Warwick Alien Acoustic Bass User manual

Manual for
Warwick and RockBass
Alien Acoustic Bass
ENGLISH

Markneukirchen, February 2022
Dear Customer,
Congratulations on your new Alien Acoustic bass by Warwick!
Warwick’s continuing stance on innovation by utilizing the most state-of-the-art
technology and the diligence and dedication of each and every Warwick associate
combines to create instruments that are cherished by bass enthusiasts worldwide.
Our tradition of innovation and contemporary appeal continues with the Alien Acoustic
bass. The Alien Acoustic bass offers musicians worldwide a high quality, reasonably
priced instrument.
At Warwick, our customers are FIRST. We strive to give our consumers the best
possible product and best possible customer service and it is you, our satisfied cus-
tomers, who continue to give us our worldwide success. We are eternally grateful.
Have fun playing your new Alien Acoustic bass by Warwick!
Yours sincerely,
Hans-Peter Wilfer

Index
1) Tuners - Stringing / Tuning Procedure 5
2) Truss Rod Cover / Truss Rod Adjustment 7
3) Nut / Bridge 8
4) Strings 8
5) Piezo - Pickups / Electronics for all Models 9
Models, Specifications
RockBass Alien Standard Acoustic Bass 9
RockBass Alien Deluxe Acoustic Bass 10
Warwick Alien Acoustic Bass 11
Warwick Alien Acoustic Bass 6-string 11
Warwick Alien Deluxe Acoustic Bass 6-string 11
Warwick Deluxe Thinline Acoustic Bass 12
6) Tips for Body, Neck and Fingerboard Care 12
7) Access to the Battery Compartment 13
8) Security Locks 14
9) User Kit 15
10) Warranty / Customer Service 15

1) Tuners - Stringing / tuning procedure
Tuners:
All Alien acoustic basses come standard with high quality precision tuners (18:1 ratio). Warwick tuners
feature a sealed, self-lubricating gear that warrants high tuning stability and needs no maintenance.
The tuners are installed slanted facing
the player to improve ergonomics and
handling.
The turning resistance of the tuners can be adjust-
ed using a screwdriver.
5

Stringing / Tuning Procedure:
Place the string’s ball end on the bridge
string holder. Hold the ball end down with
one hand and with the other feed the string
to the tuner.
RockBass Alien basses come with slotted
bridge pins. Before you pull out a bridge
pin, make sure that there is no tension on
the string.Put the ball end into the slot in the
bridge and press the bridge pin with its slot
turned to the string.
Cut the string approximately 8 cm / 3¼"
behind the tuner. You’ll need this excess
length for the windings around the tuner’s
post.
The tuner’s post has a slot with a hole in
the center. Put the string in that hole before
you start winding. This system avoids the
string poking out to the side of the tuner
and stabilizes the winding and thus the
tuning overall.
8 cm / 3 ¼"
Tighten the string while winding it around
the post. This avoids string slippage and
increases tuning stability.
2 - 4 windings around the post are ideal for
good tuning and stability.
6

2) Truss Rod Cover / Truss Rod Adjustment
Truss Rod Cover:
The truss rod cover of an Alien acoustic bass gives you - when needed - quick access to the truss rod.
You’ll need a flat screwdriver to unlock the integrated latch mechanism.
Truss rod adjustment:
A neck is set up correctly if it has a slight forward bow. You can easily verify this by pressing the lowest
string at the 1st and last fret and measuring the distance between the fret and the string at the 7th fret:
it should read between 0.06“ and 0.02“. This value is independent from the action (height) setup of each
individual string.
Turning the truss rod key clockwise (direction A) will tighten the truss rod and give the neck a back bow.
Turning the truss rod key counterclockwise (direction B) will loosen the truss rod and give the neck a
forward bow. These adjustments should be done in small steps because the neck’s reaction is not in-
stantaneous. You should check the results after approximately one hour and probably check again the
following day. Readjust the truss rod if needed.
A change in humidity, particularly during the changing of seasons or during strong weather fluctuations,
is when one should pay attention to the neck’s setup and the corresponding truss rod adjustment.
direction A = neck with a back bow
direction B = neck with an up bow
7

