Official Warwick & Framus Blog

Bootsy Collins is Artist of the Week

2011-05-05T03:06:00.000-07:00

Legendary Warwick endorser Bootsy Collins has much deservedly been chosen as guitarsquid.com's Artist of the Week.

The newly launched and increasingly popular quirky music news website already receives over 15,000 hits per day from avid music lovers around the world.

Our treasured endorser Bootsy was chosen as its second all time Artist of the Week, a befitting decision by the website's owners if we do say so ourselves, especially considering the 59-year-old Bootsy has just released his new studio album and is still funkin' around after an amazing 40 years in the business!

To read why Bootsy was chosen to be bestowed with this honorary title check out our official website's News HERE

Adam Clayton revealing new bass on U2360° Tour

2011-05-03T04:05:00.000-07:00

WARWICK has just finished a very eye-catching Custom Shop for U2 bassist and Warwick endorser Adam Clayton, and the instrument is ready right on time for Leg 3 of the mega group’s current U2360° Tour.

Clayton is set to reveal his latest Warwick weapon onstage in the US, where the band will play their current string of shows throughout this spring and summer.

Clayton’s choice of the vibrant Candy Apple Red color for his latest Custom Shop is an unusual one, compared with his typical preference for more natural woody and blander finishes...

... but for the current leg of this tour he has hinted that his choice is in creative co-ordination with the stage show.

So watch out for a surprise onstage unveiling of this fine new brow-raising bass with some trademark Clayton showmanship to match.

Check out more pics and specs of Adam Clayton's new Warwick Custom Shop HERE

For details on U2's current tour dates please visit their website : www.u2.com/tour

A Life Once Lost joins Framus and Warwick

2011-04-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

Veteran Metal Band A Life Once Lost has chosen Framus Guitars and Warwick Basses as their weapon of choice to execute their complex, groovy and unrelenting form of metal.

Guitarists Bobby Carpenter and bassist Doug Sabolick stopped by the New York Custom Shop recently to check out some gear.

Formed in the suburbs of Philadelphia in 1999, the band made a name for itselftouring relentlessly with bands such as As I Lay Dying, Lamb of God, Clutch, Opeth and Strapping Young Lad.

Recently joining the ranks of the French label Seasons of Mist, which will be putting out their upcoming album due out later this year, the band will also be touring and hitting festivals around the US during the summer, beginning with the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on April 16th, 2011.

They will be doing a short tour in March with band Atheist before hitting the studio to record their new record. Check out their new material, discography, and tour dates here: http://www.season-of-mist.com/bands/a-life-once-lost

New deal for Arsonists Get All The Girls

2011-04-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

The genre-bending avant-garde/deathcore band Arsonists Get All the Girls have joined the Framus and Warwick team of endorsers.

With an extreme command of their instruments, the band has been making waves in the metal world with their eclectic brand of heaviness which incorporates keyboards, ambient sound textures, and sonic bombast that defies all labels.Arsonists Get All The Girls guitarist Jaeson Bardoni and bassist Greg Howell have signed endorsement deals with both Framus and Warwick respectively.

Formed in 2005 in Santa Cruz California and currently signed to Century Media
records, AGATG recently recorded their 4th full length titled "Motherland" set to
be released May 17th, 2011 on Century Media.

They band are tearing up the road on their current tour of the US which began this month.

Says guitarist, Jaeson Bardoni:
"I love Framus guitars because of the care they put into their instruments.
They are built very well, play amazing, and sound incredible! They are also
extremely versatile. They are everything you would ever want in a guitar and
more. I don't want to play anything else."

According to bassist Greg Howell:
“The feel of a Warwick tops every other bass I've played. The wood offers great sustain
and thick lows tones."

Steve Bailey joins the Warwick Family

2011-04-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

Warwick is thrilled to announce that six string fretless bass pioneer Steve Bailey now proudly endorses Warwick basses.

Steve’s work as a solo artist, author, clinician, and collaborator with such renowned artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D’Rivera, Jethro Tull, Willie Nelson and Victor Wooten is the stuff of legend. Steve Bailey’s innovative artistry and diverse career amplifies our legendary artist roster.

Six string, fretless, and built for a master, the new Steve Bailey Signature Bass features bolt-on construction and a 34” inch scale length. The U.S. swamp ash body based on our classic Streamer

model is modified for better access to

the upper notes.

The aptly titled Steve Bailey Asymmetrical Neck Profile partnered with an oil finish ovangkol neck and snakewood fingerboard provides an ease of playability never before seen on a six string fretless bass.

Warwick’s exclusive 2 piece bridge is specifically routed from brass to provide extra resonance. Seymour Duncan® active Soapbar pickups in the neck and bridge and Seymour Duncan® Steve Bailey active 2 way electronics provide its sonic punch. Its black high polish finish and polished stainless steel pickguard makes this bass a visual stunner.

For more information about the Steve Bailey Signature Bass and all Warwick basses, please go to www.warwick.de

Musikmesse 2011: Press gather at Warwick Booth for Set-up Day

2011-04-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

Already some serious action has went down at the Warwick booth at Musikmesse 2011 and it was only Set Up Day.

While final preparations were getting underway and other exhibitors were running around the complex fitting, drilling and hammering things into place the press gathered at the Warwick Booth where we were ready, relaxed and about to reveal some very BIG news - the new Warwick Steve Bailey Signature Bass!

Luckily we captured the footage for you so you don't have to miss a thing.

In the clip below Steve makes the announcement while proudly holding his new Warwick weapon alongside his two buddies, Jonas Hellborg and Lee Sklar, who both have their own proud admissions to make...check the video out HERE

Also check out some pics from this first day on our Facebook and at our websites Photo Gallery

Ryan Martinie @ Warwick Booth for Musikmesse 2011

2011-04-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

That's right people, the one and only Ryan Martinie has been confirmed to make a special appearance at the Warwick booth for Musikmesse 2011 held in Frankfurt, Germany.

Ryan will be available for Signings and Meet & Greets at select times throughout our 4-day showcase at Europe's biggest music tradeshow.

The Mudvayne bassist is just one of a star-studded line-up of Warwick end

orsers who you will have a chance to meet when you come check out our booth at Halle 4.1 Stand E12.

Don't miss out on this awesome opportunity to hang with your heroes and rub shoulders with some true musical legends...watch this space for further updates on who will be there and when...only 3 days to go!

LIVE ON STAGE - Warwick @ Musikmesse 2011

2011-03-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

Bootsy Collins, TM Stevens, Steve Bailey and Blackbyrd McKnight are set to star at the Warwick/ Framus booth (Hall 4.1 Booth E12) at the largest music trade show in the world, Germany’s Musikmesse. These legendary artists are amongst the company’s star-studded endorsers who will grace our booth, each day from opening day on April 6 through to April 9 in Frankfurt’s Fair and Exhibition Center.

Dealers, artists and guests alike will also witness the European unveiling of Warwick’s brand new amplifier series. Dubbed the WA and BC range and inspired by the award-winning Hellborg amp series, these amplifiers are nothing short of exceptional.

Other new products on show include, the Warwick Artist Series and Pro Series, Bubinga Thumb and Star Bass II Single Cut and the legendary reissued Framus Hollywood vintage Single Cut and Double Cut - including Earl Slick’s signature model incarnation of this timeless guitar design!

