Now we know for sure! It is funny how specs get misconstrued online. This was a pretty good guitar. The pickups weren't too bad - but they could use a little more clarity and punch. Definitely a solid guitar if you've been looking for an inexpensive 'bird! 🔴Reverb: reverb.com/item/18529855-1968-gibson-sg-standard-cherry?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly 💰New to Reverb? Get $10 on Me ➡️ reverb.grsm.io/earn10 👕 Merch: teespring.com/basic-logo-4245?pid=211 🎸New Guitar Day Program: troglysguitarshow.com/ngd/ ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/ 🐕 Episode Guide: 0:00 - Intro - Check Links In Description! 0:16 - New Epiphone Line Up 0:29 - Original Designer Series 1:13 - Why is Epiphone Firebird Special? 2:26 - Pricing + Alternatives 3:10 - A Bit of Firebird History 3:40 - First Impressions 6:14 - Is It Really Neck Through? 6:55 - Inside Look / Specs 13:10 - Clean Tone 14:12 - Dirty Tone 15:19 - Final Thoughts 19:05 - Blacklight Test 19:36 - The Box
Hey Trogly, do you ever plan on doing a video about the Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster ? I think it's a fantastic instrument and I'd love to know your opinion about it
Fan Favorite means just that. What gets the best views? It's not that the 335 is a joke. It's that he's developed a following which doesn't typically like hollow bodies. I mean, do you expect Ibanez guitars to be a "fan favorite" considering what kind of channel he runs? Same thing.
Epiphone Thunderbirds have been one of their staples while they’re practically a rarity in Gibson’s output. Strange that Firebirds have been the opposite.
Someone was actually buying the Thunderbird-equivalent to this here guitar while I was at the local music store for the first time in forever, the other day! :-))
Luka Marinov Bassists shell out big money for brands that aren’t as well known among guitarists. Pedulla, Warwick (Framus), Fodera, etc. But yeah, Gibson never really figured out the bass market. I’d love a G/Ripper.
Luka Marinov Depends on the style of music and the bassist’s preference. I know that Frankie poullain, one of the few bassists I look up to (I’m a guitarist), uses a Gibson thunderbird and his tone is monstrous.
Trogly, you missed one great feature on this new Epi Firebird. Those pickups have the vintage construction and output, unlike the Gibson Firebirds of recent times. These have Alnico magnets inside the bobbins, like the vintage Firebirds, up until recently Gibson has been putting higher output ceramic magnet minis in the Firebirds, which don't have the vintage construction and don't sound like a vintage Firebird pickup. FB minis are different than the minis that come on LP Deluxes and such. Vintage Firebirds have a sound that can be described as between a Tele and a full size humbucker. It is a big deal that Epi has made true Alnico magnet FB pickups for these Firebirds, something that Firebird fans have been urging Gibson to do for years. I was really surprised that you didn't mention the new "correct" pickups on these Firebirds, as it is one of the things that players have been waiting for, for a long time. I wish Epiphone had put the vintage correct banjo tuners on this model, but I guess they are just following Gibson in that respect, as Gibson has put standard tuners on their recent Firebirds, for some unknown reason.
Now THAT is great news about the pickups! Those ceramic ones are trash and in my opinion part of the reason Firebirds have remained a niche guitar. Pretty sure Gibson quit with the banjo tuners because they ran out of Steinberger stock after buying the company and ceasing production. They're back available again now, though, so I'm not sure why they wouldn't use them, at least on the US models--they are quite a bit more expensive. I've had both Steinbergers and traditional banjos on my Firebirds and would say I like the Steinbergers better--I would probably never buy one with these tuners. Not cool!
Hi Alan, thanks a lot for this information. Where do you hear about this? It was exactly in my mind when I had the chance to compare this Epi Firebird to several Gibson Firebirds the first week in March. However my Musicstore gets one very early and so it was very interesting to play it side by side with the originals. As I said before I was really impressed of feel and playbility. And, believe it or not, in my ears the Epiphone Birdy sound a little bit better than the Gibson´s - the sound of the pickups was clearer although they were not so loud. Reading your comment now makes it clear! Got my Epiphone Firebird 2020 now for a week and one thing is sure: it will stay a long long time with me! Bluesy Greetings from Germany!
Actually the ALNICO pickups are the only reason to buy or reject a firebird from any brand. It's unbelievable that Gibson is using ceramics on their firebird. What a waste of money, better go with this one.
I bought a Gibson Firebird in 2017 and the minis PUs as well as being ceramic were massively overwound ( Bridge 26.6 k, Neck 16.4 k ). The tone was all over the place, not bad with gain but very compressed for cleans, so I bought some handwound replacements ( 7.2k & 6.3k ) and the guitar was transformed. A super-fat Tele in many respects, but it had cost a lot to get there. Six months later I spotted one of the Epi Bonamassa Birds, less than half the price of the Gibson, and it's a beauty. A single Alnico bridge pickup c. 7.5 k and an old school fat neck. If these new Epi Birds are in the same league as the Joe B model, with an extra pickup, then they'll be absolute winners.
I'm buying the drab green Tuesday...it will be my first Gibson/Epiphone brand...I'm a Fender guy, i own 3 strats atm..I've had a few other brands...but I can't wait...Happy Birthday to me✌️
Firebirds are pretty much the only Gibson that I personally think sound good. Those minihumbuckers sound sooo good. Johnny Winters figured this out a long time ago. Epiphone has been seriously stepping up their game.
Yeah I really want one of the new Gibson LP Deluxe reissues with the mini humbuckers. But I'll never be able to afford one. So I could buy an epiphone firebird and swap out the firebird pickups for mini humbuckers and get that gorgeous sound. And anyway the firebird is a guitar I don't have yet. I already have les Pauls. It'd be nice to have a guitar as unique as the firebird
I think the thing that hurts Firebirds is their lack of finishes. If you're not a big fan of the burst, what do you get to choose from? They're wonderful guitars though, i love mine. I'm glad you mentioned the Diamonds, they're great guitars that nobody ever talks about!
Totally agree. Everything is les Paul. Nobody knows what an SG is. Even AC⚡DC's Biggest fans don't know what a Gibson SG is. The only V anyone knows about is a Jackson.
Just bought one and I love it. The tones are great and unique, “chimey”. Sounds incredible through my custom, hand wired 30watt “Marshall style” amp with a 4/12 Vox cab. Also sounds incredible through my ‘65 re-issue Twin Reverb. Clean or driven. But the driven tones are really cool. It’s a work of art anyway you look or listen...
Thanks for this review. I was surprised to see that my local music store actually had one of these hanging on their wall, they had ordered it right away once it was available when Epiphone first started shipping them but luckily for me nobody had bought it yet, so when I spotted it there two weeks ago I instantly put a deposit on it, then went in to buy it the following week. Now that I've had it for five days here is what I can tell you about mine: The finish work is basically flawless, the black line along the raised portion on the body was done correctly, there isn't any chipped finish under the truss rod cover, the pots all work perfectly, the toggle switch is a bit loose but doesn't rattle like the one in your video. There was quite a bit of fret buzz on the A string at the first fret but when I checked the neck I found zero relief, so when I loosened the truss rod and got some relief in there the problem went away completely. One thing that you'll find interesting is that the B string on my guitar is noticeably quieter than the G string, just like on your guitar. Weird! But it's not bad enough to bother me. I went through a bunch of my other guitars to see if any of those had this kind of issue and they do have slight differences in volume. Maybe it's got to do with resonance in the wood? All in all this is a FANTASTIC guitar, especially at this price. Hats off to Epiphone for building such great guitars!
I am a card carrying member of the reverse firebird cult! I love the look of these guitars, although I have never played one. I always wanted one, but I went for the Les Paul instead, but for $599 maybe I can finally add one to my collection. Good work as usual, Trogly!
