USA Firebird being discontinued?

[Pinch]

1 hour ago, merciful-evans said:

I really like the FB design. I hope they do produce them again this year. 

They are big though. I find that slightly off putting.  Someone recently said they once bought one and immediately returned it when it wouldn't fit in his car backseat.

But... That's when you get a bigger car? 😄

[SteveFord]

Buy a dozen and you can build a small house out of the cases.

[Coachmoe]

I have a 2013 Ford Escape. I can get  2 Birds, 2 Les Pauls, a Strat and an SG in my cargo area PLUS my amp, cabs and pedal board. 

[merciful-evans]

I managed to use a mk 2 MX5 (Miata) two seater to gigs for 4 years. Strap the amp into the passenger seat, put the guitar (now in a gigbag) into the footwell and secure it to the amp. The bag of cables, stand etc, all fit in the boot/trunk. 

I'm getting a new one in a couple of months. I wish there were some gigs as well.

[Sgt. Pepper]

2 hours ago, merciful-evans said:

I managed to use a mk 2 MX5 (Miata) two seater to gigs for 4 years. Strap the amp into the passenger seat, put the guitar (now in a gigbag) into the footwell and secure it to the amp. The bag of cables, stand etc, all fit in the boot/trunk. 

I'm getting a new one in a couple of months. I wish there were some gigs as well.

How do you get an amp and guitar into a car that is the size and shape of a bar of soap?

Edited January 24, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[mihcmac]

20 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

How do you get an amp and guitar into a car that is the size and shape of a bar of soap?

Very carefully...

Edited January 24, 2022 by mihcmac

[JaviHn]

Hello!

Seems like it's been forever since any kind of Gibson USA firebirds were available. I've read all the comments but even dealers with the product in their catalog say that it can be more than 3 months until they arrive.

Any news about this issue? Do you think the Firebird non reverse without vibrola would be available this year, or which kind of non reverse?

 

Thanks!

[Coachmoe]

From what I was told, the USA reverse Birds have been temporarily discontinued.  I was also told that USA production of non reverse Birds would be introduced sometime in 2022.  This is the most recent info on this subject. I think I will try to make contact with my source again.

[MattH77]

Is there any chance of Gibson starting to make Firebirds again? I really hope so.

I’d love a Firebird with mini humbuckers in my collection. I already own Les Pauls (a Special, Standard 60s and a 50s P90), SG, ES-335, Explorer and Flying V. Also hoping to treat myself to a 3 pick up Black Beauty in the new year (it’d be my first Custom Shop).

So I feel there is definitely a Firebird shaped hole in my collection! I do hope they can start producing them again.

[Wmachine]

1 hour ago, MattH77 said:

Is there any chance of Gibson starting to make Firebirds again? I really hope so.

I’d love a Firebird with mini humbuckers in my collection. I already own Les Pauls (a Special, Standard 60s and a 50s P90), SG, ES-335, Explorer and Flying V. Also hoping to treat myself to a 3 pick up Black Beauty in the new year (it’d be my first Custom Shop).

So I feel there is definitely a Firebird shaped hole in my collection! I do hope they can start producing them again.

You're kidding, right?

[SteveFord]

I think he's right, none at Guitar Center:

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson-Designer.gc?N=18144#pageName=collection-page&N=50264+18144+18137&Nao=0&recsPerPage=30&postalCode=16001&radius=100&profileCountryCode=US&profileCurrencyCode=USD

Same at Sweetwater:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/manufacturer/Gibson

Edited December 17, 2022 by SteveFord

[MattH77]

46 minutes ago, Wmachine said:

You're kidding, right?

No I’m serious.

Been on the lookout for a while and they seem pretty rare. There are a few Customs out there occasionally. I’d prefer to go for something similar to the Standard range rather than a Custom so it fits in my collection.

I know there have been a series of court cases concerning Gibson body shapes so I figured it may be something to do with that unfortunately. I’m in the UK but it seems to be an issue globally as far as I can tell.

