Warwick Corvette Standard 5

2008 Made in Germany.

5 string, 24 fret

Solid body.

Stacked tone control (B/T), pickup selector, volume.

Twin MEC Jazz pickups

Active electronics with that can be bypassed by pushing in the volume knob.

Bubinga body, Ovangkol neck, Wenge fingerboard.

Warwick basses (outside of the Star Bass II) tend to have unusual body shapes that cannot be classified by Jazz, Precision, etc. The Corvette has a more or less traditional hourglass shape with an extended length upper horn. Both horns are cylindrically shaped with rounded ends, looking somewhat like the ends of broomsticks.

Bridge is the standard Warwick double bridge, with the Just a Nut II at the headstock. (adjustable nut)

The tuners are the standard Warwick tuners which do not require cleaning and are angled toward the player (I love this feature).

The ovangkol neck is a collapsed C profile with jumbo frets. the neck width stays nearly the same from nut to 12th fret.

My bass came with the Warwick RockBag with shoulder saver straps and the Warwick User Kit, which includes a can of the polishing wax. It also comes with the Warwick strap locks, which are very similar in function to the Dunlop brand.

I play everything from jazz, to classic rock, to funk, to motown, to contemporary praise / worship, to original pieces. I found that with minor adjustments to the tone and pickup selection, I could get just about any sound I'd like. Also, given the choice of very robust electronics (like the MM's) or high quality, resonant wood, the ability to play on an exotic hardwood instrument was the final deciding factor.

I currently use an SWR LA15 and a Digitek multi-effect pedal. However, the Warwick's versatility in sound is leading me to ditch the multi effects in favor of a simple compressor and volume pedal. The electronics are robust enough to start overdriving the amp when it is set at half volume. The purchase of a new head is going to be a priority.

Thus far, I've not encountered any noise issues.

The core sound can best be described as fat and deep with a nice mid range cut to it. It has a very consistent foundational sound whether plucked, picked, slapped, or popped.

My only concern (not a big deal) is that the high end REALLY jumps out on the D and G strings when popped. This can likely be fixed with pickup adjustment or a compressor.

The ability to play in either active or passive mode is a big plus too. I can either zero out the amp to let the bass speak for itself in active mode, let the amp sound dominate in passive, or any combination. I love this feature.

I have only played live with it thus far and it stands up well to heavily overdriven guitars. The mid range punch really gives definition to the sound in this environment.

Action was overall set well. The G and D strings were a little low; I got fret buzz starting at the 12th fret. A very slight adjustment corrected that easily.

Pickups were set flat, and I am still experimenting with them on my current amp to see what, if any, adjustments will needed to me made. Right now, it seems that the G string side will need to be lowered. I test played this bass for MONTHS on several different amps before and had no issues, so this may be more of an amp issue than a pickup one.

The bass had only a light wax, and a slight gouge on the bottom horn that is not noticeable unless you look for it. Otherwise, it was in great shape!

The bass is built like a truck and I have no doubt that I will get years of mileage out of this baby! Likewise the hardware seems robust enough to last many, many years.

The finish...there is no real "finish", it is natural oil which must be kept up through regular waxing and buffing of the body. However, keeping up with that task will ensure a consistently beautiful appearance.

You have to be careful with the strap locks and make sure they are fully set before playing. If not, the weight of the instrument will cause the lock to disengage. Not happy about this, and will likely switch to Schaller or Dunlop later.

The neck is amazing, the dual stiffening rods are a big plus. Given the heat in my area, it is still a stable neck. Adjustment will be necessary in the fall though.

Have no experience as I've had no problems.

I've been playing for 30 years now and own a Michael Kelly Dragonfly III 5 string as well. I also have a heavily modfied Vantage from the mid 90s that is my experimental instrument.

I'd be really bummed to lose this and would immediately go out to purchase a new one (or any other Warwick bass.

I Love the ative / passive bypass and the tuners facing me as a player, making it easy to tune. I do not like the tedium of waxing the bass every week, but that's a manageable trade off for being able to play an instrument like this. I am also not a big fan of the Warwick strap locks.

I chose the Warwick Corvette Standard 5 bubinga active after playing several other basses at the Guitar Center from which I made my purchase, including an American Jazz 5 string koa wood, Music Man Sting Rays, Sterlings, and Bongos (all with dual humbuckers), the Corvette $$ 5 string, several Laklands, and a 1980's Sadowsky. After playing the bass on a number of different amps, I felt it was the most versatile for what I do.

I do which that it had a hardshell case.

I got lucky as I was able to get a really good clearance deal on this from Guitar Center which makes it even more of a value.

2006 active 5-string. Bubinga body, ovangkol neck, wenge fretboard. 2-band eq.

Good range of sounds--especially for someone like me who came from p-basses and wanted to retain that thump but with more range. Very nice harminic overtones with the Warwick strings, although I switched them out for some DR-Sunbeams for a smoother sound. No unwanted noises. No fretbuzz. Good live and for recording for a range of heavy-style music that I play.

Very well set-up, and generally good finish. Tightest neck-pocket I've EVER seen! Knobs and tuners have nice smooth action. Four niggles: wilferite JAN II NUT broke after 6 months and 4 string changes. Replaced it with a brass JAN I from Bass Centre. Bridge not completely evenly set into bass (a few millimeters higher on b-string side, but not worth routing to set deeper I figure). String anchor was a bit loose when I got it--tightened it up. Finally, I can just feel the seems between the woods on the back of the neck above the 12th fret (only just, but for a bass at $1359.00, woud hope for better). Nevertheless, the bass plays like a charm and sounds great.

Now that I've changed the nut, I think this bass will last forever. Strap locks that come with the bass are excellent.

Sent Dana B Goods an e-mail a while back about the nut, and haven't yet got a response. I'm sure if I called Dana B Goods, I'd have better luck. Have foud the Warwick Bass Forum very helpful with set-up hints and advice about the nut.

