bassbora

Do Thumbs not usually come with black hardware? Is this a custom option or has it been changed out? My two '89 Thumbs both have black hardware.

This is a very interesting thread. I have seen it over the years but never read it and then never felt I had anything to contribute. I finally read the whole thing last weekend lol. I have been playing and gigging for 35 years or so and never felt the need to use effects. I was always curious about envelope filters but did not know what to get. My first pedal was supposed to be one, I went in a shop could not find one so came out with an OC2, this was in 1994. Plugged it in, messed around did not know what to do with it and it went back in the box and I sold it 15-20 years later. I was thinking more about effects around 4 years ago so I thought again envelope filters. Did some research and 3Leaf seemed to come up often and I wanted something small and simple so I thought Proton but could not find any and @fretmeister has always recommended Spectrum so I just bought that. Great pedal but yet again did not know what to do with it. Did not fit the bands I was playing in so I just put it back in the box but thought I would get back to it later. 2 ½ years ago a GR2 came up for a really low price so I thought why not try again and scratch that 3Leaf itch. Great pedal and lots of fun. Still not sure what to do with it. 6 months ago a Wonderlove came up for a very decent price so I thought why not. Finally two of my bands want to do 90s dance music and modern synth pop so now I can finally get them out and use them with my OC5 and Rattler and boy it is so much fun and the sound in a band is epic. I have to say I have only been using the 3Leaf and the GR2 is funkier and bubblier but the Wonderlove is politer and fits a little bit better with the OC5 for that 90s synth sound (I could happily use both and I will rotate them). I have put the Spectrum on my guitar board and finally found a great home for it. I love it. I will try it with my bands with bass as well. I am so much enjoying this filter search that I got a IE Xerograph Del ordered when they opened up the orders last. And I am seriously thinking about Emma DiscBob. How does the Emma compare to the other 3 I have already?

I got the Jam Pedals Ripply Fall and I liked the phaser side enough to get the Ripple as well when I need to save pedal board space. I do have Boss PH3 I got for guitar years ago but I have not used it so if you are interested pm me for details.

I am just curious if any of you guys are using reverb pedals when playing. If so when (what application, gig and what type of music)? I had not really ever thought about reverb with bass but I got TC Infinite good few months back for a project and to practice and that has a reverb function which I actually quite like in that ambient/slow music kind of way. So really just curious what others are doing.

I have seen you mention the Demeter before and I had seen them few years back and they are one of the only amps I would be seriously tempted by. I think one came up for sale here some months back and it did not stay long. I did not really need it so I managed to resist

Very interesting responses. I have no idea why I thought people would have either gone ampless or had 1 or maybe 2 amps. I myself decided when I was looking for a gigging rig quite a long time a go to try and have it modular (not combo) so I could mix and match depending on the circumstances and if an amp would break I only needed to replace the head and not worry about the cabs. And also keep it light so it would be easy to store and transport. I had a GenzBenz Streamliner 600 for few years and it was great I have no idea why I sold it, probably just wanted a new toy. I have been using a Mesa D800 for many years and it has always served me really well. The older it gets I guess I am not thinking in the back of my head it would be a good idea to have a backup. Or maybe I was using it as an excuse to find a new amp.

I did think of that. I am gigging with two different bands and two other projects on the go. I dont see anyone of them going for IEM but I have certainly thought about it. I have seen few discussions on here about going ampless and thats also why I thought about asking what people were doing with amps. I do DI in some venues and I have been tempted to just show up with my Class D head or just a preamp pedal but not been brave enough yet.

You quite often see guitarists have few different amps for different flavors/things. It just made me think if bass players do the same thing? I only have one but have often thought maybe I should get another (backup for gigs). So if you have more than one, why? Is it to get different sounds? Is it backup for gigs? If its backup is it the same model or do you have one of these small heads Elf/Gnome. Just curious what people think and maybe its me just trying to justify to myself getting another amp.