Honestly Firebirds can be a little difficult to get used to if you're coming from a Les Paul in my experience. The different pickups often don't sound the way I think they will, sort of like a Strat. Not a bad thing, just peculiar
@@bipbipletucha I feel like the pickups in this (and the mini humbuckers in the LP Deluxe) are better suited for mahogany guitars than the regular humbuckers. The regular ones can sound too dark to me tbh Mind you one of my absolute dream guitars is an all mahogany strat. The dark mahogany with the bright strat single coils. It'd be killer But I do love my firebird and mini humbucker pickups in mahogany too. Though the true daddy is the p90 in mahogany, nothing is quite as good as the sound of that, like in a LP goldtop or a LP Special. It's just a magical combination. Sounds so raw and aggressive But man I'm really interested in this epiphone firebird. I think it'd be so versatile for a lot of different things.
I made myself a non-reverse lefty (easy with a righty 22 fret righty strat neck). I might do a better one with the neck through (instead of just a bolt-on). The tuners are banjo tuners, on the originals.
I was always a Fender guy, relying on them being quality instruments at not a garage-load of cash and quite pleased with the looks, sound and playability of my Stratocasters. Most of the bands I played in were blues based and the Strat was a perfect fit. About 20 years ago I bought an Epi Les Paul standard to fool around with and have never looked back. While I still have my Strat, I also have an Epi LP Custom Pro and an Epi ES-335 Pro that I turn to more than my Strat. I play just for enjoyment now and mostly pick up one of my Epis to noodle with. I think they are well worth the cost and I have never had any problems with them, from purchase to set-up to playing. I will always recommend an Epiphone as a good instrument that delivers excellent sounds. Cheers, Austin. Stay safe.....
I ordered mine, along with the new Epiphone Flying V, in February. Got the Flying V March 2nd, and it blew me away!!! The Firebird came last Thursday, and it's stunning as well!!! No issues with either one. Epiphone has really upped their game in the last few years, and I'd be hard pressed to find a better guitar for the money. I also have the Bonamassa Firebird 1, and an earlier Firebird Studio with the Steinberger tuners, both are neck heavy. The 2020 is light and well balanced. A lot of versatile tones using the expressive tone controls. So glad I bought them both!!!
My favorite shape is the Firebird shape. It has a built-in arm rest that fits my right arm perfectly. And the neck is just a little more to the left than others. I love that. I am surprised that more don't admire the shape.
I had the opportunity to play with one of these for an evening. It was really a sweet guitar. It was much nicer than I thought it would be. It was impressive to play and I was told that was right out of the box as it came from Epiphone.
The new Firebirds (since 2018 i believe) from Gibson have the same headstock as the Epiphone. So actually, Epiphone has the exact same headstock as the Gibsons.
They started doing this in limited numbers a few years back with the Japanese market factory Lyre vibrola guitar. A downgrade in my opinion. I have one with mini grovers and one with Steinbergers and the latter are far superior.
Thanks for the Review, I'm a Telecaster player, but I decided to get one of these, it's my first Epiphone. I love it. It plays great, It sounds great, and yes, The Neck pickup is where it's at on this guitar. The Fretwork was perfect and the finish had no flaws. Yes, I will Rock this axe !
They aren't mini humbuckers, they're a completely unique rail design (on the original). That, along with the neck through body are what have it it's unique sound. Somewhere in the middle of a single coil and a humbucker, with a lot of harmonics coming from every resonant part of the instrument being on one block of wood.
The pickups which were on the Firebird are not a mini humbucker they are using a bobbin which houses the magnet in its center the coils then wrap around it. This is what gives this guitar its unique tones.
Hey trogly you should do a partial mod series, where you replace the pots, output Jack, switch etc, but not the pickups, on a budget guitar, and see the difference it made and/or compare it to an expensive guitar
@WaurufEx I've personally done this to a 2006 Epi Les Paul SG Custom reissue and it made a decent difference. Main thing I did was swap for Gibson USA pups, 50's style wiring, 500k CTS pots, brass nut and Nashville style bridge ( though ABR 1 would have been more authentic ) with an authentic USA Maestro trem and it ended up sounding great. I did that about 12 years ago and was able to sell it off for twice what I paid for and put into it. If an electric is constructed well and proper it really just comes down to electronics to mainly change tone. That's why I think higher end Epis that come with CTS and Gibson pups ( pre 2020 ) were a great deal.
but then he would have to actually PLAY guitar..... not noodle around like my 12 yr old son does... at least Trogly should get a real musician to demo the guitars because.......damn
@@KazeAkiyama which is why the dude cant talk about 'how it plays' because its like me telling a motorbike person how a particular bike rides, as i dont know how to ride a fricken motorbike. its just damn frustrating.
I like that the strap button is behind the neck rather than on the body. I had a epi firebird studio that had the strap button on the body and it would dive like crazy
People think that scarf joints are a bad thing, but you don't see nearly as many Epiphones with snapped off headstocks as you do Gibsons, and the scarf joint is the reason why.
Brian Forlin they are not a bad thing. However, lack of a scarf joint denotes a high level of wood quality. It can get very hard to find wood the length of the neck+headstock.
BULL SHIT!..I have repaired 1Epi LP and 2 SG headstocks...Not saying that scarf joints are at all bad,The problem is still here with the truss rod route creating a very thin spot in the center of the neck,To be fair one of the SG's was broken at the neck below the headstock...
Really? The headstock is holding you back? The reason I'd never buy ANY Gibson guitar is the horrendous fret wire they use on seemingly all their guitars.
@@KalosPVP No no :) The headstock isn't holding me back, I LOVE reverse Firebirds, I own seven ( 3 Gibsons and 4 Epiphones ) but I also like the non-reverse Firebird because it's different...
@@KalosPVP The reason I'd prefer a non-reverse is the location of upper strap button. Every Gibson or Gibson-style I've ever owned with the button at the neck heel gets it moved to the upper horn......it just balances better. With the reverse Firebird, the upper horn is to "far back", making the balance even worse.
I bought a non-reverse real Gibson Firebird about 10 years ago on eBay for about 1300.00 w case w 3 pickups. Plays and sounds amazing. An off white color.
I love your guitar reviews! I learn so much. I couldn't find a better epiphone firebird review on line. I've watched this video 5 times and finally got the firebird today! Thank you!
I was in Dallas, Texas when Cream Final Tour played Me and a friend went all the way from Hot Springs, Arkansas in a Pink Mustang ...1969 Final Tour and Eric Clapton was playing them Firebird, I was Standing there TRYING TO NOT JUMP UP AND DOWN SCREAMING like a 19 Year Old child, FAIL. He played "Spoon- Full" with Mostly his Backside to the Audience--IDKwhy but I had ALSO SEEN CLAPTION Play """"LIVE""" in Hollywood twice before and THIS FIRE BIRD GUITAR CONCERT was the best ever playing by Clapton "EVER!" I seen "threads" discussing this and THOSE LIKE ME WHO WAS really THERE stay adamant and have the supremacy standing as "EYE-EAR-AND BEING a Guitarist in a Band, (with a 1966 Gibson ES 330 guitar) " Claptans Playing on the Dallas show STANDS OUT and the THUNDERBIRD GUITAR is totally STAND OUT as His Best Ever- also he was on some KILLER DOPE that night, but we don't judge him, Damn I am 70 Years Old and Still Play guitar.JUST TRADED A EPIPHONE 2001 Les Paul Delux Black for a Brand New EPIPHONE ES 339 P90 PRO!
One of those guitars I glance at in passing, and go about my way. Kinda like Fender's limited custom Telecaster FMT HH. Finally bought one, love it!. I am not a big Gibson fan, except for a nice SG. This Firebird is really cool! Now I need to find one to play so I have an excuse to buy one! Thanks Trogly!
I'm a Johnny Winter fan so I've always wanted a Firebird. I did have a non-reverse one back in the '70s. I remember it being big and heavy but great sounding. I sold it around 76.
Hope you got one...I will add one of the to my arsenal and never even paid attention to one until this vid.And.Im a Guitar snob and own USA guitars...lol
just got a epiphone firebird the other week. after new strings and some adjustments i really love mine! everyone has their opinions but i think it sounds and plays great
Vittorio “Vic” Vergeat of the band Toad used a Firebird very similar in style to this one and he absolutely slayed on it. Just check out their song “Pig’s Walk” off of their 1971 debut!!
With 800+ comments may have missed this. The low volume on the B string could be an issue with the bridge or tailpiece. Obviously you've probably got it figured out by now. In my experience, that's always been something to check with low-end (haven't had a higher end Epi) Epis and Ibanez's as well. Great video, super-informative, thank you very much!!!