I've been playing heavy rock/prog rock since 1982, mostly p-basses. If this bass were stolen, I think I might save up for a Streamer Stage II (3-band eq).

mine is a 2006 corvette standard 5 string w/ 2 passive j style pu's,1 vol,1 blend,and 1tone controls, ash body in nirvana black oil finish, w/24 fret wenge finger board (no top fret makers)ovankol back 5pcs.neck, fully adjustable bridge and nut, all black hardware and free strap lox.

u cab pull any sound u want out of this bass u want,will suit any style from jazz to death metal.no noise .

lowered the brigde just a lill, no biggie.

built like a tank.

havent had to use em yet.

i luv this bass.

mine is a 2006 corvette standard 5 string w/ 2 passive j style pu's,1 vol,1 blend,and 1tone controls, ash body in nirvana black oil finish, w/24 fret wenge finger board (no top fret makers)ovankol back 5pcs.neck, fully adjustable bridge and nut, all black hardware and free strap lox.

u cab pull any sound u want out of this bass u want,will suit any style from jazz to death metal.no noise .

lowered the brigde just a lill, no biggie.

built like a tank.

havent had to use em yet.

i luv this bass.

Made in 1997.Brass frets,brass nut.I thought it need it some mid controls but it really doesnt , u can get plenty of tones with this bass.Blending the pickups helps a lot.

Sound its pure Warwick sound,no BS here.I've heard some of the new corvette series and let me tell u ,they sound good but this baby sounds a lot better.Big Fat bass if u want ,the groooooooowl of a Warwick,super highs if u need them.If u like harmonics,you're gonna love this bass.It's just an awsome sounding bass.I play SWR,Eden rig.I recorded with this bass,and the recording engineer was crazy about the bass and he got one for his studio! BTW i recorded direct,no amp,3 channels,1 with an Sans amp,1 Menley pre-amp and 1 menley EQ oouchhh!

Action was great when i got it 8 years ago.Never had problem with the neck,the finish its great ,it shows the years on the road hehehehe! especially where i rest my thumb(neck PU) and my lower fingers when i slap.

It's been road tested for 8 years now and still its my main bass.The finish its been well taken care of,so no problems there.The holes for the strap locks are rusted,cause i live near the ocean,but i always clean them so that the strap always stay locked.The neck its solid,only adjusted once,almost always in tune.

never had to deal with C/S

I love my bass ,it's been with me all this time and still is my main bass.I have a FenderJazz 75 and its just sitting there cause the sound of this bass its just awsome.If it gets stolen,hope not,i will shurely hunt another one.The only thing that other people tell me its that its too heavy,but once u get used to the bass u don't even care, i shure dont! I have a custom bass,a very nice one,but even thuou this its a less expensive bass still my first pick.
Just an excelent bass!!!

Update to my earlier review. Regarding the tailpeice and what strings you can use on the bass. Warwick uses a 2 peice bridge like on guitars with tune-o-matic bridge & stopbar tailpeice. On the tailpeice you have a 3/8 channal just in front of where the ball end of string goes. If the string wont fit down into that channal you cant put them on the bass. Cause then you cant secure string, no way for ball end to go into the place for it then. You have to use tapered strings on at least the E & B strings. The channals are very narrow. And I had to force the E string from new set of warwicks own black label strings, into the tailpeice channal to get it in. Was 105 gauge E string. Non tapered strings like GHS wont fit at all. Nor will Ken Smith brand with tapered B string but not tapered E string. Warwicks own strings are rather rough feeling compared to GHS and Dean Markley. But they sound good. So long as you can get them into those overly narrow channals on the tailpeice. So keep this design flaw on the bridges in mind before you purchase. Your limited to just a few strings for use on it. Warwick blacklabel strings arent available in heavier gauges for peeps who like to downtune useing heavier then 105E & 135B.

2004 corvette std 5 string. Natural finish with chrome hardware. 3 peice ovangkol neck with wenge fretboard. 2 peice bubinga body. 24 Brass frets, synthetic adjustable nut. Mec jazz pups with 2 band active eq. Push pull volume knob to turn active eq on/off. Came with jar of wax, trussrod & bridge/nut adj tools. Let dealer keep the gigbag they come with cause I prefer the extra padding of the BC Rich deluxe gigbags which I have extra of. Has excellent midrange content imo so no midrange control for eq needed.

Traded a Carvin lb75 bass toward it cause better sound and action on the Warwick. The mec jazz pups are not hum cancelling, so a little hiss can be heard in some situations with the treble maxed. But not anything to complain about, my zooms noise reduction eliminates the hiss just fine that would be otherwise present in some cases. I also play BC RICH warlock & beast 4 string basses, and the Warwick fits in fine with them sound wise. Loves basses with plenty of growl & grind available to their sound. The corvette also quickly showed itself well suited to recording with and fits in the mix excellently with dense synths (Access virus & Novation KS4) & multiple percussion backdrops. My main music loves are electronica & death/black metal. Works very well for these. I use Peavey amps & speakers. Zoom Player 3000B processor. The Warwick corvette is very much at home with my use of heavy overdrive, also sounds great clean. Though I seldom play clean. No muddyness to sound with even just the neck pup solo'd. I'll be mainly playing it with pups even or rolled a little toward bridge as is my norm.

Dunno if the store I got it at did any setup tweaking. But is first bass I've gotten that didnt need any adj for my pref of very low action. The stock B string is tapered at the bridge. As best I can tell the bridge saddle will be able to take a nontapered 130 gg ok, but agrees with other posters that its best to use tapered B string on it. As this contributes to better playing with low action. The stock strings (warwick) are nice enough that wont be changeing them till needed. May stay with warwick brand since my faves (ghs boomers) arent available with tapered B string & the stock strings are comprable sound wise. Did check the trussrod, it turns nice & easy either way. Did give it a tiny turn after checking it to tweak to my preferred set of barely noticeable slight relief. Just took a slight turn to accomplish this. As setup it was fine, but I like ultra low action which the bass gives with no buzz.