For all this and more visit the Warwick / Framus booth in Hall 4.1 Booth E12 at the Fair and Exhibition Center, Frankfurt am Main, Germany for an exhibition you won’t forget…

LIVE ON STAGE EVERYDAY ARE:

11:30 John B Williams & Jean Paul Bourelly
12:30 Steve Bailey, Lee Sklar & Jonas Hellborg
13:30 Divinity Roxx & Band
15:00 Bootsy Collins, TM Stevens & Blackbyrd Mcknight
17:30 Paul Rose & his band

Follow us here at Warwick.de and Framus.de for regular, instant updates go to:

www.facebook.com/warwickbasses
www.twitter.com/warwickofficial
www.warwickframus.blogspot.com
www.youtube.com/warwickofficial

PRESS RELEASE: Earl Slick Signature Framus

2011-03-18T05:30:00.001-07:00

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEE THE NEW EARL SLICK SIGNATURE GUITAR AT MUSIKMESSE APRIL 6-9

Framus Guitars new Earl Slick Signature Model will be shown at Germany’s Musikmesse, the largest music trade show in the world. The show takes place April 6 through 9 in Frankfurt’s Fair and Exhibition Center (Hall 4.1 Booth E12). The re-issued 5/131 Hollywood Vintage guitars will also be on display.

Earl Slick has been an in demand guitarist for the better part of 30 years having played on the most pivotal of albums by none other than David Bowie, John Lennon and Ian Hunter. It only seems fitting that he’s chosen to endorse a Framus signature model to match the classic tones, which have also graced the work of Robert Smith and Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock. Slick recently joined proto-punk heroes, The New York Dolls.

Fashioned from the classic Framus rock and roll look that befits Earl Slick’s stature, this model is available in two rich finishes, Red Satin Solid and Black Statin Solid. The combination of resonant Swamp Ash with choice of DiMarzio PAFs or P90s matched with TonePros Tune-o-matic or Bigsby bridge gives Slick the sound that defined the most important eras of his musical career. The lever-style pickup selector makes this guitar even more unique and versatile. And Plek^® technology assures a perfect factory fret set up every time.

This guitar is perfect for an artist who has participated in some of the most classic recordings in music history. It is a true privilege to have Earl Slick’s incredible history intertwine with our own. These new Framus guitars are the result of a dream collaboration.

# # #

Win a Warwick Custom Shop... MINI One!

2011-03-09T00:26:00.000-08:00

The time has come again, between April 6^th and April 9^th 2011, for the yearly Musikmesse to kick off in Frankfurt/Main; by the way the internationally most important and biggest music trade show worldwide. And once again Warwick and Framus will be presenting several new products at their almost-football-stadium-size booth, as well as delivering unforgettable shows with world-renowned musicians.

Warwick and Framus will for the first time organize big sweepstakes at their booth in E12, Hall 4.1 that will include 333 prizes with a total value of approximately 60.000 €.

The main prizes in the sweepstakes are:
- 1 Custom MINI One, with “Fuss on the Buss“ airbrush
- 1 Warwick Thumb BO Natural, 4-string bass
- 1 RockBass Corvette Classic 4
- Several bass amps, including a WA 600 head and speaker cabinets
- 1 Framus Diablo Supreme X Tobacco electric guitar
- 1 Framus Ruby Riot I guitar combo amplifier
- 1 DigiTech Vocalist Live 5 vocal harmony processor
- 1 DigiTech RP500 guitar modeling processor

as well as countless additional high-quality equipment from Traveler Guitar, DigiTech, Jim Dunlop, Visual Sound, Seymour Duncan, Morley etc., also yearly subscriptions of Gitarre & Bass, and visitor passes for the Frankfurter Musikmesse 2012. The Austin MINI Special “Fuss on the Buss“ can be seen at the Warwick/Framus booth.

Click here for participating rules

Warwick at 2011 Grammy Awards

2011-02-15T04:18:00.000-08:00

The unmistakable Sound of Wood could be heard by an estimated 25.8 million viewers in what has been described as the highlight performance of the 2011 Grammy Awards.

Tony Garnier with Star Bass II and Hellborg Amplification

When our new endorser, Bob Dylan band member Tony Garnier, took to the stage with Dylan for a rare rendition of his 1965 classic ‘Maggie’s Farm’ he chose to wield his brand new 5-string Warwick Star Bass II hooked up to a Warwick WA CCL 210 amp.

Tony, who has been Bob Dylan’s bassist and musical director for over 25 years, has now signed on to endorse both Warwick basses and Hellborg Amplification.

During his performance at the 53^rd Grammy Awards, Garnier chose to use the Warwick Star Bass II rather than his usual upright double bass.

The performance saw Bob Dylan and his other band members Stu Kimball and Donnie Herron joined by two of today’s high-energy folk rock bands, Mumford & Sons and The Avett Brothers, in what will remain a rare and memorable salute to the comeback of acoustical music.

Watch the performance below:

New York Dolls get Slick

2011-02-12T02:34:00.000-08:00

Legendary guitarist and Framus endorser Earl Slick, best known for his spectacular guitar work on David Bowie's albums 'David Live' (1974), 'Young Americans' (1975) and 'Station To Station' (1976), has officially joined the New York Dolls as their new guitarist on their forthcoming UK tour dates.

The Dolls will perform concerts at the O2 Newcastle Academy on Sunday March 27th and the Manchester Club Academy on Tuesday March 29th. Next week details of two further London concerts on the Dolls' March UK tour will be revealed.

The March UK tour dates coincide with the Dolls' new studio album 'Dancing Backwards In High Heels' which is produced by the Killers engineer Jason Hill, and features David Johansen (vocals), Sylvain Sylvain (guitar, vocals), Frank Infante (guitar), Jason Hill (bass) and Brian Delaney (drums). The album is released in the UK on Blast Records on Monday, March 14th.

Check out the new Framus Earl Slick Signature model

What's all the fuss about? Warwick! - New DVD

2011-01-26T02:42:00.000-08:00

‘November 24th, 2010...11 of the world's finest bassists came together just under the Manhattan Bridge to click a few pics and pluck and few licks. The results were so cool that we wanted to share it with YOU…’

The foundations of the Manhattan Bridge must have been literally shaken with the force of a Magnitude 11 earthquake, this is the first time in history that such legends of the musical world have come together in one place, brought by their passion and obsession for one music company – Warwick…

Featured playing together in Fuss on the Buss: T.M Stevens, Larry Graham, Bootsy Collins, Norwood Fisher, Divinity Roxx, Jonas Hellborg, Ryan Martinie, John B Williams, Brandino, Hansford Rowe, Steve Bailey

See this exclusive footage for the first time below and hear Bootsy Collins' new track recorded exlusively for Warwick, "Sittin' on the Back of the Bus"

Exclusive: Therapy? finishing up new album

2011-01-24T08:36:00.000-08:00

Non-stop Northern Irish rockers Therapy? are already adding the final touches to their next full length record.

After playing their last sold-out show of 2010 in London the trio began recording for their forthcoming release just over one month ago.

The band’s bassist, faithful Warwick endorser Michael McKeegan, gave us an exclusive update from the studio.

"Greetings Warwick gentlemen, just checking in quickly to keep you updated, hope you're well and 2011 has been treating you ok so far.

“We've just finished up the drums, bass and guitar tracking for the new album and are now on a little break to review and tweak stuff before we do the vocals and final last minute overdubs.

“As you can see the Warwick gear has been getting a good blasting,” he told us.

This next album will be the prolific band’s 14th album to date.

In the pics to the right you can see Michael in action with his Warwick gear in the studio.

Therapy? also features Framus endorsing frontman Andy Cairns.

