PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Exceptional restoration is in the details

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kenposurf
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by kenposurf »

Gonna email this thread to Joe our bass player...he plays a Rick now..still has one foot in the grunge :mrgreen:
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jingle_jangle
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by jingle_jangle »

Well, when I fixed his jack (so to speak), I gave it the Treatment, and it only needs a careful wipe down now and then with the gift diaper I gave him...
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by espidog »

muppetprince wrote:I agree the key ingredients are readily available even here in the UK...
Are they? That's good news - although they must be sold by different brand names over here. I've never heard of Scratch-X or Zymol, and wouldn't know where to buy them. If any UK forum members can advise me, please do. I want to give my 2004 4003 JetGlo a good seeing-to! :D
2004 4003 JetGlo
Epiphone Jack Casady
Ovation Magnum 1
Mania VTB-4BS
Dean Stylist w/ John Birch Magnum II pups
Yamaha BB414
Trace Elliot VA350/GP11 Mk1
Peavey TB-Raxx
2 BFM Omni 10.5 crossfire cabs
Roland Bass Cube 100
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espidog
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by espidog »

Ignore the above post! I've just been told by Godber that both products are available from Halfords. :wink:
2004 4003 JetGlo
Epiphone Jack Casady
Ovation Magnum 1
Mania VTB-4BS
Dean Stylist w/ John Birch Magnum II pups
Yamaha BB414
Trace Elliot VA350/GP11 Mk1
Peavey TB-Raxx
2 BFM Omni 10.5 crossfire cabs
Roland Bass Cube 100
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by janglerocker »

So I finally did it. Put a nice ding in the headstock on my otherwise pristine '05 JG 350V63. She tipped out of her stand right after I set her down (stand sits up too straight and I was careless) and clunked into the edge of a nearby desk before I could fully grab her. The front edge of the headstock between the B and G tuner has a little dent and the paint cracked with one tiny chip gone. My question is what can I do to prevent the cracked area of paint from getting worse and detaching from the guitar? I'll try to take a decent pic and post it later when the camera is recharged. I'm going to be sending this one to Paul at some point for an F hole install and I hope he'll be able to perform some magic on it then.
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by janglerocker »

OK here she is. Even worse looking than I thought.

Image
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by jingle_jangle »

Looks like it slid and the edge of the desk took a scraping off the edge of the headstock.

Although this is an easy fix, it is fiddly, as the front and sides of the headstock must be refinished and blended into the existing JG.

To hold it in the meanwhile, touch it up with black lacquer nail polish.
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by janglerocker »

Will do, and thank you!
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Tarrbot
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by Tarrbot »

So, here's a hypothetical question...

If I were to purchase a brand new Rickenbacker with JetGlo finish, would I follow these guidelines immediately? As in, strip the hardware off and put a finish of Zymol on before going any further? Is Zymol what everyone seems to use as a protective wax for the finish?

I just tried the Zymol on my acoustic-electric bass and it indeed made it sparkle. No, I was not about to try something "new" on the 4003S/5 without trying it on something easier to replace first. :)

Secondly, is there a way to put this thread in a sticky so that it always appears at the top of this sub-forum? I know phpbb 3.0 does stickies but don't know what permissions are available as stickies here.

Ted's excellent Ananatomy of a Rickenbacker Bass series references this thread (I assume this one and not another) and it would be excellent to have this easier to find.

Also, I read in another thread where Meguiar's did something different to Scratch X and the implication was that it was no longer selling Scratch X but Scratch X 2.0 or something.

I just picked up the original Scratch X at Murray's and was wondering if I should go back and buy their in-store stock for future use. What's the story on the Scratch X vs Scratch X 2.0 (or whatever it's called) situation?

Thank you kindly. :D
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jingle_jangle
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by jingle_jangle »

Scott,

If you unpack your brand-new JG Rickenbacker, hold it up to the light, and see any microscopic swirls and hazing, and if this bothers you. then go right ahead and do the bit with Scratch-X and Zymol. I did with the first couple of new Ricks I bought back in '04 (a pair of MBs, a 660/12 and a 381V69), and have done it with every one of my own refinishes since.

Conversion varnish, which is the crowning glory on every Rick finish except those finished in oil or matte varnish, is a very sturdy and resilient finish, and ideally suited for the life that most Ricks endure, whether they are slated to be played or collected. In order for a finish to be this resilient without being brittle (as, for instance, polyester is), it is by necessity soft on its surface compared to most plastics. No matter how much care is taken with power buffing, and no matter how fine a buffing compound is used, there will be some swirling, which is most evident on dark finishes.

These days, I'm about to run out of original Scratch-X--I use about a tube a year--and have switched to Nu-Finish Scratch Doctor, which except for its smell, is superior to the old Scratch-X. Meguiar's has split the Scratch-X product into two now. There is Scratch-X 2.0, and Swirl-X. The Swirl-X is the stuff you want now to replace the old Scratch-X.

