How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

Is it the mini-buckers?

I played a couple new Gibsons in the store and they were beautiful to hold and
behold. Felt very comfortable on the right arm, the necks were exactly how I
like them. Didn't plug them in 'cause the tiny amp room was full of loud little
weenies. But I was thinking I should've bought one in the '70s instead of the
Les Paul that was required of all serious bar giggers then.

I don't remember many bigtime players being strongly identified with them.
Johnny Winter. Steve Stills sometimes. Clapton pictured with one in the Cream
era. Allen Collins, who was usually seen with Explorers but (I think) played the
Freebird solo on a 'Bird.

They're great guitars. Totally different without being cartoonishly rad like
Explorers & Vees. So what am I missing here?

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

On May 16, 2:13 pm, Burnham Treezdown <b...@butterfly,net > wrote:
> Is it the mini-buckers?
>
> I played a couple new Gibsons in the store and they were beautiful to hold and
> behold. Felt very comfortable on the right arm, the necks were exactly how I
> like them. Didn't plug them in 'cause the tiny amp room was full of loud little
> weenies. But I was thinking I should've bought one in the '70s instead of the
> Les Paul that was required of all serious bar giggers then.
>
> I don't remember many bigtime players being strongly identified with them.
> Johnny Winter. Steve Stills sometimes. Clapton pictured with one in the Cream
> era. Allen Collins, who was usually seen with Explorers but (I think) played the
> Freebird solo on a 'Bird.
>
> They're great guitars. Totally different without being cartoonishly rad like
> Explorers & Vees. So what am I missing here?

They're not "pointy" enough?

Never played one, but I'd love to. Doesn't Epi make one too?

-d

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?


> Never played one, but I'd love to.  Doesn't Epi make one too?

Same here...
Yeah....Epi has a few models out there.
They turn up on eBay a lot.

Always dug Johnny Winter's tone.

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

Von Face wrote:
>> Never played one, but I'd love to. Doesn't Epi make one too?
>
> Same here...
> Yeah....Epi has a few models out there.
> They turn up on eBay a lot.
>
> Always dug Johnny Winter's tone.
>
>


Yeah, but I always figured it was good for Johnny and not a
whole lot of other people. For lack of a better term,
Firebirds are "breathy". Always though Deluxes made better
use of the minimuckers - the cap gave it more definition.

Also always though "Saturday Night Special" would not have
sounded the same without the Firebird on there. Geez, that
opening figure on that song is amazing.

--
Les Cargill

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?


"dvaoa" <dvaoa@altavista,com > wrote in message
news:9be20880-1ff4-4979-9bf6-6f72cc2797b6@d1g2000hsg.googlegroups,com ...
> On May 16, 2:13 pm, Burnham Treezdown <b...@butterfly,net > wrote:
> > Is it the mini-buckers?
> >
> > I played a couple new Gibsons in the store and they were beautiful to
hold and
> > behold. Felt very comfortable on the right arm, the necks were exactly
how I
> > like them. Didn't plug them in 'cause the tiny amp room was full of loud
little
> > weenies. But I was thinking I should've bought one in the '70s instead
of the
> > Les Paul that was required of all serious bar giggers then.
> >
> > I don't remember many bigtime players being strongly identified with
them.
> > Johnny Winter. Steve Stills sometimes. Clapton pictured with one in the
Cream
> > era. Allen Collins, who was usually seen with Explorers but (I think)
played the
> > Freebird solo on a 'Bird.
> >
> > They're great guitars. Totally different without being cartoonishly rad
like
> > Explorers & Vees. So what am I missing here?
>
> They're not "pointy" enough?
>
> Never played one, but I'd love to. Doesn't Epi make one too?
>
> -d

Epi did or does....I just sold an Epi FB VII..,it was a really nice set
neck, bought it a few years back out of nostalgia of a real one I had.