Seems slightly odd to have synthetic nut but brass frets. Though in reality 98% or so of playing is without open strings. There is a tiny diff in sound char for open string sound compared to fretted. Touch more difinition & bark for fretted. The brass frets do seem to add a touch more belllike sound compared to nickel frets. (Compared acoustically to my B Richs. Though this could be the strings. Hard to tell, since is what I call a small sound tweak thing rather then a biggee. Has GHS on the BCR"S, Warwick stock strings still on the wick. Only thing keeping me from giving it a 10 rating is it can hum a tiny bit in some cases since the pups are single coils.

Very well made. Solid construction. Weighs slightly more then my warlock & less then my beast basses. No neck dive. Excellent balance. Strap buttons are compatable with dunlop straplock pins. The latter didnt come with the bass. But I had extra so didnt need to purchase. Very comfy neck for a fiver.

Talked briefly with Warwicks USA rep awhile back, was very helpful.

Been playing more then 20 years. Should have gotten a Warwick sooner. At first I was somewhat put off by the need these things have for been routinely waxed. But useing the warwick beezwax is certainly easier then useing the paste wax I used on my basses in the 70's.

Also concidered the 5 string bolt on Warwick thumb bass, but likes the asthetics of the corvette better along with the vettes pup placement.

Would replace with same bass if lost or stolen.

Can honesty say that Warwick is the only other maker that gets my unconditional approval besides BC Rich. I've owned many brands, and these two are the only ones I fully like in all regards. But I'm picky. Lol.

this is a 2003 Warwick corvette standard 5. Its fretted, beautiful feeling satin finished bubinga wood body, i think the neck is wenge and an ovankol fretboard. Active/passive pickups to toggle through. the MEC pickups really stand out I have been playing bass for 14 years, and own numerous basses both active and passive, vintage and new, but this bass stands out, probably mostly because the low B isn't flubby sounding like most fives. I feel this bass gives a lot of bang for the buck.

I find the tone of this bass and the feel are great, I play classic rock and fusion music. Jack Bruce is my bass hero, and I already had the EB-3, so the natural progression was to follow Jack and get the Warwick. The thumb fretless was a bit too much so I chose this, I didnt want another fretless anyhow. I can dial up crisp funk tones, and farty jack bruce tones so it is quite versitile and my main gigging bass for now. It is a little heavy after a few hours on the shoulder, but worth it in tone

The bass was set up wonderfully from the start, the guy at the music store had a picture of them demonstating how strong the neck was with him standing on the guitar propped between to chairs. I wouldn't try it but with that great german precision, it seems like the Mercedes of the bass world. Everything is tight on it.

Hasn't cut out on me yet, and the battery is quick and easy to change even during a gig with a quick pop off the back cover.It came with a care kit, but I havent waxed it yet and I have had it almost a year. I don't know if thats a good thing,I probably should. like i said before think mercedes

Dont know bought it a Guitar Center cherry hill NJ, and they are great support all the time.

I have a 1970 EB-3, a 75 reissue Jazzbass, a 77 fretless p-bass blonde with maple neck, the only other active bass I have is a 79 musicman stingray which is real nice too, 1970 Rickenbacker 4001 stereo bass. Each bass has a distinct character purpose and tone, and this bass is the most versitile. I love this bass and would by another maybe a fretless four or a six. The tones are unbelievable. It is smooth and woody sounding you can get farts or chimes out of it, no flop on the low B which was a major concern for me since most fives fail in that area. I compared this to a feew other basses at GC the tobias killer B was nice but the neck was too flimsy feeling to me, a lakland which was too p-bassy for me. the nck felt sturdy with no flop Jack plays the thunb fretless Jack Bruce model, so I was sold. If your questioning buying one get it you wont be sorry.

Same as most, but I paid a bit extra for the gold hardware. Well worth the money. made in about 98-99. Notice that these are the same PUs in the top of the line warwicks.

Amazing tone. I have owned this for about five years now. I had the means to buy any of their basses, even the streamer stage II five string. However, I would rather have bought two of these (a fretless) than the stage II. True, the stage II has a bit more sustain, but not much. I recorded this bass and was able to AB it at the same session with the stage II and could not tell the difference. It has all of the componests of the "warwick wood" sound. This being said, be aware that these have a very distinct sound. THey are not ment to sid in the back of a mix like a jazz or a p. ALso, they do not have the hi-fi sheen of most active basses. They sound great in many settings, but not all.

Perfect perfect perfect. oh, and perfect

I do slightly worry about the body, as I am lazy and rarely wax it. THere do appear to be a few cracks developing, but for the most part, I never worry about it.

It has been a while since I dealt with them, but they always seemed cool.

I have played for about 15 years now, simi-pro for about the last 8. If you are looking for a warwick, this one is the best deal. The rockbasses really suck balls, but this is a real warwick. Be sure that you want the warwick sound before you buy one though, as they may not suit all bands. I currently play in a pop/rock/alternative band, and this bass does not fit at all.

For exact features, read previous reviews. I like that it has the active/passive switch, if the battery dies mid-gig. I've always had a fix idea that 5 string basses has to have a 35" neck (or more) to be tight, but my new Corvette has proved the opposite. Never played a tighter five. The bubinga wood is heavy, but with the right strap, that shouldn't be a problem.
I give it a nine. Of course there could be a couple of more extra features, but in my eyes this bass doesn't need it.

I've played the bass for 8 years, but I haven't had an idea of what I want the bass to sound like until about 2 years ago. Since then, I've been looking for the bass with my perfect sound. Testing a Warwick Rock Bass, I found that they definately had the sound that I was after, but the poor reliability of the Rock Bass made me move up one step in price. The Corvette has got a tremendous sound. It is definately hi-tech, but still got that warm vintage loving tone. It must be the bubinga, which also give the bass an astonishing sustain. I have only tested it at home yet but I'm definately in love with the sound of it. Whatever I do with it, plugged or not, sounds great.

