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Bonamassa Signature Firebird I?

Stevie C.

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2011
Messages
126
I should have either a Centralab or CTS. `63 was a change-over year for pots at Gibson. By `64 they were using CTS almost exclusively. Volume should be 500K and the Tone should be a 250K. Reason for that is in a single pickup guitar you have a few more higher freq.'s than in a 2-pickup guitar. Using a 250K rolls off some of the topend.
Caps were also a transition that year going from Sprague .022's (a 160P model mylar cap) to a Sprague .022 ceramic disc cap. I've found SG's with both types made in `63. By `64 they used the flat, ceramic disc caps in all solid body guitars. The 160P's were still used in the semi's & archtop's and when the Les Paul's were re-introduced in mid `68, those had the 160P's.

Great info TM1! Thanks! :dude:
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Just for the record, I have a set of the new Kluson Firebird tuners and a set of the plastic buttons. As near as I can measure them, (on a digital "fish" scale), the tuners with hardware weigh 12 ounces. The metal buttons on their own weigh 2.5 ounces, so the plastic buttons are saving around 2 ounces total. I find it hard to believe that would make a noticeable difference, but, in my experience, every bit counts when it comes to weight on the headstock. Any guitar I have with Grovers has plastic tuner buttons for that reason.

If they're anything like the old ones, they're probably nickel plated lead or some sort of pot metal. I once had a set of the original, late Sixties Wafflebacks and wanted to remove the buttons to put plastic ones on. The damn tips melted as I was heating them up with my torch. They did come off nice & neat and I got a set of "Uncle Lou's" tips installed and they look perfect on my R-7 LP Custom.
 

EFLOW

Active member
Joined
Jan 21, 2006
Messages
590
Here's mine pre refinish.

D82A21D3-D4F5-40B7-86F1-E7DAD436A772_zpsdpopwvb9.jpg



Here I am right now:

I used an old wrap around from the 60s, aged the tuners and knobs and added some NOS CTS pots along with a .027 Cornell Dublier cap and a Lollar Firebird pickup (I had to drill out the Epiphone ring for it to fit. I bought it used if you go new buy Lollar's ring).

The last thing I'm waiting for are new dots for the neck. The Epi dots don't look right to me.

I got mine just to play slide on for one tour this spring. I mainly wanted something that would look cool and I didn't want to spend much money because I don't play slide all that much. I have about $100-$125 into this one and am pretty happy with it so far.

15726835_10211558282301573_4910302365578001781_n.jpg


Put a Gibson truss rod cover on your chinese guitar and it becomes a real Gibson


:teeth
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349

Put a Gibson truss rod cover on your chinese guitar and it becomes a real Gibson


:teeth



Yeah no.. Still an Epiphione. I would really like to see a Terada made Elitist version. Would probably be double what the Chinese one costs.. but the finish, etc would certainly be alot better..
 

garywright

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,583
If they're anything like the old ones, they're probably nickel plated lead or some sort of pot metal. I once had a set of the original, late Sixties Wafflebacks and wanted to remove the buttons to put plastic ones on. The damn tips melted as I was heating them up with my torch. They did come off nice & neat and I got a set of "Uncle Lou's" tips installed and they look perfect on my R-7 LP Custom.

Don ..did the waffleback tuners have the same button shaft as used with plastic keystones ?
 

Stevie C.

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2011
Messages
126
I wonder how big a job it would be to strip the poly from a burst, and re-finish with nitro?
Would the burst come off with the poly if you took the poly off with a heat gun?
 

Amp360

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
852
I wonder how big a job it would be to strip the poly from a burst, and re-finish with nitro?
Would the burst come off with the poly if you took the poly off with a heat gun?

If you do it just sand it. Mine was thick but came off pretty easily.
 

Stevie C.

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2011
Messages
126
If you do it just sand it. Mine was thick but came off pretty easily.
I'd like to get all the poly off without ruining the burst though..
I wouldn't worry about the color if I was going to paint it, but I'd like to keep the burst color if I can?
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I'd like to get all the poly off without ruining the burst though..
I wouldn't worry about the color if I was going to paint it, but I'd like to keep the burst color if I can?

Stevie; most likely not possible as usually the dark band around the outside is painted after the main colour coat, but just before the top clear coat.
 

Stephens

Active member
Joined
Dec 30, 2001
Messages
438
My wife ordered me one today off Joe's website. She did the package deal with the concert tickets and the meet and greet 🤘!

Can't wait to get the guitar and put it through the rig and..... can't wait for the show and to meet Joe!
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
I told my wife that and she said she is waiting to buy me the "TOTAL PACKAGE". The guitar, the concert tickets, the meet and greet, and Joe's restraining order on me, and the divorce...
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I told my wife that and she said she is waiting to buy me the "TOTAL PACKAGE". The guitar, the concert tickets, the meet and greet, and Joe's restraining order on me, and the divorce...

Good luck with all those Ren..
 

Stephens

Active member
Joined
Dec 30, 2001
Messages
438
Mine arrived today- it surpassed my expectations. It is a really great guitar and sounds so unique to anything else in the stable. Great sounding low output humbucker, fantastic finish, comfy neck and amazing sustain. It just rings like a piano with the simple wraparound bridge. It has a certain clarity and snap that sounds so different (in a good way) when comparing to any other humbucker or even a P-90. I see a lot of playing time in the near future with this guitar.
 

JUN

New member
Joined
Oct 16, 2014
Messages
6
Now I am working on light relic….
need more a few days….

JUN

my84836ubEYt5a5vO035OKc.jpg
 

Amp360

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
852
Looks cool!

Here is mine. I just have to trim the truss rod cover a tad before getting it on correctly.

53D493A2-7066-469B-B3A5-545CAA302AB4_zpsgtvmvlez.jpg
F59AB789-71BA-4157-A86A-B02C93F4BAEC_zpskibfojqp.jpg
 

Stevie C.

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2011
Messages
126
Well, my Sunburst FBI finally arrived!! :dude:
Haven't had much time to play it yet, but it is easily the nicest looking Epi I've ever seen!
 

Roe

Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Messages
463
Dan; Nice! The reason that Gibson went to the 9-ply Mahogany/Walnut lam's is that it strengthens the neck. Every other lamination has the grain running 180 degrees the opposite of the previous one. Makes for a strong board! Cuts way down on the amount of Rejects..

another reason is that you don't need one huge piece of quarter-sawn mahogany if you use laminates
 
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