For more information and album updates go to:

www.therapyquestionmark.co.uk

www.myspace.com/therapyquestionmark

NAMM 2011: Official Warwick TV footage

2011-01-24T05:09:00.000-08:00

Hey all you Warwick whackos and Framus freaks, this is the video footage you have all been waiting for.

For those of you who couldn't make it to our booth at NAMM 2011, in Anaheim, California, we had our official videographer there to capture all the fun and action for you.

For those of you who made it along, well these two videos will be a little reminder of the great time you had while you were there and can be something to treasure (maybe you can even spot yourself in our audience?) ...see you in 2012!

Warwick @ NAMM 2011: Unexpected warmly welcomed guests

2011-01-18T08:07:00.000-08:00

During our 4 days at the NAMM Show many famous faces and unexpected guests arrived at the Warwick/ Framus Booth to grab a piece of the action and check out our gear.

Below are just some of the cool photos we grabbed of these larger-than-life artists as they shuffled on through...

Super-innovative metal guitarist and composer Devin Townsend

speaks with Warwick amp designer Jonas Hellborg

Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones with Warwick endorser Hansford Rowe

Uli Jon Roth of The Scorpions with longtime Warwick endorser Jack Bruce

Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders turns out for a celebratory drink with us after checking out our new basses

Rock 'n' Roll jewelery entrepreneur Darren Simonian makes a gleaming appearance at our booth


Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit arrives unannounced ( pictured here with fellow Warwick endorsers Ryan Martinie and P-Nut )

Earth, Wind and Fire bassist Verdine White tunes into the Warwick bass sounds

The legendary 60s bassist and film score composer Lee Sklar gets cheeky with fellow legend Jack Bruce

Ex-Kiss guitarist Bruce Kullick and L.A rap star Ditch make an unscheduled appearance

Buckethead arrives unnanounced to join fellow genius eccentrics Bootsy Collins and Larry Graham

To check out more photos of musicians and artists from our NAMM 2011 experience go to the Official Warwick NAMM 2011 Photo Gallery

Warwick @ NAMM - Day 3 - It Just Gets Better

2011-01-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

Unexpected has certainly been the buzz word for Warwick throughout NAMM 2011. And come day three, this word just about hit the stratosphere with an unparalleled variety of spontaneous musical genius at our jam-packed Warwick booth.

Colourful Characters Bootsy and Buckethead on stage

Headliner and Soul legend, Larry Graham was the first to add his name to Saturday’s long list of awesome-unexpected-events as he strapped on TM Stevens’ signature bass and joined TM, Divinity Roxx, Blackbyrd McKnight, Mordy Ferber and a huge bunch of their personal friends for an all-star funk jam - driving the large audience wild. This was truly a family affair.

Meanwhile, the unannounced arrival of notorious guitar shredder Buckethead added an extra dimension to the day’s theme of unexpectedness – and oozed as much flair as the infamous Bootsy Collins, who, like Jack Bruce, signed autographs for the devoted masses. Even Verdine from Earth, Wind & Fire stopped by to see what all the fuss was about.

Mike Inez with Warwick CEO Hans-Peter Wilfer

As the day progressed, more Warwick endorsers continued to arrive. From Earl Slick to P-Nut, iconic artists were aplenty. Modern metal fans were also pleasantly surprised with the opportunity to meet Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit.

Alice In Chains’ Mike Inez brought his friendly presence to the Warwick booth and spent the entire time chatting to fans and signed a Warwick bass for a charity auction. Trapt’s Rob Torres and Pete Charell also joined us to soak up the amazing atmosphere.

To cap it all off, John B Williams and Mordy Ferber were then joined by Jimmy Earl from the Paul Shaffer band from the David Letterman Show and drummer Billy Cobham for an elite jazz party finale. Definitely one to remember!

Check out: Warwick/ Framus NAMM 2011 PHOTO GALLERY

Warwick @ NAMM - Day 2 - The Second Coming

2011-01-15T10:04:00.000-08:00

After a thrilling first day, Warwick’s second day at NAMM 2011 still managed to double top all the excitement and frenzy created during our arrival at America's biggest musical trade show.

Framus Endorser Earl Slick (David Bowie)

Following the improvised jazz warmup provided by the legendary John B Williams and Mordy Ferber, the afternoon came out swinging. The trailing line to witness Bootsy Collins was even bigger than Wednesday, and this time the expectant crowd were subjected to some fiery funk attack and their musical tastes were flanked from all sides by the great Divinity Roxx, Jean Paul Bourelly, Blackbyrd McKnight and, of course, the showman TM Stevens.

The ever spontaneous TM brought some wide-eyed fans on stage and traded licks with these talented youngsters. This party starter made way for one of our true Warwick legends, the legacy that is Jack Bruce, who met up with Uli Jon Roth from The Scorpions, but not before dedicatedly signing autographs for his loyal fanbase.

We were also unexpectedly treated to a session from Earl Slick and Hansford Rowe comprised of some fine, overdriven rock jamming using his beloved new Framus Hollywood Signature model, itself one of the hits of the entire NAMM show so far.

Also unexpected was a short solo spot by Mudvayne innovator Ryan Martinie, who has just been being the generally goddamn nice down-to-earth guy he is during his entire time here on the Warwick booth at NAMM 2011; he has been talking to fans, answering all their questions, signing their CDs and shirts and offering his much coveted advice on bass technique.

Martinie’s onstage technical and melodic marvel made way for a second set of jazz with Jean Paul Bourelly appearing again, all for the love of the music. Surprises didn’t stop there as we had Bill Lawrence, famous for designing the pickups for the original vintage Framus guitars, a man who has a huge, much deserved place in Framus’ history.

Warwick endorser Kyle Sanders, Ryan Martinie & Mastodon's Troy Sanders

Other famous faces and rock ‘n’ roll VIPs who turned out our booth that day was Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones, TM Stevens’ sometime sideman Eric Gales, and even modern cult prog-metallers Mastodon bass supremo Troy Sanders who came to check out our new Thumb bass model.

With this amount of talent, and not forgetting the brand new Warwick and Framus models for 2011, the Warwick booth is without a doubt the place to be at NAMM.

Check out: EARL SLICK FRAMUS HOLLYWOOD SIGNATURE

Check out: Warwick/ Framus NAMM 2011 PHOTO GALLERY

Warwick @ NAMM - Day 1 - Legendary artists appearing

2011-01-14T08:27:00.000-08:00

Warwick...It's a Family Affair!

Jack Bruce, Bootsy Collins and Larry Graham are set to star at the Warwick/Framus booth (C4578) for America’s biggest music trade show, Winter NAMM 2011.

These legendary artists are amongst the company’s star-studded endorsers who will grace our booth each day.

But since the Warwick/ Framus booth opened to the public on Day One of the NAMM extravaganza, a few other famous faces and VIPs have also appeared unannounced and have ben warmly welcomed and received by both the Warwick Team and visitors alike.

Ex-Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick and L.A rapper Ditch

Pictured to the right is the rather unlikely pairing up of ex-Kiss guitarist, Bruce Kulick and notorious L.A rapper, Ditch. At Warwick we welcome all styles of music and really do believe variety is the spice of life, so although we were pleasantly surprised to see both artists turn up at our booth at exactly the same time we weren't totally surprised in recognizing the fact that our products appeal to musicians of all genres and garner an equally high interest from artists out there who are musically worlds apart.

To give you a little heads up, two very highly hailed musos from today’s modern metal scene are also rumoured to make suprise appearances at Warwick’s booth on the final show day of NAMM.

