The Gibson Firebird: A Short History, featuring Rhett Shull

[@RickBeato]

I still have never even played a Firebird! I’m really curious how they play Hypes. I’m going ask Rhett to bring his over so I can try it out. Great video

[@fivewattworld]

Yeah Hypes! Let me know what you think.

[@metalmig]

You should also ask Dave to bring his explorer

[@BWild82]

My Firebird changed my world because of the easy access to high notes. Because of arthritis and other benefits of getting older, it’s been a pain to play up high, and for sure to play decently up there. With the Firebird there is total easy access and I can play things I only dreamed of before, so easily...and the whole thing plays great...I love it. I always wanted one because of the sound, being inspired by Johnny Winter’s sound. It’s been an incredible bonus to have a guitar that plays so well. Got a used 70’s reissue for $700 at a Guitar Center. Still stoked.

[@Highrollinhunter]

I played a thunderbird which is a firebird bass thunderbirds sound very great and mean

[@REM1956]

@@BWild82 That's a heck of a deal on the reissue. The Firebirds are uniquely great guitars. Only down side is the neck dive issue on many of them. I got lucky in finding my, well balanced, white 1990 reissue.

[@RobertBakerGuitar]

Me trying not to buy a firebird. Keith : resistance is futile!

[@michaellittlewood3032]

Get the Bird Robert, get the Bird! You know, " The Birds The Word."

[@fivewattworld]

Ha! I know the feeling.

[@ciggy_]

@@fivewattworld man this channel has really gone downhill, I remember when it was about NOT buying too much gear ;)

[@ryanriggs9963]

Buy the bird, Baker. Buy the bird.

[@AndyDion]

Firebirds are cool. FACT

[@tylerstockrahm3570]

I'm surprised Allen Collins of Lynyrd Skynyrd wasn't mentioned. Skynyrd players often get over looked. Not sure why they were all great musicians

[@Severe_Metalholicism]

Especially Steve Gaines.

[@robertgladstein]

True that. ..but we all know he was famous for it nevertheless..

[@Joey_Fabitz]

Exactly. I opened this feature specifically to see what they said about Allen Collins and his use of the Gibson Firebird. BUT NO... Another slight to one of the GREATEST, hard working bands of that Era. Specifically, 1 of the greatest rock and roll fiddlers to have that skill, PERIOD!!!

[@Joey_Fabitz]

@What Guitars Look, you little bitch, If you were in front of me and said this speech, after you regained consciousness, you would be searching the floor for your missing teeth, asking those near you, "What happened to me?" If I want your opinion I'll ask you for it. Be certain, I will not want it. You are a punk, and lucky I can not locate you. I did try! Where you got the idea that I wanted your opinion is puzzling. I can assure you, we come from 2 totally different worlds. Just STFU going forward if you see me commenting. Do you understand me? If I want any lip from you, I will peel it off my zipper. Today, you got lucky.

[@johnnoel5639]

L Ny uutuuttutju

[@metalmig]

finally someone explained the diference between a firebird pick up and a mini humbucker 🤘👍

[@ghostmacgee1654]

Right!?!! I never had a clue till now!

[@dionysusthemadgod]

The Mini-Humbucker was originally an Epiphone design that happened to fit into P90 routings and led to the creation of the Deluxe.

[@277southtombob]

I had the same thought. I’ve heard a ton of people refer to Firebird pickups as mini humbuckers and even though I like both they sound totally different. The Firebird always reminded me of a really fat Tele pickup. The only thing not mentioned is the odd sidewinder bridge pickup in the Bicentennial models Bill Lawrence designed. They were definitely something unusual.

[@buzzardsinuses4780]

Every time a short history comes out, it’s an event! Any interest in doing a short history on The Big Muff Pi?

[@HELLCHILDFAN101]

Yes!!! Big muff

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

How about a history of the Maestro brand and how it led to the ignition of the Oberheim synthesizer company?

[@kodykindhart8230]

Magnatone or Gibson amps 🤤🤤🤤

[@keatonlusk3693]

I second this

[@Metalbass1979]

You took the words out of my mouth. I was just going to suggest the Big Muff.

[@cvdevol]

I saw Johnny Winter play his old Firebird through a stack of Twin Reverbs way back in the day. Loud as f*ck but mind-blowingly amazing guitar playing. He is truly Mr. Firebird like Jimmy Page is Mr. Les Paul, like Jimi Hendrix is Mr. Stratocaster.

