When you combine a TELE and FIREBIRD | B3 PHOENIX review

#b3guitars #b3phoenix #telecaster #firebird #guitarreviews
What do you get when you combine a Telecaster with a Firebird and throw in a few extra suprises? In this video I'm going to review the B3 Phoenix.
I'll provide several sound demonstrations, compare the B3 Phoenix to a Telecaster, and test whether one-piece construction adds any extra sustain vs. a bolt-on neck guitar.
Ultimately I'm curious to know if these type of hybrid guitar designs are just a novel idea or if they stand on their own. What do you think?
Happy to answer any questions in the comments!
Rock on!
-Jonathan Z

[@deddiev1718]

Had a friend with two of the double cutaway Bakers. Could not get him to sell me one

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Gene makes an awesome guitar! I can easily understand why you tried and why he wouldn’t budge!

[@NINEWALKING]

Sustain is not dependent of a wood and wood construction only. Believe it or not pickups position, number of pickups and pickup types is something that limits the sustain. Pickups do string pull and are actively trying to dampen the string. We are actually converting mechanical energy of the string into the electric energy. That induction principle is similar as what happens in electric generators. To make electricity you need to input mechanical power. Despite being smaller single coil Fender style pickups with magnetic material pole peace’s (Alnico pole peace’s mostly) have one of the highest string pull effect. When you have those to high those will literarily cut sustain and resonance of the guitar down. Even the bending will feel like you have thicker strings and will be harder thing to do. Most of the string pull is exerted by the neck pickup because string movement is highest there so breaking effect is amplified there. If you want to know does construction matter you would need to test sustain acoustically with no pickups and using same strings and same string length or as we call it scale length. When we talk how wild the single bridge pickup guitars are we fiend say that that’s because of more wood behind the neck because there is no routing for the neck pickup. But what people forget that is that those guitars have only one handbrake and only the small one. This allows them to vibrate and resonate more and ultimately have longer sustain. Or better said the most sustain as they can have. One can ruin the best wood construction and wood selection guitar by setting up pickups to high. At the other side of the medal even removing pickups from bad constructed guitar with wood issues will not increase its sustain. Ruined guitar is just what it is. You can’t make good guitar out of the rubber.

[@jimmy5634]

I only wish you would have played the guitar completely clean. Nobody seems to ever want to do that.

[@thebrysmith3]

I was under the impression that Firebird Pickups were not actually Mini Humbuckers, but their own specific thing.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

I didn’t realize that. I just looked it up and they are in fact different. Thanks for pointing that out! Now I’m really curious to try them!

[@thebrysmith3]

@@RatherBeRiffing No worries. Ain't nothing wrong with minihumbuckers. Your playing proved that.

[@hkguitar1984]

Yeah, Firebird pickups are very much their own thing. These Lollars look to be of the design you'd find on an Epiphone or Les Paul Deluxe.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

@@thebrysmith3 thanks!

[@NINEWALKING]

Indeed they are different construction internally. Mini humbuckers are exactly what they say. They are coming from Epiphone and 1968 Gibson starts using Epiphone minis into the Les Paul making new Deluxe model. They have rebooted Les Paul Standard with the P90 pickups. People said we want humbuckers. Gibson have had touted bodies for P90 pickups already. So they took Epiphone minis and have made pickup ring that fits them in the P90 routing. People still asked for Burst with PAF’s. So from then till now they are trying and failing to make the Burst as it was. On the other side firebird pickups have strange magnets orientation and inside look completely different than humbucker pickups. Mostly they have higher output and even some have ceramic magnets or combination of two.

[@hkguitar1984]

FINALLY, Firebird tone without a guitar case that is too long to fit in my car's back seat! EDIT, I'd install a set of Firebird pickups, or at least one of them in the middle position, that said, the current pickups sound great too.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Haha!!! Well put - a noteworthy perk for sure!

[@hkguitar1984]

@@RatherBeRiffing Love the fact this guitar has the longer scale length, very, very cool.

[@NILOCOgov]

Haven't seen many Phoenix's without binding, it looks super clean.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

I’d love to have binding with trapezoid inlays, but this guitar is so good I’ve gotten over it.

