Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: count on July 23, 2013, 01:19:42 AM

Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on July 23, 2013, 01:19:42 AM: Received my long awaited tin of Liberon Black Bison yesterday, and decided to embark on the refurb on 73-44.
I've completely diassembled everything, and started some careful sanding. I've taken ALOT of pictures, so some documentation on the electronics etc. is due shortly!
Even found the dummy humcancelling PU tucked away neatly in the bodycavity underneath the tailpiece! It's responsible for the ghost knocking is couldn't find out of before xmas.. Hehe..!

I've decided to leave the brass hardware as it is, it's got some nice patina and battlescars, and instead get the woodwork up to pristine condition.
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: elwoodblue on July 23, 2013, 07:03:26 AM: that sounds exciting,
cool news about the humcanceller...LOL

I'm glad we're going to get see lots of pictures
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: terryc on July 23, 2013, 07:24:14 AM: re finishing takes a lot of time and patience! Don't rush the job..like everything in life, it's the preparation that takes the longest but the results are worth it
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on July 23, 2013, 08:12:49 AM: *Doublepost*

(Message edited by count on July 23, 2013)
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on July 23, 2013, 08:14:10 AM: True story!

Luckily my 44 has an oil finish, so the sanding/rubbing is limited to getting Tiran's sweat-stains off!
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on July 26, 2013, 03:39:22 AM: So, I just finished five layers of sanding, waxing, polishing, etc. yesterday.
I managed to polish some really nice figuring both on the back and front, and to be honest i was superhappy with the result.

However, I made the mistake of deciding to clean off some wax residue from the PU, battery, and sustain block cavities with a wet piece of cloth. and it more or less washed the wax off!!
Left ugly streaks everywhere too..

How on earth is that possible? I thought what I was doing when applying this wax was making the bass waterproof.? Kinda defeats the purpose if it gets disolved by plain water..

Anyways, I applied a ridiculous amount of wax to it now, and I'm leaving it to hang for a good while (weeks) before take out the polishing machine again. Gonna see if that makes any difference.

Any comments/advice from Santa Rosa on this?
I've been using the Black Bison wax from Liberon.
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on August 26, 2013, 10:11:18 AM: No comment...?
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: oujeebass on August 26, 2013, 06:59:28 PM: It should buff out. The wood is protected, so the wax took the brunt of the water. It sacrificed itself for the greater good. It won't act like a clear coat.
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: mica on August 27, 2013, 05:40:20 PM: Well, this sounds like you didn't use any oil on the bass first. The oil is what seals the wood from moisture. The wax is for making it have that certain shine.

You can get something like this General Seal-a-Cell (http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2005189/4084/Seal-A-Cell-Finish-Clear-Pint.aspx) for the polymerized oil part.

To take off the wax, you can use a damp cloth as you've discovered. Clean it all up with your grey Scotch Brite and wipe with a clean cloth. Make sure it's really dry when you wipe on the oil. Once the oil is dry, you can then use the wax to get the lustre you want.
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on August 28, 2013, 09:13:16 AM: Well, it seems like I went along this completely wrong. Feel like quite an ass right now, hehe..

Of course, I've forgotten to do the oil part, before the waxing.
I've found another Liberon product called Liberon finishing oil
http://www.liberon.co.uk/oils/finishing-oil,434,464.html?&args=Y29tcF9pZD0zMDQmYWN0aW9uPWZpY2hlUHJvZHVpdCZpZD0xOTQmfA%3D%3D (http://www.liberon.co.uk/oils/finishing-oil%2C434%2C464.html?&args=Y29tcF9pZD0zMDQmYWN0aW9uPWZpY2hlUHJvZHVpdCZpZD0xOTQmfA%3D%3D)
it says it'll preserve the natural color of the wood, and seems like a nice high end product. Think I'll go for that.
Also looked at the Tung Oil alternative, but it says it'll give it a yellower tint.

Thanks for the input!
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: keith_h on August 28, 2013, 12:25:45 PM: Nicolai,
As far as oils go you should also consider Watco Danish Oil. It is a polymerized oil and I have had good results using it on furniture and touching up my Brown Bass.

Keith
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on September 09, 2013, 11:35:22 AM: Right, on saturday I used almost half a bottle of the wood cleaner from Liberon. Seems like i got next to all of the gunk out of it. Nice product!
La G?era (Yes, I've christened her, when you see the pictures you'll see why. ;) has just received her first coat of Liberon finishing oil, and I am TOTALLY blown away. Can't wait to share the pictures! ;)
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: artswork99 on September 09, 2013, 01:57:57 PM: Look forward to seeing La G?era! And all your efforts.
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on September 16, 2013, 03:31:26 AM: Short update;
I've finished five layers of oiling now.
roughing it up with 0000 steel wool, applying generous amount of oil, wiping off the excess after 10-ish minutes, and then letting it dry (at least) 24 hours.
Tonight I'm getting ready for the waxing!
Now, should I do the same, x number of coats with wax, or will that just be a waste of time?
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on September 16, 2013, 06:39:22 AM: Couldn't help myself...

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/174650.jpg)
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: moonliner on September 17, 2013, 12:30:46 AM: Ohhhhh....It's beautiful already. I love that old body shape. Can't wait to see more pictures! Good luck with the project!
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on September 17, 2013, 12:37:24 AM: This was after the fourth coat of oil. Didn't see much difference between the fourth and the fifth, so I'm guess it wasn't necessary, but I'm sure it didn't do any damage either..
Wax is drying as we speak, so tonight I'm starting off with the polishing!
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on March 11, 2014, 11:16:02 AM: Alright, finally some long overdue documentation of the refurb. These are "before" piccies.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188868.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188869.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188870.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188871.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188872.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188873.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188874.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188875.jpg)
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on March 11, 2014, 11:22:19 AM: All dismantled!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188882.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188883.jpg)
Some pictures of the hardware with and without the flash.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188884.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188885.jpg)
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on March 11, 2014, 11:29:41 AM: Sanding it down!
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188895.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188896.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188897.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188898.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188899.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188900.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188901.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/188902.jpg)
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on March 11, 2014, 12:06:57 PM: Now, unfortunately some less than empathic person stole my smartphone while on vacation over xmas, so at the moment those are the only photos I have found. Will be looking through my harddrive(s) though to see if I put them somewhere. But further up in the thread there's a picture of the last coat of oil.
I'll take some nice pictures of the finished result this weekend!
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: gtrguy on March 11, 2014, 04:59:52 PM: Cool! Those old brown pickups look good enough to eat! Do you shoot clear on the brass parts once polished?
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: count on March 12, 2014, 12:51:40 AM: The brass parts will stay as they are..
I don't want the bass to lose it's soul, and the battlescars it's accumulated over the years.
The main reason for the refurb was to take care of the wood, get that is pristine condition, and tidy up a little in the electronics department.

And I know, the pickups are just lovely. Can't imagine what I'd do if any of them had to be replaced!
Title: 73-44 refurb
Post by: jzstephan on March 12, 2014, 08:05:42 AM: It probably would be best to leave it like it is, but if it was mine, I'd send it back to the mother ship and have them reroute the battery box to put the hum canceller in front. Those caramel colored pickups are too beautiful to hide! The battery box could be relocated to the back. If Alembic did it, it would be cool.