Bob & Ramon Show EP.04 - Gibson Firebird and Explorer style guitars

PATREON: / theguitarshow
1. Tokai FB40, ca ‘08; 2012
2. 2012 Gibson Historic Custom Shop Firebird 1
3. 2017 Epiphone JB Treasure Firebird 1 reissue
4. ‘79 Kevin Aram handbuilt Explorer
5. 2016 Dwight Eliminator...

[@wilkowilkinson4864]

....can't wait for the next un-boxing video. Thanks for a great series of videos gents...

[@TheGuitarShow]

pleasure - the next unboxing is gonna be crazy - mark my words! thanks

[@shaunw9270]

I'm not really a pointy guitar fan but I wouldn't have missed this for the world. Thanks for the info on the luthier building Dwight guitars. Steve Marriott played an old Dwight ,Coronet style , with Humble Pie in the 70's and I noticed Paul Weller playing one occasionally in recent years.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks Shaun!! Thanks for info regarding Steve Marriot!

[@shaunw9270]

@@TheGuitarShow My pleasure 👍

[@samerhaddad280]

Bob & Ramon, blown away with your god given talent for guitar playing. No guitar lesson will make play as good had you not been born with the right stuff, know what I mean?

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks a lot Sam!!!

[@tonyboone305]

Firebirds have always had “Firebird mini humbuckers” which are not the same as mini humbuckers. I don’t remember any Reverse Firebird with a P90. Be glad you got the Lollar pickup. Wish my 2012 Reverse FB had Lollars. It will soon.

[@chrissoares23]

This was great! Thanks guys. Dig Firebirds (yet to own one), but I love Explorers and Vs. That Korina Jr.-ish one was killer. I had a custom neck-through Explorer made, beast of a guitar. Looking forward to more!

[@TheGuitarShow]

pleasure Chris - thanks for checking it out - Im like you Ive yet to own a Firebird but hope to get one soon, best R.

[@vox1966]

I love banjo tuners it makes the guitar look awesome I hate that people winning about the weight man up

[@TheGuitarShow]

Im with you Al - actually the heavy tuners probably help balance the guitar out a bit

[@lueysixty-six7300]

Blah! Form over function is never a good order of priority.

[@jr13227]

My favorite firebird player is Allen Collins of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He put a dog ear p90 in the bridge position and kept the mini humbucker in the neck and got an amazing tone. Collins also played an original ‘58 explorer near the end of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

[@TheGuitarShow]

thanks for the comment

[@dhis888]

really enjoy the channel and thanks for the ec tip bob.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Pleasure

[@scottroberts3801]

Good one guys. Love the Explorers.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks Scott

[@bobtheblindbedroomguitaris8742]

It's funny you guys mentioned the mojo pickups. In the early teens they made a signature pair of pickups for Johnny Winter. Johnny went to went to them to have his pickups for his old Firebird we wound and he likes them so much that he went back a year or so later and ask them about the pickups and they decided to put them out as a special signature pickups so what you hear in space look like from like say the early teens to his death where the mojo pickups and is fire burnt and they still make them and they're also relatively pretty inexpensive I'm thinking of picking up a pass on myself to throw in my v my Firebird v

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks for your comment I think you are talking about a different maker the mojo pickups I know is based in the UK by a guy called Marc. I'll check out the pickups you are mentioning many thanks. R

[@darrylcole5575]

Mojotone johnny winter pups. USA handmade that sound excellent....

[@williamgregory6684]

I have a Epiphone Firebird V reissue and if you changed the truss rod covers you couldn't tell the difference from a current Gibson Firebird V. Check out Sitting On Top Of World at the San Diego Arena 68,my favorite. I always thought there had to be a better version than the original version on the Goodby Cream album. Great video,very informative and excellent playing! I would love to get my hands on a Tokai like yours here in the States! I live about 25 miles from Jason Lollar who is in Richmond,VA. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your videos! I also have a Epiphone Explorer reissue and two Eastwood non reverse Firebirds.

[@Skelterz]

Why does it say Gibson on the headstock if it’s an Epiphone made Firebird?

[@parttimeposter1998]

I believe Eric eventually traded his Firebird for an old Martin acoustic Stephen Stills had. The Firebird 1 you see Stills with is in fact Clapton’s.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Wow that's interesting thanks

[@willdenham]

I thought Firebirds had specific pickups, customized to the FB's.

