Gibson Firebird

**Drifter** · 03-29-2015, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by nickyboy

Someone told me that they are prone to headstock breaks due to the huge headstock.

Huge headstock and heavy Banjo tuners, that is. The Steinberger tuners should reduce this problem also.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-29-2015, 05:27 PM

They're weird, butt ugly, great sounding guitars. It goes without saying, I dig 'em.

**shamu1** · 03-29-2015, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by nickyboy

Someone told me that they are prone to headstock breaks due to the huge headstock.

Yeah, that was a big problem with early Firebirds, and the main reason wasn't the guitar itself, but rather the lack of neck support in the case. The vintage style tuners really stick out of the back of the headstock, so when you put the guitar in the old style case, all the pressure was on the headstock. As a result, most of the headstocks broke off when the guitar was in its case. The problem was easy to solve, and Gibson has since made their cases so that the neck is lifted up, and the weight no longer bears on the tuners and the headstock.

**shamu1** · 03-29-2015, 06:32 PM

My Firebird has the vintage style tuners, but I plan to replace them with the new Steinbergers. I had Steinbergers on an SG, and they were the best tuners I've ever used - super easy to string up, easy to fine tune, and they held the guitar in tune for days.

**shamu1** · 03-29-2015, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Drifter

Huge headstock and heavy Banjo tuners, that is. The Steinberger tuners should reduce this problem also.

My Firebird has the vintage style tuners, but I plan to replace them with the new Steinbergers. I had Steinbergers on an SG, and they were the best tuners I've ever used - super easy to string up, easy to fine tune, and they held the guitar in tune for days

**Guitarbean25** · 03-29-2015, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by shamu1

It's a weird shape, but it doesn't feel weird when you play it, even when you're sitting down. It's a huge guitar, but it has a thin body, so it doesn't feel huge in your hands or under your arm. Unlike a Les Paul or a Flying V, I find it very comfortable to play while I'm sitting down. I use that big freakin' wing as an arm rest for my right arm, so it balances out the weight of the neck (Firebirds are very neck heavy).

When I play a Les Paul sitting down, I find myself, over time, crouching over the guitar because it's such a small guitar. My back starts killing me after about 20 minutes playing the LP, which is why I no longer own a Les Paul. Not so with the Firebird. I can go on playing for hours sitting down with my Firebird.

Firebirds are underrated guitars, and a lot more versatile than their appearance may lead you to believe.

I have a Heritage 357 geared for Jazz (by geared I mean I have underwound p92 in it and 11s). I actually also like it while standing up. To me, the forwardness of the guitar relative to others, allows me to get closer to the guitar, which I like. My strap is at it's shortest length and so the sweet spot feels more centered on my body.

**Al Br.** · 03-30-2015, 08:19 AM

Rob,

I am by no stretch of the imagination an accomplished Jazz guitarist, heck I'm still struggling to get thru Mickey Bakers lessons 41 and 42, but I am an accomplished listener. I've seen people who play Jazz for a living pick up a cheap pos guitar and play some outstanding stuff. You've been around long enough to know, it's what sounds good to you. IMHO, if it sounded and felt good to you, go for it.
Back when I was a young aspiring rock and roller a friend asked me to check out his Fender Tele. At the time hardly the axe of choice for our style of playing. Frankly, at the time I thought it was a terrible instrument, (sorry Fender fans but I was a died in the wool Gibson Les Paul player at the time and would not hold any other guitar in any high regard, such were the times),but after a bit of fumbling around and re-setting the amp tone controls I was able to achieve a fairly decent sound. Point being, almost anything can be made to sound good with a little adjusting.
That said, it may be time to expand the collection. Keep us posted ;-)

**Rob MacKillop** · 03-30-2015, 10:27 AM

This is a fairly old thread, and my desire for a Firebird has passed...but it will come again some day!

**oldane** · 03-30-2015, 11:02 AM

To paraphrase Duke Ellington: If it sounds right, it is right - provided it also feels good and you can stand the looks.

**Al Br.** · 03-30-2015, 11:07 AM

My apologies, I did not pay attention to the date. It was near the top of the section so I took it as a recent event. But, better late than never.

well said "oldane".

**Treading Water** · 03-30-2015, 03:25 PM

A bandmate just lent me an old non-reverse Firefird with P-90's. It belonged to his long deceased brother and hasn't been played in twenty years. it's kinda rough overall, needs a new bridge, nut, and tuners, but sounds good when in tune. I don't know what the case is made of, but it's heavy.
It looks alot like the one Gatemouth Brown played without the leather!

**mad dog** · 03-30-2015, 03:46 PM

An old buddy of mine got a vintage one several years ago. A reverse, two pickup firebird from the mid-60s. He let me play it at a party. Only time I ever gave a guitar back and said "please take this out of my sight." Thought I might have to do something foolish, like run out the door with it. Outstanding sound. Nothing else like it. Big, wide. Like trying to play a 6 string surf board.

Not sure I'd pick a FB to play jazz, but that old one is amazing for whatever you choose to play. I've tried newer versions. Not in any way in the same league as that old one.
MD

**GuyBoden** · 12-04-2024, 08:13 AM

The FireBird Pickups have a unique sound IMHO.

OilCity info:
"A Firebird pickup has no underslung magnet, but two alnico magnets on edge that totally fill the inside of the bobbin centres - this produces a super focused field (its 7k sounds WAY louder than it has any right to). Added to this a Firebird has an 'inductor plate' of mild steel that forms an inner baseplate, connects the magnetic poles to form essentially a horseshoe magnet, and boosts the bass and output a bit."

**garybaldy** · 12-04-2024, 01:55 PM

My "Firebird" is a Tokai. Glued in neck and added Steinbergers. It has Creamery (Manchester, UK) vintage style mini humbucker pickups. They are both under 7k. I must dig it out and try some jazz on it.

**Marty Grass** · 12-04-2024, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by GuyBoden

The FireBird Pickups have a unique sound IMHO.

OilCity info:
"A Firebird pickup has no underslung magnet, but two alnico magnets on edge that totally fill the inside of the bobbin centres - this produces a super focused field (its 7k sounds WAY louder than it has any right to). Added to this a Firebird has an 'inductor plate' of mild steel that forms an inner baseplate, connects the magnetic poles to form essentially a horseshoe magnet, and boosts the bass and output a bit."

I played a 1963ish Firebird V for a few years as a teen. I remember it's piercing tone. It was approaching a P-90 in some ways. It's not like a PAF at all.

**JazzPadd** · 12-04-2024, 07:44 PM

Just sold a 2018 Gibson Firebird “Elite” with the old banjo style tuners. The pickups sounded nice, though as others noted the neck felt thin and narrow to me.

Bought it on a whim during the dark days of corona, but couldn’t bond with it so let it go. It sold immediately and for quite a bit more than I had paid, so there’s still some interest in that model.

But I play seated and something about the body shape didn’t fit. And come to think of it I felt and looked a bit ridiculous playing it.

The Mrs. agreed and added that it was my “mid-life crisis” guitar.