Mine is the best I've seen from Epiphone, the action is crazy low without any buzz and it's just a beautiful guitar. I got a 50's standard Les Paul recently too and the frets are awful, they need resetting and I was so disappointed with it. But the Firebird is a definite favourite!
Interesting that you noted the B string was quiet. The original Firebird design had a tiny steel plate sitting across the two alnico bar magnets, directly underneath the B string to increase its output. I bet these Epiphone pickups skipped including it - a lot of modern reproductions do.
I have one and I've noticed a drop in output on the B string too! Good to know it's a thing, I guess, but it's a shame they didn't relocate the original PUP design as you say. Thanks for your comment.
I've been wanting one of the new '20 Epiphones since they launched, and the Firebird was (and still is) at the top of the list. Always love looking at these in-depth reviews so I know what I'm getting!
great honest review. Thank-you sir. I am trying to decide weather to get the Gibson or Epiphone Firebird five so this review is right up my alley. I have the Epiphone Polymist gold Joe Bonamassa Firebird one. I found it pretty much unplayable out of the box, ( it was painful to play for a long time). Once my luthier finished gluing in the frets and did a plek on it at Weston Instruments it has become a dream to play. I find it so playable now for hours. I prefer it over my American Fender strats these days.
Gibson had three different style headstocks on the Reverse birds in the 60s. The first version was the one like on that anniversary one, with the banjo tuners, two colours, and carved out areas for where it matches the rest of the finish. This is the one that you see more in modern custom shop birds and reissues because it's the most aesthetically pleasing. For most of the original custom colour birds they switched to a design that still had the carved layers, but was just one solid colour to match the body. There was a final batch of reverse firebirds made in 1965 that were considered "Transitional" because they had P-90s and a prototype mirror version of the non-reverse headstock (that swapped banjo for normal in line tuners). This is the style on the 2020 Epiphone and has also been the default non-CS Gibson firebird headstock for a few years now, much to the chagrin of die hard fans and purists...
I'd like a III as well. They had two pickups, a vibrato and dot inlays. That's just what I'm looking for. I'd refinish it in red (if not already that color) because I hate sunburst. It's also relocate the switch to a position similar to that of a Lull FX (a Firebird copy). I hate where Gibson places most of their pickup switches. And for those of you complaining about the flat headstock and/or lack of banjo tuners, Gibson went to the flat heading design and conventional tuners towards the end of the original run of Firebirds. There are even some transitional models that feature P90s instead of the Firebird humbuckers.
Trogly, if you read this post, I just want to chime in and say that the Epiphone Firebird that I purchased three weeks ago had the same problem as the one in your review where the B string has much lower output volume than the G string. Very weird! I've never had that issue before and I've owned piles of guitars. The music store that sold it to me offered to exchange it for a new one that they had just received, which was very nice of them I must say. The new one has perfectly balanced output across all 6 strings and that is on both pickups. I'm super glad to have this one because as much as I tried to ignore the string balance issue with my first Epiphone Firebird it was really starting to bug me. Since we've both experienced this problem it appears that Epiphone had a run of these FB720 mini humbuckers that were wonky for lack of a better word.
I’ve noticed a lot of ads claim rosewood especially in the description but are laurel. Not just from Gibson or Epiphone. I just ordered a cheap Squire mustang. That’s when I noticed it.
The Pau Ferro and Indian Laurel fretboard woods that are being used in $450.00 and up, price ranged guitars is a result of the regulations levied on Rosewood and it is a general positive for the consumer. Historically, Pau Ferro and Indian Laurel fretboards were found only on high end, boutique guitars. I have guitars with all three of these fretboard woods. The Laurel and Pau Ferro might feel a little better under the fingers than Rosewood but they both are definitely better to look at in my opinion. Tone ? Couldn't say there is any difference. If there is,..it wouldn't be worth mention.
This is also a great guitar for some really gritty slide type Johnny Winter music. I'm very happy with mine. My local guitar tech flipped it for me since I'm left handed. No issues there. A great deal for the price!
I have a cherry Epiphone, and it has full-size pickups, raised center, and the bird's legs are painted blue. Absolutely amazing resonance. I don't know the pedigree/year of origin.
Allen Collins and his Firebird was the reason I picked up the guitar in the first place. Owned SG, Strat copies, BC Rich, got an Epi LP Special Mod now, going for Firebird next!!!,🤠
I had an 86 Epi FB. Had a single in the neck, hum in the bridge and, yes, a steinberger trem. I filled in the trem and routed the neck out for a humbucker and she was one of the absolute BEST epi's I ever owned.
I bought one recently in the Drab Green and my only criticism with it is the fret work, I'm gonna have to get the frets levelled and dressed as there is fret buzz up and down the neck. As far as the neck profile, finish quality and tone, it's pretty darn good!
My old man has a JB Firebird I, when we got it the truss rod was actually hanging out of the neck, however up to pitch with 10s the neck was arrow straight. My guess is they backed it off so much during setup they basically unscrewed it from the anchor. I've never seen a more perfectly straight neck, tho.
I have one and I find it very easy to play. Exceptionally easy to play. This guitar is ginormous. It's very long. Like a foot longer longer than most guitars. I like that though. A lot. I am grateful to the Trogmaster that he does in-depth reviews including a tear-down. I have lots of guitars and this one is one of my favorites. These are a different animal.
I always thought that the SG and Firebird were Gibson's best designs,- the simple and the luxe.The mini hums really do make the difference, the decided preference of those who listen. It would be nice if they did some more colours; I've seen the blue from older releases, and the gold was cool; either would do.
I have the mid 90’s Epiphone Firebird Custom VII in Cardinal Red with gold hardware, three mini humbuckers, and Maestro Vibrola. It is a killer guitar! Bigger headstock and gold tulip tuners. They also did an all gold like a goldtop, black, and sunburst too. Total sleepers.
i think the original firebird pickup used a bar magnet mounted horizontally instead of the usual 6 cylindrical vertica magnets . some say it is brighter.
I have a 2006 Gibson Firebird and it has proper firebird pickups. They are not mini humbuckers. They use two blades instead of pole pieces and are low output. They sound great but there is a distinct tonal difference
I want to know why gibson/epiphone designed the tone pot layout with the lead tone pot further away from the other three pots on firebirds, always gets my mild ocd going
Because that area is really tight if they keep them equidistant. Makes it harder to get in and make quick knob adjustments with your fingers (like on an SG), compared to the guitars with much more room- Les Paul, 335, etc.
I jave this guitar... love it.. changed the bridge and tailpiece to gotoh alum and about to get handmade pickups for it and redo the pots and wiring... just the new bridge and tail made a huge difference.
yes I'm legally blind virtually blind I guess you could say and I'm not able to see the difference on the headstock I know that I'm my bird 2017 it's pretty much if I'm not mistaken a traditional it has a veneer on the top of it it's not what it's plastic but yeah and I got the steinberger tuners which are pretty pretty pretty much cool with all you would think right that a guitar like that would have the best tuning stability but out of all of my guitars my gretsch g5422t hollow-body is the most stable guitar I have to analyze it's utterly unbelievable how stable it is anyway thanks for your comment then just thought I'd comment to that keep safe and the excuse the typos and whatnot I guess you can figure out I use speech to text and it does what it wants to sincerely yours, Bob the blind bedroom
@@TheChadPad The Gibson's are just as expensive as always, and they look almost identical to the Epiphones. The Epiphone has that same amazing body through, multipiece neck too, so, unless you just GOTTA have a Gibson, these Epiphones are a MUCH better value. Just have the frets and intonation prepped by a good luthier, and maybe upgrade the tuners. I recommend changing the bridge saddles out with 6 quality tusq pieces, then you'll have 'pretty much' the same guitar for almost 1/4 the price.
Hey Austin , love your show I bought one of these Firebirds-and it’s been great, Great tone and sustain ...Also bought one of the squire, paranormal Telly’s. Baritone, both due to your show and your excellent reviews thank you so much for taking the time .
