guitargreg1993 Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 hey, i was recently looking into buying one of the firebird V's gibson is offering now.... does anyone have a firebird? what do you like/dislike about it? the price is $1700: worth it? http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-GIB-DSFR-LIST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oringo Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 I'd say you'd better play it, and make sure you like it! on the plus side: unique sound, especially the neck mini-humbucker, warm and sparkly excellent sustain unique look---you won't see one at every gig on the down side: HEAVY Unbalanced Neck-heavy really bright bridge pickup without the Fender "bell" tone thick neck/body joint NECK-HEAVY neck is at least two frets to the left compared to the body of any other guitar, -you'll be playing in B when you think you're in A low-geared banjo tuners Did I mention it's heavy and NECK-HEAVY? Personally, I love Firebirds, but I think there's a simple reason you don't see too many being played on stage---they are not user-friendly guitars. Of course, listen to Johnny Winter, Kal David, or Gatemouth Brown on his non-reverse, and you'd think any hardship would be worth it for those sounds, but those guys would still sound great on a cigar box with a shoestring... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejay Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Play one before you buy one... I am not really a fan of the Firebird Vs. Firebird Studio and Non-Reverse (2002 Custom Shop models) are nice birds for sure. I see a Firebird Studio in my future... got wind of a Father's day present! Both Firebirds are disc models now... would have to find them somewhere out there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc3c46 Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 You'll love it or you hate it. I just love mine. The tone is to die for and the feel of the neck is just great. But: try before you buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitargreg1993 Posted June 4, 2009 Author Share Posted June 4, 2009 Both Firebirds are disc models now... would have to find them somewhere out there... actually thats not true... the online dealers are now selling 09 firebird V's... and thanks for all the tips guys.... i appreciate it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Seems like you can only find the reverse Firebirds for sale -- THOSE are the headstock-heavy tilt monsters. The non-reverse Firebirds are far more balanced. Very nice. Not that you'll be likely to turn one up... I guess everybody prefers the 'Explorer with Down syndrome' look of the reverse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 tuners...they sucks! but i love FBird's line and body!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejay Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 actually thats not true... the online dealers are now selling 09 firebird V's... and thanks for all the tips guys.... i appreciate it I meant the Studio and Non-Reverse models are disc... the Firebird Vs are still in production Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I like them a lot. But... What do I know:-" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solacematt Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I loved my Firebird studio. The weight thing didn't bother me at all because I like my guitar to be weighty to begin with (hence why I'm not a fan of chambered instruments unless a semi-hollow-body). I played a Firebird with mini-humbuckers and they sounded like 57's, very thick and full sounding, not bright and sparkley like a Fender. As for the size being uncomfortable, if your a little dude, yea, it won't be as comfortable as a smaller bodied instrument like a Les Paul. I'm 5'11 and a frontman, so a Firebird, RD, sit very comfortably on me. Friends of mine who were shorter than me felt those instruments were too cumbersome and uncomfortable, so there are definatly a few factors that come into play on whether or not you could enjoy playing a Firebird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejay Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I loved my Firebird studio. So the bird is gone? Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codyyy Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I played a Custom Shop Firebird someone had ordered in Guitar Center but canceled. It looked like it was a mint white color, I loved playing that guitar. Now a different Guitar Center has a white one which I love, looks like an antique white. I love the feel of the neck, the sounds, and the shape is awesome. I can't afford it though. I wish someone had a wrecked or maybe decent Firebird body, I have just about all the hardware to put one together, but unfortunately I hardly ever see anyone selling just Firebird bodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solacematt Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 So the bird is gone? Why? Because I have an '07 RD Reissue modded with 57 Classics. Same feel, almost the same look, better balanced and overall I kind of like it better. It became my main replacing the Firebird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejay Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Because I have an '07 RD Reissue modded with 57 Classics. Same feel' date=' almost the same look, better balanced and overall I kind of like it better. It became my main replacing the Firebird. [/quote'] That's cool. Didn't care for the Dirty Fingers humbuckers in the RD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solacematt Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 That's cool. Didn't care for the Dirty Fingers humbuckers in the RD? No, those pickups were godawful. Too loud, and waaaay too low endy, no high's. Played a few open chords and you would just get a loud slosh of low end. I ended up giving the Dirty Fingers to a friend and he put them ona few cigar box guitars. In exchange he installed a set of 57's in the guitar :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpeeeeeee Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 