Great video. I agree with the point that the custom has a more compressed sound, in a good way. The low end is much smoother and rounded out. Cosmetically far more appealing and that wenge neck is beautiful.
Thanks John! Yeah, I'm a sucker for a good-looking bass. I know cosmetics may seem extraneous, but hey, if I'm going to have an instrument displayed in my room, I'd rather have one that's a sight to behold, rather than something boring!
Cool video. To my ear they sound 99% the same. I would really like to hear comparisons between the Thumb 4 and 5, as they have different pickup placements.
Me too! I've always wondering that about the 4 string thumb. I don't have any objective evidence to back this up, but I really believe that the 5-string thumb pickup configuration is a MASSIVE part of it's unique tone. I've love to know how much of that tone carries over to the 4 string version. Thanks for watching!
@@gsimongear I actually have a korean Thumb 4 BO with a maple neck and I tune it BEAD. It has the Thumb's signature growl, especially with the pickup balance towards the bridge pickup. I like that I can boots the 100Hz bass knob (that is higher than the ususal 40 or 60Hz) and have lots of low mids/high lows without the sound being boomy. I've never played the 5 string, so I can't say if the difference between the 4 and the 5 is noticeable or not.
Thank you, excellent comparison. I have a Streamer Jazzman 5 and an Infinity NT5 Fretless (both custom shop), and was looking to add a 6-string to the mix. Going back and forth between Pro and Masterbuilt, and I had wondered about any significant tonal differences. To my ears, It is extremely difficult to tell the two apart and yeah I think if a used 6-string Thumb Pro showed up for sale I'd be perfectly happy with it.
I would say the biggest difference boils down to the cosmetics and feel. I have a GPS with all brass hardware I swapped from a Custom Shop and once in a mix it made zero difference. But, it does look a hell of a lot better compared to the chrome/tedur nut combo.
For sure Matthew! I think most of the Custom Shop benefits are cosmetic and in feel; tonally they're identical to me. However, those little changes make it just a little more fun to play and motivate me to practice more!! ..or maybe I'm just trying to rationalize the price... Either way, thank you for watching!
In all honesty I moved the picture out of sight so I could just listen. It wasn't until 2:15 in that I noticed a different sound. So really both are almost Identical as far as I can tell. Why spend more for a custom when It really is not different enough to make It worth spending the money?
Tone-wise, I totally agree. The Pro-Series are the way to go! Like I said in the video though, for me, a lot of the Custom Shop features are in the build quality, neck stability, neck profile, fret durability, etc (and aesthetics, if we're being honest). Whether you're willing to pay extra for those non-tonal features is a totally subjective decision. Thanks for watching!!
@@recordlabeldao7820 The Pro Series is an absolute steal for the price (when compared to the price & wait time for Masterbuilt & Custom Shop instruments)
Great Comparison! I totally agree with you! And additionally can be said, that there is always a special aura around those customshop basses when I look at my collection, no matter what brand ;-)
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful! So I got the Custom Shop BO used about a year ago. It was in mint condition but about half it's original price, so I got totally lucky there.
Really interesting. I have a 2000 Thumb which I have put into the shop for its first service. Having the plastic just-a-nut replaced with a brass one. Looking forward to hearing the tonal difference. Picking up today!
Awesome! That's one of those masterbuilt/custom shop features I've always wondered about, when talking tone. Let me know how it sounds! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this video! The masterbuilt neck is 5 piece laminate with a strong center core. The team built is 6 piece and joint in the center where the truss rod sits...
1. Awesome comparison video, i really can't hear the difference really. 2. Does the warwick 5 take a lot of eq to get that nice warwick burp/mid range uniqueness or is it something that is just kinda there out of the box? I have a 4 string thumb and while it sounds wonderful it doesn't have that same mid range.... burp?
Thank you! It's definitely subtle - I think the differences come in areas outside of tone, I guess. I believe the midrange burp is characteristic of the bass itself. I'd attribute it to the 5-string pickup configuration. Regardless of wood (and somewhat electronics), most 5 string thumbs I've heard have this same characteristic. I can't say the same about 4-strings though.