They’re still listed on the Gibson website so I live in hope…

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Collection/designer

Edited December 17, 2022 by MattH77

[SteveFord]

The fellow who started this thread seemed to know what he was talking about, too much of a PITA to build.

When you get one buy a suede strap and take some time getting used to the length of it, they're kind of the Un-Gibson.

[Coachmoe]

On 9/8/2021 at 8:44 PM, FirebirdMan said:

I just picked up a used white 2008 Firebird V by chance at GC. I went in to buy an Orange cab and they just hung it up. I picked it up today. I also have a 2017 burst with Steinberger tuners. The ‘08 has banjos. I like them both. My question is why Gibson doesn’t have white in their lineup anymore. They are freaking hard to find. I sold one 10 or so years ago so I am glad to have gotten another.

Dave - Seattle

White is the hardest finish for Gibson to paint. Too much contaminates from other colors in the booth. At least that is what I have read.

[Coachmoe]

I started this thread and here we are almost to 2023 and still no USA production Firebirds of either variant. The Gibson contact I used as the basis for several of my posts is still on the Les Paul Forum. It would seem that his original information, at the time, was correct but no USA production of non revers birds has occurred yet. I personally believe that Gibson is still backed up in production on certain models. I do not think the Firebirds are a priority at this point in time based on the difficulty to make them. 

I will reach out again to see if there are any new developments.

[marco mancini]

18 hours ago, Coachmoe said:

I started this thread and here we are almost to 2023 and still no USA production Firebirds of either variant. The Gibson contact I used as the basis for several of my posts is still on the Les Paul Forum. It would seem that his original information, at the time, was correct but no USA production of non revers birds has occurred yet. I personally believe that Gibson is still backed up in production on certain models. I do not think the Firebirds are a priority at this point in time based on the difficulty to make them. 

I will reach out again to see if there are any new developments.

They have tried to sell that firebird specimen at 9k  which  more than a guitar  looked like  a  rusty  sink  , and lo and behold  they sold them ! Who knows  maybe  this  time  with Mark Agnesi  as counsellor  they will lunch a Firebird  Allen Collins signature  at 20 k 

Edited December 18, 2022 by marco mancini

[Wmachine]

I consider Gibson listing a current USA Firebird model on their website to be sufficient evidence that they have not been discontinued.

[Coachmoe]

57 minutes ago, Wmachine said:

I consider Gibson listing a current USA Firebird model on their website to be sufficient evidence that they have not been discontinued.

Wmachine, 

First, Gibson has not been diligent in updating certain areas of their website. It's been that way since the new ownership took over.

Second, have you not read my previous post where I named the source of my information? I got my info from Mat Koehler, who is with Gibson Product Development. The original info came from Mat in a post on the Les Paul Forum.

In short, several in this thread have tried to order USA Birds with no success. I have given info from a Gibson rep saying USA Birds are no longer available.  I think the point to take away is this: USA Firebirds are no longer available,  regardless of what the Gibson site says.

[Wmachine]

12 hours ago, Coachmoe said:

Wmachine, 

First, Gibson has not been diligent in updating certain areas of their website. It's been that way since the new ownership took over.

Second, have you not read my previous post where I named the source of my information? I got my info from Mat Koehler, who is with Gibson Product Development. The original info came from Mat in a post on the Les Paul Forum.

In short, several in this thread have tried to order USA Birds with no success. I have given info from a Gibson rep saying USA Birds are no longer available.  I think the point to take away is this: USA Firebirds are no longer available,  regardless of what the Gibson site says.

I understand what you are saying and also read what Matt had to say about it.  I'm not at all saying that they are available at this time.  Not being available at this time does not equate to "no longer available" or "discontinued" which, at least to me, mean basically never again.  So maybe we are splitting hairs on wording definitions.  I see this as a matter of "when", not "if".   This is nothing new.  There have been gaps in the production of FBs, Vs, and Explorers over the years due to relatively low demand.  Also keep in mind that even though some disappear over the years, guitars are not exactly consumables.  I know we'd like to think that Gibson would simply make them based purely on demand.    But we know that Gibson is going to make what (they think)  will be profitable despite demand.  I totally agree that the "PIA to produce" factor must also keep production at bay.  PIA meaning more that just expense.  If it were just expense, they would simply charge more. 

