warwickhunt Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 After consultation with a couple of guys who are starting up a guitar/bass building business in my home town, I've decided to have the finish stripped back on my Warwick 'Helloween' Streamer bass. Here's a pic of the bass as I received it a year ago and I'll hopefully post more pics as we go along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Good call imo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmonster Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 what sort of finish are you going for then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 I'm hoping when the paint is off that it will be maple with (fingers crossed) a bit of flame, as many of the early Warwicks did (this is an '88). In which case it'll get a sympathetic oil/wax coat. Worst case is that it is fairly plain in which case my favour colour is amberburst. Now... saying that if it were flame and it was finished amberburst! Aaaargh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King of Loss Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 That'll look awewsome if it's done well. Flamed Maple would look great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha-Dave Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 To be honest it can't look any worse IMHO. What are you going to use to clean the hardware? Did you ever figure out if that crack was structural or cosmetic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 9, 2007 Author Share Posted August 9, 2007 [quote name='Alpha-Dave' post='43231' date='Aug 9 2007, 01:03 PM']To be honest it can't look any worse IMHO. What are you going to use to clean the hardware? Did you ever figure out if that crack was structural or cosmetic?[/quote] I've done a lot of the prep work on the hardware and had it all stripped down... lots of WD40, soaked for days! Further clean up will involve elbow grease and more WD40. The guys who are doing the refin' work came to the same conclusion as me that the cracks 'probably' aren't structural but worst case scenario I'd have them glued and possibly look at a darker finish to the edges! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Very curious to see the results! That bass is a year younger than mine so one of the first with the separate bridge and tailpiece and MEC pickups. Possibly one of the first SS1, in which case it's likely to be mostly maple. Not sure if the original Streamer ever had the separate tailpiece. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 [quote name='alexclaber' post='43806' date='Aug 10 2007, 03:25 PM']Very curious to see the results! That bass is a year younger than mine so one of the first with the separate bridge and tailpiece and MEC pickups. Possibly one of the first SS1, in which case it's likely to be mostly maple. Not sure if the original Streamer ever had the separate tailpiece. Alex[/quote] Hi Alex, I did a bit of research on this bass before and after I got it, the previous German owner was very helpful. The bass was originally custom made in the late 80's for the bassist from Euro rock band Helloween (hence the pumpkin inlays) and immediately refinished/sprayed white with the hand painted graphic. It did in fact originally have the one piece bridge unit which was replaced fairly early in its life when the 2 piece bridge was released at the same time it was upgraded to an 18v system (one battery in separate compartment as per usual 80's Warwicks the other in the main cavity), the MECs are original. Not long after the bridge was replaced Warwick endorsed the bassist and supplied him with custom sprayed SSI's with the regular 4 pots, this is the only one I've seen with 3 pots (one of them is dual-concentric). The guys at 'Austin Guitar Shop' who are doing the work are going to photograph the various stages for me so that I can update the project on BC; should be started on Monday. I may well be asking views opinions once the colour is off! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Tinman Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Pah! I thought I was going to see tantalising nekkid pictures of WH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 [quote name='Mrs Tinman' post='43821' date='Aug 10 2007, 04:09 PM']Pah! I thought I was going to see tantalising nekkid pictures of WH [/quote] Now there's a thought, it didn't do The RHCPs or Flea any harm, maybe I should try it.... where's that football sock (cue clever comments on appropriate size of sock) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Tinman Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='43833' date='Aug 10 2007, 04:25 PM']where's that football sock (cue clever comments on appropriate size of sock)[/quote] If you'd like to forward measurements here I could knit you a bespoke one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 My missus is always telling me to put a sock in it...not put it in a sock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 [size=1]No[/size] [size=2]No[/size] [size=3]No[/size] [size=4]NO[/size]... I will resist from turning this sensible thread into the usual BC farce... Oh go on then knit me a 40" one! We are talking chest size for a cardie aren't we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='43856' date='Aug 10 2007, 04:50 PM'][size=1]No[/size] [size=2]No[/size] [size=3]No[/size] [size=4]NO[/size]... I will resist from turning this sensible thread into the usual BC farce... Oh go on then knit me a 40" one! We are talking chest size for a cardie aren't we?