I had a '99 Thumb NT5. Awesome bass. Neck dive was too much for me. I sold it to a friend. I purchased a' 21 Streamer LX5 Ltd. Yeah. Big difference. 2lbs lighter and balanced. I knew I'd find a Warwick I could play. Love this Steamer. Keep up the vids. 🤟😎👍🎸
Hello, this is a nice comparison but I can’t afford such a tool. I probably will sound like cheap one here, but how about a RB Streamer NT 1 ? Is it worth the 900€/$ ? Or would you suggest another model in that price range (for amateur and occasional gigs) ? Keep on with the good work 😃
Hey! Thanks for stopping by. Ultimately, I can't really vouch for the Rckbass line, as I haven't powned one for probably about 10 or 11 years now. But from every demo I've heard, and every used one that I've found in stores, they're simply not on the same level as the pro series or masterbuilt. For the price range of the Rockbass, I think you're paying more for the Warwick body shapes and ergonomics than the tone.
@@gsimongear Oh yeah, Its a beast. It was stolen from my house when moving in 2002 and in 2004 I found it online, used at Guitar Center, my King County, WA Sheriff called the Sheriff in Daluth, GA and they shipped it two day back to me for free.
Hopefully there'll be a custom shop in your hands eventually!! I'm not a huge fan of fanned fret basses, although I also don't play in drop tunings much. That's where I see a lot of the utility. I've owned 2 Dingwalls (NG2 & NG3) in the past, and ended up selling both of them. As much as I wanted to like them, it just didn't work out. I'm already a pretty small guy, so having an extra long neck and (in the case of Dingwall) a large body just felt unwieldy to me. I personally can't vouch for the argument that the fanned frets are more ergonomic or comfortable. The first and second frets on the low strings were kind of awkward to reach. It also makes chords across 3 strings hard in certain areas of the neck. On the topic of note clarity, I've been perfectly fine with Warwick, the Thumb especially, for drop tunings down to 1 full step down + G on the low string (Drop G). Beyond that, I'd imagine fanned frets are a necessity. This last part might be a hot take, but I think a lot of the fanned fret brands bank on you applying distortion or heavy effects afterwards. I don't hear much "baked-in" tone coming from those instruments, as compared to basses with a naturally distinct sound, like Warwick, Fender, Music Man, or Spector. The fanned fret brands sound super clear, making them an awesome blank slate for applying brutal distortion or effects. Sorry for the long response there; it's something I've contemplated for a while! Again, I've got no hate towards fanned frets - I've tried hard to be a Dingwall convert (twice!), and each time, I revert back to Warwick. However, if you're going for those crunchy, brutal low notes that still cut through a mix, the Dingwall + Darkglass combo remains supreme. I have yet to hear another setup which gives "that modern metal sound" (you know it when you hear it).
@@gsimongear glad you said this! I’m in the same boat, I miss my NT Thumb5 sooo much I have a few stingrays and a Dingwall NG3 and been thinking of selling it towards another NT5 thumb, it’s a great bass but the Thumb just hold a special place in my heart
Great comparison. To me the master built sounds obviously better in both the DI and Cabsim examples - fuller and holds its oen. Only in the soft played section later on they sound closer.
Great points! I think they're close, but there's a slight bit more of that "natural compression" in the custom shop one, to my ears at least. Thank you for watching and commenting!
A little bit! It almost makes me wonder if the set of strings I used for it were a little "dead", if you will. I tried to minimize that difference though, as both basses got new NYXL sets just a few weeks before.
Both sound epic...Win. If I had a mountain of cash, I would go neck through on all my basses. I'm a broke, touring bassist... so it's bolt on for me (after having 3 necks broken by baggage handlers).
@Good-Simon Gear 3 seems horrendous, but my guitarist has had 5 guitar smashed beyond repair by baggage handlers. I'm thinking they see a guitar/bass case and think "Here's this guy travelling, having fun & playing music while I'm tossing bags arou and miserable... I'll show him." To make matters worse, it takes forever for the airlines to compensate you (if ever) because they demand receipts and multiple "market value" appraisals. Insuring your isn't an option for most because it's costly and the insurance company will put you through the same treatment as the airlines.
