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May 2012
Dear customer, Quite a lot has been happening here at Warwick and Framus, lately. Not only have we been working hard in order to have even more surprises in store for you, but we are also currently making sure that the year 2012 will be a year to remember. For instance, there are ongoing preparations for the Warwick Bass Camp in September, which will give 80 bass players the chance to learn from some of the biggest bass greats from around the world! Furthermore, did you know that Warwick will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year? But enough talk of the future: Let’s focus on the current selection of exciting topics. World music lovers will enjoy our interview with bass player extraordinaire Just Wody, from the island of Martinique. And fans of the amazing Jonas Hellborg-designed amplifiers will be excited to find a detailed overview of the cool features found in the Hellborg Series Stereo Power Amp. Of course, there’s more!
			I hope you enjoy this issue. Yours truly,
OVERVIEW
Bass of the Month		Warwick News		Environment
New Custom Shop Special Editions		Bass Camp 2012		Environmental Alliance
Warwick Amplification		Inside Warwick		Interview
Hellborg Stereo Power Amp		Pre-Production Katja Semmler		Just Wody
Warwick's Bass of the month - Stone Bleached and Colour Storm Special Editions
For this year’s Musikmesse in Frankfurt/Main, Germany Warwick took along a range of new Custom Shop Basses which are really impressive!   The Stone Bleached and Colour Storm Special Editions are captivating with their stunning finishes. Every instrument is a unique piece of artwork. All Stone Bleached models are Corvette $$’s, bolt-on with an Ovangkol neck and a fretboard made of Wenge, passive MEC MM style Pickups and an active MEC 2-way electronic. The body is made of a combination of Birdeye Poplar and Swamp Ash, or California Buckeye Burl and Swamp Ash. For the second combination, the body and top are glued together with ekanga veneerlayer between top and body. The Stone Bleached High Polish Finish is available in black, blue and red. The Buckeye Burl Natural Finish is only available in the US. The Colour Storm range comes with some different options: The Corvette $$ Colour Storm Explosion has almost the same specifications as its Stone Bleached counterparts, only the body is completely made of Swamp Ash. The gold-orange High Polish finish of this Corvette $$ really puts the picture of an explosion in one’s mind. This bass explodes not only visually, but also tonally – for an explosive low-end work!  Same specs, but different finish: the Corvette $$ Colour Storm Steelflower comes with a discreet and stylish anthracite High Polish flower finish. In contrast to this the Colour Storm Galaxy Bass appears a bit cooler – simply galactic. This Streamer LX comes with a violet High Polish finish, paired with some red elements. Also, the specifications of the Streamer LX Colour Storm Galaxy differ from those of the other Special Edition models (as defined above). The body of the Streamer LX is made of AAA Coloured Flamed Maple. The galactic Streamer is powered by active MEC P/J Pickups and an active MEC 2-way electronic. The combination of beautiful, natural occurring grain patterns in the wood and creative coloured oil applications make this Special Edition basses true works of art. Each instrument is extraordinary and completely exclusive.
Warwick News - Warwick and Gitarre & Bass Magazine present: Bass Camp 2012
In September 2012, the Warwick headquarters in Markneukirchen will host a Bass Camp for the first time. This unique 4-day training camp will be an opportunity for approximately 80 bassists out of Europe to learn from some of the best low-end masters from around the world. (04.09.2012 – 07.09.2012). The lecturers will be: Leland Sklar, Steve Bailey, Jonas Hellborg, Divinity Roxx, Alphonso Johnson, T.M. Stevens, Andy Irvine, John B. Williams, Guy Pratt, Antonella Mazza, Günther Gebauer, Wolfgang Schmid, Jäcki Reznicek, and guitar wizard Regi Wooten. We are very pleased and proud to have the support of these instructors from such different musical styles and countries. Throughout the course, participants will have the chance to discuss topics such as playing techniques, and how to design a meaningful bass line. Drawing from their professional experience in the music business, the instructors are able offer many tips and tricks for the students, such as surviving in the real musical world. With the presentation of so much information and inspiration for practicing, you may like to have a change of scenery. For this we welcome you to join a guided Warwick-factory tour, visit the Framus-Museum or the Museum of Musical Instruments in Markneukirchen. In the evening there will be ample opportunity to engage in thoughtful exchanges: all students and lecturers of Bass Camp will be staying at a comfortable spa hotel (www.ifa-ferienpark.de). Participants should bring their own instruments, please. Amps will be provided by Warwick. All four days of Bass Camp (04.09.2012 – 07-09.2012), including five nights stay and dinners at the Hotel IFA Schöneck Ferienpark (equipped with sauna and pool), is priced at € 399 per bass player registered until 30.07.2012 (for registration after 30.07.2012 the price will be € 499). Bass Camp participants are also invited to join the “Warwick 30th Anniversary Open Day 2012” on Saturday 08.09.2012, here on the company site. For registration and further information please go to: www.gitarrebass.de/BassCamp.
