razze06 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 So I strolled into one of my local guitar shops, saw some warwicks on the wall, asked to have a go, 15 years after I last tried (and didn't like) one. I found out that I like them again! (the one i tried was a corvette with two pickups, active, 4 string). A quick look on the price tag (£999) immediately stumped the wings of my flight of fancy, and the inevitable quick look online revealed a vast array of models, submodels and configurations. When you bring in used models, it gets even worse. Can anybody help me make sense of the mess, especially at the lower end of the range? Disclaimer: I know lots of people dislike warwicks, but i'm completely agnostic when it comes to bass guitars and amps/cabs. I am not trying to start a heated debate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobematt Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 The price tag of new Warwicks can be pretty staggering but the second hand prices can be ridiculously cheap, especially on these forums! If you let us know what type of music you play or what kind of sound you'll probably get a much better answer about which types of basses you should be looking at! I'm sure whichever you pick you wouldn't be disappointed with, the Std Corvettes are very solid all rounders that will probably be in your budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mart Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 [quote name='razze06' post='1302351' date='Jul 13 2011, 02:09 PM']...A quick look on the price tag (£999) immediately stumped the wings of my flight of fancy, and the inevitable quick look online revealed a vast array of models, submodels and configurations. When you bring in used models, it gets even worse. Can anybody help me make sense of the mess, especially at the lower end of the range? ...[/quote] Yep, the range is big, and complicated. Where to start? Well, the first thing to know is that there are currently four main strands to the Warwick range: Rockbasses (Chinese), Pro and Artist series (both Korean) and the (eye-wateringly expensive) German models. These are priced in that order: currently somewhere under £600 for Rockbasses, then something like £800-£1000 for Pros and around £1500 for Artists, and from about £1200 to about £8000 for the German ones. Rockbasses generally have cheaper woods and electrics, and in the case of the Streamers ("Spector copies"), Rockbasses have slab bodies where Pro and German ones have very curvaceous bodies. The Korean and German basses are supposed to be made to the same standard, so you're essentially paying for the differing labour costs of the two countries. The Pro series are versions of standard German models (but sometimes with different woods), whereas the Artist series are Korean versions of the signature models (e.g. the Adam Clayton model or the Robert Trujillo model). Hopefully this will help to get you started at least! Btw, lobematt is absolutely right - the price for new Warwicks is huge compared with the second hand prices. So it's well worth looking through the sale sections here, or on ebay. You'll hardly find any second-hand Korean Warwicks (since they only came out a year or so back), so you only really need to distinguish between the Rockbasses and the German Warwicks. Have a good look and you'll find loads of fantastic bargains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobematt Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I bought a second hand 5 string fretless Fortress, '93 model all wenge neck and FB, flamed maple body AND a hard case... £400, you can't really argue with prices like that!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Thanks for the replies so far. What I liked in terms of sound in a certain tightness and presence in the mid-to-low end. Sounds perfect for the funkier end of things. Oh and it's modern sounding, if that makes any sense... So the rockbass ones are really not that good, and I am much better off looking for a used one. Say I liked the sound and feel of the corvette, what kind of models offer similar chracteristics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 [quote name='razze06' post='1302421' date='Jul 13 2011, 02:56 PM']Thanks for the replies so far. What I liked in terms of sound in a certain tightness and presence in the mid-to-low end. Sounds perfect for the funkier end of things. Oh and it's modern sounding, if that makes any sense... So the rockbass ones are really not that good, and I am much better off looking for a used one. Say I liked the sound and feel of the corvette, what kind of models offer similar chracteristics?[/quote] I had a RB Corvette, fantastic bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobematt Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I wouldn't rule out the Rockbasses as they are solid basses, but I would say they are entry level, and for the price of a new one you could ge a 2nd hand German WW. I'd recommend you looking at the Streamer range, probably the Stage One with the P/J pups. Or possibly the Corvette $$? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Ok rockbasses are back in contention then. Is there much difference in sound between models? Surely two large humbuckers will sound different from PJ or JJ? The one I tried was active, how do the passive ones compare? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobematt Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I've only ever played the corvette RB with JJ pups. It was pretty good for the rock stuff I was playing at the time but wouldn't say it had much of a Jazz bass sound for having the 2 Js in it. I've not played any others so couldnt really comment on the tonal differences Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 For what you'd pay for a new Pro/Artist series Warwick you could have my German made 1990 Streamer Stage I (neck-thru and active)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I have three. All German. All excellent. 1 was bought new and is a good bass. I was bought new and was £540 less than list at the same time that The Bass Centre (II) had it up for £990 [i]above[/i] list price. Don't ask me how that works! The final one was purchased secondhand on here and is superb, as someone else has spent 14years playing it in for me! Second hand. All the way. There are some super basses to be had at crazy prices due their being grossly unfashionable at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I don't find the Warwick range too complicated, compare to Fender for example. To echo comments above, avoid buying new at the moment, just depreciate immediately and you'll lose alot when you sell; however if you pick a new one up and its perfect, you may never sell! Best bet is a 2nd hand one on here or ebay. Older the better IMHO, alhough the more recent ones get very positive reviews, but then again not many of them will be up for sale at the moment. I would look for a nice 90's active Corvette standard with a nice slim wenge neck for about 500-600 quid. If your budget is a bit higher, the streamer of WH above is pretty tasty, as is the other '91 streamer NT owned by Luke that is up for sale at the moment. Whilst the Rockbass range may be decent from time to time, they don't have the sound of a true Warwick due to the cheaper woods/electronics. I imagine quality control is at mexican Fender level so advise you try before you buy! How much have you to spend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 