Epiphone 1963 Firebird V - Deepdive + Sound test!

[@user-cz7ch3yd1u]

I know that it is “tempting” to refer to the pickups as mini humbuckers, but a true Firebird affectionado knows that Firebird pickups are “Firebird pickups”. While they look like mini humbuckers, they have a totally different sound. Perhaps you would call this nitpicking, but I believe that it is an important distinction. That said, thank you for a very fine assessment of this guitar.

[@jfinester]

I had an original 1965 Firebird III in 1974. Traded an almost new Strat to a friend for it. I played it on my 6-night-a-week gig for a week. It sounded great-I love Firebird pickups-but I spent every break fiddling with my strap, trying to get the darn thing to hang comfortably. (I was able to stand up five sets a night in those days.) It just wouldn’t do it. I’m used to SGs (and Telecasters!), so having the neck sticking out a bit far to the left didn’t bother me too much, but that huge body wouldn’t hang right. Up, down, sideways-I just couldn’t get comfortable with it, and after a week, my friend and I decided to trade back. The Firebird sounded killer, but it was a pig on the strap. I really wish Gibson would reissue the SG Deluxe from the early ‘90s-it had three Firebird pickups and a Bigsby. I’ve never seen one except in Gibson literature-they must be really scarce. If I ever find one that I can afford, I’ll snag it!

[@CompanyGrip]

I want to try one of those too! There are so many SG variants available. That firebird sounds like a killer guitar, but, yeah, quite literally the albatross hanging around the neck. Cheers!

[@tomnaumann2104]

The pickups in your Gibson are the ceramic Firebird pickups whereas the Epiphone has alnico. The Gibson specs might say alnico, but if they are reading 20k(+), then they are the ceramics. Regarding the name of the variety of pickups, convention is to call them “Firebird pickups” to differentiate them from the variety mini-humbuckers used in other Gibsons such as the Les Paul Deluxe, which have a different construction.

[@timothyflyte9443]

Here from the Epiphone guitars site. Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

[@CompanyGrip]

Thank you for checking it out!

[@harbonip]

Beautiful guitar , it's just a fantasy for me with the price . Once again, another great video on another guitar .😎👍🏽

[@CompanyGrip]

Thanks for checking it out friend!

[@harbonip]

@@CompanyGrip 👍🏽

[@fastskeeter]

I think the $1700 is a bit much. I just got one from Sweetwater last week for $1400. Still a little pricey, but it plays great and sounds great. Good review.

[@CompanyGrip]

Agreed about the price. Thanks for checking it out! Cheers!

[@sinakaedwards2009]

I am a huge Thunderbird fan and am thinking about getting a Firebird 1 because of the tuners.

[@Flywheel-yt8zz]

Thanks for the review. It seems that they may sell the firebirds in cherry red or sunburst soon. I found it on the epiphone page but no shop yet.

[@CompanyGrip]

Hello! Thanks for watching the video. Yes - you are correct. Those two colors listed are exclusive to ordering from just the Epiphone website itself. Thanks for the heads up!

[@AndreaAustoni]

Should be half the price with those specs. At least it sounds better than the Gibson but that's easy. Ceramic pickups always sound muted. No idea what Gibson was thinking there. Thanks a lot for showing the neck dive!

[@HeartbreakerGuitars]

This guitar is not for everybody, but personally I love it. It's big, awkward and clumsy... but it plays great and sounds killer. Very retro vibe. I dont think this is a good "main" guitar but it's more of a novelty guitar that you can use. It's not as comfortable as a Strat or a Les Paul of coarse, but again... it's got the "cool" factor.

[@CompanyGrip]

Agreed on all points!

[@thebuzztone]

Wow, thats great ! thanks for sharing

[@keithtt7798]

Just luv this guitar! Great well balanced review. Sadly I can't justify £1700 (UK price) on another "toy". I bought a used Epiphone GS 1275, (made in Korea) a few years back on a whim. Cost me around £700. It comes out maybe once a year when I get that Stairway feeling lol. It's a lovely guitar, heavy & incredibly uncomfortable to play, but for the price, totally happy with it. If this Firebird had an ebony or even rosewood fretboard + nitro finish, then I'd buy it. However if I'm gonna buy a Firebird it'll be a Gibson, as I don't think this Epiphone will retain its value unless production is very limited. The Joe B SG custom which launched at £1500 was on sale for £1100 this week. Interesting to see if the Firebird V similarly devalues?

[@CompanyGrip]

Thanks for checking out the video. I too am curious about the value and how it will change over time. Cheers!

[@azt3ca]

Great video! Btw, those are firebird pickups, not mini humbuckers. Their construction is different.

[@CompanyGrip]

You know it’s interesting you bring that up. I debated what to call them in the video because I’ve always called them Firebird pickups as well, but the official Epiphone spec sheet calls them Gibson Firebird Mini-Humbuckers (tm). Short of ripping it apart, I’m wondering just how much these are similar or different or Gibson just gave in on the name. Haha! Thanks for checking out the video!

