Chris2112

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1318246922' post='1399575'] Blocking owners posting about issues is not really on IMO. The best place to ask for help with a certain product should surely be the manufacturers own forums. [/quote] It is incredibly poor. Can you imagine the furore that would arise if you rang your bank with a query and they hung the phone up on you? Or if you wrote to your local council and your letter ended up in a shredder before it was read? Actually, forget the last one there, I think that already happens.

[quote name='dc2009' timestamp='1317841427' post='1395340'] IMO their flat, 'D' profile neck is far better than the 'C' style one. [/quote] This 'D' profile might be great for you, or anyone else who prefers a big fat neck. If you've never tried one, go and find the nearest metal lamp-post. Grab the post just above the base where it thins out. Now go for a 'fretting' motion with your hand, imagining you were fretting the strings of a neck. The 'hand wrapped around a lamp-post' should give you a fairly accurate idea of what a Warwick 'D' profile is like. I recall on Talkbass, a lot of people didn't like Warwick because of 'the clubby neck'. Clearly, they were referring to the new necks as the old 'C' shape was nothing like clubby! In total, it's one of the worst necks I've ever played on a production bass, and I am a big Warwick fan! In spite of their dubious moral practices! I don't mind this so much because the two companies have gone their seperate ways. Warwick are more of a mass produced, high quality product. Spector these days are more of a small production, high quality product. Spector have produced some cheaper basses, but I am glad Stuart Spector is back heading his company. I feel there is a much more personal connection between Spector basses and their brand values and luthiers. Warwick are a bit corporate and faceless but still make good basses.

The bass is a tool. And like any tool, it gets exposed to damage and wear and tear through doing it's job. Of course, we look after them, but a minor bump or scratch is the cost of life and the cost of enjoying our instruments. If they don't do the job they're supposed to do, whats the point of having them at all? Out of tune bongos indeed! That said, I do pride myself on a collection of physically near perfect instruments, but then I don't play live much anymore, and certainly if I do it's a seated gig in a comfortable chair where my bass is looked after!

I didn't realise he was still playing live!

Luckily the guys I play with at the moment are all fairly like minded. We like electric instruments, 1980's pop and jazz fusion so we rarely argue. In the past though, particularly when I was playing sideman or doing favours for friends, there were some horrific comments. Usually along the lines of wanting to cover some awful song, try a 'new arrangement' (a byword for a sloppy re-imagining most of the time) or do some acoustic stuff. Groan.

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1317780071' post='1394538'] I'd like to add Paulo Jr from Sepultura, if I may, who has created some very tight lines over the years [/quote] I wouldn't say he was a forgotten great, but he has done a few good metal basslines over the years. He used to play an Alembic at one point too, IIRC, so bonus points for that!

Weight and balance are far more important than neck profile, which people often obsess over. Balance is just as important as weight though. I've had 'heavy' basses that balance well and don't strain your body and I've played lighter basses that balance poorly and feel uncomfortable as soon as you put them on!

[quote name='4-string-thing' timestamp='1318192395' post='1399116'] Fiddle player: "I've got us a gig....Someone from church wants us for a party. No money, and there's no alcohol allowed but we can help ourselves to the buffet. Oh, and can they use our (my) PA for the disco? It'll be fun, they only want us to play for 25 minutes" [/quote] Sounds like you need to show this idiot the door....

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1318021961' post='1397480'] "Hey mate, is that a Peavey?" [/quote] To be fair, that big ole headstock does remind me of a Peavey...

At that age I think you have to be chasing a niche market, as you're never going to make the pop charts (and who would want to?). But if you're all experienced players and you've got what it takes to make a splash on the jazz fusion scene, then why not? Or if you're writing great prog rock songs, I'm sure you'll find a ready audience of similarly aged blokes!

[quote name='wesfinn' timestamp='1317820221' post='1394934'] Pay will be decided upon experience etc. please email [email protected] for more info. [/quote] So not a great job for someone just getting their foot in door of the industry then! Only kidding, it should be very enjoyable and I hope the right person for the job comes forward. I thinking moaning about guitar shop staff makes up about 20% of the total discussion on this site!

[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1317766368' post='1394457'] My S2 didn't have a logo on the headstock either. Awesome bass regardless. [/quote] My Stealth did, my Maxtrix did not. My Series II does not have a headstock!

Just leave it off, it would look better.

I've had both Warwicks and Spectors. I probably prefer Spector overall but Warwick are still great. I'd have another of either!

That really is a question we could go on about for days! Visually, the NS and Streamer basses are similar ebcause the design was made by Ned Steinberger in the late 70's and licensed to both companies. I don't want to generalise about the basses and do them a disservice, so I will try to be quite acute in my answer. Easy stuff first then, the necks! Older Warwicks have fairly slim necks. These are the ones from the late 80's and the early 90's. The bolt on basses from the late 90's also have fairly slim necks. They have never been jazz bass slim, not by a long shot, but they turned for the worse around the time of the millenium when many bolt on Warwick basses came with necks that were shaped like the fat end of a baseball bat. Warwick also stopped using wenge necks on most basses too, and this once standard item became a big money custom shop job. A wenge neck is generally considered a preferrable item on a Warwick, not least because it tends to denote a slimmer neck. The profile went from a smooth 'C' to a fat 'D', which I didn't like at all. I used to own a Warwick Thumb with the old C shaped neck which was amazing. I couldn't quote the string spacing off the top of my head, though the Warwick 6 string necks have usually felt far wider and chunkier than the Spectors. Some Warwicks came with a 'broad neck' option which I think was 20mm string spacing, which made for some monstrous 6 strings. Soundwise, the Spectors tend to be brighter, more vibrant sounding and more harmonically rich. This can perhaps be attributed to their pickups and preamps. Some older Spectors came with Hazlab preamps, of Victor Wooten fame. Many others use EMG preamps, and the Euro Series use the Tonepump preamps. The Tonepump is a subject of much discussion, as many players wanted to swap it out, believing to be a boost only preamp. This is incorrect. I had a Spector Rebop 4DLX with the Tonepump preamp and it really was joyous, that was an amazing bass. Warwick tend to sound a little darker, and much is made of their low midrange growl. Spectors growl too, but more in the upper mid spectrum. Most Warwicks use their proprietary MEC electronics, which are certainly passable. The best Warwicks I've heard have been older Thumbs with EMG pickups, though my stock Thumb was an amazing sounding bass too! The closest thing that Warwick make to a Spector is the Streamer Stage 1 (NS shape, maple body and neck, active), and they sound nothing like Spectors, so it's not just in the wood! It depends what you're looking for. Spector are very popular in rock, but I love them for their articulate, modern sound. On the other hand, nothing else sounds like a Warwick! Just make sure you go for a proper one, like a Thumb or a Streamer. Avoid ones with ash bodies like the $$ as they don't sound particularly impressive. It's also worth noting that Warwick tend to suffer on the used market. My Thumb, which was a minter, cost me £590! They go through phases of popularity where their values may not be as low, but Spector tend to be a little more resilient on that front.