I love Warwick too! I have a 98 Thumb nt5! No other bass sounds like a Warwick! Thanks for showing us the subtle and major differences between these models!
Thanks, Off Grid! I bet your 98 NT sounds awesome! The Thumb NT definitely has its own flavor compared to the Bolt On - I probably won't be doing that comparison unless I win the lottery though...
Your final thoughts summarized my opinions too. The Streamer is a little scooped, a sort-of Jazz bass with modern style. The Thumb is like a Stringray but more aggressive. Both sound good and, I'll admit the blind sound-off tricked me a couple times. I prefer the Streamer overall but I suspect the Thumb would sound even better for metal played with a pick. It's also gorgeous with that burled look.
That's a great point about the Thumb being like a Stingray - I've never thought about that before! I had a Stingray in the past, and similar to the Thumb, I remember it having a very distinct sound that might sound odd on it's own, but absolutely growls in the mix.
I own (and love) both, i would Say the Streamer Is more versatile, balanced, and has a super even sound between the strings, while the Thumb tends to be very bright on High notes. The Thumb is also heavier on the shoulder but It has a unique tone and one the most brutal sounding low B ever. My personal preference goes to the Thumb for its tone, but if i could only have One bass i would really consider the Streamer for its versatility :)
That's a great way of putting it! My Streamer is actually heavier than my Thumb, just due to the larger, full bubinga body, but I'm sure that's not the case for all Streamers. The Streamer does have additional versatility - I'm just a sucker for that Thumb bite though!
I used to own both too. Totally agreed with you. D & G strings on Thumb i feel it sound to thin for my taste. Thumb - if u wanna unique tone, raw & evil low B. Streamer - versatile & safe choice.
This just makes me want a thumb bass. My Corvette sounds very similar to your streamer however. I love both tones but holy shit nothing beats the Thumb. When you dig in you have the most precise and focused growl in the business.
Totally agree with you Garryd. The Thumb tone is completely unique. Love it or hate it, no distortion settings, post-eq, or effects processing will get you that same baked-in growl of the Thumb. Thanks for watching!
@@gsimongear you're welcome! So I'm wondering, how did you have your pickups blended on both the thumb and streamer? It sounded like they were both set in the middle but I thought I'd ask so everyone else can be sure.
Wow, thanks for checking it out! That's high praise coming from you! They're definitely similar in ways, but yeah, I feel like they've each got a distinct character that excels in different situations.
sick vid! i own a streamer LX 4, thumb BO 5, custom stryker and a corvette, might have to do this type of video myself with all 4 one day! also noticed your mudvayne shirt! ryan was the reason i got my thumb, luckily i got to meet him back in 2019, played his custom 2016 fretless NT 5 and also the original 98' NT 5 from the Dig video. brought my BO 5 with me too, he signed it and played it. he was a super generous dude. had a good hour long convo with him after the STG show.
That's an awesome lineup; definitely do some comparisons!! Ryan's quite an inspirational bassist. I've never met him, but it sounds like he's a great person as well!
They are similar because the pickups are the same. The slight difference in sound though is because of the difference in the relative position of pickups to strings. Thank you for the video!
Excellent vid! I thought for sure I knew which bass was the thumb but I was wrong. Really shows how looks/reputation can color our perception. Guess I know which bass I will be saving for now. Thank you.
I knew from the title of the video you were a metal kid at heart. Usually when younger players have a Warwick you know immediately they are into either P-Nut, Ryan Martinie (Ryknow/Ruug), Dirk Lance or Stuart Zender. However if it is a Thumb 5 string you almost definitively know there is some love of Ryknow there. Edit: Or Scale The Summit or Job The Cowboy too lol.
Nailed it Joseph! Ryan was my first exposure to Warwick, and I got even more into them when I had a big 311 phase during high school. I'm really digging Ryan's new work with Soften the Glare.
Yes sir. Sounds just like my story lol. I am 41 so I got to witness Ryan Martinie break on the scene. I will tell you that back then there was nothing in metal quite like that. To my ears anyways. I was immediately hooked. And on Dirk Lance's work as well. You are killer man. Just found your channel yesterday by accident. Glad I did. You rock man🤘🤘.
Great review! I have a Warwick Corvette $$ rock bass and it has a great tone as well. Maybe I'm wrong, but one of things that make Warwick basses really exceptional is that they all seem to have a natural warm sound to them.
Yeah! I don't know what it is. On paper, the specs aren't mind-blowing for a lot of the models, but when you play them, they just feel and sound "right". My only growing challenge with Warwicks is that they lean on the heavy side. Thanks for watching!
Both stellar basses. I've always wanted a Thumb but this def makes it trickier to decide as they both have that incredible growl which I just can't find in other brands.
Yeah, it's a tough choice! However, I think Spector can get pretty close to the Streamer if you get the right pickups and preamps (I also have a Euro 5LX). The Thumb on the other hand...nothing sounds like that!
I have been surprised from the blind test! I thought it was the contrary. The sound is very similar. Two super basses, I prefer the shape of the streamer that is more conventional
Just ordered my 3rd LX5 (sold the previous ones as well as a Thimb BO and FNA and not counting my modded Std, all 5ers). I love the feel of the body, and something you did't cover is the sound of a pick. I play with a pick most of the time, and with my fingers about 25% of the time, and with a pick I prefer the pickup placement of the Streamer over the Thumb. It's easier to warm up the attack without touching the EQ with the pickup closer to the neck. Still, excellent vid, and the blind test surprised me as I often could not hear the difference.
