Warwick Fortress MM 4

96 German Made. Flamed Maple body, Wenge fingerboard and neck. 24 Bell -brass frets. Passive Twin-J MEC pickup in the "sweet spot." Two active two-band EQs-- one for each J pickup. Two Stacked two-band eq knobs, and a stacked volume/blend knob. Extended upper horn really makes it balance well. Great warwick bridge and tuners.

I love the sound of this guy. It's got that rich, dark Warwick growl. By adjusting the blend knob back you can get that bridge jazz pickup burp, by rolling it forward, you can get a little more boom with a fatter bottom. With the knob set on the center detent, you get that classic growl, but not as aggressive as a musicman. Because of this, I wouldn't recommend it for aggressive rock or metal, but it's great for the groove-oriented jazz, funk, and motown stuff that I love to do. Also a great slap tone with a new set of roundwounds and the tone knob rolled forward a touch with a little treble boost. Really powerful EQ on this guitar, a little adjustment goes a long way.

Got mine used, but it's 10 years old and still in great shape... excellent fret shape neck's dead straight, pots and pickups still working very well.

Like I said, 10 years old and still performing like a champ. I've got straplocks on mine just in case. Gig with it without a backup, use it in the studio. These warwicks are built to last.

Never dealt with them.

I've been playing 6 or 7 years, and have an old vintage P-bass and a musicman stingray 5. For gigs where I don't want to carry multiple basses, this is the guitar I grab--it's got great versatility. It's one of Warwick's lesser-known models but I prefer it heads up to the Corvette- better electronics, more versatility. My only complaint is that it's not SUPER on battery life for the active EQ, but it's far from the worst as well. This is a great bass that you can probably find on the cheap because of its relative obscurity in the Warwick line. Give it a shot if you run into one.

My fortress is from 1995, has 24 frets, 4 strings, solid flamed maple body, dual action volume/tone/pan knobs, MEC single pickup which is actually 2 combined jazz pickups located in the "sweet spot", Active electronics, Solid wenge neck and fretboard, satin french violet finish, unique body style, 2-piece bridge (fully adjustable), High-quality warwick tuners, rather fat neck, bell brass frets, 34" scale, came with the hardshell case.

I love the sound of this bass. For some people, it may be too bright. But i love the deep growl that rumbles the floor. The solid wenge neck makes the tone unlike any bass you'll ever play. Warwicks these days are made of ovangkol neck with wenge fretboard and it just isn't like this. The Wenge is beautiful! (looking and sounding). You have to hear it to believe it!

I bought this bass used, but the little problems with the action were easily fixed within minutes. The bridge and the nut are both fully adjustable. This is something you don't see every day. The pickups are at the perfect level for my comfort and are located in the "sweet spot" giving it superior tone. The bass had very few flaws. A couple of dings and finish wear, but thats just from 10 years of use.

This bass seems solid as a rock. As with all warwicks, they're built to last. Here's a picture to prove it:

http://www.eastcoastmusic.com/germa031.jpg

(don't try this at home)

The hardware seems very solid. The finish is a bit thin, but the looks are worth the sacrifice. The strap buttons are flushed with the wood so that you can use a straplock system without obtrusively sticking out (may be a good or bad thing for some people). I haven't needed to adjust the bass at all and don't plan on needing to anytime soon. I would definately use it without a backup. Very Solid!

I've never had to deal with the company, but from what i've heard, they are very reliable. Based on this, I will give them a good rating. I know that they make freakin' awesome basses!

I have been playing bass for 5 years now. I have played many basses searching for the right one. About 6 months ago, I played a Warwick Streamer STD at guitar center, which turned me onto Warwicks in general. I played corvettes and thumbs and loved how they played, but didn't like the looks or the way they balanced. I steered toward the Fortress MM because 1. I liked the looks, 2. I heard great things about them, 3. I knew I wanted a Warwick, and 4. I wanted a Musicman-like pickup configuration. I couldn't be any happier with this bass. I can't say enough good things about it. Perfect 10 across the board!

This really has every little extra imaginable. Adjustable nut, two piece adjustable bridge, easy-access clip on TRC and electronics cavity cover, active MEC jazz pickups, MEC preamps, you name it, it's got it. The stacked controls are a nice touch, though a little hard to get if you're not familiar with them. The pickup looks like a single humbucker but is actually a twin jazz, each of which has its own tone control. There is also a pan control. These are very handy I find, as they give that lush 'J-Bass' sound as well as a nice thick thumb rest. It's a bolt on, but the best bolt on you're ever likely to find.

