Just to complicate things….. The centre part of a Firebird is thicker than the wings – so there is a little step top and bottom – the plans I bought have the centre bit 40mm thick and the wings 34mm…   Read more»

Thanks Mark!

Nearly messed up earlier…… I have been routing control cavities – one for the switch and one for the pots. I made patterns for the cavities and for the recess for cover for cavities. Routed both cavities to full depth…   Read more»

Posted by: @david-johnson09 Posted by: @frocesterbill Will be good to see your neck-through. I am working on a Firebird – was working out angles earlier today….. Look forward to your pics Pics on the Phoenix thread – going well but…   Read more»

How do I fix the wings in place – just good flat surfaces and glue or dowels or something else?

Lower wing glued and cut out – there is a channel routed into the middle Walnut layer to take wires from the switch and pickup cavities (when I have cut them) to the main control cavity……….  ‘There may be trouble…   Read more»

The copper stuff i used has conductive adhesive so you just overlap to get electrical continuity and you can solder to it to connect a ground if you need to.

I’ve used copper tape and shielding paint. The only before/after I can offer is from my Mexican Strat – when I got it is only had some foil on the scratch plate – I took it to bits to add…   Read more»

The neck has been profiled – truss rod fillet glued in, planed and scraped flat. The upper wing has been routed to final shape – the lower wing will need a channel for wires and a control and switch cavity…   Read more»

I have glued up and bandsawed the upper wing.  Straight from the bandsaw.

I am trying to decide what to do to the edges – just a 6mm round over or a wider facet – tried this with a 45°…   Read more»

All my router bits are 1/4”……

My Titan bandsaw (£109) has a maximum cut depth of 85mm – replaced the stock blade with one from Tuff Saws (spec from Mark’s tool list – 6 tpi 3/8”) – once set up it cuts square and true -…   Read more»

Top of fretboard to bottom of string about 3-4mm.
The drawing is easy to change – cut wood not quite as easy…..

Because I needed a different neck break angle from my Bandsman I built a new jig to do neck and body break angle – I had bought some Firebird drawings and then drew out the side view onto tracing paper…   Read more»

Apart from the sound hole and some extra routing it is a stock Bandsman built from the online course.

My build from a Bailey kit – plays and sound really good!

I have done two courses with Mark but when I built my first at home I bought a (slightly customised) kit from Mark – all the bits were the correct thickness and nice and true.

Hi Hogan and welcome…..
This is a very friendly place – lots of really good advice – looking forward to watching your builds!
Bill

I have thicknessed the headstock and started to shape it – also trimmed the neck a bit…
Just thought I would try bits in roughly the right places……….

I’ll start to build the studio tomorrow!