# warwick or fender?



## warwick_man (Mar 13, 2008)

hears a question why does everyone like fender basses i to be honest do not like them one bit. but if you where to choose WARWICK OR FENDER??? and the reason why!


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## enforcer505 (Jan 25, 2008)

i'm saying warwick, simply because i find they have some nice woods and fender tends to cheap out on it. i have used warwicks and find i get better sound out of them. an american strat with cheap alder just makes me cringe.....


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

i'm saying fender. they've just got the sound that IS bass, i guess. frankly, i'd want a dingwall over either...


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

Yeah, I'd have to say Fender, but would not turn down a Warwick.

I owned 2 Warwick Thumb Neck thru's back in the early 90s and they were nice basses. I've played a couple since in shops and they are nice.

But... after not even trying out a Fender and dismissing them outright for the first 20 of years of my bass playing, I used one a couple years ago and was hooked. They play well, and a jazz or P just sit in the mix perfectly.

I really want the new American 5 string P-bass.


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## skydigger (Oct 20, 2007)

The sound of the P & J are great, but the Warwick has a much higher build quality and is much more comfortable to play.

I also question why I see so many guitarists playing Fenders and Gibsons all of the time when there are so many luthiers building higher quality and modernized versions of those classic designs. 

Why play a Strat if you can afford to have Tom Anderson or Brian Moore build you a better one?


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

skydigger said:


> Why play a Strat if you can afford to have Tom Anderson or Brian Moore build you a better one?


Why not play the Strat if it's the tool that gets the job done for you?


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

warwick don't make tele or p basses.
their star bass looks nice though.


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## jane (Apr 26, 2006)

Fender here 

Because the strat works just fine...


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Both. I like them both equally. Different tools for different jobs, moods, styles, vibes, whatever.

So many basses, so little time.

Peace, Mooh.


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## JBassJohn (Feb 19, 2007)

*Fender*

I just like the sound and feel better. I have nothing to back it up other than my personal preference.:food-smiley-004:


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## warwick_man (Mar 13, 2008)

well if you think about it.. warwick is good for every type of playing, if you use a pick (slipknot for example) they sound amazing..but as well as finger, slap , pop , and what ever else you do it works for all of thoughs. as for a fender there to poppy and are only good for jazz or pop music. now im not putting that kinda music down or anything, BUT i still say warwick has better quality and sound then anything iv ever heard. not to mention BETTER LOOKING!!!!:smile: no effence to you fender lovers out there.


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

warwick_man said:


> well if you think about it.. warwick is good for every type of playing, if you use a pick (slipknot for example) they sound amazing..but as well as finger, slap , pop , and what ever else you do it works for all of thoughs. as for a fender there to poppy and are only good for jazz or pop music. now im not putting that kinda music down or anything, BUT i still say warwick has better quality and sound then anything iv ever heard. not to mention BETTER LOOKING!!!!:smile: no effence to you fender lovers out there.


Well, you obviously have a love for your Warwicks which is great, but saying Fender can't do anything other than jazz or pop is a pretty uninformed and ridiculous statement. Fender was doing all styles of music long before Warwick came along.

I too, never gave any thought to Fender when I had a couple Warwicks, a couple FBasses, Zon, Smith etc..., but, then again, I never tried them either. I am now of the opinion that if it can't be done on a P bass, it can't be done.


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

imo warwicks are super fugly.


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## warwick_man (Mar 13, 2008)

well im not saying there the worst bass ever.. i just dont think it has the sound quality for ALL types of music yes i do love warwick but i also like the ibanezs as well. (warwicks are not fugly other then the dolpin) lol. but meh i guess its your preferance to what you like more i just dont like fender yea it was one of the nicer models then but now.... hmm not so much P.S they are fugly, (no effence to anyone) same shape most of the time.. but meh what do iknow im just a bass player


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

the beginning and the end.


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

warwick_man said:


> well im not saying there the worst bass ever.. i just dont think it has the sound quality for ALL types of music yes i do love warwick but i also like the ibanezs as well. (warwicks are not fugly other then the dolpin) lol. but meh i guess its your preferance to what you like more i just dont like fender yea it was one of the nicer models then but now.... hmm not so much P.S they are fugly, (no effence to anyone) same shape most of the time.. but meh what do iknow im just a bass player


Hmmm. If I had the scratch I'd love a Dolphin bass.


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## Greenbacker (Mar 29, 2007)

Fender all the way! I'd try to find something from the '90s rather than something new though for about the same price.... Warwicks are just not a nice looking instrument in my opinion. They look like 70's furniture. Didn't Fender actually invent a few models over the years? What were those called again?


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

Greenbacker said:


> Didn't Fender actually invent a few models over the years? What were those called again?