Absolutely incredible. Whatever your style, the Fortress MM will suit. Whether you're looking for a nice low P-Bass punch or a high resounding Ricky sound this bass never fails. The wenge-ovangkol neck gives that cliche Warwick growl and really can't be surpassed. There's a little fret buzz but given the ease of action adjustment this is very easy to avoid. Having never spent a great deal of time in the studio, I wouldn't be able to comment, but live it's a real crowd pleaser, especially with a decent preamp. I'm using Warwick>Boss Comp Sustainer>Boss Dynamic Wah>Boss Bass EQ>Ashdown ABM

When it arrived there was a little fret buzz, but I fixed it in a couple of minutes. The pickups couldn't sound any better. I love the finish on this instrument. It's a highly figured maple with a satin stain colour. The hardware is gold on all of these I think. It comes preinstalled with Schaller strap locks, so the strap genuinely never comes off this thing unless you want it to. And those Warwick tuners - once you've got the pitch they will NEVER move without some serious encouragement.

It's damn heavy. I mean really heavy. With a decent strap and if you're used to big basses it won't be a problem, but if you're not it does take some getting used to. I've had it for about six months and I haven't had to make any real adjustments to the bridge or the truss rod. Built to last. Have never felt the need for a backup.

Warwick are impersonal but very quick and effective. If you need something from them you get it almost before you've asked. Never needed repair work. I actually tried to improve this bass but couldn't think of a way in which I could make it better.

Couldn't be more pleased with this instrument. Would really advise getting one. Perfect for the semi-pro bass player. Sounds good, feels good, slaps well, looks great. Would definitely replace if stolen.

Warwick basses are always well made, and have just the features I look for. Construction is immaculate. Each string can be individually adjusted at both the bridge and the nut - you do not even need any tools to adjust at the nut! The hardware is all gold, with bell brass frets - all in perfect condition and easy maintenance. The controls are sensible - bass/treble cut/boost for each pickup, pickup blend and master volume. It is easy to find a sound you like, and once tyou become familiar with the instrument it is easy to adjust your sound for different styles. The body shape is awesome - that's what turned me on to the bass in the first place. The finish is a french violet oil finish - hard wearing, no maintenance and very beautiful. I cannot fault the appearance or features. The straplocks are even sunken into the wood for goodness sake!

I play a lot of different styles of music - from hard funky fungerstyle, slap, more gentle melodic stuff, and a fair bit of chordal stuff. I can always get the sound I'm after (assuming I have new ish strings on!). I use a BOSS ME8B fx unit, and a subtle chorus, delay or reverb works wonders especially on high notes. But you do not need effects to make this bass sound good. I first tried it through a flat eq Trace combo, and the sound was superb. Adjusting the EQ and bass settings simply enhances the sound. I have used it live and in the studio and have had no problems with either situation. Recording is a piece of cake - plug it into a desk and provided that the engineer knows what they're doing you have a great sound straight away.

I never saw my bass until I paid for it. I was not disappointed. It took me a short while to get used to the feel - it was very similar to my old bass but the neck felt slightly different. I have adjusted the set up slightly over the years and it is now incredibly easy to play - you can run off some pretty complex lines with very little effort. The action is very low - ideal for the high chord stuff I'm currently into, and ideal for slapping. Most people comment on how easy it is to play when they play it for the first time. You can't help but sound good on it!
I have yet to discover any flaws. You need to look after the instrument, although you need to give it a fair whack to do any damage to the finish.

I used this bass for 15 performances in 5 days, and it never let me down. I have had the bass for 5 years and have ssen no loss of performance. The only thing you have to watch out for live is making sure the battery is charged. Fortunately you can get to the control cavity with no tools and can change a flat battery in seconds, as I have done several times before.

I have not had to deal with the company in respect of this guitar.

I had tried several Warwick basses before I bought this one. I ordered it by phone and did not see it or play until I wetn to pick it up. That was a risk, but it paid off. All Warwick instruments in this price bracket are superbly constructed and mine have been well set up. It looks great and it sounds great - what more can you ask for? i have had some LEDs added by Martin Sims and it is a real head-turner!