3) Nut / Bridge
Nut:
Bridge:
The wood of a new Alien Basses can still change and will be in movement for a certain time, because
of this the pressures on the piezo-saddle pickup can vary. Since the piezo-saddle pickup works by
using pressure, this can lead to uneven output. The Alien bridge and saddle are built to have some
wiggle room to adjust that varying tension but sometimes you have to manually reset the position of the
saddle for it to adjust correctly again.
To make that adjustment, we’ve put together some instructions to explain how to do that:
Detune your strings as much as possible and check to see if your saddle (pick-up) has some front to
back wiggle room. Than rock the saddle a little bit, and lean it back and tune up the strings working
from the outside strings inward. i.e. B ----- G , then E ----- D, then A. Once up to pitch, with your hand
try to lean the saddle back (away from the neck) and also apply down pressure to the top. Double
check to make sure your strings are up to pitch and then check the output. If you still are experiencing
the issue after that, with the instrument plugged into an amp and on try pressing down on the sad-
dle and rocking it back away from the fret board, keep trying this adjustment and you should get an
even output.
4) Strings
Standard String Gauges for Warwick and RockBass Alien Acoustic Basses.
Alien Acoustic Bass
4-Saiter
Warwick Black Label - Acoustic Bass Strings / Medium Scale: .045" .065" .085" .105" (36200 MS 4)
Press down on the string at the 3rd fret. Check the distance between the first fret and the string.
It shouldn’t read more than 0.3 mm /0.01", which equals
the thickness of a business card.
Use a 1.5 mm Allen wrench to adjust the
string’s height at the nut.
All Alien acoustic basses are coming with Just a Nut III nuts, made out of High-Tech-Material for best
tone and performance.
8

5-Saiter
Warwick Black Label - Acoustic Bass Strings / Long Scale: .045" .065" .085" .105" .135" (36301 LOS 5)
6-Saiter
Warwick Black Label - Acoustic Bass Strings / Long Scale: .025" .045" .065" .085" .105" .135" (36302 LOS 6)
RockBass Alien Standard und Deluxe Akustik Bass
4-Saiter
Warwick Red Strings - Acoustic Bass Strings / Medium Scale: .045" .065" .085" .105" (35200 MS 4)
4-Saiter
Thinline Deluxe Warwick Red Strings - Bass Strings / Medium Scale: .045" .065" .085" .105" (42200 M 4)
5-Saiter
Warwick Red Strings - Acoustic Bass Strings / Long Scale: .045" .065" .085" .105" .135" (35301 LOS 5)
5-Saiter
Thinline Deluxe Warwick Red Strings - Bass Strings / Long Scale: .045" .065" .085" .105" .135" (42301 M 5B)
6-Saiter
Warwick Red Strings - Acoustic Bass Strings / Long Scale: .025" .045" .065" .085" .105" .135" (35302 LOS 6)
Attention on Warwick Alien Acoustic Bass!!!
If the string gauge is thicker than .125" we strongly recommend using tapered core strings. Otherwise
the string won’t fit in the ball end holder. Warwick Black Label Acoustic bass strings are with tapered
core and available as 5-string set with string gauges:
Warwick Black Label - Acoustic Bass Strings 5-Strings / Long Scale:.045" .065" .085" .105" .135"
(36301 LOS 5)
Warwick Black Label - Acoustic Bass Strings 6-Strings / Long Scale: .025" .045" .065" .085" .105"
.135" (36302 LOS 6)
5) Piezo – Pickups
All Alien acoustic basses are equipped with a Fishman or a Shadow Transducer system. In close co-
operation with the well-known American manufacturer Fishman, ours piezoceramic pickups are devel-
oped: www.fishman.com oder www.warwick.de
TIP: To increase the life of your battery unplug the cable from the guitar between playing sessions.
RockBass Alien Standard Acoustic Bass
Pickups: Fishman Sonicore Piezo
Preamp: Fishman Sonitone
The control section is fixed to the rim of the soundhole.
1) Volume Control: Controls the overall gain.
2) Tone Control: Controls the amount of high frequencies being cut.
9

