=The Warwick Fortress Club=

[Genral Specific]

Fortressess Updates**

I have posted a photograph of my progress so far sanding my Fortressess. I have learned a few things:

1. The "Colored Oil Finish" is not an oil finish at all.

2. This is a Lot of work!!

3. When I tap on the body with my finger, the tone has changed since removing most of the finish on the back. I am thinking that when wood has its grain open to the air, it resonates differently.

I started out using 600 grit sandpaper. This made no progress at all. I got all the way down to 320 grit before I felt I had the appropriate sandpaper. The dust from sanding would be white and then white and then white and then white and then honey amber and then wood! Once I had sanded through the finish, the wood and stain wear away quickly, so I changed back up to 600 when I was getting close to fresh wood.
This whole job is very dirty and slow going, but I find the task very peaceful. The experience is bringing me closer to my bass.

Pedro> You are right. I could just put a dummy switch there. You remind me of a story. I recently read about an American session bass player who had this famous pedal that he 'made'. Everyone wanted his 'sound'. Later in life, he revealed that the pedal was empty and the footswitch on top did nothing. I cannot remember the man's name. I would name the switch for him.

[drewm]

Fortressess Updates**
1. The "Colored Oil Finish" is not an oil finish at all.

This is a good point. This being the only Warwick I own, it didn't occur to me until I read on this forum about people waxing their instruments that the Fortress has some sort of coating.

Anyone know what the finish is?

[Matthijs]

The Colored Oil finish is actually a laquer.

[Vargrimst]

Here it is my only bass, a '94 Fortress One :D
Imageshack - rocco2
Imageshack - rocco5
Imageshack - rocco4
Imageshack - rocco3

It never look so brown at the daylight, it has a very strange color with shades of green and amber (:

I called it Rocco, 'cause in italian we say down "basso", and basso is a masculine name... and the bass reminded me of the forms of a famous italian porn star xD
Hi from Italy ^^

[Josh Emmons]

I think I want to have the Fortress as a regular model again. THEASE BASSES ROCK!!!

[mart]

Hi Fortress Fans! I've posted some pics of my old '97 F1 in the "Vintage" section: Another 97 Fortress One

[mart]

Pedro> You are right. I could just put a dummy switch there. You remind me of a story. I recently read about an American session bass player who had this famous pedal that he 'made'. Everyone wanted his 'sound'. Later in life, he revealed that the pedal was empty and the footswitch on top did nothing. I cannot remember the man's name. I would name the switch for him.

Mo Foster tells a story like this. Apparently back in the day session players were payed a fee that was proportional to the number of instruments they played. Effects pedals counted as an extra instrument, but Mo had exactly the sound he wanted from his bass, and didn't need any pedals. So he built a pedal, which I think he called the "DFA", that contained nothing but the switch. But it earned him twice as much money for each session!

[kascollet]

Back to the Fortress club with a Masterman fiver, with a gorgeous tobacco burst polish finish.
This thing permanently growls, it's awesome.

SN is J-109736-04, yes 2004. It has the modern ovangkol/wengé neck and the JANII (witch is broken as usual :-( ).
I'm looking for some information about this baby, as the SN tool of the website has been helpless in telling me her story.

Is a 2004 Fortress necessarly a custom shop order ?

[verb]

Wow thats a nice find.Do you have any of the paperwork for this beauty ?
If you have the model code the first digit tells you if it is CS(1 I think) or production(0)

[kascollet]

No, sadly, I don't have any of the factory documents.

How could this Fortress be a production item ?

[papy-c]

My "new" Fortress One from 93 ... Passive Mec but Seymour Duncan active préamp ....
I changed old gold hardware for black one .... more " rock " feeling !!!!

[kascollet]

I like it with this all black HW. Thinking about doing the same with my Masterman but I don't know if it shall suit the sunburst fine.

[Ian]

Papy C, is that Honey Violin finish?

[papy-c]

Papy C, is that Honey Violin finish?

I don't know ....Bought used .. Probably the third or fourth user !!!!

[pjinserra]

I have two Fortress One's....my 94 has a 3 piece ash body....my 96 has a 2 piece maple. The maple body has much more unique character to it because of the grain patter.
Love em both.
Paul
Richland, WA, USA