Shaker Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I have a Firebird V and need some advise/suggestions about the bridge pickup tone. I do not like the bridge pickup tone that much. The sound seems "harsh" and appears to lack "depth" or "warmth". I realize that there are many things that could be done (different pickups, capacitors, volume pots, pickup height, etc). I want to know some of the experiences that other Firebird V owners may have with the bridge pickup tone. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I have felt your pain . So I shoved a 498t in the bridge and a BB pro in the neck and never looked back . Honestly it's my main AXE , don't tell the guys in the Les Paul forum . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oringo Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I heard a famous guitarist refer to the Firebird bridge pickup with the tone pot turned up to 10 as a "rainstorm of nails on a tin roof." I think I've always used the neck pick-up in my Firebirds 80% of the time, especially for solos, both pickups 19%, and the bridge alone during sound checks just to see if it is working... Seriously, I've tried different pickups, and so far, the ones I like the best are the older alnico Gibsons, which seem to get close to a Tele twang without sounding too dry. Modern ceramic Gibsons sound harsh, the Seymour Duncan SM3 is nice and clear, but I find it less warm than an old Gibson. SD Antiquity sounds very much like the 60s Gibson. Kent Armstrongs are warm but a little mushy compared to the old Gibsons. I've been using 500k pots and .47mf caps. I find I like to use the bright sound of the bridge pickup clean, playing far away from the bridge. In anycase, I don't think a mini-humbucker at the bridge is much use for overdrive/distortion/shredding. That said, does a Firebird with full-size humbuckers sound that different from an SG? I'm not really looking for another guiter right now, but I'm kind of intrigued by the Nighthawk which might be just the thing to go from a Firebird sound to a Les Paul sound without switching guitars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 The only major difference that my ears hear is the tone is a little darker than the SG , Just a touch less mid , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaker Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 I found that RS Guitarworks sells a pot/cap replacement kit specifically designed for Firebirds http://www.rsguitarworks.net/rsstore/product_info.php?products_id=420 Anybody out there who has tried this kit?. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
77custom Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I like the Seymour Duncan SM-3. It is MUCH warmer than the stock ceramic. But, the ceramic sounds really good in my Les Paul Deluxe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibis Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Jason Lollar makes Alnico Firebird pickups, like they used to be. Proper dual blade bucker design under the casing, (defo not a regular mini HB with pole pieces and screws like you get on LP Deluxes). The RS 'Treble Tamer' for the Firebird seems popular (uses a 300k bridge vol pot), but you could experiment with other, individually purchased, pots of differing values, to get the sound you like. That'll be cheaper than the RS kit or the Lollar pups! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oringo Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Hey this might sound like sacrilege, but anyone else ever try one of those very cheap "Diesel" Firebird pups? I bought one actually for its gold cover since it was so cheap ($15.00), thinking I'd swap the cover, onto one of my other pup's to put into my VII. Once I got it, I saw it was properly wax-potted, and looks suspiciously like some Kent Armstrongs I've got sitting around, though it measures a fairly hot 13k ohms (modern ceramic territory). I decided to wire it up at the bridge and give it a try before gutting it for the cover. It's not bad at all! It kind of sounds like a comparable output full size humbucker, and has more mid range than most Firebird pickups I've tried at the bridge. I'm going to leave it in for a few months and see how I like it. One thing, it is slightly larger than an original Firebird humbucker, so be careful if you're using an original pickguard on a non-reverse! For reverse Firebirds, it comes with its own ring, so no need to get out the file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaker Posted September 12, 2008 Author Share Posted September 12, 2008 "Diesel" Firebird pups" Interesting! Keep us informed, please. BTW, did you have any trouble changing the pickup covers? I did not think that you can leave covers off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oringo Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 I had assumed that Firebird pickups were put together like full size humbuckers, that is magnet, pole pieces or bars and coils attached to the base plate, and covers just soldered on, but one day I had to repair a broken 1990 era Gibson FB pup, and discovered something very different! The coils and magnet are not directly attached to the base plate, but epoxied into the cover, the base plate then being soldered on. In other words, changing covers on one of these without destroying it would be pretty much impossible. I've never taken apart a 60's era Firebird pickup, and after I saw the innards of that later one I don't intend to if I don't have to. The gold cover of the Diesel was originally intended either for an old NOS Bill Lawrence L550 I've got sitting around or one of the Kent Armstrongs I've got sitting around with chrome covers. I don't feel reluctant about doing surgery on the Armstrongs, and the Lawrence is completely epoxy-sealed (and no one wants them on Ebay, anyway) so any mods I would have to make to get it into the cover would be external. In the mean time, the Diesel in the bridge position continues to please me. It's hooked up with an original early Gibson at the neck, a Seymour Duncan SM3 in the middle, and a three volume/one tone wiring scheme, so all combos are possible. I've been playing it clean and dirty through different amps and direct to my mixer, and it seems to be a very good pickup. I've got to get past my prejudice that it's an el cheapo asian made, Ebay bought thing. In a few weeks, I think I'll have a clearer opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Paul Fanatic Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 I have felt your pain . So I shoved a 498t in the bridge and a BB pro in the neck and never looked back .Honestly it's my main AXE ' date=' don't tell the guys in the Les Paul forum . [/quote'] AXE how could you betray us in the Les Paul forum?!?!?!?!?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluezguy Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I hate to say but, I too went the cheap-*** route and tried a GFS in the bridge position. Not my tone for life on this 'bird but it is a 'recordable' sound now and much more pleasing to the ol' earballs. Kinda like a P90... and well worth the money ($30). I use it for slide work on a 100w Marshall and rhythm work with pots rolled back. It sees live performance most Friday & Saturday nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mule 1 Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I've had luck with the stock pups by turning the tone down slightly. My Firebird V is the one with flame maple wings so I'm not sure how that affects it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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