Nor's Firebird Build Thread of Doom - Big Pic Warning!

[Mazz]

What pickups are going in?

[nor]

Blackouts

[sully]

ahhh, grainfilling ash. ugh. i hate grainfilling.

cool color!

[nor]

Mockups

Coat #5 has dried and I gotta see what it's lookin like...



The neck is an old Chandler I bought way back in '91-'92. It's been drilled and filled for the various bodies its been bolted to over the years. The headstock has been (badly) sanded so many times I had to rebuild the shelf for the Floyd nut - that was HUGE for me, as I tend to suck at shaping things. I stained and Tru-finished the back and headstock a couple of months ago (the fretboard still has the original lacquer). And when I put them together...

...not even close to matching. [sigh]

Since I gotta sand it back anyhoo, do I:
- Try to get the maple to color the same as the ash?
- go with a natural (oil only) look?
- black?



Pickup Rings : Creme?



Black?



Direct mount?

[DeathThrashAttack]

totally digging the cream!!!! don't change it.

So thats only tru-oil? that rules, i'm really liking how that turned out!

As far as the headstock goes, I'd stain it the same as the body. If not, keep it maple. looks great.

[DeathThrashAttack]

Question:

Are you grainfilling with the tru-oil? Or are you using grain filler spray, then tru-oiling?

[nor]

Stain then Tru. No grain filler or sealer. The slurry method I did on the strat tended to create sand-thrus into the color. Not a hard fix, but sets you back a bit as you need several more coats of Tru. I'm five coats in on this one and the grain can only be felt over the large dark grain-lines. It's already gleaming and I haven't sanded or buffed anything. Feels like glass everywhere else. So I'm passing on the grainfill and just adding the five more coats of oil. Then I'll level the oil with the Micro-Mesh.

Or I'll fuck it up...lol...

[Mr.Shreddy]

Awesome job! That is a fantastic bird!!!

[Tricky]

Man that looks sweet!
Zebra pups & headstock to match body would look killer.

How much does she weigh?

[sully]

birchwood casey makes a tru oil grainfiller; that may be an option for you. I've only used it on necks, but I've just buffed it out with a scotchbrite pad; did you want it to be shiny or matte? i'm tending to think that fine sanding the finish will push debris into the pores, which is not what you want.

as far as the headstock goes, if it doesn't match, black it out.

sully

[nor]

Not gonna grain fill. Got this level of shine with Tru, wetsanding with 800, and some wax. I probably should hit the strat with the mesh to test it tho.

[warlok]

Looks sweet!!

[zuppermuhle]

Oh man! Awesome firebird. I build a Warmoth firebird myself some time ago as well. I had to sell it because I couldn't get used to the weight and size of the body. I guess Robbin Crosby really was a bit taller than me

[nor]

NorBird is complete!!

Plays damn well already. Once it settles in I'll get it really dialed!