[@edseelig9465]

Having sold my late old friend, Johnny Winter his sunburst '64, '64 white, as I recall, the '65 Pelham Blue one that turned greenish over the decades, a Frost Blue one that had been stripped by the guy who I bought it from, & at Johnny's request, we sprayed it 1970 Dodge Wild Plum for him, lots of other guitars, an old Thunderbird II & Hagstrom 8 String Bass, & 2 early small cabinet Fender Princeton tweed amps that he used for practicing & band rehearsals at home, I saw him use 6 Twin Reverbs, a wall of Ampegs....the day / night that he bought the first Firebird, the sunburst one on July 31, 1970, & also Marshall 100W. stacks, until he switched to the 4 x 10 Musicman 130w. amps. All of the 6 Twin Reverbs, an Ampeg Dan Armstrong Model, His huge "Johnny Winter" stage lights, & whatever else, was sold off by the questionable owners of the warehouse where he & Edgar both stored their stage gear. Johnny kept his Firebirds, & other guitars & basses that he used, at home....

[@Eric-fb2wp]

Ya yes Jimmy Pages Telecaster sold more Les Pauls then anything else.

[@RiffsAndBeards]

Its strange that you always post these when I am making my morning coffee.........are you watching me, Keith?

[@fivewattworld]

Fluff! I emailed you about his because I almost mentioned the RD's and then, of course, I would have mentioned you! But maybe I ended up in the spam folder.

[@scottyd2262]

I'm watching you Fluff... Wait... That came out the wrong way.. LOL !!!

[@prkeene]

Allen Collins' tone on Lynyrd Skynryd's appearance in 1975 on Old Grey Whistle Test is what started my obsession with Firebirds. Great to see Collins mentioned in your Explorer short history.

[@sidiox7857]

Yes! So hyped The Firebird imo is a Dirty bluesy tele which smokes 2 packs of cigerrates every day!

[@fivewattworld]

Ha!

[@truckercowboyed2638]

And occasionally smokes a cuban cigar and laughs at how the rest just dont measure up.......

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

You just helped me figure out exactly where Fender got the idea for all the theme-and-variation Telecasters they manufactured in 1972 that have enjoyed much success on the reissue market.

[@unclefoiley819]

I've been trying to label the Firebird's sound for years. But Sidiox,you've nailed it right on. Thank you.

[@guppybill]

Laffing Out Loud!

[@SJLCinemas]

In my opinion, Allen Collin’s solo he played at the end of ‘Needle And The Spoon’ on his Gibson Firebird is one of the best solos ever written. He’s definitely worth a mention.

[@ushnicyuvnikof2748]

That is onw hell of a solo, and one thst just wouldn't work on a strat, great example!

[@robertgladstein]

Agreed

[@michaelbumgardner771]

I like his solo on I Ain't the One! That one kicks butt!

[@BaronMcCausland]

No mention of Allen Collins of Lynyrd Skynyrd, who played a Firebird for years; including the rhythm and lead tracks on a little song you may have never heard of, entitled: Freebird; using it on both the '73 studio cut, as well as, their '76 multi-platinum double-live album - "just a small side-note" in Firebird history. A-hem !

[@emilsworld333]

It’s a good video overall but I think Allen Collins of Lynyrd Should have been highlighted as Firebird player too. I mean you included PJ Harvey for goodness sakes.

[@kryptych]

Devo's song was "Working in the Coal Mine," a cover of the Allen Toussaint penned 1966 hit for Lee Dorsey. It was The Police who wrote "Canary in a Coalmine." Which song did you mean, sir?

[@fivewattworld]

Yeah, I'm terrible with tune names (obviously). I mashed them together. Or as another commenter said to me, "well you were working in a bar..."

[@Wildman9]

So true, glad you pointed it out. Someone had to.Hahaha.👍🎸

[@harvey1954]

@@fivewattworld Okay, what band put out "Massage In A Brothel"?

[@nfijef]

Thanks, I was like huh?

[@justinbeech2681]

I love both bands so mixing up their song titles is a lot of fun!!

[@patrickwhitaker2293]

Allen Collins used a Firebird on the iconic Freebird solo and it was his main guitar for most of his time in Lynyrd Skynyrd.

[@mrz80]

Note that at some point Collins replaced the bridge pickup in his Firebird with a dogear P-90.

[@robertgladstein]

I thought he played solo on an Explorer? Hmmm🤔

[@patrickwhitaker2293]

@@robertgladstein He did later, (‘76?) but started on the Firebird.

[@Joey_Fabitz]

​@@robertgladstein You are correct. The majority of the Freebird live performances, you have Collins using the Korina Explorer with the WHAMMY BAR that It appeared like he was attempting to shake it right off of the guitar.

[@Joey_Fabitz]

​@Robert Gladstein I saw Freebird performed live New Year's Eve of 76 and July Fourth of 77, both in Oakland, California. Korina Explorer w/Whammy

[@bobathanrex4913]

ooooo does this guitar even exist: Alpine White Triple pickup Firebird VII "Custom" with the ebony board, gold hardware, and pearl blocks. No crappy sideways vibrato!!!