I'm glad that you mentioned the B string issue. It's a problem with these pickups. I got an Uptown Kat with gold versions of these pickups, and a guy I know has one of these Firebirds. It's a pickup issue, and it drives me nuts, so I ended up swapping pickups, which solved the problem. Buyer beware! These pickups are *not* well balanced string to string, and there's no adjustment to be made.
Pssht!.... was waiting for some 'FREE-EE-BIRD yeah!' lol. Can't believe he didn't rip some Allan Collins (or at least some early Clapton riffs). Reverse Firebirds kick ass but finding an original 60's Gibson in decent condition is a nightmare, never mind expensive.
Trogly,I was having a similar issue with my back pickup,on my Epiphone Firebird,the A string was very weak sounding. Had a Luthier look at the pickup,he found a 1" x1/4" metal shim between the pickup,and pickup cover.The guitar sounds great now ( minus the shim) (Shameless Plug Coming Up)You can check it out on the B.B. King/ Johnny Winter tune "It's My Own Fault" ,on my channel . Nawenko:wa (Great Thanks- Mohawk Language) .
I have a Firebird in my rack, and it really IS a "strange bird". Very difficult to "pigeonhole"...tone-wise. The nearest thing I can think to say is... "Classic early 70's rock tone"...that tone that existed somewhere between 70 and 73. It's not my favourite guitar, but...every now and then, it's nice to play.
I was selling a thunderbird pro recently and somebody offered to trade me one of these for it, went round to his place to check it out and see how I liked it before responding to the offer. although I didn't end up taking the swap, I was throughly impressed by this thing. it sounded so much brighter than I expected, almost like a hot single coil without being too chirpy. I couldn't get over the neck though, I imagine if you've played one for a while it would feel a bit more natural but in my hands it didn't feel quite right. more than likely my own fault considering that in terms of guitars I've played nothing but epi/gibson flying v's for a handful of years. I'd definitely urge anyone who likes the look to go down to their local and give one a test drive, they absolutely rip when paired with an orange micro terror.
I have two now, this model and the Olive Drab green version too, Firebirds are now my favorite guitars, I really like the long string pull on the lowest string, great for drop tuning and running heavier gauge strings. The neck-through design is another revolutionary design.
The PU's are the Joe Bonamassa ones. They are real Firebird PU's not mini HB's. HB's have one large PU across the base of the PU and Firebirds have magnets on their edge one inside each bobbin. You get HB noise free sound but Strat chime.
I've had one of these for a few weeks now and I'm enjoying it a lot. I've had a hankering for a Firebird for years but I could never justify the price of a Gibson, even used, for a guitar that would only get occasional use. Given how close the Epi version is to the Gibson, it really is quite a bargain. You mention the headstock, but the current Gibson Firebird has the same headstock shape and tuners; as I understand it, Gibson are only offering the original headstock and banjo tuners on custom shop reissues, which are north of $4k. From what I've researched, those anniversary Firebirds had high output ceramic pickups that bore little resemblance to original Firebird pickups. When Epiphone released the FB720 pickups on the Bonamassa model, many were commenting on how they were closer to vintage Firebird pickups than anything Gibson were offering at the time. So, aside from some electronics, the biggest difference between the current Epiphone and Gibson Firebirds is a poly rather than nitro finish. That strikes me as a good deal if you fancy one of these. As for some of the issues mentioned in the video, my guitar's switch doesn't rattle around, and the string-to-string balance is fine. I gave mine a fret level and crown, but in all honesty, it probably didn't need it. The improvement in playability was minor, and I was really just being pernickety. I will say, however, that the fret ends could use a little rounding off. Not a major problem, I'm not conscious of it when playing the guitar, but I'll take a file to them at some point in the future. Mine is also surprisingly light in weight, which mitigates the ungainliness of the design somewhat. All in all, it's an excellent guitar for the money, and for me, I honestly can't see a good reason to buy the Gibson version, unless having a nitro finish is a significant factor.
Just licked one of these up today. Played about 10 or so guitars in guitar center. It was between this one and an ibanez iceman around the same price, i liked the neck on the epiphone and it has a natural spank to it.
Awesome Trogly《☆》I still have my Epiphone 2001 FB VII. It's still in original condition with the FB pickups & Lyre vibrola in gold. I think mine is probably more visually stunning in vintage sunburst & definitely has more tone with 3 pickups. I would like to see Epiphone do an Allen Collins FB with a P90 grafted on🤓🗣🔊☮✌👍🏾☠SKYNYRD☠
I read on another video's comments that there is a metal shim of some sort underneath the pickup cover on the E and B side. If you take it out everything is fine again.
Now we know for sure! It is funny how specs get misconstrued online. This was a pretty good guitar. The pickups weren't too bad - but they could use a little more clarity and punch. Definitely a solid guitar if you've been looking for an inexpensive 'bird!
🔴Reverb: reverb.com/item/18529855-1968-gibson-sg-standard-cherry?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly
💰New to Reverb? Get $10 on Me ➡️ reverb.grsm.io/earn10
👕 Merch: teespring.com/basic-logo-4245?pid=211
🎸New Guitar Day Program: troglysguitarshow.com/ngd/
❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/
🐕 Episode Guide:
0:00 - Intro - Check Links In Description!
0:16 - New Epiphone Line Up
0:29 - Original Designer Series
1:13 - Why is Epiphone Firebird Special?
2:26 - Pricing + Alternatives
3:10 - A Bit of Firebird History
3:40 - First Impressions
6:14 - Is It Really Neck Through?
6:55 - Inside Look / Specs
13:10 - Clean Tone
14:12 - Dirty Tone
15:19 - Final Thoughts
19:05 - Blacklight Test
19:36 - The Box
YES! TRUE NECK THROUGH AT 599 IS AMAZING!
HELLO
Hey Trogly, do you ever plan on doing a video about the Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster ? I think it's a fantastic instrument and I'd love to know your opinion about it
There's Hagstrom fantomen too
I want one !!
Trogly: Les Paul, Flying V, Explorer and SG are fan favorites.
335’s: Am I a joke to you?
Exactlyyyy
Damn streight. Gibson's best instruments are all hollow and semi hollow.
Fan Favorite means just that. What gets the best views? It's not that the 335 is a joke. It's that he's developed a following which doesn't typically like hollow bodies. I mean, do you expect Ibanez guitars to be a "fan favorite" considering what kind of channel he runs? Same thing.
Scut Monkey it was a joke, man.
@@ScutMonkey that's a tough generalisation you did there
I'm different. The Firebird is my favorite Gibson guitar!👍😎🎸🎶
Me too
yep. the best. I am with you on that one
Same!
I have two. Fully agree
@@jimbailey1122 cool!👍😎🎸🎶
Epiphone Thunderbirds have been one of their staples while they’re practically a rarity in Gibson’s output. Strange that Firebirds have been the opposite.
Someone was actually buying the Thunderbird-equivalent to this here guitar while I was at the local music store for the first time in forever, the other day! :-))
Imagine if they did a $599 Thunderbird with a bunch of new finishes?
Luka Marinov Bassists shell out big money for brands that aren’t as well known among guitarists. Pedulla, Warwick (Framus), Fodera, etc. But yeah, Gibson never really figured out the bass market. I’d love a G/Ripper.
Luka Marinov Depends on the style of music and the bassist’s preference. I know that Frankie poullain, one of the few bassists I look up to (I’m a guitarist), uses a Gibson thunderbird and his tone is monstrous.
Conor Winston lol - yeah they have never been good
Trogly, you missed one great feature on this new Epi Firebird. Those pickups have the vintage construction and output, unlike the Gibson Firebirds of recent times. These have Alnico magnets inside the bobbins, like the vintage Firebirds, up until recently Gibson has been putting higher output ceramic magnet minis in the Firebirds, which don't have the vintage construction and don't sound like a vintage Firebird pickup. FB minis are different than the minis that come on LP Deluxes and such. Vintage Firebirds have a sound that can be described as between a Tele and a full size humbucker. It is a big deal that Epi has made true Alnico magnet FB pickups for these Firebirds, something that Firebird fans have been urging Gibson to do for years.
I was really surprised that you didn't mention the new "correct" pickups on these Firebirds, as it is one of the things that players have been waiting for, for a long time.
I wish Epiphone had put the vintage correct banjo tuners on this model, but I guess they are just following Gibson in that respect, as Gibson has put standard tuners on their recent Firebirds, for some unknown reason.
