carousel182 Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 okay, so you may have seen another thread of mine with a strat in it. If you've seen it you may be wondering why im starting another project before finishing that one. The answer to that is because I am one armed for three more weeks and don't want to screw that project up. Its in the finishing stages now, which involves inlaying, etc, and without being able to bend my arm I cant cut with a jewelers saw . Anyway, this one is going to be a semi hollow firebird with an f-hole. its going to have a poplar back (chambered) with a curly cherry top on it. The neck is 100% zebrawood. This one is going to be kind of wild compared to the strats lol. anyway, here are some pics, its not 100% final, Im still working out some details including adding another chamber. pics: http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0336.jpg http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0221.jpg http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0093.jpg (middle modified) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 You, sir, have my interest. This is going to be awesome. Hope the arm gets better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Why don't you just send me that cherry wood, if you don't mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freekhed Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Interesting. Why so many chambers? Looks like swiss cheese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I'm pretty excited to see how the cherry looks when resawed, but I cant resaw anything . I'm not sure, all my previous guitars are completely solid though. I've seen it done similar to this before , so I figure I'd give it a go, nothing to lose. I guess I'm just experimenting and seeing what type of sound it will produce, I know that info's out there, but I don't have a good ear so i figure the best way to learn is by doing it. The reason their are so many chambers and not just one is basically so that the top is secured on to the back by more than just the rim and the little material left in the center. I wish I could work on my acoustic but thats another thing I'm not willing to mess up by string it one handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I did some work on this today. Here it is. Now I'll rough cut the cherry and cut the f hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 Nice work. There's an ancient African tribal game played with beads on an board the same layout as your guiter semi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Really lol? Anyway, more progress, I'm getting used to this one are stuff lol. http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0349.jpg http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0345.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 I've never understood something. Why would anyone make a bunch of little chambers? What's the advantage of that over large chambers that take up the whole side of the body, or even one large cavity that loops around the central core? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Ive seen it done before, theirs probably some reason having to do with the sound, but to e honest I'm doing it for structural purposes, so that their is more of a gluing surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Aside from the structural aspect it offers differences in sound. Somewhere around Mattia gave a great explanation on the difference in sound and feedback between many small chambers and one big chamber or U shaped chamber. They all offer some difference, I believe even one giant chamber will sound slightly different from a giant chamber with a small block under the bridge. I know one of the most noted points was on the amounts of feedback one receives with one giant chamber vs. numerous small chambers. A few members explained this in a discussion somewhere and I cannot remember where off hand, otherwise I'd provide a link. So, aside from structural benefits there is a noticeable difference in sound and feedback between the two different styles. Anyhow, thats just what I remember from the discussion. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freekhed Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 The last guitar I built has one giant chamber...no wood under the bridge or pickups. It feeds back WAY too much...so much so I don't even want to play the damn thing. So this might work out wonderful!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 So far today, I glued on a block into the f hole cavity to add some wood to the body so that I can put a TOM bridge, since originally I planned on using a hartail. Before I did that though, I added a label into the F-hole that says the date it was made my name etc. After that, I glued the top on with the vacuum press. here are some pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 The top is now glued and sanded down. Progress is going to slow until I get the hardware probably. http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0369.jpg http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0370.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 I finished the neck pocket, its a 2 degree angle for the TOM bridge. Now I'm waiting for my parts. http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0375.jpg http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0373.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I got the inlay cut out, cant wait to put that in tomorrow. Its the firebird car logo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I really like the concept but something doesn't look right to me. The frets go way into the body. I'm not sure if you'll be able to even play on those higher frets past the neck/body join. The body looks out of proportion compared to the neck. I am missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Before i slim down the upper area a bit (area around the neck pocket) I make the neck pocket. The area around the pocket still hasn't been trimmed down yet, which is probably what is causing the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I'm digging that 12th fret Firebird inlay. I'm having visions of "Smokey & The Bandit". I see... a leftie semi-hollow firebird. It's painted black with gold hardware & gold pinstriping. The guitarist is playing "Eastbound and Down" from Jerry Reed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 (edited) http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0380.jpg T?he necks not all the way in the pocket in that picture^ (reason for the gap in the bottom left corner of the neck pocket) Okay, so what I've done today (10 minutes of work lol) was cut the neck pocket area to allow for better fret access (this has 24 frets). Also I worked on the belly cut. Because of the way i blended it you cant really see it well in this picture though. Its VERY comfortable though it fits me perfectly. Guitar 2005: This should help a bit, im thinking of going deeper with the cut away though. Edited April 7, 2008 by carousel182 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0384.jpg http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0385.jpg http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/st...17/DSCN0382.jpg Its getting there. Today I received all of the hardware except for the tuners. I hope I can wrap this one up soon. Tomorrow I will sand and scrape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Dude... why 'r you puttin' a Fender headstock on a Gibson body? Isn't that guitar making heresy? Seriously, I'm just curious because it looks a little out of place to me. I'm a little traditional sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carousel182 Posted April 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2008 didn't i show the modified headstock? I'll get one up as soon as the camera is charged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted April 12, 2008 Report Share Posted April 12, 2008 Dude... why 'r you puttin' a Fender headstock on a Gibson body? Isn't that guitar making heresy? Seriously, I'm just curious because it looks a little out of place to me. I'm a little traditional sometimes. LOL, didn't even make that distinction! Honestly, I think it actually fits together quite well, both shape of body and headstock flow together better than I would have anticipated with that combo. I do see things differently though as I never paid much attention to brand/headstock, not sure why. I always have to look up picks when people call headstocks by name as I just never paid much attention, well not until I got into building and designing. Anyhow, I actually dig the flow between the headstock and body. Also the body really has come together very nicely. Do you have some binding on there now as well? That last picture looks like there is binding, but you made no mention of it and I can't really tell if the sides are taped off or you carved the top or you added binding. Regardless it looks great! J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToneMonkey Posted April 12, 2008 Report Share Posted April 12, 2008 Nice work. There's an ancient African tribal game played with beads on an board the same layout as your guiter semi. I was tought that game by a rasta in Cape Verde last summer. I left the island a game in the lead............. and very drunk Could someone post a pic directly into the thread so that I can have a look (can't get on photobucket at the minute). Firebirds are definately the sexiest guitar there is. My battered old one should be up and running soon WOO HOO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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