When you said you had never seen him with a Fender type bass it reminded me of the Dont go away mad video from Dr Feelgood album and he is using a Fender P (is it 51?) with the Telecaster headstock. I have not seen the video since the 90s so I actually had to check it out to see if I remembered it correctly. I have not heard that song in years but there is some tasty melodic playing there I have to say.

Very late to the party. Another Thumb owner here. I bought my 89 NT5 back in 97 and was my only bass for many years. I was studying at the time and I spent so many hours with that instrument. I do agree with most of the pros and cons that have been mentioned already. It is is heavy and the reach to 1st fret is long but I am tall with long arms so this has never been a problem. I did have a student years ago that loved my bass but he was a lot shorter than me and when he tried it he knew he could not get on with it at all. I do want to say though that I have used it in so many different styles of music and I have found it really flexible. I was playing a lot of jazz and classical music as well as Motown and rock/metal and I found it great for all of it. The 26 frets are great and having the easy access all over the upper part of the neck was brilliant. That makes chords very easy in the upper register and soloing if you are doing that kind of music. My Thumb has the really thin neck profile which I personally love and EMG pickups and 2 band eq. I found that you could get so much tonal range from either pickup and in later years I have started to use the neck (if you can call it that) pickup more soloed than ever before. Maybe my tastes have changed. I have also found how much impact cutting the treble can have on the sound so you have broader range than I ever explored in the early years but I guess you can say all with in that Thumb sound which I love. As has been said that B string is quite something. Crystal clear and totally sings. I have only played my Thumb so I have nothing to compare it with like so many that have replied so maybe I just got lucky with mine. When I moved into fretless I started with a Stingray but I did not like it I think it was the neck and upper access so the only thing I could think of was Thumb. So I do have 89 NT6 fretless. Again its heavy but I have gigged it quite a bit and the neck is even better than on the 5. And its one of the best sounding and playing bass I have ever played. This is of course just personal preference. And finally just to add to the discussion about other models. Even though I have almost exclusively only played Warwicks since 97 I have not had that many of them or different models. I got a FNA Jazzman which I had for few years and it was a very solid and good bass but I always had this notion of trying out Stage 1 and 2. I traded the FNA for a Stage 2 and I have to say that bass has taken over as my main bass for the last 8 years. Its very different from the Thumb and that body shape might be easier to get on with than the Thumb. There are a lot of different Stremer options NT and bolt on so might be worth exploring that. I do rotate between these two basses between practices but I would say 80% gigs I go with the Stage 2. I did get a Stage 1 but have to say that doesnt suit me as well. This again is 5 string like the others but the difference is its broad neck and I have to say I am not a fan. I find the other neck profiles better but I will keep it and I do use if for practice and I have gigged it few times but I have to say the other two feel more natural. I hope your search for the right Warwick will bring you the right bass for you.

I will have to look at few demos, thanks for the link 🙂

I am looking for some experiences of loopers and freeze pedals. I have always been curios about loopers but always talked myself out of them. When I was studying in the 90s I recorded on tape jazz standards and then as usual melody, solos and walking bass lines practiced over this. Looper would have been invaluable back then but I have not really needed it since. I have been practicing a lot last few months more like I was doing in the 90s and I saw the other day Janek Gwizdala talk about important practice gear. He mentioned loopers and freeze pedals. So that sparked my interest again and I thought it would help with my practice. Also the singer in my band has suggested we do duets just voice and bass so I thought both loopers and freeze pedals would be a great aid to fill out the sound. Any advice if these pedals are worth the investment or not? Good, bad and possibly brands to look at and to avoid. I have obviously seen the Ditto and RC from Boss and the Freeze from EHX. It would be great to hear what people think.

Great to see pink torpedo Robin here. I see that you have added Just around the corner and I thought you were on my side. Brilliant I will be going through those. Do you have Big Country Look away?

Warwick Streamer Stage 1 broad neck has the string spacing. But probably not the specific weight and budget.