Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

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tommycarlos
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Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by tommycarlos » Tue Feb 27, 2018 5:45 pm

My dream guitar for the longest time has been some variation on a Non-Reverse Firebird (NRFB). However, when I was playing Gibsons, they didn't have a model available for a decent amount of money... and now that they do, I am pretty in love with Fender style offsets (especially that vibrato and single coil pickups, etc).

Therefore.. I have had this dream of getting someone to make me a NRFB, but with a bolt on neck, single coil pickups, and a Jazzmaster vibrato. However, that also looked like it could only be done by pawning one of my (actual flesh and blood) children, and I am far too fond of them to do that.

However, once I talked to Rosser Guitars in North Carolina, it all started coming together. Since I pulled the trigger on getting the body made, I have been sourcing the other parts from all over the place. I _think_ the last parts (a Mighty Mite Tele neck and a Golden Age vibrato) will be here early next week! (until then I have some lower quality parts I can use for mocking up and measuring etc).

It's currently the Rosser body, a maple Mighty Mite Tele neck and a Golden Age JM trem from StewMac, GFS "goldfoil" single coil ferrite p-90's and a KwikPlug wiring harness, the StayTrem (hopefully), Kluson tuners, and a GraphTech Tusq nut.

There is one sour note, however. The body arrived yesterday and I discovered something I didn't know before. I was under the impression that there were two types of TOM bridge: the older ABR-1 style with the small posts and the wheel for adjustment, and the newer style like you see on many guitars like the Pitbull JZ-1 kit, my Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster, etc. I thought this newer style with the larger posts and the flat-head screw adjustment was the one called a Nashville.

Nope. There are three variations, really. The Nashville is a small post and wheel type, but it sits in thimbles like the newer one instead of going directly into the body like the actual old ABR-1. Sadly, I specifically asked Rosser Guitars for a Nashville bridge route, and that's what I got. D'oh!

I had been wanting to use my StayTrem AOM replacement that is currently on my Squier J. Mascis JM. It would be a drop-in replacement for the newer style TOM with the larger posts and thimbles... but clearly won't fit on the NRFB body that arrived yesterday.

So, before I can do anything else, I need to work out just how difficult it will be to modify the body to take the bridge I *actually* want instead of the one I mistakenly thought it was

Here are some pics...

Generally mocked up (I can't find the cheap-o vibrato I took out of my kit guitar to mock that up too):

Image

Closer view of the body:

Image

Close up of the post holes next to the closest to Nashville bridge posts and thimbles I have (even these are kinda loose in the holes... metric vs imperial?):

Image

And here with a pair of posts and thimbles the size I actually want to use:

Image

Anyway... with luck I can figure something out and continue building my dream guitar!

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CROSS_guitars
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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by CROSS_guitars » Tue Feb 27, 2018 6:06 pm

Now that Gibson is going under maybe they should join forces with Fender and create awesome hybrid guitars like this.

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by ThePearDream » Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:03 pm

This should be cool project. I have a pair of the GFS goldfoil single coil ferrite "humbuckers" that I quite like.

Do you have any thoughts on color yet?
Doug
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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:10 pm

That is awesome! With a Staytrem bridge, a reverse Firebird head, and a pair of JM pickups, that's my dream JM.
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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tommycarlos
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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by tommycarlos » Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:17 pm

ThePearDream wrote:
Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:03 pm
This should be cool project. I have a pair of the GFS goldfoil single coil ferrite "humbuckers" that I quite like.

Do you have any thoughts on color yet?
The original plan was a baby blue... somewhere between Daphne and Sonic... but the grain is so lovely on the body I almost feel bad going opaque, hah.

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by Ohioisonfire » Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:43 pm

VERY excited to see where this goes

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by tommycarlos » Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:48 pm

I actually think I might play it “safe” and use the roller TOM with the Nashville posts that I accidentally bought ages ago for my JMJM. I seem to have a history of mistakes with TOM bridges, hah.

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by tommycarlos » Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:32 pm

OK. I had a really strange idea... I need some help deciding if I am insane or not.

The posts that screw into the bushings of a metric AOM bridge.. the part with the actual screw adjustment... they seem to be VERY close to the same diameter as the holes for the Nashville bushings.

Image

The example above is from an ordinary metric AOM bridge... and if they were screwed directly into the wood instead of into bushings, I would be worried about them moving and damaging the wood under pressure etc.

HOWEVER... the StayTrem AOM replacement parts that screw into the metric AOM bushings do NOT have posts for the bridge to sit on. They are simply a pivot-point for the rocking bridge.

WHAT IF... I took the StayTrem AOM posts and screwed them directly into the guitar body?? The StayTrem bridge would just sit on top of them rocking back and forth. No chance of damaging the wood or whatever...

IS THIS MADNESS??? HELP! I feel like I have stumbled onto the coolest idea ever, but need help working out what the downside would be?

