Playing the Epiphone Firebird V - with commentary

A.T. plays around on an Epiphone Firebird V and comments on his impressions.

[@aaronlalli3730]

I'm looking hard at one of these....fantastic playing man...

[@cathybatson7781]

Rythm playing is on point, sounds fantastic

[@freepressright]

Thank you! I've been a lead guitarist in every band I've ever been in over the past 30 years, and while it's always been nice to be recognized for my solo skills, there is something absolutely satisfying about someone seeing that how I play riffs is strong, clean and polished. I have always focused on being a clean picker, and I've strived to master attack dynamics. That's why I play with probably 25 to 50 percent less preamp gain than many rock guitar players. I want my right and left hand to create the overdrive. I want to be dynamic. Thank you for recognizing it.

[@tylerleavitt2715]

Dude. You have got it. Most people miss all those nuances playing at volume.

[@aidancrayon1263]

Killer riffs man

[@aperezdeal]

Nice! I just got mine in a couple days ago. So far so good.

[@freepressright]

I had a 2001 Gibson Firebird V that I owned and played on stage for a decade. I am struck by how well built this Epiphone is. While I don't smell the nitro lacquer when I open the case, there are very damn few quality compromises. If anything, lacking the banjo tuners that the Gibson had (which royally sucked) might actually be an improvement. The neck is more like a 59 Paul (a bit thick). My Gibson had a neck that felt like every single SG Standard I've ever owned, early mid 60s feel. Still yet, this neck is comfortable, the fret work is wonderful and the Indian Laurel looks nice. It's a steal for $699.

[@rustygribble5309]

RIF RAFF!!!! SOUNDS GREAT! WE WOULD JAM VERY WELL TOGETHER 😏

[@LuzukiSuke]

Sounds great!!!!!

[@joellemaster998]

the epiphone sounds killer,but i am biased cause i have one! what amp are you using in this video? sounds great!

[@freepressright]

@joellemaster998 Behringer Vampire LX210, guitar running through a Behringer MIC200 tube preamp with a vintage 12AV7 subbed for the 12AX7 they come with. I run a BRIT HI GAIN (JCM 800) tone patch with the gain between 4 and 5. Gives me lots of clean headroom on the volume roll, and dynamics that are responsive to my picking attack and fret hand pressure. That's where the tube preamp really helps it shine.

[@BloodySoup74]

Love the Calling Dr Love riff!! Awesome playing. I'm not very good at guitar, would this be a good ax for a lesser talent fella? I love Skynyrd music this would go with it perfect.

[@freepressright]

@BloodySoup74 😊 thank you, sir. I always try to sprinkle some variety into it. The cost of this guitar makes it great for about any player. I do upwards of 80 shows a year and would have no problem stepping on stage weekend after weekend with this guitar.

[@zandig666]

Sounds great man !! How are the pups? I have a set of dimarzio vintage minis with no screws that may be close to firebirds if we are in the ballpark these have a wiked high mid grind I'm in love with

[@freepressright]

@zandig666 pickups are wonderful, compared against the Gibson mini humbuckers. Lots of mids for the cut. Crystalline highs but not shrill. Lots of gain stage dynamics. Clean up nicely on volume roll. You can hear the individual string resonance on chords. Very wide open.

[@zandig666]

@freepressright sweet I heard firebird minis are their own thing and I'm assuming mine are modeled after those they prob can't say firebird minis. I've never tried a gib mini tho

[@freepressright]

@zandig666 they are kind of their own thing. The ones on the mid 70s Les Paul Deluxe models are definitely different than the Firebird minis.

[@ajsrhodes]

How high do you have your pickups set? Could you give me the measurements?

[@freepressright]

@ajsrhodes honestly I'm not sure. Wherever they were set at the factory. I was testing the guitar for the other guitarist in my band. I neglected to really look because it sounded so great as is. Normally I prefer humbuckers in the 7 to 8k range because they more accurately reproduce your effort from pick attack and fret hand pressure, without too much extra help from sheer gain level. The lower resistance pickups (in the PAF gain range) are very sensitive to pickup height, whereas hotter pickups are more forgiving. I personally like my bridge pickup to be somewhere close to the strings, but not touching them. I have always eyeballed it and let the guitars response guide me. I tend to run my neck pickup on the low-ish side because it's easy to make it too "farty" sounding on the bass frequencies if you get too close. Plus it makes the center pickup switch position sound chimey and beautiful. I like lots of clean headroom on the volume roll. All of the in-between dynamics are what really make me love a guitar's tone profile. That width if thag headroom has a lot to do with the pickup not being too close to the strings. Just my personal way of doing things. It's all subjective and all in what you like.

[@rustygribble5309]

kzbin.infoczVHLwo2UyI?si=kII-Bc2Zr1svH4Bs

[@harringtonbenton334]

JUST ANOTHER GUITAR UNAVAILABLE TO LEFTIES