Sniffin' around for ages.. help needed

[andytoad]

Right,
I have a Warwick 87 SS2 nt. I love the feel of the neck and string spacing at the nut. For me, I think the 35inch scale is a little too long.

Problem is, I can't get on with the tone, it's too harsh and clangy compared to my old 80's thumb which sounded rich with warmth. The rounder neck was not as comfortable as my current SS2.

So, any recommendations on a bass (not specifically Warwick)?

Slim/fast jazz style neck (d shape?), prefer NT, but not essential.
Medium scale
5 string
A deep resonant rich sounding wood body
Narrow string spacing, possibly with adjustable bridge.
Active or passive
Quite tempted by a double humbucker option, but not essential for pickups
Simple controls - I'm not up for parametric mid tone super bendy multiple dial do dats.
Budget around £1500 - happy to buy used.

Edited May 20, 2017 by andytoad

[Bass_Guardian]

When you say Medium scale do you mean 32 inch?

[Cuzzie]

Hmmmm

A difficult quandary and I can see you getting a lot of suggestions here, but of course it's no substitute for getting out there with your hands and ears.

Sandberg wise you will get an excellent bass no matter which one you pick, but for what you describe go for the Sandberg or Hausel pick ups not the Delano's.
Don't go G&L, quality is good, a range of neck types, and you get a full sound (I have had 3) but pick ups are on the trebley side of things.

The other simple thing is looking at changing strings, may just mellow the sound out.

[bassbora]

I you like the SS2 but not the tone why not look into changing pickups and preamp?

[darkandrew]

Again, if you like everything else about it then a change of strings (especially if you are you using stainless steel round wounds) to something mellower might be the simplest option. After that, a pickup change (are they the default MEC pickups?) could be your second port of call; I changed the MECs on my SS1 to standard EMGs and they do sound fuller and deeper (I also tried the EMG-X range but found them to be very bright and very similar to the original MECs). After that, you could look at a a change of pre-amp, etc. Basically, if I had a bass (or a guitar) where I liked everything else apart from the tone, I'd persevere with it and tweak it until I got it right because it's a lot easier to do that than fix one where you like the tone but hate everything else (cough cough, Gibson Les Paul with 50's profile neck!)

Edited May 20, 2017 by darkandrew

[chris_b]

Let me try tempting you with a Sadowsky RV5.

Ad at bottom of post, in my sig.

Edited May 20, 2017 by chris_b

[Norris]

Put a set of flats on it?

[Pinball]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1495311478' post='3302952']
Put a set of flats on it?
[/quote]
I agree and another thing to try would be to knock of a bit off the controls of the bass amnd see if it mellows it.

Alternatively these Kiloton's. G&L necks are great they look cool to me... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMr9Yx78O_w"]https://www.youtube....h?v=AMr9Yx78O_w[/url]

Edited May 20, 2017 by Pinball

[bassix]

The op doesn't like the 35" scale neck so changing everything isn't an option.

[Dazed]

Warwicks aren't 35" they're 34". That said, if it doesn't feel comfortable nothing's going to change that fact.

Edited May 21, 2017 by Dazed

[LukeFRC]

I had similar sound issues with my SS1 - sounded like a machine gun rather than a bass. Bartolini pickups and a ACG pre got the sound where I wanted it. TBH it's more the pickups than the pre

[tonyf]

You mention you loved your old Thumb. Noticed that Bass Direct have an early nineties Thumb NT 5 for about your budget.

[andytoad]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1495311478' post='3302952']
Put a set of flats on it?
[/quote]

Finally tried this, I went for la Bella low tension flats, they sound amazing. It makes the SS2 sound great, not the sound I was initially after, but I really like it. Full fat thump. I rolled more top off too with a little more bridge pickup. They are EMG'S by the way. Thanks for your help One and all. I will stick with this for a while!