That
was mine.
I bought it new in 1999, but I think it was a '98 build. I played the hell out of it for over 11 years, but it was well maintained (oil, wax, cleaning) during that time.
After the MEC p/u's failed a second time in about 2005, the guys at Bass Emporium installed the Barts with the 5-band.
That's not an original case. I bought that one around 2005/2006. The company selling it assured me it would fit the bass (even after my detailed description included "LEFT-HANDED"). But a righty case was delivered. So I moved the contour pads and made the ugly hole in the lid to fit the stacked knobs.
In 2011 I sold it for $1000.
Someone possibly bought/installed a new tailpiece. In 1999 this was sitting in the factory when I ordered at the local store, and it originally had gold hardware. Over the phone, Warwick (or the distributor?) offered to swap for chrome, so I think they just threw on a righty bridge/tailpiece. The one time I called Warwick, they wouldn't sell a replacement. So I always played taper-core strings. That's all that would fit. But in the large pics near the bottom, it looks like the saddles are still in righty orientation, so I'm not sure.
There's a horizontal crack in the front of the control cavity, somewhere around the middle of the knobs. I can't see it in the pics, though. And there's a bit of side-to-side play it the neck pocket that is usually accompanied by a popping sound. That's all from drops (one from about 8 feet!) and some rough handling by bandmates. Before getting that case, I would do travel gigs with it in the Warwick gig bag.
I bought the hard case after a road trip during which I found a guitarist's heavy backpack resting on the neck, near the headstock (with no other support beneath).
It played great - easy, low action, and that wenge neck stayed perfectly straight year round. Never had to adjust it, which is crazy.
But $2500? No way.
I think MSRP was around $2200.
