Budget Bighorn & Bullet Deluxe Builds

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Sun Dec 30, 2018 6:29 pm

I've been diggin' the looks of the Airline Bighorn for a while and decided to make one on a budget. I got in contact with Mr. Clevername at reranch who was kind enough to make a tracing of an original bighorn body and he also sent me a pickguard he cut and wasn't going to use. That gave me everything I needed to get started.

First the templates.

I bought a cheap basswood body blank and found a really nice First Act neck on ebay that I snagged for under $25 shipped.

Also bought a roller bridge for $14.

Control routes done. The Harmony Bobkat tailpiece and Teisco pickups and wiring were things I had in the parts box just waiting on for some sort of sign.

Next the custom pickguard. I hate cutting pickguards for switches.

All done except for paint.

I do have this...

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Sun Dec 30, 2018 10:39 pm

This is class looking. I clicked expecting a Dano Longhorn but this is much better. Like a sixties Iceman.

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Sun Dec 30, 2018 11:59 pm

Love it. Always wanted to try the Eastwood version of this.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Mon Dec 31, 2018 1:51 am

As ever, amazing work!

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Mon Dec 31, 2018 2:12 am

I like the pic from the back that's all wood. Maybe a solid front and an oiled back and neck?

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:04 am

Nice.

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Mon Dec 31, 2018 10:45 am

Thanks guys.
Bacchus, I'm planning on leaving the neck as it is since it's already finished. I'm just painting the body. And I do have a Longhorn build going but I already did a thread on one of those so I didn't post it.

I strung it up last night and I think I'm going to recess the bridge about a tenth of an inch. I could shim the neck but I like the pickups at the height they are now.

Next on my Budget Build list is an 80's Fender Bullet Deluxe. I bought a Starcaster strat from Nick that I'm going to use the neck. Templates are almost finished.
I need to design a Budget Build decal for these.

Sneak peek.

This isn't the neck but it's a pointy one like this.

First, get rid of the strat heel.

Next, go to work on the pointy headstock.

And done.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Dec 31, 2018 2:52 pm

amazing!!!

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Mon Dec 31, 2018 9:46 pm

Thanks Nick. Glad you're okay with me chopping up the strat for a new project.

Bullet Deluxe templates finished.

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 2:12 am

I remember Stewart bringing one of those to Doogfest.

They have weird metal pickguards right? I'm too drunk to bing it tho.

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:59 pm

The Bullet had the metal pickguard / bridge combo. The Deluxe had a plastic pickguard with chrome bridge. The Deluxe is easier to duplicate for me.
Those metal pickguards go for pretty big money if you can find one.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 5:40 pm

I had one with the combined scratchplate and bridge. I strongly advise you not to build one with this design feature/fault.

Bighorn looks AMAZING. Sherwood Green or GTFO.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Wed Jan 02, 2019 6:10 am

Awesome work on that headstock and as with any of your projects it's just a treat for the eyes to watch your work

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Wed Jan 02, 2019 9:34 am

Love your work but I cry inside every time I see that potential Swinger headstock remodelled.

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Wed Jan 02, 2019 1:04 pm

NickS wrote:Love your work but I cry inside every time I see that potential Swinger headstock remodelled.

It's okay, I've made more swinger headstocks out of strat necks than the other way around.

Body blank cut and sanded to shape.

I've almost finished the body. Just waiting on Mr. Postman to deliver a sheet of pickguard material and a neckplate.

Had to fill a little tearout that happened when I wasn't paying attention to the clamps. Fortunately it'll be tucked away under the paint and pickguard.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:45 pm

Never realized it had rounded edges, looks sweet. It's hard to get what the difference between this shape and a standard tele is, though they are visibly different. This body shape seems a tad narrower

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:56 am

benecol wrote:I had one with the combined scratchplate and bridge. I strongly advise you not to build one with this design feature/fault.

i quite liked the sound it had, it was kind of trashy and not quite like anything i've played since; but the saddles were a fucking nightmare, if i recall.

mine had the strat body shape as well, rather than the oddball tele thing.

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Sun Jan 20, 2019 2:22 pm

Thanks sunshiner. Stewart, I've had a few of the strat versions and they were pretty nice guitars for the money spent.
I finally had some time to make the pickguard and drill the string thru bridge on the Bullet Deluxe. I still need to order a couple small parts. Knobs and string tree but it's done build wise for the most part. I'm going to paint it red. Just haven't decided what red yet.

Here's two more on the home stretch. A Goldfoil Duosonic and a Musicmaster ukulele.

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Sun Jan 20, 2019 4:23 pm

Amazing.

brainfur · Post by **brainfur** » Sat Mar 02, 2019 5:18 am

these are beautiful! cant wait to see that bighorn painted