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

On Fri, 16 May 2008 14:48:12 -0400, "Grip" <mbetts@comcast,net > wrote:


>Epi did or does....I just sold an Epi FB VII..,it was a really nice set
>neck, bought it a few years back out of nostalgia of a real one I had.
>


How close was it to the real thing? I'm considering one of those...but I'm wary
of the pickups.

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?


"Burnham Treezdown" <bt@butterfly,net > wrote in message
news:v6or241qjn5g6o1bgceq656i0mcks5681s@4ax,com ...
> On Fri, 16 May 2008 14:48:12 -0400, "Grip" <mbetts@comcast,net > wrote:
>
>
> >Epi did or does....I just sold an Epi FB VII..,it was a really nice set
> >neck, bought it a few years back out of nostalgia of a real one I had.
> >
>
>
> How close was it to the real thing? I'm considering one of those...but I'm
wary
> of the pickups.
>

It's pretty credible, the pickups are probably not as full sounding as the
real deal, but as it was not one of my main guitars, I never saw the need to
swap em. Overall workmanship was really good. The trem was pretty useless
though, but so were the origianls of the same type. I also have an Epi
Korina V, which is a dead ringer for the Gibby, they do a good job on the
FB's & V's.

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?


"Grip" <mbetts@comcast,net > wrote in message
news:oKKdnfBGVv0OebDVnZ2dnUVZ_oLinZ2d@suscom,com ...
>
> "Burnham Treezdown" <bt@butterfly,net > wrote in message
> news:v6or241qjn5g6o1bgceq656i0mcks5681s@4ax,com ...
>> On Fri, 16 May 2008 14:48:12 -0400, "Grip" <mbetts@comcast,net > wrote:
>>
>>
>> >Epi did or does....I just sold an Epi FB VII..,it was a really nice set
>> >neck, bought it a few years back out of nostalgia of a real one I had.
>> >
>>
>>
>> How close was it to the real thing? I'm considering one of those...but
>> I'm
> wary
>> of the pickups.
>>
>
> It's pretty credible, the pickups are probably not as full sounding as the
> real deal, but as it was not one of my main guitars, I never saw the need
> to
> swap em. Overall workmanship was really good. The trem was pretty useless
> though, but so were the origianls of the same type. I also have an Epi
> Korina V, which is a dead ringer for the Gibby, they do a good job on the
> FB's & V's.
>
the only epi fb's ive seen have the full humbuckers in them, didn't know
they came with mini's.

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

On Sat, 17 May 2008 18:00:46 +1000, "Grinner" <grinner@nowhere,com > wrote:


>>
>the only epi fb's ive seen have the full humbuckers in them, didn't know
>they came with mini's.


Those are the "Studio" models, Gibson makes them too. The Epi version has
Steinberger gearless tuners that some people rave about and they maintain the
banjo-tuner appearance from the front. I'm inclined to pull the trigger on one
of these.

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

dvaoa wrote:
>
> Never played one, but I'd love to. Doesn't Epi make one too?
>
>

Epi sells *everything* ... At least they are sold on their
real cost basis.

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

Burnham Treezdown <bt@butterfly,net > wrote in
news:8tir24plkmd9mnccqdjg0iq7jrmotjuq0t@4ax,com :

> Is it the mini-buckers?
>
> I played a couple new Gibsons in the store and they were beautiful to hold
and
> behold. Felt very comfortable on the right arm, the necks were exactly how
I
> like them. Didn't plug them in 'cause the tiny amp room was full of loud
little
> weenies. But I was thinking I should've bought one in the '70s instead of
the
> Les Paul that was required of all serious bar giggers then.
>
> I don't remember many bigtime players being strongly identified with them.
> Johnny Winter. Steve Stills sometimes. Clapton pictured with one in the
Cream
> era. Allen Collins, who was usually seen with Explorers but (I think)
played the
> Freebird solo on a 'Bird.
>
> They're great guitars. Totally different without being cartoonishly rad
like
> Explorers & Vees. So what am I missing here?

Ugly and neck heavy... I think I stayed away because I saw many with P-90's
in them....