Environment - Warwick – Officially inducted into the "Umweltallianz Sachsen"
When it comes to environmental protection and the careful handling of resources, we at Warwick have been very active for years. Our declared goal is to attain an energy balance completely without environmental pollution by 2015. For this purpose, we will proceed with the modernization of our product lines, improve the effectiveness of the amount of energy we consume,  and further our use of alternative energy. Continually the company has received awards for its commitment to the environment. Last year we received certifications according to DIN ISO 14001 and – as the first European manufacturer of musical instruments – EMAS III, for constant implementation and enforcement of our Environmental Management System. In addition, our efforts to purchase wood from sustainable forestry have been honored: we are now FSC® certified! Our Corvette Standard “FSC®-Certified” bass is completely made of wood from sustainably managed forests. Most recently, on 11th April 2012, Warwick’s CEO Hans-Peter Wilfer was presented with yet another certification: the company was inducted into the “Umweltallianz Sachsen” (Environment Alliance Saxony). Companies belonging to this alliance voluntary abide by progressive environmental standards, seeking to contribute to the constant relief and well-being of the environment. The “Umweltallianz Sachsen” is an efficient tool and forum to build a cooperative partnership between state government and economy in the free state of Saxony.  A heightened awareness of environmental protection must be an integral component of the philosophy of the company to participate in the alliance. No problem for Warwick and Framus! We've been publicly documenting all measures of environmental protection since 2011.
Warwick Amplification -  The Warwick Hellborg Stereo Power Amp
In this issue, we would like to take a closer look at the Hellborg Stereo Power Amp, conceived and fully designed by iconic bassist Jonas Hellborg. The Hellborg Stereo Power Amp is the heart of the Hellborg rig, amplifying the signal of the Hellborg Preamp and routing it to the speaker cabinets. Needless to say, Jonas chose not to design yet another power amp. The Hellborg Stereo Power Amp is a flexible, amazing-sounding amplification solution with a unique approach to tube-like warmth combined with other useful and unique features. Jonas’s idea behind its design was combining the advantages of both solid state and tube amplification – i. e. the reliability and fast response of a solid state amp meets the tonal warmth and character of a tube amp. Jonas’s goal was realized by means of a unique and innovative approach which is outlined below.  The Hellborg Stereo Power Amp uses bipolar solid state technology and comes with a large Output Transformer, as a tube amplifier would. This is a first for an amplifier using solid state technology. In a tube circuit, the Output Transformer converts the high-impedance output of the amplifier into a low-impedance signal suitable for being routed into the speakers. By contrast, the output of a solid state amplifier is always low-impedance. However, the unique combination of a solid state circuit and an output transformer ensures that the amplifier always keeps the optimal load regardless of what speakers are connected. As a result, you will find that the tone of the Hellborg Stereo Power Amp possesses warmth and fullness which most players only think is possible with a tube circuit. Another useful feature of the Hellborg Stereo Power Amp is that it is designed to power bi-amped amplification setups if needed. In a bi-amped setup, each cabinet is powered by its own power amp. The Hellborg Stereo Power Amp is capable of delivering two separate outputs at 250 watts at an impedance of either 2, 4, or 8 ohms. This enables bass players who take their tone seriously to use separate cabinets for high and low frequencies which minimizes the risk of speaker damage and reduces the power amp load. Furthermore, this feature eliminates one of the main drawbacks resulting from common speaker designs. Most loudspeakers are designed to reproduce both highs and lows by including separate drivers for both frequencies, but are actually unable to cover the entire frequency spectrum. As a result, the highs and lows are separated by means of a crossover filter – a frequently error-prone compromise that will more often than not impair the quality of your tone. With the Hellborg Stereo Power Amp, making sure both your highs and lows project perfectly by choosing optimal cabs becomes easy, putting you in full control of your tone. The perfect power amp for the discerning bassist! You wouldn’t expect any less from Jonas Hellborg, who actually introduced the first bi-amped bass amplifier to the world in as early as 1982!                                                Find more information and videos on the Warwick website: Hellborg Stereo Power Amp
Warwick Inside - Pre-Production: Katja Semmler
Katja Semmler is responsible for the Pre-Production at Warwick’s Headquarters in Markneukirchen. We asked her nine questions about her life and her job with Warwick/Framus. Read the interview below.   1) When did you start working at Warwick? I’ve been  working here since October 2007, so it’ll be five years this year. 2) Where are you from and how did you came to Warwick? I was born in a small town near Schleiz in Thuringia (eastern Germany). I came to Warwick through playing guitar in combination with my job. 3) What about your education? What schools have you visited? What are your qualifications? I finished a 3-year apprenticeship as a carpenter. Specialized in furniture building.  4) What is your job at Warwick? My tasks here are to sort, combine and glue woods (including the Custom Shop woods). Additionally I control the bodies of the milled instruments after the grinding was finished. Also I guide the production tours for visitors. 5) What do you like the most about your job? It is simply great working with such amazing woods and machines! The working atmosphere is great, which is really important! I like working with all the nice people here. And of course it’s absolutely fantastic to look at the finished instruments in the end. 6) What about your interest in wood and the wood processing industry – where does it come from? I was always very interested in craft professions where you can unleash your creative potential. Especially working with woods, which is spectacular because of all the different types and structures wood can have. Last but not least, I play guitar myself –so I wanted to combine the whole thing. That’s how I came to Warwick. 7) So you’re playing guitar… What about playing bass? Yes, guitar… I don’t play bass yet, but I’d like to learn it. 8) What do you like more: Warwick basses or Framus guitars? What is your favorite instrument? My favorite… actually there’s no difference for me personally. I like Framus as much as I like Warwick. My favorite instrument… hmmm… difficult question, because for me each instrument is unique in its own kind of way. But I would say my favorites are the AZ 10 and the Vampyre. 9) What does Warwick/Framus mean to you? Quality and perfection in every detail.