[@pedraw]

I'll bet it could if you have have enough money.

[@rw2806]

Gibson Custom M2M. You can get whatever you want.

[@waynebiasini1039]

@@rw2806 you never mentioned Allen Collins. One of the most underrated guitarist that played a thunderbird

[@randalclarke5487]

@@waynebiasini1039 that's right!!! I feel bad now, as I didn't think of him either, but you're absolutely right

[@dr.lyleevans6915]

@@waynebiasini1039 thunderbird is a bass, right? The Mad Hatter in Skynyrd played one sometimes, though. Collins played Firebirds (outro solo in the studio version of freebird for instance; the slide was Gary Rossington with a Gibson SG), Explorers, and Strats mostly

[@francomartini4328]

I think you missed one of the most famous (and best) Firebird players ever, namely Allen Collins of Lynyrd Skynyrd. I love the sound of Firebird pickups and Allen Collins was the man who first sparked my interest. I had the honour of seeing the band twice, once at the Knebworth Festival in August 1976 and then again in November the same year at the Hammersmith Odeon (today called the O2 Hammersmith) and I was devastated at the news of the plane crash a few months later. "One More from the Road" had been on my turntable for a year before that. In any case, when it comes to guitars my motto is "You can't do your thang if it ain't got that twang" and Firebirds have it in spades.

[@Highrollinhunter]

Lzzy Hale also plays an firebird but Allen Collins is one of the best firebird players

[@ralphstanley84]

Congrats on seeing them play twice man I consider that an honor.

[@weggawoody8116]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who sat there waiting for him to mention Allen, maybe Allen got some attention in the explorer episode

[@johndiloreto3738]

Yes! I love the Short Histories. Not even a minute in but I know it's gonna be a good one. I'd love to see a history on Dallas Arbiter, either the Fuzz Face or the Rangemaster Treble Booster.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

I've been watching quite a few histories on the Treble Booster/Rangemaster/Fuzz Face lately. Does this mean I don't want to see Five Watt World do one too? Hell NO !!! Bring it on! I just love this guy's gentle style and really clear, concise linear approach. Hey, I'd enjoy Five Watt World doing a history of the potato chip!

[@smelltheglove2038]

I find it strange when men say the word “tummy”.

[@ClinicalDecisionYikesYT]

Made my Thursday morning!! Between the Klon and now this, y’all have been on point lately. Greetings from North Carolina!!

[@Bob-Whiting]

Greetings from Fayetteville!

[@dr.lyleevans6915]

NW NC mountains here!

[@jeffunderwood6235]

Monroe NC

[@chuckcaldwell474]

Weddington

[@jeffunderwood6235]

@@chuckcaldwell474 hello neighbor

[@mark5150ty]

You forgot to mention Alan Collins from Lynyrd Skynyrd. He played a reverse. Not sure what number but I know it was a two pickup model. You can see him playing it on footage from "one more from the road" live album tour .

[@troymoss4515]

I must have missed the part where you talked about Allen Collins...

[@davemarriott9332]

I just got my first Firebird after playing in bands live since 1981. Bought the Epiphone tobacco sunburst and the minute I started playing it I knew I've finally, after almost 40 years of playing, found the perfect guitar. The fret board is wide, mini humbuckers sound amazing. I'm so impressed with this Epiphone I can't believe how much they have stepped up their game. I don't have to modify anything to this guitar. I'm proud to say I have an Epiphone of this caliber. It's straight up a really great guitar....It stays in tune no matter how hard I play it. Maybe I just got lucky or maybe they're listening to what we've all been wanting.....Great video thanks for the history

[@bretspangler8717]

I had a similar experience with my olive-drab green Firebird, I really wanted to get the burst but they are back-ordered. Mine plays amazing and I love the tones I am getting, both clean and with distortion, it has such a buttery feel. I did perform a minor tune-up when I got it, polishing the frets, oiling the fretboard, and new strings, I even raised the action just a touch and it played perfectly.

[@johnnathancordy]

Just got to walk the sausages...but I'll be back with a coffee, Keith!!

[@pumkinbreath]

Don’t know of any young players who were around in the 70s that were not blown away by the sights and sounds of Johnny Winter.

[@oldeshoppebluzboy2298]

Ditto to the 9's Yes! The Firebird was Johnny Winter's favorite go to guitar onstage or in the studio and he talks about that fact in several interviews across his entire career before he passed...I am 68 years young and still gigging here in Colorado up and down the Front and Back Range and Johnny Winter influenced my playing more than any other guitarist probably....Cheers !

