"Beefing" up a Warwick

[warwickhunt]

Sorry I didn't spot this thread sooner!

A couple of points;

What did you play before the Warwick?
As has been sensibly suggested, do you get rattle clank when played unamplified. How does the bass sound when acoustic?
If you haven't experimented with strings consider fitting Nickel plated strings they can soften a basses tone.
Don't be afraid to turn the treble and/or bass up full, unless your amp is deficient you don't tend to get extreme horrible sounds even with everything up full (just watch for overloading the amp input).
Warwick fit all-sorts of pups to there various basses and I've heard it argued that they match the best pup for the tonewood used... tosh! I've owned Streamers with MEC EMG & Bartolini and most had Maple as the tonewood, Warwick probably fitted whatever was readily available at the time (I'll get booted out of the Warwick brotherhood for this). So I'd say EMGs would be fine in your bass unless you just dislike the sound of the bass!
Pickups do impart their own signature to the tone of a bass so unless you know 'exactly' what you're searching for (and EMGs may not have been it) I wouldn't dive in and try changing pups again just yet.
Do remember that what one person calls sterile another might call uncoloured etc. I personally think that EMGs are quite neutral sounding but there'll be plenty of others who'd disagree.
I've just fitted a set of 'Wizards' to my MEC equipped bass (review at the end of the week after rehearsals and gigs) as I was finding the tone a bit nasal. Odd... I've played the same bass for the last 12 years and not had an issue BUT I have changed my amp and cab recently - You say you are using an EA amp, I've heard they are quite hi-fi sounding or have you changed anything else in your set-up lately?

[LPG83]

The bass was originally sold with MEC's, but its so long since i switched to the EMGs that i can't remember how they sounded. I still have them in a cupboard somewhere, so you're right, it might be worth switching back for a wee experiment.

I do hear all the unsavoury noises un-amped. I think my first step will be to get the bass a proper set up cos im sure it deserves some TLC, plus take the action up as it is sitting pretty low at the low end.

As far the amp goes, im sure id benefit from a meatier cab as im using a little EA Wizzy at the moment, but its so portable and is pretty convenient since im really playing mostly "small to medium" sized gigs at the mo.

But maybe all in all im just having a sudden bass players crisis and hungry for a change....

By the way, all time spent on helping me out here is very much appreciated.

you're a lovely bunch.

[alexclaber]

If you want to get the full fat sound from your EMG pickups they need to be VERY close to the strings, basically as close as you can get them without the strings hitting them. When set up like normal pickups EMGs tend to sound very clear but rather thin and lacking in oomph (lows and low mids). When correctly adjusted they sound very clear yet fat with tons of bottom.

An oft overlooked issue!

Alex