Thanks for checking it out! Great point about the pick. I don't use one often, but when I do, I've noticed that it just feels kind of "weird" on the Thumb. It feels much more natural on my Streamer or Spector Euro.
Thanks for comparison Simon. I'm here as a thumb fan but I'm actually quite surprised by the results. I thought thumb had more growling mids but i saw streamer has even more growl. The blind test totally joked me. Seems like streamer is a valid option for my playing style.
Cool vid mate, cheers, I really want the streamer now, sounds awesome. I was tossing up between this bass and a Spector but that tone is exactly what I am after, great playing as well 🤙
I love Warwick basses as well. I've had more than a few over the years and they all have a slightly different flavor of the Warwick sound. My current favorite is my Corvette $$ 6 string.
That's awesome! Admittedly, I haven't tried any others beyond the BO Thumb and Streamer, so it's cool to hear that the other styles have their own unique twist. Thanks for watching!
That's awesome Woody! It's so cool hearing from long-time Thumb owners; despite all the new gear that's come out in recent years, their trusty Thumb always seems to stay with them.
Appreciate the feedback Brian! I certainly understand that. Personally, I'm always interested a little more on how bass sounds within a mix versus alone, so that was my primary focus for a lot of it. Next time I should include more of both.
I think the real question is not how good they sound, but how much they cost? 🤔 Sweetwater is selling Warwicks now and I think the Thumb Bass 5 is overpriced at $3300. It used to be $2600 just a couple years ago when Guitar Center was selling Warwicks.
I have the honor of owning a ‘96 thumb. It is my absolute favorite bass I have ever played. Maybe not the most versatile, but damn does it cut through the mix.
Hi. My pet - Corvette STD 5 full active bubinga '96. This guitar is a little simpler and cheaper, but it fits perfectly for my music and sounds very dense and powerful in the mix. I love it and I will never sell. Moreover, a guitar of this age is already a rarity.
Great comparison! I guessed the A/B blind test right - in fact, where I disagree with you is the 'degree of similarity' between the two. I thought they were like night and day, the Streamer being my favourite, and the Thumb being indistinct, getting a bit lost in the mix, even without the guitars at the end. Strange, because my expectation was the exact opposite before I started the video. How awesome would it be if you could get your hands on a Fender Geddy Lee Jazz, and compare it to a Warwick with a JJ set up... Cheers!
That's awesome Taylor! It's always cool hearing how Warwick players keep playing those classic basses for so long - it speaks to the quality of the instrument! Thanks for watching.
Great video. I own both as well and I think they both sound great. The streamer more versatile but the thumb has a darker low end sound with pingy highs. It's a really distinct sound thumbs give of with slapping/popping. It's almost like a computerized pingy sound. If could only have 1 it would be the streamer.
I bet! Besides my Rockbass Corvette I got as a young kid, I've never tried a real German Corvette. I can't speak much about them, but I'm sure they sound great!
Thanks for the comparison, monster playing too. I've always been interested in Thumbs because of their unique tone but kind of hesitant about the stratospheric price and alleged neck dive. This video got me thinking, what do I have in my stable that kind of sounds like a Thumb? The answer is a Dingwall D-Roc with the back two pickups in parallel and the tone rolled down a bit. Even though the D-roc's pickups are reverse split-coil alnico V, they are roughly in the same spot as a Thumb, and slanted too. The Dingwall has the same great B string punch as a Warwick due to the fanned frets and the wenge neck.
great vid! i’d suggest doing just the bass and drum track for the blind comparison, i noticed quite the difference in the b string that i didn’t hear before.
Thank you so much Jack! As a bass geek, I initially wanted to do just drums and bass, but ultimately, settled on adding guitar to show how everything sits in the mix. It was surprising to me how much of the tonal differences are lost in the full track, even when the bass is still fairly high in the mix.
Whoa - it's the legend himself! Thanks so much for stopping by! That's high praise coming from you - you've got some killer Mudvayne covers posted on your channel!
As far as I can hear, streamer has a nice natural midrange character with very transparent high end that seems to fit in the mix easier on its own without EQing. Thumb is more stingray-esque with more honk to hit and more distinct top end.
Awesome comparison!!! I have watched this video over and over again. I love Warwick’s signature tone. I played a thumb for the first time and loved it but have always had my eye on a streamer. Unfortunately I do not have a dealer close to play one or compare the two. Just trying to figure out what to buy without sacrificing that growl. Would you consider the Streamer to be a more versatile instrument/more sound applications? You also mentioned the difference being marginal between the two. Can you elaborate? Thanks again. I look forward to more of your videos!
Thank you so much Barry! That makes me super happy to hear. I do think the Streamer has a more versatile tone. I'd largely attribute that to the pickup layout, but hey, what do I know? I find that by messing around with the EQ and pickup blend on the Streamer, I can get some less in-your-face sounds (see the first half of my original "Flowing Waters" for a good example), though still great nonetheless. With both my Thumbs, no matter how you tweak the settings, it'll always sound like a Thumb. That's what draws me to it. However, if you end up needing to play in a genre where that baked-in Thumb tone doesn't quite fit, the Streamer could find a way.
I thought they were really similar. Except the low end was better on the Streamer. But then I flipped the opinion in the blind test so all in all I have no frickin' idea what I think anymore 😅
I suppose that the growl is a characteristic of the Jazz Bass pickups and their position on the body. The Thumb 5 would have a better growl because the two pickups are so close together and their oblique angling that picks up the lower strings from a position closer towards the bridge evens out the tone across the 5 strings. The Streamer having a more traditionally spaced/positioned pair will consequently offer a fatter neck position and phasing out of the mids that produce a more significantly scooped sound when the neck and bridge pickups are blended together in parallel wiring as we get from the center panning position. What I'd like to see from Warwick as standard 5 string configurations is a PJ or PMM. The Jazzman offers some nice tonal variations, but I find it better to at least have a P on the neck and either a J or coil splittable MM on the bridge.