[@discernment8963]

@@oldeshoppebluzboy2298 As good an influence as there is!

[@Bill-wb5jv]

“The body was something like an upside down jazzmaster”***

[@JackFossett]

I did a Firebrid video and I also got in comment trouble for not mentioning Allen Collins. C'est la vie! Great video as always.

[@richardkenna149]

Firebirds are the Cadillac of guitars!

[@Peron1-MC]

that makes sense. its my dream guitar and i have two cadillacs XD

[@corneliuscrewe677]

Never liked the non-reverse Firebird, just awful. The original is classic.

[@petertiffany8096]

Agreed. The non-reverse is funny looking to me too. The original reverse version is cool. Makes sense a classic car designer came up with it.

[@artamussumatra6286]

I like ‘em. The reverse is cool, but it just looks like a rounded off Explorer. The non reverse looks more exotic, and primal too me, plus it’s got the P-90s that I love. To each their own I guess. 😉

[@jquill6]

I like ‘em. They are very 90s indie / grunge

[@SD_UK]

I'd prefer a reverse, but if a non-reverse fell in to my lap, that would be a fine occurrence...

[@corneliuscrewe677]

@@jquill6 Well, they are that, and I imagine they are more comfortable to play, too. Just not my bag.

[@Meltingpot1000]

The Johnny Winter And Live album is absolutely legendary IMHO

[@DavidRavenMoon]

.022 microfarad caps. A 22 uF cap would remove all useable sound from the guitar!

[@ZombieXee]

Nobody does guitar histories like Keith. What a delight.

[@jonathanbrazee3846]

How could you miss Allen Collins? You know the free bird solo? Leon Wilkenson also played a Thunderbird bass.

[@420kushkushakastickygreeng4]

Been waiting for this one, too damn curious about the bird

[@ryanbaptiste249]

I'll forgive the Allen Collins omission simply because an otherwise great video of the coolest, yet most underrated guitar on the planet (reverse body version), is always very much appreciated!

[@andrewwagner6851]

17:18 is that Hendrix playing a bass?

[@luxford60]

You're right. I didn't notice until I saw your comment, but went back and it definitely is.

[@kirkbolas4985]

Good catch!

[@rolux4853]

A righthanded J-Bass, upside down, without changing the order of the strings - now that’s where Mono Neon got his inspiration from!

[@Justin-lx5cz]

Pretty sure it's Tommy Shannon's (from SRV's Double Trouble) white jazz bass from when he played with Johnny around 1969

[@jackgrattan1447]

Zal Cleminson of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band played a non-reverse Firebird, and I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Arthur "Killer" Kane of the New York Dolls, who played a Thunderbird bass.

[@JordanExplores97]

This quickly became one of my favorite channels. I got into guitar from much newer rock and heavy metal music and I'm really getting into older styles and learning the history of guitar and the genres it was heavily involved in. Thanks for stuff like this, I feel like I really know my stuff.

[@Violoncheloops]

It'd be super interesting to see a Short Story video of the Roland Jazz Chorus. Amidst all VOXes and Fenders and Marshalls, there was another contender with very different colours, and it remains iconic to this day.

[@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy]

You mentioned the Phoenix. Today, the LTD version of the Firebird is called "Phoenix." I had one of those for years. I sold it to mentally cut ties with a toxic band. I just didn't want that visual reminder.

[@Outta-hz1ej]

OK I Googled this and I'm still out of the loop, what's the deal with LTD?

[@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy]

I am talking about the guitar company, ESP. LTD is their Asian-made lines. E-II is their Japanese-made line, and ESP is the American custom shop. As for the Phoenix, that is the LTD copy of the Firebird.

[@nsiderultimaseth]

@@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy I think he misread your comment and thought you said "cut ties with a toxic BRAND."

[@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy]

@@nsiderultimaseth Ah yes. I had not considered that possibility. Just to clear up any confusion on that matter, I do love ESP/LTD. They have never done me wrong. The band was the problem. I didn't want reminders of that band.

[@Outta-hz1ej]

@@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy ah thanks

[@zackwood697]

My favorite guitar is my 91 firebird V!! Praise the Lord for giving it to me!!🙏🙌

[@edseelig9465]

The '90 & '91 Firebirds were very nice guitars, with the frets polished, fingerboards heavily oiled, & the binding very carefully rounded & carefully buffed!

[@tomsimms674]

McCartney's Firebird seems to have been a manufactured lefty. Look at the location of the bird, the tuners, and the knobs at 19:14. Compare with the righty 'Bird at 13:44. Also, you missed Steve Winwood's Non-reverse from his Traffic era. A list of songs that featured it might make an interesting appendix to this highly-informative video.