The worst part is I can hear the difference 😔. It's almost like the GPS has the same foundation as the Custom on bass and low mid side, but the Custom has more growl and presence on the high mid and treble side. I'm not sure if it's worth $2 to $4k+ though.
Good point! I agree that if you listen closely, there are some differences. Like you said though, whether those differences are worth the price is up to the individual.
Yeah! It's one of the most usable bass boosts I've heard. Is attribute that two essentially the lack of a normal neck pickup. It never gets boomy or muddy with the bass boost.
It would be absolutely freaking amazing if a company did a special run of GPS Thumbs with full Wenge necks. Even more amazing if they were ready in like a month?!
If you have a pro series with the black Tedur nut one upgrade that I feel makes all the difference in the world? Replace the nut with the brass just-a-nut! It’s around $200 well spent to up your sound and overall quality big time, open notes sound identical to a fretted note due to being the same as fret material. Easy to replace yourself. While the craftsmanship is obviously extra from the custom shop- I feel like the sound difference is negligible. You can get very similar sounds from both. But that custom does look gorgeous!
Good point Rob! That's a good idea; I may have to try swapping out that nut. I'm still pretty happy with the Pro Series as is, so fortunately it's won't have to be a super urgent upgrade! Sound-wise, I agree: they're pretty similar. But yeah, some of the Custom Shop woods and finishes are to die for, even if it's only cosmetic!!
Both sounded better with just the neck pickup, it has less of a nasal sound, which I just don't like. Either way though, if you just want that sound, the Pro is absolutely fine to go with.
Close your eyes and you’ll barely hear the difference. Waste of money in my opinion as far as sound is concerned. No notable differences. In the mix or band setting, no way you could tell the difference. Playability is probably what the difference is.
How do you switch between basses so fast? That’s impressive.
Lots of practice lol! Thanks for watching.
Great video. I agree with the point that the custom has a more compressed sound, in a good way. The low end is much smoother and rounded out. Cosmetically far more appealing and that wenge neck is beautiful.
Thanks John! Yeah, I'm a sucker for a good-looking bass. I know cosmetics may seem extraneous, but hey, if I'm going to have an instrument displayed in my room, I'd rather have one that's a sight to behold, rather than something boring!
I guarantee those differences would disappear in a blind a/b test
Cool video. To my ear they sound 99% the same.
I would really like to hear comparisons between the Thumb 4 and 5, as they have different pickup placements.
Me too! I've always wondering that about the 4 string thumb. I don't have any objective evidence to back this up, but I really believe that the 5-string thumb pickup configuration is a MASSIVE part of it's unique tone. I've love to know how much of that tone carries over to the 4 string version. Thanks for watching!
@@gsimongear I actually have a korean Thumb 4 BO with a maple neck and I tune it BEAD. It has the Thumb's signature growl, especially with the pickup balance towards the bridge pickup. I like that I can boots the 100Hz bass knob (that is higher than the ususal 40 or 60Hz) and have lots of low mids/high lows without the sound being boomy. I've never played the 5 string, so I can't say if the difference between the 4 and the 5 is noticeable or not.
Superb comparison!
Cheers!
Thanks Wess! I really appreciate it! Hope it was helpful.
Thank you, excellent comparison. I have a Streamer Jazzman 5 and an Infinity NT5 Fretless (both custom shop), and was looking to add a 6-string to the mix. Going back and forth between Pro and Masterbuilt, and I had wondered about any significant tonal differences. To my ears, It is extremely difficult to tell the two apart and yeah I think if a used 6-string Thumb Pro showed up for sale I'd be perfectly happy with it.
I would say the biggest difference boils down to the cosmetics and feel. I have a GPS with all brass hardware I swapped from a Custom Shop and once in a mix it made zero difference. But, it does look a hell of a lot better compared to the chrome/tedur nut combo.
