warwickhunt

[quote name='snip' post='922199' date='Aug 12 2010, 12:18 AM']What exactly goes wrong with the jack socket. I have a streamer jazzman 5 string and sometimes the volume I'm playing at drops and then comes back. I used to think it was my amp, but I'm not so sure. Love the bass though....[/quote] [quote name='budget bassist' post='922202' date='Aug 12 2010, 12:22 AM']They buzz/hum/cut out when moved etc. They wear out pretty quick. Every bass I've ever owned with a barrel jack has had to have the bass replaced, it's by no means exclusive to Warwick.[/quote] As BB rightly said this isn't exclusive to Warwick and the symptoms are usually; no signal followed by horrendous crackling when you move the jack that is inserted into the bass. More often than not wrapping the lead around/through your strap to pull the jack at a slight angle can get you through a gig if you have no back-up... I make it sound like I might have had to do this once or twice! As I stated earlier it is false economy to fit a cheap replacement, get a Switchcraft or similar quality barrell socket

[quote name='JohnR' post='922123' date='Aug 11 2010, 11:00 PM']I am talking about the tail and not the saddles. You end up trying to force a B string into a slot cut for a G sting or even a C string on a Sixer. I owned a Thumb 5 and two Thumb 6's and they were all the same.[/quote] OK get you now. AFAIK all the slots on the stop tailpiece are the same size and there can be some issue with certain big chunky strings on 5's and 6's not quite fitting when turned sideways. The consensus seems to be that exposed core strings fit well but agreed that it must be a pain if you use heavy gauge 6 string sets... on the plus side it's got nowt to do with left handed basses; it affects all of them!

[quote name='JohnR' post='922080' date='Aug 11 2010, 10:33 PM']Steer clear if you are a lefty. They fit right handed tail pieces and the slots are not wide enough to accommodate a E or B strings without a bit of DIY with a file.[/quote] Run that past me again! So it doesn't come with the correct tempered EADG sized slot (I correct myself, the early basses only had two sized slots EA and DG)? If it does have different sized slots are you saying that direct from the factory they arrive strung for right handed i.e. the G string sitting in an E sized slot and vice-versa... if so I'd be kicking off big style (in the meantime taking the bridge saddles out and reversing them whilst typing a snotty letter to Warwick hoping for a free box of strings ).

Paul bought a pair of ER15 filters off me and was a breeze to deal with, paid funds straight into my account no problems. Cheers mate... I SAID CHEERS MATE! TAKE THOSE CHUFFIN ER25'S OUT THEY ARE TOO MUCH!

More Warwick love in this thread then I've seen on the whole forum in years!

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='921795' date='Aug 11 2010, 05:15 PM']In another note mine has been played a lot pre me getting it and could do with a refret i think, now the frets i can get off warwick, anyone know a luthier (esp in scotland or N. england) who has exp with warwicks?[/quote] Hey Luke, Warwicks can look as though they need refrets when in fact they've got loads of life left in them (those bell metal frets are hard wearing and the original profile of the frets was never very high). Not saying it defo won't need one (not seen your new bass in the flesh) but find a luthier you trust and ask his opinion... hoping he's not desperate for a bit of work and says it does need regardless, as one or two unscrupulous repairers can do! TBH anybody with experience of refrets can likely do the job (so long as they are aware that the fingerboard is Wenge and 'can' be prone to splintering if they are a bit rough handed) but for names... 'The Bass Doc' Howard can do refrets on Warwicks as can Dave Wilson (both BC members in the NE). I'm sure there'll be others near you who can do it, just depends who you trust.

Only the B string standard Long Scale 0.125 gauge, manufactured by Jimmy Wess (new manufacturer). Free to a good (or bad) home. <edit> Duly claimed.

[quote name='Lozz196' post='921364' date='Aug 11 2010, 10:39 AM']Dunno how I`d feel if I was a Warwick owner tho.[/quote] We feel the same way...

