The Firestar looks and feels like it was built from blueprints sent aloft in a Gemini capsule and lost to orbital exile since 1966.
Looking backward never felt so totally futuristic!
The idea to literally make use of historic, classic guitar designs and build up a new design, is a process we don’t cal hybrid, we would rather name it evolution. But indeed, ingredients of already existing perfect ideas, have been recombined here in our own unique design. There are many design features already so good, that there is no need to reinvent the wheel. But sometimes, you find great features in one guitar, but it misses another great feature from other guitars. Therefore, »best of both worlds« stands for uniting best qualities in order to come to another higher overall quality of the guitar. Our result is the Deimel Firestar guitar.
Firestar essentials
The Firestar has a »good to reach« 21 fret bolt on neck, seated into a newly developed body design. The slight offset body with tight hips and long belly balances just perfect in almost any playing position. The standard concept, of using a reversed, slightly angled headstock is intended. We are convinced, that an extended portion on the lower strings adds significant overtones to the flavor of the Firestar tone. Same as it allows for easy to bend treble, and tighter sounding bottom strings.
Various sound controls, which are comfortably placed around the moves of the stroking hand, are in easy to reach areas. A Mastery bridge and alternatively a Mastery MV or a Duesenberg®Tremola guarantee the smooth and »in tune« handling of vibrato sounds.
The choice of pickups is based on a concept that evolved in collaboration with pickup manufacturer Curtis Novak. He offers a wide range of different pickups all hidden under a JM-pickup cover. Even if you choose your preferred pickup construction, the »look« of the guitar won‘t change.
More circuit extravaganzas are available in the lower mini switch section: A built-in piezo pickup (the contact disc is glued on the wood), a serial/parallel switch for both pickups, and a so called »surf« switch, which cuts off a few bass frequencies to get even more twang.
Every sound can be recombined with itself, piezo, serial controls or surf switch. A special routing option especially for the piezo allows to adjust a mix between the regular and the piezo disc, resulting in very special in between sounds of acoustic and electric signals.
In addition, you find a great range of playing areas on the 6-string sections behind bridge and saddle to create springy overtones, which especially get picked up trough the piezo signal, the so called structure -born noise inside the guitar.
Last but not least we are proud to finally offer the Pickup LesLee®. This unit is able to literally »rotate« two pickups in an oscillating way, and speed and intensity of the pickup rotation can be adjusted on the guitar. This unit is available as an additional feature on any Deimel guitar with more than one pickup.[/teaser]
This is a guitar that can see you through a myriad musical situations–especially if you’re looking to cover tone and techniques that you can’t get from a more bare-base instrument.
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The process of handcraft as well as the wishes of our customers are very important to us. In order to realize your individual model, we have created a form with specifications and prices, where every single pre-calculated option can be decided on and cross-marked. So, starting on a regular standard prize you can make your individual choices with numberless combinations. Any color and personal pickup configuration can be realized. You choose your neck profile, fret wire, neck radiuses, etc.. Whatever you like, we are looking forward to realize an individual Deimel Firestar guitar for you. Except for the body, pickguard, and headstock shape + logo placement, you are free to develop your own model.
If you already feel overwhelmed by too many options, just fill out our sheet for the Deimel Firestar Classic version and you will get your order going with us fast! Both forms you can find here: Prices + Order Forms
Left handed? No problem!
Frank himself is a left handed luthier. So building guitars for our left handed customers is self evident and with no upcharge.
Optional Semi-Hollow Body
Although there is not much space inside the Firestar body, we manage to create some larger cavities which work as massive weight reduction and result also in a semi-hollow character. The cavities are routed from the top and the entire body gets closed with a 3mm wood veneer of the same wood like the body. We do not offer any F-holes, as the do not make sense acoustically with these limited cavities, and there is actually no real space to put them. The weight reduction and a certain semi-hollow flavor to the guitar’s tone is the main effect of this specification.
Conversion Necks
The Deimel Firestar can be order with the following scales as standard scales:
Short Scale 24.75″ / 628,65 mm
Middle Scale 25″ / 635 mm
Long Scale 25.5″/ 647,7 mm
Baritone Scale 28.62″ / 727,02 mm
All necks are conversion necks which means that you can simply swap your neck and change the scale.
Read more
Other scales on request.
I want a guitar, but how do I start?
Are you interested in a Deimel Firestar? Over the last 10 years we have built a variety of Deimel Firestars that we are convinced of their amazing sound and look&feel!! If you know which guitar you want, just contact us over e-mail or phone and we will be happy to assist you with the further process. We will build the guitar customized for you. So instead of a »BUY« button, we seek the personal relationship with our customer.
We offer PDFs with detailed options and prices, either for a very classic Deimel Firestar or for more custom to very experimental Deimel Firestars: Prices + Order Forms
If you can’t find what you are looking for, we welcome you to contact us directly with your wishes. We will talk to you about the feasibility of your ideas and the price it will have. Skype or FaceTime appointments are possible.
Last but not least, come and visit us! We are located 40 km east of Berlin. Please make an appointment ahead and we are happy to show you our workspace and let you test our guitars in a relaxing atmosphere.
Neck Wood + Finishes
We usually prefer building our necks out of selected pieces of maple. 3 levels of figuration (normal, figured maple, or highly figured maple) are offered. Also we offer a matching headstock in the same color as the body varnish.
Radius
Our standard fretboards feature a compound radius starting with 9.5“ from the nut until 12“ at the end of the fretboard. As it is only logical in fretboard theory, that the cone shape is the basis for a tapered neck in opposite to a cylindrical surface, it is the better fretboard. This allows for perfect action, comfortable chording in the first frets, and easy to bend strings in the upper section.
