NAS

Never has a bass been sold with so few post responses and so many PMs methinks. Thanks for all the interest. Now being prepared for its new home. NS

NOW SOLD AND FINALISED. I bought this example of the early JD (John Davis) Thumb Bass from woolf back in April 2008. Since then I've been captured by "Jazz Fever" and the Thumb hasn't been used outside the house. Recent purchases mean I need to balance the books hence rationalising the collection and moving this on. I've pinched some of woolf's pics here, hope he doesn't mind. I'm looking for £850. Not looking for trades (unless someone has an entirely original, light [<8.5 lbs], great sounding, great condition pre CBS Fender Jazz with maple neck!!!). The only change I have made is to get a set of brass tuning spacers made to replace the black plastic ones which were beginning to crack with age. These new spacers were hand made and fitted by Kim Seabourne the great Bass Surgery luthier based in Worcester. The old plastic ones have been retained and will be included. Kim also did a complete set up so the action is super low and the playability excellent. According to woolf the bass had a complete re-fret in 2006 with Warwick bell brass fret wire and the frets are in A1 condition and beautifully finished. The bass is in great condition, no scratches or dings, but quite a lot of playing wear on the neck, making it very smooth, and a bit of right hand thumb wear above the neck pickup, which would be considered "mojo" in a vintage instrument. A great collectors item and a players dream. Really classic Thumb sounds from a sleek beast! Fitted with original Bartolini pick-ups and the original Schaller single piece bridge, it has the lovely early Warwick slim neck, sculpted headstock rear and the tuning spacers to set the tuners at an angle from the head. These JD Thumbs are fairly rare. Here's some Information about this bass adapted from the Warwick site: The Thumb History In 1985 Warwick created the Thumb modifying the Streamer shape... it was to have been a headless bass but it turned out so good it was left headed. The shape was influenced by the ideas of a great pro player John Davis. He used to move a lot on stage and he wanted a smaller body and a faster neck than the Streamer had. The Wengé neck was a Warwick trademark at the time and the bass sounds clear, powerful and big. The earliest Thumb basses were made in 1985. These basses are really hard to find, expecially the ones with the early body shape (changed in 1987). In 1986 Warwick produced 40 basses a month. They made them with a Schaller one piece bridge. The old Thumbs had the famous EMG pu's, a slightly more aggressive sound than the warmer and smoother Bartolini's which were installed as an option (as on this bass). In 1992 Warwick developed their own pick ups, the MECC's which are still installed in the Thumb Basses of today. Specs: Bubinga body, Wengé/Bubinga neck, Wengé fingerboard, 34" scale, 26 bell-brass frets, black hardware, Schaller/Warwick tuners, Schaller/Warwick one-piece brass bridge, brass just-a-nut I (with individully adjustable strings grooves), Bartolini J pickups, 2band active preamp. The early Thumbs were built in 1985 and some of them have the JD logo. JD stands for John Davis, a bass player in the Nurenburg Area after whom Hans Peter Wilfer (the founder of Warwick) named the bass. The name was changed in 1986 or 1987 from JD to just Thumb Bass. This is John Davis with one of the first Thumb Basses: Bit out of the way in the northern wilds of Worcestershire (13 miles from Kidderminster) but visitors welcome if anyone wants to come and "try before buy". Online bank transfer preferred unless you plan to pick it up in which case cash accepted! Courier costs will be added to price. PM for any further details. Thanks for looking, Nick S

Hi Rich, That looks lovely. Can you say how heavy it is - I'm trying to keep close to 8 lbs to save my aged back! I assume that mark on the back in the photo is reflection? If this one has a good weight and sound I'm surprised it hasn't captured your heart. PM sent. Nick S

Not brilliant, but here are a few more pics: Let me know what you think. Thanks, Nick S

Sorry it's taken a while, here's a quick picture of the NYC, front only at the moment - will need to clear some space on my site to make room for some others. Let me know if you might be interested. Thanks, NS

Hi, The bass looks lovely. Any details on history, age, configuration, woods, serial number etc.? I have an NYC I bought recently from "loudandclear" - here's his description of the bass: "Up for sale My sadowsky NYC jazz. I have owned this bass for some years. It has not really been played that much but I have held on to it simply because it is such a beautiful instrument. It was always my intention to keep this regardless but now though having another Sadowsky to choose from and the current climate being as it, it is reluctantly up for sale. It has been confirmed by Sadowsky as made in June 1994. It is pre VTC so none fitted. It is very lightweight (8 1/4lbs - fairly accurate bathroom scales) it comes with a Sadowsky lightweight case, it is currently strung with DR's (now changed for new D'Addarios - NS) and has had a new nut fitted and set up by the bass gallery recently. It is in very very good condition no real marks at all. It plays extremely well. I have owned many basses - this is one of real quality. Pricing is quite difficult on this - I originally thought £1750 but times as they are For sale at £1650 including delivery (comments welcome) . Viewing/trying welcome. No trades at this time - still need to reduce number of basses!" I'd be quite interested, but as your profile is relatively data free some more details would be appreciated. Thanks NS [quote name='___---___' post='641479' date='Oct 30 2009, 08:23 PM']Yo. I'm looking to trade my GORGEOUS Zon Sonus 4 for your Sadowsky NYC 4. Get in touch. Peace. X [url="http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s159/GuitarAmpFx1985/Zon/"]http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s159/GuitarAmpFx1985/Zon/[/url][/quote]

