Anyone else struggling with a Warwick?

[ianrunci]

When I got my Warwick Streamer LX 4 I was over the moon. I always fancied one but I have realised I based my Warwick lust on the look alone. I mean its a nice machine a 1998 version with a bit of Mojo and it sounds wonderful but the thing is no matter how I try I just can't get used to the neck. Must be all that Wenge.

I have found myself recently going back to my Aria Pro 2 just for the neck profile although the Warwick sounds a million times better. I am humming and ahhing now about getting rid of it and getting something else instead, I can't see myself ever being completely comfortable with it.

Just wondered if anyone else had had a problem getting used to the feel of the neck?

[rslaing]

[quote name='ianrunci' post='202359' date='May 19 2008, 06:59 PM']When I got my Warwick Streamer LX 4 I was over the moon. I always fancied one but I have realised I based my Warwick lust on the look alone. I mean its a nice machine a 1998 version with a bit of Mojo and it sounds wonderful but the thing is no matter how I try I just can't get used to the neck. Must be all that Wenge.

I have found myself recently going back to my Aria Pro 2 just for the neck profile although the Warwick sounds a million times better. I am humming and ahhing now about getting rid of it and getting something else instead, I can't see myself ever being completely comfortable with it.

Just wondered if anyone else had had a problem getting used to the feel of the neck?[/quote]

I have two Warwicks (Thumb and Corvette) , both 6 string (one fretted and the other fretless) so maybe the "feel" thing is different. However, I did, when I first bought them, feel they were a bit unusual/different.

The remedy for me, was not to revert to any of my other basses, but play the Warwicks consistently and after a while, they felt a lot better than the others. In fact, the other basses felt inferior once I got used to the Warwicks. I also had them both set up by a pro (nut, truss rod and bridge) to get the lowest action possible, which also helped.

I'm afraid you may be suffering from a bit of muscle-memory syndrome - especially if you have played the Arai for a long time. I am sure you will get used to the Warwick after a while, and it is definitely worth persevering, in my opinion.

If you want to give up on it, there will be plenty of buyers for it in BC, I'm sure.

[ianrunci]

[quote name='rslaing' post='202366' date='May 19 2008, 07:15 PM']I have two Warwicks (Thumb and Corvette) , both 6 string (one fretted and the other fretless) so maybe the "feel" thing is different. However, I did, when I first bought them, feel they were a bit unusual/different.

The remedy for me, was not to revert to any of my other basses, but play the Warwicks consistently and after a while, they felt a lot better than the others. In fact, the other basses felt inferior once I got used to the Warwicks. I also had them both set up by a pro (nut, truss rod and bridge) to get the lowest action possible, which also helped.

I'm afraid you may be suffering from a bit of muscle-memory syndrome - especially if you have played the Arai for a long time. I am sure you will get used to the Warwick after a while, and it is definitely worth persevering, in my opinion.

If you want to give up on it, there will be plenty of buyers for it in BC, I'm sure.[/quote]

not been playing the Aria long to be honest. I haven't played bass in a band since 1986. Been playing lead guitar since then so just getting used to being back on a bass was difficult enough. maybe your right about getting used to it but I'm not sure I have the patience for that. I think I might be off to buy myself a Music Man instead

[martthebass]

How long have you had it?
I played Jazzes for years and then decided to have a go at Warwick - I also loved the sound but hated the neck profile. I persevered for a few weeks and it got much easier and I had no problem switching backwards and forwards between Jazz and Thumb.

'Fraid I parted with the Thumb tho a few weeks ago - nothing to do with the neck - just hated the neck heavy balance on a long gig. Ended up buying a 'Ray. C'est la vie.

In all tho, if you haven't had it long give it a while you will grow acustomed to the neck in the end.

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='martthebass' post='202397' date='May 19 2008, 08:27 PM']How long have you had it?
I played Jazzes for years and then decided to have a go at Warwick - I also loved the sound but hated the neck profile. I persevered for a few weeks and it got much easier and I had no problem switching backwards and forwards between Jazz and Thumb.

'Fraid I parted with the Thumb tho a few weeks ago - nothing to do with the neck - just hated the neck heavy balance on a long gig. Ended up buying a 'Ray. C'est la vie.