Now THAT is great news about the pickups! Those ceramic ones are trash and in my opinion part of the reason Firebirds have remained a niche guitar. Pretty sure Gibson quit with the banjo tuners because they ran out of Steinberger stock after buying the company and ceasing production. They're back available again now, though, so I'm not sure why they wouldn't use them, at least on the US models--they are quite a bit more expensive. I've had both Steinbergers and traditional banjos on my Firebirds and would say I like the Steinbergers better--I would probably never buy one with these tuners. Not cool!
Hi Alan, thanks a lot for this information. Where do you hear about this? It was exactly in my mind when I had the chance to compare this Epi Firebird to several Gibson Firebirds the first week in March. However my Musicstore gets one very early and so it was very interesting to play it side by side with the originals. As I said before I was really impressed of feel and playbility. And, believe it or not, in my ears the Epiphone Birdy sound a little bit better than the Gibson´s - the sound of the pickups was clearer although they were not so loud. Reading your comment now makes it clear! Got my Epiphone Firebird 2020 now for a week and one thing is sure: it will stay a long long time with me!
Bluesy Greetings from Germany!
Actually the ALNICO pickups are the only reason to buy or reject a firebird from any brand. It's unbelievable that Gibson is using ceramics on their firebird. What a waste of money, better go with this one.
I bought a Gibson Firebird in 2017 and the minis PUs as well as being ceramic were massively overwound ( Bridge 26.6 k, Neck 16.4 k ). The tone was all over the place, not bad with gain but very compressed for cleans, so I bought some handwound replacements ( 7.2k & 6.3k ) and the guitar was transformed. A super-fat Tele in many respects, but it had cost a lot to get there. Six months later I spotted one of the Epi Bonamassa Birds, less than half the price of the Gibson, and it's a beauty. A single Alnico bridge pickup c. 7.5 k and an old school fat neck. If these new Epi Birds are in the same league as the Joe B model, with an extra pickup, then they'll be absolute winners.
I am amazed. I had a 1976 bicentennial Firebird for some years. This Epiphone accurately duplicates the tone of the Gibson.
Idk why Firebirds are so left out... they look so cool and sound amazing, what is there not to love?????
They are not very comfortable sitting down.
Shayne, Firebirds are Great for Slide too. Just ask Johnny. Derick Trucks uses one Now because of Johnny. Yup!!!
Money
IKR?! I'm a Tele guy but I've loved the Firebird since I saw a video of Allen Collins playing one years ago.
The mini humbuckers are a dealbreaker for me-gimme a Firebird with full-size 'buckers or P90s, & I'll definitely be interested.
If i live long enough to sing "When I'm 64" next May, This is my BD present. I'm in love.
I'll be 64 at the end of the year. Not really looking forward to it.(if I'm completely honest). Happy Birthday in advance.
@@bluesingmusic3443 Happy Birthday to you in advance, too ! Getting older hasn't bothered me too much. Wish i was retired, though.
Glen, Yeah Man. I'm ichin for one too.
You say it’s your birthday!? It’s my birthday to yeah... you say it’s your birthday!? Happy Birthday to ya!!!!
Lol
I'm buying the drab green Tuesday...it will be my first Gibson/Epiphone brand...I'm a Fender guy, i own 3 strats atm..I've had a few other brands...but I can't wait...Happy Birthday to me✌️
Firebirds are pretty much the only Gibson that I personally think sound good. Those minihumbuckers sound sooo good. Johnny Winters figured this out a long time ago.
Epiphone has been seriously stepping up their game.
Like a Tele on steroids. Neck pickup sounds killer. One of the best sounds out there.
I think it’s an absolutely fabulous guitar, at that price, it’s an absolute winner.
John, For the Price. We're all WINNERS!!!!!
Yeah I really want one of the new Gibson LP Deluxe reissues with the mini humbuckers. But I'll never be able to afford one. So I could buy an epiphone firebird and swap out the firebird pickups for mini humbuckers and get that gorgeous sound. And anyway the firebird is a guitar I don't have yet. I already have les Pauls. It'd be nice to have a guitar as unique as the firebird
I think the thing that hurts Firebirds is their lack of finishes. If you're not a big fan of the burst, what do you get to choose from? They're wonderful guitars though, i love mine. I'm glad you mentioned the Diamonds, they're great guitars that nobody ever talks about!
White firebird look amazing, in my opinion. But you hardly ever see them
Care taker of a cr in '85 or so.
The sb is IT for me. All a matter of preference.
Rock on.
Burst is best
Totally agree. Everything is les Paul. Nobody knows what an SG is. Even AC⚡DC's Biggest fans don't know what a Gibson SG is. The only V anyone knows about is a Jackson.
@@Barney5G I wish they made a White Johnny Winters model.
Just bought one and I love it. The tones are great and unique, “chimey”. Sounds incredible through my custom, hand wired 30watt “Marshall style” amp with a 4/12 Vox cab. Also sounds incredible through my ‘65 re-issue Twin Reverb. Clean or driven. But the driven tones are really cool. It’s a work of art anyway you look or listen...
How does the neck play? is it really thick near the body?
Thanks for this review.
I was surprised to see that my local music store actually had one of these hanging on their wall, they had ordered it right away once it was available when Epiphone first started shipping them but luckily for me nobody had bought it yet, so when I spotted it there two weeks ago I instantly put a deposit on it, then went in to buy it the following week.
Now that I've had it for five days here is what I can tell you about mine:
The finish work is basically flawless, the black line along the raised portion on the body was done correctly, there isn't any chipped finish under the truss rod cover, the pots all work perfectly, the toggle switch is a bit loose but doesn't rattle like the one in your video.
There was quite a bit of fret buzz on the A string at the first fret but when I checked the neck I found zero relief, so when I loosened the truss rod and got some relief in there the problem went away completely.
One thing that you'll find interesting is that the B string on my guitar is noticeably quieter than the G string, just like on your guitar. Weird! But it's not bad enough to bother me. I went through a bunch of my other guitars to see if any of those had this kind of issue and they do have slight differences in volume. Maybe it's got to do with resonance in the wood?
All in all this is a FANTASTIC guitar, especially at this price. Hats off to Epiphone for building such great guitars!
I am a card carrying member of the reverse firebird cult! I love the look of these guitars, although I have never played one. I always wanted one, but I went for the Les Paul instead, but for $599 maybe I can finally add one to my collection. Good work as usual, Trogly!
Honestly Firebirds can be a little difficult to get used to if you're coming from a Les Paul in my experience. The different pickups often don't sound the way I think they will, sort of like a Strat. Not a bad thing, just peculiar
@@bipbipletucha I feel like the pickups in this (and the mini humbuckers in the LP Deluxe) are better suited for mahogany guitars than the regular humbuckers. The regular ones can sound too dark to me tbh
Mind you one of my absolute dream guitars is an all mahogany strat. The dark mahogany with the bright strat single coils. It'd be killer
But I do love my firebird and mini humbucker pickups in mahogany too. Though the true daddy is the p90 in mahogany, nothing is quite as good as the sound of that, like in a LP goldtop or a LP Special. It's just a magical combination. Sounds so raw and aggressive
But man I'm really interested in this epiphone firebird. I think it'd be so versatile for a lot of different things.
I made myself a non-reverse lefty (easy with a righty 22 fret righty strat neck). I might do a better one with the neck through (instead of just a bolt-on). The tuners are banjo tuners, on the originals.
You had to choose between two 600 dollar guitars, not sure you can afford both but you have a "collection"? Of what? Used Squier bullets?
I’ve always been a tele guy and firebirds are hands down the best Gibson’s to play
Your attention to detail is why I continue to love your reviews. You are honest, and do not pull punches.
Just bought one ... been an Epi fan and owner for years now ... the Firebird is the Dark Horse of all Rock Guitars; absolutely killer Guitar.