I believe it was called the *Bass Guitar.*


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2008)

Voted Fender, just because Fenders are more versatile than Warwicks. Personally, I love the Warwick Thumb, it's one of the best basses made, but Warwick basses aren't that versatile. Fenders on the other hand have more diversity in construction and tone. Though if I had to choose between an American Jazz and a bubinga Thumb NT, I'd definitely go for the Thumb, even though it would cost me an arm and a leg. :smile:


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## mkidder (May 10, 2008)

I voted Warwick because I now have three of them and they are my flavor of the day, so to speak. I change up from time to time and usually have more than one bass sitting around the house. I used to play Fenders exclusively but right now I’m really digging the wicks. I could go either way on this as I’ve always loved the sound of a good J Bass and I still have one that I pull out from time to time. I just can’t get the action on it to compare to how the Thumb plays. I never found the FNA Jazzman five-string to be limited in anyway. The Thumb, well maybe, however, you can do a lot by your choice of strings. I put chromes (flatwounds) on mine as I thought the bass was a bit too bright. It sounds and plays very nice. It’s all very subjective, as we know. I really want to try a Streamer but I can’t and won’t spring the money for that now. My wife is very supportive of my hobby (habit?), but that would be pushing it. :smile:


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

I'm a guitar player, not a bassist, so I won't comment on the merits of sound and suitability, but to my eye, I still think the best-looking bass of all is the Jazz.
-Mikey


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Nothing like the sound of the Fender P bass, Jazz is pretty nice also.


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2008)

Not all Fenders cheap out on the wood. This is my USA Jazz and that's a Koa top over Mahogany. I don't play bass much anymore but I still have all the gear.


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2008)

Paul said:


> I find the Warwick Thumb basses to be very headstock heavy. The neck plays like a dream, the sound is incredible, but the balance is way off.



LOL!!

Reminds me of my first bass, a Gibson SG. It was so heavy on the headstock that as soon as I let go of it the neck would fall to the floor, hard. I found myself a split leather strap thinking the rough split leather would grip my shirt and the bass would stay put. It gripped my shirt alright. First time I let go of the neck it pulled my shirt up out of my pants and it was all coiled up around my neck choking me. That happened on stage. I was so mortified with embarrasment I sold the bass immediately and bought an Ibanez. Great neck on that Ibanez but crap for sound. Always comes back to the Jazz.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Yoda said:


> LOL!!
> 
> It gripped my shirt alright. First time I let go of the neck it pulled my shirt up out of my pants and it was all coiled up around my neck choking me. That happened on stage.


Pics? Youtube link ? :smile:


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

no love for carvin basses?


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

I like the looks of Carvin's newish bass. Can't remember the name but it's a take on the jazz bass.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

As I said before, I'm not a bass player, but I had some time to kill in a music store one day, and tried out a Dingwall Super J. I thought it was pretty special. Anybody on here play one or has tried one before? 
-Mikey


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

My son is the bass player in the family. He's tried Fender J & P basses and opted for a Warwick Streamer - likes the Warwick tone/growl and the feel of the neck better. BTW, he got to try a one-off Dingwall custom with the Novax fretboard estimated by Dingwall himself to be over $8G and he preferred his Streamer to that also. All a matter of personal preference, I suppose...


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## bleedingfingers (Sep 25, 2007)

Play what feels and sounds good to you .
I have owned and own many nice basses over the years and for what it's worth all the ones I use now are Fenders or Fender style .
I have played Warwicks but have never owned one .
As for what is more suitable for a style of music I don't think it matters .
cheers B.


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## discomalaria (Feb 17, 2010)

I, like many others, voted Fender. I love the look of them and they feel pretty nice. Overall though I'm still in love with my Yamaha.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Might as well put a plug in for the EB/MM Stingray - great bass also!


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I'm not a bassist although I do own one and play once in awhile.

As a sound man I've heard good smooth tones from Fenders more often than from Warwicks. A well played Jazz or P bass can be a thing of beauty. Maybe it's because many guys who use Warwicks go for more high mids and high end than Fender guys. That sounds good by itself but in the context of most bands I like a bassist who plays with his fingers (not a pick) and who uses a more smooth, deep tone without a lot of treble.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

hoser said:


> imo warwicks are super fugly.


+1 I tried a few years ago when I was trying to be the next Flea, but I could never get over that big bulge down on the bottom of the body, and the uber horn thing! My fav.Fender is/was the Roscoe Beck 5 string, so I'm voting Fender despite being a Rickenbacker guy.

I'd like to add that warwick makes some KILLER amps!


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## Renniw (May 4, 2006)

gtone said:


> Might as well put a plug in for the EB/MM Stingray - great bass also!


I can get very close sound to P -Bass and Jazz bass with my sterling HH by just by playing with the pickup selector. Not the same, but close...

As for Warwicks, I never liked their necks. so my vote will go to fender.


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## Morkolo (Dec 9, 2010)

I said Fender, even though my favourite "Fender" isn't even a Fender but a Ventura copy.


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