RockBass Alien Deluxe Acoustic Bass
Pickups: Fishman Sonicore Piezo
Elektronik: Fishman Presys+™
Low battery indicator
Tuner: The preamp also has a built in chromatic tuner. The display shows the note actually played.
The red light on the left side of the display shows when the note is flat, the green light in the middle
shows when the note is in tune, the red light on the right side shows when the note is sharp. When
the tuner is activated, the sound is muted. The tuner is in true bypass mode when deactivated.
Volume Control: Controls the overall gain.
Bass Control: This is a boost / cut shelving tone control for low frequencies.
Middle Control: This is a boost / cut shelving tone control for mid frequencies.
Treble Control: This is a boost / cut shelving tone control for high frequencies.
Notch Filter: This is a fixed-level, variable-frequency filter for eliminating feedback or unwanted
resonance. The Notch Filter is effectively turned off in the full counterclockwise position.
Brilliance Control: This is a resonant-style boost / cut filter that adds presence to the sound.
Phase Switch: The Phase Switch compensates for acoustic phase differences that often occur
between instrument and speaker. It can be used as a tone filter at low volume levels or as a feed-
back filter at high levels. The Phase Switch can correct any electrical phase difference between
the piezo system and an outboard instrument microphone. Flip the Phase Switch several times
and use your ear to find the optimum setting. The best position for the Phase Switch may change
depending on the sound system and/or venue acoustics.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
23
1
4
5
7
6
9
8
10

Notch Filter: This is a fixed-level, variable-frequency filter for eliminating feedback or unwanted res-
onance. The affected frequency is variable from 40 to 500 Hz. The Notch Filter is effectively turned
off in the full counterclockwise position.
Low battery indicator
Volume Control: Controls the overall gain of the Prefix Plus-T™.
Bass Control: This is a boost / cut shelving tone control for low frequencies.
Contour: This is a wide-range semi-parametric filter. It is used to selectively shape the instrument’s
tone. The Contour Level slider controls the amount of boost or cut applied to the selected contour
frequency. The Contour Frequency slider determines the frequency band that is boosted or cut by
the Contour Level control. The frequency is variable from 250 to 10 kHz.
Treble Control: This is a boost / cut shelving tone control for high frequencies.
Brilliance Control: This is a resonant-style boost / cut filter that adds presence to the sound.
PhaseSwitch:ThePhaseSwitchcompensatesforacousticphasedifferencesthatoftenoccurbetween
instrumentandspeaker.Itcanbeusedasatonefilteratlowvolumelevelsorasafeedbackfilterathighlevels.
The Phase Switch can correct any electrical phase difference between the Prefix™ system and
an outboard instrument microphone. Flip the Phase Switch several times and use your ear to find
the optimum setting. The best position for the Phase Switch may change depending on the sound
system and/or venue acoustics.
Contour Frequency: You can scoop out harsh midrange by setting the Contour Frequency slider
slightly above center with the Contour level cut to taste below the center detent. You can also cut
midrange by boosting the Bass and Treble sliders to realize an “implied” mid cut at 800 Hz.
Tuner: The preamp also has a built in chromatic tuner. The display shows the note actually played.
The LEDs beneath the display indicate whether the note is flat (lower red LED), sharp (upper
red LED) or in tune (green LED in the middle). When the tuner is activated, the sound is muted.
The tuner is in true bypass mode when deactivated.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
Alien Acoustic Bass / Alien Acoustic 6-string Bass / Rockbass Alien Deluxe 6-string Bass
Pickups: Fishman Acoustic Matrix
Elektronik: Fishman Prefix Plus-T
1
32
4
5
6
7
10
8
11

