CMI Rickenfaker restoration

[Mr. Foxen]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=99435"]Original sale thread with pics.[/url]

I was the rapid on the trigger finger one who scored this.

I picked it up from the cafe where the courier dropped it off without telling me today. In addition to failing to deliver it, they also managed to crush the scratchplate into the cavity, so another original part bit the dust.

First impressions: Lots of work needed, bridge is the ultimate example of tail lift:



A couple of missing screws are in a large part responsible for this, the actual bridge saddles are missing, so a whole new one is the plan, torn between the original styled Allparts one, or the more substantial Hipshot one.

A nice feature is that it retains it's CMI TRC:



It appears to have been stripped, undercoated, painted and clearcoated, but without rubbing down between coats, it was done hung vertical as the drips are all along the bottom edge. So its going to be a full strip and refinish. Usually I finish stuff with danish oil, but I think Ricks are supposed to be shiny, anyone know a home applicable gloss coating? I have time, but not much by way of other resources (there'll be a sale thread to fund the parts).

Binding in the pics is actually tape, but there appears to be binding under the finish, and along the neck there is original binding, and tape neck to it as only half the depth of the board was bound.



Right now, I've most of the hardware off the body and am contemplating the best way to remove the finish, without trashing the binding. Any tips or advice throughout will be appreciated.

[Beer of the Bass]

Looks like a lot to take on - i wonder what you'll find under the finish? I've got a servicable rickenfaker bridge in a drawer - PM me if it's any use to you.

[Mr. Foxen]

Bit of a poke around under the bridge and it appears to have been stripped before painting, so a full on refin is in order. Anyone got suggestions for a gloss finish suitable to do at home? Also, am I gonna have to strip it manually to not melt the binding?

[BassBod]

I think oil could look good - providing its half decent wood underneath the grotty paint job? I saw a bass recently (Dorset bass bash...can't remember the owner's name at the mo...but very nice chap) that was oiled but then topped up with Ken Smith polish - it looked very good and could pass for a thin clear coat of lacquer. See what you find, then decide?

[Soloshchenko]

[quote name='BassBod' post='944258' date='Sep 3 2010, 09:32 AM']I think oil could look good - providing its half decent wood underneath the grotty paint job? I saw a bass recently (Dorset bass bash...can't remember the owner's name at the mo...but very nice chap) that was oiled but then topped up with Ken Smith polish - it looked very good and could pass for a thin clear coat of lacquer. See what you find, then decide?[/quote]


I think it should be nice underneath. If you check out the recent one I sold and the natural CMI Rick copy on the for sale section the natural (assuming this was natural originally) they both have lovely grain patterns. Strangley though, the two I mention had silver coloured CMi logos on the TRC whereas this one is black (and looks original/genuine). Maybe that means a different year? (Jon will know) It surely can't have been black originally, unless someone wanted to cover up scratches by applying a bloody awful finish?

[tino]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='942415' date='Sep 1 2010, 05:49 PM'][url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=99435"]Original sale thread with pics.[/url]

I was the rapid on the trigger finger one who scored this.

I picked it up from the cafe where the courier dropped it off without telling me today. In addition to failing to deliver it, they also managed to crush the scratchplate into the cavity, so another original part bit the dust.

First impressions: Lots of work needed, bridge is the ultimate example of tail lift:



A couple of missing screws are in a large part responsible for this, the actual bridge saddles are missing, so a whole new one is the plan, torn between the original styled Allparts one, or the more substantial Hipshot one.

A nice feature is that it retains it's CMI TRC:



It appears to have been stripped, undercoated, painted and clearcoated, but without rubbing down between coats, it was done hung vertical as the drips are all along the bottom edge. So its going to be a full strip and refinish. Usually I finish stuff with danish oil, but I think Ricks are supposed to be shiny, anyone know a home applicable gloss coating? I have time, but not much by way of other resources (there'll be a sale thread to fund the parts).

Binding in the pics is actually tape, but there appears to be binding under the finish, and along the neck there is original binding, and tape neck to it as only half the depth of the board was bound.



Right now, I've most of the hardware off the body and am contemplating the best way to remove the finish, without trashing the binding. Any tips or advice throughout will be appreciated.[/quote]
I may have the bridge from an Ibanez Ricky available in the next couple of days as I just bought a Hipshot off this site,then again if I dont like the HipShot I could well have that up for sale...I should know by wednesday

[Mr. Foxen]

Kinda of have a bridge on the way, but a Hipshot might appeal.

[Gust0o]

This is going to be quite something, Mr Foxen - definitely going to be returning to this thread, as it's going to be very interesting seeing how you develop this

[Mr. Foxen]

Today's progress was going and buying Nitromors, a brush, a scraper and some marigolds. Plus the bridge arrived (cheers Beer), and it is the same as the original one, without the banana styling.

Venue for the nitromors is the next challenge, not got a garden, aside from a concrete strip accessible through a window.

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='948481' date='Sep 7 2010, 04:49 PM']Today's progress was going and buying Nitromors, a brush, a scraper and some marigolds. Plus the bridge arrived (cheers Beer), and it is the same as the original one, without the banana styling.

Venue for the nitromors is the next challenge, not got a garden, aside from a concrete strip accessible through a window.[/quote]

I like to use it just inside the doorway, so that I can choke every time I come back into it. Have to shut the door on it as well to stop my pets from walking through it and burning their paws.
Dangerous and stupid I know, but you have to do what you have to do.

[tino]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='948481' date='Sep 7 2010, 04:49 PM']Today's progress was going and buying Nitromors, a brush, a scraper and some marigolds. Plus the bridge arrived (cheers Beer), and it is the same as the original one, without the banana styling.

