A Low-Key Classic – Break the Mold With a Warwick Bass in Your Rig

While we here at TheToneKing.com don’t believe there’s such a thing as “too much gear,” we do appreciate that sometimes you need to switch things up when it comes to stocking your stringed-instrument arsenal.

Hopefully, you have a bass guitar lying around somewhere in your studio. If you don’t, but you’re interested in adding one, we’d like to take a moment to encourage you to break the mold from the usual P/J paradigm and take a look at Warwick. Much like their sister company Framus, they offer a wide range of options, from solid, weekend warrior options to ultra-custom designs fit for stadium superstar acts.

Many years ago, your humble writer picked himself up a bass guitar in order to achieve a little independence. I was playing in a band, but had recently dove headfirst into the world of home recording and was loving it. I borrowed a slightly functional (one string was not tunable due to a malfunctioning tuning key) bass guitar from a friend, but really yearned for one of my own. I had as much fun scoping out basses on the music store walls as I did guitars!

Later on, I played bass in a couple acts that were already full-up on guitarists and the experience was incredibly instructive. Just through osmosis, my sense of rhythm got better, my ear got better and, remarkably, I found the bass to be a very inspiring compositional tool. Not bad for four strings. So, the benefits of bass brandishment are tangible.

But let us turn not to the fabled Ps and Js and music men, but to Warwick for our bass acquisition. If you’re looking for a solid, at-the-ready instrument for stage or studio, Warwick’s foundational line, the RockBass series, provides plenty of sweet options ranging from classic to utterly unique. The Corvette and Streamer models sport a classic European silhouette, while the Idolmaker and Star Bass echo the lines of their cousin-models over at Framus.

Check prices on Warwick Basses here

If you want something more unique, Warwick serves up the ultra-funky Bootsy Collins Space Bass, the aggressive Vampyre and the sleek Infinity model. Besides the Space Bass, Warwick also offers up Lee Sklar, Rex Brown, Adam Clayton and Robert Trujillo artist models in the RockBass line.

If a little more flash and pizzaz is your thing, Warwick’s Pro and Custom Shop lines naturally deliver, just as you’d expect the most modern luthiery in Europe to do. In the Pro Series line, we’re introduced to the Thumb model, which first debuted in the mid-80s and may be Warwick’s most storied build; it’s renowned for its unique take on the J-bass vibe. The Custom Shop brings the Dolphin model aboard, again showcasing Warwick’s knack for eye-catching lines and curves. Of course, when you’re buying at the Custom Shop level, there’s practically no limit to what Warwick can build for you.

Warwick also offers acoustic basses; their Alien line is available in fretted or fretless and with 4, 5, or 6 strings. Finally, when you need to plug these bad boys into something, Warwick has your bass amplification covered nicely as well, with their Gnome line of compact heads, BC range combos and cabinetry.

So even if your primary instrument isn’t bass guitar, it pays to have a high-quality one at your disposal. It not only opens up more opportunities for gigs it also offers a lot of unique inspiration, not to mention it’s a fairly easy transition for guitar players to make. And when you choose Warwick to build whichever bass rig is right for you, you’re getting an instrument built out of a heritage of strong craftsmanship from some of the finest designers in the world.

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