Thread: Carvetop Firebird - BluesTone guitars

I have to jump in at this point and express my feelings about the commissioning of this particular guitar from Stu (BluesTone).

Let me just say that from the outset this has been one of the most rewarding things i've ever done in my life...

To take my creative vision from embryonic stages to the finished product would not have been the easiest task for any luthier. As Stu would attest, the Firebird design has it's own special build quirks..... not to mention a southpaw build too.

However Stu made the entire process a dream come true... His willingness to put foward build ideas, overall build guidance and his small tweaks of the overall design were relevant, thought provoking and always spot on......

I have nothing but the highest admiration for Stu's work ethic, eye for detail and to top it all off he's a bloody good bloke as well.

As this guitar is a 40th present to me from my wife and kids i wanted it to be my real dream guitar, hence i did an unbelieveable amount of research before i committed to a builder. and i can't think of any other guitar builder out there who would have been as capable as Stu in converting my dream into reality......

Kudos to you Stu, kudos to you....

PS: This is an unscripted post, Stu from Bluestone has not suggested i provide any comment.....

Thanks

G.......

G'day G, Glad you enjoyed the whole process as much as I did

G got sent seen all these pics as it was getting built, so he really got to be apart of the whole build process and get to decide on design cues as needed.


The neck billet is rough cut to shape, now the blackwood wings are up.
The darker smear marks are from checking colour for the best match with the neck billet.







And glue up time again.......





Out of the clamps and now after hand planing the top and back of the main body, We're nearly ready for the next stage.........................

G had talked about using a binding arrangement between the body and carvetop similar to what I've done on quite a few previous builds. After some testing single,double and triple colour binding and thicknesses we decided a single thin black line would best tie everything together.

Above is standard .5mm thick black-dyed maple veneer sheets cut into thin strips.
These get bent to the body shape and then glued into a routed .5mm rebate on the back-side of the carvetop.

Hot Bending



Once glued for a few hours and then scraped clean (This is the underside of carvetop showing)




And the desired result

looks good to me

got enough truss rods there? ill take some off your hands
lol

hahaha I thought the same thing andy!! Im open to donations hahaha

Im loving this build stu!! I love all your builds actually! It really pushes me to learn more and lift my game and try new things

Ha ha Andy you're probably the cheapest bloke I know !!!

Truss rods are for acoustics, basses and electrics and different lengths.

Top is glued on and now ready to carve. No grinder here, just a routed edge to work to then chisel and scraper.











And after routing out for buckers

Nice work stu! Ima gonna try a carve using that method i think

mmm

the tiger myrtle grain is quite unique indeed

since when do you do acoustics and bass's Stu

thats a nice clean carve...

whats with the raised centre on firebirds?

Damn Stu. Damn.

Nice run through so far, very interesting.
Good to hear its pretty well all finished too. "G" certainly sounds like one chuffed chap too!

Thats a damn nice present of his wife and kids too! Geez! who wouldnt have that!

Hey GeeHard,
Welcome to the club!
I'm really enjoying Stu's last build, which was the semihollow Tele. (see earlier in forum)

I have to agree that the process from my end was just as enjoyable as you have made it sound from your end. I was fortunate to be able to drop in and look at progress. Though, as you know, Stu keeps you well informed.

Enjoy your Firebird, mate. The FB does have some build difficulties (I built a righty a couple of years ago), especially with the controls, I found.

You must be a top bloke!
Score - Another one for the lefty's
BBM

PS Will be interested to see how Micks pups sound in this. I'm after some for my current build.

Yeah thanks Bassbuilderman..
we southpaws gotta stick together.....
viva la left.....
I did a fair amount of drooling over that tele build... you are indeed a luck fellow to have one of stu's finest......
That build was the clincher in goin with Stu, when i saw the work, detail and reverence in which he tipped his hat to the original fender influences on that tele, i knew i'd found the guy to build my guitar.....
being informed along the way was a great way to involve me in the build process and i really did 'smell the sawdust' with Stu's photos..
Mick tells me the Brierleys are mind blowingly great....something i'm keen to confirm myself after i pick it up this weekend.....
Cheers
G

Andy, the raised sections on the firebird are there to double the inherent mojo content and bring the player at one with his chosen shred-machine.

Hi Keegs

Swapping ol' stories eh fellas. yep fun times...good times

Control cavity detail.













Drilling for ferrules.

Originally Posted by oz tradie

Andy, the raised sections on the firebird are there to double the inherent mojo content and bring the player at one with his chosen shred-machine.

LOL fair enough

looks like im gonna have to give you a lesson, Safety 101

Drilling for ferrules.

what is that bit and where do i get one

damn you and your skills Stu...