The Vintage Tone Machine | Warwick Starbass II | All You Need to Know

In this video I demo and review the Warwick Starbass II, and show you all you need to know about the bass, from specs to tone.

[@TylerSpicer]

This one ended up being longer than intended, so here are some time stamps for you all! Let me know what you think of this vintage machine! T Solo tone demo: 12:06 Demo with drums: 16:51 Conclusion: 24:45

[@NoahBassman]

Absolutely gorgeous bass, sounds great with those flatwounds on it. I've heard demos of this bass with roundwound strings but I feel the flatwound strings really do this bass justice

[@TylerSpicer]

Thank you my man! I think flat wounds should be standard on these tbh! Totally didn’t work with rounds for me, and made it little different in terms of tone than most other basses in my collection. Really happy I gave the flats a try as it would have been sold otherwise! T

[@NoahBassman]

@@TylerSpicer great review too

[@litigator8098]

Excellent demo. I wish all of them were like this, with A-B-C-D-etc comparisons of the different tone settings. Gives the viewer an excellent idea of what this instrument is capable of.

[@TylerSpicer]

Thank you it’s massively appreciated! For me it’s the only way that makes sense, even if the edit takes a little longer! T

[@Corio626]

Love the block inlays and binding on this one. Super cool looking.

[@TylerSpicer]

Thank you! It’s a great look and that’s partially what sold me originally. I’d always wanted a Starbass due to the Lee Sklar association, and so when one this special looking occurred I had to give it a go! T

[@Corio626]

@@TylerSpicer Definitely a certain vibe to this bass. Makes me want to get the band to throw on some dress shirts and play fuzzy garage rock as weird as that may sound. Something like the hives or maybe even the strokes.

[@TylerSpicer]

Couch Potajoe yeah man! Totally fits in that sphere!

[@mikaso]

What a fantastic demo, and the bass sounds just great too! (That is 100% my favourite bass guitar that I never played.) Subscribed.

[@pwokaren]

Really liked it. Liked the sounds and the look. 🎉

[@paultraynorbsc627]

Excellent 👍 nice to see the tone eq being used for this bass

[@TylerSpicer]

Thanks Paul! T

[@keytronek]

Nice demo. I have a black Rockbass 5 and I just installed Rotosound Swing 666's (30-40-60-80-100) and the bass came alive for me. I use both fingers and pick, and as you described, mixing and matching the volume and tone controls gives me quite a variety of sounds. I'm debating getting a fretless version as well.

[@erichutchins1096]

Tyler. I have recently purchased a RockBass StarBass-5. I too have changed the strings to flatwounds. I totally agree with your assessment about playing finger style at the bridge, so I basically play it around the neck pickup position. Transitioning from a Stingray-5 to this bass definitely takes time. Get a wide strap with good friction to your clothing. You will have to re- train your brain a bit but it's well worth the effort. The single pickups do pick-up hum from my amps, but its only significant when I get close to the amp. Congratulations Warwick. I absolutely love playing this instrument. ******* 😁🤩

[@draxlerchronicles5851]

Brilliant!!! Thanks for this!!!! 👍👍👍

[@TylerSpicer]

You’re very welcome, as promised! T

[@thanasiskaldis3623]

very nice sounding bass!!!!

[@TylerSpicer]

Thank you! T

[@laurachaotic2024]

Gorgeous bass 😍, I know this kind of bass will not work for me but I really want to try one 😅, love the tone you got from it

[@TylerSpicer]

Thank you! It’s a killer look forward sure. Give it a go! It can sound a lot like a normal fender jazz but fatter with both pickups turned up and round-wound strings! T

[@qwargy]

Great sound, very much like my Jack Casady. Love the flats and pick combo

[@TylerSpicer]

Absolutely a similar vibe! I’ve never managed to get my hands on a Cassidy - somehow! But given their closeness to the Les Paul Signature Bass, I’ve always wanted to. The reason this bass stayed originally was because of its closeness to the LP sig, given a lot nashville session players had them sat in their racks. T

[@qwargy]

Tyler Spicer The Casady basses are great, especially for a relatively inexpensive bass. Very warm and plumby with strong output too. Sensitive to touch, meaning you have to be careful not to play unevenly. With flats, they work very well for old style jazz, Beatles-ey melodic playing.

[@monsieurcommissaire1628]

Really nice bass. They had the good taste to go with single coil pickups, and these ones sound great. The 34" scale + the centre block make it sound far more like a serious, professional bass than many hollowbodies- here's a hollowbody bass that doesn't have to be qualified as "quirky" or "vintage/'60s", etc. I dearly love the neck pickup alone with max treble or with the treble rolled off just a bit on any bass. The problem is finding a serious bass with a neck pickup near the neck. This Warwick would be perfect with it moved about an inch closer to the neck, but as it stands, it's sounds lovely, and I'd be thrilled to own one of these.

[@MrWeda2]

Hello! Thanks for the review! You brought me back to the distant 70s. I had to play the Orpheus guitar of Bulgarian production then. :) I do not compare it with your guitar in any way. It is simply not possible. But the form remotely reminds me of those distant years ... Sincerely, Alexander.

[@TylerSpicer]

That’s awesome! I love some of the old semi-hollow body basses, they can vary massively in quality, but there are always some cool tones to be found! T

[@aidantalbot9495]

Thanks for pointing out the ergonomic shortcomings, great tones but awkward to play, I had an EB2 and didn't get on with it for the same reasons, and it didn't sound as good as this. You have saved me buying one of these and regretting it. Exactly the reason I watched the video.