I think that there are several topics that keep coming up that would make excellent sticky threads. We'll see what Gil can do to make this happen, once we come up with a list. In addition to this one, what else would you like to see as a sticky?
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Tarrbot
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by Tarrbot »

Paul, thanks for the response.

As far as what should be stickied, I think I'm too much of a newb here to be qualified to give an account of which threads are critically important and which are not.

We could post an index thread like what was started in the Rickenbacker Basses forum that can be edited with the important threads and sticky that. This would keep the clutter of multiple stickies from being at the top of the first page and allow editing as time went on. Lock it so that others don't post random silliness in it and you'll have a pretty good index that expands as the forum expands.

I've always been a fan of Nu-Finish products for vehicles so I may look into that option. Currently, I'll just stick with the Meguiar's since I've already got it though.
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by jingle_jangle »

Tarrbot wrote:
I've always been a fan of Nu-Finish products for vehicles so I may look into that option. Currently, I'll just stick with the Meguiar's since I've already got it though.
Step away from the Nu-Finish stuff if you have a nice car with a beautiful factory finish...the Scratch Doctor is the only thing I'd recommend made by Reed-Union. Nu-Finish "wax" is a polymeric finish treatment (not a wax, per se) that is absolutely loaded with silicone. People love it because it goes on easily and can be applied in direct sunlight, and supposedly lasts a year "in normal weather conditions" (it's the silicone that makes this possible). How do they nail that year down? Why not "366 days"? Hmmm...I smell a huckster.

Reed-Union is now apeing Meguiar's (the industry leader) on their own website, in terms of graphics and layout, and are trying to position themselves as a low-cost alternative to boutique waxes. But they're guilty of seriously confusing the issue of wax content and suitability, not to mention avoiding discussing the distinction between real waxes and polymeric treatments. Their FAQ page says the following regarding silicone (in an attempt to de-fuse discussion on the topic):

Are car polishes that contain silicone bad for my car's paint?

No, absolutely not. In fact, automotive paints worldwide actually contain silicone as a key ingredient for lubricity purposes. Silicone in car polishes will not cause "fish eyes," which are small circular craters that appear in the finish of new applications of paint. Applying fresh paint to the surface of your car that was recently waxed or polished may cause fish eyes in the paint if the proper steps weren't taken to remove the silicone or wax prior to repainting the car. But fish eyes don't appear in your paint's surface if you are polishing a dry, painted surface.


Huh? Automotive paints contain silicone, as a "lubricity ingredient"? Not true. A substance called "fisheye eliminator" can be added to paint materials in a refinish, in order to prevent cratering due to silicone's presence on the surface of the original paint finish. Fisheye eliminator is, in fact, silicone, and although it makes life easier for the guy doing the refinishing, it messes with the viscosity and gloss of the paint and seriously compromises the integrity of the paint film. Automotive waxes often contain silicone as a lubricity ingredient, though, and those are the waxes I generally have avoided.

Confusing answer--The first two sentences are out-and-out misrepresentations, and the third and fourth sentences contradict the first two. The fourth sentence is simply nonsense.

I don't trust these guys...too slick in their grab for the bucks. But I'll use the Scratch Doctor (which, by the way, contains some silicone, but not enough to upset the finishing applecart).
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by Tarrbot »

If you'd rather go for the Meguiar's Scratch X version 1.0, I'll go grab some at Murray's and send them to you. I think they had at least 5 there.

Thanks for the info on Nu-Finish. On the marketroid speak, I get that way with a lot of technology sites and want to scream when I read some of the drivel that the public is forced to endure.
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by Tarrbot »

I wanted to let you know Paul that this thread is very much appreciated.

My '86 4003S/5 is looking better than ever.

From what I thought was a near mint condition finish (other than 2 dings on the head... and after cleaning discovered a tiny one on the bottom of the body), I have cleaned this JG finish up...

... and discovered some slight blemishes that look like odd paint buildups that came that way from the factory. :(

Well, after taking the 2000 grit sandpaper to it and Scratch X and Zymol, those blemishes are gone.

I am attempting the touchup on the dings right now with the nail lacquer. I'll wait a week or so until it hardens enough. It's kinda rainy all this week so I'll give it some extra time and then sand it down. I'm in no hurry.
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Re: PRIMER ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RICK FINISHES

Post by jingle_jangle »

Those "blemishes" happen often and are most obvious in JG finishes...they are usually areas in which the finish is sucked into the grain locally after some months of curing and shrinking of the conversion varnish. They are known as "flashback" in the trade, and are prime candidates for the 2000-grit/compound/Scratch-X/Zymol regimen.

RIC's new UV finishes will eliminate this gremlin, I'm told.
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