• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Why does everyone hate an Warwick basses.

On the contrary, loved my Corvette Proline! Hated the customer interaction at NAMM.......talk about extremely rude. Never buy one again.

I had 2. A rock bass and a proline corvette. They were really great but it was the poor customer experience at NAMM that turned me off and I'll probably never go back now. I've moved on.
 
I loved my Corvette Proline. Best slap tone I have ever heard. I would have kept it too, had it not been for the electronics. I learned that I was a passive bass guy after playing that beautiful bass. I was able to flip and make some money on it, but give me a passive Jazz everyday of the week.

I think Warwick is starting to get a bad rep from the less than stellar Rockbass products that have been coming out. I have heard some bad stories about necks pulling apart from the pocket because of flimsy wood. Have heard about DOA electronics. Have heard about neck warping. As long as Warwick keeps putting their name on those types of instruments, the more their reputation will sacrifice.

That said, bad products will only bring down the value of the nicer stuff. My MIG Wick was only $450. Poor sucker on craigslist is trying to get $400 for a Rockbass.... So, as I see it there are going to be some deals for you diehards. If you want to keep a company in the botique end of the spectrum, don't come out with a budget line. IMO, IME, YMMV.

The Rockbass line was completely overhauled. Now featuring 2 piece bodies, 3-piece maple necks with ekanga veneers, and the same MEC pickups and hardware as the German-made basses. They have the same quick-access control and truss-rod covers, too. But more importantly, the strict quality control that has been instituted, to be sure that the issues of the past don't make it through. The new RockBass is an entirely different instrument than the old line. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can assist in any way!
 
I had 2. A rock bass and a proline corvette. They were really great but it was the poor customer experience at NAMM that turned me off and I'll probably never go back now. I've moved on.

Sorry to hear about this! Was this last year or before? We have changed things up quite a bit, and hopefully whatever you experienced will be a thing of the past. Feel free to PM me, or whatever you're comfortable with. Thanks for the feedback!
 
Sorry to hear about this! Was this last year or before? We have changed things up quite a bit, and hopefully whatever you experienced will be a thing of the past. Feel free to PM me, or whatever you're comfortable with. Thanks for the feedback!

PM'd. No need to make anything anymore public that already done. GREAT to see someone out here though! :hyper:
 
Love my 18 yr old Warwick. Play it several times a week. Stays in tune must longer than my P-bass. I'm in a orchestra so I sit while playing most gigs, so the heavyness is no deal. I love being able to raise or lower the strings with the JAN III or at the bridge. When I ask questions on their website I get a response usually in less than an hour. I'm a satisfied customer. Yes I play other basses and I love them as well. I use the tool that best fits the job. For many jobs my Warwick is my best tool.
 
I like Warwicks, enough to know the second 'W' i silent. I didn't think the necks were chunky, in fact the Streamer I used to have seemed all around small. They do feel weird sometimes because they often have a different wood for the neck than maple, which most of us are used to. It felt a little grainy to me. But they are pretty and that headstock is recognizable.
 
In 2009 we changed from the chunky neck profile back to the slim profile as standard. We currently have 3 neck profiles available for 4 string basses, and a 4th profile (Broadneck) for 5 and 6 string basses. You can see all of the neck profiles here: http://www.warwick.de/modules/custo...P=WOOD_NECK&submenuID=14620&katID=14626&cl=EN Please let me know if you have any questions, or if I can assist in any way. Thanks!
 
Love my 18 yr old Warwick. Play it several times a week. Stays in tune must longer than my P-bass. I'm in a orchestra so I sit while playing most gigs, so the heavyness is no deal. I love being able to raise or lower the strings with the JAN III or at the bridge. When I ask questions on their website I get a response usually in less than an hour. I'm a satisfied customer. Yes I play other basses and I love them as well. I use the tool that best fits the job. For many jobs my Warwick is my best tool.

Blankandson,

Thanks for the comments and your support! Glad to hear you've got a tool that works for you! Please let me know if there is ever anything I can assist you with. Kind regards,
 
The prices for a German made Warwick are now FAR too high, taking them out of reach and into boutique areas.

Musicman20,

There have been many changes at Warwick Germany in the last 4 years. We have shifted to truly custom builds, with a focus on absolute quality and consistency. We now spend 22-30 hours on each instrument in comparison to 6-9 hours in years prior. We've acquired some new cutting-edge, advanced machines, as well as finding the highest skilled hand-craftsman throughout every step of production. We've gone from producing +/-2500 instruments a year vs. 9000 per year in the past. We've always felt we make great instruments, but todays instruments are in a completely different category. This is completely opposite what most manufacturers are doing today - but our focus isn't on getting as much done as quickly as possible...its about letting quality and perfection be our guide.

You can read more about what we're doing in our Sponsored Forum! Thanks!
 
The Rockbass line was completely overhauled. Now featuring 2 piece bodies, 3-piece maple necks with ekanga veneers, and the same MEC pickups and hardware as the German-made basses. They have the same quick-access control and truss-rod covers, too. But more importantly, the strict quality control that has been instituted, to be sure that the issues of the past don't make it through. The new RockBass is an entirely different instrument than the old line. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can assist in any way!

Thanks for the response. Nice to see a company rep taking the time to answer our concerns. I can't say for sure when the Rockbasses in question were constructed, but it was apart of the Musician's Friend clearance about a year or so ago. Could have been some NOS in there and maybe that's why they were clearance priced. All I know is there were a few TB members talking about their disappointments.

But, at least you guys are paying more attention. That's all we can ask for as consumers. Also, thanks for staying positive. It's so easy to get defensive in a negative way when your company is under attack. But, there are plenty of players out there that love Warwick. Not my cup of tea, but some observations I have made.
 
advertising

Can't always be "blood", man!!! :D

just adding another point of view: in 1995 I bought one of the first Corvette IV around. Loved the tone and overall build (remember the brass just a nut?), but couldn't get past the... "strangling factor"!!! What's that? I am 165 cm tall, so, being the upper horn so much open angled with respect to the neck, when I needed to reach the first frets (my arms are... short in proportion to the 165 cm height!) I had to pull the neck toward me, so the belt almost cut my throat every time!!!

Got tired of this, so I cut the upper part and replaced it with a compatible wood; reshaped the upper part after the Streamer upper horn and once I was there I also enlarged the bottom cutout so to reach finally the last two or three treble frets!!! But at this point the bass was not anymore an original Warwick.

Eventually I got rid of it, but I was so sad because the bass was a real killer!!! Fast forward to four/five years ago, I had the lucky strike to make (dig this!) an even swap: a brand new CIJ Fender Jazz with a wonderful Thumb V bolton that the guy did not play since he only plays 4!!! What a beautiful instrument: I love it really much (no neck strangling effect, since the short upper horn). Finally I have back my Warwick sound available under my fingers. There's nothing I would change on this instrument. And this said by a.... tweak-o-maniac!!!

Just a little advise to the Warwick guys about the Corvette: maybe you would like to consider a revision of the upper part angle versus the neck and deepen the lower cutaway. (Just my .02 cents, obviously!!!) ;)