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Warwick Yin/Yang?

#61
winegamd said:
The Corvette, the FNA, the Fortress, the Thumb (as mentioned), the Dolphin. Only company using bell brass frets. Only company (possibly first) using an adjustable nut. Pickups mounted on springs instead of foam. One of the first (if not the first) to use Bubinga and Wenge in necks and fretboards. They offered tube hybrid amps back in the 90's. Not to mention the entire Hellborg line.... This is a very innovative company. I, too, agree that the yin yang thumb looks as good or better than the Fodera. I think the price increase in recent years is the only draw back to Warwick.
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Don't forget the Vampyre! I have a soft spot for those things. More objectively, they probably have the most technologically sophisticated manufacturing process in the business. Regardless of anyone's preferences or the high price tags, Warwick cranks out very consistent, high quality stuff in considerable quantity.
 
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#62
I like what Conklin did with it.

custom_6_string_bass_galaxy_black_2_large.jpg
 
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#63
winegamd said:
The bottom line is Yin Yang designs are very person specific. Not many people want one on anything, let alone their bass. Victor had Fodera make him one. Since Victor is a very popular player, other people wanted a bass like that, too. Now some other guy comes along and wants a Yin Yang on his bass, but doesn't want to copy Victor or buy a Fodera. So he has Warwick make him a bass with a Yin Yang on it. Hans thought it looked cool and said "put it in an add and let people know our custom shop will do anything for them".

Woops. Hans, now you're a copy cat...
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No, you see, first there was Vernon who asked Hamer to make him one. Since Vernon is a very popular player, other people wanted an instrument like that too. Now some other guy, let's call him "Victor", comes along and wants a Yin-Yang on his bass... you can see where this is going. So, I suppose this means Victor copied Vernon and Fodera copied Hamer which means Hans-Peter copied Hamer vicariously through Fodera. The real question is, who is this mystery dude who copied Victor copying Vernon?

bk.jpg
Vernon+Reid.jpg
 
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#64
JimmyThunder said:
I don't understand the replies along the lines of "there are a million basses out there that look a lot like Fenders"

This case isn't about copying overall structural and functional design, that's a different argument, one we see on this forum many times a day. This is about copying an extremely recognizable and fairly unique aesthetic. I'm not saying Vinny was the first guy to put a Yin-Yang graphic on a bass, I am sure plenty of 80s kids slapped vaguely asian stickers on their Hondo, but the Fodera Yin-Yang is a high profile and famous model among bass players, arguably their flagship. Warwick putting a giant yin-yang in essentially the same style in essentially the same part of the bass is akin to Ford releasing a new muscle car that has a huge phoenix decal on the hood looking suspiciously like a Pontiac Firebird.
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You are aware that Vic is involved with Warwick too right? Has been a contributor to the Warwick sponsored bass camp since 2012 IIRC...
SO I'm guessing he's good with it.
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So take all your baseless indignation and cool out.
 
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#65
Warwick is probably the only bass manufacturer who doesn't make a Jazz or P clone. This puts them miles ahead of every other manufacturer IMHO.

So they did a Yin Yang finish. It is still different than Fodera's. Look at the pics at www.thebassplace.com. The fretboard is half and half as is the neck itself. Stunning instrument and a great representation of what their custom shop is capable of.
 
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#68
mdogs said:
Ya, this is the first oops...long been a copy cat.
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Streamer Bass - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
We get it @mdogs you dislike warwick, cool.
The facts are well known, about one model.
What else is a copy cat of another model?
MEC pickups are a similar design to EMG.
Seymour Duncan supplied pickups and preamp for a few years as did Bartolini.
The preamp is a unique design, like it or not.
Jazz pups are everywhere, Dual coil MM large pole pickups are also standard fare. The pups in the Starbass are derivitive yet still unique.

After an inittial bad choice to copy a design, it was significantly modified over the years, and is now only reminiscent of Stuart's design.

