9/10th scale Firebird build

MattNovak

It's an irrefutable fact that Firebirds are the coolest guitars.

However, I concede that they're a smidgen on the large side. Here's a gratuitous picture of me playing mine:



So, I've had this idea bubbling away for a couple of years now, and given that we're all about to die I thought that now is a great time to get cracking on it. 

Starting off by plotting a grid of 8cm squares and a centreline on paper I drew around my FB:



Leaving me with this:



Then, I drew another grid and centreline on a sheet of ply - this time using 7cm squares - and recreated the outline from the one above:



The neck heel will need to be finessed, as I'm using a slightly thicker body and DC LP junior style neck pocket. I need to get the ruler out and have a measure up, but have earmarked this piece of mahogany for the body:

 
I have a couple of options for neck wood - some matching mahogany (which would need scarf jointing to get the correct headstock angle) or a piece of walnut that'd be fine to cut to size in one go. I'll shape the body template first though.

For anyone  wondering whats happening to my other build, I am awaiting a new pillar drill so progress on that for now has stalled. Just realised as I type that I can start on the neck shaping though.

Any other corona virus builds going on? Should we start a Covid-19 challenge??

WezV

sounds interesting.   

Are you keeping the full scale length?     

 Fret access isn't really an issue on firebirds so you can easily move the neck 1/2 - 3/4" into the body without sacrificing much access.     Helps with balance and that long reach to the first fret too - admittedly those things are more of an issue on the reverse design

MattNovak

Yup, standard Gibson scale length and your second para were my thoughts exactly.

The end result should sit somewhere between a firebird and an lp junior; I have an idea for something different in the neck construction though that is decidedly non-vintage.

I may also achieve the holy grail of a Firebird that fits in a gig bag.

WezV

explorer gig bags are often easier to find, and all mine have fit .... but that is with the neck moved slightly into the body as discussed above.  

this is the one i often use for my reverses
https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_gigbag1_explorer.htm

PhilKing

I can confirm that.  I have a Gibson Explorer gig bag and it is exactly the same as the Epiphone JB Firebird gig bag (which I used to bring the fanned fret Firebird back to the States)

Danielsguitars

Great idea and looking forward to seeing this come together

MattNovak

Good to know an Explorer gig bag will fit my full size FB's. For gigs I've always chucked them in the car in their massive cases!

Back to the build - template is rough cut, here is is next to a Tele for size comparison:



I also found a bit of Utile which I is long enough for me to scarf the headstock and 'double up' on thickness at the other end to create enough of a heel / tenon:



I need to plan and mark out the required cuts and angles on the neck - and also create a scaled-down headstock shape to suit. 

MattNovak

Have worked up a headstock template, based on the original which is 22.5 cm long. Obviously making a straight 7/8 version of the original pattern would result the wrong nut width and tuner spacings, so I freestyled a an overall smaller version, keeping the overall shape as faithful as I could whilst retaining the scaled down nature of the build. 

For comparison, this shape is a smidge under 20cm - 7/8th of 22.5 is 19.7 so it shouldn't look ungainly on teh finished build.

 

MattNovak

Y'know what? 7/8th scale is just too small and doesn't work aesthetically. I'd been holding off cutting the body as the size of the 7/8th template I made was bugging me; the waist edges were too narrow and in a mock-up with bridge and pickup it looked like a toy guitar.

So, with a bit of time on my hands today (!) I'm going to redraw the plans at 9/10ths and cut the body.

Fun fact: Ibanez made a 9/10th scale Iceman for their domestic market, as the full fat versions looked too big.

Pics etc later. Oh, I also made a basic scarf joint jig at 14deg for the neck yesterday. 

MattNovak

9/10th is much better. From top to bottom is the 7/8th template. the 9/10th body I cut today, and the full size body:



My scarf jig worked! (tested on scrap)



Neck is scarfed and clamped up drying.

MattNovak

It's Saturday, it's 7am. Neck blank out of the clamps:



And with the other piece of wood:



I've ummed and ahhed over what finish this will have (I'm aware that finishing is quite a way off). The only guitar I have seriously lusted after recently was a '69 SG Junior at my mate @AndyMusicStreetUK shop. Seeing as the mahogany above is so pretty, I'm almost certain I will go for this look:

WezV

That finish will work really well

MattNovak

Any finishing tips @WezV ? I was thinking black grain fill, dye and lacquer? There seems to be a few different schools of thought, including just shooting cherry nitro...

SteveRobinson

I wouldn't use black grain filler, I think that would be too much.

This was a cherry filler (I mixed aniline dye into Rustins) then clear lacquer. I could have applied more colour but I wanted the faded look.

MattNovak

Thanks for the steer @SteveRobinson , that looks fantastic and exactly what I'm after. I've never used aniline dyes before, which colour do I go for and do I just mix with rustins until it looks correct? 

WezV

I have done cherry stain and clear lacquer on similar stuff I have done... I don't always bother with grainfiller

Teyeplayer

That is stunning @SteveRobinson, clearly good reason why you are the oracle on finishes, lovely work. Following this thread with interest @MattNovak, great to see a revival of making and modding in these bizarre times.

MattNovak

Gratuitous wood selection shot before I glue and clamp the headstock wings:

SteveRobinson

I used the dyes from LMII.com and mixed about 95% red with 4% blue and threw in a touch each of brown and black.

I added the dye directly to the filler without pre-dissolving it in alcohol. You need to add a lot more dye than you might think so I'd mix only as much filler as you think you'll need.

Once you apply lacquer the colour pops as the stain is taken up by the finish. As ever, practice on scrap first to hone your technique!

MattNovak

Thanks Steve! 

MattNovak

Chaps and chapesses, I hope you're all well and staying safe. I managed to get a bit done today. I mentioned in my first post that I had something non-vintage in mind for neck construction. Well, it arrived today:



It's 10mm x 10mm carbon rod, and good grief its stiff (that's what she said). 

Action is a very personal thing, I like a straight neck and this should help immensely - or explode in my hands! There will be no truss rod in this build, I'm relying solely on the carbon. It works for Vigier on all their guitars and I remember @WezV mentioning he used reinforcing strips on a build or two, so lets see what happens.

Fits nice and snug in the channel, I used silicon as a bed to stop any potential rattle. You'll also notice the little ledge at the top, this is so the fillet snuggles down nicely and the 'truss' doesn't move. The carbon rod is 500mm long, by the way, so about 40 ish mm will sit in the tenon.



And, although no one will see it - the fillet shape makes me happy:



That's it for now, its glued and clamped. Hopefully more to follow over the weekend, Mrs Novak is a Doctor so it's a little chaotic at home right now!

Rock on,

Matt