My arrival was inevitable I suppose. I'm completely with the concensus here. I've got to say that second hand german warwicks are the to go right now. New Warwicks have seen their list prices double (literally) over the past 4/5 years, partly due to a drop in popularity, and warwick wanting to push the rockbass brand and make the german stuff a bit more elite again. Rockbasses are not bad, but last time I looked they had things like the screw on electronics cavity, it's a nice little clip system on the german made ones - handy for an active bass. There's a few other similar touches, but the rockbasses still play and sound almost if not exactly as fantastic. Thing is, I'd never buy a new rockbass at the moment, given the trough that second hand german made prices are in. Go for one of those, you won't regret it. As for models, if you like a corvette stick with that, I wouldn't recommend another without trying it, unless of course you go for a corvette $$ like myself and a few others here. Those switches enable you to have each pickup as a single coil (so same as a regular corvette) or as a humbucker wired either in series or parallel (distinctly different sounds) - tonally very versatile, very comfortable to play (balances beautifully, nice neck etc), and I think, quite nice to look at too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Second hand RB £150, winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='1302765' date='Jul 13 2011, 07:32 PM']For what you'd pay for a new Pro/Artist series Warwick you could have my German made 1990 Streamer Stage I (neck-thru and active)... [/quote] Now that is a proper Warwick! Having owned a few myself, I would recommend that anyone after a Warwick goes after something similar to that one i.e. a second hand german built top line model, preferably neck thru. After all, they are going so cheaply these days, why compromise when the top models are such good value? Personally I wouldn’t bother with the Rockbass or even the mid range models (such as the Fortress, etc) – they are nothing special IMO...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomBassmonkey Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 What's your budget? £400 will buy you a used german corvette. Double that and you could easily pick yourself up a thumb or $$. The rock basses are great, but why bother when you could get a german one that's so much better for so little more money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Yup, s/h and German's the way to go. Don't underestimate the Fortresses, tho - I've had a few Warwicks (Corvette, $$ NT, etc) and I think my 93 wenge-neck Fortress is one of the best basses, let alone Warwicks, I've ever played. Mmmmm, wenge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ficelles Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 (edited) I have owned two German-made fretless Corvettes... only just parted with the last one and already missing it A friend has a nice early fretted Streamer which is great to play although I find the Streamer body a little small. Warwicks are nice basses if you don't mind active electronics and want something a little less weighty than a real J or P, but most definitely buy s/h - new prices are insane. I've also owned a couple of Rockbasses, not unplayable by any means but not in the same league as the Warwick-labelled versions. ficelles Edited July 13, 2011 by ficelles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 [quote name='Muzz' post='1303021' date='Jul 13 2011, 11:32 PM']Yup, s/h and German's the way to go. Don't underestimate the Fortresses, tho - I've had a few Warwicks (Corvette, $$ NT, etc) and I think my 93 wenge-neck Fortress is one of the best basses, let alone Warwicks, I've ever played. Mmmmm, wenge... [/quote] Gotta love it, that wenge is something special. Works so nicely with the understated hero here too, the ovangkol. Gives warwick's that beautiful throaty quality! To the thread starter, if you're short on funds then a S/H rockbass is a good buy (I'm with waynepunkdude here), but if you have the extra to spare, or will do if you save a little longer/sell off some crap, do it, because the s/h german ones are worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raslee Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Has anyone tried these new Rockbasses? I'm possibly considering one when i can afford, or maybe a G&L L2500, but haven't seen much reviews on the new Rockbasses to date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Jamin Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I've got a s/h German Corvette $$! Two humbuckers which can be individually coil tapped for parallel/series/single-coil Bass/treble Pick-up pan Passive/Active Adjustable nut/all-round good, reliable hardware Nice chunks of wood Good-lookin' What's not to like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1302846' date='Jul 13 2011, 08:48 PM']Second hand RB £150, winner.[/quote] Can't argue with that I've now got the RB that Wayne had and for the money it's a whole lot of bass. I think it's about 2 years old. It's got the clip top cavity compartment for the electronics, MEC jazz pups, all the hardware has Warwick stamped all over it and it's got that little flip lid thing to access the truss rod. Ok, the parts are probably cheaper than on a full Warwick and the body not as contoured but for £150, crickey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 Thank you all for your replies, very informative. Before I can even consider getting me one of these german bad boys, i'll have to wait until the end of the summer and check my bank balance, and maybe offload some of my extras. However, i've only tried two korean corvettes (bubinga and ash) with two humbuckers each, I should probably see what the other models mentioned sound like whem I play them before I start looking for something in particular... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fender73 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 [quote name='razze06' post='1302421' date='Jul 13 2011, 02:56 PM']So the rockbass ones are really not that good, and I am much better off looking for a used one. Say I liked the sound and feel of the corvette, what kind of models offer similar chracteristics?[/quote] WRONG...for the money, they are fab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 [quote name='razze06' post='1303288' date='Jul 14 2011, 10:29 AM']Thank you all for your replies, very informative. Before I can even consider getting me one of these german bad boys, i'll have to wait until the end of the summer and check my bank balance, and maybe offload some of my extras. However, i've only tried two korean corvettes (bubinga and ash) with two humbuckers each, I should probably see what the other models mentioned sound like whem I play them before I start looking for something in particular...[/quote] I very much advise you try as many as you can, it will really help. Personally I prefer the ash to the bubinga any day, I think it looks and sounds nicer, though the ash needs regular waxing (if natural finish) and the colour changes over time if it hasnt been waxed - expect/demand a knock down price on ash ones that have gone yellowy and darkened. Corvette's are fantastic, I tried one and loved it, then going through the same process as you I arrived at the corvette $$, don't buy anything until you try one of those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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