To keep up to date with the latest artist appearances at the Warwick/ Framus booth and to witness the surprise arrival of the two metal maestros, please join our two Facebook pages (Warwick & Framus) and keep an eye to our constantly updated NAMM 2011 Facebook Photos page and real-time Facebook wall posts:

www.facebook.com/warwickbasses/Photos_NAMM_2011

Warwick launch new Amp Range at NAMM 2011

2011-01-14T07:41:00.000-08:00

For over 28 years Warwick products have set the benchmark for sheer excellence.

And with the introduction of the brand new amplifier range at NAMM 2011, we’ve turned it up a notch.

Based on the circuity and design of the award winning Hellborg amplifier range, these amps are nothing short of special.

From bedroom practicing to full-fledged arena live events you can be assured that we’ve got the right amplifiers to suit your tonal needs.

For more information on our amplifiers go to:

- WA Amplifier Head Series
- WCA Cabinets
- BC Combo Series

Download our full amplifier catalogue here.

Warwick & Framus @ NAMM 2011 - Meet the artists...see new gear

2011-01-10T05:28:00.000-08:00

WARWICK & FRAMUS will be exhibiting at Winter NAMM 2011 in Anaheim, California this week (13-16 January 2011).

Easily the most important event in the music-making industry calendar, the NAMM show brings together all of the major instrument, hardware, and software manufacturers from all over the world.

In our booth, alongside Warwick’s revolutionary new music-making products of 2011, you will have the chance to rub shoulders with an array of the famous musicians who endorse our brands and be witness to some currently unannounced secret celebrity appearances.

As usual, Warwick/ Framus will be reporting live from the show floor. We'll be bringing you up-to-the minute news, pictures and videos of our latest product announcements, star appearances and interviews. If you want to keep track of everything that's going on, bookmark this page and check it regularly. If it's happening at NAMM, you'll find it right here.

Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook where we'll be posting live updates, pictures and videos from the moment that the doors open on Wednesday 13 January.

Warwick Interview: Christoph Termühlen of Unheilig

2011-01-03T03:10:00.000-08:00

Licky, how did you join Unheilig?

I started with Unheilig in 2002. The bands management is situated in my hometown of Ochtrup. I used to work with another band who were signed up with the same management company as Unheilig, so when Unheilig were looking for a new guitarist, they contacted me. The company sent me some tapes and I really liked the music and that was the day I decided to become a member of Unheilig.

When and why did you start playing guitar?

When I was young, my uncle gave me a guitar as a present. If I remember correctly, it was a Framus Hollywood. Nowadays it is hanging on my wall, but sometimes I still take it down and strum some chords on it. I learned the obvious E, A and D chords but I wanted to play guitar properly after hearing Mark Knopfler and the Dire Straits for the first time with Sultans of Swing.

Watching Unheilig material, people can see, that you are not using a guitar pick at all. How come?

Because Mark Knopfler also didn´t use a pick at that time. I then tried to create my own way of playing around without a pick. I only use a guitar pick for example when I strum some chords on an acoustic guitar. Not using a pick helps me a lot with Unheilig, as I sometimes have to switch very fast from hardcore guitar to picking sounds. Everybody says my style looks funny, but I really love it this way.

Unheilig have been on the music scene for ten years now. Why is the success just coming to fruition this year?

A couple of years ago, we only played to gothic audiences, people dressed as bats with smokey eyes and so on [laughs]. One of the main reasons for our success is our label move to Universal Music. They really did everything to support us starting with tv ads and so on.

Why are your songs so special?

Our songs are made to be sing-alongs. Music like “Geboren um zu leben” is a tune that a lot of people can identify with and that matches todays times with all of its catastrophes. Our singer “Der Graf” knows how to write amazing lyrics.

How does songwriting with Unheilig look like?

It all starts with “Der Graf” sitting at home at his small home-studio. He works on lyrics and works on first melodic ideas with samples and synthesizers. The material is then sent to our keyboard player Henning, who is also our producer. At Hennings place, the songs get their real workout, where I also join and add my guitar parts.

Besides Unheilig, do you have time to work on other projects?

Nowadays every musician has his own small recording studio at home, the only thing you need is a laptop, a soundcard and some good microphones. Honestly this year I didn’t have the chance to work on some other projects as I was really busy with Unheilig and I also still have a job in my real life.

What is the future bringing for Unheilig?

As you can see, Henning has set-up a small recording studio here, too. We are constantly working on ideas. First off all, the tour goes on till February 2011, then we have three month off. After that, we do a small summer tour with sixteen concerts. After that we will call it a day until 2012.

What gear do you use on the road?

Currently I have my two Framus Diablos with me on the road, one of them is used for down-tunings. While my custom model is used for standard tuning. I nearly don´t use any effects, I just put in some chorus here and there to make the sound bigger. I also always use two amps at the same time. One amp to the left, the other one to the right to get this panoramic sound.

Warwick man’s Vai experience

2010-12-20T03:36:00.000-08:00

ADRIAN Ciuplea regards himself as a “privileged” man after playing alongside guitar virtuoso Steve Vai at two sold out European shows.

The Warwick endorser was given the opportunity to play shows in Bucharest (Romania) and Rimini (Italy) after being selected from Romania’s most elite bass players for Vai’s current string of special orchestral shows.

In this interview Adrian tells us all about his experience.

Adrian Ciuplea and Steve Vai

How did the gigs go?

The gigs were great, I have had a wonderful experience. Everything went fine except when Steve’s guitar cable came off the pedalboard during “For the Love of God” song on the Bucharest show.

The sound was great considering the fact that mixing orchestra and a band is usually quite a challenge.

The gear I used on those events were two of my Warwick basses - the Streamer Stage I and Thumb BO - and my Hellborg preamp.

What size were the audiences you played for?

The events took place in large sports arenas. The Bucharest venue can hold up to 6000 people, and the one in Rimini, Italy, up to 7000 people. Both performances were sold out!

What were your personal highlights from playing the shows?

I had a lot of fun with “The Crying Machine” song. This one was not in the original set, but Steve wanted to try it with the band on the soundcheck of the first show. He told us “we’ll try this song tomorrow during soundcheck, and if it sounds good we’ll add it to the set as an encore!”

Well, the next day we received the green light for “The Crying Machine” and I was very happy about it because I could take a break from the “orchestral style playing.”

From my point of view, the electric bass had a kind of double role in this project. There were songs when I played as if I was part of the orchestra, looking at the conductor all the time, following the tempo changes and musical interpretations, and there were other songs when a modern bass playing approach was needed, like funky slap stuff.

Adrian playing his Warwick Streamer

What is it like to play alongside Steve Vai?

During the shows there were moments when I was hypnotized by Steve’s guitar. Two times I was on the verge of missing my bass lines because I was listening to him so much and no longer focusing on my playing.

The musical suggestions he offered were always precise and well explained, usually in the form of jokes. It was impossible to miss the point. The first time we played “The Crying Machine”, all Steve said was “Ok guys! One, two, three, four…,” then we launched into it.

I really enjoyed his direct and spontaneous approach. Moreover, during solos, Steve randomly chose the musicians he wanted to improvise. Imagine being finger pointed to play a solo during a concert in front of 6000 people or more! It’s really the kind of test that reveals what you’re made of.

It has been a privilege for me to support Steve Vai, and the whole experience was transcendental.

http://www.vitadevie.ro

http://www.myspace.com/vdvmusic

Warwick Interview: Nick Douglas of Doro

2010-12-16T03:06:00.000-08:00

DORO’s recent success has earned them a current European tour with the mighty Motörhead.

