Newer Warwicks

[TDM]

I finally got to play a Thumb today (At the Bass Cellar no less!) and I must admit it played and sounded amazing. It was the BO model - lots growl, nice comfortable neck, balances nicely, although the preamp didn't seem to do a huge amount. I loved the way the natural finish felt too. Compare that to the Jazzman FNA I played a few months ago and the difference is pretty significant! That bass was horrible! The only other Warwick I've played (Briefly) was a Corvette $$, which was nice but nowhere near as nice as the Thumb. I've read a lot about the wenge vs ovangkol arguments and also about the quality of Warwicks since the late 90s.

Does anybody own both wenge and ovangkol Thumbs? If so, what do you guys think of them?

Also, how does the BO compare to the NT?

Edited November 19, 2009 by thedonutman

[budget bassist]

i have a newer corvette $$ and it's an amazing bass, sounds great and plays really well. Tried a thumb once, briefly, however i didn't get on with the sound, the feel or the preamp. Each to their own.

[thisnameistaken]

To me the Thumb sound is the old bubinga/wenge bass they used to make in the late '80s / very early '90s, before demand required that they switch to mass production.

Thumbs from that era aren't particularly prized by UK bass players, maybe because they have quite an era-specific sound - I picked up mine for under £700 a few years ago and I still love it. But everybody who picks it up (from other bass players to luthiers) wants to buy it and that's no exaggeration.

So yeah, the old originals are still fairly cheap, probably because Stuart Zender played Streamers. Go find one.

Edited November 20, 2009 by thisnameistaken

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='thedonutman' post='659777' date='Nov 19 2009, 11:45 PM']... although the preamp didn't seem to do a huge amount.[/quote]

I don't know the new range, especially the BO models very well but do they have the active/passive, push/pull pot on the volume control? If so, try giving it a push/pull just to ensure it isn't in passive mode whereby the tone controls do nowt!

Oh and a big +1 to what 'tnit' ^ said.

[martthebass]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='659841' date='Nov 20 2009, 07:09 AM']I don't know the new range, especially the BO models very well but do they have the active/passive, push/pull pot on the volume control? If so, try giving it a push/pull just to ensure it isn't in passive mode whereby the tone controls do nowt!

Oh and a big +1 to what 'tnit' ^ said.[/quote]

Yup you're right WH. Pull for active on the vol IIRC.

Oh and I found the Thru neck a lot more mellow and contolable than the BO.