Everything with this bass felt rock solid at first approach, and it still does. Nothing loose, nothing ugly, everything is perfect. The intonation was slightly off, but we're talking about like 0.05hz, so I haven't bothered to adjust it yet. Not a scratch or a grease stain on the chrome.

All my expectations about this bass has been over-shot by miles. I haven't used it live yet, but as mentioned earlier, this bass is a tank. A good one. I wonder if the germans who built it were tank-engineers in 2nd world war. Strap buttons wont budge for nothing, and as long as you use stiff leather straps, you wont need straplocks. I can't imagine that I will ever need to adjust the neck. Heard stories that you can bring this bass to the rain forest without adjusting it. I always bring my fretless 5str Maison bass to gigs, but it's only for the variation. That one is also very reliable, but I think my new bass would be the last unit that could break. I simply don't need to worry about it.

I've never dealt with Warwick in person, but my music dealer is an elder man who has a small piano shop. Very nice guy, he will certainly help me out if I'll ever have trouble with it, which I don't think.

Note that in the price, (about 1500 USD) both gigbag AND hardcase are included, both Warwick Rockbags. He really gave me as much discount as I could ever get. I'm extremely content with this bass, and I recommend it to every open minded bass player, who want an awesome allround bass that one can rely on. No plans for selling it, this bass will be part of my grandchildrens' heritage.

Warwick bass made in Germany. Standard 5 string set up, 24 frets. Active electronics, 2 MEC pickups with treble and bass controls, pick up select and active/passive/volume knob. The stings are somewhat close together, which works out well because unlike some bass players, I don't have Bigfoot sized hands. I give it a nine because for the price, this is loaded with features. I would like a mid control, but that really isn't that important.

On a side note, I bought this on sale at Guitar Center. I was shocked to find out when I got home that this should have came with a gig bag, wax, tools and strap locks. I called guitar center and they were like "Uh, hold on let me check (my interpretation; I took this all home)... uh, I can get you the wax and the tools but no strap locks or gig bag." Needless to say I haven't bought much more from them, but they did mail me the wax and tools.

This thing has a beautiful sound. The tonal options are pretty vast. You can go from subwoofer thump to ear-bleeding treble (not that I recommend that at all). The electronics afford you a wide range of sounds and control. The bass overall has a full dark sound because of the woods used and the Wenge fretboard.

I play with various praise and worship groups with some amazing musicians. I need to be able to fit my sound in with various styles; U2-ish, Latino, traditional hymns, modern acoustic sounds, punk, funk, rock and everything in between. This bass fits it all (especially with a little stomp box help).

I play this through a variety of amps, Hartke KickBack 15, an old Sunn bass amp (with 2 15's), an old Gorilla guitar amp (powering 2 15's and it sounds really good) and an SWR Workingman's 15 combo. Effects... now no one likes to give away their secrets and I've gotten quite a few compliments on my tone, so I'll be a little vague on this one. I use a bass DI (MXR) with tone controls because I play through a variety of amps and I need to be able to "dial in" the right sound. A Tube compressor - really helps tighten up the sound for slapping and gives me some level control for two-hand tapping. I also like the added tube warmth. I also use a variety of other effects because of the different styles I play. One thing I will highly recommend is the Electro Harmonix Bass Micro Synth. This little guy is an instrument in itself and once you learn how to use it, your tonal options multiply. Like salt, effects should be used tastefully - and like salt, the proper amount can really add to the flavor.

I give it a 9 because I'd still like the mid control, but it is not that important.

I'm not sure how long this bass was at Guitar Center before I bought it. A couple months maybe? The strings were a little old and the action was a little high (for my taste). The adjustable bridge and nut are great. I was able to lower the action to my taste within a few minutes. The adjustment capability of the bridge allows a lot of room to personalize the action. I'll give it a ten here because this bass is very well made and the adjustment options give the player a great deal of flexibility.

This bass will kill somebody if you hit them with it. Built like a tank, I always worry about the floor first before bass (it fell once - the first time I gigged with it, with no damage to the bass). I really think you could play softball with this thing and it would still play and sound great.

The finish is personal preference. It will wear off and look discolored from use unless you use the wax like you wash your car. Personally I'd rather live with the discoloration from where my fingers rest than be waxing this thing every two weeks.

I highly recommend strap locks for this guy. I had to custom ground some brass screws to fit the Schaller strap locks on (the Dunlop?s were way to weak and I was not going to drill). The standard strap buttons are fine. I just prefer strap locks.

I have not had to adjust this bass at all (after my initial set up). I often gig without a back up (I don't have the Amex black card here). The bass is very well built and I'd imagine that the other musician's instruments would break long before this guy.

This is okay. Call them on the phone. Do not email them! I never got a response to me email (about the Guitar Center issue mentioned above) and when I talked with them, they said they knew Guitar Center was doing that and they fixed the situation. They were very helpful as far as technical questions go. I'll them a seven because of the friendly knowledgeable service, despite the email thing.

I have been playing for over six years and I play with various groups practicing two to three times a week with the bands and gigging anywhere from one to three times weekly. I also own a Music Man Stingray 4 string, a Taylor 414 and a Gibson SG.

I have owned this bass for over a year and if it were stolen or if I felt led to give it away (you'd have to be an idiot to lose a bass like this!), I would either buy another one or... save up and get a Fodera. I'd still probably end up getting another Warwick even if I got the Fodera.

Overall this bass is great for the price. It has a really beautiful sound and it wears like iron. It is a little heavy, but that's not a big deal to me. I feel really blessed to be involved with Worship and this bass is a great tool in the arsenal without depleting too much from the bank account (getting this on sale helps with that too).

It was made somewhere in '03, in germany. For specs see the other reviews.
I think it's really nice that it comes with a good gig-bag and all the wreches you need. And the wax ofcourse.

The sound suits me just fine. I play in a four piece nu-metal band, and the bass really comes out there. I don't use any effects, cause I think that is lame. You could discribe the sound as bright and tight.

