NBD - rare find - Warwick Dolphin Pro I

[Chris2112]

Perhaps I should have gotten round to posting this thread sooner. Indeed, just having a Warwick Dolphin in my collection at home is grounds for celebration. I had waited, however, to get it set up and get used to it. More on that in a bit...

 

 

Now, I wouldn't normally preface every NBD thread with a backstory. Or would I? Perhaps I would, because these days I don't really buy a bass unless it's something I really, really want or have wanted for years. Maybe this leads to less 'wildcard' revelations but all the same, I have never been disappointed by taking a more selective approach to buying. I keep saying I'll get back to selling or trading but so far, I keep getting things I can't bear to let go.

 

I've wanted a Dolphin since I was about 15. I've long been a Warwick fan and I've had Thumbs and Streamers in the past. There is room in my collection for a few more, I dare say, so watch this space. My affection for Warwick goes back to the turn of the millennium, when I was first getting into Talkbass and discovering the world of boutique basses along with a world outside of rock and metal. However, I was very familiar with that world at the time and Warwick were very visible in that field. If you were anyone in the nu metal game, you probably had a Warwick bass and a great tone to go with it. I remember the Dana B. Goods Warwick website (indeed, I'm sure that they owned 'www.warwick.com' and enquiries would take you to their site rather than Warwick.de). In short, Warwick were everywhere and I loved them. Nothing sounded like a Warwick, particularly the 'dark' wood models (bubinga Corvettes, ovankgol and walnut Thumbs, boire and ovankgol Dolphins etc). 

 

I had consigned myself to never seeing a Dolphin in person, never mind owning one. The one I ended up buying was in fact, the first I've ever laid eyes on. The moment of seeing those unique and unusual proportions in person will stay with me forever, a bit like seeing the leaning tower of Pisa or whatever - you know them innately, by exposure, but seeing them in person is an experience on another level. 

 

So there I was at work in late March on a night shift, idling away. I'd seen the advert here for the Dolphin in the classifieds and considered it but thought restraint was more satisfying than indulgence. In that moment though, I decided that spending a little dough on something I'd wanted for two decades was a fair trade. Communications were made and a deal was done. 

 

The bass came looking, plainly speaking, like a new instrument, save for the frets. Like most Warwick bell brass frets, they need occasional attention to polish them up. But the wood was as smooth and satin as any Warwick I've touched and the gold hardware completely unblemished. The action was sky high and the strings were absolutely dead so despite getting the bass in my hands, there wasn't much to report on getting it home. I played it for about ten minutes and felt it had a huge potential, then put it back in the Warwick flight case and put it away. On another note, should nuclear war ever start I'll be hiding inside that case. I trapped my fingers between it and the car's B pillar when I brought it home and howled in pain. I accidentally stubbed my toe on it putting it into my car once and felt like I'd kicked a boulder. Built to last, it is. 

 

A visit to the greatly-esteemed Bass Doc, Howard Satterly, finally had the Dolphin ready to play. Strung with some EBMM stainless steels in .45 and with frets polished and the action brought down to a realistic level. An instrument of this level deserves a professional setup and will receive any necessary tweaks by my own fair hand in future. But man, does it play nicely now. Getting it home and plugging it in, I could finally give the full appraisal. 

 

The weight is surprisingly light. This is no Thumb and whilst I have no means of measuring it, it is lighter than my Spector NS-5CR and my Pedulla Pentabuzz. The rhomboid body gives it an offset position over the body, such that the bridge is almost offset from your midriff. It doesn't quite hang in a jazz bass position but it's not far off. If the central position and long reach to first inherent in the Warwick Thumb is not to your taste, you would probably prefer this. Seated, it's a joy to play in a classical position over the left knee. I never do this with my other basses but I could find some mileage here, since it seems to encourage a very right hand position that produces a very clean and articulate sound. 

 

The sound is absolutely classic Warwick, hi-fi and crisp with a distinct growl in the low midrange. The humbucker back pickup sounds absolutely great and so far, I've been running it solo. With both pickups on full, the sound is so rich with bottom end that my neighbours have been banging on the wall in a show of appreciation. There is little to none of the 'tone suck' that some basses experience when running both pickups on full. The coil tap for the back pickup is also super cool, as running both coils gives a big, juicy sound. Splitting them gives a more classic jazz bass style honk, and you fan further accentuate this by pulling the other pot up to run the bass in passive. 