I was always a Fender guy, relying on them being quality instruments at not a garage-load of cash and quite pleased with the looks, sound and playability of my Stratocasters. Most of the bands I played in were blues based and the Strat was a perfect fit. About 20 years ago I bought an Epi Les Paul standard to fool around with and have never looked back. While I still have my Strat, I also have an Epi LP Custom Pro and an Epi ES-335 Pro that I turn to more than my Strat. I play just for enjoyment now and mostly pick up one of my Epis to noodle with. I think they are well worth the cost and I have never had any problems with them, from purchase to set-up to playing. I will always recommend an Epiphone as a good instrument that delivers excellent sounds. Cheers, Austin. Stay safe.....
I ordered mine, along with the new Epiphone Flying V, in February. Got the Flying V March 2nd, and it blew me away!!! The Firebird came last Thursday, and it's stunning as well!!! No issues with either one. Epiphone has really upped their game in the last few years, and I'd be hard pressed to find a better guitar for the money. I also have the Bonamassa Firebird 1, and an earlier Firebird Studio with the Steinberger tuners, both are neck heavy. The 2020 is light and well balanced. A lot of versatile tones using the expressive tone controls. So glad I bought them both!!!
Sounds great. No neck dive?
My favorite shape is the Firebird shape. It has a built-in arm rest that fits my right arm perfectly. And the neck is just a little more to the left than others. I love that. I am surprised that more don't admire the shape.
I had the opportunity to play with one of these for an evening. It was really a sweet guitar. It was much nicer than I thought it would be. It was impressive to play and I was told that was right out of the box as it came from Epiphone.
Did you find the neck on the slim side?
The new Firebirds (since 2018 i believe) from Gibson have the same headstock as the Epiphone. So actually, Epiphone has the exact same headstock as the Gibsons.
They started doing this in limited numbers a few years back with the Japanese market factory Lyre vibrola guitar. A downgrade in my opinion. I have one with mini grovers and one with Steinbergers and the latter are far superior.
I agree!!!
All of these Epiphones are fantastic! I am partial to the shapes, loads of character, and they sound great
Thanks for the Review, I'm a Telecaster player, but I decided to get one of these, it's my first Epiphone. I love it. It plays great, It sounds great, and yes, The Neck pickup is where it's at on this guitar. The Fretwork was perfect and the finish had no flaws. Yes, I will Rock this axe !
I paid about $250 new for my Gibson Firebird III in 1964 and it looked, played, and sounded great.
They aren't mini humbuckers, they're a completely unique rail design (on the original). That, along with the neck through body are what have it it's unique sound. Somewhere in the middle of a single coil and a humbucker, with a lot of harmonics coming from every resonant part of the instrument being on one block of wood.
The pickups which were on the Firebird are not a mini humbucker they are using a bobbin which houses the magnet in its center the coils then wrap around it. This is what gives this guitar its unique tones.
Hey trogly you should do a partial mod series, where you replace the pots, output Jack, switch etc, but not the pickups, on a budget guitar, and see the difference it made and/or compare it to an expensive guitar
@WaurufEx I've personally done this to a 2006 Epi Les Paul SG Custom reissue and it made a decent difference. Main thing I did was swap for Gibson USA pups, 50's style wiring, 500k CTS pots, brass nut and Nashville style bridge ( though ABR 1 would have been more authentic ) with an authentic USA Maestro trem and it ended up sounding great. I did that about 12 years ago and was able to sell it off for twice what I paid for and put into it. If an electric is constructed well and proper it really just comes down to electronics to mainly change tone. That's why I think higher end Epis that come with CTS and Gibson pups ( pre 2020 ) were a great deal.
but then he would have to actually PLAY guitar..... not noodle around like my 12 yr old son does... at least Trogly should get a real musician to demo the guitars because.......damn
@@smalltowninnewmexico He had a guy for a short while but he was worse lol
@@smalltowninnewmexico Trogly is a collector, not a player.
@@KazeAkiyama which is why the dude cant talk about 'how it plays' because its like me telling a motorbike person how a particular bike rides, as i dont know how to ride a fricken motorbike. its just damn frustrating.
I like that the strap button is behind the neck rather than on the body. I had a epi firebird studio that had the strap button on the body and it would dive like crazy
People think that scarf joints are a bad thing, but you don't see nearly as many Epiphones with snapped off headstocks as you do Gibsons, and the scarf joint is the reason why.
Brian Forlin they are not a bad thing. However, lack of a scarf joint denotes a high level of wood quality. It can get very hard to find wood the length of the neck+headstock.
@@qwertpoiuy430 Eh, not really. Scarfs also save a ton on material costs - there's so much scrap from an unscarfed neck by comparison.
BULL SHIT!..I have repaired 1Epi LP and 2 SG headstocks...Not saying that scarf joints are at all bad,The problem is still here with the truss rod route creating a very thin spot in the center of the neck,To be fair one of the SG's was broken at the neck below the headstock...
If Epiphone made a non-reverse Firebird I'd buy one in a heartbeat...
Really? The headstock is holding you back? The reason I'd never buy ANY Gibson guitar is the horrendous fret wire they use on seemingly all their guitars.
@@KalosPVP No no :) The headstock isn't holding me back, I LOVE reverse Firebirds, I own seven ( 3 Gibsons and 4 Epiphones ) but I also like the non-reverse Firebird because it's different...
Me too.
@@KalosPVP The reason I'd prefer a non-reverse is the location of upper strap button. Every Gibson or Gibson-style I've ever owned with the button at the neck heel gets it moved to the upper horn......it just balances better. With the reverse Firebird, the upper horn is to "far back", making the balance even worse.
I bought a non-reverse real Gibson Firebird about 10 years ago on eBay for about 1300.00 w case w 3 pickups. Plays and sounds amazing. An off white color.
It's nice to hear some clean playing on a Firebird review.
I love your guitar reviews! I learn so much. I couldn't find a better epiphone firebird review on line. I've watched this video 5 times and finally got the firebird today! Thank you!
Trogly is in the HOUSE!!!
Where!? I can't find him
Yeah i hope he is respecting quarentine
I was in Dallas, Texas when Cream Final Tour played Me and a friend went all the way from Hot Springs, Arkansas in a Pink Mustang ...1969 Final Tour and Eric Clapton was playing them Firebird, I was Standing there TRYING TO NOT JUMP UP AND DOWN SCREAMING like a 19 Year Old child, FAIL.
He played "Spoon- Full" with Mostly his Backside to the Audience--IDKwhy
but I had ALSO SEEN CLAPTION Play """"LIVE""" in Hollywood twice before and THIS FIRE BIRD GUITAR CONCERT was the best ever playing by Clapton "EVER!"
I seen "threads" discussing this and THOSE LIKE ME WHO WAS really THERE stay adamant and have the supremacy standing as "EYE-EAR-AND BEING a Guitarist in a Band, (with a 1966 Gibson ES 330 guitar) " Claptans Playing on the Dallas show STANDS OUT and the THUNDERBIRD GUITAR is totally STAND OUT as His Best Ever-
also he was on some KILLER DOPE that night, but we don't judge him, Damn I am 70 Years Old and Still Play guitar.JUST TRADED A EPIPHONE 2001 Les Paul Delux Black for a Brand New EPIPHONE ES 339 P90 PRO!
Thank you for sharing this lol, what an awesome read.
One of those guitars I glance at in passing, and go about my way. Kinda like Fender's limited custom Telecaster FMT HH. Finally bought one, love it!.
I am not a big Gibson fan, except for a nice SG. This Firebird is really cool! Now I need to find one to play so I have an excuse to buy one!
Thanks Trogly!
I don't understand why people hate on firebirds. They are great guitars. This video was Really Well Done.
i love the bird! their neck is like looking out over a cadillac hood ~ it just goes on forever
Yes it does. Like a V12 under the Fret Broad. Yup! LOL
I'm a Johnny Winter fan so I've always wanted a Firebird. I did have a non-reverse one back in the '70s. I remember it being big and heavy but great sounding. I sold it around 76.
YES it's finally out. I've been waiting for way too long. I really gotta get this guitar
Hope you got one...I will add one of the to my arsenal and never even paid attention to one until this vid.And.Im a Guitar snob and own USA guitars...lol
Evan, I too have bin waiting a long time for this. Worth the Wait! Yup.
just got a epiphone firebird the other week. after new strings and some adjustments i really love mine! everyone has their opinions but i think it sounds and plays great
Awesome, Jeremy. Epis are great guitars. I don't have a Firebird, but my LP Custom is great.