[@jeffreytelmo2135]

Great video, killer demos!!

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks Jeffrey

[@derekclacton]

Very interesting and enjoyable as always 🙂

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks

[@IndyRockStar]

The most famous Firebird player is Johnny Winter I thought.

[@TheGuitarShow]

yes thats right

[@robinbailey3052]

The pickups in the Bonamassa firebirds are closer to 60's firebirds than any of the Firebirds Gibson has made since 1990 when they started the High DC resistance and ceramic magnet pickups that they use on all the Firebirds even the Historics.

[@robinbailey3052]

Interesting fact about the Lollar in the Gibson FBI

[@TheGuitarShow]

Good to know this - thanks Robin!

[@darrylcole5575]

True about the hot ceramic junk gibsons makes. The construction isint even true to an original bird pup. But gibson just made 100 Eric Clapton firebird ones and they have a true alnico low wind bird pickup. Dont know why gibson cant issue a true firebird pickup when they are the ones who created it. Same goes with a fender with there wide range humbucker. They hadn't made a real one until this year 2020. They couldnt get the cunife magnet for 40 years or so. They were always just a regular humbucker stuffed with wax in under the wide range cover. I have the new 2020 fender American original 70s telecaster custom , it sounds amazing and tim shaw did an amazing job on the wide range and 70s wound bridge pup.....

[@airwatersun]

You gents are amazing and inspiring!

[@pedalscapes]

Cool Vid! Great playing, nice guitars, thanks for sharing guys... Hey Ramon, I thought I saw you on the District Line last week - guy the split of you (from what I can tell on the vids) sitting opposite chatting on the phone about guitars... So I said hello, turns out it's your twin brother... Small world, cheers, Matt :)

[@TheGuitarShow]

Hi Matthew - yes my twin told me when I saw him over the weekend - we get that from time to time its actually really fun! Thanks!!!!

[@jamescarter4175]

Thanks! That was great as usual!

[@TheGuitarShow]

Pleasure James thanks for watching

[@EvilUncleGeddy]

Love Firebirds. Countered the neck dive on my FB V by attaching a weight to the strap. Its a bit odd but ive got used to it since 91. Tried the JB FB 1 but didnt like the neck...Each to their own

[@josephcorcoran8714]

I believe that that pickups in the run of Chris Cornell 335’s were made by Lollar also. Lollar’Tron’s which are a version of obviously their version Filter’Tron’s.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks for this info Joseph

[@deuteronimus750]

Elliot Easton, guitarist with The Cars, had an Elliot Easton named 3 Pickup Firebird special run guitar made in 2012 I believe, that he supposedly worked with the Gibson factory developing the pickups for. The pickups are unusually shaped, like a narrow P90,, and the finish looks almost like that Joe B. Epi. I found a used one on Rvrb for around $3500.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks for the info Pat - Ill check those guitars out - thanks for watching

[@deuteronimus750]

@@TheGuitarShow Substitute Jeff Baxter Limited Edition Firebird for Elliot Easton Limited Edition Firebird, is what I was trying ineptly to say.

[@jackgrattan1447]

The Elliot Easton model is called the Tikibird, which has two full sized humbuckers with coil tap and phase.

[@deuteronimus750]

@@jackgrattan1447 Yeah, I was confusing it with the Jeff Baxter Gibson Firebird with 3 Baxter designed pickups, that I understand sound like PAF's, and has all kinds of bells and whistles on it.

[@jackgrattan1447]

@@deuteronimus750 I'll take either of them.

[@jonnybeck6723]

Great job Lads... many thanx

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

Banjo tuner headstocks are a beautiful design...but practically I hear a lot about broken headstocks. Tokai...top brand. They make excellent instruments.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Agreed Anthony maybe its to do with the weight

[@edwhite7475]

i wish id known about moving the strap button cos ive gotten rid of 5 of them cos of the 'diving into the floor' crap. I would drill a hole in one in a heartbeat.

