Warwick GPS $$ 5 VS MARUSZCZYK Elwood Absolution 5

[AJC08]

Right then guys and gals. 

 

As the title suggests really. 

 

I want this to be my forever bass (we all say that I know) but I want something that will get me through session playing of near all genres and be welcomed in any type of band (people can be funny if they don't see a fender style bass for some odd reason) 

 

I know the warwick has that growl, the single coil, series/parallel thing going on. But I just do not know what to pick. Like will the Warwick get an active jazz style tone with the coil split but will the MARUSZCZYK get the Warwick style growl for prog and metal style. 

 

Help! Haha! Thanks all. 

[thodrik]

I think that both models are in stock at Bass Direct in Warwick. I would definitely give them a call with a view to going for a visit. Neck shape, neck radius, body shape, number of frets needed, string spacing etc is down to personal taste. I would highly recommend trying both, or even whatever other basses are in stock. 

 

Between the two I would go with the Warwick, on account that if I wanted a Warwick type bass I would get a Warwick and if I wanted an active jazz style bass my first choices be a Sandberg, Fender Ultra or Sadowsky Metro (which is now made by Warwick) over the Maruszcyk. However that is my view and lots of folk on here really rate the Maruszcyk basses.

As a compromise the Warwick Streamer LX5 might offer a compromise of Warwick growl and more traditional jazz style pickups. The Maruszcyk will have wider string spacing at 18mm whereas Warwick five strings have about 16.5mm spacing (so less space to slap, double thumb if you are into that kind of stuff). 




 

[LeftyJ]

37 minutes ago, thodrik said:

As a compromise the Warwick Streamer LX5 might offer a compromise of Warwick growl and more traditional jazz style pickups. 

Owning both a 4-string and a 5-string Streamer LX, I can tell you it will get you nowhere near Jazz Bass territory tonally. The stock active MEC pickups are very polite and clear sounding, quite hifi even, and because both pickups are closer to the bridge than the traditional Jazz Bass positions it doesn't have any of the warmth or the character. Other factors, like the solid maple body of the LX and Warwick's very rigid necks, are also a major influence. That said, it's still a very versatile workhorse with a huge range of tones. But it will always sound like a Warwick.

 

 

In terms of versatility, the Corvette $$ (or the less common Streamer $$) will be better suited if you're looking for a Swiss Army bass. 

 

Some other options worth considering: Lakland to me are the pioneers of the MM-J pickup configuration and both the USA models and the Asian Skyline series are solid, look and sound great, but I believe all their 5-strings have a 35" scale which won't be to everyone's liking. @thodrik already mentioned Sandberg, who have many models with the MM-J, MM-P or dual MM configuration as an option and they're stellar too. Lesser-known outside of Germany, Clover may also be an option. They have some basses with Delano hybrid MM-style pickups with one half that has traditional J-style pole pieces which gives it less of that MM-style brightness when split. 

[thodrik]

6 minutes ago, LeftyJ said:

Owning both a 4-string and a 5-string Streamer LX, I can tell you it will get you nowhere near Jazz Bass territory tonally. The stock active MEC pickups are very polite and clear sounding, quite hifi even, and because both pickups are closer to the bridge than the traditional Jazz Bass positions it doesn't have any of the warmth or the character. Other factors, like the solid maple body of the LX and Warwick's very rigid necks, are also a major influence. That said, it's still a very versatile workhorse with a huge range of tones. But it will always sound like a Warwick.

 

 

In terms of versatility, the Corvette $$ (or the less common Streamer $$) will be better suited if you're looking for a Swiss Army bass. 

 

Some other options worth considering: Lakland to me are the pioneers of the MM-J pickup configuration and both the USA models and the Asian Skyline series are solid, look and sound great, but I believe all their 5-strings have a 35" scale which won't be to everyone's liking. @thodrik already mentioned Sandberg, who have many models with the MM-J, MM-P or dual MM configuration as an option and they're stellar too. Lesser-known outside of Germany, Clover may also be an option. They have some basses with Delano hybrid MM-style pickups with one half that has traditional J-style pole pieces which gives it less of that MM-style brightness when split. 

Thanks for the insight, that is interesting to hear. Stunning basses there!

I didn't actually like the neck proline of the Laklands I tried. Solid and versatile basses though.  

Clover basses though, I haven't seen them for a while. I quite fancied one of those Xpression basses about 12 years ago but their website just stopped getting updated. I heard that they moved production to the Czech Republic. 

[Sambrook]

L2000?

Standard issue in the Swiss Army...