[/quote] Wow 40"! Thats almost 'Upright' scale isnt it? Mrs WH must have large hands, Mrs JPJ struggles with my 'standard' 34", good job yours is only a 4 stringer......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toasted Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Are you sure you dont want to sell it to me before the refin? JP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 11, 2007 Author Share Posted August 11, 2007 Too late! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 Hmmm, I wonder in that case if it's a cherry body and wenge neck then, like my '87 model. Now I look more closely I can see where it was routed for the Schaller bridge. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 19, 2007 Author Share Posted August 19, 2007 [quote name='alexclaber' post='47434' date='Aug 19 2007, 04:44 PM']Hmmm, I wonder in that case if it's a cherry body and wenge neck then, like my '87 model. Now I look more closely I can see where it was routed for the Schaller bridge. Alex[/quote] It does indeed have the early predominantly Wenge neck. I could be proved wrong when I hopefully see the bass stripped of it's paint tomorrow, however going off the weight I think it will be Maple; I had an early Cherry model once and that was a featherweight bass. The route for the original bridge will be blended in with some sympathetic sanding/forming so that it doesn't look too obvious. Hopefully I'll have a couple of pics tomorrow. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='47439' date='Aug 19 2007, 04:54 PM']It does indeed have the early predominantly Wenge neck. I could be proved wrong when I hopefully see the bass stripped of it's paint tomorrow, however going off the weight I think it will be Maple; I had an early Cherry model once and that was a featherweight bass. The route for the original bridge will be blended in with some sympathetic sanding/forming so that it doesn't look too obvious.[/quote] Groovy! There's nothing featherweight about my cherry bodied example though... Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 19, 2007 Author Share Posted August 19, 2007 [quote name='alexclaber' post='47484' date='Aug 19 2007, 08:09 PM']Groovy! There's nothing featherweight about my cherry bodied example though... Alex[/quote] Really... I had an '86/'87 (can't remember exactly but I'm a bit of a spotter so I have the serial number somewhere) and it appeared to be even slimmer/shallower than other's I'd had and was positively featherweight, it truly sang and the resonance was fantastic. It was probably just after selling that one that I elected to try and never sell a one until I had a far better one in my possession! It was an awesome sounding bass, it personified their 'Sound of Wood' claim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 20, 2007 Author Share Posted August 20, 2007 I had hoped to update the strip with a pic or two but I've just been around to see Joe the guy doing the job and the finish (lacquer/acrylic/clear gloss) applied on top of the paint is steadfastly refusing to budget when lashings of nitro-morse was applied! I didn't want the initial paint strip to be done with sanding as it is quite a thick paint finish and I don't want the subtle dishing/curves that you get on the early Warwicks compromised by hand/power sanding from scratch. A different type of stripper is being purchased as I type and hopefully we should be down to bare wood in the next couple of days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='47726' date='Aug 20 2007, 02:18 PM']I had hoped to update the strip with a pic or two but I've just been around to see Joe the guy doing the job and the finish (lacquer/acrylic/clear gloss) applied on top of the paint is steadfastly refusing to budget when lashings of nitro-morse was applied! I didn't want the initial paint strip to be done with sanding as it is quite a thick paint finish and I don't want the subtle dishing/curves that you get on the early Warwicks compromised by hand/power sanding from scratch. A different type of stripper is being purchased as I type and hopefully we should be down to bare wood in the next couple of days [/quote] If it still proves cantankerous, try NitroMors yellow, very runny but extremely effective. It needs to be neutralised with turps or similar - water has no effect - and it nips a bit if you get it on your hands. The Green tins are strictly aimed at the home D-I-Y market. Good Stuff! Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 OK the paint is off. None of the nitro's worked at all... not a single bubble. It was down to good old elbow grease. There is some fine sanding to do and a bit of contoring around the existing bridge route but essentially it's decision time. Interestingly though the bass at present sports a 3 pot configuration it was manufactured with 4 as per normal and one was plugged. I think I'm going to unplug it and drop the Demeter pre into this bass. I think I'm going to go with a wax finish rather than splash out on a spray job as the bass looks quite nice as is. The wood is a bit of a puzzler, I imagined it would be maple but I don't think it is, it's very light weight and doesn't look like a cherry bodied example I had a few years ago. Any views? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Alder, perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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