What’s so great about a Gibson Firebird?

Over 45 years after its inception, this guitar enjoys a cult following that continues to grow

Every time I look at a Firebird, I have to laugh.  Gibson was so desperate to catch up with Fender back in the early ’60s, they hired a car designer to help them come up with something more hip. Personally, think the guy was on cat-nip. What a nutty looking guitar. But I have always loved it and think it is nothing short of  hipster-doofus-genius.

Initially, the reverse headstock and protruding bottom horn left some scratching their heads. But as time went on, this guitar gained a loyal following. Much like Turkish coffee or filter-less Camels, the Firebird is an acquired taste; the first few puffs might throw ya. What always gets me at first is the balance; much like an SG, most of the weight is in the neck and even more so in the headstock. Unlike a Les Paul or a Tele, that feel centered around my waist, the Firebird always fells like it’s sneaking away from me as I play it.

Once you get used to the slightly odd balance, you can really start to enjoy the tone. Anyone who knows me is aware that I am a mini-humbucker fanatic. I have used quite a few different Firebird pickups, but always in a Strat or a Tele. They do sound a bit different in their native environment.  Although it sports a standard 24 3/4″ scale, the Firebird always feels somewhat “stringy” to me, much more than a Les Paul. A big part of this is the fact that due to the reverse headstock design, the low “E” machine head is substantially further from the nut. This is a slippery fun feel that gives your low end more sugar and tightens up the high strings nicely. The original pickups were not extremely hot, but I’ve played a few re-issue models that had real scorchers in the bridge position.

Often overlooked is the fact that the Firebird was the first neck-through-body production model guitar that Gibson ever put out. There are also later flavors of set-neck as well. Much like its big cousin, the Les Paul, the body is made of Mahogany which is a huge part of the Gibson tradition, although there are also strips of Walnut. Sadly, the official run ended in the ’60′s due to poor sales, but there have been a number of reissues. Unlike many revivals of great guitars, I feel that the recent models hold up well against their legacy. Even by today’s standards, this is a very unique guitar that was way ahead of its time. It may have been designed to look like a sports car, but the Gibson Firebird will always be a very classic guitar to me. If you are looking for something a little different, check one out.