The factory set up was just the way I wanted, low without the ringing.
It doesn't have any scretches or something, but hey that's what you paid for right.

I've only got it for three weeks now, but I can already tell it'll last longer then saving money for a new one. I'm hooked for at least 10 years+. Because I think it's a great reliable bass.
And it'll always remain it's price.

I'ven't been in contact with them, though it's true they had to build it for me, it wasn't in stock. The factory number starts with my name's first letter, that is about 1 cm. in front of the rest. Wich I think is really cool, though I had to wait for it for 2 months.

I'm really glad that i bought this bass, I've tested several but this was knd of like my payeble dream-bass. This is my second bass, the other one is an Ibanez Tr-series(it really sucks). Now it's time to save money for my dream-amp, that's an Ampeg svt-3 pro(with the 8x10). Now I'm loaning an B-2(with 1x15) from the joint where I practice. But then again your never finished with buying things. If you've got the money be shure to check it out. You don't have to buy it. But at least give it a trie, it's a relief.

Made in Germany 2001.
Natural oil finished Bubinga body, ovangkol bolt-on neck, wenge fingerboard. Active MEC J/J pickups. Volume, balance and stacked treble/bass-controls. Very robust instrument indeed. I wouldn't mind a mid-control however.
Comes with a gigbag and a surface-wax which should be applied every week.
HEAVY!

Incredebly versatile sounds can be achieved through this bass (despite the lack of adjustable mids). I find this to be a healthy marrige between the classic jazzbass sound and the equally classic "Warwick growl". I play mainly fingerstyle using only the bridge pick-up and I just love the focused and crisp, yet rich and warm tone, it provides. For slap I go full on both pick-ups.
This bass, though being a bolt-on, has almost a neck-through feel to it. As you play, the entire instrument is singing.

The factory settings were alright considering I forgot to mention that I required a heavier string-gague when I placed the order (i.e I had to set it up on my own).
The finish was absolutely flawless, but after a few weeks of playing I encountered a small mark just above the bridge PU (where I rest my thumb). This wont go away no matter how often I apply the wax.

I've played this bass live a lot and never once conidered to bring a backup (just bring a lot of healthy fresh batteries).
This instrument will probably outlive me and become a part of the family heritage for centuries to come.

I believe this comes with a lifetime warranty(?).

I've been playing bass for about 15 years now. And i've played just about any musical style you could imagine. I run this instrument though an EBS HD 350-head (with 410+115 cabs)I also use the EBS "black label"-pedals (there's really nothing like effects as these to keep your interest in playing alive).
Before I decided to buy this bass I've played through a variety of different Warwicks. I first had my eyes on a Streamer Stage, but in spite of it's higher prizing, it couldn't produce the sound I was looking for. Still, the body shape of the Streamer is much more appealing to me than that of the Corvette, but since it's my firm belief that the type of woods used for the Corvette is responsible for the incredible tone. They could probably not be used shaped as a Streamer (it's very heavy as it is).

'92 Warwick Corvette 5. Bubinga body, nice wenge neck, 24 fret ovankol fingerboard. The other features and hardware are the same as the previous reviewers with the exception of this bass having factory issue passive electronics. Controls are Vol./Blend/Tone. Old school Warwick, for sure. From what I'm told, this particular model was only available in Canada and Europe. How it made its way to Texas, I'll never know.

The sound, to me, is like the optimal Fender Jazz bass sound but with more low-mid girth. Very fat, but also clear and sweet. Being able to blend the pickups offers a wide variety of sounds. Using a .135 on the B, the fundamental is controlled and bursting with midrange goodness- awesome with thumb & pop, tapping, and full on fingerstylin'. Notes bloom on this bass.

As I'm the lucky second owner of this bass, I can't really comment on the factory setup. I recently set the bass to factory measurements however, and for as beautifully simple as it was I'm sure the original factory setup was great. I can't find any significant flaws worth noting.

This is an incredibly well built bass. All the hardware is very solid and the pickups sound fantastic.

Emailed with a question, and got a reply the next day. Excellent.

No clue where it was made but it is Bubinga wood from Ecuador. Has MEC active pickups, bass/treble knob, Pickup balancer, master volume
Switchable to passive pickup configuration. A bolt-on neck. beuatiful wood finish 34 inch neck with a Wenge fingerboard. Comes with water resistant bag with wax, 2 allen wrenches, book about bass, and truss rod adjuster. Comes with Warwick Black Label Medium strings
.135 .105 .85 .65 .45 thick strings make this bass full of sustain

Nice clear low end with treble off and even slightly on. When fully on keeps the lows and sounds punchier. Nice warm low end and warm mid range with no treble. The treble is nice because the sound stops at a certain frequency and does not get as high pitched as most guitars do. It stops at about 2 KHZ (close to that)and it does not make you go deaf; at the point it stops, it sounds really good. The low end can have no punch with knob adjustment and it sounds like actual low end. The slap bass sound is unique as can be. Listen to Mudvayne's Ryknow and listen to his slap bass sound. You can get that sound out of this thing. The only downside is that this thing is a little quiet with the low end. It is best to have a strong amp with this thing (more than 200 watts) to get some loud low end and to have plenty of headroom for slap sounds. I was whacking this thing with my thumb and it responded well with excellent slap sounds, definitely 100% unique sounds. That is the reason I bought it. You can get many sounds out of this thing. The passive pull knob, gives you, I think, an actual J bass sound. When turned on, it looses most of the low end and gets tremendously punchy. I probably will not use it but it can be helpful for someone else. The midrange is warm sounding and can be made punchy but it requires an amp and/or preamp with plenty of tone controls. That will allow you to put this thing to it's best use. This bass is simply warm and smoothe sounding with
excellent highs. The sound is incredible and with a powerful amp and tone selection this thing will sound awesome. But, a stong amp is not necessary and whatever you have, should be fine. BEADG tuning is best with it if you want to down tune, you might need heavier strings chack out DR strings if you want. Otherwise it's all good.

the action is pretty good. I have not adjusted the neck, the strings smack the board but I think it adds to the slap bass sound. The bass is built like a tank and it is like 90% wood I think. The thing is a solid hunk of wood and I love it. Nice and smoothe looking.