And this means the band’s man-mountain of a bassist Nick Douglas has added a few more achievements to his already prolific CV.

The proud Warwick endorser gave us an on-the-road update before Doro’s show in Munich, Germany.

“It’s been a blast you know, just having the ability and the opportunity to play in front of so many people and win some more fans over - all in all that’s the biggest pleasure out of this.

“Last night we had Phil Campbell from Motörhead on stage with us jamming ‘Breaking The Law’ with us which was really cool,” Nick told us.

Whilst Nick has been playing alongside invincible rock stars, the bassist is also quick to champion his unbeatable Warwick gear.

“These basses are built like tanks and here I have a Buzzard. A slightly modified one, but I love it. I’m kinda tall - six foot four and a half inches - so this is a larger bass and it fits me better. I love it - It’s my big buddy and it’s very rock ‘n’ roll sounding,” he enthused.

Life after the Motörhead tour remains bright for Nick and the rest of Doro, who head out on their own headline European tour for the remainder of 2010 before gathering material for their next studio album.

The band will also play a special cruise ship show between Sweden and Finland, but as Nick amusingly reveals, playing at sea is not something new for him as he recalls a maritime tall tale.

“I did once years ago [play a show on a boat], but not with Doro. It was on the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey and I remember it being really wavy, so you were playing and doing this [rocks from side to side] and at some point I had to sit down but it was all fun, we were all laughing.

“The drums were all like [rocks from side to side again] you know, you had to hold them to stop them falling over. But this one will be different. It’s a much, much bigger boat and so I think they’ll have a bit more stability going on so I think we should be OK!”

The Prince of Warwick basses

2010-12-14T05:37:00.000-08:00

Prince, "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince", or simply "The Artist" is evidently an enigma of sorts. The man is also a master musician whose impressive technical proficiency has lead him to be one of the most critically and commercially successful solo musicians of the 20th Century.

He has produced 10 platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career as well as winning seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe,and an Academy Award. Prince can play every instrument sickeningly well, bass certainly being no exception. A listen to any of his early-’80s LPs, on which he played nearly all the parts, bears this out.

Prince playing his famous Warwick "Eye Bass"

Throughout his awesome career, Warwick basses have played a major part in Prince’s onstage and in-studio performances. In fact, according to his tech Takumi, anytime The Artist picked up a bass onstage he always favoured his white Warwick Thumb "Eye Bass" (so named because of the eye painted on the front).

Prince reportedly owned three other Warwicks – a Thumb NT 4 string, everything on it was standard, except for the finish, which was a High Polish white including the front of the fretboard (this bass is displayed in the Hard Rock Café in Athens, Greece), a Thumb NT White 5-string, and a white Thumb NT fretless in high polish.

When it comes to his bass playing, he cites another Warwick fanatic as a grand influence. “Larry Graham is my teacher," the Artist says. He freely admits modelling his bass style after Graham’s.

Prince first briefly met the slap pioneer at a Warner Bros. company picnic in 1978, by which time Larry had moved on from Sly & the Family Stone and was a star in his own right fronting Graham Central Station. The two met again a few years later, this time at a Nashville jam but Graham and The Artist who he calls "Little Brother" didn’t develop a real relationship until the ’90s when they began performing together in the band New Power Generation.

Prince's Warwick Thumb in the Hard Rock Cafe, Athens

It should also be noted that since 2009 both Rhonda Smith and Sonny T, two honourary bass players in their own right, have been captured on video alongside Prince playing a Warwick Thumb and Warwick Dolphin in the New Power Generation band.

Prince immortalized his famous Warwick Thumb “Eye Bass” in the song Funky Design with his lyrical line of “If I didn't say I wanna take U higher, And hip U 2 the one-eyed bass.”

Check Prince and his Warwick in the vid below:

Prince performing with his Warwick "Eye Bass"

Exclusive studio update from Simple Plan

2010-12-09T00:53:00.000-08:00

Framus endorser Sebastien Lefebvre’s band, Simple Plan, have finished recording their fourth studio album.

Mixing and artwork is all that remains to be completed before the album is unleashed on the eager ears of the Canadian pop-punk outfit’s fans.

Sébastien was kind enough to give us a personal update on things and how Framus always works best for him in the studio:

“We have just finished recording the band's fourth record. Ever since the 2nd record, in fact ever since I started playing Framus guitars, the main guitar for all the rhythms is my Tennessee hollow body guitar. It has that thick, punchy and focused sound that really applies to our genre of music. I never have to worry about the guitar going out of tune, and that goes for all Framus, live or in the studio.

“Our producer (Brian Howes) likes the hollow body so much that he wants to buy it off of me for his studio, but I'm keeping it for my own studio (the Man of the Hour Studio) and for future recordings.

“Jeff ( lead guitar) and I really go from one type of guitar to the other and from one amp to the other when it comes to playing all the textures and little riffs, but there's always Framus guitars and amps somewhere in there.

“We use this Framus Panthera that I've had for years for most of the octave parts, and I have in my collection one of the first Dragon amps that ever made it to North America. This is one of my all time favorite amps and I tour with it all the time,” Sebastien told us.

Warwick Interview: Mitch Harris from Napalm Death

2010-12-08T06:16:00.000-08:00

In music, artists and trends come and go meaning very few withstand the test of time, especially in extreme metal – but 21 years on English outfit Napalm Death continue to wear the grindcore crown and tear up venues worldwide. However, it is an achievement that Napalm guitarist and Framus endorser Mitch Harris never anticipated when he initially joined the band.

MH: “I’ve always thought it would be like a kinda time bomb… But I think the track record between ourselves and other bands [in the grindcore genre] has meant that there has never been a shortage of material and we’re still here 21 years later. All you can do is take it one album at a time and see what happens. People may want to settle down or have time off but we’ve just kept on going.

It feels as though we’re still 14 and doing it even though we’re pushing 40 but the energy is still there and the crowd gives it back. There are a few generations that hold it close saying: ‘I remember when I’d listen to you and I had no commitments and living at home with no problems’. But now people have debts but they come to our shows and they’re really letting go [of their problems] to our music. People have a memory attached with those times of their youth. But you’ll always have people who’ll say ‘yeah I still prefer this album’ or ‘the snare isn’t as tight’ or ‘the guitar tone isn’t as good’. We still keep it extreme and we’re happy breaking new ground with it.”

Napalm show no signs of slowing down either as their current ‘Campaign for Musical Destruction’ tour sees them playing to 4 - 500 people per night, having tactically scheduled their shows so people can fully appreciate the full Napalm experience without exhausting familiar areas.

MH: “You know we’ll go to France and play five shows then come back home then do 10 dates in Russia so we keep it fresh. It’s not like before when we would tour the world for six months and then do an album each year. There are thousands of flyers out there with different shows and if you’ve already played the same place twice in Germany or wherever then people will be like ‘oh, yeah we already caught them at the festival so I think I’ll give that a miss’. We try and hit different territories and keep ourselves busy. I’d like to go deeper into Russia, China, then places we’ve never been to before like Macedonia, Albania and Singapore where not that many shows happen so it’s still exciting [for us]. We’re not afraid of trying new things and holding onto our ground, no matter what the market or economy is like.”

Mitch and Co have stayed true to their word despite taking a few cutbacks for tour expenses to keep the Napalm ball rolling.

