Warwick Thumb
The Thumb bass is a bass guitar designed and manufactured by the Warwick company. The Thumb has been Warwick's most successful bass, and it is the bass that Warwick is best known for. The first Thumb bass was introduced in 1985.
Overview
The Thumb bass is a favorite with the many bass players, both for its technology and for its tone. Its elegant and innovative design, somewhat ergonomically adapted to the human body, has spawned a number of imitators. The Thumb is characterized by its strong attack and well defined mid growl. The Thumb bass comes in three different pickup configurations, depending on whether the bass is a 4 string, 5 string or 6 string. The electronics give the player fast freedom to vary the timbre, but also has a big punch even on the lowest of bass notes, which remain dry and clear, combined with highs that don't become obtrusive. Effective on-board equalization permits infinite variations of timbre and the unusual arrangement of the pickups ensures that the sound is always clear and balanced. There are two basic Thumb bass models: the Thumb BO(Bolt-On) and the Thumb NT(Neck-Thru)
Thumb BO/Thumb NT
Thumb BO's body of ovangkol has an arched top and a concave back. The three-piece ovangkol neck is securely fastened to the body. The gently arched wenge fingerboard with 24 frets offers a high degree of playing comfort. The Thumb NT bass is crafted from selected Bubinga Pommele, Ovangkol, and Tigerstripe Ebony hard woods. These Exotic woods, combined with Warwick's construction techniques, maximize the instrument's stability and maintain overall compactness.
Notable Players
- Jack Bruce has a signature Thumb BO model. He also uses a fretless Thumb NT.
- Ryan Martinie owns 5 Warwick Thumb NT models.
- [...] Lövgren has one Warwick Thumb 6-stringer.