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Why does everyone hate an Warwick basses.

#101
FL Knifemaker said:
I don't care for thin Jazz necks. The one Jazz I have has an OLD Warmoth neck on it which is narrow but still very chunky. Anything skinnier causes my hand to cramp up :hmm: I was concerned about the narrow spacing but I've grown to love it. The tone is the clincher in the deal :) I got a bit crazy and bought the Flashback and a Lull P5 in the same week. My plan was to play them both, then pass along the one that I liked least. They are still both here and having to get rid of one would KILL me :rollno:
Click to expand...

sounds like the neck on your flashback is really uncofortable, what with the tight spacing and the hand cramping up and all.

but don't worry, there is hope! I will happily take it off your hands...
 
#102
RCCollins said:
shame it wasn't a wenge neck though!

people should really check out the slimmer neck-ed warwicks, particularly the wenge. And the Fortress, which balances much better than most of their popular designs!
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Like this? :p

9b9c.jpg


I really wish they would go back to the slimmer profile necks. When are they going to do that? Does anybody know? I bet they never go back.

That Flashback someone posted is really cool.
 
#104
If everyone hate an Warwick basses, THEN WHO WAS PHONE?! :eek:

:hiding:

On topic, they seemed pretty well liked, in general. The people who don't like them seem to be after something that Warwick doesn't go after in their basses at all.
 
#105
octaverazor said:
Everyone who doesn't own a Warwick seems to talk crap about them all the time. I own two basses, a Corvette $$ and an Ibanez pawnshop P.O.S., my first bass. The only reason I still have the Ibanez is pure back up purposes. The Warwick is the last bass I'll ever buy. The tone is out of this world, craftmenship is perfect. It's awsome looking. I know what sound and looks good can differ from person to person, but why all the hate. Maybe because they don't try to sound like a fender.
Click to expand...

On the contrary, loved my Corvette Proline! Hated the customer interaction at NAMM.......talk about extremely rude. Never buy one again.
 
#107
I can't quote the whole topic, but I'll try to add my 2 cents on the various "accusations" ppl made against Wicks...

1. the necks (necks, necks, and again, necks): Warwick experienced a lot with various wood combinations, dimensions and profiles for their necks, so these can be very different from one year to the next. If you own a Warwick bass, then you know that their claim about the tone coming from the neck has substance. In fact, there are a lot of things being said about Wicks that might seem farfetched (or more like advertisement than reality), but once you get one of their basses and test it for a longer period of time, you will find out that many of those statements are in fact correct. Now another thing the Warwick players will tell you is that in time (believe it or not) you will find the W neck very comfortable and fast, so you just need an adjusting period - this is TRUE. I've avoided ordering a Warwick for years because of this issue, but after a few months of playing on my Thumb, I just love the way it feels - and I made the switch to Warwick from Ibanez SRs & EDBs- I can't think of a bass with a slimmer neck than those ;)

2. string spacing, action, etc. Fact is, pretty much everything is fully adjustable on these basses (which at first got me confused a bit). So string spacing is not an issue, the saddles move side to side and up and down, while you have multiple locking points to hold the bridge in place just the way you want.

3. one can only fully understand why Warwick prefer to deliver their basses "unfinished" only if owning such a bass and not just playing it in a store for a few minutes; the feel of the wood is unique and very different from the one of a painted/high polished/etc finish. I prefer my bass to sound natural & feel natural so I don't want it get burried under ordinary paint; I want to see the wood grain and to see how distinct my bass looks from any other Wick. And the difference between a regularly waxed Wick and a brand new one is significant.

4. Warwick - as you all know - has a lot of different models/series, but the Thumb is a very particular & distinct instrument, like nothing else in their stable; its tone is very specific (possibly the growliest of their basses) and obviously not for everyone - especially if you're looking for a very versatile & smooth sounding bass. Call it a one trick poney if you like, but the Thumb does its thing to perfection and it cuts through the mix like a laser blade. However, its tone comes with a price: the bass has its specific balancing requirements, so you'll prolly need to strap it higher than you were used before and also to cope with its natural tendency of balancing a bit to the left and more horizontally rather than vertically, but that's how the bass was designed. Mine is 4 stringer and I have no neck diving issues whatsoever (it's the current full ovankol BO); prolly the issue is more related to the 5ers and 6ers, I don't know.

5. Warwick basses are pleked before getting shipped (the official dealer from my country confirmed this info) - so intonation shouldn't be an issue. Mine came in the middle of the winter, it was dead cold when I took it out of the case, the action was high, but the intonation was flawless all over the neck, so there you go.

6. I think it's for the 1st time when I'm hearing that:
- Warwick use a fast method to dry their woods; I thought it was quite the other way round and they let the wood dry in a natural manner in a controlled environment! In fact, they take great pride in doing so and not getting the wood artificially dried like others do for mass production.
- Warwicks don't cut through the mix; that's precisely why I switched to Wicks, because they cut through the mix like no other bass!
 
#109
IngerAlb said:
I can't quote the whole topic, but I'll try to add my 2 cents on the various "accusations" ppl made against Wicks...

1. the necks (necks, necks, and again, necks): Warwick experienced a lot with various wood combinations, dimensions and profiles for their necks, so these can be very different from one year to the next. If you own a Warwick bass, then you know that their claim about the tone coming from the neck has substance. In fact, there are a lot of things being said about Wicks that might seem farfetched (or more like advertisement than reality), but once you get one of their basses and test it for a longer period of time, you will find out that many of those statements are in fact correct. Now another thing the Warwick players will tell you is that in time (believe it or not) you will find the W neck very comfortable and fast, so you just need an adjusting period - this is TRUE. I've avoided ordering a Warwick for years because of this issue, but after a few months of playing on my Thumb, I just love the way it feels - and I made the switch to Warwick from Ibanez SRs & EDBs- I can't think of a bass with a slimmer neck than those ;)

2. string spacing, action, etc. Fact is, pretty much everything is fully adjustable on these basses (which at first got me confused a bit). So string spacing is not an issue, the saddles move side to side and up and down, while you have multiple locking points to hold the bridge in place just the way you want.

