Can a Chinese Warwick beat my German one? Comparing a Rockbass Corvette to a 2008 Standard!
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- Опубликовано: 21 мар 2023
- I've always loved the thought of an old German Warwick bass, but are they really that great compared to modern production?
I reached out to Warwick to find out exactly how the modern Rockbass models compare to the "good old" German Standard series. They sent me a Rockbass Corvette Basic to compare it against my 2008 Corvette Standard and the results surprised even me! The build quality on these Rockbasses is super high and they're really versatile.
Find out more about Warwick basses through their website:
shop.warwick.de/en
The Warwick playthrough that started my obsession:
• Everwave - Ostrov (Bas...
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/ paajanenae
/ paajanenaebass
Gear:
Warwick Corvette Standard 2008
Warwick Rockbass Corvette Basic 2022
D'Addario EPS300 Tapered .043 - .107
Boss TU-3
Darkglass Super Symmetry
Ibanez PD7 Phat-Hed
Darkglass B7K Ultra V2
Panda Sound Holy Cab IR
#warwick #basscomparison #warwickbass #warwickcorvette #corvette #bassgear #bass 
Видеоклипы
I went shopping in a big city hoping to find a used (maybe $500) Warwick as my first bass in many years. I came home with a 2000 master-built (their best, top-shelf in Germany of course), Infinity hidden-neck-through, semi-hollow 5-string for 7 or 8 times that much, now insured for $8,000 which is about what it would cost to replace with tax, shipping and a hard case, and have never regretted spending the money even a little bit. As soon as I hit one note in the store, I knew it was special and that I wanted it, not just the warm and engaging tone but the stiffness of the neck and how the thing felt with a string vibrating, as if it was carved from a single piece, and the condition was amazing, essentially like a new one. Once in a while, it's okay to (carefully) splurge and get what you really want, especially if it inspires you to create just by looking at it, and the high-end Warwicks seem to do that.
A master built infinity is one of my dream basses, I can’t wait until I can finally spare the money for one
Man this is really cool to see more love for the more recent RB models. I bought a 2020 Corvette RB Basic a couple years ago after comparing it to other German-made ones in the store, I instantly knew I wanted the RB, it just felt so much more natural and the tones were exactly what I was looking for, it was like finding the holy grail for me. I love hearing the generally warmer/thicker sound of the German-made basses but things just didn't sit right for what I want to play. Also the matte black finish of these Corvettes is just the most amazing looking thing :')
Thanks for the vid!
Sick comparision! The first song you played was awesome!
Great sound and playing!🤘
Thank you! 🥰
Great playing! Good groove and good control of tone.
I have a rockbass semi-hollow body. Thank you for your video. I'm disappointed when players make an issue of basses and guitars made in China, since high-end companies such as Dingwall and Warwick make products in China, and the instruments are excellent. We need to "feel" with our hands and "listen" with our ears. "Looking" at place manufactured is pointless. My only complaint with Warwick is: to get comfortable action, I have to put up with fret buzz. So I raise the action a little to avoid the buzz, but comfort suffers.
Omg, I was waiting for this kind of review with comparison of what we can call same model of both Warwick and Rockbass counterpart. And review itself is pretty solid too, very informative.
Thank you 💜 Turns out they did a pretty good job with the Rockbasses!
Awesome dude, great video.
Great review, thanks!
Totally awesome video!
I'm surprised that I like the rockbass more too. I also have a Warwick Rockbass Taranis which is also amazing!
Wonderful video, dude!
Very nice Video, keep up the good work! :)
Thank you! 💜
Insightful comparison and I would favour a future video of yours with the pre-amp upgrade on the 2008 Corvette. Bring out more of those slap lines! 🕺
Hahah, I'll need to go for that! The MEC electronics aren't exactly cheap so it might be a while though 😅 I'm not much of a slap player but I'll try!
@@Paajanenae Just sell the Rockbass and get those MEC electronics 😆
@@Dimitrivsky Hahah, unfortunately it wasn't mine to sell 😂
I replaced the cheap stock tuners on a RB LX5 with Hipshots, also have a GPS LX5 that is detuned a half step, each is #1 for its particular gig(did have to pull the top 10 frets and plane a big hump out of the fretboard of the GPS but it's great now).
you are a lovely bass player. Great review.
