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Thread started 08/12/09 12:43pm

jethrouk

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Prince's Warwick bass, info?

Does anybody know anything about the warwick bass prince plays (use to play). I read in a guitar mag article that someone recently posted that it is a warwick thumb 4, coined the "eye bass".

does anyone know anything besides that, i.e. is it a standard model with just a custom paint job? does it have MEC, EMG or Bartolini pickups? etc...

also does anyone have any photo's.??

i ask, because I am in the market for a new bass, and love the warwick sound. i just can't get the funk sound i want out of my fender jazz
[Edited 8/12/09 12:44pm]
"Sisters and brothers in the purple underground, find peace of mind in the pop sound!"
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Reply #1 posted 08/12/09 2:31pm

polkadotbliss

is the cool purple fender from the 21 nights book not the one he now uses-or is that one Josh's ?

i have no details on his bass's
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Reply #2 posted 08/12/09 3:18pm

dawntreader

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That bass was called "the one eye'd bass"

if i am not mistaken , it's Mayte's eye on it.
yes SIR!
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Reply #3 posted 08/12/09 3:23pm

jethrouk

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polkadotbliss said:

is the cool purple fender from the 21 nights book not the one he now uses-or is that one Josh's ?

i have no details on his bass's



not the fender jazz. i mean the white one that he used in the 90's, he uses it in the rave dvd amongst others.
"Sisters and brothers in the purple underground, find peace of mind in the pop sound!"
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Reply #4 posted 08/12/09 3:45pm

3121

I love the One eyed bass and the dual he has with Larry Graham on the intro to kiss.

Maybe he doesnt use it if indeed it is Maytes eye on the body of the instrument.

Or perhaps it got totalled the time he slid it across the stage.
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Reply #5 posted 08/12/09 3:58pm

exenn

I'm intrigued by that bass too, but I haven't seen it in any footage since the Rave dvd.

http://princetext.tripod....ass99.html

Only information I could find.
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Reply #6 posted 08/12/09 5:11pm

jethrouk

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exenn said:

I'm intrigued by that bass too, but I haven't seen it in any footage since the Rave dvd.

http://princetext.tripod....ass99.html

Only information I could find.


yea i read that. i just wondered what pickups it had etc... suppose i could email warwick?!
"Sisters and brothers in the purple underground, find peace of mind in the pop sound!"
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Reply #7 posted 08/12/09 5:13pm

jethrouk

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[Edited 8/12/09 17:14pm]


just found this image
[Edited 8/12/09 17:14pm]
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Reply #8 posted 08/12/09 5:48pm

squirrelgrease

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I believe the One Eyed Bass can be seen in the "I Like It There" video, hanging from the ceiling. Prince also plays it during the Get Wild video. It was used heavily during his Tora Tora period. I'm pretty sure it's the same model as the Sonny T bass with the lyrics to Gold on it.

Seems to be a Warwick Dolphin.

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Reply #9 posted 08/12/09 5:51pm

squirrelgrease

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BTW: It was manufactured in the 1990s.
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Reply #10 posted 08/13/09 11:05am

jethrouk

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squirrelgrease said:

I believe the One Eyed Bass can be seen in the "I Like It There" video, hanging from the ceiling. Prince also plays it during the Get Wild video. It was used heavily during his Tora Tora period. I'm pretty sure it's the same model as the Sonny T bass with the lyrics to Gold on it.

Seems to be a Warwick Dolphin.




The bass that Sonny was using on leno was a Dolphin:




I think the one Prince has is a thumb! as the shape is not so cut.

http://www.warwickthumb.c...thumb1.htm
[Edited 8/13/09 11:57am]
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Reply #11 posted 08/13/09 2:18pm

squirrelgrease

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The Thumb looks more like it. cool

Here's the Sonny T bass that I mentioned. Note that it's a left-handed bass strung upside down (see that the nut hasn't been filed down to accept the larger diameter string - it rides on top of the nut). I believe that's the way Sonny T plays. It shows the brand of pickups used being Seymour Duncan AECs.









