Belt Rash Repair

DoubleBuck · #1 07-22-2009, 08:54 PM

Would someone help a newbie bassist?
I have a Burgandy Red finish on a Warwick Double Buck that is begging to be repaired. I bought cheap and it has terrible belt rash. I called the Warwick distributor and asked on the Warwick Forum for help. I asked local guitar techs trying to get the red finish used on this bass but no one has any suggestions that are workable. I don't think it's worth it to order some from Germany, and I'm not sure they would sell it anyway. Has anyone had any experience with this type of repair?

Thanks!

Pilgrim · #2 07-23-2009, 09:33 AM

In a case like this, I doubt you'll be able to order a matching finish material from the maker. I think you're going to have to play luthier and mix your own finish to match what's on there...and refinish the area. Stew-Mac is the place to go for finish materials and stains/dyes that can be mixed to approximate the existing finish, but there's certainly an art to it. I haven't tried to match stains this way, but I see it done all the time in repair newsletters from Stew-Mac.

My guess is that you'll have to strip the finish off at least the damaged section, steam the wood to raise any depressed areas, then finish sand the affected area, then refinish. Judgement will be called for, so be patient!

Does anyone know whether the body on these Warwicks is stained before finishing, or whether all the color is in the finish? Also, DoubleBuck will need to know whether it's a poly finish, nitro finish, or something else so he can match it.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will comment more helpfully.

62bass · #3 07-23-2009, 11:12 AM

I know nothing about that particular Warwick, but it does sound like you'll have to strip and refinish the body and then mix your own stain to duplicate what is on there. It sounds like it's gone beyond the stage of just filling in a few scratches to hide them if the scratches have gone through to bare wood. You could possibly hide them a little bit by applying some stain and clear coating over it but they'll still be there and easy to see.

Anyhow, it's a big job to try to do a complete refinish yourself with no experience. You aren't likely to get an end result nearly as good as the factory.

Paying someone to refinish it for you would be terribly expensive and not worth it in my opinion.

I do a lot of that type of work on furniture and wood trim owning a big house about 100 years old and working for others who own old houses and don't mind paying what it costs to do a good job. I've done this type of restoration a lot and got pretty good at it. Some of my work can barely be seen, but it's there if you know what to look for. With an old house it doesn't matter as much and can add to the appeal. But if you want your bass to look as good as new it's going to take a complete stripping and refinish job. For the quick fix the Reranch site and Stewrt Macdonald are good places to buy materials and get ideas if you want to try it yourself.

DoubleBuck · #4 07-23-2009, 11:31 AM

Thanks to all for your helpful posts RE: belt rash. It's really nice to have such a community to help out the guy who is just getting his feet wet in the repair of instruments. It's a shame to see such a nice sounding guitar in bad shape-especially when those guitars cost $1200 new these days.

thetawaves · #5 07-23-2009, 11:36 AM

I know the feeling bud, had a heart stopping moment when I'd just done a gig and realised my belt had scored a number on the back of my brand new 'vette $$. Then promptly had a string pop out the bridge during a string change and take a little lump out the Koa top.

It's not so noticable because I was given some bees wax with the bass and have given it some liberal TLC with that...I suppose it just adds "character"

definite +1 to getting it professionally repaired though, it may cost a fair few but at least a shop will have their reputation at stake in making a good repair whereas if you screw it up through inexperience then you'll have a worse problem than that you started with. Happens to the best of us

DoubleBuck · #6 07-23-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thetawaves

I know the feeling bud, had a heart stopping moment when I'd just done a gig and realised my belt had scored a number on the back of my brand new 'vette $$. Then promptly had a string pop out the bridge during a string change and take a little lump out the Koa top.

It's not so noticable because I was given some bees wax with the bass and have given it some liberal TLC with that...I suppose it just adds "character"

definite +1 to getting it professionally repaired though, it may cost a fair few but at least a shop will have their reputation at stake in making a good repair whereas if you screw it up through inexperience then you'll have a worse problem than that you started with. Happens to the best of us

Thanks for the reply, Thetawaves!
I guess I'll have to shop around for a luthier who can do the deed. BTW, the Just-a-nut is broken too and I have to order the brass Just-a-nut from Hanser Group (they are out of the plastic Just-a-nuts). Just about every Warwick I've played has had an issue wih the Just-a-nut so maybe it's Just-as-well!

Pilgrim · #7 07-23-2009, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoubleBuck

It's a shame to see such a nice sounding guitar in bad shape-especially when those guitars cost $1200 new these days.

I agree! There's a mindset out there that I don't understand, in which people buy a bass and then decide it's OK to beat it up, scratch it with belt buckles, etc. If I had a $1200 bass I'd treat it like it was made of glass, and I guarantee there would never EVER be buckle rash on it.

I know there's no avoiding normal wear, and I don't mind that, but "normal wear" is a very slippery term. To my mind buckle rash and chips from careless handling are absolutely not part of it. However, to some people "normal wear" seems to include bashing doors open with the headstock of their bass.

I have always felt that someone who takes pride in their tools (and instruments) maintains them carefully and preserves their appearance and functionality to the best of their ability. I don't play out a lot, but even so, I take great care to avoid damaging my instruments.

DoubleBuck · #8 07-23-2009, 11:13 PM

+1

It seems that anyone who doesn't respect their musical instruments doesn't get my respect at all.

thetawaves · #9 07-26-2009, 03:58 PM

Then on the flipside of that, there was a quote from some fellow on here along the lines of "the bass that is too expensive for you is the one you dare not take out to play".

I am incredibly protective of my instrument (and I will argue the fact continually that instruments have a soul...

), but I do accept that by sheer law of probability that with the amount of time I spend messing about with my bass, it is inevitable it will get some "characteristic addition". C'est la vie.

Pilgrim · #10 07-26-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thetawaves

Then on the flipside of that, there was a quote from some fellow on here along the lines of "the bass that is too expensive for you is the one you dare not take out to play".

I am incredibly protective of my instrument (and I will argue the fact continually that instruments have a soul...

), but I do accept that by sheer law of probability that with the amount of time I spend messing about with my bass, it is inevitable it will get some "characteristic addition". C'est la vie.

I agree! I own a 1963 P and I take it out all the time to play - I have no collector items. OTOH, I take very good care of it and here's how it looks. Now, it hasn't been used heavily - but it looks better than some six-month-old basses I've seen.....and I submit, that's taking care of your instrument.

DoubleBuck · #11 07-31-2009, 09:51 AM

Hi Pilgrim,

That's a mighty nice P bass there! No wonder you took care of it! :-)

I took the Wick $$ to Paul von Schmidt for restoration. Hopefully I will have enough money saved up by the time it's ready (just kidding). It'll be fun to play someone's "beater gig bass" after it is reborn. Maybe the mojo will be better too! I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to "rescue" the bass. I guess I am a ole softee for bass guitars.

Peace