In all tho, if you haven't had it long give it a while you will grow acustomed to the neck in the end.[/quote]
I had two Corvettes, a 4-string in Bubinga and a 5-string in swamp-ash. The 4-string neck felt very deep for its width, but the 5-string neck felt well proportioned. It was the weight and/or balance that eventually caused me to move on.

[Clarky]

Couple of years back I owned a Corvette and a Thumb N/T, both 4s - no contest, the Thumb felt great/smooth/fast/comfortable whereas the 'vette (which I wanted as back-up) felt thin and not very well finished by comparison. Sold the latter v quickly although I eventually parted ways with the Thumb also (as I prefer the look of 'classic' basses).

Doesn't prove much but I guess my point is that all Warwicks are not the same [edited for the sake of clarity for Josh] ... it depends on the model, probably also year etc

Edited May 19, 2008 by Clarky

[Josh]

[quote name='Clarky' post='202412' date='May 19 2008, 08:42 PM']I guess my point is that a Warwick is not a Warwick is not a Warwick ...[/quote]


Soooo any Warwick is in fact, not a Warwick??

[martthebass]

[quote name='Josh' post='202427' date='May 19 2008, 09:03 PM']Soooo any Warwick is in fact, not a Warwick?? [/quote]

Yup.......according to your sig you have in fact a wrawick.

Sorry, it's been a long day.......

[thisnameistaken]

My main bass is a Thumb 4. It's a nice old one (91), I don't know if the newer ones are any different.

The neck profile is a bit... unconventional, I agree. But not in a bad way IMO. It has more depth to it, somewhere to put your thumb. Maybe they're better suited to players with longer fingers.

I had a Corvette Proline 6 a few years back, that was a bolt-on made in whatever year they started making them (guessing by the two-digit serial number), and I really liked the neck on that, too. It's still the only 6 I've played that felt immediately natural when I first picked it up, but to be fair I don't make a habit of picking up 6-string basses.

Horses for courses and all that, but I really like them. I was thinking about buying another one about an hour ago.

[LeftySteve]

Hi, I moved to Warwicks after years of playing Fender basses. It was the neck shape that I loved about the Warwicks but it did take a while to adjust to the neck, in fact it was quite painful for a month or two (although I have had cortisone injections in both wrists now, an heradity thing unfortunately so that was probably a big factor). I have since moved back to Fender basses and had to go through the pain again! I never really got into the sound of all that bubinga & wenge but the basses were superb in every other respect.

Steve

[geilerbass]

I never had a problem with the neck profile. My first bass was a Bass Collection, which have very slim necks and I went straight to a '97 Streamer LX and didn't notice any problem with the neck profile. In fact it felt more comfortable and was easier to play than my old BC.

I keep reading things about people not getting on with Warwick necks - either they feel too long or the profile is odd - but I never experienced this at all.

[machinehead]

I have a 2004 LX4 and the neck is pretty deep but I find it very comfortable to play. I own basses with slimmer necks and sometimes prefer the Warwick over them.

I'd say stick with it for a few months. The sound alone is worth the effort!
Frank

[16Again]

[quote name='machinehead' post='202726' date='May 20 2008, 11:29 AM']I'd say stick with it for a few months. The sound alone is worth the effort!
Frank[/quote]

+1.
i recently bought a warwick corvette and did find it a bit of a pain to start with but after a couple of weeks it felt fine. i'm used to playing p bass and there's defo a big difference in neck profile. stick with it.
d.

[Bassworm]

Hi Ian,
Nice to see you in here. Warwicks seem to be one of those instruments that polarise opinions a bit. I personally can't get on with them at all, I find the necks to 'clublike' and chunky (And don't get me started on the look :-0). UKMG's own IanM by comparison absolutely loves his. And makes a great noise with it too.

If it's any help, I'm told that the earlier Warwicks have a much slimmer neck profile than the recent ones. Phaps you need to do a swap? :-)

Cheers,
Mike E.

[stevebasshead]

Could it be worth seeing if you can get more comfortable by adjusting the strap differently to how you'd have it for your previous basses? Free to try and you've nothing to lose...apologies if you've already tried this

I suggest this because I used to think Warwicks weren't for me because I didn't like the club-like feel of the necks on the couple I tried. But I've recently been wondering if I should have played with different strap lengths before coming to that hasty conclusion. I'm fairly sure that if I played around with longer or shorter straps I could have found a more comfortable position for my left wrist, which had been the bugbear for me, instead I bought something else.