hey' date=' i was recently looking into buying one of the firebird V's gibson is offering now.... does anyone have a firebird? what do you like/dislike about it? the price is $1700: worth it? http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-GIB-DSFR-LIST [img']http://www.americanmusical.com/ProductImages/Large/55162.jpg[/img] Hi all, I'll try to make this the short version. Playing for 30 years, never owned a Gibson or Fender. March 2008== Got a credit card in the mail to replace one I forgot I had and never used with a HIGH limit...went to GCenter and Sam Ashfor the hell of it. I play a neck thru body shrimpfork Dean V. Tried some strats at Sam Ash...NONE were in tune off the shelf and that turned me off. Walked down the strip to GC, tried some LP's (big Page fan) nothing screamed at me..then I tried the vintage white Firebird V through a Marshall combo. Wasn't as dark as a LP or as thin sounding as a strat. Drove home, got changed for the gym so pround that my unemplyed butt didn't buy it after all. Walked on the treadmill for 45 minutes with this thing calling me the whole time. I simply could not get it out of my mind. Something about that tone resonated with me even though I don't really get into any Firebird players. Went home, packed up a 100watt Marshall Full Stack (the head with the deep boost) and an all original early 1970's Fender Bassman(or was it a band master?) Cab with 2x12. Price tad was $1850.00 with the trade in, I paid $125.00. For the first week or so, I didn't even play it...just opened the case, looked at it, and laughed. No excuses, I played a 1984 Dean V for YEAAARS and moved up to this! Call it shock, call it whatever, I just couldn't believe I owned a Gibson Firebird. I did some modification on it. First, I put a Lollar Firebird pickup in the bridge position. I thought the original Gibson was a bit shrill. Lollar describes the sound as a Fat Tele pickup...that's pretty accurate. I like using BOTH pickups and the volume knobs for each to zero in on a tone. More neck tone when playing up the neck, more bridge down near the nut. As mentioned earlier, the headstock with those Banjo tuners, is heavy. Okay so one of them wast loose from the get to and Gibson mailed me another one. I still didn't like the gear ratio on the Banjo tuners, let alone the weight. I've since installed Steinberger gearless tuners with a 40:1 ratio. I use a Peterson Tuner Pedal (strobe) and these tuners stay in tune MUCH better than the Banjo's. I like neck-thru bodies being raised on a V, but this Firebird is not body-heavy. It's actually pretty light. Not as light as a Parker, but then again, not as heavy as a Les Paul (non chambered). It's a 9 ply Walnut and Mahogony neck with Mahogony wings. So you get a pretty light guitar with the added sustain of an thru body neck. You get some Fendery sounds (which if I'm not mistaken was what they were shooting for) without sounding exactly like a Fender. If I put on the neck pickup and play around the 12th fret thru my GB BP30 2x12, I get the outro solo tone of Walk this Way by Aerosmith. Besideds Johnny Winter et al, there is some discussion elesewhere about the lead guitar solo on the studio version of Free Bird, also being done on a Firebird. To give you some idea of the tones you can get out of it. It's one of those guitars that will no doubt cut thru in a live situation without the mud. Just to get some idea of the tone, I'd sit down with a nice tube amp, and plug straight into it with no overdrive/distortion at all. You can always add that later. Play different positions on the neck using different pick up combinations and cut back the tone or volume controls a bit. See if it's a tone you like. Good luck, J.P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Buy it...you wont regret it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitargreg1993 Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 I meant the Studio and Non-Reverse models are disc... the Firebird Vs are still in production ooo ok... well thats good... because personally the V is my favorite model... ive never been a fan of the studio or the reverse... they both look rather ugly to me... but yea i was thinking if i did buy it i would change teh tuners to the gearless ones cuz i know a guy who did that to his firebird and he says the steinbergers are a lot better... id also find a maestro tremolo to put on it... cuz quite frankly i love the way it looks on a firebird body... then maybe, just maybe id get another pickup to sorta make it look like a firebird VII.... but idk. thanks for all teh additional help guys... ill have to sit and think about this one. what do you guys think of the mods im thinkin about? :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James St. James Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 I HAVE AN ORIGINAL 65 FIREBIRD NON REVERSE IN TV WHITE WITH 3 P-90'S AND I LOVE IT IT'S GOT TONE OUT THE AZZZZZZZZZZZ AND IS LIGHT COMPARED TO A LP CUSTOM AND NOTHING CAN BEAT 3 VINTAGE P-90'S. I ALSO HAVE A NEWER STUDIO FIREBIRD THAT I PUT IN 57 CLASSIC'S JUST FOR A DIFFERENT TONE AND I DO NOT LIKE THE WAY IT FEELS IN MY HANDS ETC........THE BALANCE IS WAY OFF COMPARED TO THE NON REVERSE/ THEY ARE MAKING A LIMITED EDITION OF CUSTOM SHOP NON REVERSE FIREBIRDS.... THE FIRST SINCE 2002, WHAT A DIFFERENCE IN VERSATILITY AND TONE WITH THAT OLD WOOD THOUGH AND FIREBIRDS LIKE SG'S HAVE PROBLEMS BREAKING NEAR THE HEADSTOCK DUE TO THE 17 DEGREE HEADSTOCK AND THE THICKNESS OF THE HEEL OF BOTH THE SG AND FIREBIRD. BUY ONE YOU'LL LOVE IT AND THE BEST PART IS YOU'LL STAND OUT A BIT AS EVERYONE NOW IS PLAYING LESPAULS AND FORGOT ABOUT ALL THE GREAT ES MODELS AND SG'S THAT GIBSON MAKES......I HAVE 40 OF EM AND CAN THINK OF 40 MORE I WANT NOW !!!!! JAMES ST JAMES PS NICE CREAM LATTE PAUL GIBSON KID....I HAVE ONE MYSELF GORGEOUS AREN;T THEY???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejay Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 THEY ARE MAKING A LIMITED EDITION OF CUSTOM SHOP NON REVERSE FIREBIRDS....THE FIRST SINCE 2002 They are reissuing these again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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