Great points there! I don't know for sure about a PJ on a Thumb 5, but it looks like Warwick has done all sorts of pickup configurations based on their custom shop gallery. I'd love to hear one too, though! Thanks so much for watching!
The big difference between these basses is the pickup placement - the Streamer will have a more varied tone as the pickups are much further apart than on the Thumb. I personally never understood why the pickup placement on a 5/6 string Thumb is different to the 4 string.. Great video.
Thanks! That's my conclusion as well. I'm surprised how rarely the pickup orientation gets brought up when discussing the Thumb tone. I hear a lot about the body wood and electronics, but I'd venture to say that the pickup placement and orientation are the biggest factors. I'd be SUPER curious to hear someone compare a 4-string and 5-string thumb, all other specs being equal. In that case, you'll truly hear the impact of the pickup placement!
@@gsimongear Absolutely - the pickup placement has a far greater impact on the 'woody' tone of the Thumb. I've seen custom shop Thumbs where the pickup placement is like that on a 4-string, but I haven't heard what they sounded like - probably a lot more similar to the Streamer!
Absolutely! In standard tuning, I can still get low B clarity with the Streamer, but I haven't tried any drop tunings yet. I can go down to drop G on my Thumbs, and they still sound clear and punchy, comparable to a Dingwall IMO, despite being only 34'' scale. I can't say that about other 34-35'' scale basses that I own with conventional pickup layouts.
I own a corvette, FNA jazzman and a thumb bolt on. The thumb is my favorite bass I’ve ever owned. Though Your streamer does sound awesome, thumb for days.
Awesome, I'm so glad it was useful! I tried to make the kind of comparison that I wish I had before owning, so I'm super happy to hear that! Which was your fav??
I grew up wanting a Streamer stage 2 but ended up in love with the thumb. And grabbed a 5 string and totally dig it- I’d be perfectly happy with either though. But if you want a growl and ‘alien/other worldly sound, thumb is the way to go
Right on, Rob! They're both great basses, but yeah, the Thumb's tone is just so unique and weird (in a good way!) that other basses just can't seem to replicate.
Con : Thumb 5 has thin slapping tone and streamer is not as unit as thumb bass! Pro : Thumb 5 cut thru everything and has most focus tone, Streamer can do everything in stereo or live gig! I love the thumb bass but if I can only pick one bass on stage, must go with Streamer !
Thanks! Maybe not now, but definitely save up for one! I have a Pro Series Thumb as well, and it's still an outstanding bass at a MUCH more affordable price than the Masterbuilt Thumbs. They're even cheaper used, yet the quality still holds up over time. Both my Masterbuilts are used; that's the only way I could've afforded them.
Solid choice Terris! I know says "versus", but but it's definitely not a battle - they both great in their own right. Thanks so much for checking it out!
Streamer is 'broader' with the thumb sounding alittle rattlely and thinner. Beautiful basses except for those totally unimaginative, always black, headstocks.
The Streamer definitely gets a fatter tone than the Thumb. I feel the same way about the headstocks lol. If I ever manage to build up the funds for my own custom shop bass (these were both used), my first priority is getting the matching headstock option!
Streamer sits lower in the mix. At least with the setting for this vid and the backtracks, it seats more in the "i just want to hold the low end and be in the back". The thumb take the front of the stage. Both the growl and the high-end aggression will kick the guitar player back, either behind or at most in line with the bass player.
@@Benjamin-v9b6v looks like I'd need a Corvette - not sure if I'm ready for a Triumph yet! Warwick's going to need to help out there...I'm not sure if the bank account can add a new bass! Thanks for stopping by.
The streamer sounds a little better but a guy can’t go wrong with either one of these basses. I have a corvette and it plays like butter with flat wounds.
Great point Rhynn! You're right; the Thumb certainly has an "explosive" bite to it, whihc absolutely crushes in metal. There have been some other genres where I have to tame down on my attack to mellow it out.
When sitting down, not at all. It balances perfectly on your leg. However, when standing up, it does. The workaround is to use a harness-style strap that goes over both shoulders and the waist (I use the brand Slinger Straps). With the Slinger Strap, there's no more neckdive, and I find that the Thumb sits in a more comfortable position than with a regular strap - it's not as "centered" on your torso. Thank you for stopping by and for the kind words!
Gotta say, I prefer the streamer in every instance. Sits in the mix better and fills that deep dimension of the sound better. Yes, the thumb cuts, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. I prefer the bass to fit in rather than stick out.
I imagine it would depend on the tuning. I find that the Thumb retains clarity in drop tunings better than the Streamer, but generally, when applying thick distortion (Darkglass B7KU for me), I prefer the sound of the Streamer. I'd have to test it out. Thank you for watching!
Hi! Yep, it's a custom shop Thumb. I got it used in mint condition, but I believe the previous owner got it new from the USA Warwick showroom. Thanks for watching!
I had to sell my thumb bo 5 because the string tension was way to high and l could only play it for about half an hour. Anyone else have the same problem?