3. one can only fully understand why Warwick prefer to deliver their basses "unfinished" only if owning such a bass and not just playing it in a store for a few minutes; the feel of the wood is unique and very different from the one of a painted/high polished/etc finish. I prefer my bass to sound natural & feel natural so I don't want it get burried under ordinary paint; I want to see the wood grain and to see how distinct my bass looks from any other Wick. And the difference between a regularly waxed Wick and a brand new one is significant.

4. Warwick - as you all know - has a lot of different models/series, but the Thumb is a very particular & distinct instrument, like nothing else in their stable; its tone is very specific (possibly the growliest of their basses) and obviously not for everyone - especially if you're looking for a very versatile & smooth sounding bass. Call it a one trick poney if you like, but the Thumb does its thing to perfection and it cuts through the mix like a laser blade. However, its tone comes with a price: the bass has its specific balancing requirements, so you'll prolly need to strap it higher than you were used before and also to cope with its natural tendency of balancing a bit to the left and more horizontally rather than vertically, but that's how the bass was designed. Mine is 4 stringer and I have no neck diving issues whatsoever (it's the current full ovankol BO); prolly the issue is more related to the 5ers and 6ers, I don't know.

5. Warwick basses are pleked before getting shipped (the official dealer from my country confirmed this info) - so intonation shouldn't be an issue. Mine came in the middle of the winter, it was dead cold when I took it out of the case, the action was high, but the intonation was flawless all over the neck, so there you go.

6. I think it's for the 1st time when I'm hearing that:
- Warwick use a fast method to dry their woods; I thought it was quite the other way round and they let the wood dry in a natural manner in a controlled environment! In fact, they take great pride in doing so and not getting the wood artificially dried like others do for mass production.
- Warwicks don't cut through the mix; that's precisely why I switched to Wicks, because they cut through the mix like no other bass!
Click to expand...



I wanted to say all that, but there was no way i was going to type it. Thank you.

And Warwick's rule. I rest on your face, I mean, I rest my case.
 
#111
I own a Thumb NT and have regular size hands.
The neck does feel chunky, but is extremely fast and very comfortable.
Whoever has problems cutting through the mix with this bass, it needs an ear exam.
It is my first call axe, the growl on the instrument is out of this world.
A master like Jack Bruce can't be wrong.
 
#114
octaverazor said:
Everyone who doesn't own a Warwick seems to talk crap about them all the time. I own two basses, a Corvette $$ and an Ibanez pawnshop P.O.S., my first bass. The only reason I still have the Ibanez is pure back up purposes. The Warwick is the last bass I'll ever buy. The tone is out of this world, craftmenship is perfect. It's awsome looking. I know what sound and looks good can differ from person to person, but why all the hate. Maybe because they don't try to sound like a fender.
Click to expand...

I also have a Corvette $$ (black).
Actually what I find is most people talking highly of them. When they see me getting it out of the case I usually just hear praise. When it sounds... I hear more praise.

But the necks are on the chunky side, with a particular profile, very different from other basses. Some people don't like that. That's ok.
I had my moments when I thought of selling it. In fact, I had another Corvette too, a standard, and I sold that one (to be honest, the $$ does the sounds of the STD and more). But it sounds so good (and looks great too!). It stays. It's just punchy, it has presence, I don't know what it is, but it just sounds great. Stock preamp too... not the best, but it works.
 
#115
Mr_Sore_Fingerz said:
I hear a lot of people, even personal friends, talk about having intonation and neck issues with their corvette $$'s going crazy bad on them. That typically seems to be the issue with the Warwicks (neck) which is funny because they are so freakin thick idk how they would screw up lol
Click to expand...

? seriously?

I find that quite surprising. A neck can always go wrong, but to hear a *LOT* of people complain? the construction (tri-laminate) makes it quite a sturdy solid neck.

I do hear, however, many people complain about their bass (any brand) because this and the other, when it comes down to them not having a clue about the mechanics of a bass and their set-up, and are too cheap to take it to someone who really knows what they're doing.
On the other hand, I like that there's people like that, they discard great basses for little money, and I can be around to get a bargain and fix it myself ;-)
 
#117
I think that Warwicks are quite an acquired taste.

I tried a Corvette $$ at a shop in London and I found the sound very good. They are versatile sounding basses, good for rock and metal to jazz and funk.

However, I found the body and neck quite uncomfortable. This is just my opinion, and I have nothing against Warwick at all. I did however, only try one model. Perhaps in the future I will try more to get a better verdict.
 
#118
I've owned 4 Warwicks plus a Rockbass. They were all either Dolphins or Infinitys. The Rockbass model is a Streamer.

The neck thing is an issue on some models. However, if you're lucky enough to get an older Warwick (pre 98), you'll have a nice, slim neck (like my Dolphin 4 string).

The 05 Infinity I currently own has a thicker neck with a Volute, but it's not nearly as bulky as the Thumb and Streamer necks. It's amazingly fast.

The Streamer Rockbass I have has a very thick neck.

I will add that, in terms of neck dive, the Infinitys and Dolphins are balanced perfectly. The Thumbs (with their shorter top horns) are bad for neck dives, and I've played a couple Corvettes that had that issue as well.

All in all, it depends on the model and the year it was made.
 

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