 

I've mainly been playing it through my Markbass Jeff Berlin CMD-151P so far, occasionally running it through a Samsamp GED-2112. However, I've found it most satisfying just running straight into the Markbass and getting some very sweet hi-fi sounds as a result. 

 

Well, all I can do now is put the miles on it and see how my opinion of it moves. So far, it has been absolutely and unwaveringly positive and I've been having a total blast with it. A Thumb or Streamer could yet find it's way into my collection, but I feel as though the crown jewel has already been located. 

 

 

 

 

[uncle psychosis]

Nice! 

 

I can't pretend I know much about Warwicks but the Dolphin really is a cool instrument. Looks like a very nice example and a cool back story too. 

[NickA]

I've got one of those. And the massive case. It has the best ergonomics of any bass.

 

usually in "jazz" mode = even pickup balance and coil tap, lovely clear tone,  great for slapping and tapping too.

 

I'd wanted a 5 string, and a wenge neck, but dolphins are so rare you just have to grab what comes up!

 

Enjoy.

 

 

 

[Ruarl]

You lucky devil. What a beautiful instrument. I am in the same position as you, having wanted one for 20 years. But I didn’t buy the first one I saw, as it was in a Cash Converters, and there was no chance of a (relatively) sensible price. 
 

Thanks for the update on the Bass Doc. When I lived in Tyneside he was a great asset to the scene. 

[AlexDelores]

Really nice read! Thanks Chris!
 

Funny now you’ve said it, I can just see all of the baggy shorted Nu-Metal bass players and they’re all wielding Warwick’s!  
 

Congrats on the Dolphin.

[Hellzero]

Very nice find and nice Basslab too. 😉

 

Calling @Henrythe8...

[crazycloud]

Dolphins are unique looking basses and I'd love to try one, but I've never even seen one in the flesh. A 5 would have had me tempted to buy it blind because I like the unusual. Have fun with it.

 

If you were my friend and got one, it would take me ages to stop making Flipper sounds around you.

 

 

I'll go stand in the corner now...

[Henrythe8]

Wow. Nice Dolphin, and Nice BassLab too 🙂 

What year is this one ? Looks a bit too red for a Ovangkol, did you have the luck to score a Boiré one ? (although if it's lightweight it might not be). It seems weird to have a Tedur nut, too. 

How is the neck ? 

[NickA]

I see you like the sound in "passive" mode.  I guess you know it's not really passive, the pickups themselves are active and all pulling that switch up does is turn off the onboard EQ ... should be the same as turning the EQ knobs to neutral as you're still sending a buffered and actively mixed signal to the amp. Or am I wrong?

 

I find the whole sound a bit "thin" unless I crank up the EQ knobs a bit.

 

Ps: looks just like my ovangkol one (2001) so I'm guessing not boire.  Might have a wenge neck tho ( don't know if that alters the sound, but it looks nice).  Here's mine

[snorkie635]

Congratulations on the Dolphin. Here's mine.

 

 

[Sparky Mark]

Beautiful bass congratulations.

2 hours ago, Henrythe8 said:

Wow. Nice Dolphin, and Nice BassLab too 🙂 

What year is this one ? Looks a bit too red for a Ovangkol, did you have the luck to score a Boiré one ? (although if it's lightweight it might not be). It seems weird to have a Tedur nut, too. 

How is the neck ? 

The original ad shows the spec.

 

[Chris2112]

12 hours ago, Henrythe8 said:

Wow. Nice Dolphin, and Nice BassLab too 🙂 

What year is this one ? Looks a bit too red for a Ovangkol, did you have the luck to score a Boiré one ? (although if it's lightweight it might not be). It seems weird to have a Tedur nut, too. 

How is the neck ? 

 

It's a 2009, it is indeed ovangkol though the body has a light, almost blonde tint to it. It looks completely different in different rooms of my house due to the different coloured lighting. I really need to get it outside on a sunny day for some photographs but the weather has mainly been dismal lately. 

 

The neck is a pleasant surprise, being a 'D' shape but somewhat thinner some some of the Warwicks I remember from the ovangkol-neck period. The fret ends are absolutely perfect and it is extremely fast and smooth. I'd almost forgotten how good 'raw' wood like this could feel. It's a total delight in every position, have a bit of a 'scruff' to hold onto in first position and being extremely wieldy further up. Having 26 frets to play with is great fun and the intonation for chords up at the dusty end is almost spooky. They're so clean and clearly intonated. No dead spots either. I've previously played Warwicks where the neck was maybe something I'd live with for the sound of the bass, rather than something I loved outright. This one just feels right to me.