[@1davejsutdave1]

I recently bought a cardinal red 2019 model. Love it. Wish you has spend a little time on the tuners and moving to a non sculpted headstock. I heard a gibson rep tell me they switched to mini grovers because people hated the original banjo, then steinberger ones and that the non scooped out neck is stronger. Is that true>

[@fivewattworld]

I don’t know why the other neck shape would be stronger but I’m no guitar builder.

[@jackgrattan1447]

Link Wray also played a Firebird.

[@davidwilliams7586]

A well done history. Notably the early 63 Firebirds and especially the Firebird 1 had huge baseball necks and were very top heavy. The top heavy design led to many broken headstocks. Also noted, the firebird also came in a rare cherry finish similar to the SG that was never officially advertised. I happen to have a cherry '64 firebird V. Lastly Steve Windwood played an inverness green non reverse firebird on the "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" tour.

[@edseelig9465]

Absolutely correct about the '63s having Louisville Slugger necks on them. 2 piece center sections, & no Firebird logos, & a big round heel where the neck morphed into the body, on any of the the '63s that I sold to touring bands, including the white '63 Firebird VII that Stephen Stills bought from me in Kansas City in July of 1974 the afternoon before a packed C,S,N,& Y, Beach Boys, Jesse Colin Young Show in one of the stadiums there.

[@davidwilliams7586]

Thanks for the fun comment. I was a college roadie at the University of Virginia and set up Steven Stills guitars for a show in 1976. He used to tour with 25 vintage guitars. I got to play the white firebrid VII. He had his action on all of his electrics set really high. I still buy and sell guitars and own a store in Colorado called Monkton Guitars.@@edseelig9465

[@jvin248]

Liked how you included the 2020 inflation adjusted pricing. .. "he didn't like to travel with it due to the weak headstock" so even the 'car guy designer' couldn't break Gibson's habit. Interesting to see how many players pictured with Firebirds have swapped in other pickup types.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

Set against the actual price gouging Gibson has been invoked with since this decade began, the inflation adjustment is far more affordable, if Gibson would adhere to it. Chances are good, they would do far better business if their best gear wasn’t blown out of the water at boutique prices.

[@michaelinglis567]

I really love how you intertwine your history with the history of the gear your highlighting. Makes for a really fun video to watch! Edit: I think you meant .022uf capacitors.

[@anechoicmedia]

I caught that as well :\

[@LeoTorresGuitar]

The gift that keeps on giving. Thank you, Keith.

[@EPstroker]

Very enjoyable video. Allen Collins is where I discovered the firebird from back in the day, then Johnny Winter came next. Collins freebird solo on the pronounced record is all firebird, along with Winters slide playing on his firebird What a unique sounding guitar.

[@spencerstewart726]

These short histories are amazingly informative and just fun to watch and learn. I've been waiting for Keith to do the Gibson firebird! Right on! Keep doing what you're doing!!

[@panicrev555]

Funny how the wonky balance of the firebird wasn't mentioned. I saw some front strap buttons on top of a few of those old ones. Was that original or did some players move it there to cure the top of the guitar wanting to flop out? The problem with that position is it makes the already heavy headstock heavier. I remember seeing Johnny Winter's having just a hole there like he'd tried it and no bueno. Allen Collins would put his strap over the front of the body to cure the top wanting to flop out but I'm not down with that look. I moved my rear strap button up an inch, just shy of the seam, and the front button up about an inch and forward about a quarter inch and man what a difference! Why didn't Gibson do that all along? Such a simple fix to a hugely annoying problem.

[@barkerfunk2559]

I see Five Watt World and I click. Thank you for the new video!!

[@jimmybags1494]

I'm not a Gibson fan by any stretch of the imagination but I just picked up a legitimate made in Japan ESP Phoenix. It's their version of a Firebird but with a standard Fender scale length. I've only played super strats up until now but there really is something about this body shape that carries so much mojo, I absolutely love it

[@snowdevil7727]

Does it have the exact Gibson reverse firebird body or the later ESP modified body? Does it have the Jackson-lawsuit headstock and is it very, very heavy?

[@wmdunn5009]

Allen Collins rocked it also on a Firebird

[@chadlong1109]

Now, this is coming from a Fender loyalist (for reasons I don’t entirely understand, as I’ve enjoyed playing every guitar I’ve ever picked up save a couple pieces of shit by Ibanez and First Act), but I feel like Gibson Les Pauls, Explorers and Firebirds all sound the same, in a way that Fender single coil Teles, Strats, JMs and Jaguars do not. Maybe I’m just not a humbucker aficionado.

[@billymoretti8437]

Don't forget Pete Way of UFO and his ever present Thunderbird Bass!

