Budget Bighorn & Bullet Deluxe Builds

[cooterfinger]

I've been diggin' the looks of the Airline Bighorn for a while and decided to make one on a budget. I got in contact with Mr. Clevername at reranch who was kind enough to make a tracing of an original bighorn body and he also sent me a pickguard he cut and wasn't going to use. That gave me everything I needed to get started.

First the templates.





I bought a cheap basswood body blank and found a really nice First Act neck on ebay that I snagged for under $25 shipped.



Also bought a roller bridge for $14.



Control routes done. The Harmony Bobkat tailpiece and Teisco pickups and wiring were things I had in the parts box just waiting on for some sort of sign.



Next the custom pickguard. I hate cutting pickguards for switches.



All done except for paint.











I do have this...

[kdanie]

I dig it!!

ken

[beauzooka]

Thumbs up! It’ll look great in green.

[antisymmetric]

Nice! I like those Bighorns. Good selecting of parts- the hardware all looks good together , and the neck looks like it belongs. Cool & inspiring.

[cooterfinger]

Thanks guys. I think I have the most fun with the budget builds where I don't have a full plan and I try to use parts on hand.
Don't let it get out but this First Act neck is pretty damn nice. Might have to snag another one in the future.

I strung it up last night and I think I'm going to recess the bridge about a tenth of an inch. I could shim the neck but I like the pickups at the height they are now.

[nelsongeets]

That first act headstock fits perfectly with the overall design!

Curious what your process is for the small switch routes in the pickguard. Looks like they came out super clean.

[cooterfinger]

That first act headstock fits perfectly with the overall design!

Curious what your process is for the small switch routes in the pickguard. Looks like they came out super clean.

Thanks.

As for the switch routes. I drill the two mounting holes first then I put a piece of masking tape over the area. Draw the little square switch in line with the mounting holes on the tape, drill a hole through it and start to work with a set of needle files. It's slow, tedious and the reason I use toggle switches on most builds.

[ThePearDream]

Looks awesome. I wasn't familiar with Bighorns before, but I really dig the shape. I agree that the headstock works really well here.

[marqueemoon]

This is great. Love the look of those pickups.

[Con-Tiki!]

i dig it.
I had a first act with that same neck. I found it to be a little wide, but really good overall.
nice job with the heel.

[HNB]

Sweeeeet!

[marqueemoon]

I think this needs a “Second Act” decal.

[cooterfinger]

Thanks guys.

Next on my Budget Build list is an 80's Fender Bullet Deluxe. I bought a Starcaster strat from Nick over at shortscale that I'm going to use the neck. Templates are almost finished.






This isn't the neck but it's a pointy one like this.



First, get rid of the strat heel.





Next, go to work on the pointy headstock.





And done.




Bullet Deluxe templates finished.

[Con-Tiki!]

the magic of those guitars are the metal pickguards. There's usually one for sale at any given time, if you have any $ for a lux purchase.

[cooterfinger]

the magic of those guitars are the metal pickguards. There's usually one for sale at any given time, if you have any $ for a lux purchase.

That would be cool. There's one on ebay now for $99 plus $8 shipping.
I'm hoping to have around that much in the whole build by using what I have so it's not in the cards for this one. Maybe next time.
I just glued up a body blank from some leftover alder.

Body blank cut and sanded to shape.