NBD: Warwick Streamer CV 4 - German Pro Series

grayn · February 2017

My head was in an odd place.
I'd recently picked up a couple of cheapie basses, to add to my herd.
One was an Epiphone Viola bass.
A primitive instrument but full of charm.
I was really enjoying it's short scale and slim neck.
And it's semi acoustic thunk, as well.
Anyways, I'd pretty much played it exclusively, for over a week.
Trouble was, when I went back to my "serious" basses, they seemed rather large and unwieldy.
So I decided I'd better concentrate on the gigging basses, to re-acclimatise.
But I'd got the idea in my head, that perhaps I was better off with short scale basses.
Which didn't sit well, with having 3 really good, long scale basses.
Then I saw a beautiful Rickenbacker, 4004, Cheyenne bass, for sale, at a very good price.
Well it is 33 inch scale and Ric's have nice slim necks, don't they.
So this morning, I headed off to check this beauty out.
It was in mint condition and as lovely as a femme fatale, in her undies.
All fireglo and no industrial hardware, like you get on the 4003.
Trouble was, the neck was pretty chunky, which was especially surprising, on a Ric.
And even with lovely low action, I didn't enjoy playing it.
Oh dear!
The seller, a bit of a gear head, like myself, had brought out another bass.
To show me, rather than trying to sell it.
It was a Warwick but quite a different looking one.
No wenge, no ovangkol, not even bell-brass frets.
Instead it had a lovely sunburst, high gloss, Streamer style body.
Passive electronics and nickel frets.
And to top it all, a cream coloured scratchplate.
Turns out it was a CV (classic vintage) Streamer.
Part of the German Pro Series.
I've owned a couple of Warwicks before.
A Corvette $$ and a Thumb.
Both superbly built, German basses.
Though the Thumb did feel like you'd need to catch a bus, to get to the bottom, F fret.
Now I can see how, many long time Warwick fans might not like these CV models.
They are not all dark and organic.
But what about the tone?
These passive MEC, J-style pickups, in a swamp ash body will obviously sound different.
And yes they do.
But there is still some Warwick growl, mixed in with that, more classic, vintage sound.
I'd say solid and punchy, yet quite a broad tone.
Like most basses, with a vol-knob for each pickup, they often sound best, with one on 10 and the other on 8.
There's a lot more in there too, as instead of having a tone cotrol, for each pickup, you get passive bass and treble controls.
It all works rather well, I'd say.
It's funny, as the Streamer was never my favourite Warwick, looks wise.
But with this finish, IMO, it really works.
And on second thoughts, those long term, die hard Warwick fans, who perhaps, like to own more than one bass, should be grateful for the choice, the CV series offer.
Yes the CV Streamer came home with me and I'm really looking forward to band rehearsal, this week.

Specifications:

Machineheads:    Warwick, angled.
Nut:                      Tedur Just-A-Nut III
Neck Wood:    Maple
Fretboard:    Rosewood fingerboard
Inlay:                      Dots
Side Dots:    Fluorescent
F/board Radius:    9.5 "
Scale length:    34"
Frets:                         21, Jumbo Nickelsilver frets
Frets:                      IFT - Invisible Fretwork Technology
Bridge:                      Cast Alloy, 2 piece.
Pickups:                    MEC passive J/J Alnico 5
Controls:                   Passive - 2 volume, 1 treble & 1 bass
Body Shape:    Curved Body shape
Bodywood   2 piece, US Swamp Ash.
Strap system:    Warwick security locks
Construction:    Bolt-On
Finish:                       Vintage Sunburst, Transparent High Gloss.
Weight:                      3.9 kg
Accessories:    Allen key Tools & Polish Cloth, in small Warwick bag
Case:                      Starline RockBag

Pics:
http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/E_2.jpg~original
http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/D_2.jpg~original
http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/C_2.jpg~original
http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/A_2.jpg~original
http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/F_2.jpg~original