Potential Strat project - firebird pickups? Trems? Body wood?

stickyfiddle

This will move to making & modding if I actually kick it off, but I'll stay here to grab eyeballs for now. 

What's the view on Firebird pickups? Particularly on Fender-types. And more specifically, will they give me a quasi-Strat-2/4 sound (though obviously fatter) if I wired 3 of them like a Strat? 

To give a bit more detail, I've had the idea for some form of "super" Strat build for bloody ages, and combined with a couple of other ideas I have an idea for a good build that could be a huge amount of fun. That's making me think about wiring options involving FB pickups, either 2 or 3 pickups, and possibly with a trad PAF in the bridge. Or maybe PAF-single-Firebird almost like a Stratty equivalent of Brent Mason's Tele? 

I also have to look at trems, because I've been deeply enjoying Bigbsys for several years now but don't get on with trad Strat terms very much. I'm aware Stetsbar do a retro-fit of their gubbins to attach to a Strat which looks a bit mad but might be quite cool. And certainly much more reversible than a Bigsby... 

Collected thoughts on the above please!? 

EDIT: also looking for thoughts on body wood pls! Aldar, Ash, roasted?

guitars4you

3 Firebird p/ups, wired on a conventional 5 way Strat switch will still give you the quack/out of phase voice on position 2+4 

I've had a similar idea but with 3 Gold Foil pick-ups - Not sure why as I've never tried it on a Strat - But like the Gold Foil sound on other 'retro based' guitars - I play with less gain and more of that JJ Cale cleaner voice 

stickyfiddle

guitars4you said:

3 Firebird p/ups, wired on a conventional 5 way Strat switch will still give you the quack/out of phase voice on position 2+4 

I've had a similar idea but with 3 Gold Foil pick-ups - Not sure why as I've never tried it on a Strat - But like the Gold Foil sound on other 'retro based' guitars - I play with less gain and more of that JJ Cale cleaner voice 

Ta - that's good to know! I've played a couple of 2-pickup FBs and loved the sound but never tried a 3-pickup one. 

mburekenge

I've been tempted to try firebird pickups in a strat too

timmypix

@nacnudnai had Firebird pickups in one of his Strats for a bit and it was a bloody brilliant pairing.

stickyfiddle

As for trems.. it's a janky looking thing but this sounds gooooood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2K8mxOXzRU 

stickyfiddle

Ok here's the current thinking... 

markblack

I've just done a single firebird pickup strat.

stickyfiddle

markblack said:

I've just done a single firebird pickup strat.

and it looks great! 

Offset

You know my thoughts @stickyfiddle - and now I'm gassing insanely.

guitars4you

stickyfiddle said:

markblack said:

I've just done a single firebird pickup strat.

and it looks great! 

Agree

Svartmetall

Axesrus do a double mini HB pickguard for Strats...

stickyfiddle

Svartmetall said:

Axesrus do a double mini HB pickguard for Strats...

Ta - that could be a good starting point! 

Svartmetall

stickyfiddle said:

Svartmetall said:

Axesrus do a double mini HB pickguard for Strats...

Ta - that could be a good starting point! 

Craig is a really good guy to deal with, I've had a couple of pickguards from him now and they've all been excellent  

nacnudnai

timmypix said:

@nacnudnai had Firebird pickups in one of his Strats for a bit and it was a bloody brilliant pairing.

Yep, I did this with some Seymour Duncan Firebirds (SM3 maybe). I only had bridge and neck and had it wired up to a super 5 way. Positions 1-3-5 were the usual bridge, both on, neck. In 2 and 4, the bridge or neck pickup was wired up in parallel (neck parallel was particularly nice). 

Broadly speaking, I really liked it and still have the guard assembled for whenever I fancy popping it back in - I'd say worth a go at least. Firebirds are well suited to strats and teles

stickyfiddle

Svartmetall said:

stickyfiddle said:

Svartmetall said:

Axesrus do a double mini HB pickguard for Strats...

Ta - that could be a good starting point! 

Craig is a really good guy to deal with, I've had a couple of pickguards from him now and they've all been excellent  

And looking at his options there's also a Robbie Robertson style "twin-single HS" sort of layout, which is the other option I'd really like to try at some point...

nacnudnai

Whilst I'm thinking about it...if you wanted to explore different bridge pickups too, I'd at least consider a minihumbucker bridge with Firebird neck and middle. 

Minihumbuckers are a lot closer to the humbucker sound than a Firebird pickup, at least to my ears. I haven't actually tried a minihumbucker in a strat bridge, but I've tried them enough times to know they'd be a slightly ballsier option for the bridge without overpowering the Firebirds.

guitars4you

nacnudnai said:

Whilst I'm thinking about it...if you wanted to explore different bridge pickups too, I'd at least consider a minihumbucker bridge with Firebird neck and middle. 

Minihumbuckers are a lot closer to the humbucker sound than a Firebird pickup, at least to my ears. I haven't actually tried a minihumbucker in a strat bridge, but I've tried them enough times to know they'd be a slightly ballsier option for the bridge without overpowering the Firebirds.

I thought about this when Stickyfiddle started the OP, but I'd have gone with the mini-humbucker in the neck position for warmth - I'd be happy with the bite/balls/attack from the Firebird p/ups in the middle + bridge , but a more lush, yet still crisp mini-humbucker in the neck would be my option

mo6020

I'm pretty late to this, but I've had a few beers now so I'm going with broadcaster bridge pickup, firebird in the middle, and a widerange humbucker in the neck. 

I am not smart enough to figure out how that needs wiring, but even if you were stuck with a 3 way switch you'd still have 3 amazing sounds in one comfy guitar. 

stickyfiddle

mo6020 said:

I'm pretty late to this, but I've had a few beers now so I'm going with broadcaster bridge pickup, firebird in the middle, and a widerange humbucker in the neck. 

I am not smart enough to figure out how that needs wiring, but even if you were stuck with a 3 way switch you'd still have 3 amazing sounds in one comfy guitar. 

Haha hardly late - I only opened this thread a few hours ago and no decisions made yet. That also sounds like a lot of fun to be fair, but I think a Tele template would suit it better. I do have a hankering for a thinline at some point. I have a spare neck that'll get used when I find the right body

Winny_Pooh

Firebird pickups done vintage style are a lot like a strat but have less edge to the note attack.

Personally if using them I'd get one in the neck and a slightly hotter mini hum in the bridge.
If you want to keep the same look you could pop a plain cover on the mini hum.