j45
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2008
- Messages
- 216
- Reaction score
- 570
...and it kicks butt. I started this project two years ago and JUST called it "finished". It was a 1991 "Orville by Gibson" body I picked up from Ebay. The import Gibson Firebird p/u's were horrible IMO. I really wanted it for a "dream" project guitar for gigging anyway. I absolutely love the Firebird soundboard proximities. Wide open, easy access and none of the claustrophobia I sometimes get from the Les Paul's small, cramped quarters (I'm 6'4"). A P-90 has always been my favorite neck p/u, a Tele in the bridge position is my favorite R&R sound. Think Led Zep I, James Gang Rides Again, and Clarence White on Byrd's Untitled. So, those two tones mounted in a Firebird soundboard and I'm set, right? It was a lot harder getting there than one would imagine. I let my luthier deal with the physics problem of getting the straight neck angle designed Tele bridge to work on a Gibson angled neck platform. He built a contoured maple shim platform for the string-through bridge that covers both angles gracefully and perfectly wth his typical German precision and ingenuity. The Tele string-through bridge left the stop tail holes exposed so I dealt with that the way Gibson did in the 60's for their Bigsby equipped guitars that left stop holes open and used an old 1960's Gibson "Custom Made" plaque. If I end up making it a keeper I'll have the holes filled and painted.
Then.... getting the Tele p/u to sound "right" to me in a different spot on the harmonic scale than it would sit on a Fender turned out to be the toughest task of all. I tried quite a few p/u's and none sounded right. I took it on the gig several times to great disappointment. This drug on, trying several different Tele p/u's for over a year and I had almost scrapped the project figuring it just wasn't meant to be when I decided to buy a Fralin "Blues" wind and somehow the voice of the pickup over-compensated for the odd place in the harmonic scale. Just perfect. Now to bring it back on the gig and also make some sound clips
I and also need to add that I've since the pics chunked the banjo tuners and added a set of Steinberger gearless tuners. The guitar was super light and well balanced before but now it's a very resonant featherweight, no neck dive whatsoever.
Then.... getting the Tele p/u to sound "right" to me in a different spot on the harmonic scale than it would sit on a Fender turned out to be the toughest task of all. I tried quite a few p/u's and none sounded right. I took it on the gig several times to great disappointment. This drug on, trying several different Tele p/u's for over a year and I had almost scrapped the project figuring it just wasn't meant to be when I decided to buy a Fralin "Blues" wind and somehow the voice of the pickup over-compensated for the odd place in the harmonic scale. Just perfect. Now to bring it back on the gig and also make some sound clips
I and also need to add that I've since the pics chunked the banjo tuners and added a set of Steinberger gearless tuners. The guitar was super light and well balanced before but now it's a very resonant featherweight, no neck dive whatsoever.
