Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Plugin Week 25
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Plugin Week A-Z
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
Mark Speer of Khruangbin sits with his natural finish Fender Strat while Laura Lee holds her new signature Jazz Bass.
Artists Fender unveils DiMarzio-loaded Strat and Jazz Bass for Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
Guitars “A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Misha Mansoor poses with his new Jackson Juggernaut in Red Crystal. On the right, his heavy relic shell pink Jackson offset
Artists Misha Mansoor on how the Bass VI inspired his Jackson baritone and a tuning so low it’s “absurd”
The Fender Richie Kotzen Stratocaster is made in Japan and features a contoured ash body with a stunning figured maple top, and comes with DiMarzio pickups and Gotoh tuners.
Artists Fender gives Richie Kotzen’s figured-maple topped MIJ signature Strat a global release
Finneas
Guitarists “Such an emotive player... so cool": Finneas names his 5 favourite guitarists
Harley Benton Vintage Series PB-62: the entry-level bass guitars draw inspiration from vintage Fender and feature a single split-coil pickup.
Bass Guitars Vintage mojo from a $180 beginner bass guitar? Meet the Harley Benton PB-62
Scott Thunes and Frank Zappa
Artists “If you’re a bass player you are by definition a moron”: Frank Zappa’s bassist, Scott Thunes speaks out
  1. Artists
  2. Guitarists

5 legendary Warwick players and their signature basses

News
By Roger Newell published 21 November 2011

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Bootsy Collins

Bootsy Collins

Warwick is one of the biggest names in the bass world, and across the following pages, we profile five of the company's most iconic signature artists and their instruments.

The instrument prices quoted are from the current Warwick catalogue and offer the cheapest options where applicable, so these represent their minimum prices. Kicking things off, here's one of the funkiest men on the planet...

Bootsy Collins

Few bass players are more flamboyant in style and technique than the legendary Bootsy Collins who first became noticed during his time with James Brown in the 1960s.

As the master of funk he’s played with Parliament and Funkadelic and more recently with Fatboy Slim as well as having a solo career. His German-made Warwick Signature Infinity bass is known as the Black Star or Orange Star depending on your choice. It stands out but is very tastefully done.


Bootsy Collins Artist Series
Active pickups, 4-string, Bootsy Collins Black Graphic £1546

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Jack Bruce

Jack Bruce

During his time with Cream in the sixties, Jack’s inventive riffs and unique playing style helped to elevate bass improvisation to a new level.

His association with the Warwick Thumb Fretless caused much interest and led to the Jack Bruce Signature model, a modified fretless 4-string Thumb Bass with MEC active pickups and LED position markers on the side of the neck.


Jack Bruce Signature (Thumb NT)
Thumb Bass, 4-string, fretted or fretless £5113

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
Jonas Hellborg

Jonas Hellborg

Swedish session bassist Hellborg has performed with many bands including the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Ginger Baker.

He’s helped design Warwick bass amplification and his recent Hellborg Signature Bass is an unusual archtop with a double cutaway and an 18-volt active circuit. It’s basically a solid body although it appears to be acoustic.


Jonas Hellborg Bass
4-string, Satin Natural finish or Nirvana Black £6047

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
Stuart Zender

Stuart Zender

Stuart Zender is best known and loved for his highly funky style during his time with Jamiroquai, the band he he joined in 1993.

Although often found in the producer's chair these days, he’s been playing with Mark Ronson since 2006 sporting his signature Warwick Zender bass (pictured).


Stuart Zender Artist Series
Active pickups, 4-string, Black High Polish £1,340

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
Adam Clayton

Adam Clayton

During his long career with U2 Adam has used a variety of basses from the classic to the quirky but his Warwick Adam Clayton Reverso Signature bass is something very special indeed.

With a stretched body and a Buzzard-style neck and headstock it definitely falls into this quirky category.


Adam Clayton Artist Series
Active pickups, 4-string, Gold Metallic £1,545

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
Categories
Guitars
Roger Newell
Read more
Mark Speer of Khruangbin sits with his natural finish Fender Strat while Laura Lee holds her new signature Jazz Bass.
Fender unveils DiMarzio-loaded Strat and Jazz Bass for Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
“A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Misha Mansoor poses with his new Jackson Juggernaut in Red Crystal. On the right, his heavy relic shell pink Jackson offset
Misha Mansoor on how the Bass VI inspired his Jackson baritone and a tuning so low it’s “absurd”
The Fender Richie Kotzen Stratocaster is made in Japan and features a contoured ash body with a stunning figured maple top, and comes with DiMarzio pickups and Gotoh tuners.
Fender gives Richie Kotzen’s figured-maple topped MIJ signature Strat a global release
Finneas
“Such an emotive player... so cool": Finneas names his 5 favourite guitarists
Harley Benton Vintage Series PB-62: the entry-level bass guitars draw inspiration from vintage Fender and feature a single split-coil pickup.
Vintage mojo from a $180 beginner bass guitar? Meet the Harley Benton PB-62
Latest in Guitarists
Troy Van Leeuwen of Queens of the Stone Age plays a red/orange Gretsch onstage, and is framed by a triangle of yellow-green stagelights.
“It was the most bizarre musical experience”: QOTSA’s Troy Van Leeuwen on playing Paris's Catacombs
[Left] Richie Faulkner plays his custom Les Paul Custom while Rob Halford looks on; [right] Late-stage Ozzy-era Sabbath the first time around, with Ozzy cheering on guitarist Tony Iommi
Judas Priest salute the OG metal gods with a cover of Black Sabbath's War Pigs
Fender Chris Shiflett Cleaver Telecaster Deluxe
Meet the guitarist who’s worked his dad’s ashes into his Telecaster
Phil Collins and Daryl Stuermer
“It was confusing to me": Guitarist Daryl Stuermer on recording Phil Collins' In The Air Tonight
Laney Black Country Customs Tony Iommi TI100: Long-time Laney user Tony Iommi is pictured with his new signature amp, which is limited to 50 units worldwide to mark Black Sabbath's final show at Villa Park.
Laney celebrates Black Sabbath's final show with a limited edition reissue of Tony Iommi's TI100 amp
Whitesnake in 1990
“We needed the right person to join the family”: How Steve Vai put the sizzle into the last big hair metal album
Latest in News
Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam performs live on stage during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at Fair Grounds Race Course on May 03, 2025
"After 27 fantastic years, I have taken my final steps down the drum riser": Matt Cameron leaves Pearl Jam
nitzer ebb
SampleRadar: 205 free EBM samples
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter is Hungry Like The Wolf as she performs with surprise guests Duran Duran
Joe Armon-Jones
Ezra Collective’s Joe Armon-Jones on the imagined musical apocalypse that inspired All The Quiet
Melbourne Instruments Roto-Control
Melbourne Instruments' Roto-Control gets Bitwig Studio integration following 2.0 firmware update
Waves 4th of July
Waves just made building a pro-level plugin chain a lot cheaper - grab 2 for $59.99 or 4 for $99.99

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...