Jim Zeppelin Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Hi folks. I'm interested in getting one of the 2014 Firebirds but I don't have an opportunity to try one first so I was wondering about a few things... My SG allows me to play comfortably in the higher registers, 17th fret and up, much easier than my LP. The Firebird looks like I can play up there easier than my LP but not quite as easy as my SG. Anyone have both and can share their opinion? Also, how does everyone like the new tuners? How about neck drop? Any on the Firebird? I also hear they are not that comfortable. Any opinions there? Thanks for helping me out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eades Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I love firebirds the tunners are great, there really comfortable to play but they are a love or hate guitar,I don't get on with les Pauls because the toggle switch is in the wrong position for me I always catch it when I play one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I've had a few SGs and Firebirds but the latest is the 2013 Firebird V; it doesn't look like there's much difference other than the frets on the 2014 (no nibs, cryogenically treated). Upper fret access is no problem, it doesn't seem to be unusually unbalanced and the new tuners work great even if they are ugly as warts. I like the neck profile on the 2013 a lot better than my departed 2005 and 2007 Firebirds as it's not so wide and flat as the older ones were. The 2013 has more of a rounded profile. It reminds me an awful lot of a skinny ES335 so if you like that body size (like I do) you should really get on with the Firebird. I primarily play a Lucille or 335 but if I had to have just one solid body guitar it would be the Firebird as the body size on the SG and Les Paul just feels too small compared to what I'm used to. Hope this helps some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Zeppelin Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 Thanks for the opinions guys! No disuasion there so I guess I'll have to get one and see how I like it. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejay Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I played a 2014 bird and it played great, I picked up one of the 50th any models from last year and it smokes, great guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejay Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I played a 2014 bird and it played great, I picked up one of the 50th any models from last year and it smokes, great guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 .....but they are a love or hate guitar..... I think this is the most important post of this thread. I think the reverse body Firebird is one of the COOLEST guitars every designed and built by Gibson (or anybody). Patterned after the automotive tailfins of the 57-60 classic street rods, how much cooler could you get. With the popularity and success of Johnny Winter and Dave Mason in the early 70's I decided I HAD to have one. Picked up a '64 Firebird III in '74 and thought I would be the next Firebird superstar. Actually, it was my FIRST Gibson guitar, but a year later I bought a Les Paul Standard, and I figured out what I was looking for in a Gibson guitar. A few years after that I got my first 335, and the Firebird got less and less play time. I eventually sent it down to the Dallas guitar show to be sold (bought by a European "collector"), and I made big bucks on the sale. A/B'ing a Firebird next to an LPS and/or a 335 really shows a lot. As a part of a collection, it's a fine guitar. As a one an only Gibson, there are many better choices. To answer a couple of your specific questions, from an "original issue" perspective.... here we go: High Register: As good, or better, access as an SG. My last bastion with the guitar was to set it up for slide in open "G" tuning, until I figured out I COULDN'T PLAY SLIDE! New Tuners: Not a Clue, I only know about the originals. Neck Dive: The originals were very prone to this. You could NEVER take both hands off the guitar or the headstock would hit the ground. I found this out the hard way when the singer in my band decided to sucker punch me by jumping on my back and flailing away. By the time I did a few defensive maneuvers, the headstock was bouncing around the floor. Comfortable?: NO, not really.... but did I say how cool LOOKING they were? They are a very LONG guitar, a Firebird is longer that P-Bass (48" plus). As for neck profile, the originals were very slim (as has been mentioned above), and did not fit my Louisville Slugger preference at all. Since Gibson has no idea what they built yesterday, this information probably has nothing to do with the "modern" Firebird, but it was an interesting memory exercise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 AND... I missed the opportunity to post a guitar photo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Hi folks. I'm interested in getting one of the 2014 Firebirds but I don't have an opportunity to try one first so I was wondering about a few things... My SG allows me to play comfortably in the higher registers, 17th fret and up, much easier than my LP. The Firebird looks like I can play up there easier than my LP but not quite as easy as my SG. Anyone have both and can share their opinion? Also, how does everyone like the new tuners? How about neck drop? Any on the Firebird? I also hear they are not that comfortable. Any opinions there? Thanks for helping me out! I bought one earlier this year and always thought they'd be uncomfortable to play but man was I wrong. I do find myself playing up a little higher on the guitar body because of the shape but it's cool. The tuners are great especially when having to change strings and it's really well balanced without a hint of neck drop. A lot of neck for upper fret playing. In fact the length of the guitar is the most unusual aspect for me. Some have a real problem with the pups in these new models but so far I can get a nice blend through my AC30 and am in no hurry to change them yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cocked Wah Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Can't give an opinion about a 2014 but I traded for a 2011 studio non-reverse just recently. I love it. Definitely a hog of a guitar in terms of length. BUT it is surprisingly light. Plus the neck is dynamite. And hell...just look at it! Tis damn sexy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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