You seem to know about quality basses for a certain kind of tone ;) What do I do when dingwall, le fay and warwicks are too expensive? I‘m looking for a quality built (including frets and all string-tension related stuff) 5 String Bass that‘s got the ZING for around 900$ (+/- 150 $). Any brand recommendations for now? Thx
Hey Hunter! I'm obviously partial to Warwick, but I honestly would recommend a Warwick Pro Series, specifically used if you're capped at $1K. I have a Pro Series Thumb, and it's very close in tone and playability to my Custom Shop one. The Spector Ethos series (again, likely used) have a similar tonal bang-for-the-buck. I haven't owned one, but I do have a Spector Euro, which is a similar tone.
Bronze frets. Not brass.
Oof - I got that one wrong! Thanks for the catch! Brass nut, BRONZE frets.
Bell Brass
Why do they call them brass bell? Are you saying the name doesn't reflect actual metal being used?
Brass bronze whatever.. sit back and listen
@@Brookzplayzmuzic until you play one yourself then you’ll understand the difference
More Warwick content please. Loving this one. Both are such killer instruments. Love my Thumb BO 5
For sure! Thanks for watching. Thumb players unite!
I love Warwick too! I have a 98 Thumb nt5! No other bass sounds like a Warwick! Thanks for showing us the subtle and major differences between these models!
Thanks, Off Grid! I bet your 98 NT sounds awesome! The Thumb NT definitely has its own flavor compared to the Bolt On - I probably won't be doing that comparison unless I win the lottery though...
I had one also! I miss that bass everyday! I’ll have another one done day
I see that Mudvayne Shirt if anyone is a Thumb fan there probably a Martinie fan
I got the 1998 BO. Very much a tone monster!
Your final thoughts summarized my opinions too. The Streamer is a little scooped, a sort-of Jazz bass with modern style. The Thumb is like a Stringray but more aggressive. Both sound good and, I'll admit the blind sound-off tricked me a couple times. I prefer the Streamer overall but I suspect the Thumb would sound even better for metal played with a pick. It's also gorgeous with that burled look.
That's a great point about the Thumb being like a Stingray - I've never thought about that before! I had a Stingray in the past, and similar to the Thumb, I remember it having a very distinct sound that might sound odd on it's own, but absolutely growls in the mix.
I own (and love) both, i would Say the Streamer Is more versatile, balanced, and has a super even sound between the strings, while the Thumb tends to be very bright on High notes. The Thumb is also heavier on the shoulder but It has a unique tone and one the most brutal sounding low B ever. My personal preference goes to the Thumb for its tone, but if i could only have One bass i would really consider the Streamer for its versatility :)
That's a great way of putting it! My Streamer is actually heavier than my Thumb, just due to the larger, full bubinga body, but I'm sure that's not the case for all Streamers. The Streamer does have additional versatility - I'm just a sucker for that Thumb bite though!
I used to own both too. Totally agreed with you. D & G strings on Thumb i feel it sound to thin for my taste.
Thumb - if u wanna unique tone, raw & evil low B.
Streamer - versatile & safe choice.
This just makes me want a thumb bass. My Corvette sounds very similar to your streamer however. I love both tones but holy shit nothing beats the Thumb. When you dig in you have the most precise and focused growl in the business.
Totally agree with you Garryd. The Thumb tone is completely unique. Love it or hate it, no distortion settings, post-eq, or effects processing will get you that same baked-in growl of the Thumb. Thanks for watching!
@@gsimongear you're welcome! So I'm wondering, how did you have your pickups blended on both the thumb and streamer? It sounded like they were both set in the middle but I thought I'd ask so everyone else can be sure.
I have a streamer lx as well and love tone and adaptability. Great video! Thanx for doing this.
Thank you for watching! The Streamer is super versatile.
Great Comparison! Thanks for doing this they both sound and look great in their own way and sound a lot different!
Wow, thanks for checking it out! That's high praise coming from you! They're definitely similar in ways, but yeah, I feel like they've each got a distinct character that excels in different situations.
sick vid! i own a streamer LX 4, thumb BO 5, custom stryker and a corvette, might have to do this type of video myself with all 4 one day!
also noticed your mudvayne shirt! ryan was the reason i got my thumb, luckily i got to meet him back in 2019, played his custom 2016 fretless NT 5 and also the original 98' NT 5 from the Dig video. brought my BO 5 with me too, he signed it and played it. he was a super generous dude. had a good hour long convo with him after the STG show.
That's an awesome lineup; definitely do some comparisons!! Ryan's quite an inspirational bassist. I've never met him, but it sounds like he's a great person as well!
Sick!
They are similar because the pickups are the same. The slight difference in sound though is because of the difference in the relative position of pickups to strings. Thank you for the video!
Good point Andrey! Thanks for watching!
Excellent vid! I thought for sure I knew which bass was the thumb but I was wrong. Really shows how looks/reputation can color our perception. Guess I know which bass I will be saving for now. Thank you.
No problem, thanks so much for checking it out! Glad it was helpful for you!
I knew from the title of the video you were a metal kid at heart. Usually when younger players have a Warwick you know immediately they are into either P-Nut, Ryan Martinie (Ryknow/Ruug), Dirk Lance or Stuart Zender. However if it is a Thumb 5 string you almost definitively know there is some love of Ryknow there.
Edit: Or Scale The Summit or Job The Cowboy too lol.
Nailed it Joseph! Ryan was my first exposure to Warwick, and I got even more into them when I had a big 311 phase during high school. I'm really digging Ryan's new work with Soften the Glare.
Yes sir. Sounds just like my story lol. I am 41 so I got to witness Ryan Martinie break on the scene. I will tell you that back then there was nothing in metal quite like that. To my ears anyways. I was immediately hooked. And on Dirk Lance's work as well. You are killer man. Just found your channel yesterday by accident. Glad I did. You rock man🤘🤘.