[@AndreaAustoni]

Firebird pickups are also mini humbuckers because they don't hum and they are small but they have their own construction. The other ones should be called mini PAFs as they have the same construction as the big ones.

[@mattgalbraith3050]

They were using ceramic in the firebird pickups for a while, thats why yours were reading so hot on the cardinal red firebird.

[@maier43]

Guitar for rich nerds. May become collectible in the future.

[@jfiery]

Do not know how I could have missed this when you release it. I've become pretty intrigued by Firebirds but they seem massive. Even at 6'1" I think they'd feel huge being a Les Paul guy. I love that color though. How's the neck on that?

[@CompanyGrip]

It was good! It was a great guitar! Ended up selling it to a fan of my channel! Last I heard he loved it too!

[@zacknorton650]

the pre gibson Epiphone New Yorker pickups look like mini HB's but they're sidewinder single coils. nothing like the firebird Mini HB. as always, nice work on the comparison Vid. Kinda the best out there. Thanks!!! 👍👍👍

[@CompanyGrip]

Thanks for checking it out! I still want to figure out why the FB pickups in my Gib are 23k! That’s considerably hotter than any other FB pickups I’ve seen!

[@LewisShieldsUS]

Big love for playing, player. Ordered an Ember Red will PLEK, too. Love the IBG series, have SG and Korina V perfectly setup from Sweetwater. QC issues on a Murphy, the difference being rosewood and 7k isn't reflective of Gibson quality, but Epi. Also, maybe the FB headstock inverted kinda looks like a hood ornament?

[@CompanyGrip]

Thank you for checking out the video! Yes - I have been really impressed with the Epiphone offerings the past couple years. This Firebird is no exception! Cheers!

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful day ❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@CompanyGrip]

Thank you for checking it out! 🤘🏽

[@aminahmed2220]

@@CompanyGrip you are welcome also what is your favorite year from the 2010s

[@CompanyGrip]

If I had to do it again, I’d probably go with a 2014 Gibson. I like the stepped headstock look.

[@ericoswood1856]

I bought three Epiphone Firebird V recently and I have really been impressed. I believe the guitar is worth $1,700.

[@AndreaAustoni]

Why 3?

[@ericoswood1856]

@@AndreaAustoniI don’t know why I said 3. My mistake, only bought one.

[@shawn_ten_toes]

I had a 63 Firebird VII reissue back in the early 2000s. Sold if for a few hundred dollars. My mistake. I would have been interested in this at maybe $1,000 -$1,200. At $1,700, it's just crazy.

[@viperBSG]

Epi can get bent with those prices they have! I refuse to pay that much for a guitar if if ppl do they are nuts!

[@nigellacey559]

Negatives= laural fretboard, poly finish, no fret nibs, epiphone on the headstock.

[@AndreaAustoni]

the last one is a non issue for me. Imagine paying Gibson prices and having those pickups

[@tompiano6871]

What do you think should be on the headstock of an Epiphone Guitar

[@nigellacey559]

@@tompiano6871 shittyphone

[@sinakaedwards2009]

I'm not sure if I'll ever get a guitar or not. The Inverness Green Firebird is nice, but I love the Kramer Dave V. If I had unlimited funds I would probably get the Firebird and swap the pickup for a Fishman Fluence or EMG with coil splitting.

[@CompanyGrip]

That sounds like a good combo! Thanks for checking the video out again. 🤘🏽

[@EvLoutonian]

I think the overwound (high Dc reading) Gibson mini humbuckers must be wound with considerably more (of a thinner gauge) wire, compared to the vintage spec pickups. I'm not too sure why they went with that approach (maybe using even 44 or 45 gauge wire?) but maybe they wanted them to not be too bright sounding?

[@CompanyGrip]

Thanks for checking out the video! Cheers!

[@sinakaedwards2009]

The latest Adam Jones Les Paul has mother of pearl inlays. It also has the Gibson style headstock.

[@CompanyGrip]

Oh that’s right! I totally meant to put that on my radar and forgot! That’s the last Adam Jones with the mural right?

[@sinakaedwards2009]

@@CompanyGrip No artwork on the back, same price as Greeny.

[@sinakaedwards2009]

It is the one guitar you would buy as an Adam Jones fan if you had a limited budget like most of us. It is the most accurate and assessable version of his Les Paul.

[@CompanyGrip]

Gotcha! Thanks for the info. 🤘🏽

[@ianlarson1744]

1700.00 for Indian laurel?????????? AGAIN??????

[@CompanyGrip]

That’s what I’m saying!!!

[@milliesdad8322]

Think I’ll wait for Epiphone to release an Ebony version. Nice tones though!

[@styrenebuilds6851]

The picture you had as the Futura was the Corvus

[@CompanyGrip]

Hi! Thanks for checking out the video! The Corvus was the bolt-on neck model, the one in the video is the neck-thru, which was the Futura. If you look at the truss rod cover in the video you can see it says Futura. Cheers!

