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Warwick Thumb 5 Neckthrough Reviews  4 / 5 based on 3 reviewsNatural finish, 5 String. Neckthrough design is very sturdy.
I had his bass for about 6 months as a loaner from a friend. I played it as much as I could, I loved this bass!
The tone is absolutely fantastic, I love the way this sounds and the way it feels when you play it, it is a very comfortable bass. The neck is at a good thickness and the action is just right. No mater whether your your playing with your fingers, a pick, slap, or tapping the tone is fantastic, you can't go wrong with Warwick and this bass is the best I have heard. My The strings that come with it are great too and feel great on your fingers and play over the frets really well.
It is a bit heavy compared to another 5-string but with weight comes great tone.
Very well constructed, very durable and neckthrough design keeps the bass aligned and in tune well.
If I had the money to buy a new bass I would buy this in a heartbeat and you should too. It really isn't that expensive and has fantastic tone. ctargia rated this unit on 2010-06-06. I've played electric bass for nearly twenty years and have been on Montreal's live circuit for nine years. I've been in several bands, both original and cover. I currently play two to four shows a week. The music I play largely represents the music I enjoy listening to (with the odd exception): funk, R & B, reggae, afro-latin and pop. On to the review!
I bought my Thumb in 2004 at Italmelodie in Montreal. I already owned two other Warwicks (a Streamer Stage I and a Thumb 4 Bolt-on) and had long wanted a Thumb NT. They didn't have any in stock, so I took a chance and ordered blind (I'd tried a Thumb 4 NT, but never a 5). Whoops. $3300 Canadian later...
There's no denying the beauty of this instrument's materials. The figured bubinga is lovely and the bass does, indeed, look like a fine piece of craftsmanship. It's one of the most attractive basses I've owned and certainly gets attention. The tone is warm and clean and sounds great on its own. The hardware is solid (save for the nut) and the bass matches the furniture in my living room very nicely.
A lot of people love this bass. I am not one of those people. First of all, as many other reviews mention, this bass weighs a ton. Worse, it is considerably neck-heavy. For me, the Thumb 5 NT is an ergonomic nightmare: it hangs strangely, the bridge is where my hand would normally pluck (this is due to the unusually small body and short upper-horn) and the neck is super-thick (much thicker than the nineties Warwicks. The bass sounds elegant on its own, but in a band context, all definition is lost. With the bass pot rolled up, things start to get muddy fast (especially on the B string). This is NOT a good bass for slappers: the 26 frets ensure that your slap position will leave you with no low-end punch and a too-taut-for-popping feel.
It gets better. My Thumb arrived with a nut which was in the process of coming unglued and a crack in the fingerboard at the 26th fret. I had these both repaired. A year later, another crack in the same area and ANOTHER crack at the control cavity from an improperly mounted screw. Given that the bass was in storage for over a year before I bought it, I would suspect negligence on the part of the distributor. Warwick agreed to patch up my bass, but refused to give me a replacement. When I attempted to correspond with Warwick, they would only forward my e-mails to the very uncooperative distributor.
Having owned two other Warwicks, the Thumb 5 was a great disappointment. The fact that Warwick refused to provide a replacement given the instrument's defects (and that they wouldn't respond to my e-mails directly) only made the whole experience worse. Honestly, if you're going to lay down that kind of money, buy a Sadowsky! If, however, you must buy a Warwick, opt for the Bolt-on Thumb. It won't impress your friends as much in the looks department, but it will be more ergonomically friendly (yes, there's a noticeable difference between the designs of the NT vs Bolt-on) and it will be punchier and clearer in the mix. Good luck! Dylan K rated this unit on 2007-04-09. I bought my Thumb on-line on a specific auction website which shall remain nameless (like you don't know). I had spent alot of time trying to decide what to buy and I actually bought this one without ever playing one! I know thats a bad idea, but I'm sooooo glad I bought it! The sticker shock on the neckthrougs are a bit overwelming! However; I aqured this one for $1475.00 and would do it again!
The playability of this machine is extremely pleasurable! It's got a tone that I believe to be unmatched. Even looking at the thing screams quality. Not to mention it's pretty little thing!! The controls are easy to use and they include an active bypass in the form of a pop-pot. As far as adjustments go, they are plentiful. From the all-direction bridge to the adjustable nut. You can't go wrong with this puppy!
The bass has two downfalls that I can find--It,s very heavy! I'm talkin' 70's p-bass heavy!
-It's balanced a litte heavy on the neck end however; it has ironically improved my playing posture! So basically my only complaint is the weight issue!
It's tone, construction and playability surpass any i've played before. If you love tone, action, versatility and arent a 90 pound weekling, save up some coin and venture into a warwick!! Wes Bollingmo rated this unit on 2002-11-01.
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