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Gibson Core Models: Firebird


SteveFord

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I watched the NAMM videos and they showed off the core models but focused on Les Paul and SG with some digressions into the Explorer and Flying V.

Much was made about returning to the specs of the originals with the Les Paul and SG.

 

For the Firebird, is this considered to be a "core model"?

Will there be a return to the banjo tuners?

and

Are there any changes being made to the pick ups and wiring?

 

I wrote to customer service who sent back links to the models on your web site instead of addressing my questions.

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Heard back and here it is:

 

Thanks for getting back to us here at Gibson Customer Service. None of our 2019 Firebird models are spec'd to have banjo-style tuners and no plan has been announced to suggest banjo tuners will be used on future regular production versions of the Firebird.

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When the bankruptcy deal was just starting up I remember there being a document released or obtained that detailed all the companies that Gibson owed money to or had submitted for back payment, something along those lines. I also remember seeing the first firebirds with mini grovers instead of steinbergers pop up during this time in the USA lineup (18' lineup but released in late 17'). A few limited edition birds still had steinbergers but the "core" model did not. I was curious that maybe during the bankruptcy procedings had Steinberger moved on from selling to Gibson or had some kind of fall out occured. Out of curiosity I asked RCT to look in the docs and Gibson did owe quite a bit of money to Steinberger. Not sure if that has anything to do with it and it may very well not but since all that went down I haven't seen a firebird with Steinbergers on it. Even the current AMS LE firebird I model has those atrocious mini grovers on them (mini grovers aren't individually atrocious but on a firebird they are). Maybe its a cost thing and the grovers are cheaper. I love the firebird models but there is no way I could be convinced to buy one with the current tuner / headstock design. Hopefully Gibson continues down the corrected path they appear to be on and gets around to addressing the designer models and bringing them back to the more traditional and historic designs.

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Yes, they owed Steinberger and nearly all of their other suppliers a lot of money.

 

Not pizzing on anyones parade, but I wouldn't put much stock in current changes being the result of soul searching and direction changing. It's pretty much all about what they can get for materials for how little, so they can sell for as much as possible. The guitar business isn't very big, and screwing companies into the floor for a few cents on every dollar you owe them isn't going to help your own robustness.

 

rct

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