warwickhunt Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 [quote name='Wil' post='50239' date='Aug 24 2007, 04:25 PM']Alder, perhaps?[/quote] I wouldn't dismiss that out of hand but I've never known Warwick use Alder as a body/tone wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 True. They do use it on the Rockbass line though. I think as most Warwicks are a natural finish and Alder is quite a plain wood, they may reserve it for painted basses? Its still an excellent tonewood. My wood identification skills aren't the best though, so it may not be alder at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha-Dave Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 (edited) Alder was my first thought, especially from the slightly red hue compared to yellow maple, but again my experience is limited. The Alder on my ACG is slightly redder next to my old Antoniotsai To me ash (swamp) is more yellow: EDIT: Also how's the crack looking? Was it just in the paint or was it all the way through? How much further did it extend into the body that was previously hidden? Edited August 24, 2007 by Alpha-Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 The crack is there but it is an old issue and not moving 'at all', the guys can't even get it open enough to inject glue. I'll get a close up when I go back Monday. Alder is a wood they use now but I've never come across them using it back in the 80's and this bass was originally unfinished/waxed it was painted after it left the factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urb Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 Hey - great project - the bass already looks better IMO - I have a 1990 Thumb and so I know and appreciate the the early Wicks so much more than the ones made today - I'm puzzled by the body wood, it's definitely not ash, alder is a possibility - are there any specs available for the early Ws? Anyway I think the bass looks great despite the fact the paint had to be sanded off. I've thought I'd like to get my Thumb's finish re-done but it's has a 'lived in' quality that I really like and it's an old bass so I think keep it that way: [attachment=1937:mikebass.jpg] Keep us posted with any progress. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 26, 2007 Author Share Posted August 26, 2007 Just goes to show you sometimes don't even know your own bass... whilst giving the bass an inspection I double checked the date stamp and it's actually an '87 not '88. So long since I took any notice of the date that I'd just assumed it was '88. The body wood is a puzzler but either way I'll start waxing it this week (loads of coats before the electrics go in) and I'll see if it develops any characteristics of some of the usual woods (I know it definitely isn't Ash). Pics to follow later this week when I get a coat or two on. Stay tuned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 Looks like alder, poplar or cherry to me... but with that neck it's only going to sound like one wood - WENGE! I love wenge... As Mr. Shuker says, it's the King of tonewoods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peted Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 Maybe you could send the serial number of to Warwick to see if they can identify it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='50231' date='Aug 24 2007, 04:18 PM']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] That's going to look lovely. Congrats and good job. Definitely go for wax, some brands just aren't supposed to be painted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muya Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 (edited) Haaa, found it. Markus Grosskopf in Japan, 1988 [url="http://upload2.postimage.org/477185/photo_hosting.html"][/url] Many old Helloween fans would kill you for that bass...and I'm not that safe, too Many other old Helloween fans would kill for what you've done to that bass.....still not safe enough Edited August 27, 2007 by muya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 27, 2007 Author Share Posted August 27, 2007 Cheers guys. I've posed the question on the Warwick Forum about wood type but to be honest I don't care. It'll get waxed and rebuilt regardless and I believe I'll put the Demeter 3 band preamp into this bass and drill out that plugged hole, which incidentally may well have been plugged at the factory as it was plugged with an epoxy and screening mix the same as was painted on the interior of control cavity at the factory. That's how I didn't suspect that it had ever had a 4 pot config, it looked like 3 from the inside of the cavity. More as soon as I get it home and start building up the wax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 I think the majority of early Streamers were cherry and I'd be inclined to think yours is the same, but it's a fine piece of wood whatever it may be. I'd wax it too - there's no bass prettier than a natural Streamer. Dodge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 27, 2007 Author Share Posted August 27, 2007 [quote name='muya' post='51433' date='Aug 27 2007, 08:40 PM']Haaa, found it. Markus Grosskopf in Japan, 1988 [url="http://upload2.postimage.org/477185/photo_hosting.html"][/url] Many old Helloween fans would kill you for that bass...and I'm not that safe, too Many other old Helloween fans would kill for what you've done to that bass.....still not safe enough [/quote] A huge thank you for the pic' but where the heck did you find that image? I searched for ages trying to find a reference and though I knew it was genuine (inlays aren't easy/cheap to replicate) I could not find a picture no matter how hard I Googled. I even contacted the Helloween fansite for info and not a jot! Either way it's a bass I intend to use and I struggled to justify why I had a great big angry pumpkin on the front I notice the pic shows the bass with the original bridge, I'd love to know when the pic was taken to identify when the bridge was replaced. Do you have any links or other pics of the bass? Cheers John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muya Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='51464' date='Aug 27 2007, 10:57 PM']A huge thank you for the pic' but where the heck did you find that image? I searched for ages trying to find a reference and though I knew it was genuine (inlays aren't easy/cheap to replicate) I could not find a picture no matter how hard I Googled. I even contacted the Helloween fansite for info and not a jot! Either way it's a bass I intend to use and I struggled to justify why I had a great big angry