• 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.

Who has WARWICKS with non-MEC pickups?

bannedwit

bannedwit

May 9, 2005
567
5
43
Buffalo, NY
www.myspace.com
#1
I am looking to possibly throw different J-pickups in my Warwick Thumb 4 bolt on...

My bass is from 2004 and has MEC active pickups installed...

My questions are: how much better are aftermarket pickups for Warwicks?

I still want that warwick sound and growl from it.
Will i lose it with different pickups or wil lit enhance it?

From there, I would get something active either
Basslines
or Bartolinis

I can get the pickups but what active pre-amp should I look for to install and what would my options be for Barts?

If Iwould go with Basslines, i know they have active pre-amps which I would go with...

Thanks in advance
 
#2
I always wondered the same thing. I always felt that the MEC pickups in my corvette proline sounded brittle & thin, with little bottom end.

Sooo... I replaced them with EMG's. Good god, what a difference. I'm shocked at how much it opened up the sound, gave it a 'blossoming' bottom end, and gave it even more growl.

It really makes me wonder why warwick puts those MEC pickup in there... i mean the difference really was like night & day, and I can't imagine why anyone would actually want those MEC's.

Anyways, I also have a thumb 5 bolt-on, and I've been considering doing the same thing.... My thumb has a really good growl to it, but again i fuind the bottom end pretty thin & without complexity. I also find the sound to be VERY "stifled"... and needs to be opened up.

I haven't done it yet because 1. 5 string pickups are a lot more expenzive; and 2... the thumb is a lot different sounding than the corvette...so i just don't know.

by the way, i notice the biggest difference in recording... it really has opened up the sound & given it a 'beef' that it never had.

Anyone else?
 
#5
Hi,

I until recently had a 94 Corvete Proline. I had the MEC's replaced with Basslines and couldn't have been happier with the change. I always hated the MEC's in all the Warwicks I had. To me none of the growl was lost and much tone was gained. For the ultimate in tone upgrade I also junked the MEC pre and went to a Bartolini which completed a perfect Warwick sound for me. All the bite of before just better. Hope this helps.
 
#6
+1 on bart pre, as already mentioned.

Im a biggg warwick fan although i do not own one. I lust for a bolt on thumb 4 string, and if i ever get one i will put bartolini pickups and preamp in it.


Am i correct to assume that the bartolini jazz pickups are passive,and the preamp will be active?
 
#7
weeks82 said:
Hi,

I until recently had a 94 Corvete Proline. I had the MEC's replaced with Basslines and couldn't have been happier with the change. I always hated the MEC's in all the Warwicks I had. To me none of the growl was lost and much tone was gained. For the ultimate in tone upgrade I also junked the MEC pre and went to a Bartolini which completed a perfect Warwick sound for me. All the bite of before just better. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

That seems more a testament to the woods, and how they STILL play a role, no matter how crappy or nice your pickups are. Basslines are probably another really nice choice. They never seem to disappoint.

I think the overall response so far in this is that MEC's don't do Warwicks justice for their combination of construction and woods. Look for a pickup/pre combination that doesn't destroy the integrity of the source of the tone (woods) that makes Warwick's growl famous.
 
#13
dont put Barts in a Warwick. I have had EMGs and MECs, and they sound about the same. Slightly better with EMGs but not worth bothering to change them.There is more difference in various Warwick basses (years, neck thru vs. bolt on) than there is in those pickups.
Ive also had Bill Lawrence pickups in a Warwick 5 and they sounded different, more open high end, but too hi fi. It wasnt the classic Warwick sound.
 
#14
hmmm ... well I have bart pickups and preamp in my Covette fretless. The tone of this thing is amazing. Very versitile with amazing punch and growl. Great fretless tone!


duke2004 said:
dont put Barts in a Warwick. I have had EMGs and MECs, and they sound about the same. Slightly better with EMGs but not worth bothering to change them.There is more difference in various Warwick basses (years, neck thru vs. bolt on) than there is in those pickups.
Ive also had Bill Lawrence pickups in a Warwick 5 and they sounded different, more open high end, but too hi fi. It wasnt the classic Warwick sound.
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: mlwhit03
#17
I have an '87 Streamer with its original reverse-P/J EMGs. Though I replaced the MEC preamp with an OBP-3. To me, it seems that MEC pickups are designed to sound like EMGs, it's just that EMG executed the concept better and MEC is Warwick's less good in-house copy.

I've yet to hear a Warwick that sounds as good as this one though - just clearer, fatter and more of everything.

Alex
 
#18
dhadleyray said:
I have 2 warwick thumb six strings (fretted-1988, fretless-2004), the fretted has barts, the fretless MEC's. I DEFINITELY recommend the barts.
Click to expand...

+1
I LOVE the sound of the barts in my '90 Thumb 5 N/T. As covered already, all the growl is there, and opens up a whole new world of ...'complexity'...? :eyebrow: within the entire range. Ahh I'm in flavour country :D :D
 
#19
I had a Streamer LX6 and I really never digged the sound too much.
Even my bass playing friend said it was thin sounding.

Thats until I replaced the pickups for a set of active basslines and a preamp. They sound totally improved, it was fat, growly, and even more defined.

After some time, even one of my friends started saying the bass had changed completely, and bacame alive. ... He bought my bass a few months later, and has been happy ever since.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back