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Posts: 164
Location: Denton, Texas | I uploaded two pictures of the new body for the "Bluebird" replica. The mahogony body has been routed to accept the Deacon-12 neck, electronics and pickups.
Please look under album for George. I created an album entitled "Bluebird Progress" but for some reason could not upload pictures into it.
Hopefully will have the guitar in a few months.
:) |
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Location: south east Michigan | Great collection George.
The "flag" Custom Legend is a real looker. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | George, You're not going to make it speckly blue are you? Heck it looks great the way it is! You've got a nice collection of guitars - very nice! Dave |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | "...You're not going to make it speckly blue are you?..."
Sure he is! Aesthetically, The blueburst finish and bird image behind the bridge are the most distinctive feature.
Wayne |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Wayne - of course I agree with you. I was just poking a little fun. The thing does look darn good "naked". |
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Location: Denton, Texas | I agree, nekked as she is, she's sure a good looking piece...of mahogony. Wayne O'Connor at Hank to Hendrix took special pains to select close-grained select mahogony, joined to appear as one piece.
Plastic temmplates were CAD designed and then computer milled the cavities to accept the Deacon-12 electronics and pickups.
The body was designed from my Viper which I believe was from Alpep.
It will indeed be painted like the original from paint numbers, sparkels, and the "Blubird" stencil used to make Wayne Reid's beauties. :)
George |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Wayne O'Connor only had to restore the 12-string finish, as my sixes are fortunately all original.
I had stripped one on my sixes completely apart in order to send the all original body along with the twelve-string BB, so he could have a detailed, in-hand look which would enable an accurate recreation. The worst part was being totally 'birdless for over six months (I didn't own the third one at that time). What really amazed me is that he nailed the bird image detailing dead on...undecernable for the original.
George, he obviously did a great job on the repro body. Is the reason you went this route because is was just as easy to make a new body as it was to modify the Viper body for the active electronics?
Wayne |
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Location: Denton, Texas | Wayne,
Yes, Wayne O'Connor said that it would be easier to make a new body as he had to CAD the plexiglass template for routing the cavities plus he would have to strip the Viper body.
Starting from fresh stock in preparation for the BB multiple layerings of colors, addition of the stenciled bird, followed by clearcoats etc. takes refinishing of the old body out of the equation.
Wayne is EXTREMELY particular about controlling the process, so limiting any factors that might negatively effect the quality of the finished guitar he eliminates from the start. i.e. He fills and sands several times to glass-smooth, then allows it to harden prior to applying the colors. That's why it's going to be a 12-month project.
George :) |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Yes, making a new body makes perfect sense. Also, you will be able to put the Viper back together when he is done with it...one less sacrificial lamb! :)
W O'C is not just a guy repairng/building guitars for a living...he really wants whatever leaves him to be as perfect as it can possibly be and he makes you feel like all is in very good hands, which it is.
Wayne |
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Location: Denton, Texas | Wayne, ("Bluebird")
Since my BB body is being made with mahogany, what was the original(like yours) made of? I've been asked by interested parties as in Australia and Canada. Are there any originals left?
Also, having just bought Al Pepiak's '96 vintage Adamas I, I found out that the first several Adamas headstock were composite/foam prior to going to the carved headstock. Something new every day.
George :) |
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Location: SoCal | George:
The Bluebirds were made from resin over an aluminum frame, just like the UKII's. The best count of the Bluebirds is 6-8 were made, probably 6. 3 6's and 3 12's.
And the headstock piece on the Adamii I's was first wood, then went to foam for a short while, then back to wood. |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | George, to expand on what Moody says, bodies are like the UKII; a high-density polyurethane foam over aluminum frame. The company name for this foam was Urelite. I think there were a couple of foam bodied Vipers made as well.
"Are there any originals left?"
If you mean the foam type bodies, I doubt it. If you mean complete Bluebird guitars, there is at least one other 6-string besides my two. I have seen three other sixes besides these three for a total of at least six six-strings built. There could be one intact 12-string besides mine out there somewhere, but I doubt it.
Wayne |
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Location: SoCal | Wayne:
3 other 6's besides yours? Where and in what configuration? |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | No foam bodies left. Just use a light wood, like alder. That should be about the right weight. Mahogony will be heavier. |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | "3 other 6's besides yours? Where and in what configuration?"
Paul, there was the one on eBay about a year ago. It was in California and was the mate to my uk2 type...only TWO serial #'s apart so likely these two were made as a set. It had a cracked body.
There was the one Glen used in the Apr 1977 Royal Festival Hall concert with what looks like a Viper electronics setup only with a preacher/deacon humbucker in the neck position.
Lastly, there was a GC Boston Pops concert from '78 where he used one with a blueburst colored headstock. This one was apparently stolen after the show. I'm not sure of the electronic config because I haven't actually seen that show.
Wayne |
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Location: SoCal | I had forgotten about the cracked body out here. But Wayne, I think you're wrong about the the 77 RFH guitar being a Viper configuration. I believe, from looking at the pics on the album cover and watching the video that the BB Glen was playing is the one hanging on your wall, with the active electronics and stereo capabilities. I'm pretty positive on that. |
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Location: Denton, Texas | cwk2,
Upon doing research for my Bluebird replica, there were several suggestions for a "closegrained" magogany which Wayne O'Connor said would make a great sounding guitar as well as a favored medium to work with. What are the qualities of alder other than weight? Alder never came up. :confused:
George |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Paul, I'd sure like to think I have the RFH six-string but the configs are just too different.
The one GC is playing doesn't have the second stereo output jack, coil tap switch, or grey/blue neck with earlier small headstock like my earlier six (the only stereo example I’ve seen). Since Glen’s hand is over the bridge area most of the time, it is hard to see the pickup but there are a couple of spots during the McArthur Park solo where you can clearly see the angled pole pieces of a Viper pup.
My later six string is very different again from the above two, with uk2 electronics, smaller Viper shaped pickguard and different knob placement.
Believe me, I checked this stuff very closely because I had hoped I had that guitar :) . As for active electronics, I’ve never seen a BB six that wasn’t passive. Just the twelves are active as far as I know.
The upside is that maybe there is one more needle-in-the-haystack out there to find! ;)
Wayne |
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Bluebird Replica Progress
