Chibson Firebird

Fatfingers

Fatfingers

Fatfingers

Loobs

it says Gibson on the headstock

Fatfingers

My expectations were only that it looked like the guitar he advertised. He may well think it does - to a non guitar nerd it looks spot on. It's just not what I wanted.

Moe_Zambeek

Not too keen on the chibson but the shirt looks funky

guitargeek62

Ah that's a shame that it wasn't closer. How does it play/feel/sound though? Not so much as a comparison to your other FB, but in it's own right?

Firebirds are really quite complex builds compared to some, and a lot of unique parts on them. I'm surprised that it doesn't at least have mini-buckers of some description though!

Fatfingers

It plays okay and sounds a lot better than the Gibson. I never got on with the sound of the proper one and tried a different bridge pickup to no avail. 

I should have ordered a Flying V. I've never held a proper one and I'm sure if one turned up that was this well made and this close to the real thing, for 200 quid, I'd be happy as Larry.

Moe - yeah! Just bought the vintage shirt from the US. I was just trying it on!

dindude

To avoid disappointment, i always assume the Chinese have the same attention to detail with guitars as my wife (I.e. That looks exactly like a Firebird to her).

usedtobe

Looks pretty good - if not quite what you wanted..

ThePrettyDamned

Wait, it's 190 quid and sounds better than a Gibson to you?!

I'd take that as a win!

OilCityPickups

Artec make Frebird mini humbuckers in China ... so the seller's excuse for nor fitting FB pickups seems a little lame.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/191131012341?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

As far as sound goes ... Gibson have a history of messing with the original Firebird pickup design in order to gain more power ... and the modern ones are still not as 'warm and chewy' in the mids and bottom end as the originals. Of course you will never really get a full on 'big bobbin' humbucker sound with a 'Bird' ... but that's not what they were designed for.
Personally I think I'd have rather dropped the 190 on a second hand Epi Firebird ... true it isn't built like the original ... but it has the 'look' (and that's what most people love) and it isn't illegal sell on when you tire of it.

Fatfingers

It sounds better than the Gibson Firebird V reissue I have, yes. But that's because they have nasty, overwound ceramic magnet pickups. 

I wanted this so I could sell that. But now I think I'll keep it and sell this. The Gibson logo is only on the truss rod cover so it comes off easily enough. Obviously, I've no intention of passing it off as a Gibson. But as a cheap Firebird type guitar, it's actually pretty nice. It has a thru-neck, which I don't think Epiphones have.

underdog

Swap the truss cover and put it on eBay I'd be amazed if you didn't make a profit on it

Corvus

It looks pretty nice, shape might not be quite right, but looks better than Westfields(?) and other flat-topped copies. And the through-neck is good. If I didn't have to sell my Tokai 'bird I'd be interested. Reckon it should sell easily enough. Might be able to wipe the name of the t/r cover with a bit of celly thinners - avoids buying another to find it's not quite the same hole line-up etc.

lustycourtier

It looks more like an explorer tbh. I love the new FBpickups, but they need adjusting correctly. once 'right', they sound better than BBs. They have a 'hot spanky tele' tone.

 

 

 

 

Fatfingers

That might be my photography (I use the term loosely). It's actually pretty close to the Firebird shape. If I keep it I'll stick a pair of cheap mini humbuckers on it and keep a look out for some banjo tuners.

Lusty - when you say adjusted right, what process do you of through to do this? My Gibson Firebird came with the action pulled right up for slide playing and the pickups all over the place.

Bogwhoppit

Fatfingers said:

Do you keep cows in your house ?

Fatfingers

Yes. I breed bonsai Friesians.

Bogwhoppit

Fatfingers said:

Yes. I breed bonsai Friesians.

We had one of them. Half boarder collie, half cow.