This bass has the oem finish and I have used howard's feedNwax since new but unless the wax is freshly applied (like within hours) the finish looses it's chatoyancy and develops what appears to be a white residue in the grain of the wood. I believe the howard's has been good for the wood but I would like to have a finish wax that keeps the shimmer without the residue. The residue is unnoticeable when the wax is saturated. Do I need to remove the Howard's, should I have started with the Warwick wax, how can I keep it looking good and cared for at the same time?
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Oiled Bubinga finish fix
- Thread starter metallicobject
- Start date
I am unfamiliar with your issue as I have never waxed an instrument but to me it looks like wax buildup in the pores. I suspect removal of any buildup would be the first step in solving this.
I had a bubinga with wenge neck Thumb NT for many years.
Too much wax. The bees wax supplied by Warwick seemed to leave a similar residue, but it would then disappear.
The important thing is not to over treat the wood. Use a soft cloth to buff it up when it seems a little dull, but only apply the wax when the wood is really dry. I live in a humid climate, so I only applied the wax a couple times a year, and then really buffed it away.
Too much wax. The bees wax supplied by Warwick seemed to leave a similar residue, but it would then disappear.
The important thing is not to over treat the wood. Use a soft cloth to buff it up when it seems a little dull, but only apply the wax when the wood is really dry. I live in a humid climate, so I only applied the wax a couple times a year, and then really buffed it away.
Yes you've basically filled all your open pores with wax.
I don't think the Warwick wax will do anything different.
It sounds to me like you want an actual finish like Danish or Tung oil, perhaps even Tru oil.
All wax finishes will look great the day they are applied.
The good news is you've moisturized the wood very well.
I don't think the Warwick wax will do anything different.
It sounds to me like you want an actual finish like Danish or Tung oil, perhaps even Tru oil.
All wax finishes will look great the day they are applied.
The good news is you've moisturized the wood very well.
First thing I would do is remove the existing wax / open the pores and then re-apply a more appropriate product. Naptha is purportedly very effective in this regard but follow all the precautions.
Riis
Riis
- Dec 21, 2007
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I appreciate the guidance you're getting, and I LOVE your use of the word chatoyency. New word for me!
I don't know how that exact wax works. Some waxes melt in quite low temperatures. And when they cool down the result is more transparent. Heating a neck neck that much could be problematic though.
I would try on a piece of scrap first. If it worked I would work a small area at a time and let the neck cool in between. But again I'm not sure this would work in a safe working temperature.
I would try on a piece of scrap first. If it worked I would work a small area at a time and let the neck cool in between. But again I'm not sure this would work in a safe working temperature.
I almost exclusively work on and restore old Warwick basses at this point, so I've seen this. Essentially, just use an old toothbrush or something similar to clean the wax residue out of the wood grain then re-wax. I apply a thin layer of wax and then let it sit for 30 minutes to dry. Once it is dry, use a microfiber to buff it to a satin finish. IME this actually is an important process. A lot of the older Wicks I restore have a small crack between glue joints on the body, usually behind the bridge area. I firmly believe this can be prevented with proper waxing/hydration of the body wood. Waxing the wood is easy and satisfying. Repairing a glue joint is a PIA. Wax your Warwicks, people.
If you feel the need to "start over" with the natural finish, you can sand the old wax/oil off with a scouring pad (I recommend green 3M Scoth-Brite) then melt some Warwick beeswax and rub it into the bare wood. Once that dries maybe wax it again.
If you feel the need to "start over" with the natural finish, you can sand the old wax/oil off with a scouring pad (I recommend green 3M Scoth-Brite) then melt some Warwick beeswax and rub it into the bare wood. Once that dries maybe wax it again.
I also learned that word this year and love it! Also curious to here about OP results as I have a corvette $$ that probably could use the same treatment. It was fun waxing it for a while, then I got lazy. Maybe I'll refinish one day with something Osmo PolyX. I'll try it on my build first which coincidently has a bubinga top.
I really appreciate all the feedback and perspective. It is all very helpful and better than expected. I have not replied to any one particular post, but I am consolidating all this into a plan. Thanks to all.
There are finishes that are more or less permanent (that will outlive you with reasonable care) and then there are finishes that go away over time, some of them pretty fast. You're using one of the latter; the former are (in the long run) much less of a pain to deal with, and they look better most of the time.
I've become a big fan of Stewmac Fretboard Finishing oil.
www.stewmac.com
The first coat sinks into the wood and seals/hardens it, and you just wipe off any excess. A second or third coat will absorb less, and it dries overnight, unlike some oil finishes that can take weeks to cure. The more coats, the shinier. You'd have to strip the old wax off with naptha, but this is what (3) coats looks like on a Bubinga board:
ColorTone Fretboard Finishing Oil - StewMac
Preserves and beautifies fingerboards and bridges, leaving a smooth non-sticky feel.
The first coat sinks into the wood and seals/hardens it, and you just wipe off any excess. A second or third coat will absorb less, and it dries overnight, unlike some oil finishes that can take weeks to cure. The more coats, the shinier. You'd have to strip the old wax off with naptha, but this is what (3) coats looks like on a Bubinga board:
I didn't think to mention it earlier, but if you need to buy actual Warwick beeswax for this project you should order it directly from their distribution center in Nashville. One can of that stuff goes for $50 to $70 online but the distribution center sells it for about $18.
This is great. I have a can that came with the bass but never touched it because I didn't want to get hooked on it knowing that replenishment was so expensive, as you mentioned. That's why I started with the howard's. I'm thinking to just strip enough of the old wax off to remove the residue and re-wax with the official stuff. Hopefully it has enough oil it it to bring out the .. chatoyancy! I think I will try a small test spot first but really hesitant to hit this thing with some naptha.
As a builder and refinisher, I avoid any wax. As a previous poster stated, Tung oil or Truoil would be my preference. I just hope you can get all the wax removed. If not, you'll have adhesion problem with whatever finish you choose. Good luck!