Thank you 🥰
Great job!
As a German 2004 Warwick Corvette STD Bubinga owner I believe that "Warwick/The sound of wood" built their "German" sound based on hard exotic woods and bronze frets. Which translates into boosted low-mids and resounding mid-highs. What you get from a Rockbass is a good "modern standard bass sound" enough for many hard styles.
We'll thought! I think I agree that for the most part the Warwick tone is in the frets, at least in my use when my tone heavily relies on controlled fret clank. I think the pickups also have a lot to do with it, I'd love to try out a rockbass and a teambuilt with the same pickups!
@@Paajanenae I owned only some RB Corvette's but had a chance to try some German ones out. I think the difference between the RB and non bubinga german models are so minimal that I don't think the price difference justifies it (You can find RBs for like 300-500€ second hand). Unless you are picky with finishes and feel like me xD
I believe the use of Bubinga and Ovangkol is the big part of their tone, specially with something like Thumbs. Either way I find even RBs sweet basses, maybe not for their brand new price, but I still regret selling my RBs (a Active and the older $$ with the passive preamp)
I'm just getting started on my bass journey because my ex gave me a RockBass Corvette $$ 5-string. It's made in China but I absolutely love it.
That passive Corvette has a nice coloration in the mids, possibly due to the limitations of passive pickups (more wire+thicker magnets = more output but less highs+lows). The Rockbass Corvette with active pickups has a very nice and clean tone (that can be shaped with EQ). I agree with you that the old model has some distinct out of the box character, that is great ... when it fits. I wish that manufacturers build more basses with active pickups without onboard EQ (I wouldn't even need a tone blend, tbh). That way you have a lot more control over your sound and you are a lot more flexible. I dare to say, a solid bass with active pickups (pickups, not onboard EQ) can fit any gerne, if you have an overdrive, compressor and outboard EQ. Doesn't always work that way with passive basses ...
Challenge: Set EQ (and maybe a bit of compression), so that the active Rockbass nails that passive Corvette sound, too ;)
That's some great analysis! Unfortunately I think it might be impossible to replicate the passive tone with the Rockbass, since the tone is already a bit compressed in the bass itself, either due to the active pickups or active preamp. That makes the bass frequencies alone behave very differently than on the Standard :) I do love a good set of active JJ pickups, MEC and EMG both make great sets!
I love Warwick and still consider them as my all time favorite bass manufacturers. But I think the Corvette standard is the most "boring" model, it give you glimpses of the typical Warwick sound but without taking any risks. For a player of your caliber, try to find a good thumb, dolphin or infinity (used of course, unless you have serious money to burn)
I'd love to get myself a nice Thumb BO! I've always been a fan of the tone, I'll keep my eyes peeled 👀
@@Paajanenae Man, following you for a while now and just by your style, you'll LOVE IT! It needs constant check if you want to find a cheap one, it's hard but not impossible. I paid 1200 for a 5 string BO BN (3 years ago)
@@Paajanenae Do it, I just snagged a 98 German Thumb. Blown away , and I own some nice basses
I have 4 Warwick's ( corvette std,FNA, thumb, streamer stage 1) and my bubinga corvette is one of my favourite basses.
I’m glad I got my fretless and $$nt5 corvettes before/during Covid. Ones an 08 and the other an 09 and I honestly couldn’t be happier with them. I have a streamer rock bass and it’s fine but has a nasty dead spot on the third fret of the g string
I've been dreaming of a fretless corvette, maybe one day!
Thanks for the great review. Very interesting and informative! Btw, what track is playing in the background?
Thank you! The background music is a simple loop I made a few years back, I call it "Lo-Fi bass to talk to" 😝
I just got my rockbass 5 string mutliscale a couple weeks ago and I absolutely love it. Everything I could hope for
I'd love to try out one of those! They seem really cool
Had you the opportunity to compare "normal" vs multiscale of this series?
Not in person, just watching RUclips videos. What sold me on the multi scale was the pickups are able to switch between singlecoil, parallel, and series
@@christopherdiaz6176 Those pickups are "soapbars" but not like the $$ version?
@@bobmaerten they might be. Couldn’t tell ya.