Chris, many thanks for that. It's mysterious that crack, graphite necks are usually pretty solid and it's not in an obvious place for a crack caused by dropping. A drummer managed to knock over my Modulus Quantum 4 at an outdoor gig and took a chunk out of the headstock on the concrete stage floor, but it almost looks as though that one was caused by some sort of imperfection in manufacture. About the only person I know in the UK who could repair that properly would be Rob Green at Status Graphite. It's still a lovely bass but I recently overstretched myself in the amp department and would need to shift a couple of "excess" basses (the Overwater 5 string and the Status SmartBass) to raise the funds as £900 is a significant amount. Thanks for taking the trouble, but I'll have to leave it for the moment. [quote name='chrkelly' post='622317' date='Oct 10 2009, 11:02 AM']Hey NS, apololgies for the delay, work's been crazy. Pics below as promised.[/quote]

Hi Chris, I still have some interest in this, but would like to see the extent of that crack. Thanks, NS

That's a sweet looking instrument - looks to be in great condition. I assume this is the same instrument as mentioned in your other thread?

That's a really lovely collection - very tasteful I think. I'm assuming the Sadowsky is a NYC model with VTC - very versatile. Bit of a weight difference to the MM Jazz!

Hi Gafbass, Possible interest in this. Just a few questions. I am assuming the gold hardware is replacement for the original. If that is so, how did you get the mods done, and are there any other mods besides those easily visible? I take it you don't have the original case? Here's a few pics of my natural/maple Stingray I bought from Bigthumb (Paul) a while back: and a link to Paul's original posting: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30917&hl="]Stingray posting[/url] which gives some details of the bass. Let me know what you think. Thanks, NS

I might be interested in this. Can you post a closeup picture of the crack in the neck? Would you be prepared to pack it up and ParcelForce it if I paid the delivery and insurance costs? Thanks, NS

This might help: [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=351838&highlight=epifani+902c"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.p...ht=epifani+902c[/url]

Interesting to have a Status neck on a Stingray. I bought a 4 string 'ray on here awhile back but I find it a pretty massive beast in comparison to the Fender '70s reissue Jazz I use most of the time. The neck is particularly chunky for my skinny hands. Is the Status neck the same profile as the original or is it slightly slimmer? Does the carbon neck "soften" the usual Stingray attack?

That's a wicked stack, must have sounded wonderful and generated major trouser flapping action. Love the look of the Status too.

Thanks for that - PM'd. NS

I'd be interested to know what you run this into (cabs). I've got Epifani UL115 and UL210 (both 500W @ 8 ohms I think). At the moment I use an SWR SM900. I hear the 902C produces a good sound through the Epifani cabs, and the amp is a little simpler than the SWR. Also I should be able to configure it so that I can use the two channels to switch sounds while being able to drive both cabs to capacity. Thanks, NS

Hi obbm, No "sign off" on this item, is it still for sale? Thanks, NAS

How about my five string Overwater? NS [quote name='bubinga5' post='567204' date='Aug 12 2009, 07:39 PM']Bump..i will take a lesser value bass with no cash my way if i like the bass[/quote]

Looks like a bargain to me

Space is one of the few things I do have - I'll probably reach critical mass soon though. Wouldn't mind a personal master class with Tal Wilkenfeld! NS [quote name='Beedster' post='544643' date='Jul 19 2009, 12:55 PM']Crikey Nick, have you room for any more basses Replied mate Chris[/quote]

Hi Chris, PM'd, Nick S [quote name='Beedster' post='544382' date='Jul 18 2009, 10:23 PM']Now definitely back in the market [/quote]

Stunning bass Loz, shame about the "damage" but as you say very minor. I'm sure with some microscopic smoothing and a little varnish it would become even less noticeable. Just a bit too expensive for only an occasional fretless player. There must be a fretless whizz out there who would love this. Nick S

PM sent. NS [quote name='EssentialTension' post='542784' date='Jul 16 2009, 11:59 PM']This may be sold and is on hold at least in the short term. However potential buyers shouldn't hesitate to establish their position in case the pending sale falls through.[/quote]