midiman56 Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I encountered this beauty at Cowtown Guitars here in Las Vegas. It's used, obviously, but in really beautiful shape. It sounded amazing and felt like it was made for me. It seemed to have a tiny bit of trouble staying in tune ... but it also had extremely light strings on it (I'm guessing 8's). They are asking $599 withthe original HSC. I'm gassing BIG TIME, folks ... may I ask for your opinions and/or experiences with this guitar, as well as your thoughts on the price? Thanks! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I've played a couple of the Epi Firebird VII's (the ones with the three mini-hums), and while the Epi version lacks the neck-through construction of its Gibby big brother, they do have a lot of that distinctive Firebird tone --- it's the only Epi Firebird that ever appealed to me. $599 in good condition with hardshell case seems like a pretty fair price, based on what they've been going for on eBay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Summerisle Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Well...an honest question deserves an honest answer. Let me preface this with a proviso: if you've played it, and you like it - then go for it (please don't allow me to put you off!) However...much as I love Firebirds, I've never been a fan of Epi Firebirds. To my mind, the crucial element to the Firebird is the through neck. This, coupled with the mini-hums, is the magic combination which gives rise to the piano-like tone which a good Firebird should have. The through neck also makes the Firebird a formidable slide guitar. If I were a wealthy man, I'd love to have a Firebird set up for slide alone... But the Epi Firebird in your picture at least has the mini-hums. This is good...the new Epi studio Firebirds may be nice guitars, but those full-size humbuckers are just wrong! (and make the guitar tonally not dissimilar from a G-400). I suppose you could look at the problem this way. What you have there is a nice version of a Firebird VII. The last Gibson-made version of that guitar retailed for close to $2K (and now seems to have vanished from their line-up in any case). If you are a Firebird 'purist' you may never overcome the absence of the through-neck, but if you are open-minded on that issue, then I'm sure that you could do an awful lot with the Epiphone version. I can't speak to the vibrola, however. The Firebirds I have owned in the past were both Firebird Vs (equipped with a stop-bar), but I have to say...the vibrola does make the guitar look wonderful. Some say it's not a Firebird without the banjo tuners...whereas others say the banjo tuners are the bane of their existence... You're making me misty-eyed for Firebirds now...The last one was a reluctant sale, to say the least (it was a stark choice between paying my last semster's tuition, or hanging on to the 'bird. I chose the career, probably a smart move, but still...) I've been gassing for one of these lately: ...but then, truth be told, I've been gassing for a lot of things lately. Maybe when my ship comes in... So how to summarize this? The object of your desire looks like a nice guitar. It has some of the features of its Gibby cousin, but not the through-neck. If you can live with that fact, and otherwise like the guitar, then H[future]NGD(!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheatlands Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Firebirds are funny creatures. People seem to either love them or hate them. I choose my Firebird over a Fender Jaguar. Best decision I ever made. Even though I love playing my Les Paul, and my Casino, playing the Firebird just makes my day. Some people say they are unbalanced. I never found that to be a problem. If it plays good and feels good, go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiman56 Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 Thanks for the feedback, guys. I'm gonna go down there and spend a little more time with it before doing anything rash. There's a few out there that are calling my name ... a WildKat and a Casino just to name a couple. Something about that Firebird did speak to me though. As far as the balance goes, I found that the big old butt end more then compansated for the neck heavy design of the guitar ... it has a place to rest your arm. I think the other thing I like about it is the fact that you don't see hundreds of them everywhere you look. It's a unique design that is still a classic. I'm not about owning the same guitar in a dozen different colors. I try to make buying decisions based on how well a guitar will fit into and add to my present line-up. Now ... if funds were not an issue, then it would probably be a different story! I appreciate all of the good advice regarding the Gibson vs Epiphon versions of the guitar too. You guys are great! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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