Semi-hollow Firebird

[carousel182]

Yea there is thin white binding going around it. The gold hardware really makes the zebrawood look less wild I think. At the beginning I wasn't so sure about sing it but now I'm happy with it.

Edited April 12, 2008 by carousel182

[guitar2005]

I still think you're going to have huge fret access problems with that guitar. The lower bout is way too high and doesn't come down to the last fret like it does on a real firebird.

Looking at frets 19-24, I doubt that you could reach those frets unless you play like Jeff Healey.

[carousel182]

I'm not really concerned about that. I dont play down that low (I've only played guitar for a year and I now have a broken fretting arm so I'm not that good), and if I do play there it's going to be tapping anyway.

[j. pierce]

On the picture I'm looking at here, the lower bout cutaway lines up with the 21st fret, (and the Gibson Firebirds don't have those last two frets that Carousel has got) although it curves back up and joins around the 17th-19th.

I used to own a Firebird years ago, and lemme tell you, upper fret access is nothing to write home about - about on par with a stock LP.

So while this wouldn't be a choice shredder guitar, I think the concessions he's made are fair trade offs for aesthetics - probably ones I would make myself. Making the cutout much deeper or moving things around I think would make it look a little wonky, but that's just my opinion.

I love Firebirds, and I think this is a pretty cool take on one. I think half the reason this looks so weird to me is the left-handedness... Is there going to be a pickguard on this? Right now that large expanse of flat wood , even with the f-hole, seems a little sparse - I'd love to see something break that up visually a little more - the raised center section from the original firebirds, a pickguard, a burst finish. Lovely build, regardless, just my two bits. I'm sure it looke gorgeous in person.

[decadentjon]

i have a gibson firebird VII and the fret access is fine, i dont think its going to be so much a problem of the lower bout being too high nearly as much as it being a bolt on neck as opposed to neck through. you have that extra chunk to deal with along with the cutaway not being all that deep.

the build looks sweet tho man, dig the woods. cant wait to see that neck fretted and with some hardware on it.

[piedpiperX2000]

nice job! I'm liking that inlay as well it reminds me of my old transam ws6 RIP *moment of silence*. Good Job!

[carousel182]

Thanks guys, I'm going to try to start finishing this up this weekend. Monday I get my cast off so I can finally get back to more serious things. Im not sure what I want to do pickguard wise. I was thinking maybe tortoise shell, white, or cream, but I'm not sure.

[piedpiperX2000]

It'd be cool to buy all the ply for it and laminate and make your own =] Maybe just slightly customized to stick out plus you'll probably have a wider options of colors I'd check eBay as well as the normals

[carousel182]

what about a zebra wood pickguard, If I have wide enough zebra wood Ill do it. Maybe Zebra Cherry Zebra.

[guitar2005]

what about a zebra wood pickguard, If I have wide enough zebra wood Ill do it. Maybe Zebra Cherry Zebra.

What color do you plan on making the body? (did I miss that?).

I like contrasting pickguards. Zebrawood could work well natural over a darker finished body. Can't wait to see more progress on this build.

[carousel182]

EDIT:nevermind

I'm thinking of making the back black and the front natural.

I have some ideas for a pickguard Ill get the up soon.

Edited April 17, 2008 by carousel182

[carousel182]

okay, right now I just went down and glued up this zebra wood that I just resawed for a pickguard I matched the grain pretty good, You shouldn't be able to tell its two pieces really.

[carousel182]

I don't like it. If I would've made the grain go straighter up the guitar it would've been much better. Right now I'm debating whether its worth another try though, it doesn't look that good IMO. Thats possibly because I screwed up the grain orientation because I had to squeeze it on because I glued it wrong.

[killemall8]

i dont think it will make that big of a difference. i wouldnt have really noticed.

[carousel182]

tuners mounted,

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0405.jpg

I think ill inlay and fret tomorrow.

[ToneMonkey]

Dagnabbit, still can't open photo bucket. What tuners have you installed?

I installed the Steinberger Gearless Tuners this morning. Well impressed.

As I still haven't seen the photo's, I'll say that the Firebird I've got is a copy of Firebird II. Although it hasn't got the big metal plate on it anymore, it has (or will have) a wrap around bridge. Absolutely no upper fret access issues and this is a fairly chucky bolt on.

EDIT: Oh yeah, when I was cleaning the finger poo off the fret board and scratchplate this morning, I was thinking about the one that you're making. Are you putting the bird logo on? I was thinking it would good as an inlay.

Edited April 19, 2008 by ToneMonkey

[carousel182]

I'm doing the thunderbird car logo as a 12th fret inlay. Why cant you view photobucket?

[carousel182]

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0442.jpg

best fret job I've ever done, the inlay is bad though, I couldn't bend my inlay arm. O well, its for me, its not like it matters that much, and if it bothers me, Ill change it to a block inlay.

[WezV]

i would say the inlay came out ok, especially given your current condition... takes a lot of practice to beat the cnc inlays we are so used to seeing on factory guitars, i know i certainly havnt yet

it may not be the best close up but its nice and effective from a few feet away

[carousel182]

thats probably right, but i know I could've done much better, the bird inlays that I did are a lot better.

Also, I need to ask, what type of finish do you guys use? I know I want to use nitro, but their are so many different types of nitro I'm not sure what to get. Before this guitar all of my guitars have used waterbased poly, but I haven't been that happy with the results. Do any of you know what company I should be ordering my nitro from. I saw Behlen's like they sell at Stewmac, but I was wondering if their was some type of nitro that I could buy locally, like at an auto supply store or home depot/lowes. It doesn't have to be bought locally, I'm definitely willing to wait so that I get the best finish possible.

Edited April 20, 2008 by carousel182

[avengers63]

I'll be using brush-on lacquer for the next few projects. It worked like a charm on the last neck I finished. Lacquer is super-easy to use, too.

For that 12th fret inlay: did a wing break off? I see a line where one meets the body.

[ToneMonkey]

One of may mates used brushed on lacquer a while back and says he'll never go back to spraying it again.

Not used it myslef though.

[avengers63]

FWIW: A qart can here in the states is about $10. Give it a shot. At that price, it wouldn't be much of a financial loss.

[carousel182]

yea w ing broke off of the inlay.

I have a pretty nice hvlp sprayer so spraying probably would be a better option for me. Would nitro from lowes or home depot do or would something from an auto store be better or should i order online.

Edited April 21, 2008 by carousel182

[avengers63]

Since I've not used the spray from the box stores, I can't comment directly. The name-brand brush-on and aerosol finished from there have been just fine, though. It would be reasonable to think that a name brand spray would be OK as well.

FWIW: I'm not 100% sure the lacquer I'm using is nitro. According to Flexner, most commercially available lacquers ARE nitro, though they don't specifically say so.