I don't need a backup with this thing, I can do anything with it. Needs powerful amps for live for best results. punchy enough and full of lows that could show well with recording ( I have not tested this) Need to wax it once a month to seal the wood. Built like a tank. You can beat the crap out of it and it will still give a good sound. this bass wil still sound good 100 years from now it is just awesome.

I asked them about downtuning and string thickness and they responded quickly and they helped me out greatly.

been playing for 3 years and I still suck. This bass sounded really good. the lows are not punchy ( which I like) the mids can be altered to be made punchy but they are mainly warm sounding ( easier to work with for me ) I hate constant punchiness and this bass gives you a midrange that is easy work with. The highs sound good musically for slap bass and pick playing and regular finger style. They don't get extremely high pitched and where they stop is musically good. I tried a Musicman, Spector NS2000, $3000 Modulus. All of these sound about the same. their highs go higher than the clouds and sound terrible, all had good low end but it was punchy and the midrange was purely punchy. if you like that go for it then but if you like what I wrote about the Corvette, then try it out and get it because it is worth every penny, believe me. Only draw back is that it is heavy (8.8lbs) but get used to it and play it cuz it sounds awesome.

made in 2000,24 frets,5 strings,made in germany,solid top,standard pickup arrangement for warwick,volume,pickup fade,treble over bass,mec gold pickups,active electronics,bubinga body,ovunkol neck,wenge fretboard,non locking tuners,oil finish,gig bag included.

EXCELLENT!!Rock,metal,funk,peavey(for now)no effects,super quiet with old amp and cord,rich warm full sound,bright when needed,any sounds needed,broad spectrum of capability.both stage and especially studio.Wood makes the difference!! they have an excellent slogan.."The sound of wood..."

excellent setup,No flaws..PERFECT!!!

Yes,Yes,Yes...YES!!!

No havnt dealt with them.i believe it has a one year warranty.

10 years,`75 fender p-bass 4-str.,91 ibanez sdgr,4-str.No,playing it was a dream!yes,would definatly buy warwick again.Love the sound tone,and growl and ease of play.favorite feature rock solid tone and growl..warwick corvette standars 4 str. 4 str. was passive,and not as good of an action as 5 str.

This bass, built in Germany has five strings(duh) and 24 frets just like any normal bass has. It has one volume control, one P/U balance and one tonal control to change the characteristics of the sound. The body is 2-piece ash, the neck is 5-piece wenge and the fingerboard is made in wenge as well. Warwick have the habit of using strange woods for their basses but they do a whole lot to the sound, which I'll get to in a moment. The finish is satin which has to be waxed once a month. I would have liked more tonal controls.

Here's the deal - Warwick basses produce a sound that you either love or hate the first time you hear it. The woods used in the basses as I mentioned above are non-standard woods but thanks to the dense wenge in the neck the tone has a more sort of "in your face" color. It suits my sort of music even though I play metal with the occasional bass solo. The solo sound has to be heard to be believed. The "Warwick growl" is the fullest, richest sound I have ever heard in my time as a bassist. I love the sound. And no-You can't get used to it if you don't like it.

This bass was tweaked just right at the factory it seems because when I got it I only changed strings and I could begin playing without screwing, bending, smashing anything. The pickups were in perfect height in proportion to the strings. I have had this bass for a week and I have not noticed one little thing wrong with this beauty. And trust me, I have eyes that detect flings and faults very easily.

This bass feels solid, I would take it on stage any day. The hardware look rigid and it seems like it would hold even if the earth went under. The finish is as I mentioned above a natural satin finish. As long as you rub it with wax once a month and dont eat crisps before playing the finish should hold many years. I would'nt even consider taking a backup on stage. I tuned it once a few days ago and when I checked the tuning today, only the B string had fallen out of tune a teeny tinsy bit. Rock hard tuning machines.

I haven't had the pleasure yet.

I've been playing for 8 years straight, and out of those I've played five string for two years. My last four string was an Ibanez that now stands in a corner collecting dust. My last five string was an Ibanez as well that I sold to get money for this beauty. If I lost or had this absolutely wonderful bass I would be heartbroke for a month then buy a new one. It has so many likes and so few dislikes(None actually) that I reach euphoria when I think of them. I compared this bass to a Spector and I actually liked the sound in this one better than the Spector, even though the Spector is more expensive. I love everything about this bass.

Beautiful Bobinga body. I don't know why they don't finish it with a better finish, the wax is kind of a pain in arse to deal with on a weekly basis. The neck on this '97 model is made from the better quality Ovangal, so it's as dark as rosewood rather than the yellowing lower quality Ovangal used on the current Warwicks. The Wenge is pretty, but more importantly, great for tone. Nice "woody" tone. This version has the same setup as the "Proline" series. Gold hardware, 2 band eq, etc. Easy access to the truss rod adjuster and battery. Also the bridge is super easy to adjust.

Warwicks have a sound all of their own. I play through SWR amps, and there's something special about this combo. Think early Stefan Lessard (DMB) sound. The electronics on this active version are as pure as the ones on my passive 4 string model. No coloration at all, unlike what I heard on the Prolines I tried. I've used the bass live and in the studio. Live, it sounded good direct and through my SWRs. In the studio, we tried a Sansamp, but didn't need it. Just direct to the board with some compression on the insert. Very distinctively Warwick!

This little beauty couldn't be much better. All the CNC mills must make the process pretty easy. Neck fits well into the body, all the routing is super clean. It's silly to worry about factory setup, because any player worth his salt, has his own "special" way he likes his instrument setup. Fortunetly, with the hardware on this bass, it didn't take long to tweak it just right.