 

But don't take my word for any of this! I often say that I can get used to anything. I'm particular about what I like but I'm extremely flexible about specs; I couldn't tell you the nut width by mm on any of my basses because I can adjust quickly to most things. I guess it I told you this sounds and feels a bit like a jazz bass and a Thumb merged into one, you might understand where I'm coming from. 

[Bunion]

Always need a good back story! 

[TheGreek]

I bought one shortly after I started playing again. Set neck model.

I could find two tones I liked  - everything else was mush to my ears.

Sold it on the Warwick forum to a fella in Oz who was happy to pay the courier. 

[NickA]

"Mush"!!! ???? Not a word I'd apply to a dolphin..... not even a set neck one.

 

The pro1 is a very different bast tho.  Clarity in excess.  Fantastic for soloing, sometimes hard to drop in the mix.

[NikNik]

I had two of them. Both of them NT. One in Ovangkol, which I did not like. I immediately sold that, and a few weeks later I got one in Boire, with gold hardware.

[NickA]

23 hours ago, NikNik said:

one in Boire, with gold hardware.

Boire and Barts? It was hearing Schalk Joubert playing a five string one of those that really set me wanting a dolphin.

 

Never had the chance to play one or compare with my "modern" ( ovangkol and MEC) bass.  I think their sound is warmer, less "brittle" which I'd put down to the pickups not tbe wood.

[NikNik]

2 hours ago, NickA said:

Boire and Barts? It was hearing Schalk Joubert playing a five string one of those that really set me wanting a dolphin.

 

Never had the chance to play one or compare with my "modern" ( ovangkol and MEC) bass.  I think their sound is warmer, less "brittle" which I'd put down to the pickups not tbe wood.

Naah, it defo had MEC pups.

[tobiewharton]

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed reading that - thanks for taking the time to share. I've lusted after one of these unconventional beasts for a long time. I've owned Warwicks and we've never really hit it off but the design of the Dolphin is just mesmerising. The inlays are the icing on the cake. I'm a zoologist by day and have a sperm whale inlay at the 12th on my Shuker.

Continue to treasure and enjoy this beauty!

[Paddy777]

Great read Chris 😀 👍 Beautiful bass - as played by Sonny T no less of Prince/Cory Wong fame, so they must be good! I’ve never owned a Warwick but it’s inevitable at some point - this would be right up my street, Warwick’s always remind of expensive oak furniture - they bodies always such amazing lumps of wood 

[NickA]

Don't know what model Sonny Thompson's Dolph is .... being white and that.  Equipboard reckons it's a mere SN, not a Pro1, Paired with a big Trace rig ...as did Nirvana.... which is an unexpectedly great combination.  If only I had the space I'd have kept my old trace combo just for the dolphin.

 

 

[Chris2112]

Sonny T's white Dolphin must surely be a custom, given the level he is playing at and his long association with Warwick. I'd be very surprised if it were a set net under the paint. 

 

I'm not sure when the Dolphin SN went out of production. Ish Guitars in the US have a few limited run 'new but old' Dolphin SN models in stock on their website, made as part of a limited from bodies and necks and that had been carved in the early 00's but never assembled. Ish Guitars and Warwick both stated that those were the last of their kind since they don't offer the SN option anymore. I'm not sure what a new Dolphin would cost and, bearing in mind that the SN was previously the 'cheaper' option for buying a new Dolphin, it doesn't sound as though these SN's that Ish are selling would represent any sort of savings over just buying a new Pro I. But they might, because the cost of new Warwick basses is absolutely bonkers. 

 

The link below takes you to an archived version of the old American Warwick bass website with the Dolphin SN on it. 

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20030212125944/http://www.warwickbass.com/basses/dolphinsn.html

[NickA]

...i looked up the price of a new dolphin pro1 today: £7800 !!!  That's an off the shelf master build not a custom shop special. 

 

But 2nd hand they're around £2k. Go figure.

 

Still no idea what Sonny is playing.  But if he did buy a SN and liked it ..why not.

 

I've never played or even seen a SN .. did try a pro2 and that is emphatically NOT in the same league as a pro1.