(SOLD) Warwick Fortress One Honey Violin Germany 2000
Warwick Fortress One, Honey Violin finish, made in Germany in 2000. Warwick are one of those overachieving companies that just do everything a little bit better than everyone else... German engineering etc etc. The Fortress model followed the more famous Corvette, it was the second bolt-on model Warwick ever produced. The body features a distinctive long upper horn, designed to offer perfect weight balance during play. The early versions were a passive J/J setup, but this is the later version with a handy P/J setup and an active two band EQ. There's a particular presence and definition to the tone typical of Warwick basses, this has it in spades. It's snappy, immediate and crisp, with the nuances of each note coming out clearly, but with plenty of warmth and weight through the lows and mids to keep it satisfying. The hardware is all very clever: angled tuners, easy adjustable bridge, adjustable nut, brass frets... it all just feels well thought out and ready for action. The three piece ovangkol neck boasts exceptional rigidity and resonace, plus the wenge board looks amazing. The nut is 45mm wide, similar to a '57 style Precision Bass, so there's a bit of meat there; handy if you prefer a mildly chunky neck over those 'modern shreddable' type shapes. The flame maple body is a gorgeous piece of wood, and the honey finish really lets it song for it's supper... what a song, too.
Model: Warwick Fortress One
Made: Germany, 2000 (serial E-075231-00)
Finish: satin honey violin
Body: flame maple
Neck: ovangkol 3-piece, wenge board, 34" scale, 15" radius, Precision-style D profile, 45mm nut width
Weight: 4.4kg approx
Mods: none
Pickups: MEC Gold P/J active single coil set, active two band EQ
Case: basic non-original gig bag
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. Headstock has some minor scuffs on the end. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor glossing from play only. The back has a couple of very light scuffs, no major marks. The sides are also nice and clean, just some minor dimples near the jack. The front is also very tidy, just some very minor play wear on the horns. Overall: excellent condition (9/10)
Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. Electronics all tested and working properly. Frets look great, 8/10 for fret life left. Wearing fresh 45/105 strings.