[@TylerSpicer]

No problem at all! Some of those things go untouched in review videos, and it really is an important part of the puzzle. I love the EB2 too so totally get where you’re coming from. I’m glad I could help, and thank you for watching and supporting the channel! T

[@kingstumble]

I borrowed an EB2 for just one gig once and I really liked it. Ergonomically I had no problems with it and I thought the 32" scale was very playable. 34" on a semi acoustic bass would be a bit too unwieldy for me. Otherwise the Warwick sounds lovely.

[@jazzman1954]

@@kingstumble I think the EB was 30’’. The Warwick Star is 32’’.

[@AgentJot23]

Cool looking and sounding bass :) Could you do a video about bass straps please.

[@TylerSpicer]

Sunday Driver great idea! Of course! Is there anything specific you want to know? (Just helps me shape the video and sparks ideas!) T

[@AgentJot23]

@@TylerSpicer For me personally it's really difficult to find a good, comfortable strap. As teenager I was into combat sports and had a nasty injury (a dislocated shoulder). I'm 41 now, picked up a bass just about 2 month ago and due to coronavirus I spent lot's of time at home practicing but I have a returning shoulder pain after longer sessions. I need to take a break every 30min. I was wandering if a better more comfortable strap would help.

[@TylerSpicer]

Sunday Driver absolutely! I’m super fussy about straps so I’m sure I can help you out! T

[@Psztyk236]

Can you recommend this one or Epiphone Jack Cassady bass for the thumpy, beatles-y sound? Both of them are offered left handed and I don’t like the look of Hofner so I’ve narrowed my search to these two. Anyway, great video!

[@johnchurch1361]

I'm another left-handed players looking to buy this particular Warwick Starbass II but i couldn't find it anywhere, could you tell me where you found it please?

[@Psztyk236]

@@johnchurch1361 I asked a local dealer here in Poland, because they had right handed models, if it's possible to order left handed version. They told me that Warwick has them in stock so they can make an order but I haven't decided yet. I love how it sounds and looks but I wanted to get a short-scaled bass this time as my hands are not that big and I had a hard time playing a Jazz Bass

[@jazzman1954]

Strangely intelligent and informative review. Didn’t think there was any one left who could complete a whole sentence without using some inane jive speak.

[@TylerSpicer]

Much appreciated feedback - thank you! I’m very happy to have helped! T

[@NicholasANappiNick]

How is the weight on that thing.sounds great.now I want to pull out my corvette

[@TylerSpicer]

Nicholas Nappi Right around 4kgs. It does feel pretty weight given it’s a sem-hollow.

[@amrsalahmahmoud3034]

Is the model made in China Good ?

[@amrsalahmahmoud3034]

Hello, is this bass made in China ? & the strings are Flatwound ? which brand Thomastic ?

[@TylerSpicer]

Amr Salah Mahmoud hello! No it’s the custom shop made in Germany bass. The strings are flat wounds - they’re La Bella Low Tension Flexible Flats! T

[@amrsalahmahmoud3034]

Tyler Spicer thank you so much I love your videos

[@krisjeneson5017]

Play the bass !!!

[@AugustThor438]

Porn players? 15:50

[@dez1989]

Seems like every semi-hollow bass has to have flats with no bright top end. Bass can be much more than this. This bass sounds Fantastic with bright stainless steel strings! We don't always have to sit in the background! Step up! Chris Squire, John Entwistle, Geddy Lee, Paul DeAmour... and if you really like flats how about Steve Harris? I know I'm going to get a lot of heat for this but... it's really tiresome always hearing the same reviews on bass. The same sound no matter what you are playing. They all sound dead, flat and lifeless! It really would be nice to hear something different! Sorry, i don't hate anyone. I don't say it's wrong. I just say that it would be nice to hear a different sound on the bass. That's all. Thank you!

[@TylerSpicer]

Gotta be honest, I hated this bass with rounds! So much do I almost sold it. I demo’d it with rounds on my channel but it really did nothing for me, it just sounded like an awkward Fender jazz. On the other end of the spectrum I have my MTD AG5 which is bright modern zingy and forward sounding, and I love that instrument for that character when I need it. I guess for me, every instrument has its voice that works to my ears, and for this bass it’s with flats. But I totally get it and this bass can do more, I just hated how it sounded that way! T

[@christocr]

This particular bass doesn't work well with rounds (in my opinion). I just don't think the design and sonic qualities of this bass are a good match for rounds. And this is coming from a player who tends to not like flatwounds all that much. But they work well on certain basses, and this bass is one of them.

[@dez1989]

I've got a huge bodied Gretsch Broadkaster. It had flats when I purchased it. To me it sounded like crap. It has TV Jones bass Filtertrons. I installed a roller bridge and a graphite nut so I could try a 6 string Bigsby Trem with DR stainless roundwound Hibeams. It has a nice beefy low and mid growl, grind and it stays in tune after i mess with the bigsby. It doesn't have a typical tone or sound. I run all my basses (mostly Ricky's and Jazz basses) through the Sansamp Ged 2112 rack mount with a BBE Sonic Maximizer. Very different. You have to be "On" all the time because if you make a little mistake, everyone will hear it. The brighter the sound the better one has to play. It keeps me on my toes and in the moment.

[@dez1989]

Also Mike Inez from Alice in Chains playes one of these Warwick hollow body basses on "Your Decision" both in the studio and live. He uses bright round wounds and that bass sounds fantastic especially live!