For sure Matthew! I think most of the Custom Shop benefits are cosmetic and in feel; tonally they're identical to me. However, those little changes make it just a little more fun to play and motivate me to practice more!! ..or maybe I'm just trying to rationalize the price...
Either way, thank you for watching!
In all honesty I moved the picture out of sight so I could just listen. It wasn't until 2:15 in that I noticed a different sound. So really both are almost Identical as far as I can tell. Why spend more for a custom when It really is not different enough to make It worth spending the money?
Tone-wise, I totally agree. The Pro-Series are the way to go! Like I said in the video though, for me, a lot of the Custom Shop features are in the build quality, neck stability, neck profile, fret durability, etc (and aesthetics, if we're being honest). Whether you're willing to pay extra for those non-tonal features is a totally subjective decision. Thanks for watching!!
@@gsimongearhonestly the pro series has very damn neck stability aswell. I own a corvette 6 std bubinga
@@recordlabeldao7820 The Pro Series is an absolute steal for the price (when compared to the price & wait time for Masterbuilt & Custom Shop instruments)
Great Comparison! I totally agree with you! And additionally can be said, that there is always a special aura around those customshop basses when I look at my collection, no matter what brand ;-)
Thanks Wolfgang! I know exactly what aura you're talking about...it's that "wow" factor whenever you walk past it or pick it up!
Excellent video! Can’t wait for the next one
Thank you Mike! I'm looking forward to coming up with some more ideas in the future.
@@gsimongear looking forward to it! Your channel will definitely keep growing!
Fantastic video. Exactly the discussion that I've been looking for. Did you buy that NT5 new? How long did it take to build?
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful! So I got the Custom Shop BO used about a year ago. It was in mint condition but about half it's original price, so I got totally lucky there.
@@gsimongear I’d say!
@@gsimongear Do you use your Shure wireless unit only for live or do you use it also routinely for studio and home practice?
Really interesting. I have a 2000 Thumb which I have put into the shop for its first service. Having the plastic just-a-nut replaced with a brass one. Looking forward to hearing the tonal difference. Picking up today!
Awesome! That's one of those masterbuilt/custom shop features I've always wondered about, when talking tone. Let me know how it sounds!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this video! The masterbuilt neck is 5 piece laminate with a strong center core. The team built is 6 piece and joint in the center where the truss rod sits...
Oh okay, cool! Thanks Stewart! I didn't realize that. I bet that probably has an effect on neck stability.
1. Awesome comparison video, i really can't hear the difference really.
2. Does the warwick 5 take a lot of eq to get that nice warwick burp/mid range uniqueness or is it something that is just kinda there out of the box? I have a 4 string thumb and while it sounds wonderful it doesn't have that same mid range.... burp?
Thank you! It's definitely subtle - I think the differences come in areas outside of tone, I guess.
I believe the midrange burp is characteristic of the bass itself. I'd attribute it to the 5-string pickup configuration. Regardless of wood (and somewhat electronics), most 5 string thumbs I've heard have this same characteristic. I can't say the same about 4-strings though.
Great Comparison and killer playing..I have a wps korean thumb though i have not tried a german variant yet hopefully in the future.
Thanks man! How do you like the Korean pro series?
hey! how much did you pay for the custom shop bass versus the pro series?
The used Custom Shop was around 4500, and the pro Series was on sale new for 2600 (I may be a couple hundred off on both of those...)
I had a '99 Thumb NT5. Awesome bass. Neck dive was too much for me. I sold it to a friend. I purchased a' 21 Streamer LX5 Ltd. Yeah. Big difference. 2lbs lighter and balanced. I knew I'd find a Warwick I could play. Love this Steamer. Keep up the vids. 🤟😎👍🎸
ryan martinie would be very proud . great playing.
Thank you!!! Ryan's a big inspiration. Loving soften the glare lately!
Hello, this is a nice comparison but I can’t afford such a tool.
I probably will sound like cheap one here, but how about a RB Streamer NT 1 ? Is it worth the 900€/$ ? Or would you suggest another model in that price range (for amateur and occasional gigs) ?