Vittorio “Vic” Vergeat of the band Toad used a Firebird very similar in style to this one and he absolutely slayed on it. Just check out their song “Pig’s Walk” off of their 1971 debut!!
Kudos for the Johnny Winter tribute, very well done! I'm really diggin the neck thru construction!
With 800+ comments may have missed this. The low volume on the B string could be an issue with the bridge or tailpiece. Obviously you've probably got it figured out by now. In my experience, that's always been something to check with low-end (haven't had a higher end Epi) Epis and Ibanez's as well. Great video, super-informative, thank you very much!!!
Mine is the best I've seen from Epiphone, the action is crazy low without any buzz and it's just a beautiful guitar. I got a 50's standard Les Paul recently too and the frets are awful, they need resetting and I was so disappointed with it. But the Firebird is a definite favourite!
I just bought a Used 2014 cherry Gibson Firebird!! And it sounds as good as it looks!
Interesting that you noted the B string was quiet. The original Firebird design had a tiny steel plate sitting across the two alnico bar magnets, directly underneath the B string to increase its output. I bet these Epiphone pickups skipped including it - a lot of modern reproductions do.
I have one and I've noticed a drop in output on the B string too! Good to know it's a thing, I guess, but it's a shame they didn't relocate the original PUP design as you say. Thanks for your comment.
I've been wanting one of the new '20 Epiphones since they launched, and the Firebird was (and still is) at the top of the list. Always love looking at these in-depth reviews so I know what I'm getting!
great honest review. Thank-you sir. I am trying to decide weather to get the Gibson or Epiphone Firebird five so this review is right up my alley. I have the Epiphone Polymist gold Joe Bonamassa Firebird one. I found it pretty much unplayable out of the box, ( it was painful to play for a long time). Once my luthier finished gluing in the frets and did a plek on it at Weston Instruments it has become a dream to play. I find it so playable now for hours. I prefer it over my American Fender strats these days.
Gibson had three different style headstocks on the Reverse birds in the 60s. The first version was the one like on that anniversary one, with the banjo tuners, two colours, and carved out areas for where it matches the rest of the finish. This is the one that you see more in modern custom shop birds and reissues because it's the most aesthetically pleasing. For most of the original custom colour birds they switched to a design that still had the carved layers, but was just one solid colour to match the body. There was a final batch of reverse firebirds made in 1965 that were considered "Transitional" because they had P-90s and a prototype mirror version of the non-reverse headstock (that swapped banjo for normal in line tuners). This is the style on the 2020 Epiphone and has also been the default non-CS Gibson firebird headstock for a few years now, much to the chagrin of die hard fans and purists...
Hopefully epiphone will do the III version next
I'm more for the VII, but the III is also nice
@@therealnekser6466 Epiphone already did a VII about 20 years ago. I'd be more interested in either the III or just a I.
I'd like a III as well. They had two pickups, a vibrato and dot inlays. That's just what I'm looking for.
I'd refinish it in red (if not already that color) because I hate sunburst. It's also relocate the switch to a position similar to that of a Lull FX (a Firebird copy). I hate where Gibson places most of their pickup switches.
And for those of you complaining about the flat headstock and/or lack of banjo tuners, Gibson went to the flat heading design and conventional tuners towards the end of the original run of Firebirds. There are even some transitional models that feature P90s instead of the Firebird humbuckers.
I'd love to see the III return to the line.
Trogly, if you read this post, I just want to chime in and say that the Epiphone Firebird that I purchased three weeks ago had the same problem as the one in your review where the B string has much lower output volume than the G string. Very weird! I've never had that issue before and I've owned piles of guitars.
The music store that sold it to me offered to exchange it for a new one that they had just received, which was very nice of them I must say.
The new one has perfectly balanced output across all 6 strings and that is on both pickups. I'm super glad to have this one because as much as I tried to ignore the string balance issue with my first Epiphone Firebird it was really starting to bug me.
Since we've both experienced this problem it appears that Epiphone had a run of these FB720 mini humbuckers that were wonky for lack of a better word.
I’ve noticed a lot of ads claim rosewood especially in the description but are laurel. Not just from Gibson or Epiphone. I just ordered a cheap Squire mustang. That’s when I noticed it.
The Pau Ferro and Indian Laurel fretboard woods that are being used in $450.00 and up, price ranged guitars is a result of the regulations levied on Rosewood and it is a general positive for the consumer.
Historically, Pau Ferro and Indian Laurel fretboards were found only on high end, boutique guitars.
I have guitars with all three of these fretboard woods.
The Laurel and Pau Ferro might feel a little better under the fingers than Rosewood but they both are definitely better to look at in my opinion. Tone ? Couldn't say there is any difference. If there is,..it wouldn't be worth mention.
This is also a great guitar for some really gritty slide type Johnny Winter music. I'm very happy with mine. My local guitar tech flipped it for me since I'm left handed. No issues there. A great deal for the price!
I have a cherry Epiphone, and it has full-size pickups, raised center, and the bird's legs are painted blue. Absolutely amazing resonance. I don't know the pedigree/year of origin.
Its just me? Every time I see an opened guitar I can sense the factory smell, I know its crazy!
I have the white model of this flying V . It was a gift from my husband for my birthday last year. My V is my ❤️
When I think Firebird I think Allen Collins
Allen Collins and his Firebird was the reason I picked up the guitar in the first place. Owned SG, Strat copies, BC Rich, got an Epi LP Special Mod now, going for Firebird next!!!,🤠
Same here. I've waited 40 years to get one and it finally arrived today. Can't wait to get off of work and get home!!!
As a former Firebird owner (I traded it for a strat) I think that this guitar is absolutely beautiful!
Finally, Firebirds are my favourite.
Dude, your playing performance......you really are an excellent guitarist.....this one video says it all!
I love the Firebird shape...one day I want to get one
I had an 86 Epi FB. Had a single in the neck, hum in the bridge and, yes, a steinberger trem. I filled in the trem and routed the neck out for a humbucker and she was one of the absolute BEST epi's I ever owned.
FYI, The Slash version is a set neck, with long neck tenon.
Uhhh they’re neck-through. Where did you get your long neck tennon “fact”? Did you make it up?
@@charlescull9283 The official Epiphone specs are "Neck Joint: Glued In; Deep-set neck tenon"
@@charlescull9283 took out the neck pickup and looked. Douche
I bought one recently in the Drab Green and my only criticism with it is the fret work, I'm gonna have to get the frets levelled and dressed as there is fret buzz up and down the neck. As far as the neck profile, finish quality and tone, it's pretty darn good!
Ive been waiting for this one
You're the person who wanted it? Kudos to you man
Firebirds are great, never thought I would like them until I played one
My old man has a JB Firebird I, when we got it the truss rod was actually hanging out of the neck, however up to pitch with 10s the neck was arrow straight. My guess is they backed it off so much during setup they basically unscrewed it from the anchor. I've never seen a more perfectly straight neck, tho.
On one of my tours I got to play a Firebird V, with banjo tuners, and a micro tuning bridge! It was a pleasure to play!
Damn, I really like the sound from those pickups on OD.
I have one and I find it very easy to play. Exceptionally easy to play. This guitar is ginormous. It's very long. Like a foot longer longer than most guitars. I like that though. A lot. I am grateful to the Trogmaster that he does in-depth reviews including a tear-down. I have lots of guitars and this one is one of my favorites. These are a different animal.
I always thought that the SG and Firebird were Gibson's best designs,- the simple and the luxe.The mini hums really do make the difference, the decided preference of those who listen.
It would be nice if they did some more colours; I've seen the blue from older releases, and the gold was cool; either would do.
I have the mid 90’s Epiphone Firebird Custom VII in Cardinal Red with gold hardware, three mini humbuckers, and Maestro Vibrola. It is a killer guitar! Bigger headstock and gold tulip tuners. They also did an all gold like a goldtop, black, and sunburst too. Total sleepers.
Firebird pickups and minihumbuckers aren't the same thing.
Apart from the cover ,what's the actual difference ? I mean Firebird pickups are humbuckers ...
i think the original firebird pickup used a bar magnet mounted horizontally instead of the usual 6 cylindrical vertica magnets . some say it is brighter.