Never a second thought about gigging with it, with no backup. Solid contruction, and it holds it's setup well. I set it up when I first got it, and only needed to tweak it a bit when I changed to different strings (heavier gage). It have the very cool counter-sunk strap lock buttons. Super solid.

Had a question about the wax early on. My email was replied to in less than two days. Much better than I do in my job...

This is my second Warwick bass. I got my first Warwick in '99, and haven't been able to play anything else since. I keep a Stingray5 around, but it's well rested. If you know what Warwicks are for, there's nothing else like it. It's not for guys who use picks, or your standard thump thump bass player. But if you're a player, in a band where you can actually play, rather than just provide a foundation for some guitar wanker, think Warwick.

This bass was built in 1999 Germany. Its your standard setup from the factory. I have had to play around with the neck and action a bit to get the right feel, but otherwise this baby came ready for action!

I love the sound. I push the mid-range right up and the low end boost to geta a nice thick and punchy sound. I only wish I had more control over the Bass, Mid & Treble on my bass (maybe three little knobs like on my Fodera). Still, with a little experimenting I managed to pull a great sound.

The factory setting was fairly good. The pickups were fine but I have had to lower the action somewhat but the hardware is user friendly so that was no problem! The finish is beautiful but like many others have said, it takes a bit of work with the wax...

Built tough! This baby is definately going to outlive me!! Only probelm is that its solid build makes it damn heavy... I've had plenty of cramps in the shoulder form this.. But a good thick strap fixed that up..

Never had any problems...

A fine bass that I would recommend to any fellow bass player... Not for the faint hearted though!

Made December '96 in Germany. 24 jumbo frets. 34" scale, 5 strings. Passive jazz-style MEC pickups, passive electronics. Volume, blend, tone. Wenge neck and fingerboard, bubinga body, oil finish. Fortress bridge, Just-a-nut I (brass). Included Warwick gig bag, nothing else.

Sounds nice and balanced - a sexy blend of Fender and Warwick tones. The bridge pickup can get a little honky, but when combined with the neck pickup, this thing sounds beautiful. The lows are big but tight, the treble is crisp and buttery (not at all tinny), and the midrange is very heavy and nice (unlike many active Warwick basses, which have little midrange punch), but it still growls hard (like a Warwick). Gets pretty noisy when the treble's dimed, but I never use a lot of treble. The downside to all of this is that the output is very low - with a good amp, though, this won't matter. I'll probably use a preamp when recording. This thing can get all the old school tones you want, and still pull off a Warwick sound.

Bass was set up pretty well when I bought it, but the strings were dead as doornails (after five years!), so I replaced them with Daddario XLs (50-135), discovering that this bass (and all Warwicks) require a tapered B-string. Curses! With some filing, I got the non-tapered B on there, but it's pretty muddy. Next set will have a tapered B. Other than the bridge issue, it came in great shape. Plays like a dream, awesome.

This thing is built like a tank. The hardware, neck, body, and electronics all feel solid. The neck joint is super tight. I'd take this to a gig without backup, I think. I wouldn't loan it to a small child, though.

After filing my B-string saddle into oblivion, I contacted Warwick about getting a new one, and within 24 hours, their tech e-mailed me back saying that the saddles are normally $10 through a dealer, but since he had one lying around, he had just mailed me one free of charge. How cool is that? I also had several other questions for them, and they answered them quickly as well. Good service (particularly for a company based out of a different continent!)

Sexy, beautiful, plays like a dream, sounds awesome. If it were stolen, I'd buy another.

The features are pretty well known.... Bubinga body, bell brass fretts. ect. All the features I could want. I especialy like the two piece bridge. The only problem is having to crimp the B string (or get a taper wound) to fit it in the slot. The Active electronics are very good and for the most part silent. The only reason why it doesn't get a 10 here is the lack of a midrange control.

A word to the wise: If your going to get anything at Guitar Center - Check the prices on the internet first! They'll also try and get you for the gig bag that comes with it - it's supposed to be free!

Amazing. This is (almost) the sound in my head. Very focused. Lots of slice. How is the B string? When I was shopping around I was mainly compairing a MusicMan Stingray 5 to the Corvette 5. The Stingray had a slightly tighter more focused B string, but the overall sound of the Corvett (mainly the lower Mids) were much more focused. When people talk about the 'Warwick Growl', it's all in the lower mids. Like I said, very focused.

Set up from the factory was good. Not to my exacting tastes. Each player is going to like their own specific setup. Having said that, the warwick set up was very middle of the road - it catered to the majority of players likes. Personly I like lighter guaged strings (it came with 45-130), and a slightly lower action.

The bass itself is put together very tight. The neck joint (the most important part of any bolt on) is very tight and extremely solid. The neck woods are very durable. My only issue is the fact that it has no finish. I personaly prefer the natural wood - being able to actually feel the wood grain when you touch the body; some people may not. It must be regularly waxed to keep the lusterous finish. One advantage to the natural wood though is that if it is scratched (belt buckle scratches or what have you), you can use some steal wool to get them out and then refinish the surface with a couple coats of wax and it's as good as new.

As for durability. If it's itreated right it will last a long, long time.

The few emails I've sent them have been responded to very promptly.

I've been playing for over 10 years. My main rig is an Ampeg SVP-Pro with an Audio Centron Power amp into and Ampeg Isovent cab. The sound is incredibly crisp. Fat (phat) slapping lines, crisp fingerplay. No bad sounds at all in this bass. Panning the pickup will take you from a fat P-bass sound (neck) to a trebgely Jazz sound (bridge). Using the neck pickup, cranking the Bass EQ and cutting the trebble and a little muting will give a huge sub-bass sound. My only problems with this bass is a lack of a mid eq. Otherwise it's amazing and not too pricy.

Active Pickups give you a control otherwise you won't have. 5 strings seems to be a good choice when you get a Warwick.

Great rock-solid German tone. Nothing to complain. Play with the active pickup control and get a good deep wide spreading bass sound of bright and sharp slap bass tone!