Selecting Woods
Woods are selected by Frank individually for each guitar and customer choices. Our favorite woods for bodies are american red alder, white korina, swamp ash, and mahogany. In some cases we build with paulownia, a very light wood, also used for surf board production.
Our preferred neck wood is maple if not requested differently by the customer.
For fretboards we prefer non CITES listed woods as ziricote or katalox. We also use indian rosewood as standard and offer many others.
Light Body Woods
It is very important to us that the weight matches the customer needs. Since each guitar is built individually for the customer we can pick the perfect wood.
One Piece Maple Neck or cap necks
We offer one piece maple necks and cap necks made of one piece of maple.
Deimel Firestar Colors
Excellent guitar design is based on a great finish. As admirer of the 60ies design era, we love the original cadillac colors a lot. On the base of those, we have taken them a step further into the new millenium and developed the following 4 classic Deimel colors as best fit for our Deimel Firestars: Saturn Lavender, Venus Fern Green, Moon Dust Blue, and Desert Dawn. Laguna Bay, Silver Space, Mars Gold, and Black Galaxy are also part of the Deimel color family, and we certainly offer all other colors on request.
Numberless Possibilities for Pickguards
There are numberless combinations possible for the Deimel Firestar pickguards. The most classic Deimel Firestar comes with a 3-piece pickguard with golden anodized aluminum center piece and nickel parts on top and bottom. It is possible to swap the center for other anodized aluminum colors as e.g. magenta, turquoise, natural, black, etc.. Please contact us for the entire color palette. Another great combination is a center of tortoise 4-ply, bakelite, or a parchment white plastic. All of those materials can also be ordered as an one piece pickguard. It’s just up to your taste!
Bridges + Vibratos
We have 4 standard combinations for the Deimel Firestar:
Mastery M1 + Duesenberg vibrola.
Mastery M1 + Master vibrato, polished or brushed
ABM Tune-O-Matic /Stop Tailpiece
Deimel »Vibratone« w/ optional »raw vintage« springs
Custom Pickup Solutions
Numberless custom pickup combinations are possible. Our standard are bridge and neck Deimel, Lollar, or Curtis Novak JM-style pickups, but it all depends of how you want your Firestar to sound like. We are happy to assist you to make the right choice. Kinman, Joe Barden, Kloppmann, or Lindy Fralin pickups are also available.
3rd pickup behind bridge
Special projects need special sound options. Check out our 3rd pickup behind bridge option.
Here is an example on YouTube
Built In Piezo
Standard of our Firestars is a built in piezo disc that gives you uncountable extra sound options.
Built In LesLee®
Stretching the boundaries of the Deimel Firestar as an experimental guitar, the built in LesLee »rotates« two pickups of the guitar and let this rotation of bridge and neck pickup be adjustable in speed and intensity.
The built in LesLee® is available as mono or stereo version.
Kill Switch
We offer different solutions to integrate an additional kill switch. Just contact us!
Capacitors
We offer different kinds of capacitors depending on the customers wishes and what suits best the pickup configuration:
Vishay Sprague 1813, 22nf, Mojotone / TAD PIO, 22nf , LUXE Bumble Bee, 22nf, or NOS, 22nf
Headstock
The standard tuners position of the Deimel Firestar is 6 tuners on the right side (6R). We do offer 6 tuners left (6L) without extra charge. The finish of the headstock can be black fiber with pearl inlay logo, natural finish with decal logo, or a matching headstock with decal logo.
Neck Shape
»Medium fat 59JM« is our standard neck shape for the Deimel Firestar. Of course we can do any custom neck shapes.
Trussrod
All Deimel Firestar necks come with a trussrod and a side adjuster that easily allows you to adjust the neck if needed without taking of the strings.
Nut
We manufacture the nut out of unbleached bone. Other materials are on request.
Block Inlays
On request we offer block inlays made of mother of pearl shell or abalone.
Neck Plate
All Deimel Firestars have bolt on neck fixed with a neck plate.
Tuners
Our standard tuners are the high quality »Gotoh SDS510, nickel «, produced in Japan. We also offer the colorful Sperzel tuner or Hipshot classic open gear, and Hipshot grip-lock open gear.
Dots
MOP (mother of pearl) dots are the classic standard for our fretboards. Other options are on request.
Bone Glue vs. Polyurethane
Both are are great glues we love to use for building guitars.
Frets
The Deimel Firestar has 21 Wagner medium jumbo or 21 StewMac »pyramid« frets. We also offer stainless steel frets.
Custom inlays
Some customers ask for personal inlays and we certainly can do this. In 2016 Frank had the chance to do a further education workshop with the legendary Grit Laskin in Vienna. We now know all the secrets of the perfect engravings and inlays.
Binding
We offer optional binding for all our necks.
Toggle Switch
Toggle with gold contacts by Switchcraft
Output Jack
The output jack is made by Switchcraft and mono, but we do have stereo versions for more experimental sounds.
Volume + Tone Knobs
Our standard are black, white or parchment white witch hats. Glendale or Schaller knobs are also an option, as well as colorful other knobs matching the overall design of the guitar.
Strap Lock
Our standard is the nickel Gotoh strap lock.
Slider Switches
The standard switches are piezo on/off; serial/parallel, and surf switch, but can be modified to the musicians needs.
Aging
We usually do matte aging of metal parts and/or arctic aging of the entire guitar, if the finish is nitro. Heavy relic finish is also an option!
Ready To Ship!
Each Deimel Firestar is delivered in its own Hiscox hard case with Deimel logo. The guitar comes with a certificate of authenticity stating the serial number, date of manufacture, a detailed description of all specifications and an owner’s pass.
Now it’s ready to be handed over to the new owner!