Oh and earlier Music Man was mentioned. Ernie Ball did not start the company nor design the stingray, Leo Did.
The hybrid head (music man) hd120 was ALSO a Leo Fender innovation.
 
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#70
Sounds like a solid business move to me. "Oh, you like the Fodera Yin-Yang? Well, we can make one, too. Buy from us."

Really, how is this any different from, "Oh, you like the Fender P-Bass? Well, we can make one, too. Buy from us." that so many, many, many companies do.
 
#71
wintremute said:
Sounds like a solid business move to me. "Oh, you like the Fodera Yin-Yang? Well, we can make one, too. Buy from us."

Really, how is this any different from, "Oh, you like the Fender P-Bass? Well, we can make one, too. Buy from us." that so many, many, many companies do.
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But they didn't make a "yin yang bass" they made a bass with a yin yang finish and fret markers.

They didn't copy the body shape, construction elements, pickup orientation, bridge design, headstock, or even woods really.

They made a bass and put a yin yang on it. THAT. IS. ALL.
 
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#72
winegamd said:
I support your passive aggressive sarcasm.
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Sincere apologies, unsarcastically.

winegamd said:
Since Victor is a very popular player, other people wanted a bass like that, too. Now some other guy comes along and wants a Yin Yang on his bass, but doesn't want to copy Victor or buy a Fodera. So he has Warwick make him a bass with a Yin Yang on it.
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Yes, I agree with you 100% on every point here, that's how I imagine the origin.

winegamd said:
Hans thought it looked cool and said "put it in an add and let people know our custom shop will do anything for them".
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THAT'S what I find distasteful. Have a shop build your own version of whatever you like, I support both the customer getting what they want and a builder getting a customer, great. Nobody owns the design concept of yin yangs and nobody's getting sued over one "inspired" custom build. But in marketing a service like that, well I would think the big boys know enough to stay far away from such explicit "theirs, but better" territory. Clearly not the case in functional design like super-Js but talking about graphical elements here.
 
#73
JimmyThunder said:
Sincere apologies, unsarcastically.


Yes, I agree with you 100% on every point here, that's how I imagine the origin.


THAT'S what I find distasteful. Have a shop build your own version of whatever you like, I support both the customer getting what they want and a builder getting a customer, great. Nobody owns the design concept of yin yangs and nobody's getting sued over one "inspired" custom build. But in marketing a service like that, well I would think the big boys know enough to stay far away from such explicit "theirs, but better" territory.
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@JimmyThunder I'm going to repeat, Vic is the guy who commissioned the YY from Fodera.
Vic is involved with Warwick. Vic has seen the Bass at NAMM. If Vic doesn't care? Why should any of us?
 
#74
winegamd said:
The Corvette, the FNA, the Fortress, the Thumb (as mentioned), the Dolphin. Only company using bell brass frets. Only company (possibly first) using an adjustable nut. Pickups mounted on springs instead of foam. One of the first (if not the first) to use Bubinga and Wenge in necks and fretboards. They offered tube hybrid amps back in the 90's. Not to mention the entire Hellborg line.... This is a very innovative company. I, too, agree that the yin yang thumb looks as good or better than the Fodera. I think the price increase in recent years is the only draw back to Warwick.
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perfect reply to some of the comments, those fools must have never played one and probably
cant afford one either. great basses!!!!
 
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#75
DiabolusInMusic said:
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That blows the Fodera Yin Yang clean out of the water in my books (as far as looks go.)
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Upon further inspection this looks more like a sperm whale and a bass clef got together and had a child. I mean the black dot is buried under the bridge and PU- it might as well not be there at all.
 
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#76
/\/\3phist0 said:
@JimmyThunder I'm going to repeat, Vic is the guy who commissioned the YY from Fodera.
Vic is involved with Warwick. Vic has seen the Bass at NAMM. If Vic doesn't care? Why should any of us?
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I'm going to repeat, I don't care about a bass being built, I find the marketing of the "we'll build their thing you like but better" service using that bass distasteful. If that is whats going on here. Nothing at all to do with Vic.
 

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