strap...no angle at all. :)

Eventually I just set it up by putting my fretting hand out at what would be my normal height and angle, then bringing the body up to roughly match that height. It's a bit higher than I was used to playing (which was E-string at the belt), but I've been fine with it ever since.
 
#15
What I have always done is use a wide padded leather strap and wear the bass up high enough to create a good balance.

The leather creates enough friction so the instrument will not move and is comfortable at the same time.

I play a 6 string thumb and a corvette fretless (which weighs about as much as the six) and never have any problems with it.

Good luck.

Gerry
 

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