MH: “We keep it really basic you know. There’s us, a sound guy and a t-shirt guy. And our backline is really simple too so we can play some of the biggest stages in the world to small little shithole clubs… we can fit in just about anywhere. You’ll have American bands who can only do something like five dates because of expenses with tour buses and things like that so they have to move on. We’re at an advantage because we can go in and out of the UK and we can do 17 dates or weekend dates and just enjoy it.”

After their ‘Campaign for Destruction’ tour the band plan on hitting the studio next year to create their latest slice of grind action with a few extras for fans.

MH: “We’re in the studio in May next year for an October release, which is a three year gap since we were last in the studio and that’s the longest gap we’ve ever had. We used to write an album every year. I want to put a video to it as well because I’ve been teaching media at a place in Birmingham, keeping busy doing things and enjoying life.”

But for Mitch the buck doesn’t stop there as the American revealed a number of tasty side-projects he’s been working on which may come to fruition soon.

MH: “I’ve got other projects in the line like computer-based music that not many people will be into but I’ve also been writing other music that didn’t fit the Napalm Death style that I haven’t released in three years. I’ve also got a couple of people lined up who I’m going to work with but I’m not going to mention any names because otherwise it’s all talk until somebody says they’ve paid for their flights and they’re coming over.”

Not content to stop for anyone, the Napalm Death juggernaut blazes a trail that far younger bands would struggle to match.

The Warwick busking life

2010-12-03T02:02:00.000-08:00

TORONTO busker and bassist Aiden Keeley describes himself as "kind of a funk-jazz guy."

Using the local subway stations as his sounding ground, Aiden has become quite a popular feature for the everyday commuters of his city.

It is not a usual sight to see a busker playing bass, nevermind a Warwick bass and boy can the guy crank out a mean riff.

Below is an excerpt from an interview conducted with Aiden recently:

Tell me a bit about yourself. Who is Aiden Keeley?

Aiden Keeley is a musician. I was actually born in Toronto, and I grew up in Stratford. Both of my parents are artists -- my mom's a pianist and my dad's an actor. They both worked at the Stratford Festival, so I think that probably helped with my artistic growth.

Aiden Keeley with his Warwick Streamer Pro M

How long have you been playing the bass?

I've been playing bass for about three years now, but I've played piano since I was a kid. I'm self-taught on the bass, but when I was a kid I had some piano lessons. I've always been interested in music.

How long have you been a TTC (Toronto Transit Commision) busker? How did you get into it?

I only got my license this year, so I've been busking since October. I'd heard that you can make pretty decent money at it. I just thought it'd be a great opportunity to get a job, and I wanted to move to the city.

Where do you usually busk?

I've been going to Ossington Station quite a lot lately. Usually there's no one there, so I'll just set up camp. But I went there a couple days ago and there were somebody busking there, so it's kind of hard to gauge whether or not I'll be somewhere. Sometimes I'm at Osgoode and Yorkdale, too.

Do you know of any other bassists on the TTC?

No, actually. A lot of the time I get people coming up to me saying that I'm the first bassist they've seen. It's nice because I think I'm giving people something that they're not used to hearing. Most of the time, it's an acoustic guitar player.

...read more and see Aiden in action here

Check out the Warwick Streamer

John 5 and the Framus Dragon

2010-12-01T07:22:00.000-08:00

JOHN 5 has played on a hell-of-a-lot of gear throughout his career so far and when it comes to the music he is creating at any given time he is a serious artist who seeks out the best tool for the job. “I want to use the best amps in the world,” John 5 says.

The guitar prodigy first published his use of the Framus Dragon head and Dragon 4x12 cab while recording for Marilyn Manson’s 2003 release ‘The Golden Age of Grotesque’. He claimed on his website at the time that he used the Framus Dragon extensively throughout the record, which saw Manson mix up 1920’s era Swing music with some very catchy, hook-laden heaviness. The guitar sound on this album was very Rob Zombie-esque, super chunky ‘n crunchy, the kind of sound that gives you goose-bumps every time a power chord is palm-muted.

The Dragon is designed to be played at high volumes, where it delivers its full spectrum of sound, making it the ultimate live amp, but as John 5 has proven it is also perfect for studio conditions. With the amount of variables involved in studio recording, the Dragon’s super sensitive and ultra responsive controls mean things can be tweaked to perfection so much easier.

While a lot of amps these days can sound over compressed and digital, a Framus is more boutique and natural – the real deal. Framus amps follow the guiding principles of the much loved cabinets of yesteryear. They are hand crafted from poplar ply and covered in a European "rubber/leather" covering that is as beautiful as it is durable. The highest quality hardware and removable castors are used throughout. They are fitted with genuine V30 Celestion speakers and offer stereo or mono switching in most models.

All this adds up to make some of the finest quality heads and cabinets available on the market today and Framus amps are fast appearing as standard equipment with many leading artists.

Check out the Dragon: www.framus.de

Warwick Interview: Ryan Martinie of Mudvayne

2010-11-30T02:44:00.000-08:00

BASSIST Ryan Martinie has been at the forefront of the innovation of the bass guitar as it exists in rock music since the late 1990’s.

His stunning technical abilities and unique style demonstrated with rock heavyweights MuDvAyNe continues to influence bassists all over the world. For this sublime achievement, Ryan has chosen Warwick basses as the only instrument that can truly reflect his playing.

Having just returned from a two day backpacking trip in the hills in North Carolina where he currently resides, Ryan was kind enough to answer some of the questions posed by the loyal members of the Warwick Forum.

1) When did you get your first Warwick? Apart from thumb NT models, do you have any other Warwicks?

I got my first Warwick in '99 I believe. It was a 5 string Thumb NT, that’s the bass that did it for me. I wasn’t really aware of Warwick at the time. I saw this cool bass in this little music store somewhere in Illinois and when I put my hands on it I realized it didn’t feel, sound, or look like anything else. It was really serendipitous. I have the Vampyre which is another really cool Warwick, the sound of that bass is really unique. It’s got an extremely growly midrange. That particular bass is numbered and signed by Hans-Peter WIlfer, and I love the fact that it was a gift from the company that I’ll have forever.

2) How do you approach writing a song or specifically writing a bass line for a song? Because of your unique style do you sit down and think, ok I'll do this here, or is it more of a natural approach and you just start playing and see what happens?

Most of the time I just let myself play, I’m usually not worrying about anything specific. There is an idea of I want to come out of my hands, generally speaking, and I listen to what exists already and I just play and see what comes out of me. I have no really specific practice regimen or way to go about coming up with a part. What comes out in the song in the end is a mix of things that I have to work on and things that work perfectly right off the bat.
Something reacts to the music based on all of your experiences playing and listening to music so I always try to remain open and often times reacting to other people’s artistry is the best way of finding yours.

3) When you were developing you playing style and techniques, was this something that evolved naturally as you were playing or did you think about and plan out your approaches?

I guess that a lot of what for me I ended up being molded by the band itself. I developed this technique of striking the bass in order to emulate the kick drum. I thought that that would be cool to meld the bass and drums together. It was influenced in a lot of ways by old upright players slapping the bass or plucking hard and utilizing the bass as a percussion instrument, not just a melody instrument. That kind of way of looking at the instrument is a fun and fascinating part of bass playing.

4) You've been seen with a Vampyre in Warwick Ads in magazines in the past, but have you ever used it in the studio or live? What were your thoughts of it compared to your Thumb models?

