ToneMonkey

If you do anything with the post bushings, double check that the earth is still attached after the fiddling.

How about Ricky Horror type leather guitar. Actually I got an email from the wife yesterday saying she found this at work: Ah crap, can't post pictures, pity it would have made you larf.

Or beer belly. I play laying down a bit and I can't tell no difference.

I'm jumping on the draw it yourself bandwaggon. There's no need to buy plans, especially if the plans aren't 100% exactly the thing you're after (even down to the hardware) as it all has an impact on each other. You can certainly use the pre drawn plans for the shape of the body and things like that (plan view) but it sounds like at the very minimum, you'll need to draw the profile (although I would strongly recommend both). You'll probably find that by drawing it, it'll also help get it clear in your mind the process of building it too.

Can't see the pics, but i do like the name

First off (but you've probably tried it). Get a suitable screwdriver, lay the guitar on a flat clean surface. Put a lot of downward pressure on the screw driver and try turning very slowly, don't slip though or you'll embed the screwdriver in the axe. Sounds simple, but usually works. Or what Swedish Luthier said. Alternatively you can cut a slot in it with a dremel and use a normal screwdriver

I think red guitars sound the best for Heavy Metal. Oddly enough green ones sound best for the blues.

I have to get me some of those Incra Tools, even if I don't use them I'll just have them hanging around looking cool. Personally I use a mechanical pencil (have been known to use a biro once or twice of pencil lines didn't show). Inches are just a pain in the arse for measuring anything with a tolarance of less than 1/2 an inch, metric all the way, it's a lot easier to count to 10.

Were you using sand paper to try and get the finish off? Have a bash with emery cloth....... I learnt the hard way too

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.

I was thinking the other day, I could tell it was thinking as I started feeling dizzy. When acoustics are finished, why is the finish only applied to the outside. Does the wood want to be completetly sealed, or is it right to have one half of the wood (the inside) open to the elements? It would also give a smoother finish on the inside, and could possibly increase the reflected sound waves inside the guitar (although the trade off would be less resonance of the wood itself due to the finish) Anyway, just a thought. What do you guys think?

Technically speaking (and I'll ask the wife when she wakes up, as she'll definately know), I think if you encourage the smell then you're doing the opposite of preserving it. The stronger the smell, then the more the material is degrading. ToneMonkey - answers so pedantic, you could mistake him for a bank manager

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.

HAVE: Patrick Eggle Berlin Vintage Classic - nearly fininshed, although I've been saying that for nearly a year Ibanez Lawsuit Firebird - errrr, nearly finished A Fenix Strat that I've stolen from Mr's Tonemonkey's uncle....... errr being rewired, nearly finished (There seems to be a theme developing) Bits and pieces and plans of resonators...... no where near finished Applause acoustic which has to go Lots of pieces of guitars Vox AD30VT WANT: Tallent and the ability to play the bloody things All the above guitars finished Patrick Eggle acoustic Like to build my own with Variax electronics in it for general orund the house use Nice sounding acoustic that I don't mind throwing about in the back of my car Vox AC30TB

Hello Slim Welcome to the boards, engineers are quite numerous around here so you'll fit right in. Any idea what you want to build?

I was tought that game by a rasta in Cape Verde last summer. I left the island a game in the lead............. and very drunk Could someone post a pic directly into the thread so that I can have a look (can't get on photobucket at the minute). Firebirds are definately the sexiest guitar there is. My battered old one should be up and running soon WOO HOO.

Me too, with this one exception. Used it to trim a bit off the bottom of a door the other week. Far to useful to only be used 10 times in my lifetime.

I've got a Japanese Microsaw and I use it for a hell of a lot more than fretting. Really usefull around the house. Well worth the £15.

NNNOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a pisser, it was looking great.

This has to be the longest thread in internet histroy

I've finally got round to dorting out the Firebird I was given and I've ordered a couple of mini HB's for it. They rated at about 8.6kOhm. Which pots would you recommend, 250k or 500k? Also, they have to be mini pots for the teeny weeny control cavity. Cheers dudes, also bought some Steinberger Gearless Tuners so I'll let you all know how they go. Infact if you get on ebay I got some brand new black ones from the states for £34 ish including postage.

Sorry about the late reply mate, I'd forgot to pop back into this as I've been soooooo busy lately. As for welding experiance, then I have a little and I have to say that my TIG welding is much better than my MIG welding (which is odd being that it's much more difficult). I think that might have come from playing the drums so my hands and feet can work independantly of each other. And the fact that the mask I was using for the MIG welding was much too dark Your descrpitions are pretty good and I followed them fairly well. Some of it I knew and some of it I didn't and will be very handy. So thank you very much. I used to live in Gislaved and was born in Varnamo. Fairly sure that I also lived in Malmo for a short period, but that could have been before I was born. Sadly I've not been to Sweden since and I would love to go back. Maybe one day I'll get there.

I've posted this over at the Bare Knuckle Forum for you. If you would consider shipping to England, there may well be a bit of a market here as at that price, they work out at about £125 whereas they're £210 at the BKP shop (if they're covered anyway)

Go you indeed matey. I'm going to build one of those one day, I love them.

Have you tried restringing it? Restring it very carfully and check that all the strings are seated correctly. You'd be amazed at how often something simple fixed the problem. No need to rip the bridge off just yet