PitchShifter
Senior Member
- Messages
- 292
Here's the completed Firebird project for the Firebird body I picked up off the old Screamin' Deal page during the 30th Anniversary discount sale. I'd been eyeing the body off for a while, and with all the discounts, it came out well below $200 so I had to have it. Finally have it built so wanted to share it with the board.
Sorry about the reflection on the pics
Darkbird Baritone
Tuned B-B
Body: Basswood, black gloss.
Neck: 28" Baritone with Firebird headstock. Wenge with Macassar Ebony fretboard (the subtle chocolate lines are hard to see on the pic). Because of the baritone length, I was unable to get the traditional scalloped look on the headstock, but I don't mind at all.
Pickups: 2 x BG Pickups Bucker Clear Top, dual pole A4 humbuckers. Middle pickup is a GFS Mean 90.
Tuners: Steinberger Gearless in black. Strings currently 13-62 and tension is fine. I do have heavier sets I can try. The Heavier strings required the Low E to be stripped of the outer wire to fit through the awkward hole of the tuner.
Electronics: 3 V, 1 T. Switches are P90: on/off - HB: Neck/Both/Bridge.
How's it play? I play a fair bit of bass but I still found it a bit awkward at first to do chording on such a long scale neck, but I've gotten used to it now. It has a really sweet tone. Very clear piano like bloom that's similar to the EPI Thunderbird bass when I hit the low B. Still tweaking sounds to get a good overdriven sound from it, so that will be a work in progress. Overall, I'm loving it.
Lots of Kudos to the guys at Better Music for the time and care taken in the wiring and setup.
Sorry about the reflection on the pics
Darkbird Baritone
Tuned B-B

Body: Basswood, black gloss.
Neck: 28" Baritone with Firebird headstock. Wenge with Macassar Ebony fretboard (the subtle chocolate lines are hard to see on the pic). Because of the baritone length, I was unable to get the traditional scalloped look on the headstock, but I don't mind at all.
Pickups: 2 x BG Pickups Bucker Clear Top, dual pole A4 humbuckers. Middle pickup is a GFS Mean 90.
Tuners: Steinberger Gearless in black. Strings currently 13-62 and tension is fine. I do have heavier sets I can try. The Heavier strings required the Low E to be stripped of the outer wire to fit through the awkward hole of the tuner.
Electronics: 3 V, 1 T. Switches are P90: on/off - HB: Neck/Both/Bridge.
How's it play? I play a fair bit of bass but I still found it a bit awkward at first to do chording on such a long scale neck, but I've gotten used to it now. It has a really sweet tone. Very clear piano like bloom that's similar to the EPI Thunderbird bass when I hit the low B. Still tweaking sounds to get a good overdriven sound from it, so that will be a work in progress. Overall, I'm loving it.
Lots of Kudos to the guys at Better Music for the time and care taken in the wiring and setup.


