Two builds - 1PU Firebird & Explorer

Corvus

Cheers underdog : )

lysander

As a fan of laminated necks and bodies, I love the look of that firebird as well, following with interest,

Corvus

Cheers @Lysander

Getting close, was hoping to wire up this weekend but changed my mind with the knobs. I've gone for the excellently-named "Heavy Love Knob" from Banzai so waiting for them and new pots to suit.

Detail sanded the colour coat, got the decal laid, buried & flatted over.
Broke out the mini folding router table and made plastics

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

Then clearcoat mixed with flatting agent. A nervy time. You can't sand or polish out grit, stray hair, etc. Laid too wet it goes towards gloss. One shot, if it goes wrong you start over.

It feels nicely balanced, carrying it around with fingers in the pickup rout it felt very light though I don't think it is, just the balance makes it feel it. Neck is chunky in depth but rounded so doesn't feel like a telegraph pole.

Some part-assembly pix -

http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex09.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex10.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex11.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex12.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex13.jpg

PVO_Dave

That looks amazing! 

Rabs

Sweet as....   Great work...

Danielsguitars

That is looking great Bill

Who can resist a heavy love knob, they look the bollocks

underdog

Hell that colour looks good on an explorer, love that guitar looks perfect.

paulnb57

Liking these very much...

Cirrus

That Explorer's awesome!

earwighoney

Wow!  The explorer looks perfect.  

I could see that guitar in the hands of Mastodon.

Corvus

Cheers very much all!

Corvus

Explorer is all ready to go (bar nut slotting, probable fret level), all wired & all hardware done - but the pickup is dead ... shit. Don't know if I could've killed it changing the cover. I've a big old iron for this so don't have to take ages getting heat into it. Dammit.

Got a JB4 on the way anyway so that will go in here, instead. Never played one before, hope it suits this.

Corvus

Family stuff delaying the final hurdle but it's basically together and I've been playing the shit out of it ... just the lightest of fret-levels maybe, and it's all set.

Got a JB4 installed with your basic vol & tone and the Heavy Love Knobs have now been added. Schaller strap locks. Tusq nut, SG381s etc.

Danielsguitars

That's a damn nice guitar Bill, nice work but where's that firebird

Corvus

Cheers Darren, the Firebird's not so far off the finish line.

Corvus

Sacked off the last attempt at pics, got some better ones here and a quick vid. Been a long time since I played with backing but there it is

http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex16.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex18.jpg
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/ex19.jpg

underdog

Easily the nicest explorer I've seen, that's perfect 

Danielsguitars

Sounded great Bill 

Corvus

Thanks a million chaps, thanks!

Corvus

Been a while but got back to the Firebird. Bathroom rebuild then new old amp & guitar, been lost in playing when not doing the accursed DIY.

Nearly ready for paint now, just need to decide whether to go all clear or a light burst, really not sure.

The cover will be clear polycarb with a trans purple lacquer on the inside:
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb09_cav.jpg

Made a small thing to go on the head. I had a slide of fretboard blank thinned to 2mm, but it was a bit thick for this. Quick solution, bits of plastic taped to the plane as spacers. That there is an early 1890s Stanley 6 btw, lovely thing. Quick zip with the #80 scraper plane to clean up. It's down to about 1.4mm now.
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb10_head_purpleheart.jpg

The t/r cover will be walnut I think.

Bit of daylight and it'll lose the brown and go back to the purple-
http://alleykat.co.uk/images/stuff/exbird/fb11_head_ph2.jpg