I’ve never really used it in the studio. The neck is really sweet, I love to play it, and as I said before it’s really a treasured item. Speaking of which, that ad was banned in UK! Awesome! Someone said that the ad threatened devil worship or some crap like that, which is totally untrue. It actually got the ad a lot more attention than it would have otherwise. I actually wrote a thank you letter to the guy that tried to ban it. Warwick really stepped up to the plate and supported me on that. But in terms of the Vampyre bass compared to the thumb they are really two completely different instruments, it would require me to have a different rig or make my tech make major adjustments whenever I would use it live.

5) Can you name some of your bass influences as well as some bass players you admire for their playing &/or contribution to bass playing?

It’s always hard to name influences, I grab from absolutely everyone I hear, including somebody who plays the guitar or brass players or drummers. Your style is made up of everything you ever hear, even though your conscious mind might not remember that you heard it. It’s amazing to think that our conscious and unconscious mind working together really makes up who we are as people.
But in terms of bassists, I’m all about Steve Bailey right now, he put out record called So Low that’s really beautiful and quite daring with some of the stuff he does on the fretless bass. He lives not far from here and he was kind enough to drop by for a chat and I got to make the master lunch!

As far everyone I’ve heard, I like many of the legends that influence folks like Jaco, Geddy, Les Claypool, etc. But I try to sound like myself even though I draw from these influences. I think everyone should sound like themselves and explore as much music as they can, including less obvious stuff like the role of the bass in more recent pop music.

6) What's your warm up routine/ritual before every show?

Before every show I read a long, long passage out of Milton’s Paradise Lost. I’m kidding, I really don’t have one. I stretch a little bit a few minutes prior to stepping onstage, and work through some simple patterns. I see it as more of a sprinter mentality, you don’t sprint your hardest going right out of the gate. I don’t have the Pavarotti method where I practice for 6 hours the day of a show. I really just give my tech a smile and go on out there.

7) How do you feel about Mudvayne's latest album, why did you make such a drastic change in your bass tone?

I helped make the record, so I’m proud of it. As far as a change, we changed some of our gear for one thing which made a difference sonically. As well it was produced by us and Jeremy Parker, who hadn’t done any of our other records. It wasn’t a conscious choice, a lot of people don’t realize in recording situations how difficult it is to find and make space, and things are often shaped like that. It’s whether something works with anything else or not. I just try to find the best way to be heard and at the same time remain musical with those songs.

8) There are lots of rumors of you having a side project, what musical direction will this be going in? Do you intend to share it soon with the world? Which musicians do you target to work with you?

I’m not going to comment specifically on that, because nothing is really solidified in terms of who I’m working with. But yes of course I will share it with the world when the time comes and it’s something relevant that I’m happy with. I’m always messing around with ideas but I don’t necessarily record them. If they are important enough and strong enough ideas then I’ll remember it, I’m not about forcing things. I don’t like to have to make music. It’s good to be able to let go of music after experiencing it. A melody can have an aspect to it that’s like nature, has a life cycle, and it can come and go.

9) What is your opinion on the direction that MuDvAyNe has taken since you guys first began, not just specifically your opinion on the last record?

I think that what we did is valuable. It’s become a cog in the wheel of music in some sort of way. We are a piece of musical history now, I’m not trying to sound pretentious when I say that, it’s there whether I like it or not. I don’t know that we had the foresight to look ahead, and see where the band would take us and what level we would reach. We were always just responding to our environment. I always saw the band to be important as an aspect of my life, as something that was supposed to take us places that are positive, and in that sense everything that happened with the band has happened for a reason.

10) Concerning your relationship with your fans. Do you try to make yourself available to hang out a little and talk with them or do you find that you have to maintain a little distance from them for security reasons or possibly other reasons?

Man, I always try to talk to everybody, unless I’m just burnt, but even in those times I try my hardest. Having said that, in general you shouldn’t always expect musicians or performers to talk to you after the show, the performance is the show! You don’t go to the movies and ‘That was great. Now where’s Tom Cruise?’ But I usually just choose to go out and talk to everybody, I’ve always felt really safe around fans, even though there must be disgruntled people out there but generally people are very nice and sincerely want to meet me and talk with me.

The Heartbreaker and the Killer

2010-11-29T08:43:00.000-08:00

When news was announced recently that the ‘Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses’ exhibition is to open next year and feature rare and unseen photos of the band it brought two images to mind that we at Warwick hold precious.

The pictures to the right are rare photos taken in the early Nineties that show Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic with his Warwick Dolphin and the left-handed Cobain himself playing the Dolphin upside-down during a radio show session in Holland.

It is always a pleasant surprise and a special occasion for us at Warwick HQ when photos of this kind are unearthed, the caliber of the artists only confirm to us how much the Warwick and Framus brands are respected by top musicians and it really adds to our ever growing legacy.

Other gems we have dug up in recent months concern the artists Ron Blair of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Arthur ‘Killer’ Kane of the New York Dolls.

Ron Blair was the Heartbreaker’s original bass player in the ’70s and played on most of Tom Petty’s classic albums, but he left the group in 1982. Twenty one years later, he rejoined the Heartbreakers and has been with the band ever since. That’s one hell of a hiatus. The Framus bass pictured on the right is the very one Ron rocked on stage with Tom Petty at Colorado’s Red Rocks amphitheater in ’05. It is now proudly treasured and displayed in the Hard Rock Café in Dallas, Texas.

The story surrounding Arthur ‘Killer’ Kane’s ownership of an early Framus bass is less solidified in fact but perhaps more steeped in legend. The bass in question now hangs on the wall of its proud owner’s hallway in New York ‘like a work of art’. Purchased at a yard sale in Woodstock, NY, the current owner claims he bought the bass with the understanding that it previously belonged to ‘Killer’. And as he rightly says, ‘if the seller were going to lie, surely he'd have chosen a musician higher up the fame scale’.

Apparently the Framus cost its current owner just 45 dollars, was missing a pickup and had a sloppy hole cut in the back through which some inept electrical repair had been abortively attempted. It also supposedly has Arthur Kane’s belt buckle inserted underneath the bridge, talk about the personal touch.

Unfortunately we could not track the owner down to get an original photo of this until now hidden gem but to the right is a picture of the exact same instrument and what it must have looked like in its youth.

For other historic gems check out: www.framus-vintage.de

Warwick TV: A day on the road with Funeral for a Friend

2010-11-29T02:19:00.000-08:00

Warwick TV have unleashed the latest installment of exclusive access all areas footage featuring our newest endorser.

This month we go on the road with Funeral for a Friend on their European tour with Bullet For My Valentine in Munich, Germany. From the dressing room to the stage we’ve got it covered in this awesome montage showcasing the Welsh rockers jamming on Warwick and Framus guitars, dishing out a few Warwick goodies to the ‘best mosher in the audience’ and doing what they do best, rocking the socks off all in attendance!

Richard Boucher backstage with Corvette and Streamer

But the fun doesn’t stop there. We’ve also got riff demonstrations and an interview with Funeral for a Friend and latest Warwick endorser Richard Boucher on life in Funeral for a Friend, Welsh tomfoolery on the road and the demands of a Brazilian tour.

Pictures from the day’s events are now online at the Warwick website Photo Gallery.

Keep tuning into Warwick TV each month for more interviews, access all areas footage and exclusive tutorials.

