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Warwick Thumb question? neck heavy? Heavy bass?
- Thread starter obimark
- Start date
I have a Thumb 4 BO that I picked up used last year. No neck dive, balances great sitting or on a strap. I have to admit I almost didn't play it when I first saw it, as I've come to expect Warwicks to be a bit neck heavy (or just heavy in general). It's such a nice player that my interest in the brand has been renewed.
-Alan
-Alan
As a previous owner of both the 5 string thumbs the bolt on and the neck through the neck heavy complaint is easily fixable with the right strap. I used a wide "Levi's" strap made out of real leather and had no issues with neck dive. But with a cheap skinny strap made out of a slippery material like nylon it's a nightmare. So really a good strap will completely solve this issue.
One thing I will say is I highly recomend people do NOT buy Warwicks if you live in a humid environment. I had major issues with the necks on all 4 of the German made warwicks I owned. I would have gave up on the brand sooner but it took a while to find something I thought sounded as good. On the neck through thumb I had the neck actually bowed between the end of the fingerboard and the pickups and cracked the top of the body.
One thing I will say is I highly recomend people do NOT buy Warwicks if you live in a humid environment. I had major issues with the necks on all 4 of the German made warwicks I owned. I would have gave up on the brand sooner but it took a while to find something I thought sounded as good. On the neck through thumb I had the neck actually bowed between the end of the fingerboard and the pickups and cracked the top of the body.
Why not just try a Corvette with the same electronics? Would have much longer upper horn and definitley balance out better.
Means2nEnd
Supporting Member
Can't begin to answer question without knowing if you want a bolt on or neck through or 4,5 or 6 string. Need some more info to compute 
I've got an '05 b/o thumb 5, ovangkol body n neck but it's the thicker baseball neck n it weighs in at 4.3 kg, 9.5 lbs yet I've got no neck dive probs although I use a thick comfort strap n wear it pretty high, top horn at chest height n I'm 5'6" short so I'd say the height n strap r big contributing factors 2 better balance + the angle of how u hold it. My 2c
+1 I have a '90 fretless Thumb and, although I have never weighed it, it is one of my heavier basses (even heavier than my '77 standard point Alembic Series I). It feels like all the weight is right in the center of the body, almost as if there is a perfectly centered lead ball buried in the body. While this bass is very heavy, because of the feeling of all the weight being in the center of the body, there is no neck-dive whatsoever. This may also be partly attributed to the amazing neck, which is very thin and plays unbelievably. I also have an extremely rare '91 semi-hollow Warwick, affectionately referred to as "Infinette" (the predescessor to the Infinity). Due to its semi-hollow body, it's much lighter than my Thumb, but what strikes me is the similarity in neck proifile. While one is fretless and the other is fretted and they are both completely different woods, they feel similar and are two ot the most amazing playing basses I have ever felt, let alone owned. Neither are plagued with neck-dive, thankfully.
Corvettes don't have the pickups in the same place so it would never sound the same
Yeah the Thumbs really have their own character, they basically have two bridge pickups, Warwick don't do any other bass that sounds like the Thumb.
Actually I think the closest bass to the Thumb sound is the Vigier Passion. Really nice basses too, well worth checking out while you're looking at Thumbs.
Hipshot ultralites and a broad strap will be good. Also, maybe something like this http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2011/06/18/the-axe-balancer/
against neckdive for a thumb.
against neckdive for a thumb.
you mean they wear it low if issue occurs or it occurs because they wear it low?
in case 1 - that could solve the problem.case 2 - that's not true.
Case 2. It is true. Use a wide strap and wear it high, problem solved.
I recently purchased a gorgeous 4-string thumb NT made in November '88. It has some but not extreme neck dive when played at my usual strap length but easily solved by wearing it high up and using a nice wide leather strap.
The balance is fine sitting down.
With a wide strap the weight isn't excessive in my opinion. One thing i would say it that compared to my no. 2 bass which is a Cort A4, the neck feels longer and further away. The scale lengths are the same and they are both similar total lengths but because the upper horn is shorter on the thumb, it rests further forward, leaving the nut/headstock area a longer reach away.
With a wide strap and wearing it high easily solves my personal neck dive issue.
For reference (and so i can show off my new bass
)
The balance is fine sitting down.
With a wide strap the weight isn't excessive in my opinion. One thing i would say it that compared to my no. 2 bass which is a Cort A4, the neck feels longer and further away. The scale lengths are the same and they are both similar total lengths but because the upper horn is shorter on the thumb, it rests further forward, leaving the nut/headstock area a longer reach away.
With a wide strap and wearing it high easily solves my personal neck dive issue.
For reference (and so i can show off my new bass
)
The neck likes to be parallel to the floor but it doesn't dive. I have a 2001 Limited BO and it is a joy to play but is also a good illustration of when a guitarist friend said that the bass is a very physical instrument.
I currently own a 2000 5 Nt. The balance did take some getting used to but a 4 inch wide strap fixed it for me. I love the tone and the neck. Mine weighs just under 10 pounds, so it's not ridiculous but can make a 2-3 hour gig a little uncomfortable but not enough to really complain about. I've found they are very particular. There's no middle ground with em much. People either love em or hate em.
Mine is a 2000 4 string NT. It came to me with a suede strap and that grabs my shoulder pretty well. I don't get any neck dive when I play. It doesn't seem heavy to me at all.
