Robert Manning Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 i just got a warwick thumb, i love it. this thing not only sound great but despite its tiny size feels tremendously solid. At first, i thought it would be a bit too 'modern' sounding for me, but no i was wrong i love it.. any happy warwick thumb owner out there? ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 If I was going to buy a warwick it would be a thumb 4 BO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I've had a '91 Thumb for about ten years now and it's just a sweet bass. Flat it has its own sound which I really like, but small boosts with the 2-band EQ can give it more typical modern active bass sounds. It doesn't hurt that it looks really cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I have had a couple...a thru neck and a bolt-on (still got that one). Both quite different. I actually prefer the bolt-on model. I find the thru neck Thumb is a bit boomy in tone, but saying that I did love mine very much. The 2-band EQ does put some folks off, but because the bass has so much natural mid tone from the timber a mid sweep/cut control is not really needed. I love how it sounds active. Nothing else on the planet sounds like it! I can get a cracking flat jazz tone when I play up the dusty end...crystal clear and the tone of the brass frets really comes out...sounds beautiful. The note sustain is absolutely barmy for a bolt-on bass. The neck is so tight in the heel pocket that the whole bass resonates almost as good as its thru neck counterpart. Very impressive! I have never liked the way that it looks though. A friend of mine said that he thought it looks like a stepped on piece of chewing gum and that has stuck in my head ever since! But, it is so damn comfortable to play. I normally like paper thin necks, but Warwick necks are like paving kerbs. However, they are oddly very playable and very fast. The concaved body hugs my pelvis perfectly and the neck balance is perfect. As I am getting older I am becoming less conscience of my appearance (it happens to all of us eventually!), so if it plays good and sounds good I couldn't care less about the cosmetics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumbo Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 The first bass I bought was a second hand Thumb bolt-on. It was a fantastic bass to learn on and in my first couple of years playing bass it saw a good 4 hours + of play time every day. I still have that bass because I always come back to it, it feels so natural to play - probably because it's shaped my technique. There's something very unique about the mid's of a Thumb bolt on, and as Shizznit says ^ the sustain is very impressive! A harmonic on the 12th fret E string rings out like it doesn't want to stop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 You guys are right! For me it is genuinely fun to play. Mine has has a nordstrand two band and bartolini jazz pickups. Wish I could know the difference but to be honest it's the first Warwick I've owned! I really fancy a corvette as well now..... Oh dear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrinkleygit Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 of all the basses I have owned a '93 bolt on 4 string is the one I miss the most, would love to find a b/o 5 string, very underrated & undervalued is my opinion, mike b. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I used to have a Thumb BO 4 string. It was a great bass. My limited edition 1990 Streamer is better but the Thumb was a cool bass. I would have another one, but an NT this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I'm now the proud owner of the one thats shown on the Gallery website. Plays beautifully, superb range of sounds and I just love the ebony board http://www.thebassgallery.com/product_details.cfm?ID=2141&type=Bass%20Guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigsmokebass Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 ive come close to owning one of these myself, sweet basses. never really thought of warwick having "big" bodies, always a moderate-moderately small (streamers to thumbs anyway) to be honest with you, unless you count the overall surface area? hope your enjoy your bass further more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houtoe Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Just waiting to pick up my Dirty Blonde far too excited about this, ill let you know how it sounds when I get it though! PS Anyone know a decent case for a Thumb (hiscox?) that will actually fit it? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 A Thumb is on [i]"The LIst"[/i] My eyes were opened to Warwick only in the last few years, I never really considered them for a long time but I dearly love the sound out of my Streamer. I seem to remember Terence Trent D'Arby's bassist had a pink one way, way back, it always stuck in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teobass88 Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I've an "all ovangkol" bolt-on 6 Fretless Thumb bass. Up to now it's the best factory bass I've ever tried but, for the 6 strings, Warwick puts a couple of Spil-Coil Pick-Ups and they're very muddy and poor of dynamics...so I've replace them with Neodimium Humbuckers and the bass is just reborn!! Now I'm going to get a custom instrument with some features taken from the Thumb project! Symply great! I've heard that NT models have much more "growl" and a better response on the low-mid frequencies...don't know if it's true...but I'd like this very much....but NT was too much expensive for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumbo Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 [quote name='Houtoe' timestamp='1336721101' post='1649861'] Just waiting to pick up my Dirty Blonde far too excited about this, ill let you know how it sounds when I get it though! PS Anyone know a decent case for a Thumb (hiscox?) that will actually fit it? Chris [/quote] They don't fit well in the regular hiscox case, I'm not sure what your best bet is. I had mine in a Warwick hard case for a while, those things are built like tanks but they weigh a lot and they're big (compared to hiscox). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I've got an '87 JD Thumb (very shallow neck, NT, one piece bridge/tailpiece) and a 2000 Thumb, originally with the fat neck, that I've had reprofiled to JD proportions and defretted. I'm not parting with them, but I'm not using them much as I mainly use 5-strings these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I've had my Thumb from new back in 89. Its the NT model with EMG's and plays like a dream. It is a little neck heavy but you get used to that quite quickly. Its by far the easiest bass to play but doesn't suit all types of music IMO. All the best with it. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 [quote name='Teobass88' timestamp='1336727915' post='1649967'] I've heard that NT models have much more "growl" and a better response on the low-mid frequencies...don't know if it's true...but I'd like this very much....but NT was too much expensive for me! [/quote] I have always found the NT to have a slightly more 'full' lower end tone, bolstered by a slightly stronger low mid presence. But I personally find the BO model 'cuts' a bit more because it has a stronger high mid presence and a slightly punchier sound that the NT model. So overall, it sounds a bit more 'middy'. For me the advantages of the NT model are feel in the neck and a slightly better body shape (NT thumbs are little more 'squashed', compare the two!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanbass1 Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I love my Thumb NT, it's my 'gop to' bass for gigs. As for a case, I use a Mono gig bag and this has far superior protection to anything else I have apart from a full flight case. Really worth the money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emanew Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Doctor J' timestamp='1336726489' post='1649932'] A Thumb is on [i]"The LIst"[/i] My eyes were opened to Warwick only in the last few years, I never really considered them for a long time but I dearly love the sound out of my Streamer. I seem to remember Terence Trent D'Arby's bassist had a pink one way, way back, it always stuck in my mind. [/quote] Yes, i found that TTDA' clip few months ago. Grooving..... http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FcUmIRw0N5w Edited June 7, 2012 by Emanew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 I actually bought the cd at the weekend, haven't heard it since whenever my mum last played the tape in the 80's Vibrator is a cracking album too. I'm glad that I didn't imagine that bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Couldn't be happier with my 1990 Thumb NT 4, love the sound, love the neck, love the little body, love the upper register fret access, just love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Much though I loved the NT Thumb referred to in my earlier post, I quickly decided I wanted 5 strings. However, after researching I found that the NT 5 has quite narrow string spacing so I have swapped for a BO 5 "broadneck" (20mm spacing). This feels very comfortable on my right hand (I am primarily a Precision player and also dabble ineptly in double bass), although the sheer bulk of the neck is taking my left hand a little time to get used to. Compared with a NT, the BO is obviously a less lavish bass : the EQ has fewer options and its not as lush in body woods (ovankgol/wenge vs bubinga/ebony). However I have to say this new bass is really inspiring me (in part I think because of the physical challenge and in part as I am trying to learn a bit of flamenco-style bass on it). I am really very chuffed with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Here incidentally is some nice flamenco-style playing on a BO 6 Thumb: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oB8Ffzpv1U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oHl1C054I8&feature=channel&list=UL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emanew Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) Thanks Clarky ! Beautiful music. I just pick my Thumb 5 and start playing ( without pick though but by few times i'll have to be experienced...) Edited June 8, 2012 by Emanew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeBass Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 my NT 1990 thumb 5 has been my main bass for 15/16 years now - quite simply, no bass I've ever played comes close to the comfort, playability and sound variations of this bass - I can get pretty much any tone I want from a flat amp - beautiful bass. (and I've had a Ray, 59 P bass, Rick 4001 - still own a 64 P bass and a jazz V deluxe) I have a de-fretted 1988 NT thumb 4 string too - with EMGs - very pokey and gets that pino growl and twang. I wouldn't swap my NT 5 for any other bass - still GAS after an old Ray and a Wal - though I know I'lll always go back to the Thumb! agree with NT v bolt on body shape, the bolt on isn't as nice to look at - plus the woods dont seem as figured. you'll never regret having a Thumb - just get on a Fender after and wonder how you get at the post 15th frets!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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