[@bobtheblindbedroomguitaris8742]

Yes I embarrass my favorite guitars. I have a gypsum Firebird 5 it came with the steinberger Tunis. after playing the steinberger tuners for quite a while and you switch back to well guitar with standard type 2 and you could really see where they shine can't you? Just imagine Johnny Winter who is the person I associate with the firebird the most he had a 5 right or 1964-65 5 he plays with bass off middle of trouble on 10 and all the knobs on his guitar on time this was a guy that just went complete travel loan consultant for his sound good day good video man love to see videos on Firebirds and explorers and as far as I can tell was somewhat icy the firebird is like The unsung Gibson it's always passed over anyway please excuse any typos misspelled words lack of punctuation I am not a bad typer I'm not illiterate I'm just blind and I use speech to text with your singing sucks things up

[@jltrem]

I played one of those polymist gold Bonamassa Firebirds. Massive baseball bat neck.

[@TheGuitarShow]

nice - this one was not so big - thanks

[@darrylcole5575]

The gibson moderne is my fav odd shape korina guitar. The gibson futura is another cool model.

[@crisslastname9417]

Let's seem some SG's next time!

[@TheGuitarShow]

There's some SG content coming soon lol! Thanks Criss

[@AbundanceOfBees]

Jake E Lee exclusively played hardtail bridges. Off the top of my head, Glenn Tipton, KK Downing, Kerry King, and Jeff Hanneman are the only players I can think of who were die-hard Kahler players back then.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks for this - I would like someday to put a Kahler on a one of my guitars

[@thetreblerebel]

The Firebird...a unique instrument. Far as China making guitars. Its all about money. If they make it cheap they get money. I imagine theres a quality manufacturer out there in china

[@TheGuitarShow]

Agreed Steve - Im sure they could may high quality but as you say right now its all about the money

[@planetwisconsin9901]

I have played a '64 Firebird 2. Played like butta 😊

[@TheGuitarShow]

Nice!

[@tedfurlo2268]

Dear Bob and Ramon, Ted Furlo again. To be direct, I'm wondering if you might advise me how I may be able to aquire A Clive Brown built Dwight Eliminator. I live in California and I WANT ONE. Do you know how I can(insider) connect with C. Brown?(rather than searching on the internet). Are YOU PERHAPS considering letting yours go? Grateful for your time and consideration, AND FOR YOUR CHANNEL!, Ted Furlo

[@CastlesMadeOf...]

Is that a slide in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me :D

[@TheGuitarShow]

Hahaa

[@tedfurlo2268]

I like to offer you my first born for the Dwight.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Omg lol

[@gearmeister]

We should call this episode, "The great horny guitar symposium"... Fantastic job my brothers! 😁

[@TheGuitarShow]

Great name! Many thanks

[@gearmeister]

@@TheGuitarShow Just a thought... lol.. with each episode, you can substitute the "horny" with other winged creatures depending on guitar subject type... 😁

[@vincewhirlwind574]

I'm going to reach out to Bob, and ask if he will adopt me.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Lol

[@denmut]

I really like your videos and your playing but I do not understand why they look "pale" British TV series from the 80s :) Cheers.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Haha its the weather!

[@TheGuitarShow]

My favourite TV 80s show is 'Minder'

[@voxsupreme]

Just a thought ... Start with 30 sek actually PLAYING the guitars, then talk. Frustrates me to wait and wait for the goodies. Otherwise - great show!

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks good point! We normally do this but must have forgotten on this one but thanks for the feedback

[@voxsupreme]

@@TheGuitarShow Thanx You two! One question to Bob: I wonder what groups You played with earlier? You look sort of familiar ... I was at the Reading Festival several times during the 70:s and maybe I saw Your "possible" group there ..! Erik A. 🎸🎶😎

[@ianroberts4981]

How rich is this guy?!!!

[@thomasdevries8628]

Bon should work on his rythm

[@thomasdevries8628]

Gibson firebird sounds cool

[@ollekassman6301]

Jake e Lee use hardtail.......!!

[@TheGuitarShow]

Good point thanks!

[@sirbaronvoncount4147]

Bob and Ramon flows better. Lol

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks lol

[@davidbullen9347]

ORIENTAL !!!!!!! What the??? Please think just a little bit more.

[@ianjamieson3985]

Gave up after 13 minutes without a note being played. The old guy is a dinosaur and not in a good way. His opinions of 'orientals' is just so dated. Shame cos the guitars aren't bad.

[@SuperCrackerjacks]

Take off those horrible tuners!!

[@ollekassman6301]

You think you can play better than Johnny winter..... Amatörer..!!

[@TheGuitarShow]

Never!

[@paulturner2951]

Had to unsubscribe , cant stand Bob's pompous fuckin ways , love to get a reply from this as I'm local so let's wait and see .