[@billymoretti8437]

And also don't forget Paul Raymond of UFO playing a Non Reverse firebird!!

[@ryanriggs9963]

Can you do a short history of BC Rich guitars?

[@terrycolletti8645]

There is nobody else on the internet that explains things better than Keith.

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

Steve Winwood's Kerry green 1960's non reverse Firebird is a beauty.

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

I should have said was a beauty...some idiot stole it I believe.

[@thunderberg]

Who voted this down? How can you dislike anything by 5WW?

[@RobtheGretsch]

There is a lot of niche' knowledge on Keith's Channel so may be someone can help here? I have a cherry red Gibson Custom Shop Firebird III 1964 Collectors Choice #47 / 2017. Apparently replicated after one owned by Scott "Softy". Doe's anyone know who that is? Can't find any information about him, not even google seems to know? Thank you and thank you five watt world for such a great channel !

[@James-hb6ee]

Great video! I first became aware of the unique sound of the Firebird when I was watching a CS&N concert video and Stills was tearing it up on a Firebird. I always thought of them as mostly an acoustic band, but I realized how good a player Stills is watching that concert. I'm also a big Neil Young fan but never knew the back PU was from a Firebird! Thanks!

[@edseelig9465]

I sold Stills his Firebird I, sunburst, mine, not store stock, & the log neck '63 white Firebird VII, both of which were used extensively after he bought them back between '71...the FBI, as I recall, & absolutely, July of '74 for the FB VII, since I have a photocopy of the check from that sale to Stills & on a different check for 2 tweed Fender Amps to Neil Young, the same afternoon. Fun being in the middle of the motorcade across town into the backstage area of whichever stadium that was....

[@beanotraffini681]

The pickups on the first iterations of the Bicentennial Firebirds are unlike original 'Bird pups: they are coaxial 'sidewinders' and sound markedly different (I know as I own one and i've studied the pickups closely...); also, the construction of the bridge pick up differs from the construction of the neck pick up!

[@Ozman77]

I hate to pile on because this video is a 9 out of 10 for the information alone, but it would be a perfect 10 if Allen Collins would have been included.

[@Highrollinhunter]

Yeah man most of the young rockers don't know Lzzy Hale plays an firebird but Allen Collins plays the firebird better than Lzzy I prefer Old school Rock and Metal over new school because everyone is so weak and want to play extended range guitars and basses my next bass purchase is an Epiphone thunderbird IV next year for my 18th birthday I love my 1986 Ibanez roadstar ii bass I play whom the bell tolls intro solo to prove my bass playing skills to my dad who loves salsa and Rock love songs especially from Styx

[@sunbrookcondo4179]

Ya, I was surprised Allen Collins' name didn't pop up for this one. Especially since bassist Leon also played the Thunderbird alongside of him.

[@robnamowicz8073]

My little band opened for Johnny Winter at the Palladium in Birmingham Michigan. At that show, Johnny introduced his little brother, who came out and blew sax and everyone's' mind. Sitting down front after our set, Johnny came out sporting that Firebird pictured here. After one blistering bombastic tune, he started cranking the tuners, spun around with his back to the audience and over his shoulder said into the mic, "You never give the good ones away,,," He pulled out a slide and tore the dump down. Thanks, Punch.

[@bluesrockguitaristmikesall2708]

The Epiphone Firebird V designer series are basically a Gibson for $599.00. They feature Neck Thru construction,Mini Humbuckers,and Grover Tuners. The only variations from Gibson is a metric bridge,and an Indian Laurel fretboard.Tone wise they are every bit a Gibson,minus the microphonics.You can hear one on my KZbin show "The Reach Around".The only other Neck Thru Epiphone Firebirds ( aside from Joe Bonamassa's) are the 300,and 500 models which where made in the eighties.They came equipped with a Kahler trem ,which tend to bend at the posts.They also have a Richlite fretboard ( Polymer). Generally they are not too pricey $400.00 range.Anyway,thanks for a great show Keith !

[@anthonybeers]

So the big question with Gibson, Were they ahead of their time? Abysmal at marketing? or terrible at knowing what their customers want? or over priced? It seems like they were always making guitars that become famous once musicians started picking them up second hand. I'm curious why all the false starts for guitars that would become iconic.

[@Musicenjoyer17]

Firebirds are my favourite guitars idk why but THEY LOOK SO COOL especially red ones

[@lightsjohnson8253]

Keith, if you can get you a Firebird. There's nothing like it, they are like a Tele an SG and a rock n roll goddess all in one.

[@johndaugherty4127]

I traded a 1978 white tele for my '76 Firebird in 1981. Best playing and sounding guitar I ever played. Traded it for an Antigua strat, cause, Jimi.

