Cleaning up a Warwick F.N.A.

So today I've become the proud owner of -yet another- Corvette, this time it's an F.N.A.
Different pickup placement from my $$ and different electronics (3EQ vs 2EQ for the $$) will make this sound different yet hopefully a bit the same.

Picked it up for a very reasonable price and these pictures will probably tell you why:
















Interesting bit is that the JAN-2 is still intact on both sides, which leads me to believe this bass was still looked after properly despite the battle scars.
Can anyone tell me why the serial number is so off centre?

Also found this info about the trimpots inside, is it correct information?

 

Heavy relic, mother♣♣♣♣ers!

 

Also since it appears this forum is as old as this bass is, the pictures seem to get cut off on the sides.
All pics can also be found here: http://s428.photobucket.com/user/Gnermo/library/Warwick FNA?sort=3&page=1

 

congrats Gnermo!
this bass needs some love

 

SWow the fingerboard has been gnawed off.
What are your plans on this one ? Cleaning ? Total refinish ?

Damages on the body don't look too bad, but the state of the frets and fretboard is scary. Or maybe it's just the pictures and you can clean and polish everything ?

 

The frets are in a weird condition, and from the previous pictures they look almost level with the fretboard. Fretboard is VERY light in color.



They aren't however, they're actually good height and wear wise, but the color has faded into this weird grey except where the strings were.

If I were to refinish it i'd sand it down and use purple colored oil or danish oil for a natural finish. Not sure if I can sand out the dings and holes.

Truss rod seems to be working fine and it has no wear on it.

 

Maybe you can restore the dings with some moist cotton and Flat Iron ? I saw this trick : you put humidity on the bare wood, the you heat it and the wood regain it's original shape. After sandin, of course.

Great catch you have there. If you like Corvettes, of course.

 

I've seen that trick and I don't trust it will work very well...

Proof that the pickup screws & hardware were gold once:




First coat of wax on after scrubbing it with soap and some guitar polish:

 

what was happen ?? 5 years in an humid cellar, douche,sauna, etc. etc. ??? for 15 years the hardware is very rusty and worn outz

 

Warwick gold hardware from that era sucks hard, it practically turns chrome the second you touch it.

This little piece of rubber? came off from the bottom of the pickup:

Any harm done?

 

wtf foam is doing there???

sand it and make it purple!

 

I'm keeping that foam, it doesn't bother and this F.N.A. has locking screws anyhow but it will fit perfectly under a musicman pickup of a friend that asked me to look at his setup.

 

wax?
what for?

 

I like to keep my basses shiny!
I actually used the "surface cleaner with beeswax" that Warwick recommends.

 

this is a satin lacquer finished instrument (called colored oil finish by warick :-()

cleaning with a wet cloth is the warwick recommendation for this finish

 

Alright, will polish it with a wet cloth from now on. Put on 3 coats of wax beforehand so it should be fine for now.
What about the bottom part of my OP post, is the info correct?

 

Nice catch. Seems your FNA is only three months older than mine . There's nothing wrong with the frets as far as that odd colour goes.. it's just the patina which that alloy of bronze gets if it isn't cleaned very often. A little 0000 steel wool or extra-fine scotch brite and they'll be back to gleaming gold. I think you'll like it once you get it all put back together and set up.. they're a lot more flexible than you'd think with just the one pickup. Congrats on the new project!

 

Yes, that Warwick recommends for the NATURAL OIL FINISHES, not for the COLOURED OIL/SATIN FINISHES. :!:

Actually wax can damage the coloured oil finish. Has been told and discussend a lot here...


Anyway, nice bass, love the mojo. Congrats.

 

Finishing touches;





Pickup should be coming soon, but I can't find the ones I want anywhere in a store or online shop near The Netherlands...
And I still haven't found anything that cleans those pole pieces well.