It appears to me that Gibson is sending a clear enough message: "If you really want something bad enough, we'll make it for you".  But getting it can likely mean Custom Shop.  Custom Shop seems to keep evolving into just another production line for Gibson to be able to charge even more for Gibson guitars.  That tell me what their answer is to competition.  They are going profitability by not trying to compete as much on the USA level and selling more at more expensive levels.  And as long as people want to buy beat up guitars, they will continue to make them.  They are doing their best to make those appear to be an art form.  But I just see that they are naked.

Anyway, I really hope this trend does not put basic versions of all classic models out of reach for most.  Also, just for the record, has Gibson made any USA FBs as shown on the Gibson site in 2021-2022? 

[Coachmoe]

13 minutes ago, Wmachine said:

 

Anyway, I really hope this trend does not put basic versions of all classic models out of reach for most.  Also, just for the record, has Gibson made any USA FBs as shown on the Gibson site in 2021-2022? 

There have been some reports of people who were lucky enough to get 2020 USA Firebirds. There are three firebird FB groups that I belong to and occasionally a 2020 pops up.

[SteveFord]

I have a 2020, it's called Luden because it's the color of a cough drop.

The pick ups sound really good in this one, that head stock could stand some improvement (it's flat like a Fedner, tuners are real close together).

I wasn't looking, I don't know if there were any 2021 or 2022 models.

[Coachmoe]

25 minutes ago, SteveFord said:

I have a 2020, it's called Luden because it's the color of a cough drop.

The pick ups sound really good in this one, that head stock could stand some improvement (it's flat like a Fedner, tuners are real close together).

I wasn't looking, I don't know if there were any 2021 or 2022 models.

SteveFord,

In my original question to Mat Kohler of Gibson, I mentioned that the tuners are too close together. I suggested to mat that maybe Gibson could fan out the tuners like Epiphone does on their IBG Firebirds.  I put strip tuners on mine so that it resembles a 65 transition model.

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Coachmoe
added pics

[SteveFord]

That looks better.

They probably weren't selling very well so they just left the listing up until the stock was gone.

Maybe they'll do something really weird like put the headstock back to how it was with the banjo tuners which is what everybody would prefer.

Then they'll sell more of them.

[Wmachine]

I wanted to address this separately.   I think the upper end EPI vs Gibson USA may also play a hand in potential Gibson USA production.  I hope it is not Gibson's plan to eventually further blur the lines between Gibson and EPI and have EPI make basic models of less popular models and only Custom Shop lines of those models.  I expect Gibson to concentrate on higher priced gear.  EPI continues to offer upper end models that easily rival the Gibson USA product.

And here is a FB example of that,  the Slash Firebird.  There is a Gibson and an EPI version.  Never mind that they are truly Limited Edition, never mind that they are not really FBs.   What is most interesting is that both versions are almost identical.  The fret boards are pau ferro vs rosewood and the Gibson has a flame cap vs flame veneer topped cap.  The rest is virtually identical.  Oh, I almost forgot to mention, one was $7000 and other was $900. 

FWIW, I bought the EPI version new on a whim when it was a MF SDOD for $599.  Found out true to its specs, it is definitely not a FB.  But it is a really great guitar.  Fit, finish, and quality is excellent.  Easily Gibson USA level.  Sounds great, plays great.  It is a real hybrid, though.  Can't say it is like any other model or brand even. Like it has no identity.  But in a good way.  

[marco mancini]

I managed to find my own  which i love to bits , found out  in a vintage store in california  and i will never give it away , the problem is  the kind of Firebirds you produce  .