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Reply #12 posted 08/13/09 3:50pm

jethrouk

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squirrelgrease said:

The Thumb looks more like it. cool

Here's the Sonny T bass that I mentioned. Note that it's a left-handed bass strung upside down (see that the nut hasn't been filed down to accept the larger diameter string - it rides on top of the nut). I believe that's the way Sonny T plays. It shows the brand of pickups used being Seymour Duncan AECs.












that looks so amazing cheers. i think then, Prince's eye bass is the same as that - just with different colouring.

again i want to say thank you. you always have so much (helpful) information and unlike a lot of people on hear you don't offer it with arrogance.

p.s. where did you get the photo's?
jx
"Sisters and brothers in the purple underground, find peace of mind in the pop sound!"
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Reply #13 posted 08/13/09 5:08pm

squirrelgrease

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jethrouk said:[quote]

squirrelgrease said:

The Thumb looks more like it. cool

Here's the Sonny T bass that I mentioned. Note that it's a left-handed bass strung upside down (see that the nut hasn't been filed down to accept the larger diameter string - it rides on top of the nut). I believe that's the way Sonny T plays. It shows the brand of pickups used being Seymour Duncan AECs.

[Bass Pix were here]


that looks so amazing cheers. i think then, Prince's eye bass is the same as that - just with different colouring.

again i want to say thank you. you always have so much (helpful) information and unlike a lot of people on hear you don't offer it with arrogance.

p.s. where did you get the photo's?
jx


This bass was being sold on eBay in 2005. The story was that there were 2 or 3 of these made for touring. This one ended up "not getting used" and became a promotional give-away at some point. The odd set-up of the strings shows that it was obviously intended for Sonny's use. To me, it looks like this one may have been played a bit. I've yet to see a pic of Sonny T playing a "Gold" bass, though.

Have fun with your new bass when you get it. thumbs up!
If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot.
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Reply #14 posted 08/13/09 5:18pm

squirrelgrease

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Seems the seller is still around, but under the seller name rocknrollguru:

http://cgi.ebay.com/PRINC...1551wt_902

Must be a Prince fan. Maybe you could inquire and find out if he has any more info on the bass.
If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot.
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Reply #15 posted 08/14/09 6:15am

3121

squirrelgrease said:[quote]

jethrouk said:

squirrelgrease said:

The Thumb looks more like it. cool

Here's the Sonny T bass that I mentioned. Note that it's a left-handed bass strung upside down (see that the nut hasn't been filed down to accept the larger diameter string - it rides on top of the nut). I believe that's the way Sonny T plays. It shows the brand of pickups used being Seymour Duncan AECs.

[Bass Pix were here]


that looks so amazing cheers. i think then, Prince's eye bass is the same as that - just with different colouring.

again i want to say thank you. you always have so much (helpful) information and unlike a lot of people on hear you don't offer it with arrogance.

p.s. where did you get the photo's?
jx


This bass was being sold on eBay in 2005. The story was that there were 2 or 3 of these made for touring. This one ended up "not getting used" and became a promotional give-away at some point. The odd set-up of the strings shows that it was obviously intended for Sonny's use. To me, it looks like this one may have been played a bit. I've yet to see a pic of Sonny T playing a "Gold" bass, though.

Have fun with your new bass when you get it. thumbs up!


Didnt he 'play' it during the Gold video?

haven't seen the video in an age but i recall seeing it on some video. Pretty sure it was Gold.
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Reply #16 posted 08/14/09 8:12am

squirrelgrease

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3121 said:

squirrelgrease said:



This bass was being sold on eBay in 2005. The story was that there were 2 or 3 of these made for touring. This one ended up "not getting used" and became a promotional give-away at some point. The odd set-up of the strings shows that it was obviously intended for Sonny's use. To me, it looks like this one may have been played a bit. I've yet to see a pic of Sonny T playing a "Gold" bass, though.

Have fun with your new bass when you get it. thumbs up!


Didnt he 'play' it during the Gold video?

haven't seen the video in an age but i recall seeing it on some video. Pretty sure it was Gold.


Boy. Maybe. I just watched the Gold and Rock And Roll Is Alive videos, but they're so pixilated and the shots of Sonny are so quick, it's impossible for me to tell. Definitely a Warwick, just can't tell if it has that lettering on it.
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Reply #17 posted 08/16/09 10:37am

jethrouk

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squirrelgrease said:

Seems the seller is still around, but under the seller name rocknrollguru:

http://cgi.ebay.com/PRINC...1551wt_902

Must be a Prince fan. Maybe you could inquire and find out if he has any more info on the bass.


hey thanks again, will check it out.
"Sisters and brothers in the purple underground, find peace of mind in the pop sound!"
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