#4 The 'Emu' has landed

Started by Zummooz-fgn, June 26, 2011, 03:52:35 AM

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Zummooz-fgn

Hi all.  :D

Yep it sure has & it's called 'The EmuBird'

This is my #4 build this year, that just flew in & landed safely the other day.

Body spec's....
Mahogany 1 piece (solid body) Flat Top, FireBird with a (very yummy) Cocobolo Top, with Black Pin Striping, finished in Clear Gloss,
Contoured Heel, Angled pocket. Chrome Tone Pro Tune-O-Matic TOM & Tail.
Rest is clear from the pic's.

Neck Spec's .....
Warmoth Pro Angle FireBird, Mahogany with Ebony Fretboard plus bonus matching Ebony peg head face.
Mother of Pearl Dot inlays, Graph Tech Black Nut, Nut Width 1 5/8", 10-16" compound Radius, Standard Thin.
Stainless Steal Frets SS6115, Sperzel Lok Tuners, Clear Gloss Finish.

Both Just Look Amazing   :o    Neck & Body match up superbly   ;D

Don't think it will fit a GK-3 installed inside of it, I'm not going to even try .... Oh well. Next one.

Hey.. May-be use those New Seymour Duncan 'Zephyr' pickups to help get this 'EmuBird' off the ground   ;)   ;D         

Get it ! ... If not, it's time you looked it up in the Dictionary. Zephyr ... Not EmuBird

It will be having 2 x Gibson Humbuckers 500T (Bridge) & 496R (Neck)
(suppose it's like an Explorer using those)

Still contemplating the wiring ....
Could do Jimmy Page wiring, with 4 x push / pull pots
                             or
Use SD Triple Shots with 2 x push / pull pots, for Phase switch & Series / Parallel switch.

I think (but not sure yet) that the Triple shots will give more options, plus is easier to wire up !!

So the one question here is ..... Use a pickguard  ?   Or Not  ?  or is that two questions.  :P

I think I know what most will say to that one !!
Or some will say, if your going to use a pickguard use a perspex one.

Think it would look rarer (as to speak) without one, as most EmuBirds (I mean FireBirds) use a pickguard.
Not to say that it's not rare looking already... well I think it is.

Only got the (black/red/black) pick guard as I thought it would balance things out with the Ebony peg head.
But really would be a shame to cover up something so nice as this. I more than likely won't use it. As i'm not a windmill player !

Just thought I'd show some teaser pic's of #4 'The EmuBird' making it's safe landing downunder......

Sorry about reflection on some pic's, it's that glossy it shows up the reflections very easily.
I'm not complaining at all, it looks just absolutely superb from where i'm looking at it. 
Not a mark on it ... only reflections.

Don't think my 'EmuBird' will take as long to finish, as that other USA Mob, their taking months to get their Bird off the ground.  ;) ;)

Here's some early shots .... enjoy ... Cheers  Zum  ;D

P.S  OH BY THE WAY .....  A EMU CAN'T FLY AT ALL  :P







































Q... What kind of advice can you give me ?   Tommy Emmanuel's reply ....

You move your hand Up and Down that long bit and the music comes out of that Big Black Box behind you !!

MCK-fgn

Wow! You sure have an eye for bling. I'd say definitely no pick-guard. Lovely!
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Johnnyurq-fgn

Ooh now that is some tasty hunks of wood, they look lovely as will the final product.

That will be totally awesome once you have lain pour hands upon it Zummooz.

I just love Firebirds.

I agree with MCK no pickplate/pick-guard.

Zummooz-fgn

Thanks MCK & Johnny  ;D

What ya mean 'bling' ... theres NO fluffy dice hanging off the neck  ;)  oh ... I get it !!

This thing is going to be a solid / heavy guitar, as the body alone is about as heavy as my RR Strat or 'The Cigar' Strat
before anything is even on it !!

Decided to spread some $$$ around the globe,
So the pickups in this 'EmuBird' are not what I 1st was thinking of using.

Just ordered these for it from England ..... in Chrome
Neck      http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=humbuckers&sub=vintage&pickup=the_mule
Bridge    http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=humbuckers&sub=vintage_hot&pickup=abraxas
Still with the use of Triple Shots.

With NO pickguard !!

Anyway 'The EmuBird' would probably get Bare Knuckles trying to take off in the harsh landscape of downunder  ;)

Cheers  ;D
Q... What kind of advice can you give me ?   Tommy Emmanuel's reply ....

You move your hand Up and Down that long bit and the music comes out of that Big Black Box behind you !!

Johnnyurq-fgn

Good choice the Bare Knuckle Pickups truly are the mutts nuts.

Every guitar I have ever heard with BKP's in sounded great through any amp.

