Firebird tips

[AndyK]

How do other Firebird users set their rig up? With the usual large tonal difference between the p/ups, I am currently doing what I normally do: use the neck as my main with full volume and tone, and for the bridge cut the treble right down to about 4, to bring a tonal similarity between the two. So when I switch to the bridge it gives me an overall reduction in drive.

 

I play through a Marshall JCM 2000 TSL 60 head and 1960 4x12 cab. It has the usual three-knob EQ for each channel, but also Presence (i.e. brightness boost) and a bass boost button - neither of which I am using at the moment. I'm looking for a classic 70s rock sound.

 

I've noticed that the top two strings (i.e. B and E) are relatively quiet compared with my LP - not sure why exactly. I've raised the bridge p/up overall, and slightly more at the top strings, but it hasn't made a noticeable difference to the volume of them.

 

I haven't had the guitar set up yet - I will let it bed in for a while first - but I'm wondering if the action is slightly too low. I can't hear a buzz on the top strings, but...

 

Anyway, feel free to share your knowledge on the subject.

[outtahere]

Hi Andy,

What model Firebird?

 

Cheers

[AndyK]

New Firebird V (should've mentioned that!)

[outtahere]

I have a 3x P90 non-reverse Andy, so quite a different beast. I mainly use the bridge pup. No tips I'm afraid, other then to just do what sounds good to you and rip it :-)

[sgtb2000]

I have a new V model and a 65 V model also and use a Marshall MG15CFX mini stack, mainly I use the OD-2 channel on the neck with the tone and vol cranked n roll the tone back to 6 for the bridge pup. As for my amp settings, I have my gain 10, bass 7, middle 4 treb 5 reverb at 4 vol 5 n some delay to give it a big arena type sound.

If I use the crunch channel, I just roll the gain to 6 n bass to 5.

 

I do this for both firebirds as the only diff in the pups are the magnets ceramic for the new and alnico for the old.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Good Luck !!!!

[bluezguy]

I wound me a set of my own pickups. Here's a sound clip. It's my 2004 FBV with cable direct to 50W Marshall Vintage Modern head 2266 and a 2x12 Fender bandmaster cabinet loaded wit Jim Weber's ceramic speaker copies of old JBL D120s.

 

https://soundcloud.com/2ndoldguy/firebird-v-2004-with-my-own

[Stone Tone® Guitars]

Here is my reissue Modified Tobacco sunburst 2003 63 Firebird thru a mesa boogie with a 2 x 12 boogie cab.

 

 

[Stone Tone® Guitars]

What other pick ups could be used that is comparable to the stock pick-ups?

[treedroppings]

I use zhangbuckers, but they are vintage-style with less impedance ( 42 ga wire, 6.2 kOhm for the neck and 43 ga wire, 11 kOhm for the bridge ).

 

The stock pickups are 14kOhm neck, and 22kOhms for the bridge. They are way overwound and the ADSR characteristics are different than vintage-style firebird pickups.

 

 

 

By the way, Here is another forum to ask questions just about firebirds: http://firebirdplayersforum.freeforums.org