Sacrilege or not so much?

[musicispeace]

Soooo, been listening to a bunch of playing done on the Gibson Firebird lately and was just curious, what would it sound like to do a Warmoth tele but with "Firebird" pickups instead of mini-humbuckers? (looking out the window for any lightning bolts, none spotted so far) Would you use the 24 and 3/4 scale on the neck? Thanks for any insights and options.

 

[stratamania]

I think it would sound good, I'm planning on putting one into the neck position of a Tele later this year.

On the scale length I don't think it matters as far as the pickups goes, it would just be whether you prefer that scale length.

Here's a couple of videos. You may have seen them but if not they are Lollar firebirds in T type guitars.

http://youtu.be/qs9f_JncNrc

http://youtu.be/OA8cUSQxBTg

 

[Cagey]

I build/service a lotta guitars here, and if there's one thing I've learned it's that it's difficult to predict what the end result is going to sound like. I know I'm always surprised, and usually pleasantly. Kinda like having a baby. You can sorta predict some gross characteristics, but it's gonna be unique in any event. You're gonna love it no matter what, so don't sweat it. If it's too weird, you can always put it up for adoption. It'll be somebody's dream come true.

 

[pabloman]

Or just drop 'em off at the fire station. Apparently there's an age limit though. My 16 year old daughter is too old.  :dontknow:

 

[musicispeace]

Thanks guys. Interesting videos and I think it sounded good. I hate to have to put the dreaded subjectivity cone on my head but Firebird pickups were described to me by one person as edgy but with a bit of warmth but not fat like a full on humbucker. I'm definitely intrigued. And I am definitely coming into the mindset that sometimes you just gotta try something and if it doesn't work out for you you'll find a home for it. The fire station made me laugh but I ended up giving away a Squire strat to a kids program that someone had given me. Not sure that would be the destination of a build guitar. Always good to recoup at least part of what you invested. Good weekend to you all.

 

[fdesalvo]

I love the firebird tone. Do it!! I've heard some amazing live blues and rock tones from one of those through an SLO  :guitarplayer2:

 

[bob7point7]

I'm in the process of building one right now. I already have a Tele with a Firebird pickup in the neck so I figured why not 2 Firebird pickups? I did a quick mockup to locate where the holes need to be for the Ghost saddle wires and wired the bridge pickup straight to the jack. My initial impressions were good - nice bell-like sound, bright but not as bright as the Area Hot T in my other Tele. Round but not as fat sounding as a full size humbucker. For me they're the perfect middle ground. Mine has a 25.5" neck but I'm sure a 24.75" would work great as well.

 

[musicispeace]

bob7point7. That is good news., thanks for your post. Its on my To Do list now. I'm thinking vintage white tele body, chrome hardware, and a roasted maple neck with some form of ebony on the front. Black pickguard, chrome pickups....maybe Klein's.

 

[QuasarQuail]

FWIW, I had a Burns Marquee (strat-a-like), and I replaced the stock bridge pickup with a Firebird-style pickup from GFS. It killed the hum, but I really missed the twang. If there was any letdown, it's because (probably for a billion reasons) it failed to sound like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs-ctmvG-AA