My take on a Firebird

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

My take on a Firebird

Post by HNB » Tue Jan 14, 2020 2:51 pm

Here is my take on a Gibson Firebird. Alder body and bolt on Fender neck. It will have a mustang bridge, humbuckers, vibrola tremolo, tele knobs, three way toggle on a tort pickguard. Should look similar to this body wise.

ImagePlan by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

The arrow is were I am hoping to move the input jack depending on if body thickness allows for it.

Neck wise, going to use a big headstock strat neck and cut it down like below. :)

Imagebetter by Christopher Louck, on Flickr
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
Embenny
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 10363
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by Embenny » Tue Jan 14, 2020 3:24 pm

That looks fantastic, but I regret to inform you that your pickup choice is incorrect.

Nope, not a matter of opinion

Incorrect. :P
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

User avatar
RIORIO
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2247
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:49 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by RIORIO » Tue Jan 14, 2020 3:40 pm

Seconded^^^ do it w FB pickups and I might order one ;)

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by HNB » Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:24 pm

LOL But I have used firebird pickups on two builds and don't like them.....
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
Jaguar018
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 8045
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 6:48 am
Location: Burbs of Washington DC

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by Jaguar018 » Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:49 pm

HNB wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:24 pm
LOL But I have used firebird pickups on two builds and don't like them.....
Nice build! I never really bonded with FB pickups either, and I tried a couple of boutique brands.

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by HNB » Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:53 pm

https://youtu.be/Hjm_CkoP4oc

There are always these, but I don't really like the normal Firebird sound. I am thinking a Super Distortion in the bridge to go with my Titan neck pickup.
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by HNB » Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:11 pm

Super Distortions are probably my top favorite pickup. I like Gibson '57 bridge humbuckers also, but I think they are beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2qo8oscgRA

Plus Phil Collen can't be wrong.... :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhH-psagiDQ
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
Embenny
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 10363
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by Embenny » Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:57 pm

I accept that we have different taste in pickups. You may be upset to know that your Jaguar 90 you sold me ow has Firebirds living in it :D.

I bet you could just stick a humbucker you like in a holeless cover to make it look like the Big Bird, though.

Image

I'd pot them, personally, but I have the benefit of a perfect paraffin double-boiler that makes it super easy. My wife brought it home as a gift. To herself. She claims it's for hands. But as soon as I saw it I went, "oh my god, you bought a pickup potter."

Image
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by HNB » Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:08 pm

That doesn't bother me at all. :) I am glad you are enjoying it. Everyone has their favorite sound. (What they imagine they want to sound like when playing.)

Mine just ends up usually being ceramic humbuckers or similar.
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
ChrisDesign
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 322
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2019 9:21 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by ChrisDesign » Tue Jan 14, 2020 8:07 pm

Consider pickup placement. The Les Paul and SG have current pickup placements relative to the bridge, which creates the different tone. If you don’t like the Firebird tone, build a an exponential body and try different positions
"I own a '66 Jaguar. That's the guitar I polish, and baby - I refuse to let anyone touch it when I jump into the crowd." - Kurt Cobain

User avatar
jvin248
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 660
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:34 pm

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by jvin248 » Wed Jan 15, 2020 5:13 am

.

+1 ... I have also found I dislike FB pickups.

Put a Jaguar single coil up against the bridge humbucker then have a master tone and a middle pickup blender tone. Something like the Brent Mason Tele where he blends in the middle pickup to whatever else is going on.

Raise the screw poles on the neck humbucker to give it more clarity, maybe put in a Strat stagger pole pattern.

Hard mount the pickups to the body instead of trim rings.

.

User avatar
s_mcsleazy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 18424
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:30 am
Location: glasgow

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by s_mcsleazy » Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:30 am

getting some feeder vibes from this
Image
offset guitars resident bass player.
'Are you trying to seduce me Mrs Robinson? Or do you just want me to solder a couple of resistors into your Muff?'

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by HNB » Wed Jan 15, 2020 10:45 am

Oooo nice. :D
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
empyrean
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2242
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:34 am
Location: Tow-Ron-Toe
Contact:

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by empyrean » Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:33 pm

mbene085 wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:57 pm

I'd pot them, personally, but I have the benefit of a perfect paraffin double-boiler that makes it super easy. My wife brought it home as a gift. To herself. She claims it's for hands. But as soon as I saw it I went, "oh my god, you bought a pickup potter."
I still pot all my pickups in one of these things. Best beauty product on the market :D

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: My take on a Firebird

Post by HNB » Sat Jan 18, 2020 1:37 pm

Pickguard material came in. Looks pretty cool! :D

Image20200118_125458 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

Image20200118_125502 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

Post Reply