Warwick Unveils Jack Bruce Survivor and Jimmy Earl Signature Basses

Warwick introduced a pair of Signature basses at NAMM this year for former Cream bassist Jack Bruce and jazz bassist Jimmy Earl. The new instruments are hand-crafted in Germany and each come with individually issued certificates of authenticity.

Warwick Jack Bruce Survivor Bass Specs

Based on their previous CRB model, the new Jack Bruce Survivor bass features neck-through construction with a mahogany body and neck. The tigerstripe ebony fingerboard holds two octaves of frets though a fretless version is available. Red side dot LEDs increase the bass’s mojo while providing guidance in dimly lit venues.

Warwick went old school with the pickups by utilizing passive MEC Vintage single coils with their active MEC 2-way electronics. Hardware includes Warwick’s tuners, 2-piece bridge, and the Just-A-Nut III Brass.

Warwick Jack Bruce Survivor Bass Specs:

  • Neck Through
  • Only available as righthand 4-string
  • fretted and fretless version available only
  • Mahagony body
  • Mahagony neck
  • Tigerstripe Ebony fingerboard
  • Red side dot LEDs
  • Scale length: 34” (long scale)
  • 24 frets
  • Passive MEC Vintage single coils
  • Active MEC 2-way electronics
  • Available in Burgundy Red Stain High Polish and Nirvana Black Stain High Polish
  • Warwick tuners
  • 2-piece Warwick bridge
  • Warwick security locks
  • Chrome hardware
  • Just-A-Nut III Brass
  • Warwick EMP-strings: 045” – 105” (38200M)
  • Including Warwick “User Kit”
  • Including “Rockcase® Flight Case RC 10830 B W
  • Individually issued certificate of authenticity

Jimmy Earl, whose career includes heavy hitting jazz records as well as being in Jimmy Kimmel’s house band, went for a more traditional style signature model. Available only as a 5-string, the bass features a US Swamp Ash body, maple neck and fingerboard, while sporting a pair of active EMG J/J pickups.

Warwick Jimmy Earl Signature Bass

The MEC original 2-band Blackbox electronics are the same from Earl’s first 1986 bass. Other features include red side dot LEDs, YingYang inlays, and Warwick hardware.

Warwick Jimmy Earl Signature Bass Specs:

  • Bolt on
  • Only 5-string available
  • available as righthand only
  • US Swamp Ash body
  • Maple Neck
  • Maple fingerboard
  • YingYang Inlays
  • Red side dot LEDs
  • 34” long scale
  • 24 frets
  • Active EMG J/J pickups
  • MEC original 2-band Blackbox electronic from 1986 first Jimmy Earl bass, Volume Push-Pull + Balance + Treble + Bass
  • Natural oil finish
  • Chrome hardware
  • Warwick tuners
  • Just-A-Nut III Brass
  • Warwick 2-piece bridge
  • Warwick security locks
  • Warwick EMP strings .040”-.130” (38300 ML 5)
  • Including Warwick “User Kit”
  • Including “Rockcase® Flight Case RC 10830 B W
  • Individually issued certificate of authenticity

Though the US price list is not yet available, the Warwick Jack Bruce Survivor and Jimmy Earl Signature basses have European MSRPs of €6,689 and €6,929 (approximately $8,779 and $9,094 USD), respectively.

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Share your thoughts

  1. 34″? Jack Bruce? For a bass that’s clearly referencing his EB-3 days? Color me confused. And for that price, I’d just pick up a pristine ’68 Gibson.. actually for that price, I could buy four. Oh well. Not sure who this is really targeting as a market, since the real nutters for his sound would probably go for the vintage stuff anyway..

  2. If I want to sound like Jack Bruce, 1) I’m not going to use active electronics (for DARN sure) and 2) I’d rather just use a Gibson EB-3. I think the sig model is cool, if they took out the active electronics.

  3. Wow. Almost 10 grand for these? I think I’ll order 2 custom US Spectors for that kind of money, no thanks Warwick.

  4. I picked up a ’68 EB-3 a few months ago for just under $700…why would I spend almost $9,000 (which I definitely don’t have) on something imitating a later sixties EB-3…
    Its cool except for the active electronics and the insane price…

  5. Erik… if you “picked up a 68 EB-3 for just under $700″… I’m thrilled and happy for you but you simply happened on no less than a small miracle. That said, $9K for this beautiful Warwick instrument… it’s way over-priced and certainly too rich for my blood… and because of that… I’m out.

  6. With Warwick you always have to keep in mind, that 99,9% of ther “Signature models” are just built for promotion and as showroom guitars. Most of the time, the target audience is much to small in relation to the artist to really make those models available. They are just there to keep everyone interested and after a few month they will bring out a more “affordable” version of the intrument, but only if the demand is there… For real, as much as I love Stu Zander… I’d never buy a 7000,-Dollar Signature Bass just because of him…

  7. I’d order 2 sadowskys before I bought 1 of these…ridiculous price….very cool but um…no.

  8. The $ quoted by Warwick are List $ ,not the Buy $, u can neg. The $, I just bought a Brand used Korean made model, identical in every way except the nut. $ 1,195.00, exact same sound & tone as the German fretted model, Luv the feel & tone, would highly recommend to anyone who has an interest in this model