Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Not too sure if I'm in the right place, but was hoping for some advice.

Just purchased a sweet 1981 Alembic Distillate bass. Walnut top with some kind of clear coat.

It LOOKS like someone used PLEDGE or some other waxed based product for a while on this bass. LOTS of foggy wax build up on the bass. Any suggestions on how to safely remove it.

Lots of funky dull smudges and are all on the surface. I run my finger over them and they smear, so it's not in the finish.

It doesn't show in the pictures, but it's there!

Thanks in advance!

It's that Grateful Dead mojo. You sure you want to remove it?

Yeah, Pledge. God knows what's in in, besides wax, I mean...

Simple matter to get the gunk off. Soft cotton cloth, dampened with lighter fluid (naphtha). Naphtha is cheapest from hardware stores, and I'd buy a pint. Keep changing the cloth around, and when it's loaded, use another cloth until the bass feels right again. Then Watco's Danish Oil in the future. Also available at any hardware store.

Thanks Paul,

I appreciate the help! Man, you're FAST!!

Its such a beautiful wood, I just wanted to bring out the natural color.

It looks like the bass would shine like a mirror with this stuff off of it. Do you think I should leave it alone? Any disadvantages to removing it?

I must have been a termite in a previous life. I just LOVE natural wood.

I think you mean, should you remove the shiny stuff and just go with the wood finish?

I assumed it was already an oiled finish, hence my "Watco's" comment. Do not use Watco's on anything painted or varnished--it's made for raw, oiled wood finishes.

Tough to say without seeing what the shiny stuff is (lacquer or CV). Both could be stripped , the guitar sanded, and the finish oiled. But the guitar should be completely disassembled first. It's a messy job but not that tough. But unless you've done some stripping before, I'd leave it to a pro.

Hi Paul,

No, the clear coat I want to keep, I just wanted to remove the WAX that apparently is on top of it! It is NOT an oiled finish.

No major projects for me thank you, Just want to get the old wax off, clean up her factory finish and just POSSIBLE apply a coat of polish.

I don't know what the "clear coat" is, but is looks to be in great shape. Its just has that DULL smudge ridden wax build up that has to go.

Is it ok to use the lighter fluid (naphtha)for that purpose alone?

Yep. Lighter fluid works fine. Test it on a small spot first (always wise).

See my many posts on Scratch-X and Zymol for tips on the shiniest finish possible.

Hi again Paul,

Ok, here's where I'm at....I used NAPTHA to clean off the wax build up. PERFECT. No more smudges, I tried Scratch X AND Zymol on a small area but it didn't make a difference. The clear coat is still foggy and dull.

At first I thought, could it be some kind of flat gloss but some areas of the bass shine like new. Could the clear coat just be worn?

As per your instructions, I picked up all the materials needed including cotton diapers from Target and the 3M PERFECT-IT lll. I'm sorry to re-hash this, but is it ok to use on clear coat? I'd freak if I were to ruin the finish. It's a 1981 and I really want to get her to shine like I know she could.

IF all else fails, would you be able to take her on when time (and finances on my end) allow? This bass is a keeper and I'd really like her to be the best she can.

Thanks again for all the help.

Tony

Hey Paul,

Sorry to but you again, but I just want to make sure....As per your instructions, I picked up all the materials needed including cotton diapers and the 3M PERFECT-IT lll. I'm sorry to re-hash this, but is it ok to use on clear coat? I'd freak if I were to ruin the finish.

Tony, there's an interesting nugget that I just noticed, where you say that some of the areas are shiny like new.

Could THESE be the wear areas (constant friction of, say, your arm with the upper bout could make a factory matte finish polish up nice and glossy, just from friction)?

If the glossy areas do NOT fit in with wear areas (the face under the strings, for instance), then something has dulled the varnish.

Perfect-It III is the bomb for clear coat--just do a small area at a time--maybe a couple of inches square. The diaper is the right applicator/buffer. Cut a piece out of the diaper about 4" X 4", and use this small square to apply and rub the Perfect-It into the finish. It takes some elbow grease. You should see the area you're working on get glossier as the compound dries out. Then take a clean, dry piece of the diaper and wipe off the haze. Is it as glossy as you want? If not, repeat. If it is, move on to another small area.

Hi Paul,

Thanks again for your help. I apologize if this is becoming a pain in the butt...

BUT, I think YOUR RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The sweetest areas are where your arm would be when playing! I didn't even notice it until you mentioned it!!!!!

If you look at the picture, the area with the most GLOSS (the darker area)is the area on the upper bout from about 8 o'clock to 6 o'clock and around the bridge area, probably from the previous owner's arm!

Now what? Could it be just a factory MATTE finish that polished out so beautifully? I mean, its like a mirror! Can the rest of the bass be polished out like that?

Thanks again for your help, I really appreciate it!

Yeah, this is more in keeping with the Alembic anti-thing thing.

You could polish this out like a mirror, but it would require disassembling the bass down to the bare body and neck, and laboriously sanding it with #2000 paper, and then buffing it out again to a mirror gloss. It is tedious work especially if you haven't done it before and are afraid, as I would be, to sand through the varnish into the wood. But, it is possiblte to do if you're careful.

Why not leave it as is? It's honest wear and not unattractive!

HI Paul,

Your right, great advice. I'm going to leave it as is. It's not worth taking a chance on rubbing through the finish.

Besides, I play with my thumb up on the 24th fret, in another 20 years, I'll have front half the bass polished up!

Though you did lose me on the "Alembic anti-thing thing" you know!

Thank you again, I really appreciate your time!

To understand the "anti-thing thing" you have to spend time in Marin County, where the whole thing was born. I live there and am steeped in antis.

Ok Paul,

I'll bite...this is WAY over my head now....What were they opposed to?

Not only "were", Tony, but "are" and "will always be"...

It's an ornery bunch of wealthy old hippies up here. Remember Henley's line about a "Dead-head sticker on a Cadillac"? Well, up here Jerry's buds all drive Mercedes and BMWs. But they still look like they crawled out of a muddy field, and will give you an argument about just about anything...a more self-satisfied, self-righteous bunch you'll never encounter.