@@shaunw9270 Firebirds have blade style humbuckers, like rails
Yes, but I found someone that figured out Gibson changed the guts of Firebird pickups several times, probably to save money.
I have a 2006 Gibson Firebird and it has proper firebird pickups. They are not mini humbuckers. They use two blades instead of pole pieces and are low output. They sound great but there is a distinct tonal difference
I want to know why gibson/epiphone designed the tone pot layout with the lead tone pot further away from the other three pots on firebirds, always gets my mild ocd going
Because that area is really tight if they keep them equidistant. Makes it harder to get in and make quick knob adjustments with your fingers (like on an SG), compared to the guitars with much more room- Les Paul, 335, etc.
I jave this guitar... love it.. changed the bridge and tailpiece to gotoh alum and about to get handmade pickups for it and redo the pots and wiring... just the new bridge and tail made a huge difference.
2020 Gibson Firebirds have this headstock too, unfortunately.
yes I'm legally blind virtually blind I guess you could say and I'm not able to see the difference on the headstock I know that I'm my bird 2017 it's pretty much if I'm not mistaken a traditional it has a veneer on the top of it it's not what it's plastic but yeah and I got the steinberger tuners which are pretty pretty pretty much cool with all you would think right that a guitar like that would have the best tuning stability but out of all of my guitars my gretsch g5422t hollow-body is the most stable guitar I have to analyze it's utterly unbelievable how stable it is anyway thanks for your comment then just thought I'd comment to that keep safe and the excuse the typos and whatnot I guess you can figure out I use speech to text and it does what it wants to sincerely yours, Bob the blind bedroom
Yup, theyz ugly too!
Hopefully they bring it back to the original. It'll be more expensive, but worth it
@@TheChadPad The Gibson's are just as expensive as always, and they look almost identical to the Epiphones. The Epiphone has that same amazing body through, multipiece neck too, so, unless you just GOTTA have a Gibson, these Epiphones are a MUCH better value. Just have the frets and intonation prepped by a good luthier, and maybe upgrade the tuners. I recommend changing the bridge saddles out with 6 quality tusq pieces, then you'll have 'pretty much' the same guitar for almost 1/4 the price.
Hey Austin , love your show I bought one of these Firebirds-and it’s been great, Great tone and sustain ...Also bought one of the squire, paranormal Telly’s. Baritone, both due to your show and your excellent reviews thank you so much for taking the time .
They changed the headstock on the Original series Firebird from 2019 to the one you have on the Epiphone now
Same style tuners too
I'm glad that you mentioned the B string issue. It's a problem with these pickups. I got an Uptown Kat with gold versions of these pickups, and a guy I know has one of these Firebirds. It's a pickup issue, and it drives me nuts, so I ended up swapping pickups, which solved the problem. Buyer beware! These pickups are *not* well balanced string to string, and there's no adjustment to be made.
Pssht!.... was waiting for some 'FREE-EE-BIRD yeah!' lol. Can't believe he didn't rip some Allan Collins (or at least some early Clapton riffs). Reverse Firebirds kick ass but finding an original 60's Gibson in decent condition is a nightmare, never mind expensive.
Pretty soon there won't be any left without headstock breaks lol
I’m glad you posted this yesterday gave me something to watch on my birthday
Trogly,I was having a similar issue with my back pickup,on my Epiphone Firebird,the A string was very weak sounding. Had a Luthier look at the pickup,he found a 1" x1/4" metal shim between the pickup,and pickup cover.The guitar sounds great now ( minus the shim) (Shameless Plug Coming Up)You can check it out on the B.B. King/ Johnny Winter tune "It's My Own Fault" ,on my channel . Nawenko:wa (Great Thanks- Mohawk Language) .
I have a Firebird in my rack, and it really IS a "strange bird".
Very difficult to "pigeonhole"...tone-wise.
The nearest thing I can think to say is...
"Classic early 70's rock tone"...that tone that existed somewhere between 70 and 73.
It's not my favourite guitar, but...every now and then, it's nice to play.
I was selling a thunderbird pro recently and somebody offered to trade me one of these for it, went round to his place to check it out and see how I liked it before responding to the offer.
although I didn't end up taking the swap, I was throughly impressed by this thing.
it sounded so much brighter than I expected, almost like a hot single coil without being too chirpy.
I couldn't get over the neck though, I imagine if you've played one for a while it would feel a bit more natural but in my hands it didn't feel quite right.
more than likely my own fault considering that in terms of guitars I've played nothing but epi/gibson flying v's for a handful of years.
I'd definitely urge anyone who likes the look to go down to their local and give one a test drive, they absolutely rip when paired with an orange micro terror.
That is a beautiful guitar. Thank you for demoing this one!
This one has some amazing tone and sustain, now I need one ;)
I have two now, this model and the Olive Drab green version too, Firebirds are now my favorite guitars, I really like the long string pull on the lowest string, great for drop tuning and running heavier gauge strings. The neck-through design is another revolutionary design.
I'm still waiting for a limited edition Non-reverse firebird
Joe, That would be just Super. Yup!
This has always been my favorite Gibson model. But how does it hold up to a Gibson Firebird? It sounds like the real deal.
The PU's are the Joe Bonamassa ones. They are real Firebird PU's not mini HB's. HB's have one large PU across the base of the PU and Firebirds have magnets on their edge one inside each bobbin. You get HB noise free sound but Strat chime.
That’s real good news?
I've had one of these for a few weeks now and I'm enjoying it a lot. I've had a hankering for a Firebird for years but I could never justify the price of a Gibson, even used, for a guitar that would only get occasional use. Given how close the Epi version is to the Gibson, it really is quite a bargain. You mention the headstock, but the current Gibson Firebird has the same headstock shape and tuners; as I understand it, Gibson are only offering the original headstock and banjo tuners on custom shop reissues, which are north of $4k. From what I've researched, those anniversary Firebirds had high output ceramic pickups that bore little resemblance to original Firebird pickups. When Epiphone released the FB720 pickups on the Bonamassa model, many were commenting on how they were closer to vintage Firebird pickups than anything Gibson were offering at the time. So, aside from some electronics, the biggest difference between the current Epiphone and Gibson Firebirds is a poly rather than nitro finish. That strikes me as a good deal if you fancy one of these.
As for some of the issues mentioned in the video, my guitar's switch doesn't rattle around, and the string-to-string balance is fine. I gave mine a fret level and crown, but in all honesty, it probably didn't need it. The improvement in playability was minor, and I was really just being pernickety. I will say, however, that the fret ends could use a little rounding off. Not a major problem, I'm not conscious of it when playing the guitar, but I'll take a file to them at some point in the future. Mine is also surprisingly light in weight, which mitigates the ungainliness of the design somewhat. All in all, it's an excellent guitar for the money, and for me, I honestly can't see a good reason to buy the Gibson version, unless having a nitro finish is a significant factor.
Finally!
Just licked one of these up today. Played about 10 or so guitars in guitar center. It was between this one and an ibanez iceman around the same price, i liked the neck on the epiphone and it has a natural spank to it.
But does it vibe tho?
If you have a salt rock lamp thing
ATH-camAccount yes thank u I’m buying 69 right now
@@ayoutubeaccount864 somebody watches Robert Baker... me too
Seth the Musician 😂
I skipped along but how’s the neck dive? It’d be sweet to have add a Bigsby and it’d probably add a little weight to counter potential neck dive.
Day 3 of hoping trogly will do a reveiw on the Malcolm Young Signature jet.
Firebirds are the only Gibson Guitar I care for and seeing how good this Epiphone Firebird is makes me want to get one.
Awesome Trogly《☆》I still have my Epiphone 2001 FB VII. It's still in original condition with the FB pickups & Lyre vibrola in gold. I think mine is probably more visually stunning in vintage sunburst & definitely has more tone with 3 pickups. I would like to see Epiphone do an Allen Collins FB with a P90 grafted on🤓🗣🔊☮✌👍🏾☠SKYNYRD☠
Allen Collins is the great one !!@Skynyrd
I read on another video's comments that there is a metal shim of some sort underneath the pickup cover on the E and B side. If you take it out everything is fine again.
Firebird pickups are 'not' mini humbuckers !!!