Omg love this. I have this black Warwick but the 5 string variant. I just can’t get it to sound like this when played in drop A!!
I'll try to get a video about my tone tweaking process done, maybe finally this summer when it's too hot to do anything else!
I only have the "cheap" Rockbass but it literally changed my whole opinion on active basses forever. I had an SB Aria passive//active until I discovered the RB. Its lightweight, has a long scale and the settings & versatility give you so much more. Ive never had a bass that can "snarl" its way through a performance quite like this for a budget. Not even the SDGR Ibanez SRs I own can get close enough & this thing can sound brutal even when I just use fingers
Seems to be a nice bass , I'm thinking of the fretless corvette with the musicman style humbuckers .
I have seen a used German made Warwick at a guitar store near me it had a very think neck which was ok .
Other than the bass and the tone, your playing is on 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Thank you
The review I was waiting for! Though I prefer the growlier tone of the Standard, the prices are nowadays far too high for me. The rockbass you describe seems a good compromise for a Warwick-wannabe like me.
Thx !
Yeah, the growl on the Standard is just beautiful! I feel like the bronze frets also shift the top-end focus a bit lower which accentuates that. But the Rockbass is a great compromise that leaves little to be desired!
@@Paajanenae thanks also for helping me save money on instrument I not worthy to play with! 😅
Get a second hand one
When I was in a metal band and didn't require the 'Warwick growl' I was quite happy playing a RockBass live and keep my Streamer Stage II for studio duty.
Amazing tone on both basses. What pedals/preamp do you use to get that great sound?
Thank you! It's all listed in the description 🙏
Excellent playing.. excellent tone... Both basses rock... Hardly any difference.... Meshuggah uses dolphin pro Warwick and that's good enough for me
They do? I've only seen Dick play with his Zon and the Quake bass, that's awesome!
@@Paajanenae Warwick used to endorse Dick.. he used dolphin pro extensively... Now, zon . . tomorrow maybe something else.... But do u know what.... Listening to meshuggah n trying to understand their music... Has made me understand myself and my rig better... I am understanding rhythm n each note n duration... Something which nobody ever taught me till date
U r gifted.... Please upload meshuggah videos if possible
I've already done a few Meshuggah covers and there's more to come! 🔥
@@PaajanenaeDick has played Dolphin live in the end of 00s, cause it has that MEC double jazz bridge and single middle, like you have three paralleled singles, which is great when downtuned and distorted. The same pickups go with Vampyres, but they're heavier (I mean weight of the wood) than Dolphins to play live. You can check out the distorted sound of my Vampyre 5 tuned to drop G with a distortion ruclips.net/video/yZFed_GHsV8/видео.html MEC are brilliant pickups, much control, clarity and saturation.
would love to see a pre-amp in the standard that has an active push/pull
I have a really old bubinga that has this. Makes it the most versatile bass I own.
playability, preamp pickups and fretwork are the only things to compare.
Man that’s a tough one. Seems like the rock bass has a lot more higher end, but I like the warm tone of the standard. I like em both! Very good thorough comparison and demonstrations
That's about it really, the Rock Bass extends further into the highs and the lows while the Standard punches straight through with it's defined midrange :)
3 piece neck? that's some extra work. Very impressive. are the grains in each piece as close to straight, equivalent to quarter sawn?
No, and it's made on purpose. The mid piece grain direction is different ( or mb even sawn different) to make it more prone to warping and enhances the neck stability.
That rockbass actually sounds insane in comparison to the german made one
It does! There are differences, but its amazing how close they got
What's really interesting is the passive German one has the ability to keep up with the active Rock bass. Yes?!?
@@rickrolli7091 i dont think german corvs are passive but i dont really know so?
@@oliverjohn2633 I thought you had mentioned that the German was passive (it has 3 knobs) versus the rock bass was active.
@@rickrolli7091 didnt mention anything about that haha. But you do realise some passive basses still have more than 3 knobs anyway i dont really get your logic with that. Read my 1st comment i just said the rb sounds amazing in comparison nothing else
Hello guys, first of all great video thanks for all the info.
