Warwicks, a few Q's

[bubinga5]

Have got the gas for a Warwick streamer, but just wondering the weight of one..they allways looked heavy to me.. Dont know anything about Warwicks, so a few Q's
whats the the tone like...Any growl, is the streamer a better bass than the Corvette?

Thanks

[Machines]

Which model Streamer ? I doubt any Warwick model is particularly growlier than any other - it would all depend on the body woods.

[martthebass]

Not owned a Streamer but have played a Stage 1 often at Jam nights. In comparison to a Vette (Ash - active) and a Thumb which I have owned I'd say the sound was fairly growly - maybe a little more middy than the Thumb and fairly similar to the Corvette. I'd personally go for the Stage 1 over a Vette but mainly for feel and balance rather than sound. The Stage 1 isn't too heavy but the Stage 2 (based on shop 'lifting') is a heavy mutha.

[simon1964]

[quote name='bubinga5' post='408932' date='Feb 13 2009, 07:02 PM']is the streamer a better bass than the Corvette?

Thanks[/quote]

It depends what you mean by better. Streamers are more expensive for similar specs, but as I understand it, that's mainly down to the construction methods used.

[bubinga5]

[quote name='simon1964' post='408961' date='Feb 13 2009, 07:19 PM']It depends what you mean by better. Streamers are more expensive for similar specs, but as I understand it, that's mainly down to the construction methods used.[/quote]
Sorry stupid Q..Do the pups differ? Im looking to sell my TRB6II, ang get a Streamer 5..What sort price am i looking at for an early model??

[Dubs]

A Stage I is definitely the lightest of all the Warwick thru neck basses and is actually the lightest bass I own. A Stage II is heavier but not nearly as heavy as an NT Thumb. You’ll get more growl out of a SSII than a SSI, but I think this is just a combination of the pickups and the body wood. To my ears the SSI has a smoother tone than the SSII.

None of this is fact, just my own limited experience. There’s no substitute for trying some out yourself though.

[BigBeefChief]

How heavy can a bass be!!!!!

[bubinga5]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='408981' date='Feb 13 2009, 07:38 PM']How heavy can a bass be!!!!![/quote]
Try a TRB6II Big Chief,thats pertly why im looking elsewhere.. wouldnt want to play for 3 hours with one..and im sure there are heavier basses out there!!

Edited February 13, 2009 by bubinga5

[warwickhunt]

You really can't generalise but Warwicks are rarely heavier than any other manufacturers basses (with the exception of stick basses etc.)!

As a rule of Thumb ( ) I'd say that 4 string Streamers clock in at between 9-10lb (I have owned 4 strings that are 8-9lb), so you can say that 5's 'might' be 1/2lb heavier (though I did try a 5 string Streamer Stage I last year that was as near as damn it 9lb). As for comparisons between a NT Streamer and a Corvette... don't bother they are completely different, you may as well compare a Fender Jazz with a Rickenbacker. Generally a NT Streamer will have cost at least 100% more than any Corvette when new, whether that makes it a better bass is a matter of taste.

Value - Streamer Stage I with SIMs LEDs for sale here for £900? [url="http://forum.warwick.de/24-basses/8043-streamer-stage-1-5-string-l-e-ds-900-uk-only.html"]http://forum.warwick.de/24-basses/8043-str...00-uk-only.html[/url]

I've seen several go on eBay for similar money (sans LEDs).

One caveat... If slap is your main thing IMHO a NT Streamer 'may' not be the best bass for that style!

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='bubinga5' post='408991' date='Feb 13 2009, 07:47 PM']Try a TRB6II Big Chief,thats pertly why im looking elsewhere.. wouldnt want to play for 3 hours with one..and im sure there are heavier basses out there!![/quote]


I see. I'm usually kicked off the stage within half hour.

[simon1964]

[quote name='bubinga5' post='408964' date='Feb 13 2009, 07:26 PM']Sorry stupid Q..Do the pups differ?[/quote]

It depends on the model. As I understand it, the Streamer $$ and Corvette $$, for example, have the same pickups and electronics. The difference is in the body shape, neck construction etc, which is why the Streamer is more money. I'm assuming the MEC single coils on my Thumb will be the same as those on any MEC single coil equiped Warwick - the difference is really the woods used, whether its through neck or bolt on etc.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='408997' date='Feb 13 2009, 07:54 PM']One caveat... If slap is your main thing IMHO a NT Streamer 'may' not be the best bass for that style![/quote]


right from now on i am going to put my inability to slap down to that then!