I too love his newer work in STG. How about that fretless work on that one tune. Sick.
Dirk Lance brbr deng!
Great review! I have a Warwick Corvette $$ rock bass and it has a great tone as well. Maybe I'm wrong, but one of things that make Warwick basses really exceptional is that they all seem to have a natural warm sound to them.
Yeah! I don't know what it is. On paper, the specs aren't mind-blowing for a lot of the models, but when you play them, they just feel and sound "right".
My only growing challenge with Warwicks is that they lean on the heavy side.
Thanks for watching!
I know this is a old video. But I have seeing a lot of your videos. You are good at playing bass and produce great videos ❤
@gabrielnilsson5398 thanks Gabriel!
really good shootout! glad to have stumbled on this a year after production
I'm so glad you were able to find it Chris, and thank you for taking the time to check it out! I hope it was useful for you!
Streamer sounds better in my opinion. Fatter, fuller and growler.🎉
Both stellar basses. I've always wanted a Thumb but this def makes it trickier to decide as they both have that incredible growl which I just can't find in other brands.
Yeah, it's a tough choice! However, I think Spector can get pretty close to the Streamer if you get the right pickups and preamps (I also have a Euro 5LX). The Thumb on the other hand...nothing sounds like that!
I have been surprised from the blind test! I thought it was the contrary. The sound is very similar. Two super basses, I prefer the shape of the streamer that is more conventional
To each their own! Thank you for watching!
Great demo and playing! Thanks!
Thank you so much Keith! I hope it was useful!
Just ordered my 3rd LX5 (sold the previous ones as well as a Thimb BO and FNA and not counting my modded Std, all 5ers). I love the feel of the body, and something you did't cover is the sound of a pick. I play with a pick most of the time, and with my fingers about 25% of the time, and with a pick I prefer the pickup placement of the Streamer over the Thumb. It's easier to warm up the attack without touching the EQ with the pickup closer to the neck. Still, excellent vid, and the blind test surprised me as I often could not hear the difference.
Thanks for checking it out! Great point about the pick. I don't use one often, but when I do, I've noticed that it just feels kind of "weird" on the Thumb. It feels much more natural on my Streamer or Spector Euro.
Thanks for comparison Simon. I'm here as a thumb fan but I'm actually quite surprised by the results. I thought thumb had more growling mids but i saw streamer has even more growl. The blind test totally joked me. Seems like streamer is a valid option for my playing style.
Thanks for stopping by! The eyes can definitely be deceiving - I figured the blind test would give a bit more objectivity!
Amazing basses, especially the thumb, nice playing, keep up the channel
Thank you so much David! I really appreciate it.
Yeah, I couldn't tell which one is the Thumb in the blind test. That means I'll go buy the Thumb since it looks better.
Cool vid mate, cheers, I really want the streamer now, sounds awesome. I was tossing up between this bass and a Spector but that tone is exactly what I am after, great playing as well 🤙
Great choice Himanez! They're both solid, but distinct. I'm so glad this video was helpful!
92 Streamer Stage II. ❤️🙂👍
That's awesome Robert! Sounds like your Streamer's stood the test of time!
In my opinion, the Warwick Streamer is one of the most aesthetically pleasing basses on the market.
Absolutely! I swear, all of Warwick's coolest finishes always seem to be on a Streamer.
Thank you for your work!
No, thank YOU for watching! I really appreciate it!
I love Warwick basses as well. I've had more than a few over the years and they all have a slightly different flavor of the Warwick sound. My current favorite is my Corvette $$ 6 string.
That's awesome! Admittedly, I haven't tried any others beyond the BO Thumb and Streamer, so it's cool to hear that the other styles have their own unique twist. Thanks for watching!
I have a 1993 thumb and she’s amazing!
That's awesome Woody! It's so cool hearing from long-time Thumb owners; despite all the new gear that's come out in recent years, their trusty Thumb always seems to stay with them.
I really wish I could have heard the basses all by themselves. Impossible for me to pick up the nuances in the mix..
Appreciate the feedback Brian! I certainly understand that. Personally, I'm always interested a little more on how bass sounds within a mix versus alone, so that was my primary focus for a lot of it. Next time I should include more of both.
Great video, thanks! I prefer the Thumb BO as well.
Thanks for watching Robert! Glad to have another Thumb fan on the channel!
@@gsimongear Thanks!
You did a great job with the comparison.
Thanks so much Joe! I hope it was useful for you!
Not only are you a good player but i can tell you are a good human being in general. For that ill follow
Wow, thank you Brook! That means so much! I really do appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment; I hope the demo was useful.
I think the real question is not how good they sound, but how much they cost? 🤔 Sweetwater is selling Warwicks now and I think the Thumb Bass 5 is overpriced at $3300. It used to be $2600 just a couple years ago when Guitar Center was selling Warwicks.
I have the honor of owning a ‘96 thumb. It is my absolute favorite bass I have ever played. Maybe not the most versatile, but damn does it cut through the mix.
Still playing a '96? That's awesome! It must be holding up well for you then, even after all those years!
@@gsimongear new bronze frets, EMG pickups, and I swapped out the JAN1 for the 3. But it still plays and sounds amazing.
Hi. My pet - Corvette STD 5 full active bubinga '96. This guitar is a little simpler and cheaper, but it fits perfectly for my music and sounds very dense and powerful in the mix. I love it and I will never sell. Moreover, a guitar of this age is already a rarity.