pumpkin on the front I notice the pic shows the bass with the original bridge, I'd love to know when the pic was taken to identify when the bridge was replaced. Do you have any links or other pics of the bass? Cheers John[/quote] I first saw your bass in the East Preamp section, and before any reading about its previous owners I was sure I already saw that bass somewhere. Then I had the confirmation reading this topic. As an old Helloween fan - and still fan of their Keys Keeper's albums - I remember I saw that bass browsing metal music magazines when I was a teen. Also I remember Markus Grosskopf name in a 1998 Warwick catalogue I've got just before buying the Thumb 6BO I used to have till last september. All I now did, was to browse the official Helloween website photogallery, to the oldest pictures pages.....and then I found it. [url="http://gallery.treasurechest.de/main.php?g2_itemId=3723"]HERE[/url] is the gallery section from which I took the picture, but you can find there are still many to browse. I'm afraid this is the only picture where the Pumpkin Streamer Stage clearly appears. If you take a look to the last picture in the [url="http://gallery.treasurechest.de/main.php?g2_itemId=3700"]LIVE IN THE UK GALLERY[/url] you can slightly see its back. Also a pink Streamer has been used those years. Unfortunately I don't know anything more about this bass, but I'm glad you appreciate the picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muya Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 I can do better: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mIxv56fSuY"]I want out![/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNrvcN7bM8M&mode=related&search="]Eagle fly free - live Barcelona 1988[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaDEzNsXqQc&mode=related&search="]Rise and fall - live Barcelona 1988[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RofupcSD1e0&mode=related&search="]Dr.Stein[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 [quote name='muya' post='51495' date='Aug 27 2007, 11:06 PM']I can do better: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mIxv56fSuY"]I want out![/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNrvcN7bM8M&mode=related&search="]Eagle fly free - live Barcelona 1988[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaDEzNsXqQc&mode=related&search="]Rise and fall - live Barcelona 1988[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RofupcSD1e0&mode=related&search="]Dr.Stein[/url] [/quote] You have my greatest admiration and thanks Giorgio. Despite hours of searching I couldn't find any picture of this bass and here you go with a whole bunch! I'm not sure that 2 of those videos are of this bass but the first one looks good and the last one is pretty conclusive. It has solved the mystery as to why the tuning holes had white paint overspray in them, the back of the headstock was white! It does however appear that the neck has always been left natural. Still nothing definitive about the control lay-out but I'm not losing sleep. The general consensus from the Warwick Forum is that the body wood is probably Cherry. Despite the odd pang of regret about taking the paint off an original piece of work, the whole bridge thing looked shabby and I had to do something about it. It'll still be a cracking bass when finished and the inlays are still there and quite distinctive. Hopefully get the first coat of wax on in the next day or two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted November 9, 2007 Author Share Posted November 9, 2007 (edited) I've decided to finish my 'W' with an amber/burst/orange finish. I was just going to wax it but I'm unlikely to ever have the chance to have a Warwick stripped and devoid of any finish in the near future (and a CS is just absolutely silly money) and I've always wanted an Amber (amberburst) bass. It may seem cheesy but I think it's quite subtly tounge in cheek that it will be orange and has pumpkin inlays... well I think so anyway! Edited November 9, 2007 by warwickhunt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted November 28, 2007 Author Share Posted November 28, 2007 (edited) The latest 'trial' Due to the naturally reddish hue of the Cherrywood it has proven impossible to get a true orange stain without it looking brown! Hence I'm now going for Lamboghini Diablo Orange (well at the cost of the paint it should have been peeled off a Lambo) Edited November 28, 2007 by warwickhunt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STU-SBL Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 Orange basses rule! It's looking great - and although I'm not the biggest fan of Warwick basses I do appreciate wenge necks and the build quality. Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted November 28, 2007 Author Share Posted November 28, 2007 This is the colour I've decided to go for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobematt Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 yummy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyhobbit Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Dave Wilson Looks like he,s doing a fantastic Job on your Streamer. Top Luthier and all round great bloke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 (edited) [quote name='funkyhobbit' post='98401' date='Dec 3 2007, 08:21 PM']Dave Wilson Looks like he,s doing a fantastic Job on your Streamer. Top Luthier and all round great bloke.[/quote] I've not seen pics of it finished in Lambo orange yet as he reckons 'it's shy, don't look at me' (doesn't photograph too well) but fingers crossed I'm hoping to see the finished product this Saturday. As you say TOP bloke and very easy to while away the hours with, he's probably forgotten more than most people know (I blame the thinners). Edited December 3, 2007 by warwickhunt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyhobbit Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='98412' date='Dec 4 2007, 01:45 AM']I've not seen pics of it finished in Lambo orange yet as he reckons 'it's shy, don't look at me' (doesn't photograph too well) but fingers crossed I'm hoping to see the finished product this Saturday. As you say TOP bloke and very easy to while away the hours with, he's probably forgotten more than most people know (I blame the thinners).[/quote] Hows the new band going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E_MaN Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 loving the inlays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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