I need to pull the StayTrem posts out of my JMJM and have a look to be sure... but this sounds feasible?!

Image

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:09 pm

tommycarlos wrote:
Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:17 pm
The original plan was a baby blue... somewhere between Daphne and Sonic... but the grain is so lovely on the body I almost feel bad going opaque, hah.
The tint on that neck is pretty extreme. I feel like baby blue would bring that out even more.

Maybe a dark stain? I'd do purple personally.

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by tommycarlos » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:39 pm

marqueemoon wrote:
Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:09 pm
tommycarlos wrote:
Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:17 pm
The original plan was a baby blue... somewhere between Daphne and Sonic... but the grain is so lovely on the body I almost feel bad going opaque, hah.
The tint on that neck is pretty extreme. I feel like baby blue would bring that out even more.

Maybe a dark stain? I'd do purple personally.
Haha, yeah that neck is just for mock-up purposes. It's a $40 eBay job from China. The real neck is en route from StewMac ;)

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by kimson » Wed Feb 28, 2018 1:39 am

Man, that's awesome!

I've always wanted to do an offset guitar with an Ibanez Blazer/Roadstar neck, and this one is absolutely screaming for one.

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by ThePearDream » Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:47 am

tommycarlos wrote:
Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:17 pm
ThePearDream wrote:
Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:03 pm
This should be cool project. I have a pair of the GFS goldfoil single coil ferrite "humbuckers" that I quite like.

Do you have any thoughts on color yet?
The original plan was a baby blue... somewhere between Daphne and Sonic... but the grain is so lovely on the body I almost feel bad going opaque, hah.
How about a lighter metallic blue, like ice blue metallic or Pelham blue?
Doug
@dpcannafax

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by hpr_hpr » Wed Feb 28, 2018 9:13 am

tommycarlos wrote:
Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:32 pm
OK. I had a really strange idea... I need some help deciding if I am insane or not.

The posts that screw into the bushings of a metric AOM bridge.. the part with the actual screw adjustment... they seem to be VERY close to the same diameter as the holes for the Nashville bushings.

......

WHAT IF... I took the StayTrem AOM posts and screwed them directly into the guitar body?? The StayTrem bridge would just sit on top of them rocking back and forth. No chance of damaging the wood or whatever...

IS THIS MADNESS??? HELP! I feel like I have stumbled onto the coolest idea ever, but need help working out what the downside would be?
It depends on the wood of the body . . . if it's a hardwood (polar for the look of it) I would say you're probably OK screwing the posts directly into the body wood (wood has an undeserved bad rap for holding threaded pieces that can be adjusted), if it's basswood I would have some concerns . Not sure about how the posts will mate with the bridge though . . . the good news is that if it doesn't work you haven't lost anything, you can still drill out the holes for the correct bushings later. The reason FOR the business with modern bridges is that you can make adjustments 'ad infinitum' without problems, while it WILL work with the post screwed directly into wood it will get looser with every adjustment (just a little bit) and after the 134th adjustment it may just be to loose . . . and post/bushing combination just doesn't have that 'problem' as there is less wear . . . but then, how often do you change the height of your bridge, if you set it and don't futz with it every day there won't be any wear and things will be just fine pretty much forever.

Also it isn't that hard to enlarge the holes, run to your local hardware store and get drill bits in 1/32 increases from the size of the holes now to the size you want, and progressively ream the holes . . . reaming by hand or an eggbeater drill is the 'safest', a drill stand with a well set depth stop would be just fine, a hand drill with a depth stop collar on the drill bit will do but requires caution (make sure the stop is securely fastened), using hand drill without a positive depth stop (a piece of tape it NOT a positive depth stop) is possibly but risky . . . the bit might catch and pull THROUGH the body before you realize it.

Argh auto correct on rereading . . . corrected auto correct failures
Last edited by hpr_hpr on Wed Feb 28, 2018 2:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.
When thinking about any advice given always ask yourself "why would (s)he know more than I do".

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by Ohioisonfire » Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:11 am

How was working with rosser guitars? Was thinking of getting one of his JM bodies but you have me thinking about one of these now.. Is there any chance you could take a picture of this next to your JMJM for size comparison?

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Re: Non-Reverse Firebird/Jazzmaster/??? hybrid dream guitar build

Post by tommycarlos » Wed Feb 28, 2018 3:48 pm

Ohioisonfire wrote:
Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:11 am
How was working with rosser guitars? Was thinking of getting one of his JM bodies but you have me thinking about one of these now.. Is there any chance you could take a picture of this next to your JMJM for size comparison?
Here they are side by side (the JMJM is currently bridge-less while I decide what to do... heh).

Image

Looking at this pic makes me very worried about finding a case for it, lol.

Might need a bass case with some foam to keep things in place.

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