You sir have a difficult job picking between the two, they sound amazing and I want em both 😂
They're both great! Thanks for watching!
The Thumb hands down.
Better note definition and more equal and less abrasive tone across the strings.
The consistency across the strings, especially from B to E, really is unparalleled. It's on par with a multiscale bass.
Thanks for watching, John!
Thanks for this video! I have both as well. Prefer the sound of my Thumb, but Streamer is soooo much easier to play.
That's awesome! Glad to hear you're able to find what you like in both of them. Thank you for watching!
Great comparison! I guessed the A/B blind test right - in fact, where I disagree with you is the 'degree of similarity' between the two. I thought they were like night and day, the Streamer being my favourite, and the Thumb being indistinct, getting a bit lost in the mix, even without the guitars at the end. Strange, because my expectation was the exact opposite before I started the video.
How awesome would it be if you could get your hands on a Fender Geddy Lee Jazz, and compare it to a Warwick with a JJ set up...
Cheers!
Thanks! Yeah the blind test always seems to subvert expectation!
Good job bro great review!
Thanks Josh!
Warwicks are among the best sounding and nicest playing basses in the world. I have an 01' German made Corvette. Good luck with the channel.
That's awesome Taylor! It's always cool hearing how Warwick players keep playing those classic basses for so long - it speaks to the quality of the instrument! Thanks for watching.
Great video. I own both as well and I think they both sound great. The streamer more versatile but the thumb has a darker low end sound with pingy highs. It's a really distinct sound thumbs give of with slapping/popping. It's almost like a computerized pingy sound. If could only have 1 it would be the streamer.
"Pingy highs" - that's a great way of putting it! Thanks for watching.
It would have been interesting to compare them to a Corvette aswell
I bet! Besides my Rockbass Corvette I got as a young kid, I've never tried a real German Corvette. I can't speak much about them, but I'm sure they sound great!
darkglass X and microtube 900 sound marvelous with my thumb pro. My band prefer the tone even more than with my dingwall.
Thanks for the comparison, monster playing too. I've always been interested in Thumbs because of their unique tone but kind of hesitant about the stratospheric price and alleged neck dive. This video got me thinking, what do I have in my stable that kind of sounds like a Thumb? The answer is a Dingwall D-Roc with the back two pickups in parallel and the tone rolled down a bit. Even though the D-roc's pickups are reverse split-coil alnico V, they are roughly in the same spot as a Thumb, and slanted too. The Dingwall has the same great B string punch as a Warwick due to the fanned frets and the wenge neck.
Yeah, anything with a bridge pickup emphasis will probably be closest. I think MM stingray 5 gets close as well!
Nice mudvayne shirt I saw them and almost got one but unfortunately sold out before the show even began. Only had small and medium
Nice! That must've been cool to see!
With the thumb you're playing over the top pickup. If you want to max out on growl use only the bottom pickup and play on top of it.
Good job. Maybe do a Streamer LX5 vs Corvette.
Thank you!! I haven't played a Corvette in FOREVER. I'd love to try one out again!
great vid! i’d suggest doing just the bass and drum track for the blind comparison, i noticed quite the difference in the b string that i didn’t hear before.
Thank you so much Jack! As a bass geek, I initially wanted to do just drums and bass, but ultimately, settled on adding guitar to show how everything sits in the mix. It was surprising to me how much of the tonal differences are lost in the full track, even when the bass is still fairly high in the mix.
Great Mudvayne longsleeve mate! And cool playing to;]
Whoa - it's the legend himself! Thanks so much for stopping by! That's high praise coming from you - you've got some killer Mudvayne covers posted on your channel!
@@gsimongear Thnak you! But you're exaggerating that I'm a legend...
As far as I can hear, streamer has a nice natural midrange character with very transparent high end that seems to fit in the mix easier on its own without EQing.
Thumb is more stingray-esque with more honk to hit and more distinct top end.
Dang, great demo! Thumb sounds better to my ears.
Thank you for watching, I hope it was useful for you! I feel the same way; it just barely edges out the Streamer.
Totally awesome review of Warwick top basses. Keep up the great content and Chanel. Looking forward to more vids!!
Thanks Tony! There'll be more Warwick tone coming your way shortly!
@@gsimongear can't wait. A huge fan of Warwick. My all time dream bass is a master build Thumb 5o. Someday I will own one.
Great video and comparison. The streamer is good but I'm THUMB fun for 100%. Body shape and a rich tone are making that thumb magic.
Thank you!! The Thumb is totally unique in those two respects. There's nothing else shaped like it, and there's nothing else that sounds like it.
Warwick hands down tone-wise but streamer looks sexier for sure.
Awesome comparison!!! I have watched this video over and over again. I love Warwick’s signature tone.
I played a thumb for the first time and loved it but have always had my eye on a streamer. Unfortunately I do not have a dealer close to play one or compare the two. Just trying to figure out what to buy without sacrificing that growl.
Would you consider the Streamer to be a more versatile instrument/more sound applications? You also mentioned the difference being marginal between the two. Can you elaborate?
Thanks again. I look forward to more of your videos!
Thank you so much Barry! That makes me super happy to hear.
I do think the Streamer has a more versatile tone. I'd largely attribute that to the pickup layout, but hey, what do I know? I find that by messing around with the EQ and pickup blend on the Streamer, I can get some less in-your-face sounds (see the first half of my original "Flowing Waters" for a good example), though still great nonetheless.
With both my Thumbs, no matter how you tweak the settings, it'll always sound like a Thumb. That's what draws me to it. However, if you end up needing to play in a genre where that baked-in Thumb tone doesn't quite fit, the Streamer could find a way.