Deluxe Thinline Acoustic Bass
1) Battery:
Please use 2x AAA 1,5V batteries.
2) Volume:
This is the Mastervolume of the preamps.
3) Piezo Tonecontrol:
Controls the tone of the piezo pickup.
4) Magnetic Tonecontrol:
Controls the tone of the magnetic pickup.
5) Blend:
Balance between Magnetic pickup and Piezo pickup.
und Piezo Tonabnehmer.
6) Tuner Switch:
By pases the electronic and switches on the Tuner.
7) Phase Switch:
Here you can switch the phases.
6) Tips for Body, Neck and Fingerboard Care
Tips for Body Care
Satin Finish (Warwick Alien):
A matte and transparent surface with visible wood structure and accentuated grain is the essential
characteristic of the Satin Finish. This sealed and non-colored finish does not need special care. If the
surface gets dirty it should be wiped with a damp cloth or with one of the many non-abrasive spray
cleaners available in selected stores or specialist shops.
High Polish Finish (RockBass Standard and Deluxe):
A High Polish Finish is produced with the use of a high polish lac-
quer. The wood is completely sealed under the finish;
the surface is as smooth as glass and without noticeable wood
grain structure. As with Satin Finish, care is limited to the visual
aspects.You can wipe the surface clean with a damp cloth or with
a suitable spray cleaner, or you can use polish that reinstates the
full shine of the finish and can also get rid of small scratches and
typical traces of playing.
Tips for Neck Care
All neck surfaces of Alien acoustic basses are sealed with a Satin Finish. This sealed and non-colored
finish does not need special care. If the surface gets dirty it should be wiped with a damp cloth or with
one of the many non-abrasive spray cleaners available in selected stores or specialist shops.
Tips for Fingerboard Care
All fingerboards of Alien acoustic basses are non-lacquered and thus require a little maintenance once
in a while to avoid getting rough or dull. To clean and protect the fingerboard use products specially
made for this purpose and that are available at selected stores or specialist shops. Please refer to the
manufacturer’s product information to achieve the desired result.
You can order our cleaning products on our webshop: www.shop.warwick.de.
Blend
Phase Switch
Tuner switch
Magnetic Tonecontrol
Piezo Tonecontrol
Volume
Battery AAA 1,5V
blend
nfx
nmg
tuner
phase
L
T
H
b/#
flex/eq
mag/eq
- Volume +
Battery:
Please use 2x AAA 1,5V batteries
Volume:
This is the Mastervolume of the preamp
Piezo Tonecontrol:
Controls the tone of the piezo pickup
Magnetic Tonecontrol:
Controls the tone of the magnetic pickup
Blend:
Balance between Magnetic pickup and Piezo pickup
Tuner Switch:
By passes the electronic and switches on the Tuner
Phase Switch:
Here you can switch the phases
OUTPUT 1 transmits the signal from the preamp and is located in the
center of the sides. Also serves as a belt pin.
OUTPUT 2 transmits only the signal from the magnetic pickup and is
located to the right or below the endpin jack.
Polishing Cloth
(RB TOOL CLOTH MF W)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
12

7) Access to the Battery Compartments
The piezo pickup systems are powered by a 9V battery.
To change the battery you can open the electronics compartments as shown below:
Warwick Alien and RockBass Alien Deluxe:
The battery and electronics compartment can be easily opened with your fingernail. Push the battery in
until it locks in place.
Please mind the correct polarity!
RockBass Alien Standard:
The battery compartment is located directly beside the output jack.You can easily open the compart-
ment with your fingernail. Push the battery in and close the lid. Please mind the correct polarity!
13

8) Security Locks
All Warwick and RockBass Alien acoustic basses ship with Warwick Security Locks, which need to be
installed. The Warwick Alien and the RockBass Alien Deluxe are equipped with a strapholder that also
contains the output jack. This cannot be replaced. The strap lock can only be installed at the neck joint,
where the wood is thick enough to hold the screw (see illustration).
Do not try to install the security lock on the side of the guitar.
Assembly:
Put the piece with the outside thread in the
strap hole.
Put the ring on the thread from the other
side of the strap.
Screw the nut on the thread. Tighten with
a wrench.
Install the strap lock only at the neck point,
which is strong enough to hold the screw.
Drill a hole with a 2mm wood drill first.
The standard endpin is not included for
transport reasons.
Press the button of the Security Locks to
unlatch it so you can remove the strap or
put it on.
14

9) User-Kit
You also receive the Warwick user-kit with your Alien Acoustic bass. It contains useful supplies like:
- Trussrod Tool
- Polish Cloth
- 1,5 mm Allen key
- 2,5 mm Allen key
- Warranty Card
10) Warranty / Customer Service
Warwick’s warranty for all musical instruments is limited to 2 years, but this condition may vary from
country to country. Please, contact your local Warwick dealer for more information.
In case of a defective product please refer to your musical instruments dealer.
We wish you a lot of fun with your new Warwick Bass!
If you have further questions about your instrument feel free to contact us:
[e-mail] or [e-mail].
The manufacturer reserves the right to any technical modifications.
Visit our website:
www.warwick.de
Sign up for our Warwick Newsletter:
www.warwick.de
Join the Warwick Forum:
forum.warwickforum.com
Visit our Webshop:
shop.warwick.de
Join our social network on:
facebook.com/warwickframus
twitter.com/warwickframus
youtube.com/warwickofficial
15

Do not trash.
Dispose of accordingly.
Weee-Nr.: DE93670540