Zummooz-fgn

#5
Update 98% done  :D

Changed pick-ups back to Gibson 500T (B) & SD Pearly Gates (N) Zebra's .... Why ?
I already had them & couldn't see me using in another type of build.
The Bare Knuckle Pickups I got will just have to go into something else   ;)  with a GK-3 internal install.  ;D

Also I had to sand down Hum slanted pickup mount rings, so the SD Triple Shots would fit on top.
You'll see what I mean in pic's...

Heres latest pic's ...Cheers

Now back to Mum's Guitar  ;D ;D  & don't tell her about it !!

ORIGINAL MOUNTS, TO HIGH WITH T/SHOTS SITTING ON TOP



CUSTOMISED



DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL & CUSTOMISED + CUT OUTS FOR SD WIRES






Q... What kind of advice can you give me ?   Tommy Emmanuel's reply ....

You move your hand Up and Down that long bit and the music comes out of that Big Black Box behind you !!

photonutalan1-fgn

Wow, zummooz! That's incredibly beautiful, understated elegance at its best! Your craftsmanship is exemplary!

Thanks for sharing!

Elboy

That is REAlY nice!! Well done indeed!
Gibson Dark Fire DF 2053 (currently very healthy, although the paint on the pickups is coming off!!!)
Epiphone LP custom EMGs
Eastwood Airline
Gretch projet
Ibanez AELL40SERLV
Hughes and Ketner 25 anniversary 20watt tube amp

Zummooz-fgn

Thanks so much for your comments all ...  :D

It's NOW finished completely .... Oh my & it works !

Much more user friendly (for my use) than the V (probably end up selling the V Neck & V Body) use other bits elsewhere.

Again a custom neck plate, made by the same guy that did the 'Flame' neck plate. If ya want his details just PM me.

Spec's for neck & body are in 1st post, I'll just add in ...
Triple Shots used with 2 push / pull & orange drop caps.
Yes it is a one piece Mahogany Body, will see on the back. Plus it is a heavy beast, as it should be !!

The SD Pearly Gates is wonderful in the neck position.
But I can see all the bad reviews I've seen on Gibsons 500T Humbucker, just sounds a bit brittle or something, by it's self.
In the middle position they sound good together thou.
Just need to play & fiddle with the tone knobs / T/Shots to see if I get a better sound out of it. As it's only been a couple of days of playing this one.

Now ... I'm starting to think it's because the Gib is Ceramic & the SD is Alnico ... but I just don't know  :P

Oh yeah... No Truss rod cover as yet, will get a custom one from same guy that did neck plate.

Thanks again all, for your kind comments.
Cheers  ;D

Here is the finished pic's ...

Now to go & find that tree MCK has challenged me to do  ;)
















Q... What kind of advice can you give me ?   Tommy Emmanuel's reply ....

You move your hand Up and Down that long bit and the music comes out of that Big Black Box behind you !!

MCK-fgn

That turned out beautiful! Emu carving on the plate is great! Very well done. I bet you could sell this guitar with ease locally if you wanted to. Great job overall.
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Caig DeOxit - Buy now before you need it !!!
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=31707.0

Zummooz-fgn

#10
Just thought you'd all like to know .....
That my 'Emubird' / Firebird, WON Guitar-of -the-Month on the Warmoth forum. ;D ;D ;D

You don't get anything ...... Just bragging rights  ;)  ;D 

All thou my pic is in the top right corner on the forum (known as Updown) for the next month or so, and is in the running
for guitar of the year (I doubt that thou, with mine)  :P

Anyway here is what I was up against with the Emubird / Firebird . . http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=48908.0
Votes casted & result ... http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=48972.0

Only entered twice so far, the other was the 'Flame' Strat which came in 2nd after a tie for 1st place in August.
'Flame' up against .. http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=48363.0
Result & votes .. http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=48471.0

They sure do make some fine products ......

Gee & I just happen to have a few more up my sleeve here :D

Cheers Zum  ;D
           
Q... What kind of advice can you give me ?   Tommy Emmanuel's reply ....

You move your hand Up and Down that long bit and the music comes out of that Big Black Box behind you !!

Elantric-fgn

Congratulations -and good work!

I've relied on Warmoth Necks and bodies since 1979,and many famous maker guitars back in the 1980's actually used Warmoth as the supplier of these critical parts. 
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

MCK-fgn

Congratulations indeed! Well done. We all knew you had a winner there. Keep it up!
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icing777-fgn

Oh, maaaan! You find the best looking parts!
Great build. AGAIN!!!!
Congratulations!   When are the sound bits coming? :)
Play on, my friend !!!

aliensporebomb-fgn

That grain is just sick!  Kudos!