Wood identification on my recently stripped '87 Streamer

What is the wood?

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warwickhunt

warwickhunt

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Hi guys and gals.

I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me identify the wood that has been used on my Streamer. From past experience I am aware that Streamers from that period would have been either Cherry or Maple, however this doesn't look like either of those (I've owned both in the past). To help identification this bass was a custom order for the bassist from Helloween back in the 80's so I wondered if he might have specified a particular tonewood!



Many thanks

John
 
Hey John, it seems to be cherry to me...
Welcome to the forum :-)
 
+ 1 on Cherry.
One of the few Chery Stage 1 already with the 2 pieces bridge
 
looks like cherry to me but i cant be sure. its definatly 100% not maple though
 
ah! is this the streamer that was white earlier? with that small Helloween pumpkin figure on it?
 
I'd bet the top half of my right gonad that bass is cherry. :wink: It's an early 2 piece bridge routing too.Great bass you got whatever way you look at it. :wink:
 
Greg if you keep betting those nads on things, you won't have any left
 
alder, definitively. I've been looking to tons of picture of cherrywood and it has a straighter grain than this and has a lot of hitches. And, because the streamer model was originally from spector (which uses alder in their basses), I think that this is alder. Also, alder has a grain that looks just like this one. Definitively not maple.
 
flipper_gv said:
alder, definitively. I've been looking to tons of picture of cherrywood and it has a straighter grain than this and has a lot of hitches. And, because the streamer model was originally from spector (which uses alder in their basses), I think that this is alder. Also, alder has a grain that looks just like this one. Definitively not maple.
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I don't think Warwick ever made a bass out of Alder............... :?
 
All the alder i've ever seen was very straight grain... Similar to maple, But not so tight. Another +1 for cherry
 
I'm pretty sure it's not alder... alder has less elegance to it.
+1 for cherry, it looks likee my cherry dresser!
 
Wanna know for sure? take Drano (the real lye stuff) and mix it in boiling water, be careful here lye aint friendly stuff. Now wipe your hot lye solution on the wood, if it turns that deep rich red Cherry is known for, it's cherry, if not, it aint. Either way neutralize with vinegar. All the best.
 
I like to have an answer on Snooze question.
Is this the Helloween bass that was white with the pumkin inlays?

100% that it's a Cherry body.
 
Thanks for the welcomes and the responses to my questions, you are all very kind.

To answer the question about the original finish, yes it was white with the pumpkin.
Just to clear up it didn't start life with a 2 piece bridge! It had a 1 piece which was changed at a later date (very early). It also has an 18v MEC circuit (1 battery in the usual separate compartment and one in the main.
A very clever 'detective' tracked down a picture of the bass but I can't tell if it has the 3 or 4 pot layout that it has at present. However, I am considering drilling out the plug and replacing a Demeter preamp in the bass.
Please keep the comments coming re. the wood (which I also believe is Cherry), or any other thoughts on the bass/what I am doing.
 
Shine on me, I wasn't able to see the clearly visible routing of the original Schaller bridge. :oops: :lol:
 
elpelotero said:
it looks beautiful whatever it is!

How did you sand it down so nice?
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Sorry I missed that question earlier, the bass has been stripped using good old fashioned elbow grease. The guys who are stripping it (Austin Guitar Shop - UK) attempted proprietory chemical strippers painted on to the finish but the finish was so hard (possibly nitro-cellulose lacquer) that it didn't even mark the paint, so it had to be done by hand!

I'll post a few pics when I get some wax on and the true colour of the wood should come out.
 
warwickhunt said:
elpelotero said:
it looks beautiful whatever it is!

How did you sand it down so nice?
Click to expand...

Sorry I missed that question earlier, the bass has been stripped using good old fashioned elbow grease. The guys who are stripping it (Austin Guitar Shop - UK) attempted proprietory chemical strippers painted on to the finish but the finish was so hard (possibly nitro-cellulose lacquer) that it didn't even mark the paint, so it had to be done by hand!

I'll post a few pics when I get some wax on and the true colour of the wood should come out.
Click to expand...

theres been another guy here that tried to remove a high polish finish with a paint stripper. he didnt get very far either
 
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