[@adamgray8009]

First of all you could make a $199 Squire sound great, so there’s that. However, loved the tones you got from the Phoenix. What a cool and unique guitar! I personally love these mashup guitars since it breathes new life in old designs. And frankly I’m shocked about the sustain test. Does the Phoenix feel more resonant in the hand I wonder? No bolt on neck design ever out sustains (or out resonates) my glued neck Gibsons/PRS/Collings. Maybe that’s an exceptionally well built Tele? Anyway, thanks again for your content. It’s always interesting and with great playing.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks for the kind words and thoughts as always, Adam! Surprisingly the Phoenix doesn't feel any more resonant than the Tele in my hands (they are both very resonant). The Phoenix neck feels stiffer, which makes sense to me given the design. The Whitfill T is indeed an exceptionally well built Tele.

[@TheSidelife1430]

That sounds spectacular, man. Do you know which kind of mini-humbuckers those are? Lollars makes a couple different models. By the way, your tone is spot on: would you mind saying what amp are you using for this demo? Great tasty playing, keep on.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you! The spec sheet states, “Lollar mini hum”. I’m using a Two Rock Bloomfield Drive and Blankenship Twinplex in stereo.

[@elchacon6304]

You are unbelievably talented. Any guitar in your hands sounds wonderful.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks for the kind words! Glad to know my playing speaks to you.

[@TehSyneS]

really dig your riffs man, thanks for the video, just got a custom firebird neck pickup to install in my tele, cant wait to hear it!!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks! I bet that will sound great!

[@QuincyJamesMusic]

I’ve seen ALOT of B3 guitars over the past year that have grabbed my attention. Unfortunately, they seem to be quite pricey but nonetheless I hope to grab one someday. Huge appointments for what you do invest in for sure.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

They are really cool guitars. They are a great value on the used market.

[@oregbeer]

I need this configuration and neck-thru building on a Jag-Stang .... 😢😢

[@RatherBeRiffing]

That would be cool!

[@dirtboxsam5687]

I like all of the tones, very versatile guitar. Great playing also...🎸

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you! I’m always impressed by its tones when I pick it up!

[@gregorysmith5375]

I don't think phoenix is a neck through design I believe it's recessed carved to give it that firebird look.

[@joedean3263]

i Have 3 of them, 1 is a single pice of wood like this. the other 2 are glued sides. All three are neck thru from the tip of the headstock to the strap button on the bottom is a single pice of wood.

[@macauley70]

beatifull guitar and killer tone... very polivalent

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks!

[@deddiev1718]

Very nice appropriate licks for this type of guitar

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you!

[@deddiev1718]

Always gassed for a Baker guitar

[@RatherBeRiffing]

I’ve owned this one a Korina SL. Both superb and as good as anything else I’ve played.

[@quantumpoptart]

*sigh* let's add another guitar to "the list"

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Ha! All you need is “one more” 😄.

[@Tatted-ne7tu]

Well done. I love it.

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you!

[@cmonsterz]

Another fascinating video! I wasn’t aware of this brand at all. Then that’s one of the fun things about your channel as it introduces me to new things! For whatever it’s worth, after decades of playing lots of different guitars, I haven’t found that set necks or thru necks offer more sustain than properly done bolt-ons. In my experience, a lot of sustain can be attributed to the pickups.

[@KyleCastroTheDrummerBoy090613]

Awesome works my dear friend!! Sounds really great!! Love and respect Kyle!! 😊🥁🇵🇭

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks as always!

[@fredcarter7003]

I believe that any guitar you play is going to pretty awesome, but you have taught me to listen a little deeper and to play a little slower to pay attention to the sound of each string, thanks PRICELESS 🎼🎼

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment as always, Fred - glad to know!

[@skye7690]

Somebody please make this as a production guitar. I see the builder online. Nice video!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Thank you!

[@lorenzo-agnes]

Just when I think “that’s the best guitar of his I’ve seen” 😊 I heard one of these about 8 years ago and was immediately blown away by the sound and design. Well, that happened again listening to this - truly unique. And man, that Gilmour tone and feel is there again!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Ha! I can relate as there are so many inspiring instruments available today! Every time I consider moving this one on, I play it "one last time" then decide it's too unique to part with.

[@stevenpipes1555]

That guitar has its own sound, and it's amazing! I would love to get my hands on one of those!

[@RatherBeRiffing]

Agree - try one of you can!

[@joedean3263]

Do you have any guitars for sale or trade?

[@RatherBeRiffing]

No not currently. Sometimes I sell/trade but not looking to move anything at the moment.

[@joedean3263]

@@RatherBeRiffing please let me know if you ever want to move the b3, or maybe trade for a bartel roseland amp