Two builds - 1PU Firebird & Explorer

streethawk

Looking good. Single pickup firebirds are so cool.

We have Emmaus in the UK?? I never knew that.

Corvus

Cheers muchly chaps.
Not sure if the upside-down tenon is needed but it makes a change, there is a slightly flexible filler that I used on my one venture into fibreglass, that might've taken care of things. Done now anyway
@streethawk there's quite a lot of branches it seems, I only heard of them because there's one just up the road a bit. We've got a fair lot of stuff from them and taken a ton from clearing my other half's Dads place. Good cause.

Corvus

Trying some pics via Instagram, see how that looks

Both moving on, pickups ordered. Firebird neck blank is made, the head's going to be scarfed mainly because of using wood I've good and it not being long enough.
The tenon is hidden because no neck pickup to obscure it, so made a block to make sure the mortice is the size & width wanted, most of it was cut out or routed into the lams before glue-up, and the block helped alignment:

http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb05_neck_blank.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb_06_tenon_try.jpg

Corvus

Explorer neck is taking shape, head done, zebrano fingerboard sorted & glued. I'm thinking of vol, tone and a bass roll-off pot. Maybe a series-parallel mini switch too. If any modern metalheads are watching your thoughts would be good on that score.

The weight's going to be around 8.5 lbs I think, the neck is featherlight so I can't see there being any trad Explorer neck dive here -

http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex05_heel.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex05_neck_shave.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex07_top.jpg

Corvus

Explorer is in primer and part-sanded. Turns out my mate can do laser cutting so some templates are on the way for the control cavity.
Bucker cavity is an odd shape because I'm replacing my templates and bought a new one, without checking the size, which was way wrong... had to add fillets.

Fletcher pickups humbucker and all hardware has arrived. So hopefully shouldn't be too long.

Colour hint below, won't be gloss though-

http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex05_primer.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex06_primer.jpg

Corvus

Made the neck, same walnut / wenge / purpleheart core but with black limba outer parts. Scarfed head.
Wenge board with Jescar Evo wire.
Got the wings tapered down via router sled & shims & wedges, tho doesn't show in the pic, oddly. Added some purpleheart from a fretboard sliced & thicknessed out. Might be able to get the control cover out of that.
Wings glued on. There's channels laid in in case I decide to add a neck pickup later. A warm Filtertron from Ben Fletcher landed, wound to ~8k.

http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb05_board.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb06_progress.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb07_progress2.jpg

Danielsguitars

Love both of those bill, never used zebrano for a fretboard, did you stain it darker, it looks great

Oh that firebird is looking so good too, can't wait to see how these sound

Did you have a firebird headstock template btw, I need one of them at some point

Corvus

Cheers Darren, yes I did stain the zebrano, it has a bit of a glow when the light hits. Had a couple of thin coats of tung oil on to seal the dye in and feels super velvety.

Neither of these are being built with templates (bar printing out the Explorer shape then just routing direct with straight guides etc), I do have a set neck Firebird template for their Studio one and found a commercial Firebird set for about £15 I think. I'll dig out the link and send it on.
The Studio is completely different to the full fat Firebird in lots of ways, the head's totally different. I don't think the 'full' head will work with normal tuners, hence the different shape Studio one - I'm going to base mine on a bit of both so I can use normal tuners.

Danielsguitars

Corvus said:

Cheers Darren, yes I did stain the zebrano, it has a bit of a glow when the light hits. Had a couple of thin coats of tung oil on to seal the dye in and feels super velvety.

Neither of these are being built with templates (bar printing out the Explorer shape then just routing direct with straight guides etc), I do have a set neck Firebird template for their Studio one and found a commercial Firebird set for about £15 I think. I'll dig out the link and send it on.
The Studio is completely different to the full fat Firebird in lots of ways, the head's totally different. I don't think the 'full' head will work with normal tuners, hence the different shape Studio one - I'm going to base mine on a bit of both so I can use normal tuners.

Thanks for the info Bill, don't worry I'll sort out a firebird headstock template when I get round to it, I'm doing a set neck on one first, it'll wait, love the look of reverse firebirds

I'd have original style tuners, not bloody cheap though

Teyeplayer

That firebird is soooo cool!!

Corvus

Cheers Teyeplayer!

webrthomson

Nice work they both look cool as - I think the firebird is winning though

Corvus

Cheers

Corvus

Fucker of a fucking week. My girlfriends Dad and my Aunt passed away, pretty expected and more relief and calm than trauma. Car got keyed wing & both doors, found a big ol' chip out of the Firebird headstock at the back. Not sure what to do about that yet.

So been delayed.

On the upside the Explorer gets its second colour coat tomorrow and nearly all hardware is here.
Turns out a mate can do laser cutting so got some templates done.
Bought an 1890s Stanley plane.
Debating next builds.

Routing the pickup cavity was a channel tunnel moment, will the internal channels meet the cavity, have I fucked it or what. All OK. Brew and rollup moment.
Neck shaping underway, it feels like it wants to be chunky, purpleheat heel cap added

http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb07_progress3.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb08_progress.jpg

Danielsguitars

That firebird looks the nuts Bill 

Teyeplayer

Wish I had the skill to do this. Amazing work...following your thread and drooling like a baby!

Corvus

Thanks so much guys, most kind..!

Got some more done, Firebird control cavity, another channel tunnel "will they meet" moment all Ok and the wire pushes through the hidden channels just fine. Phew.
Because of the wings tapering in thickness I used small wedges to get the template parallel with the top body face, and hot-glued it all into place. So the cavity 'roof' is a constant thickness, sort of thing.

Explorer got coloured in, I tinted the green to be a bit more 'drab' a bit more towards US army. Not that it shows with my crap photo skills. Decal tomorrow with luck, then probably matt or satin clearcoat.

http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex08_colour.jpg

Rabs

Awesome stuff man..   LOVE the firebird in particular...  I used some of that Korina on a recent build.. Such beautiful and distinct wood...

Corvus

Cheers muchly Rabs, very kind, I followed that korina one and watching the others too

underdog

Love that colour on the explorer, going to look really good