On the issue of weight. I have 4 Streamers in front of me (one leaving in the next day or two) and they weigh; 7lb 14oz, 8lb 4oz, 8lb 6oz and 9lb 5oz. Now even the heaviest of those is considered a light weight by some folks! I do accept that not all Warwicks will be this weight, the older they are, then generally the lighter they are BUT of the 30-40 Warwicks that I've owned I can say that 50% of them will have been 9lb or less, the others varied from 9lb - 10lb and I've not had a one over that. I'll add the caveat that these basses were all 4 string and none were post 93 instruments.

[quote name='blackmn90' post='921463' date='Aug 11 2010, 11:54 AM']can i come to dinner around your house please [/quote] By all means but I have to confess that a couple of years ago I sold every one of the basses in that photograph... luckily I had some spare ones on the other wall!

[quote name='Doctor J' post='921259' date='Aug 11 2010, 08:27 AM']Snapped the truss rod while making a fairly basic adjustment on a Corvette. Fine, my fault, I'll pay for it, I thought, even though I've been adjusting necks for 20 years and have never had a problem before. Spent about a year trying to [b]buy[/b] a new neck from Warwick but, as there isn't a Warwick dealer in ROI, they were as accomodating as a crotch rash. They're just not interested in dealing with customers directly and, if you can't go through a dealer, it's tough sh*t as far as they're concerned. You'd think a neck that chubby might be a bit better built but, wh, there you go. Never again.[/quote] Unfortunately you are talking about 'people' here and you get good and bad service all over the place; not saying Warwick are better or worse just 'people'. On the occasions that I've had to deal with Warwick re. parts etc. I've had great response. Some years ago I contacted them on two seperate occasions re. the little nut grub screws on the original brass 'Adjust-a-nut' and a seized bridge saddle; on both occasions they sent me a complete nut inc' all grub screws and a full set of 4 saddles, all [u]for free[/u]. Actually that does raise a couple of negative points re. Warwick basses. 'Sometimes' it's a good idea to put a drop of loctite or clear nail varnish (don't ask ) on the original brass adjusting nut, that way if the grub screws are adjusted out to the limits of their thread, they don't drop out when changing strings. Oh and the later upgraded 'Just-A-Nut' with the plastic tabs is prone to snapping, this doesn't compromise it's use (so I've heard; as I tend to go for the early basses that have either a solid brass nut or the original brass nut) but I bet it's dead frustrating when it happens to you. Saying that these little foibles shouldn't put you off and a bit of planning/forethought easily avoids any issues, which you'd have with virtually any bass.

Purely as a response to a the question 'amp for rock/metal' I'd certainly give the GK amps a serious trial. That isn't to say that had I the money that's what 'I'd' buy (Thunderfunk 750 or possibly the Glock Heartcore and another Aggie DB12) but then my needs are different to the OP.

Don't know what all the hype is about... Love the Streamer/Spector NS shape and despite rumours that Warwicks have clubby necks, neck dive, truss rod issues etc. you're likely to find that the worst thing about a Warwick is that they have jack sockets that are as much use as a chocolate fireguard (PLEASE replace with a decent quality unit such as Switchcraft; means I don't have to do so when it eventually passes through my hands ) and if you have the early model with a seperate battery compartment the lid is guanteed to fall off! Otherwise they (IMHO) have great tone and they are uber comfortable and a well sorted bass.

I once traded my fave bass (to a shop in Doncaster) to get what I thought was my ultimate bass; an early Dolphin Pro I. Weeks later I was back in the shop with a Warwick Thumb bass and a wedge of cash to get my original bass back! No moral to the story but sometimes you don't know what you've got till it's gone.

Many moons ago (when these basses were just released), Grott's Guitars in Newcastle had a good handful of these and they were all B stock, factory seconds, warehouse damaged stock etc. a load did the rounds up here changing hands for not a lot of money as various people cobbled together complete basses out of the various donor basses. The one that I had played well and was an excellent 'Status' bass for very little outlay.