[@nigelwallis9223]

Scrolling through KZbin, is like panning for gold, every so often you find tiny nuggets in amongst the dross. I love this channel, it has taught me so much in such a concise and enthusiastic way. Thank you.

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Nigel

[@alharlow3504]

Thanks, Keith & the 5 Watt team! As a lifelong Firebird devotee, I hope I can add to the story. While the plausable reasons of difficulty in manufacturing the reverse's neck-thru design prompted Gibson's move to the set-neck, slab-body non-reverse are true: A common complaint, even amongst those of us who love the Bird was the neck-heavy imbalance of the reverse model. Those weighty banjo-tuners, used mainly for their visual disappearance when viewing the guitar from the front, tuners pointing straight back from the head, were the culprit, along with the lengthy head itself. On the "2010" re-issue, the Steinberger "straight-through" gearless tuners were a welcome improvement, if 47 years in the making. That custom hardshell case Gibson offered on the initial production run was not quite deep enough for the 14-degree angle-back headstock. It is estimated that 300 of the reverse Birds were broken at the head during shipping, my first Firebird V included: Addicted to Firebirds following the Stones appearance with two Firebird VIIs on TV in 1965, I begged my poor Dad for one, until he succumbed and mail-ordered a brand-new early '65 F-Bird V. As the salesman opened the case, seeing my new Bird with the head broken off brought tears to this 14 year-old, but the promise to re-order assuaged heartbreak, until: The replacement was a non-reverse Firebird V, with no notice from Gibson that the re-shipment was not the same instrument. Part of the Firebird magic are those wonderful low-gain single-coil pickups --- non-matching model numbers, on the neck pickup vs the bridge: The mis-matching produces a huge bluesy fatness at the neck, and a Telecaster-type "slap" at the bridge. Combining the two creates a third sonic animal. There's nothing else like it. Firebird VII owners may want to educate us as to what the 3rd middle pickup model is? But this begs an opinion: The later Studio models and other variants with double-coil humbucks and/or slab bodies cut in the reverse shape are really not the same breed as the original neck-through single-coil monster. As the fawning owner of several Birds, including the single-pickup Joe Bonamassa Epi "Treasure" (with original banjo pegs), reverse & non-reverse Vs and an Epi reverse "Mando-Bird" mandolin version, I can only sing praises of a Bird that sings back to you! Thanks guys...

[@CitoFlyyy]

I literally came here looking for a “history of the firebird” video and to my surprise it was just released today! Sweet!

[@michaellyons1926]

“Canary in a coal mine,” is by the Police, not Devo. They did a cover of, “Working in a coal mine”.

[@Dillion203]

1:30 I love hearing the history of these guitars and gear, but your storytelling is amazing. "I knew their setlist and drink order better than my hometown" idk if that's considered poetry but it gave me some feels.

[@lgv3051]

What about Nikki Six? Didn't he play a Thunderbird way back in the day?

[@jts3339]

I purchased a Firebird years ago without knowing a lot about them and fell in love. In addition to the players that you listed, I discovered that Terry Kath, Gary Moore, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kim Thayil, Eric Johnson, and Billy Gibbons have all played Firebirds during their careers.

[@Vichedges]

I'm sure a lot of players have played them at one time or another, that doesn't mean much other than they played one. The video lists Steve Jones of the Pistols, Steve had one but he said it wouldn't stay in tune. He bought it (if I remember right) on the American tour. You can see him playing it in the videos from that tour and it does sound terrible. As far as I know that was the only one Steve owned and he didn't seem to like it much. I wouldn't call him a Firebird player, he just seems to have bought one and played it a few times in public. I mean plenty of guitar players play loaner guitars or try out guitars. Johnny Ramone played a Strat but I don't think anyone thinks of him as a "strat player".

[@ryanriggs9963]

Stevie Ray Vaughn?!? Wow.

[@snowdevil7727]

Paul Chapman and Paul Raymond of UFO/Waysted played non-reverse Gibson Firebirds, too.

[@Vichedges]

@@edwhite7475 Firebirds are really cool looking and I’m not saying they aren’t good guitars, just saying Jones very briefly played in public, not sure if that qualifies him as a “firebird fan” or “player”. He of course loves LP Customs but lately he seems to play a Flying V custom a lot too. He’s also expanded into a Strat, Gibson acoustics and an SG but I’ve never seen him playing a Strat live, he probably has at some point though, he’s been Playing shows for 45 years.

[@Vichedges]

@@edwhite7475 what are you even talking about? You can hear and see him playing it first off...second none of that has anything to do with what I said? Who cares if you don’t like Steve Jones lol? More power to you I guess but I don’t care and certainly didn’t ask.

[@JamesDavis-fs4bj]

Really insightful video but I was surprised there was no mention of Allen Collins.