[LukeFRC]

oh and my one weighs nothing.
Its kinda curved too. This i think would be a very good thing if you have a belly. If, like me, you don't it wont make much difference for 20 years or so!

EDIT: well not literally nothing. much less than my old P bass, my JV or my status shark

Edited February 13, 2009 by LukeFRC

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='409089' date='Feb 13 2009, 09:57 PM']right from now on i am going to put my inability to slap down to that then![/quote]

If only it were so easy!

I should qualify that by saying that I've found a BO neck Jazz (or Jazz style bass; Sadowsky Lakland etc.) to give that slap tone far better than a NT Streamer... of course it could just be me!

[lee650]

Oh i dont know John!
I always got quite a decent slap sound, out of your old red, mind yo it is a very bright sounding instrument, ive some recordings of some shows i did where the sound really surprised me . But then i did get a sterling off you which was built for slap
My warwick streamer jazzman has a great slap tone, and is particularly warm sounding for a warwick.
have a great weekend mate - lee


If only it were so easy!

I should qualify that by saying that I've found a BO neck Jazz (or Jazz style bass; Sadowsky Lakland etc.) to give that slap tone far better than a NT Streamer... of course it could just be me!

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='lee650' post='409143' date='Feb 13 2009, 11:16 PM']Oh i dont know John!
I always got quite a decent slap sound, out of your old red, mind yo it is a very bright sounding instrument, ive some recordings of some shows i did where the sound really surprised me . But then i did get a sterling off you which was built for slap
My warwick streamer jazzman has a great slap tone, and is particularly warm sounding for a warwick.
have a great weekend mate - lee


If only it were so easy!

I should qualify that by saying that I've found a BO neck Jazz (or Jazz style bass; Sadowsky Lakland etc.) to give that slap tone far better than a NT Streamer... of course it could just be me! [/quote]

Hey Lee don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Warwick basses don't slap but from personal experience there are certain makes/genres of basses that can do it better. I've never tried to study or even begin to understand why some basses are better at it than others but as a rule I've 'generally' found that BO basses (at least decent quality ones) can by and large slap better than 'many' Warwick basses. I agree with you that 'old red' that we have both owned is an exception to the rule and there are plenty of nice snappy sounding Wicks out there but not all Warwicks can carry it off... and as you say there are basses like the Sterling (Stingray/Jazz) which seem to universally just nail the slap tone

[lee650]

Yeah John
I know what you mean, the stingray/jazz tone just lends itself so well to that type of tone especially as those tones became the benchmark sound for that style i,e larry Graham(jazz bass) and Louis Johnson(musicman stingray). thats why those are my favourite basses, i must say im fascinated to hear that about warwicks as although ive played warwicks for 11 years ive only ever owned streamers, so i dont have an awful lot of experience with the other models, how would you say Dolphins fare for that sort of thing, ive admired those basses for a long time.
lee
ps sorry if i seem to be highjacking, but john is "THE" Authority on warwicks









Hey Lee don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Warwick basses don't slap but from personal experience there are certain makes/genres of basses that can do it better. I've never tried to study or even begin to understand why some basses are better at it than others but as a rule I've 'generally' found that BO basses (at least decent quality ones) can by and large slap better than 'many' Warwick basses. I agree with you that 'old red' that we have both owned is an exception to the rule and there are plenty of nice snappy sounding Wicks out there but not all Warwicks can carry it off... and as you say there are basses like the Sterling (Stingray/Jazz) which seem to universally just nail the slap tone

[4000]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='409148' date='Feb 13 2009, 11:26 PM']Hey Lee don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Warwick basses don't slap but from personal experience there are certain makes/genres of basses that can do it better. I've never tried to study or even begin to understand why some basses are better at it than others but as a rule I've 'generally' found that BO basses (at least decent quality ones) can by and large slap better than 'many' Warwick basses. I agree with you that 'old red' that we have both owned is an exception to the rule and there are plenty of nice snappy sounding Wicks out there but not all Warwicks can carry it off... and as you say there are basses like the Sterling (Stingray/Jazz) which seem to universally just nail the slap tone [/quote]

I think this all depends on what you consider a good slap tone. As an example I really don't like Marcus's slap tone (heck, I don't like Marcus's tone, full stop), but many consider it the holy grail of slap tones. I must admit I haven't got what I would consider great slap tones from the Warwicks I've had or played, but they may suit some people. Same with Status, they're generally considered slap monsters, but I'm not mad on them. Best slap tone I've heard? Alembic by a mile. In a nutshell, I feel it's really difficult to generalise about these things because people's tastes differ so much.