Keep on with the good work 😃
Hey! Thanks for stopping by. Ultimately, I can't really vouch for the Rckbass line, as I haven't powned one for probably about 10 or 11 years now. But from every demo I've heard, and every used one that I've found in stores, they're simply not on the same level as the pro series or masterbuilt. For the price range of the Rockbass, I think you're paying more for the Warwick body shapes and ergonomics than the tone.
And great vid by the way. What year are these both?
Custom Shop is 2019, Pro Series is 2021.
I love my 1993 Warwick Streamer Bolton.
btw the custom is just a bit nastier
99.9999% the same
That's awesome! 1993 Streamer - it must be a pretty durable bass then, still holding it's own in 2023!
Thanks for watching!
@@gsimongear Oh yeah, Its a beast. It was stolen from my house when moving in 2002 and in 2004 I found it online, used at Guitar Center, my King County, WA Sheriff called the Sheriff in Daluth, GA and they shipped it two day back to me for free.
@@idiotburns I went through something very similar to this!!! The cops got it back for me!
Why did your Pro series Thumb get the inlay on fingerboard?
Hi Fenris! That's an aftermarket modification; my local luthier added those inlays for me.
Muchas gracias por esta comparación, realmente lo necesitaba.
You're welcome, thank you for watching!
Great vid man!
Thank you so much Kade! I appreciate you stopping by to check it out. I bet you've been getting some sick tones from your new Custom Shop lately!
@@gsimongear Great playing and content man! It’s on its way to Aus now haha can’t wait!
Man this is making me want a custom shop sooooo bad.
Random question but what's your opinion on a bass with fanned frets?
Hopefully there'll be a custom shop in your hands eventually!!
I'm not a huge fan of fanned fret basses, although I also don't play in drop tunings much. That's where I see a lot of the utility. I've owned 2 Dingwalls (NG2 & NG3) in the past, and ended up selling both of them. As much as I wanted to like them, it just didn't work out.
I'm already a pretty small guy, so having an extra long neck and (in the case of Dingwall) a large body just felt unwieldy to me. I personally can't vouch for the argument that the fanned frets are more ergonomic or comfortable. The first and second frets on the low strings were kind of awkward to reach. It also makes chords across 3 strings hard in certain areas of the neck.
On the topic of note clarity, I've been perfectly fine with Warwick, the Thumb especially, for drop tunings down to 1 full step down + G on the low string (Drop G). Beyond that, I'd imagine fanned frets are a necessity.
This last part might be a hot take, but I think a lot of the fanned fret brands bank on you applying distortion or heavy effects afterwards. I don't hear much "baked-in" tone coming from those instruments, as compared to basses with a naturally distinct sound, like Warwick, Fender, Music Man, or Spector. The fanned fret brands sound super clear, making them an awesome blank slate for applying brutal distortion or effects.
Sorry for the long response there; it's something I've contemplated for a while! Again, I've got no hate towards fanned frets - I've tried hard to be a Dingwall convert (twice!), and each time, I revert back to Warwick. However, if you're going for those crunchy, brutal low notes that still cut through a mix, the Dingwall + Darkglass combo remains supreme. I have yet to hear another setup which gives "that modern metal sound" (you know it when you hear it).
@@gsimongear glad you said this! I’m in the same boat, I miss my NT Thumb5 sooo much I have a few stingrays and a Dingwall NG3 and been thinking of selling it towards another NT5 thumb, it’s a great bass but the Thumb just hold a special place in my heart
Great comparison. To me the master built sounds obviously better in both the DI and Cabsim examples - fuller and holds its oen. Only in the soft played section later on they sound closer.
Great points! I think they're close, but there's a slight bit more of that "natural compression" in the custom shop one, to my ears at least. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Pro Series, a little brighter?
A little bit! It almost makes me wonder if the set of strings I used for it were a little "dead", if you will. I tried to minimize that difference though, as both basses got new NYXL sets just a few weeks before.
Both sound epic...Win.
If I had a mountain of cash, I would go neck through on all my basses.