[@iiGODLYWARRIOR]

You left out William Murderface from Dethklok.

[@pptemplar5840]

I always find it funny that Gibson seemed to have a pattern of releasing an instrument that kinda flops, then gets picked up in some pawn shop by upcoming talent like 6 years later, then the instrument gets retroactive popularity because a bunch of people try to copy those successful artists as if the guitars were the secret to their success.

[@andrewpappas9311]

I’ve always had a love of Firebirds thanks to guys like Allen Collins, Johnny Winter and Brian Jones, those guitars just sound amazing and play incredible

[@edseelig9465]

and Eric Clapton, among lots of others!

[@Khumphries]

i always think of Allen Collins playing a firebird before he got his '58 explorer

[@_dmfd]

I still don't get why Gibson mass-destroyed 95% of the Firebird X's they had made lol. They could have sold them all at a steep discount and made some of their money back. Makes no sense.

[@bobbillnolan7644]

They had to destroy them as proof to ‘offset’ them in relation to ‘TAX/IRS complications and compliance

[@snowdevil7727]

@@bobbillnolan7644 I heard another explanation that some of the junk electronics were unusable and if you gutted the guitars of that stuff, it just wasn't practical structurally to try and set them up with normal electronics and pickups. They were damn ugly and got what they deserved.

[@danekeating5224]

It comes to company reputation. It is better to junk an obsolete inferior product and lose money, than to sell it cheaply and have a poor product floating around with the Gibson logo on it and damage the company image - but by then it was too late and consumer contempt was established.

[@geetarrob6199]

At some point you should do a story on Mark Erlewine and his Chiquita and Lazer guitars.

[@tunesmith7437]

Johnny Winter had a bunch of those. A band buddy of mine and I were working at a deli on East 85th St. in NYC. Just around the corner was Johnny's brownstone. He used to come into the deli for stuff and my buddy and I got to know him well. We were invited to jam with him at his pad. He had an 8 level shelf built into the lower level of his pad. Right into the brick. On each of those shelves were Reverse Firebirds in cases. He had at least 8 of them. We jammed one afternoon for 2 or 3 hours. Then a bunch of our friends joined us and we partied all night long. Wow, 1973 was a long time ago.

[@seankelly9292]

A video about the Gibson firebird and there’s no mention of Allen Collins of Lynyrd Skynyrd?

[@MisterGuitarItalia]

"Canary in a coalmine" was the Police... DEVO did "Working in a Coalmine"

[@HellcatCustoms]

I have a 2016 Gibson Firebird V. It's a work of fine art!

[@chrisforrest4581]

Thanks Keith for another great video. One of my all time fav solo's is EC's Live Cream version of "Sitting On Top Of The World" played on his Firebird 1 man what tone (and playing).

[@edseelig9465]

I saw Clapton use his sunburst Firebird I here in St. L. at Kiel Opera House, with Cream, tearing the house down in April 1968. I heard years later that he had the refinished all cherry "Lucy" '57 Les Paul Standard backstage as his backup guitar. It was pretty cool to sell Eric a mint '91 Cardinal Red Firebird V reissue, which he kept for 10 years. Never heard whether or not he played it live, or at home for fun....

[@scottstubbs9913]

Great Video! Allen Collins of Lynyrd Skynyrd was a Firebird Player.

[@johnpower2018]

Firebird-Johnny Winter. That's all you need to know...

[@scottakam]

Thanks. I think Allen Collins was a pretty notable Firebird player also.

[@TheDemolitionKings]

I love my non reverse. I’ve had two reverse birds (still have one) but that non reverse is head and shoulders above them.

[@davidkieltyka9]

I’ve owned an early non-reverse ‘Bird V for many years. Not as pretty as the reverse version but better balanced. I think of it as Gibson’s take on the Telecaster. The pickups have Tele-style bite but without the country/western swing twang.

[@smokingtarheel3003]

I always enjoy these and will never forget watching Johnny Winter tearing up his Firebird at several clubs here in NC. When I think of the Firebird, I think of Johnny.

[@PierceThirlen2]

Correction. Those are NOT 22 microfarad (22µF) capacitors, they are 22 nanofarad (22nF) capacitors, aka 0.022 microfarad (0.022µF).

[@redram5150]

18:15 “... he kept his eyes open for a new guitar.” I see what you did there

[@plingus2817]

These videos are always a treat! Too bad with each one i want the mentioned piece of gear..

[@darkshadow3496]

Allen Collins of Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded the Freebird solo on a Firebird

[@pawlpoche8736]

Just poured me a Peach 🍑 n pecan whiskey 🥃. Cooking a gumbo and listening like the guitar/gear nerd I am!