Links to all our exclusive footage below:

-On the road with FFAF

-Richard Boucher Interview

-Richard Boucher Tutorial 1

-Richard Boucher Tutorial 2

-Richard Boucher Tutorial 3

Instruments featured in vids:

Warwick Vamypre

Warwick Corvette $$ Jägermeister

Warwick Dolphin

Framus Panthera Supreme

Framus Diablo Progressive

Sound like: Mitch Harris of Napalm Death

2010-11-26T06:06:00.000-08:00

EVER wondered how Mitch Harris of Napalm Death gets his crushing guitar sound? Well now we can officially reveal to you the tone settings that the grindcore guru dials into his Framus Dragon to create his trademark trail of distorted destruction...

On your Framus Dragon amp first select the Lead Channel (Harris likes to dish out plenty of drive and distortion) then tune into the following settings:

LEAD CHANNEL SETTINGS

Gain – 5 o’clock (yes, ALL the way up!)

Presence – Roughly 1:30 (Between 7^th & 8^th notch)

Volume – 12 o’clock (On 6th notch)

Bass – 3 o’clock (the 9^th notch)

Middle – 11 o’clock (5^th notch)

Treble – 2 o’clock (8^th notch)

Photo: Mitch's actual settings

Effect Mix – 7 o’clock (1^st notch)

Deep – Between 8/9 o’clock (Between notches 2&3)

Master 1 – Between 10/11 o’clock (Between notches 4&5)

Master 2 – 12 o’clock (6^th notch)

And there you have it, we hope you love the sound of Napalm in the morning! Keep checking this blog, our website and social networking pages for more rockin' revelations coming soon!

www.framus.de

www.youtube.com/warwickofficial

www.facebook.com/warwickbasses

Lefties needn't feel left out

2010-11-23T05:07:00.000-08:00

Being left-handed is usually a curse when it comes to buying musical equipment and instruments. But with some of the most talented musicians in music history being left-handed, why do they continue to get a raw deal in terms of instrument choice?

It’s a question which is commonly posted on various online forums and put to guitar and bass organizations by lefties worldwide. This question is usually met with answers like; ‘lack of demand and cost’, time and time again.

Generally, manufacturers in the industry offer limited lefty options from their arsenal of guitars and basses, leaving left-handers somewhat isolated and neglected with slim pickings. Additionally, prices tend to increase considerably for left-handed equivalents of the same models which are available as right-handed. Not fair!

Whilst there is only an apparent 15% of left-handed people globally (according to American Scientist), and even less so who play a guitar or bass left-handed, there IS a demand which is clear from the lefty online community who continue to question this. Left-handed players do want choice in quality guitars and basses.

Step up Warwick and Framus. Here, left handed players are seen as equal and have the option of nearly every Warwick and Framus model in the extensive range - providing genuine equality, from a genuine company who has seen a solution to the problem by offering a greater range of left-handed instruments.

Moreover, there is no extra charge for making our basses and guitars left-handed – so, music to your ears is the expression, right?

Warwick and Framus cater for musicians at every level from the Rock Bass series right through to full-seasoned professional Custom Shop designs.

Jon Lawton - Eighth Day Army, David Stratton – Session Artist and Kyle Sanders – Bloodsimple are just a handful of our left-handed endorsers who have been able to benefit from the left handed options available.

For more information on left-handed instruments, contact your local Warwick and Framus distributor on our website at:

http://warwick.de/modules/distribution/distribution.php?katID=14565&&cl=EN

What do you think about the choices of left-handed guitars and basses? What do you like about the left-handed Framus and Warwick instruments? Let us know.

Framus Amps are a firm metal fave

2010-11-18T02:46:00.000-08:00

Framus Dragon and Cobra Amps are coming out tops every time as the preferred choice of Metalcore bands around the world.

And with benchmarking bands like Killswitch Engage, Unearth, Four Letter Lie, August Burns Red and Lamb of God having added them to their rocking roster over the years, who can argue.

The main attraction to the Framus Amps amongst guitarists of this genre is simply the versatility and quality of voicings on offer. The Cobra or Dragon can be tweaked from tight crystalline cleans to the most lethal high-gain attack without losing any clarity or definition. The extreme dynamics these amps offer are the perfect match for the extreme dynamics within modern Metalcore songs. And it is a well known fact that these amps don’t need to be pushed much before they start biting the heads off other stacks out there.

Connor Kelly of Hardcore heroes Four Letter Lie confirmed this in an interview we conducted with him:

“Every other guitar player on the tours we go on all rely on the same amps, but it seems like no one has their own opinion on sound. They play another amp because another good band plays them, whether or not they actually find a good tone for their style of music. The Dragon fits perfectly with our music because it is able to sound huge and heavy without having to overuse the gain settings. The more natural sound of the amp sets our sound apart from other similar bands because many guitarists feel like they need to have a lot of gain to make an amp sound heavy.”

And Willie Adler of Lamb of God can be quite clearly heard in the band’s Killadelphia DVD saying "thanks to Framus I have a backline that kicks some serious fuckin' ass!"

In reviewing the Framus Dragon recently ultimate-guitar.com had this to say:

“Germany has had one of the best reputations for making trustworthy and sturdy amplifiers – or any musical gear for that matter - and this is no exception. Framus has really done themselves proud, and I encourage anyone to try this beauty out for themselves. This is a triumph of a beast, staggering in power with the force of 4x12 V30 speakers hitting you square in the chest; there really is very little in the way of comparisons. It makes you smile every time you power it up. It winds you every time you stand too close. Its natural feedback pierces your soul and never becomes overly noisy, it is controlled insanity. When you open the Dragon up the flames start to roar and burn...”

Take a listen to these mp3 sound clips of the Framus Dragon in action:

Framus Cobra sound demo

Framus Dragon sound demo

Framus Cobra sound demo 2

Framus Dragon sound demo 2

Warwick TV: A day on the road with Entombed

2010-11-15T08:06:00.000-08:00

This great glimpse into Sweden’s own Death ‘n’ Roll originators all started with Entombed/ ex-Satyricon bassist Victor Brandt’s two day visit to Warwick HQ, in Markneukirchen, Germany.

The affable Warwick endorser was keen to stop by the factory between show dates during Entombed’s European tour with the mighty Volbeat.

Victor had all the enthusiasm and wonder of a child in a sweet factory the minute he stepped inside. He was given a complimentary tour of the entire factory where he witnessed first-hand just what goes into making his favourite brand of basses from start to finish. Needless to say, Victor was impressed with the level of craftmanship and technology being utilised, but not totally surprised.

Afterwards Victor showed us his appreciation by treating us to some of his signature quickfire bass lines in our performance showroom. Lucky for you we got the cameras rolling and captured this exclusive footage for all you Warwick fans out there. The ever courteous Victor even decided to give some private lessons for fans of his extreme playing styles in Entombed and in his past days of Satyricon. And that’s not all.

When Victor’s visit to Markneukirchen was all wrapped up we needed to get him back on the road as soon as possible so that he could rendezvous with his Entombed bandmates for an evening arena show in Chemnitz, Germany.

Well, we not only got him back on time but Victor and the rest of the guys then invited us to film a short documentary, a rockumentary if you will, capturing rare scenes of the band backstage, sound-checking and finally hitting the stage for a stomper of a show!We even brought along a pair of Framus guitars for the guys to try out - you can see their positive reactions to the stringed surprises in our photo gallery right here.

We will be unveiling exclusive footage for Warwick TV from now on in a series of episodes each month. To watch Victor Brandt and Entombed just click the links below and enjoy!

Warwick TV - Victor Brandt plays songs by Entombed

Warwick TV - Victor Brandt plays songs by Satyricon

Warwick TV - A Day On the Road With Entombed