Warwick JD Thumb Bass 1987 - SOLD SOLD SOLD

[NAS]

NOW SOLD AND FINALISED.


I bought this example of the early JD (John Davis) Thumb Bass from woolf back in April 2008. Since then I've been captured by "Jazz Fever" and the Thumb hasn't been used outside the house. Recent purchases mean I need to balance the books hence rationalising the collection and moving this on. I've pinched some of woolf's pics here, hope he doesn't mind. I'm looking for £850. Not looking for trades (unless someone has an entirely original, light [<8.5 lbs], great sounding, great condition pre CBS Fender Jazz with maple neck!!!).















The only change I have made is to get a set of brass tuning spacers made to replace the black plastic ones which were beginning to crack with age.
These new spacers were hand made and fitted by Kim Seabourne the great Bass Surgery luthier based in Worcester. The old plastic ones have been retained and will be included.
Kim also did a complete set up so the action is super low and the playability excellent.





According to woolf the bass had a complete re-fret in 2006 with Warwick bell brass fret wire and the frets are in A1 condition and beautifully finished. The bass is in great condition, no scratches or dings, but quite a lot of playing wear on the neck, making it very smooth, and a bit of right hand thumb wear above the neck pickup, which would be considered "mojo" in a vintage instrument. A great collectors item and a players dream. Really classic Thumb sounds from a sleek beast!

Fitted with original Bartolini pick-ups and the original Schaller single piece bridge, it has the lovely early Warwick slim neck, sculpted headstock rear and the tuning spacers to set the tuners at an angle from the head. These JD Thumbs are fairly rare.

Here's some Information about this bass adapted from the Warwick site:

The Thumb History
In 1985 Warwick created the Thumb modifying the Streamer shape... it was to have been a headless bass but it turned out so good it was left headed. The shape was influenced by the ideas of a great pro player John Davis. He used to move a lot on stage and he wanted a smaller body and a faster neck than the Streamer had. The Wengé neck was a Warwick trademark at the time and the bass sounds clear, powerful and big. The earliest Thumb basses were made in 1985. These basses are really hard to find, expecially the ones with the early body shape (changed in 1987). In 1986 Warwick produced 40 basses a month. They made them with a Schaller one piece bridge. The old Thumbs had the famous EMG pu's, a slightly more aggressive sound than the warmer and smoother Bartolini's which were installed as an option (as on this bass). In 1992 Warwick developed their own pick ups, the MECC's which are still installed in the Thumb Basses of today.

Specs: Bubinga body, Wengé/Bubinga neck, Wengé fingerboard, 34" scale, 26 bell-brass frets, black hardware, Schaller/Warwick tuners, Schaller/Warwick one-piece brass bridge, brass just-a-nut I (with individully adjustable strings grooves), Bartolini J pickups, 2band active preamp.

The early Thumbs were built in 1985 and some of them have the JD logo. JD stands for John Davis, a bass player in the Nurenburg Area after whom Hans Peter Wilfer (the founder of Warwick) named the bass. The name was changed in 1986 or 1987 from JD to just Thumb Bass.

This is John Davis with one of the first Thumb Basses:


Bit out of the way in the northern wilds of Worcestershire (13 miles from Kidderminster) but visitors welcome if anyone wants to come and "try before buy".

Online bank transfer preferred unless you plan to pick it up in which case cash accepted! Courier costs will be added to price.

PM for any further details.

Thanks for looking,
Nick S

Edited February 9, 2010 by NAS

[NAS]

Never has a bass been sold with so few post responses and so many PMs methinks. Thanks for all the interest. Now being prepared for its new home. NS

[bigthumb]

I could weep!

[ialma]

thanks God it was a four strings or I would have wept for hours