Steve.

[The Funk]

If you're used to playing with your fretting hand thumb hanging over the top of the fretboard, you'll be buggered on a Warwick. If you use a more orthodox thumb placement (no higher than half-way up the middle of the neck), then you should be fine.

Get your elbows out and your wrists as straight as possible. Whatever angle and height you need to have the bass at in order to achieve that with your elbows, wrists and fretting hand thumb, it can be found with a bit of experimentation.

Even after all that and after persevering with it for a while, you may decide that you just play better on different profile necks. Early Warwicks ('91 or earlier I believe) have a different neck profile. But you may find the right bass for you isn't a Warwick at all.

Edited May 20, 2008 by The Funk

[Captain Bassman]

This all sounds quite familiar.

I bought a 4-string Fortress back in '94 that had a wenge neck. The profile was odd - from the front it looked slim and Jazz-like but the depth was very chunky. Like a baseball bat! Not a bad bass at all but it did take a bit of getting used to, especially as I have smallish hands.

I px'd it in '99 for a brand new all-maple Streamer Stage I 5-string...which I still have today and use at every gig. The neck on this is quite wide (I think the string spacing is 19 or 20mm) but the depth is nice 'n shallow. I have no problems switching between this and any of my other basses.

Maybe it's to do with the virtues of maple vs wenge as well as the change in profile over the years...

[Russ]

Personally I hate the profile of Warwick's current necks (the bolt-ons are the worst), but, after flogging an otherwise lovely Streamer Jazzman because of this, I was told by Alex at The Gallery that they could have reprofiled the neck for me... bah.

So, if you're not getting on with the neck, take it to a good luthier and ask them to reprofile it for you. Obviously The Gallery guys can do it, but I'd imagine any other decent luthier worth his salt could do it too.

[bassmanady]

My first 5 string bass that i bought in 1990 was a warwick thumb,i went to the Bass Centre to look at a Status,and came away with this,probally because it was the only one in the shop that had L.E.D's on the edge of the neck,i dont recall any problems with the neck dimensions,the only thing that annoyed me was the stringers were very slightly proud of the rest of the neck profile,which was noticeable when playing.It ended up making way for a Wal 5.

[ianrunci]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I have decided to give it a bit more time, at least till the end of the year. I tend to play with the strap quite high. Basically just under my man boob. perfect position if I decide I need to do a bit of slapping to annoy the guitarist

I think I will get it set up and maybe put some lighter strings on it as well. I actually like the width of the neck its just the profile and the depth I find unusual. Maybe its just something I need to adjust myself to. I will deffinately give it a go but I might still buy a Ray anyway. thats not being too greedy is it

[Galilee]

I picked up my NT Thumb 5 last night having never played a Warwick before and, as I have been reading this sort of thread quite a lot on here, I was quite fearful about the neck. but it just seems normal to me - maybe even a little narrower than I'm used to.

[tempo]

Warwicks def have a different profile to their necks, the new ovangkol ones esp. Not so much increased depth, more of a ] than a ) (if you get what I mean!). It feel does feel fuller in the hand. I've tried a couple of the older (wenge) necked models and they seemed to have a more "normal" feel. FWIW, Warwick have started offering the thinner style profile in their CS basses, which is making me seriously tempted to get a Thumb BO 6'er. Now I just need to find 2 grand!

[Hiperi0n]

i love the sound of warwicks..but often i don't feel comfortable with them...with neck and body...dunno why...it's just a feeling...but there are some warwicks that play wonderful
probably is my big stomach? who knows..eheheh
anyway there's a lot of people that i've heard that don't feel good with their necks..it is probably a love or hate thing

[BigBeefChief]

Hate is a very strong word.

[tauzero]

[quote name='Bassworm' post='202971' date='May 20 2008, 04:24 PM']If it's any help, I'm told that the earlier Warwicks have a much slimmer neck profile than the recent ones. Phaps you need to do a swap? :-)[/quote]
They do. I have an '87 Thumb and it's lovely to play. I can't stand the later Warwick necks.