Interview - Just Wody
1) How are you? Please introduce yourself to our readers! Fine, thank you! I'm JUST WODY. I was born in Martinique (French West Indies) in 1972 at Lamentin. My story is the one of a little boy which grown in countryside and marked by a music directly came from slavery and very bad considered because of this heavy “detail”. A song mixed with voices, drums and tibwa**, accompanied with dances sending back to Africa, but also to the quadrille*** of ancient settlers. Rustic expression rehabilitated some 20 years ago and now making the pride of all Martinican, bèlè* (or bel air transcribed from Creole language into French) has its masters, its guardians of remembrance.Tarot. * bèlè: generical term designating all together : an instrument (tambour bèlè: bèlè drum), a context, a party, and on a larger scale a certain way of being together and values (solidarity, sharing, cultural identity…) ** tibwa: sticks hit at the back of the bèlè drum *** quadrille: square dance   2) Please tell us something about your latest record. Which Instruments did you use in the studio? I'm actually working on the show of my new album “Nu Jazz Roots”. 3) When did you actually start playing? Why did you choose the bass guitar as your instrument?  I don't know if it's the person who chooses the instrument or if it's the instrument that chooses the person but the choice was made when I was 14 years old. I had two brothers who were already playing music. The oldest was playing guitar and the other one: drums. So I choose the bass guitar because for me it represented a mix of both: guitar and drums. I love the groove of the bass guitar which sounds like any other.   4) Who influenced you as a bassist? Do you still have idols? Of course, I still have idols. They never changed since the beginning:  singers idols: Eugene MONA, Patrick Saint-Eloi, bass player idols: Michel ALIBO (Sixun), Geoges Decimus( Kassav)… 5) When did you first come into touch with Warwick and how did that happen? It was in 1993 I used a fretless Corvette, 4 strings and after I've changed the neck by a fretted one. I made some studio record with it and later, when I heard them again, I realized that Warwick bass was the best. 6) What do you particularly like about Warwick instruments and how do they affect your sound? I particularly like the tone and the woody sound.    7) You own a beautiful custom shop bass from Warwick. Could you introduce it to us and tell us something about its special features, please? I have two Warwick’s custom shop: - A thumb single cut 5 string, neck wood: flamed maple and the body is swamp ash with bubinga. It gives great tone with a lot of precision on the sound. Let me tell you a little story about the single cut. One day, at the end of a concert with Tony ALLEN to the Barbican at LONDON, the Great Brian ENO told me that he had never heard a guitar bass with such a wonderful sound in a concert hall. For me, about Warwick bass guitar it's meaningful. - One infinity 4 string: I played with it on my “Nu Jazz Roots” show but I also enjoy playing everything with it .   I remember my first touch and I could just say: ”ouawww…” and I said to Hans ‘you offered the world to me’. The neck wood is flamed maple, fingerboard wood is rosewood, body wood: spalted maple A/Ovangkol mics and electronics from MEC. Red front and side leads and Warwick logo headstock.   8) What are your personal impressions of the Warwick amps designed by Jonas Hellborg? It gives the perfect sound of your instrument. The preamp is like a studio preamp. 9) What are your plans for the future? Do you already have some new projects in mind? I hope and I will work for another album but I must confess that actually, I focus only on my “Nu Jazz Roots” and it takes the entire place in my mind. Sure, It takes time to introduce and fight for my own project. For the moment, I don't have anyone to organize tours. So I profit for asking serious tour's organizers to contact me if my project is interesting them. 10) Thank you very much for the interview. The last words are yours. I will be brief, I thank: WARWICK Bass and Amp, people who buy the album and my family for the support. Thank you all! And I hope the « Nu Jazz Roots » story will be funny and great!
Outro
I hope you enjoyed this selection of topics on all things Warwick and Framus. Thank you for reading, and look forward to a summer full of more exciting Warwick and Framus news, including more information on this year’s Warwick Bass Camp! We'll be seeing you!
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