I thought they were really similar. Except the low end was better on the Streamer. But then I flipped the opinion in the blind test so all in all I have no frickin' idea what I think anymore 😅
They're both good, I guess!
Killer playing boss. Keep it up. Horns!
Thank you so much! I hope it was a useful comparison!
I love my thumb but I always thought they gave up a lot of body in the D and absolutely in the G, in favor of growl.
I suppose that the growl is a characteristic of the Jazz Bass pickups and their position on the body. The Thumb 5 would have a better growl because the two pickups are so close together and their oblique angling that picks up the lower strings from a position closer towards the bridge evens out the tone across the 5 strings. The Streamer having a more traditionally spaced/positioned pair will consequently offer a fatter neck position and phasing out of the mids that produce a more significantly scooped sound when the neck and bridge pickups are blended together in parallel wiring as we get from the center panning position. What I'd like to see from Warwick as standard 5 string configurations is a PJ or PMM. The Jazzman offers some nice tonal variations, but I find it better to at least have a P on the neck and either a J or coil splittable MM on the bridge.
Great points there! I don't know for sure about a PJ on a Thumb 5, but it looks like Warwick has done all sorts of pickup configurations based on their custom shop gallery. I'd love to hear one too, though! Thanks so much for watching!
The Thumb is absolutely killer unique bass. The mid frequency makes it have more personality than the streamer.
I do enjoy how you barely have to tweak the EQ to get that growly, cutting-through tone!
Didn't know Tom Cruise was a bass player
If he needs a bass player stunt double, I'd be down! Thanks for watching!
On a Mix The BO is killer!! I love my 97 Streamer Pro Master
the Thumb has so much character!
It certainly has its own unmistakable growl! Thanks for watching.
How has nobody said anything about the shirt? Love it.
Thanks Taylor! I should've thrown an obligatory br-br-deng in the Thumb track, in honor of Ryan.
@@gsimongear Ryan is the reason I bought a Warwick. He made them cool!😎
I own streamer lx but always interested in Thumb Punchy character. Thank you nice video. This is hello from Japan
Hello from the US! The Thumb definitely has some punch. Thanks for watching!
The big difference between these basses is the pickup placement - the Streamer will have a more varied tone as the pickups are much further apart than on the Thumb. I personally never understood why the pickup placement on a 5/6 string Thumb is different to the 4 string.. Great video.
Thanks! That's my conclusion as well. I'm surprised how rarely the pickup orientation gets brought up when discussing the Thumb tone. I hear a lot about the body wood and electronics, but I'd venture to say that the pickup placement and orientation are the biggest factors.
I'd be SUPER curious to hear someone compare a 4-string and 5-string thumb, all other specs being equal. In that case, you'll truly hear the impact of the pickup placement!
@@gsimongear Absolutely - the pickup placement has a far greater impact on the 'woody' tone of the Thumb. I've seen custom shop Thumbs where the pickup placement is like that on a 4-string, but I haven't heard what they sounded like - probably a lot more similar to the Streamer!
Great video. The thumb has such a distinct tone.
Yep! Hearing that signature tone straight out of the bass, with virtually no post processing, is always a great feeling.
Awesome bass bro👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you Sammy! Hope you liked the comparison!
I love the gurgle of the thumb.
"Gurgle" - I've never heard it worded like that, but it fits so well! Same here as well - I love the distinctiveness. Thanks for watching!
Mudvayne shirt is tight. Solid.
Respect to Ryan Martinie!! Thanks for watching Andrew.
@@gsimongear the amount of warwick basses he sold because of his influence....that's why I played them.
Thumb 5er or $$ dialed in all fucking day. I own all three pre 2008 and if I had to pick one, I'd definitely grab my $$
I think the pickup position on the the Thumb has a lot to do with how it sounds.
Absolutely! In standard tuning, I can still get low B clarity with the Streamer, but I haven't tried any drop tunings yet. I can go down to drop G on my Thumbs, and they still sound clear and punchy, comparable to a Dingwall IMO, despite being only 34'' scale. I can't say that about other 34-35'' scale basses that I own with conventional pickup layouts.
I own a corvette, FNA jazzman and a thumb bolt on. The thumb is my favorite bass I’ve ever owned. Though Your streamer does sound awesome, thumb for days.
Thanks for watching Eric! How do you like the Jazzman? It's always interested me with its pickup configuration.
@@gsimongear yeah it’s a versatile instrument and it’s pretty lightweight compared to the others.
Very helpful 👍🏻
Awesome, I'm so glad it was useful! I tried to make the kind of comparison that I wish I had before owning, so I'm super happy to hear that! Which was your fav??
I grew up wanting a Streamer stage 2 but ended up in love with the thumb. And grabbed a 5 string and totally dig it- I’d be perfectly happy with either though. But if you want a growl and ‘alien/other worldly sound, thumb is the way to go
Right on, Rob! They're both great basses, but yeah, the Thumb's tone is just so unique and weird (in a good way!) that other basses just can't seem to replicate.
I meant to add- great play brother!
All Wicks love to be played clean through Ampeg SVT's or SVT emulator for signature bone crushing tone... Trust me, I know. 🤪
Sorry lol - went the boring Neural DSP route. Thanks for watching!
Con : Thumb 5 has thin slapping tone and streamer is not as unit as thumb bass! Pro : Thumb 5 cut thru everything and has most focus tone, Streamer can do everything in stereo or live gig! I love the thumb bass but if I can only pick one bass on stage, must go with Streamer !
