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Refinishing a 2008 Warwick - expensive or affordable?

Blankandson

Blankandson

Oct 20, 2010
2,258
1,399
Gallatin, Tennessee
#1
This is my only bass so it's played daily and gigged weekly. Neck is Ovankol with a Wenge fingerboard, and Bell Brass frets. One fret needs a slight move down but that's a quick fix. The body (Swamp Ash) is getting pretty ragged. The shinny coat (Nirvana Black) has worn spots where the bass black is exposed. From the distance it looks OK but up close it's letting me know it's time to clean it up. So having never ever taken a bass to a luthier (and I've been playing for 57 years!) I need some advice. What would it cost (or should it cost) me to have someone remove everything (electronics, neck and hardware) down to just the body, and do a nice refinish? How much time should I allow? I live just north of Nashville so I know there are plenty of good luthiers nearby. Maybe even a few around Gallatin.
I spent an hour last week playing several new Warwicks and found that mine sounds identical to the new ones, so there's no need to trade it it. Help me Obi-Wan.
 
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#2
Regardless of who you choose to do it (since i gather you're not going to choose to do it yourself,) this:

"This is my only bass so it's played daily and gigged weekly."

Means you are going to need to face a brief round of GAS to get something you can gig weekly and play daily because a proper refinish will take more than week. You can sell it off afterwards if you're a one-bass person.

I have no idea what it should cost other than the occasional figure I've seen drift by here. Thre's the usual risks of too cheap and too expensive, and those can come at various price points which probably overlap each other, not to mention both overlapping with the right price. Cheap and ruins your bass is expensive. Costly and does a mediocre job is also expensive. Costly and ruins your bass is really expensive. Cheap and does a great job is rare.

Of course, some folks might pay more than a new Warwick for that "authentically roadworn" finish, and you could pocket the difference and have a shiny new bass to boot...?
 
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#3
My BL has a 4-string P-bass, our pastor at church has a nice 5-string Jazz, and our drummer has a Ibanez 5-string. I've played all three and all three owners have told me I could use theirs for as long as it was needed.
I get GAS attacks like everyone else here, but about 3 years ago I decided to get back into photography, and that's where my extra $ goes these days. That and my new John Deere!
Thanks for the reply.
 
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#5
I have been tempted to put it up for sale as a gunuine roadworn bass. It plays fine so it doesn't need refinished. I just think it would looki really great if I did that - but I don't need to do that. This model new lists for about $2,800 US. The three I played last week were all between $2,800 and $3,500.
 
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#8
The original finish on that bass is black tinted satin oil. Oil finishes are fairly easy to repair. Find someone who does Warwick work (maybe call their US warranty center) - it may be possible for someone used to working on them to blend in some repair work to the worn areas vs refinishing from scratch. Or at least refinish it in a stock-like finish. People who are used to shooting nitro on Fenders and other vintage style instruments aren't going to come at this with a stock-like approach (if that's important to you).
 
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#9
I may call the Nashville Warwick office. I have had setups done there over the years at no charge. If you already have a Warwick they treat you well. The last time I was in there they had one of every model Warwick hanging around the room. I played about $100 grand in new ones in about 3 hours. I believe most if not all of their business is renting basses for people on the road with big acts. I don't think they were set up to do refinishes though.
 
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#10
I've seen really nice work from Instrumental Finishes in Nashville. Cost wise, I would expect ~$600 or so, less if you can tear down the bass and reassemble it yourself. Most places have a backlog so I would expect a month or so for a turnaround. The cost and turnaround estimates are general and not related to Instrumental Finishes. I've just seen some of their work and know that the end results are nice. Can you post a pic of the bass as-is? Some people really like wear. There was a Stingray 5 string a few years ago that had a really nice aged finish and I kick myself for not picking that up the moment I saw it.
 
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#11
What model is it (body shape curiosity), and is it neck through or bolt on (wood finish complexity and taping/sealing off permanently attached neck wood for finishing work)? I'm no expert, although I have finished raw instruments so have some personal experience and know what I personally would consider challenges that could cost more.
 
