Tele-bird build - Progress report...

lovestrat74

A while ago now I routed the neck pickup cavity for a WRHB, but want to put a firebird in there instead. I don't think the pickguard options look any good...

Funkfingers

A pickguard probably needs to borrow from the non-reverse Firebird design by following the body edge.

lovestrat74

Funkfingers said:

A pickguard probably needs to borrow from the non-reverse Firebird design by following the body edge.

I just think it will look better without one. I know it's a shit tonne more work, but that'll teach me for being a silly boy 

Sporky

I actually like the second pickguard.

WezV

This is one of my early builds (number 4 I think) with a plate style i think could work for you here

lovestrat74

I do have an old custom 72 guard that I was attempting to template with a view to using the 72 deluxe... needs a bit of fine tuning but you get the idea.

lovestrat74

So I did a bit of tinkering today and made a surround that covers the WRHB route. 

Thoughts? Also, with or without a firebird style pickguard - still to be refined or course.

Funkfingers

Commission a pickup maker to build a Firebird type small humbucker inside a Wide Range-sized cover - preferably with no screw pole holes. 

Winny_Pooh

I'd plug it with wood and either put a solid colour on top or a nice wood veneer.

paulnb57

Id make a bigger metal plate for the mini hum, same size as the black plastic one…matches the bridge plate…

andy_k

Inlay a block to mimic the centre block, I see you have already routed some channels there.
Finish of the channel and inlay some walnut, recess the tele bridge plate if required.

xOilCityPickups

paulnb57 said:

Id make a bigger metal plate for the mini hum, same size as the black plastic one…matches the bridge plate…

Same here ... a pickup ring and a scratch plate doesn't work in my book (mind you it's a very short book and mostly composed of colouring in). 

lovestrat74

Hmm.. some interesting options. Maybe block it and then a veneer right through the middle. Or just block it and solid... 

andy_k

You could probably inlay something like a 5mm veneer, technically a board, ( richlite ?) and leave it raised.
Shim the neck to let the tele bridge plate sit flat ( no need to recess )
I built a couple of T-birds and achieved the same thing by recessing the outer sections from mahogany blanks.

lovestrat74

andy_k said:

You could probably inlay something like a 5mm veneer, technically a board, ( richlite ?) and leave it raised.
Shim the neck to let the tele bridge plate sit flat ( no need to recess )
I built a couple of T-birds and achieved the same thing by recessing the outer sections from mahogany blanks.

I just routed the neck pocket deeper because it was too shallow  

Neilybob

lovestrat74 said:

andy_k said:

You could probably inlay something like a 5mm veneer, technically a board, ( richlite ?) and leave it raised.
Shim the neck to let the tele bridge plate sit flat ( no need to recess )
I built a couple of T-birds and achieved the same thing by recessing the outer sections from mahogany blanks.

I just routed the neck pocket deeper because it was too shallow  

 

Funkfingers

Enlarge the neck pickup cavity to a circle. Install a rotatable pickup à la Turner Model 1 associated with Lindsey Buckingham.

lovestrat74

Finally got back on the t-bird horse today! Cleaned up and squared off the cavity. Cut a piece of wood - might be ash but doesnt matter as it will - eventually - have a solid finish. Then spent an eternity in a sunbaked garden shaping and sanding. All this work to re-route it for a firebird pickup, but I think it'll be worth it...

lovestrat74

I decided to route for a P90 sized neck pickup so I can use a mini-hum P90 conversion surround (black) for my FB pickup or with some tweaking a standard surround (metal). Not sure what to go with yet so give me your thoughts.. Also pickguard vs non pg?




Going to have 2 vols and 1 master tone to give me better blending options in the middle position and also might try 250k in the bridge if it's too spikey with 500k.

Neilybob

I'm liking metal pickup surrounds and with pickguard option. 

lovestrat74

Neilybob said:

I'm liking metal pickup surrounds and with pickguard option. 

Think so too @Neilybob