FWIW the Streamer Stage 1 4s I've played have all been lighter than 9lbs, and are I feel generally fairly light basses. Stage 2s seem to differ more; I once played 2 in the Bass Centre and one was about 9lbs whilst the other must've been more like 11.

[thisnameistaken]

There have been a lot of different slap tones on popular records to be fair. But I think we're all thinking of Louis Johnson, and fair enough, you'll never get that out of a Warwick.

The Streamer Stage I is the "other" Warwick I'd have. I've already got a Thumb and I'll never sell it and it's just... It's a Thumb. Y'know. But the other one I always wanted was a Stage I, and I'm just waiting for exactly the right one to come along (I will know it when I see it but I don't think there are many of them around. I'll be gutted if I don't have the money when I do see it!).

[Russ]

One of the best slap tones I've ever heard came from a Streamer Stage II. Very much a J-type tone, but with extra through-neck sustain and buckets of that trademark Warwick growl.

Awesome basses, and probably the only Warwick I'd consider owning. Shame that it's one of the most expensive instruments Warwick make!

[OutToPlayJazz]

Yes, the TRB-6 II is a heavy mother of a bass. Ash bodied instruments do tend to have a lot of weight to them. I found the same with my Marcus Miller jazz. Strangely though, both of my Corvette $$'s were quite light to say they were ash as well.

I think after the hifi sound of the Yamaha, you'll find the Streamer quite dull sounding, though.

Rich.

[warwickhunt]

I appreciate the compliment Lee but as everyone has said it's about different perceptions of what good slap tone is. I've always considered that the fact that Jazz/Stingray/Sterling/(Heck even)Precision basses have bolt on neck adds something to the overall 'attack' (my choice of word and probably not the best description) of the sound; I think that thru-neck basses don't quite achieve the same tone. However we are back to what a good slap tone is and to many people the sound of a Warwick NT bass might be just what they define as the ultimate slap sound. Anyway enough of this slap malarky! Has the OP had any further thoughts on Warwicks; as we've established they aren't as heavy as people would have you believe.

Forgot to add that Streamer 5s (especially early models) will generally come with soapbar pups and they could be from virtually any of the big manufacturers of the time. Bart / EMG / SD / MEC. All have different characteristics but all will GROWL!

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='409246' date='Feb 14 2009, 09:07 AM']...as we've established they aren't as heavy as people would have you believe.

Forgot to add that Streamer 5s (especially early models) will generally come with soapbar pups and they could be from virtually any of the big manufacturers of the time. Bart / EMG / SD / MEC. All have different characteristics but all will GROWL! [/quote]

My LX (1997) VI weighs 14.5lbs!
And has SD soapbars in.

My Infinity SN4 (2002) weighs a ton, too. Especially for a dinky, chambered body!
That said, soft Maple and Zebrano are not the lightest of woods....

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='409264' date='Feb 14 2009, 10:00 AM']My LX (1997) VI weighs 14.5lbs!
And has SD soapbars in.

My Infinity SN4 (2002) weighs a ton, too. Especially for a dinky, chambered body!
That said, soft Maple and Zebrano are not the lightest of woods....[/quote]

Crickey Moses! 14.5lb... what gauge strings do you have on!

I've [s]got[/s] had a couple of the predecessors to the Infinity and mine both weighed 8.5lb and BassOctopuss's (Octopie's?) Infinity 5 string couldn't have weighed more than 10lb when I tried it! Maybe they stuffed lead in the chambers of your bass.

[Lfalex v1.1]

I'm sure LX VI has a wider body than (for example) an LX IV string (and mine's not a broadneck, either!)
The LX has a 60mm wide strap on it. Balance is pretty good, though!

The Infinity SN4 is just monstrous! Maybe someone did stuff the chambers... With lead! I tolerate the weight and unpleasant neck profile for the sake of the tone.