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

On 16 May 2008 18:31:02 GMT, The Chris <cabell@nospam.hotmail,com > wrote:


>
>Ugly and neck heavy... I think I stayed away because I saw many with P-90's
>in them....


P90's in a mahogany neck thru? Where's my wallet??

I wonder if under the minibucker mounting rings there's enough space for
soapbars. I had one other guitar with mini's; didn't care for them but then the
guitar itself was a turkey in other ways (Epiphone wilshire)

The Birds I played weren't neck heavy, not sitting down anyway. I've seen the
epiphones where guys moved the strap button to behind the neck.

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

Burnham Treezdown <bt@butterfly,net > wrote in
news:aclr24927kk09h3umi43i3hu759n78i9ml@4ax,com :

> On 16 May 2008 18:31:02 GMT, The Chris <cabell@nospam.hotmail,com > wrote:
>
>
>>
>>Ugly and neck heavy... I think I stayed away because I saw many with P-90's
>>in them....
>
>
> P90's in a mahogany neck thru? Where's my wallet??
>
> I wonder if under the minibucker mounting rings there's enough space for
> soapbars. I had one other guitar with mini's; didn't care for them but then
the
> guitar itself was a turkey in other ways (Epiphone wilshire)
>
> The Birds I played weren't neck heavy, not sitting down anyway. I've seen
the
> epiphones where guys moved the strap button to behind the neck.
>
>

That's what I've done with a few guitars - mostly cheap ones, but on a few
Explorers......

I wasn't referring to sitting down :) No guitars are neck heavy that way!!

To me, I guess it was the look of them....Same reason I stay away from
Hagstroms and Moserites (despite my Ramones infatuation)

I just have a bunch of Strats and super-Strats, 2 Vee's, and one Les Paul...
Gone are my days of 5 Explorers and a Destroyer II :) And an Iceman!

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

"Burnham Treezdown" <bt@butterfly,net > wrote in message
news:aclr24927kk09h3umi43i3hu759n78i9ml@4ax,com ...
> On 16 May 2008 18:31:02 GMT, The Chris <cabell@nospam.hotmail,com > wrote:
>
>
>>
>>Ugly and neck heavy... I think I stayed away because I saw many with
>>P-90's
>>in them....
>
>
> P90's in a mahogany neck thru? Where's my wallet??

That would mostly be the "non-reverese" model, which isn't a neck-through.
Few "reverse" models had P-90's, and the route on most Firebirds won't
accept P-90's, unlike the Les Paul Deluxe, whose pickups are very similar.

-pk

>
> I wonder if under the minibucker mounting rings there's enough space for
> soapbars. I had one other guitar with mini's; didn't care for them but
> then the
> guitar itself was a turkey in other ways (Epiphone wilshire)
>
> The Birds I played weren't neck heavy, not sitting down anyway. I've seen
> the
> epiphones where guys moved the strap button to behind the neck.
>

Re: How come Firebirds never really caught on big?

The guitar being mahogany and a neck through has little or no bearing on how
the guitar is going to sound or respond. It may just as well be a set neck
made from ash or alder. You'd have the same results.

"Burnham Treezdown" <bt@butterfly,net > wrote in message
news:aclr24927kk09h3umi43i3hu759n78i9ml@4ax,com ...
> On 16 May 2008 18:31:02 GMT, The Chris <cabell@nospam.hotmail,com > wrote:
>
>
>>
>>Ugly and neck heavy... I think I stayed away because I saw many with
>>P-90's
>>in them....
>
>
> P90's in a mahogany neck thru? Where's my wallet??
>
> I wonder if under the minibucker mounting rings there's enough space for
> soapbars. I had one other guitar with mini's; didn't care for them but
> then the
> guitar itself was a turkey in other ways (Epiphone wilshire)
>
> The Birds I played weren't neck heavy, not sitting down anyway. I've seen
> the
> epiphones where guys moved the strap button to behind the neck.
>