I recently bought a Warwick Rockbass LX 5, I noticed that on the fingerboard and the body it has engraved the letter" F", I was wandering if it has any meaning. it is not written on the serial nr as I checked it and the base is produced in 06.11.2018, but playing it I noticed the letter F engraved at the back of the fingerboard and body. Can anyone tell me what does that mean??
Thanks a lot in advance.
I'm lookin for that video link- I can't make out exactly what band/bassist that is (I dunno how to spell it lol). Do include that link when you can, aye? Good playing btw, I'm a long time Corvette enjoyer. It's the only bass I still own from my beginner days.
Thank you! I went ahead and edited the link to the description for clarity, sometimes RUclips messes up the annotations. 💜
Such a killer tone on the opening. What plugins did you use?
I believe that's straight from my pedalboard! The effects chain is in the pedalboard build video :)
@@Paajanenae thank you very much!
They sound close but the German one has it own character.
I also wonder why there is no passive version in the Chinese lineup ? Wouldn’t it make the Chinese models a little cheaper given the inflation ?
Or why not a simple passive Precison bass pickup version (a simpler version of the Adam Clayton signature) ?
Love them both
I'm new to bass but was given a Warwick RockBass Corvette $$ 5-string by my ex. I have nothing to compare it to but so far I really like it.
Those doublebucks are really cool, lucky you!
I love warwick. I wish they would make multiscales. How cool would a multiscale 6 string warwick thumb be?
They do, just contact Custom Shop! 😄 I believe they just announced that they're working on one
@Paajanenae Wow what a dream come true that would be
I'd LOVE a 6 string multi scale thumb, but I don't have $12k for it lmao
I have a Streamer Rock Bass (passive soap bars) and now a Infinity Rock Bass (active,1jazz-1humbucker) both are great. They sound better with Ken Smith compression wound strings.
I just got myself a Corvette Rockbass in natural, with the double humbuckers. I absolutely love it. The only downfall, is the chrome hardware. I much prefer black, especially with the natural Ash body, the contrast just makes it very estheticly pleasing to me.
But, playing it seems effortless, the sound is amazing. And for what they call an entry level bass, it’s better than most pro versions from other lines. 🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽 will be getting another one in the future.
Meh not really. I’m not sure about your model but I have a Rockbass corvette like yours and I wasn’t sure but it turns out the electronics(not pick ups) were the main downside. So either get yourself the original preamp from Warwick or get the emg equivalent. The emg equivalent is cheaper. There’s also something else you’d need to do which would be the coil switcher but I actually ended up not doing that. But do upgrade your electronics if it’s not like the original.
@@discolorblindofficial it stands to reason, that if I wanted all that which you stated I would have done so. I made it very clear my feelings about this bass, and yet here you are telling me that I should change things to suit your needs/standards. Never asked for anyone’s opinion on the matter. And as I said, I’m very happy with my purchase. Thank u
@@billyc6678 the preamp on the Rockbass is atrociously cheap.
Hey i have the same corvette std did you finally made the change on the eq ?
Nice review dude ever tried any Spector bass guitars
I've tried a few, I love their bolt-on models!
Cool love your channel man
Those new prosteels really biting on both of these basses. I would experiment with rewiring the rock bass passive.
That would be my idea too! Wiring the Rockbass passive would need new pickups too though, it's going to end costing a bit 😄
That's the bass I chose, but with MEC soap bars. What are your thoughts on the differences between MEC Passives & Active soap bars?! this video made me want to return mine and buy the one with passive pickups! 🤦♂
I really don't know, I haven't had the chance to compare! The good thing about a soapbar routing is it allows you to throw in pretty much anything in the future :)
@@Paajanenae ahaha awesome then! \m/ thanks!
How do they compare playabilitywise?
I have heard the passive Corvette Standard which belonged to one of the players in the band. It simply do not like the active sounds very much. The passive standard really set nicely in the sound of the band. In a sense it is like a Fender Jazz Bass but having better focus probably due to the wood choices and general construction.
Most of the difference in tone between a Fender Jazz and a Warwick Corvette is actually due to the pickup placement! The neck pickup on a Corvette is much closer to the bridge than in a Jazz
It would be cool if you could borrow a GPS model for comparison as it sits in the middle price wise.
My understanding is that the GPS model is really close to my older standard or a bit above that? I'm not quite sure, but the specs and the manufacturing process are extremely similar.