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#12
Blankandson said:
My BL has a 4-string P-bass, our pastor at church has a nice 5-string Jazz, and our drummer has a Ibanez 5-string. I've played all three and all three owners have told me I could use theirs for as long as it was needed.
I get GAS attacks like everyone else here, but about 3 years ago I decided to get back into photography, and that's where my extra $ goes these days. That and my new John Deere!
Thanks for the reply.
Click to expand...

John Deere AND Warwick.

You are indeed a man of refined taste.

I used to have tractor GAS when I was younger. What model do you have.
 
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#13
Do your research and go with someone who has a proven record with the sort of finish you want and make sure you have clear agreement over what will and won't be done to achieve your aims. A bad finish will cost you way more in the end, both in cost to have it redone and stress over your beautiful bass getting messed up.

In all my years of doing repairs, custom work and builds I always made it a rule never to take on a job I couldn't 100% guarantee to complete to satisfaction. Other peoples instruments are not what you practice, or learn on. (my own builds were for that.) Unfortunately not all people set themselves high standards, so do your homework.

I hope you find the right luthier to restore your bass to what you see in your mind. Good luck. (I'm sure some of the good people who hang around here will be able to steer you to wards a few good choices in your area.)
 
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#15
Honestly I wouldn't worry about it. I've got an 05' warwick corvette with the ash body (honey violin finish) and I've found it very susceptible to little dings and buckle marks. The warwick color finishes have a thin coat of lacquer over them but it's not very protective. The finish wear also doesn't really seem to affect their value. I'd just call it character and keep on playing it.
 
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#17
Blankandson said:
This is my only bass so it's played daily and gigged weekly. Neck is Ovankol with a Wenge fingerboard, and Bell Brass frets. One fret needs a slight move down but that's a quick fix. The body (Swamp Ash) is getting pretty ragged. The shinny coat (Nirvana Black) has worn spots where the bass black is exposed. From the distance it looks OK but up close it's letting me know it's time to clean it up. So having never ever taken a bass to a luthier (and I've been playing for 57 years!) I need some advice. What would it cost (or should it cost) me to have someone remove everything (electronics, neck and hardware) down to just the body, and do a nice refinish? How much time should I allow? I live just north of Nashville so I know there are plenty of good luthiers nearby. Maybe even a few around Gallatin.
I spent an hour last week playing several new Warwicks and found that mine sounds identical to the new ones, so there's no need to trade it it. Help me Obi-Wan.
Click to expand...
Go to O'Reilly's. Buy the duplicolor 1k clear. Sand your bass, by hand, with 320 grit paper. Follow instructions on the can. Spray up to 3 coats a day, 10 minutes a part. Sand lightly if adding more coats 24 hours later. 15 dollars.

Buy 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 grit sanding blocks, and a 3m polish wheel that fits on your drill, automotive buffing compound, and polish. 75 - 100 dollars

Start with the 800. Sand until you get a uniform matte finish. Then move up in grits briefly each grit. To lessen and refine scratches.

Add compound to polish wheel. Buff out scratches.

Wash polish pad.

Add polish to pad. Polish to uniform gloss.

Re assemble bass guitar.

Take mass amounts of selfies in any and all angles, and bask in the sea of talkbass likes and comments. Relish and cherish your own handiwork, when people tell you how great your bass looks.

Repeat whenever you feel necessary.
 
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#19
Here are two pics. I boosted the ISO on the camera so the grungy areas are more noticeable. 2008 Warwick Corvette five string $$ bass in Nirvana Black.jpg 2008 Warwick Corvette five string $$ bass Nirvana Black.jpg The layer beneath the shine is the black paint which is sort of OK. The top layer is the shinny one and it's beat up on the top. Underneath it's pretty much even all over. As I've said above, it looks fine from the distance and I probably should just leave it. It plays fine. Whatcha thinking?
 
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#20
Blankandson said:
Here are two pics. I boosted the ISO on the camera so the grungy areas are more noticeable.View attachment 4495932 View attachment 4495933 The layer beneath the shine is the black paint which is sort of OK. The top layer is the shinny one and it's beat up on the top. Underneath it's pretty much even all over. As I've said above, it looks fine from the distance and I probably should just leave it. It plays fine. Whatcha thinking?
Click to expand...

Nice bass. Honestly, I would just leave it.
 
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