I held off from buying one of these because I'd heard rumours Epi would be coming out with a higher end version featuring a stepped headstock and banjo tuners. But after seeing the price of those I suddenly decided a flat headstock and Grover minis are just fine. 😉
In October 2006, purchased a $1699 (hardcase included) ebony Gibson Firebird V that was mispriced in the shop as a Studio ($1270) model. It would melt this seven ways to Sunday, and take its milk money too. They are out there.
Firebirds were the first guitar I had seen and immediately went, "Yeah! I gotta have that!" It was a Fretted Americana Phil X video. He was playing a 1964 Ember Red FB iii. My first I got was a 1995 Gibson Firebird V, and after owning and cycling through a whole bunch of them (including 2 of the one you demo'd here but in green), I am back down to that original one I got. I do wish I still had one of the green EPIs though. great value, they were used and both had a case. Would've been a fun mod platform.
Nice review. It’s important to note that the neck is a “neck-through”, which means that the laminated piece of wood is machined from stock that runs from the top of the headstock to the bottom of the guitar, and that equates to unbelievable sustain! Love mine. Those pups are blades and not poles (from what I’ve read). Tones are awesome. Great low end and you can get really nice and shrilly highs from the top. It’s a long guitar, but I’m a tall knuckle dragger, so it fits me perfect. Wish I had gotten it sooner, I could have avoided buying a few others. It’s a really versatile axe. Thanks for the vid!
Bought one of these two years ago, and it is the absolutely the best deal in the Epiphone lineup for what you get. I'm not sure how you would justify the new Firebird release for $1000 more when the differences are the USA pickups, tuners and hardshell case. Otherwise the construction and electronics are the same.
An absolutely amazing guitar at this price point. I recall reading that Gibson had a tough time making money on the originals back in the 60s because of the expense of building the through body neck design. To pick up a really nice version like this Epi for less than a grand is fantastic. Just look at the laminate that runs the length of the neck. I love mine.
I think this is one of the better Epiphone’s that are at a realistic price. I had one but did move it along, since I also own a Gibson Firebird. But actually, I do miss it might repurchase it. My Gibson has P90s so it’s a different beast.
You like them P90s? Black or cream? Allen Collins from Skynyrd had a P90 loaded Fire bird.. Balance is freaking perfect, got all that mass on the headstock.. You couldn't put the Gibbi in an Epi case?
Yeah, I love the P90s (black), it’s one of my favorite guitars for sure. I found the Gibson slightly smaller actually than the Epiphone, at least the model I have. The model I have has a set neck instead of a classic neck through.
Nice, this is another guitar that I haven't ever picked one up, let alone played on. It looks great, sounds great, perhaps I need one of these styles of guitars too. Dammit Landon.....
The $599 one is awesome. I had a 1976 Bicentennial Firebird and it was the best sounding guitar I ever heard. Now, I have a goldfoil tele with mini humbuckers and the tones are inexhaustable. Still, the cheaper Firebird is all you need.
This particular model is a steal compared to Epi’s latest stunt releasing the custom colour FB’s with banjo tuners and tremolo arms. Not worth an extra $1500 Cdn. I’ve had the model you demoed for a few years now. I use it in a band that does a whole set tuned down to E-flat. I put 11’s on it…it truly is a Tele on steroids! Great review
Damn that sounds great! I was never terribly attracted to the firebirds looks. But I’ve certainly heard a few who’s sound very much impressed me! Better looking and sounding then most SG’s though! Their prices tended to scare me away!
Just picked one up myself. Great thick tone especially from the neck pickup. Awesome deep bass tones. With all the real estate left over below the tailpiece it makes me wonder if it could be modified to extend the scale length to something like a 28” baritone
This Epiphone Firebird model at $930CAD is exactly half the cost of the new 1963 Epi/Gibson Firebird 1 and 5 ($1860CAD) series Gibson just released (with 5 cool colors). Ironically these Epi Firebird Probucker pups in this cheaper model are close to vintage spec. While reviews I've heard of the new 1 and 5 the Gibson versions sound a lot like the post 2012 hot Firebird pups (14/26kohm). We'll see when they get measured. I've got two sets of the hot Gibson FB pups (Al5 and Ceramic) and I love the tones, but they're not vintage spec.
Thanks me, i mean you... errrr me? Always enjoy your brand of humor Landon. Appreciate the firebird review/dissection. Never played one before. Gonna have to go take one for test drive some time soon. If you find the bird too bright, some folks change 1 or even both pots for 250's. Sorry if that was redundant. See ya on the next one.
For a second there, I thought the guitar was going to be baby blue. I think the Firebird may be Gibson’s coolest guitar (although HUGE). But tone-wise, I don’t think there is a specific Firebird tone. It’s not like a Tele or Strat where you can pick it out blind-folded. Cool, though!
@@maxwellbowden9961 Good point, although the '63 Firebird that he's known for (when playing slide) sounds a lot different than most Firebirds because it has the original Firebird-design pickups before they switched over to the standard mini-humbuckers. He had said he liked the '63 because the tone with those pickups sounds more like a Fender than a Gibson. His main guitar since the'80s was an Erlewine Lazer.
My question about all new Firebirds is 'do they have actual Firebird pickups?' Firebird pickups are a different design than simple mini-hums and one of the most distinctive traits of a Firebird, but these seem to be just regular mini-hums. Not sure why Gibson/Epi is so averse to making real FB pickups these days.
I purchased the Gibson 2022 model for $1600 in cherry red. Same sort of headstock deal. (Banjo tuners and carved headstock boost the price by 100%+) The cavity had the cheapest resistors, sloppy wiring, and the pickups measured 22 and 24 ohms! Spent $450 immediately on a total rebuild of the electronics. That one you have is MUCH better stock.
I bought a Epiphone inspired by Gibson Firebird January 2023 and absolutely love it .👍 I don’t like the size of the Epiphone hard shell case I bought for it. I’m sure somebody could design a smaller better fitting version ?
They have an amazing sound to them. They do more than expected, but ouch. Although for the price in the link is a lot better than the over priced $1,200 version.
I love my Firebird, but the switch and output jack are typical Epiphone fare. I'm going to proactively replace those, and the pickguard with a black one with gold Firebird logo. Then it will be perfect.
This guitar is super hot! My only disappointment at this price point are the mini Grover tuners. I for sure would want the classic banjo tuners dunno if one could swap them without any other modifications?
I like Firebirds a lot. The new ones are cool, just not too sure how I feel about $1,600 Epiphones yet. Think it would be like hearing Squiers are $1,000 all of the sudden. In a few years, maybe it will seem reasonable. For now, it's a big jump from budget guitars where Epiphone has fit in my whole life.
They are killer guitars.. Surprised you didn’t mention neck-thru construction… I loved mine & still regret selling it - reason i sold - bigger is huge and the case weighs a bunch!
If that guitar were priced 400 bucks more, one could easily say "Of course, check out that laminated neck thru body design!" Epiphone Firebirds are under-priced. That suits me. I ordered one yesterday (and the optional hard case).
@@landonbailey can we move on from what’s the frequency? :) Supernatural Superserious? Walk Unafraid? Or Burning Hell from the early albums. For clean I’d go with Wolves, lower
I appreciate the neck-through build but $1700 for a chyneez Firebird copy? Without any shielding paint in the cavities even? No thanks. For that money I can buy a Japanese-made E-II, a Korean Ibanez Iceman or three, or several Korean Agile AL3200s. The prices of Epiphone guitars are not commensurate with their quilts and there are many cooler guitars out there for less.