This dude is one funky ass player
I guess those owning chinese corvette basses can add high quality compressor and a good amp and the difference wouldn't be even told on the mix or at live shows
1:02 🤯🤯🤯
😎😎😎
German -had a character and soul that couldn't be matched
Rockbass -that tone is so full and complete. Liked it more overall
Well said, I agree!
Thanks for the comparison. Next time, though, please interleave the tone demonstrations by bar instead of simply listing them one after the other. You hear much more difference if you keep switching the source _frequently._
About passive: if the bass has no switch for turning off, just taking out the battery should always do the trick, shouldn't it? Always worked for me. I mean, what use is a mute instrument when your battery runs out in the middle of the gig? You always need to be able to switch your amp to passive input and move on.
I personally don't like shifting between instruments per bar so I won't probably be doing that in the future either. It takes away from the artistry and I don't want my videos to focus too heavily on being super scientific about these things, there's loads of channels already for that. The sound you hear is just one piece of a super complex puzzle that is how an instrument feels to you and I think there's way too much emphasis on just the sound sometimes. I can understand that since it's the one thing that you can really show in a video though, but for my videos it's just one aspect among others. You're always welcome to record the sound from my video into your DAW and doing the comparison yourself :)
If there's no active/passive switch on a bass, it also shouldn't function without the battery. If there's no switch to reroute the signal through a different set of electronics it'll just try to use the active electronics which let through no sound when unpowered.
Is the neck slimmer on the newer one?
Radically! It's almost twice as thin as the one on the 2008 model.
Yeah this is crazy .... the differences so minor in comparison to the price differances....
I bought an old corvette rock bass just to give it a go. Unfortunately it sounds cheap and yuk compared to my Japanese Tune Somnus Zi. Are the new Rockbasses way better than their old ones??
I don't know! The Corvette has a quite unique, bright and aggressive tone, surely it's going to be miles away from the Tune Somnus Zi :) Different tones for different applications!
Mum, my Corvette is dull and cheap sounding
This is the first time I can't hear difference between OG bass and franchised model
That's what I thought watching intro
has the bass with the splitted body been for years in a super hot and moist environment? Even then I cannot imagine how glued together wood parts can separate without a lot of force.
After inspecting the seam my luthier came to the conclusion that there barely was any glue to begin with. Bad application at the factory which only came to light after the screws in the neck were taken off and the two-piece body was no longer supported by both the bridge and the neck.
@@Paajanenae Wow this sounds like incredibly poor quality. Even my very first beginner bass, a $170 Yamaha is 100% solid to this day, no issues whatsoever neither with the body nor with the neck. What brand was that bass?
@@zeenedin9013 It was a super old Fame Baphomet, but sometimes shit like that just happens. It's not like you can inspect the glue joint after it's glued on 😄
@@Paajanenae a Fame wow. They must have a non-existent quality control then, i cannot imagine another reason for that. Afaik the glue doesn't need to be inspected, you just apply enough, press the pieces together and after a day they are a single piece of wood.
I have another question. Have you dealt with Warwick Streamer basses? For me neck through basses are the way to go and I am currently thinking about getting a Warwick RB Streamer NT. Is their sound comparable to the one of a Corvette? Unfortunately the guitar shop in my area doesn't have them so I'd have to order from thomann.
pity that both are passive. id like to hear comparsion on active MEC singles. they sound similiar excepting 4th string. on original warwick it's more rich. but in picking I even liked rockbass more
These is Cory Harrison or Chomplee...?😂🎉
Very good music. What exactly is that?
Orchestra and track
Thank you! I write my own music on all my demos, so these song are my originals :) If you'd like to check out bands I play in, you can try Golden Rot and Nerve End!
@@Paajanenae Are you Finnish?
@@Enkeli344 Yeah that's correct!
@@Paajanenae Kaunis!!!! I have a Darkglass pedal and I love it. Alpha-Omicron. My big dream is an infinity pedal.
@@Enkeli344 Kiitos! The Infinity is a great pedal, I've left my pedalboard home and just thrown that into my bag for rehearsals & gigs lately😅
I prefer the RockBass, although the Standard is not bad by any means.
For me the basses sounding to 90%the same!!
