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Why does everyone hate an Warwick basses.

#223
WarwickOfficial said:
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!
Click to expand...

Thing is, I appreciate the input, but some of the prices are crazy high and only professional musicians can afford them (who are in big bands etc) or people who are well off. The normal player cant pick one up like he/she used to be able to for the same price as a Stingray. Thing is, the Stingray is still a high quality instrument, and has only risen £100-200 over the past 3-4 years.

I for one think the market you are looking into is already taken by Sadowsky NYC's, Dingwalls, etc.

Quality is great, but it can be done at a lower price.
 
#224
Musicman20,

The Pro-Series line is made to the same specifications as the German-made basses, and feature the same components, hand-crafted to Warwick standards under the strict quality control of Warwick Germany. I'd highly recommend giving them look. Thanks for your comments! Please let me know if you've got any questions or if I can assist you in any way. Best regards,
 
#227
'why do people hate on warwicks'

I have been guilty of this..
I love warwicks, not high on my GAS list, but theyre great basses, even the cheap ones.

the problem is that, when I was younger, every talentless douchebag with rich parents first choice for a first bass was a warwick, and often the nicer ones.

Nowadays ill always play one if its around me, I borrowed a fretless the other night
 
#228
I like the necks, the sound is fine, but there is something about the balance of every Warwick that I have played that turns me off. Also I the Streamer is the only Warwick that is even close to aesthetically pleasing to me. The rest are kind of ugly IMO.
 
#230
Typical. My topic asking for a link to a legitimately useful practice-assisting app for my phone got one response: "USE GOOGLE!!!!" (yea, I'd NEVER thought of doing that), yet a brand-related thread with the word "hate" in the title has 12 pages of discussion that I'm almost certain isn't worth reading. Thanks internet.

But so my post doesn't get deleted for being off-topic, I love Warwicks and in fact own a Pro Series Thumb 5. Yea, it neck-dives, but a wide leather strap has remedied that. The bottom line is that it sounds great and is comfortable to play. It has a thinner neck than Warwicks usually have but I like the thicker necks anyway.
 
#232
Can't say I'm a fan of Warwick basses. I'm not so into the so-called "modern" vibe anymore (can we please think of a better word to call it than "modern"? It's been 40 years since it started!). But I started on bass with a 64 Framus Stratostar solidbody. The tuners broke right away and I had to replace them with Klusons, and the neck was chunky and fat, and it didn't sound like a Fender, and I let it get ruined in my garage. And now I wish I still had it ;) Ain't paying what they want on Ebay for one, though! There's a 66 with one pickup on Ebay now for $475. Sheesh...my mom found it at a pawn shop and paid $50 in 74!
 
#233
The impression that I get is peoples opinions on Warwick's can be strong on both sides of the fence. Hate is a strong word though, usually people just seem to not like them as much as preferred brand. I haven't heard many bassist say that they are of poor sound or build quality. Just that they are not the tone or ergonomics they prefer. I feel that Warwick's biggest strength and weakness is their uniqueness.
For example, let's compare them to Music Man. It seems as though they are both going after a similar demographic of bass players. They both offer their MIA or MIG lines that are of a very high quality, and in the same relative price range.
For example, if I am a bassist who has been playing standard American style basses such as the Fender Precision or Jazz, a Music Man would be a very easy adjustment. They have a similar look and feel, and can get some similar tones. However, if I where to try out a Thumb or Corvette, it would be VERY different, and for some uncomfortable.
It is worth noting that this individuality is one of Warwick's greatest selling points. Warwick basses have a great and original sound. I love how on a recording, it is hard to miss a Warwick. Also, while they do have some thicker necks, they are now more commonly offering basses with more standard thin necks. I have found the newer thinner necked Corvettes to be incredibly comfortable.

TLDR: Warwick hate seems to stem from them being out of many bassists' comfort zones. They are not a small step away from the Fender derivatives which we all know and love. This is not good or bad, it is merely human nature. These Warwick love/hate threads are getting old, and I am a terrible person for contributing to it.
 
#234
i loved my old thumb. The old wenge necks are verry nice feeling. I kept it as my main axe from 99-this year. I would go back to the new warwicks in a heartbeat! WarwickOfficial, get them to bring back the Fortress body. It was the natural solution to the thumb's dreadful neck dive. I was also not a fan of the MEC stacked J's. MEC should really make a linear humcanceler.

P.S. Thanks for tolerating my guitar player and myself at musicmesse in 2011 being in the vip section. I still have no idea why we were allowed in, but the sekt and jager was awesome!
 
#236
throbgod13 said:
i don't hate Warwicks, but i'm less inclined to purchase one because of the following..

1) the neck.. it's too thick..

2) they are neck heavy..

3) they cost too much..

i know the "cost too much" thing is relative, but from my perspective they are over priced..

AFAIK, they are going back to the original neck profile.. i'm not sure if they are going to use wenge for their necks or not. but, it would be a step up to use it..
Click to expand...

and a funny thing happened.. about a year after this post i made a trade for a 04 Corvette Proline.. the neck feels just like a slim Jazz neck..

muyej7.jpg


it took a couple of months to adjust to it.. i developed a case of tendinitis in my fretting arm/hand to the point of great pain and having to stop playing..

the issue was that the first fret was a much farther reach than where the jazz bass had sat on me, causing me to hyperflex my fretting hand..

i had to reconsider my playing technique entirely.. raising the bass up into a higher playing position.. being acutely aware of playing mechanics.. getting used to the narrower string spacing..

all of this took around 10 months, or so..


the result??

i play cleaner, regardless of bass.. my movements have become more economical, which reduces stress and i can play for much longer..

the Proline's tone is nothing short of amazing.. i don't think i've played a neck as fast, sleek feeling and now wildly comfortable as this Proline's neck.. this Warwick is really everything that is good about Warwicks.. although, i would prefer a 3 band preamp in it, instead of the 2 band..

the one real problem with Warwick basses are the output jack.. they get stressed/wear and end up breaking contact..

which brings another issue.. the prices of replacement parts..

$140USD for a dual gang sealed board pot?? $105USD for the brass JANIII?? not to mention the shipping.. the prices are flirting with the delusional..

with that said..

this bass has become my first bass.. i quite enjoy it.. and if i could afford another Warwick, i would now most likely make that purchase i scoffed at in 2009.. but, i think there are just too many good buys on the secondary market to justify a new purchase..

what a change a year makes..
 
#237
I've only played one Warwick, it was a Streamer $$. It was probably the best sounding bass I have ever played. If I had the cash at the time, I would have purchased it on the spot, in fact if I could have paid with a kidney I would have signed it over. Who are these people hating on Warwicks?
 

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