warwickhunt

My 2nd (or is it 3rd?) dealing with Alex and a pleasure yet again. Everything that I've bought from Alex has been exactly as described and he's gone out of his way to accommodate me (he doesn't live 'that' far away but we still met at a 1/2 way location). Deal in confidence as he is a straight up guy. Just got to get my head around 5 strings after 30+ years of 4 strings!

Cheers Alex. Pleasure to meet up with you (and James) again, I know that I'll never stop being a gear 'junkie' and you've always got quality gear so I'm sure we'll meet up again... soon!

Hello and welcome. The NE bass 'Masseeeeve' grows even more... massive!

Result!

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1339069183' post='1683145'] However, I had to swap the barrel socket on my current (s/h) Warwick Streamer, it was f***ed. Probably due to straight jacks being used. [/quote] That's actually a well documented design features of Warwick basses (I love Warwicks to bits but lord knows how many jack sockets I've had to replace over the years... reflects badly on how many have passed through my hands ).

[quote name='JakeBrownBass' timestamp='1339080760' post='1683352'] If you've got the active/passive push/pull volume knob, why not just constantly have it pulled out so the bass is in passive. That way its going to sound no different to putting in a passive circuit. Also afaik the treble pot will then act as a tone control. Saves money, keeps the bass intact and gives you the option to have the active circuit should you ever want it in the future? [/quote] On a Warwick the tone controls are all active so pulling the passive knob means that you have no tone control unfortunately.

The Corvette FNA just had the 'bucker whereas the Jazzman has the added single in neck position. Only thing you can't do in passive mode is adjust tone... but tbh that's what your fingers are for!

I 'trialled' the Hellborg 2 years ago Steve during a free taster/review competition Warwick were running and at the time I found that with my piezo equipped basses it was fantastic and way different from the Thunderfunk, however with 'normal' magnetic equipped basses there wasn't a massive difference... possibly not as full sounding as the TF (we are talking subtle differences) but with a more open feel to it. I subsequently won the Hellborg (though I did have to pay £75 shipping from the States and then subsequently got clattered for import tax/duty) and I have to say that with more time to sit and trial this both live and in the house I am finding that it has got more differences from the TF than I first observed. It has a clarity, yet warmth, that I hadn't first appreciated and the way that it highlights the overtones and harmonics of the note as you move up/down/across the neck is proving to be an eye-opener. I'm not 100% that it will replace my TF for live work as the TF just comes across as a little fatter and dirtier (without either preamp being overdriven in any way. Oddly enough this is a view reflected by another BCer who has both a HB and TF750; difference is that they do recording etc and they find the HB good for this whereas I don't record these days, it's all live stuff. The QSC is a lovely pairing with the HB and it has me gravitating toward my MM Sterling whenever I do various A/B comparisons. I may see if there is a local BassBash needs organising and I'll set the two rigs up side by side.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1339059919' post='1682933'] Get him to wire you a push/pull pot to bypass the preamp. Then you can choose active or passive on the day. You don’t have one already, do you? [/quote] Yes. [quote name='lobematt' timestamp='1339062411' post='1682973'] I've got a pull pot that activates a mid scoop, to be honest though I'm just not really a fan of active electronics any more, sounds a bit fake to me... Also the level coming out of that monster of a bass is nightmare to DI. I think I'm just gonna passify that mother. [/quote] What some folks assume to be a mid-scoop feature is actually the active/passive push/pull pot!

[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1339053982' post='1682821'] Just saw on the shipping label it was to be sent to Hungary! Have refunded his paypal and sent the following Hello I am sorry but I have issued you a refund as I see the item was to be sent to Hungary! I am really annoyed that not only did you not pickup the item as requested you now expect it to be couried abroad where i will have no protection from a paypal dispute if you claim the item did not arrive. The whole thing stinks of a scam and I am withdrawing the sale. I have checked with ebay and they say that as you did not collect the item and therefore stick to the terms of the auction, I am fully entitled to relist the item without any comeback. I would suggest you cancel the courier. [/quote] What an absolute joke! I'd hate to think what the guy must have been paying to courier that to Hungary!

[quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1339015050' post='1682568'] How does one know if a pick-up is passive or active? Do they look differently? Have more wires sticking out of them? Etc. [/quote] There are so many permutations that there isn't a cut and dried test. For instance 'many' Warwick MEC pups require a battery to operate but some don't (it's the preamp that requires the juice); active Warwick basses generally have an active/passive push/pull pot BUT that doesn't strictly mean that the pups are passive. Take the battery out of your Warwick and try it in passive mode, if it works then your pups are passive ($$ basses are afaik passive pups, most others aren't, they require a battery to power the preamp in them).

I've just bought a QSC plx1602 for use with a Hellborg preamp and they are good value (especially used... actually may 'have' to be used as I think they are discontinued). Nice weight and the amp will go down to 2 ohms on each side, though I have no idea when you'd need to do that and I do find it annoying that it is advertised as a 1600w power amp when that is it into 2 ohms each side (500w each 4 ohm side is still plenty enough). Clip limiters, bridging and parallel mode are all useful (the bridging less so IMHO) and it is nice and quiet in operation (nice quiet power down/up as well). It has low pass filters and they don't make any discernible effect on what you hear from your bass cabs but they do stop your amp wasting power reproducing frequencies that you don't require/perceive. In summary, worth looking for.

'Collection only' will limit potential bidders to those within say 1hr max drive (possibly less). As you say it's 'presently' quite cheap; however, bidders generally keep their powder dry till the last 10 seconds (as you will likely do), so early price isn't an indicator of final price. When you consider what a GK 2x10 cab and separate 700rb amp will cost you, then it will likely still be a good price when it ends.