So why should i buy the expensive German org.??
Very good review!!!👍thankxx.
Tone is just a small piece of what makes an instrument great! Sadly it's also the only one that you can experience yourself through RUclips 😅💜 I highly suggest checking the German models out as well if there ever comes a chance 🤝
I always think about resale value.
The German one sounds better but considering the price difference the rockbass still sounds pretty fuckin badass
I feel that the German one cuts of better on the mix
Hey if dingwall can do it then Warwick can too
Rice bass all fning day for my style Warwick send me one and I will represent 💯🔥👏
I loved my 5 string 'vette standard. I'm a self confessed Wenge addict
I literally can't tell the difference. Nice playing too.... Actually the real Warwick is more refined and warm. Both are good
For me i rather have german made warwick tgan a chinese one. I have corvette bubinga 6 string 2004 model best bass ever
German one wins, it has more clarity and much better depth. Even the sound is more stable.
But Standard goes to 11 ;)
im Chinese who got one warwick bass😂.chinese people on internet who own warwick（madein china）always say their bass neck had bent as if it old enough😂
my warwick neck bent too😅
Neither of them approaches a Bubinga
Standard seems sounding better, seems rockbass is less sustainable
With that amount of overdrive and echo and what not you could play a harley Benton and still get the same sound...
Hahah there are completely clean tones in the video too though?
german corvette has an unmistakable rasp. chinese one doesn't have quite as much character
I don't know about the sound but the construction and quality is like night and day ...
When you got them in your hand its obvious
Did I not have both in my hands there? 😆
buzz in both bases ... from adjust before making video or pick better base..
Buzz is only a matter of taste so long as it doesn't choke the notes 🤙 I like a bit of fret noise & clank in my tones, brings out the highs
I bought a chinese warwick back in 2015 and the quality is garbage. The truss rod snapped during a small adjustment and when i went to get it repaired i was informed that is wasnt repairable because the manufacturer used super glue to install the fretboard and of course warwick doesnt sell replacement necks so in short ill never buy another warwick again or any other instrument that comes out of china
Is it just me that gets annoyed over no fret markers. I know there are side markers...
Personally I find it a non-issue. You shouldn't be looking at the fretboard anyway when playing in my opinion 😄 The most you should be looking at on stage is the side markers, anything other than that is there just for the looks (which is also a very important spec) 💪
It does get annoying when you're trying to show guitarists new riffs at rehearsals and they can't tell which fret you are on! It actually got to a point where I started using a different bass at practices (one that has fret markers) out of frustration.
@@Julleprosy the Corvette is easier that the Thumb to deal with. At least for me being fairly amateur
I love Warwicks.
They both sound cheap like crap. Way too much buzz in it, you can't even hear if there's any wood in that instrument.
This kind of comparision is for dummies... of course both has the same sound!! The hardware and caps and circuits are basically the same. Wood and minor details has no effect in sound. Can affect (maybe) in durability
Well, if the only difference you see in a bass is in the sound, you're easily pleased! But these basses don't have the same hardware and circuits because one is 14 years old and one is brand new, plus the Rockbass has an active preamp while the Standard doesn't 😄
ok I imagined both are active models... In this case I can supose both has the sound similar due to the fact you use pick to play. Using the fingers and turning the tone knobs up and down will probaly show a great difference in punch. The sound of a passive model is always "swetest" and less tone range!@@Paajanenae
If it’s not made in Germany, it’s not a Warwick
Lol sounds like someone has serious buyers remorse lol. You can’t tell the difference bud.
Simple answer, no, cannot and will not. The Rock Bass will fall apart on you within a year, guaranteed. The Chinese are TERRIBLE, i mean TERRIBLE with wiring electronics and quality control. Rock Bass is so over priced and its killing the Warwick brand name. And yeah, there is a major difference. The Rock Bass clips your amp and loses clarity, while the German made one sounds crisp and crystal clear throughout your play throughs. I would NEVER spend over a grand on a Chinese made Warwick when i can buy a quality, German one used for around the same price point or even less
der cringe ist unerträglich
Dont buy chinese ever…. Never…
Buy used German always!
bottom line for me is the only top line buzz base is my kramer dmz 1970.. massive krunz