[@styrenebuilds6851]

@@CompanyGrip My bad , I forgot they did that in the 80s and was thinking of the 50s Futura . Also I'm only watching in 240p (Satellite Connection)

[@CompanyGrip]

No problem! Thanks for checking it out though!

[@user-dh5bn2fe4b]

That was a really helpful review for anybody who's considering buying one. These guitars look and sound great but THAT price for an Epi? I'll pass.

[@CompanyGrip]

Thank you for checking it out! Yeah - the price is surprising!

[@styrenebuilds6851]

The Greeny , Newest Adam Jones , Dave Grohl and I believe the JB 63 SG has MOP . Probably most of the newer pricier IGC models will have MOP

[@CompanyGrip]

You’re right! I forgot about the Greeny, which I did a review of a few months back… thanks for the info!

[@josephrogers2843]

Not mini humbuckers. Gibson Firebird pickups. Rail pickups.

[@Daddybell6957]

The pickups in the epi are new pickups gibson sells and are vintage spec i guess you van say.. use of alinco magnet where as thr gibson.. when brought back years ago the firebird pickups were wound hotter but also using ceramic mags

[@lotharroberts5978]

Does the neck have rolled fretboard?

[@CompanyGrip]

It has binding up to the edge of the fretboard. Cheers!

[@lotharroberts5978]

Yes but are the frets rolled?@@CompanyGrip

[@Unward_Wardy]

How about fretworks?

[@CompanyGrip]

It’s really good actually!

[@lodrezzon]

I like the sound of the Epiphone better than Gibson. I have 2 new Epiphone's ( Les Paul Studio and Marty Schwartz 335). Both are impeccably made and blow away any other Epiphone I've ever had. Epiphone is simply better than it used to be, and the prices reflect that.

[@CompanyGrip]

Very true! Thanks for checking it out!

[@sinakaedwards2009]

Neck through cost more to make and is more expensive when finished.

[@Unward_Wardy]

If you have 1700 $ which one you buy gibson or epi?

[@CompanyGrip]

Good question! Honestly, they both are built great. So I would default to feature set. The used firebirds that are around that range are probably slim taper necks and rosewood fretboards, the Epiphone is Laurel fretboard and a fatter neck. If you care about where it’s made, obviously the Gibson is USA, the Epiphone is China. But both played real good! I’d probably get the Gibson because I think it will hold its value. Epiphone haven’t demonstrated that trend yet as well.

[@Unward_Wardy]

thx ! 🙏 @@CompanyGrip

[@Kevin-wr9um]

Laurel fretboard and poly finish? Sounds like $900 to $1100. Now Nitro and rosewood or ebony...maybe.

[@CompanyGrip]

Yeah. It seems a bit pricey to me too! Thanks for checking it out.

[@deanbartone8187]

Considering you can’t get a USA Gibson for bird outside of the custom shop, Woodford cost you your first born and a kidney what choice do you really have. I personally like it don’t know about the price but considering case and the specs, I guess I wouldn’t complain too much

[@CompanyGrip]

I have a feeling USA Birds will come back eventually. It seems they are reintroducing new models all the time now. We’ll see!! Thanks for checking it out!

[@HellcatCustoms]

There's plenty of used Gibson FBs probably for less

[@nigellacey559]

Positves= tough poly finsh, no fret nibs, mother of pearl inlays, looks great, sounds great.

[@coreycann6751]

Thinking that poly is a positive is definitely an uncommon opinion. I personally hate poly

[@HellcatCustoms]

I paid $1150 for my brand new at the time 2016 Gibson Firebird V. Reality has become far stranger than fiction...

[@CompanyGrip]

That’s what I’m saying!

[@DaddyWarbucksunlimited]

Will sell them 700.00 in 2 months.

[@cigdamagelungs]

They high i got a Gibson

[@hustlinc3540]

I'd pay 700$ max anything over that is pure robbery

[@Johnjingleheimerschmidtt]

Cry, cry, cry. It’s not Epiphone’s job to price guitars so that you can afford to buy all of them and keep them under your bed. If you wanted this to be your #1 or #2 guitar, you’d spring for it. Yall want to add this to your collection of mid-level guitars for a couple years until you try and sell it on reverb for $50 less than you bought it for. “Delulu” is the new norm. Find a good guitar and play the shit out of it. Quit crying online

[@AndreaAustoni]

Are you ok? Doesn't seem like it

[@blackforestghost1]

Nice guitar, BUT: $1700?? What`next...a "Harley Benton" for $ 2000? Prices getting crazy!😡👎👎

[@derekhand7904]

There’s a $650 one for poor pll, i don’t understand why pll are complaining about the price you the cheaper one didn’t go away.

[@AndreaAustoni]

Because these are not worth 1700 bucks. You really had to be told? ​@@derekhand7904

[@DaddyWarbucksunlimited]

Nah