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John -- glad you liked the pickups. I was very excited when they were done I knew you would like them!

This is by far your best guitar. I look forward to the next one.

You should add these to your repertoire.

Good idea, I will once the logistics are worked out.

Actually working on them and a humbucker based off them. I took good enough notes and have plenty of pictures.

My biggest issue is ordering 100 magnets to match the spec... expensive.

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John,

I want to say I have enjoyed the build and I think you have really moved forward with your skills. I like this one very much.

I'm not that hot on the neck finish but I do understand the contrast and want for something different.

Again very nice job on this one.

Sincerely,

Mike

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  • 5 months later...

Some goober at church complained that the reflections off this thing hitting them in the face is a distraction, so I can't play it anymore.

So....... I'm making another one.

This is the best sounding ax I have, so the next will be almost identical.

BODY:

15/16" basswood base

5/16" maple cap

1 1/4" total thickness

The old one was REALLY heavy. It was a basswood/maple sandwich, but came in at almost 2". That's WAY too thick for a huge body like this. Anyone remember the 1st Mockingbird I did? Remember the paint job? That's my goal on this one - a "screaming yellow" Iceman.

NECK:

1-piece ebonized walnut neck

The other one was a back-bolt. Since that can only happen on a 1 3/4"+ body, that's out this time and I have to go with a standard bolt-on.

FRETBOARD:

I'm a little undecided on this one. The original was bloodwood. Sonically, I could go with bloodwood, ebony, or maple and they'd all sound pretty much the same.

HARDWARE:

Everything from the original is coming over. That's the whole point. The only potential change is switching over to a strat-like trem, but I don't think I have a thick enough body for it.

Besides the thickness, finish, and neck attachment, the only other significant difference is that I'll be making a pickguard for it. Everything will be mounted strat-like.

Right now, the body has been all glued together and rough-cut, waiting to be routed to the template, and the neck blank has been milled.

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You didn't chop off his dingus this time, and it's slightly larger than average :D

I'm still thinking about cutting off the dingus.

Yes I can understand how leaving it on could be painfull for you B) Better lop it off :D

Hope you keep the thin sliver on the body under the neck lower side, that will look cool.

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I think the dingus is staying this time. Looking at it, I know I can play comfortably with the sliver on the treble side of the neck pocket, and it'll add an ounce of stability too, so I think it'll just get smoothed out. Good call Muzz!

I got a little bit of work done between routed this afternoon. The big things today are routing the neck pocket, putting a 1/4" roundover on the body, and toying around with the pickguard shape. The tan mung is some wood filler to repair some minor chip-out in the maple.

wip61.jpg

After looking at the pickguard on the Fireman (reverse Iceman), this is what I came up with.

wip62.jpg

My main concern is that it may be too much repetition of the theme. The hook on the body horn is repeated on the headstock, so does repeating it here just beat it into the ground visually?

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My main concern is that it may be too much repetition of the theme. The hook on the body horn is repeated on the headstock, so does repeating it here just beat it into the ground visually?

Nope. It carries the theme nicely. But I'll throw an alternative suggestion at you. Figure a way to tie in the drop point at the bottom instead, then choose between the two. I do think it will flow better if you move the upper part on the bass side another quarter to half inch closer to the outer edge of the upper bout. I like the way that runs parallel to both upper and lower bouts.

SR

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I think the dingus is staying this time. Looking at it, I know I can play comfortably with the sliver on the treble side of the neck pocket, and it'll add an ounce of stability too, so I think it'll just get smoothed out.

Yep that neck pocket treble side sliver (hey we made a new term) will add a ton of stability especially with that length of the pocket.

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wip63.jpg

wip64.jpg

The body is ready for sealer. Unfortunately, I'm all out. :D I guess that part waits until Monday.

In the meantime, I can get to work on the inlays. Yes, inlaying into maple takes precision for it to NOT look sloppy. Fortunately, these are blocks, so it's all simple math and straight lines.

wip65.jpg

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thats looking really good. I still have not got around to doign an iceman but i do at least have templates ready now for when i do... one of the guitars i have always wanted. Also, i like the fireman so the single coil and scratchplate idea is working for me... on top of that you have black blocks on a maple board - which is the best inlay scheme in the world!

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i would skip the white line around the edge of the pickguard then and go for plain black

yellow, black and maple is a nice theme and would still work nicely with either chrome or black hardware... makes me think of a charvel san dimas kinda look which would definately suit an iceman

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It would seem that Hembry Guitars thought blending a Fender and an Ibanez was a pretty good idea too. It doesn't look too bad, actually!

wi%20(3).jpg

:D That picture about made my day. I gotta say mixing a twangy tele with a metal guitar is funny. I hate telecasters but love Icemans ... mixed they made me like teles a little more.

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I love the iceman model, my main guitar is one, that I made a few years ago, black with acrilic with real mop cracks inside in some details (pickguard and truss rod cover). In begin of this year I finish a Paul Gilbert Fireman copy for a customer, that make me think abou build another one for myself, but about one year or more that I have no time to build for myself.

Realy nice work, starts me thinking again :D

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