Thanks for watching, Joe! The Streamer's really starting to grow on me.
Not until you got the SSI 5 in maple like i did, just put that on your list.....good luck man.
Growl on the Streamer LX is like a Jazz on steroids. Much prefer it.
"Jazz on Steroids" is the perfect way to put it! I'm going to take that and roll with it!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
How about Spector basses? Tried as well?
Yep, I've got two Spector v. Warwick videos on my channel!
Love the thumbs wish it was in my budget right now
Thanks! Maybe not now, but definitely save up for one! I have a Pro Series Thumb as well, and it's still an outstanding bass at a MUCH more affordable price than the Masterbuilt Thumbs. They're even cheaper used, yet the quality still holds up over time. Both my Masterbuilts are used; that's the only way I could've afforded them.
I like the Streamer for Funk and Rock more, but the Thumb was really killer on Metal \m/
That's probably why I'm a little partial to the Thumb! Thanks for checking it out Enkhiel!
I'll choose Thumb 5.
But I like both :)
Solid choice Terris! I know says "versus", but but it's definitely not a battle - they both great in their own right. Thanks so much for checking it out!
Okay 👍🏽 buddy…. I subscribed…!!!
Thanks Bernard; I appreciate it! Hope you liked the video!
Streamer is 'broader' with the thumb sounding alittle rattlely and thinner. Beautiful basses except for those totally unimaginative, always black, headstocks.
The Streamer definitely gets a fatter tone than the Thumb. I feel the same way about the headstocks lol. If I ever manage to build up the funds for my own custom shop bass (these were both used), my first priority is getting the matching headstock option!
Streamer sits lower in the mix. At least with the setting for this vid and the backtracks, it seats more in the "i just want to hold the low end and be in the back". The thumb take the front of the stage. Both the growl and the high-end aggression will kick the guitar player back, either behind or at most in line with the bass player.
Great points! I hadn't really thought of that, but it definitely makes sense!
I need
Triumph vs Corvette
Streamer vs Corvette
Thankyou
@@Benjamin-v9b6v looks like I'd need a Corvette - not sure if I'm ready for a Triumph yet! Warwick's going to need to help out there...I'm not sure if the bank account can add a new bass! Thanks for stopping by.
Well i thought that thumb has that ideal tone, and it is still awesome, but here i see that streamer is more bright and reach tone
The streamer sounds a little better but a guy can’t go wrong with either one of these basses. I have a corvette and it plays like butter with flat wounds.
How does the Corvette feel compared to other Warwicks? I've never played one before.
Thanks for watching, btw!
The metal just sounded like noise on either, but better on thumb
thumb sounds more "explosive", which is good for metal music, as I think
Great point Rhynn! You're right; the Thumb certainly has an "explosive" bite to it, whihc absolutely crushes in metal. There have been some other genres where I have to tame down on my attack to mellow it out.
Great video! Does the thumb 5 neckdive much?
When sitting down, not at all. It balances perfectly on your leg. However, when standing up, it does. The workaround is to use a harness-style strap that goes over both shoulders and the waist (I use the brand Slinger Straps). With the Slinger Strap, there's no more neckdive, and I find that the Thumb sits in a more comfortable position than with a regular strap - it's not as "centered" on your torso.
Thank you for stopping by and for the kind words!
@@gsimongear You're Welcome. That would actually be nice to see in action sometime, they may even appreciate a tag.💥
sounds to me that thumb got more mid range growl which is based on pick up placement
My thought as well! Thanks for watching.
Gotta say, I prefer the streamer in every instance. Sits in the mix better and fills that deep dimension of the sound better. Yes, the thumb cuts, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. I prefer the bass to fit in rather than stick out.
Good point Rusty. The Streamer definitely fills the bass frequency space really well. Thanks for watching!
I like streamer more, but how will thumb sound with sh!t ton of distortion in a mix with high-gain guitars? I think, it will be way better
I imagine it would depend on the tuning. I find that the Thumb retains clarity in drop tunings better than the Streamer, but generally, when applying thick distortion (Darkglass B7KU for me), I prefer the sound of the Streamer. I'd have to test it out. Thank you for watching!
@@gsimongear it would be great to see that comparison. For 2-3 "grades" of distortion
All I know is when it came up funk I didn’t hear any ! Listen to some James Brown bruh 😎
I'm certainly no funk connoisseur; I just couldn't think of another word off the top of my head. Thanks for watching!
That W. Thumb is a custom modelo? Ehere did you get taht? Its look is atonishing!
Hi! Yep, it's a custom shop Thumb. I got it used in mint condition, but I believe the previous owner got it new from the USA Warwick showroom. Thanks for watching!
The thumb sounds somewhat similar to a Ken Smith.
I had to sell my thumb bo 5 because the string tension was way to high and l could only play it for about half an hour. Anyone else have the same problem?
Hmmm...can't say I've had that problem. What strings were you using?
You seem to know about quality basses for a certain kind of tone ;)
What do I do when dingwall, le fay and warwicks are too expensive?
I‘m looking for a quality built (including frets and all string-tension related stuff) 5 String Bass that‘s got the ZING for around 900$ (+/- 150 $).
Any brand recommendations for now? Thx
Hey Hunter! I'm obviously partial to Warwick, but I honestly would recommend a Warwick Pro Series, specifically used if you're capped at $1K. I have a Pro Series Thumb, and it's very close in tone and playability to my Custom Shop one. The Spector Ethos series (again, likely used) have a similar tonal bang-for-the-buck. I haven't owned one, but I do have a Spector Euro, which is a similar tone.