Venue for the nitromors is the next challenge, not got a garden, aside from a concrete strip accessible through a window.[/quote]
If thats a bound body then nitomors will soften and distort it at the least....I learnt this when I stripped a bound tele body....Now i tape the binding and scrape it after with a Stanley blade it cleans off paint and gives a nice finish

Use wire wool not a scraper it will get into all the dinks and crevices to.

Good luck

[Mr. Foxen]

At the waiting before scraping part of stripping now. Done the back, front now. Had a 'Dammit' moment when realised there was original finish underneath the refin, but as continued realised if had been patchily sanded off, so it all has to go. Pics to follow

Also realised a better way of missing the binding after carefully putting nitroomoors away from it, should put it on as normal then wipe it off the edge, after the first 5 minute stage, will still loose the paint on top, but not ruin the binging. As it is, will be some scraping.

[Mr. Foxen]

Stripper on the back, mmm, blistering:



Post scraper and it seems the blistering was where the stripper had separated the original finish from the other coats, where the finish was sanded through, the wood retains the white primer:



Having done the front too, I thing they started sanding the front by hand, going perpendicular to the grain, then switched to an orbital sander, but got bored of it before the back was done, I think the strip was necessitated by the original finish crazing, due to the paint stuck in the cracks in the original finish.

Front hasn't come up as clean due to being mean with the stripper to save the binding. Going to be a wire wool job tomorrow to get the rest. Also gonna need hefty sanding/scraping to get a nice finish put back on it.

There is a binding gap at the back, some of the binding came loose, easy enough to glue and tape when the time comes.

[Mr. Foxen]

Not it is dry and indoors, I can see patches of the original finish in places, any tips on getting that off?

Also interesting to note is that the scratchplate screw holes have been filled and redrilled slightly moved, so something has happened there too.

Edited September 12, 2010 by Mr. Foxen

[Mr. Foxen]

Some MDF and g-clamp work and I have a straight bridge, and a straight but cracked bridge. Enough to make it work, but since the bridges are susceptible to bending under string tesnion, I'm going to use the cracked one as a casting pattern, with some cunning filler, and make a new one. Should anyone else have a Rickenfaker in need of a bridge, shoot me a PM.

[Mr. Foxen]

Afternoon of Stanley blade work and the paint is all off, the binding is clear, but patches of the original finish remain stubborn, appears to be two layers to it.





This one shows how much hand sanding has rounded off the previously sharp edges on the headstock, pretty much gonna have to live with it:

[Mr. Foxen]

Today's progress was scraping, peeling and chipping off the remaining clear original finish, so after hours of work, it looks no different. Nearly all gone and heading to the sanding parts now.

[Mr. Foxen]

Days of scraping and sanding and it is starting to look like it should:





Thinking I might have to accept it will retain some of its 'history' though, back looks fine form some angles, but not others, as the white undercoat is right into the deep scratches from power sanding:



And the black has really worked it's way into the end grain:



Anyone got any ideas on how to sort that?

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='962345' date='Sep 20 2010, 04:17 PM']Anyone got any ideas on how to sort that?[/quote]

Just flooding the offending areas with nitromors doesn't help then? Possibly 'watered' down with whatever solvent would be appropriate (something like acetone?!) to help it penetrate? I realise you'd have to be pretty careful in how you contain this to avoid damaging the binding.

I'd be surprised if the undercoat at least was a catalysed paint, much more likely it'll dissolve out if you find the right solvent. Perhaps if you do this though you should feed the wood a little oil after to avoid over-drying and cracking it.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='963992' date='Sep 22 2010, 12:02 AM']Just flooding the offending areas with nitromors doesn't help then? Possibly 'watered' down with whatever solvent would be appropriate (something like acetone?!) to help it penetrate? I realise you'd have to be pretty careful in how you contain this to avoid damaging the binding.

I'd be surprised if the undercoat at least was a catalysed paint, much more likely it'll dissolve out if you find the right solvent. Perhaps if you do this though you should feed the wood a little oil after to avoid over-drying and cracking it.[/quote]

If nitromors penetrates the wood as much as this paint has, I'll have trouble when I try and finish over it. I'm thinking white spirit and see if that shifts it, as I'll be using white spirit and danish oil for the finishing. Or possibly teak oil.

[BassBod]

I would go for a light grade overall sand - you've got to get rid of the deep scratches anyway, and some of the remaining colour will go with it. Then use coarse steel wool/white spirit, with plenty of time to dry and see what you've got. Most important thing is to keep it flat (sanding block) and not distort any contours too much.

Its hard work, but you don't want to be seeing scratches when its time for oil.

[LawrenceH]

I suspect white spirit won't do anything except as a lubricant for sanding. It depends what the paint is, but it does b***er all to rattlecan acrylics from Halfords in my experience. Acetone is a more likely solvent and it'll evaporate fully with no residue.

[Mr. Foxen]

Think sanding is done, everything's cool, and everything's smooth (hey that's smooth).

Rain has stopped play but next is dilute danish oil with white spirit 50/50 and get polishing with that and ultrafine wire wool.

[Mr. Foxen]

Just did that, the oil is quite coloured (it has been sat about for a few years, and has some lumps in it seems), and even dilute, there is a nice golden glow to it, gonna wait for it to harden off and burnish it down with the wire wool again, and go over it with a cloth to lose the bits.

[tino]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='965808' date='Sep 23 2010, 04:48 PM']Just did that, the oil is quite coloured (it has been sat about for a few years, and has some lumps in it seems), and even dilute, there is a nice golden glow to it, gonna wait for it to harden off and burnish it down with the wire wool again, and go over it with a cloth to lose the bits.[/quote]
Once you feel your happy.. ....THEN.....Hit it with a hot air stripper & fine wool the golden glow will look even better