I'm a broke, touring bassist... so it's bolt on for me (after having 3 necks broken by baggage handlers).
Wow, 3 broken necks?? Just one would've been a traumatic experience for me...
@Good-Simon Gear
3 seems horrendous, but my guitarist has had 5 guitar smashed beyond repair by baggage handlers.
I'm thinking they see a guitar/bass case and think "Here's this guy travelling, having fun & playing music while I'm tossing bags arou and miserable... I'll show him."
To make matters worse, it takes forever for the airlines to compensate you (if ever) because they demand receipts and multiple "market value" appraisals.
Insuring your isn't an option for most because it's costly and the insurance company will put you through the same treatment as the airlines.
The worst part is I can hear the difference 😔. It's almost like the GPS has the same foundation as the Custom on bass and low mid side, but the Custom has more growl and presence on the high mid and treble side.
I'm not sure if it's worth $2 to $4k+ though.
Good point! I agree that if you listen closely, there are some differences. Like you said though, whether those differences are worth the price is up to the individual.
That Bass boost makes me want to get a thumb ^^
Yeah! It's one of the most usable bass boosts I've heard. Is attribute that two essentially the lack of a normal neck pickup. It never gets boomy or muddy with the bass boost.
It would be absolutely freaking amazing if a company did a special run of GPS Thumbs with full Wenge necks. Even more amazing if they were ready in like a month?!
If only haha! Thank you for watching!!
@@gsimongear my company has this exact thing coming in April/May! I haven't posted about it. I ordered them two years ago!
Your wish has been granted! Go to fret nation And reserve yours now because they will be here in April
I have just received my GPS Thumb with full Wenge neck. It’s an absolute dream bass.
@@bobthebassman7066 so glad to hear that!!!!!
thanks for the comparison. custom shop does have clearer sound in frequencies than thumb.
Oh man want a thumb! 2003 BO for sale locally too
Sounds like a deal - Grab it while you can! Thanks for watching.
Yeah. Its ovangkol body, wenge neck. Should growl for days
If you have a pro series with the black Tedur nut one upgrade that I feel makes all the difference in the world? Replace the nut with the brass just-a-nut! It’s around $200 well spent to up your sound and overall quality big time, open notes sound identical to a fretted note due to being the same as fret material. Easy to replace yourself.
While the craftsmanship is obviously extra from the custom shop- I feel like the sound difference is negligible. You can get very similar sounds from both. But that custom does look gorgeous!
Good point Rob! That's a good idea; I may have to try swapping out that nut. I'm still pretty happy with the Pro Series as is, so fortunately it's won't have to be a super urgent upgrade! Sound-wise, I agree: they're pretty similar. But yeah, some of the Custom Shop woods and finishes are to die for, even if it's only cosmetic!!
Both sounded better with just the neck pickup, it has less of a nasal sound, which I just don't like. Either way though, if you just want that sound, the Pro is absolutely fine to go with.
I've grown accustomed to the 50:50 blend, but it got to say, the solo neck pickup is growing on me. Thanks for watching!
Thumbs sound like thumbs. They honestly have such a tone all their own that the differences are extremely subtle.
For sure! That's why I love the Thumb - they're distinct! Thanks for checking it out.
Solid playing man, definitely hear the Ryan martinie influence
Once you hear the custom shop then everything else is history.
It definitely edges out the pro series to my ear, but just by a tiny bit! I dig them both. Thanks for watching!
Electronics and pickup positioning are the same, that says it all
Same sound
For sure, they're pretty similar, huh? Thanks for watching!
Прошка более читаемый и вообще гармоничнее звучание
same electronics and pups? almost always equal same tone.
A plastic nut for the pro series!?!?!? Oh come on Warwick!
Why should there be any difference?
It's the same electronics!
Close your eyes and you’ll barely hear the difference. Waste of money in my opinion as far as sound is concerned. No notable differences. In the mix or band setting, no way you could tell the difference. Playability is probably what the difference is.
I agree with you. It's all in how they feel, and more so the option to have custom build specs, versus stock options.