I am lazy. So the fact that I have to put the wax on was an unexpected extra work. But to keep the shininess, you've gotta do what you've gotta do. Like the first guy said, wax quickly fades away where you put the finger on (and it's almost impossible to get the shine back with the wax) but it's not gonna affect the sound. I find re-applying wax every other week sufficient enough to keep the overall shine. I didn't have to tune any settings with my corvette, but I can see why others need to spend time setting it up. Oh... and last but not least, the friggin' bass is HEAVY!!! If you worry about the weight of the bass, don't buy a Warwick.

The thing is reliable. Every piece that makes up this bass seems to be rock solid. You don't ever have to worry about neck being weak and bend. But again, I wish I could get this durability out of lighter bass.

I haven't had need for a customer service support, but from what I've been hearing, Warwick's service is great. Don't forget to send in your registration card!

I love the bass. But I tend to use this bass when I can't get certain sound out of my other bass (GeddyLee J-Bass) or I need low-B tone. This is mainly because of the weight issue. Warwick needs to find a way to make the thing lighter....

This bass was made in Germany in 2000. This instrument has 24 frets and is constructed on a 34 inch scale. Controls include volume, balance, and stacked treble/bass controls. The volume control also doubles as an active/passive switch. This bass has two Mec jazz pickups which are nicely placed and which are processed by very quiet active electronics. The neck is bolt-on; and the body is bubinga.The bridge and nut are easily adjustable.The bass has 5 strings. The low be is tight and full even when I tune down a Half-step to incorporate harmonics and open-string cords to some songs.

I play mostly comtemporary gospel; but I also play jazz and funk from time to time. This wonderful instrument suits all of the above styles quite well with minor adjustments on my SWR 350 head which is my main amplifier for small gigs. The bass also sounds good running through most house systems. I have not been in the studio with this bass yet; but, I suspect it will do well as this instrument is very quiet. I can get a variety of sounds from this bass ranging from super bright to a full warm sound. This bass can deliver full lows with piercing highs while maintaing nice warm mids.It would be nice to have a sweepable mid-range on this bass; but overall the sound is awesome.The Warwick growl is definitely present

The bass came set-up nicely from the factory but required a few minor adjustments of the neck. Pickups were adjusted fine from th factory.The bass had no flaws. The wood was good quality with no defects.

This bass will definitely withstand live playing and the hardware will last. The finish does require maintainance every week or so. This bass is very dependable; and I don't routinely use a backup. The truss rod has not needed to be adjusted since purchase. This bass is rock-solid

Never had to deal with the company. I was told by the salesman that the warranty is for life.(?)

I have been playing bass for 24 years. I have an assortment of instruments ranging from old Peavey gear to Ricks. The only weak spot about this bass is that it can become quite heavy during long sets. If this bass were stolen, I would replace it with another corvette or possibly consider a Warwick Thumb5. The only other bass I would prefer to have over my Corvette would be a Ken Smith 5 string bass which will be my next purchase.

This is is a 5 string, 34 inch scale, 24 fret beauty. Controls are volume (which doubles as a passive/active pull switch), pickup balance, and a stacked bass/treble knob. It's equipped with 2 active MEC jazz picjups that run off a single 9 volt battery. The bridge is fully adjustable, as is the nut, which is very cool. The body is an unbelievably sexy bubinga with a wenge neck. A really nice feature on this is that Warwick did a great job in blending the neck into the body, giving this bolt on on almost neck-thru feel. However, the best feature on this instrument is the ability to gain access to the battery compartment with-out tools. There are no screws on it, you just unclick it in two places, which makes my life a lot easier when it comes time to change the battery (so does the active/passive option.) If i were the give a down-side to this bass, it would be that it's a bit difficult to play on the very upper-registar G string, but I dont really find that a problem.

Beef and Spice. This one is for people who demand serious low end. I play in a metal and a funk band with a SWR Workingmans 15 and I needed a bass that would be 1) aggresive and 2) low. With Warwick, I got both. This bass was especially appealing because it was one of the few that could cut through loud guitars and drums. The notes a unbelievably crisp, even on the B string, and the sound will tear your eyeballs out. The B string is surprisingly good for a 34 inch scale, and this outstanding, wonderful string was what put this bass over the edge. In passive mode, you can achieve an old school sound which is nice to go back to as well. In both active and passive mode, it is dead quiet and it records very well. So basically, if you want the walls shaking when you're playing and everyone hearing and feeling your notes, Warwick is the only way to go.

Action was superb. Pickups were superb. The finish on the wood was so good it glowed. Absolutely no flaws on the wood, and for once on a bass, no noisy pickup selecter. Only problem for you lazy people, you have to apply beeswax to it once and a while to restore the shine, but it's worth it.

It's a tank baby. The only thing is that excessive use might wear a spot down in the finish where you rest your thumb, I'm pretty sure that the wax will take care of this, but I personally don't care because my thumb covers up the spot anyways. I wouldn't even dream of ever taking a back up bass. So overall, if you don't mind a tiny cosmetic mark that could happen, give it a 10.

never dealt with them, they have a good rep though.

I"m really glad I bought this bass. I've been playing for almost 6 years and I own a souped-up Squier P-Bass, Fender Jazz fretless with EMG's, and an Ibanez Ergodyne 690. I needed a pro bass for my entrance into the 5 string world, and this one was the one to do it. If stolen, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one because I can't live without the agressiveness this bass has. It took me almost a year to find the 5 string I wanted and I looked at everything. In the final runnings, it was between this bass, a Stringray 5, a Warwick Thumb 5, and a Peavey Cirrus 5 (Bubinga). The Stingray lost because even though it had tremendous bass, I wasn't too fond of the overly bearing treble. The Thumb bass lost because although it is a great aggresive bass, the pickups make for an awful place the rest your thumb. The Peavey almost won. If anything, it had a more universal sound, was a neck-tru, and had a 35 inch scale. But still, it just couldnt match the intensity and low end that Warwick delivers. In conclusion, buy a Warwick, you won't regret it.