Firebird And Firebird Studio Query

thunderbyrd · September 23rd, 2006, 08:17 AM

Hello: yes i know this is a fender forum, but i also know youse guys and gals have owned/do own everything and anything. So i want to know from those of you in the know: do gibson firebirds with the banjo style tuners have trouble staying in tune? if so, does anybody make an after-market tuner that corrects it? and just what do you think of firebirds in general?

also: has anybody here played or bought a firebird studio and if so, what do you think about 'em?

thank you.

Big John · September 23rd, 2006, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunderbyrd

Hello: yes i know this is a fender forum, but i also know youse guys and gals have owned/do own everything and anything. So i want to know from those of you in the know: do gibson firebirds with the banjo style tuners have trouble staying in tune? if so, does anybody make an after-market tuner that corrects it? and just what do you think of firebirds in general?

also: has anybody here played or bought a firebird studio and if so, what do you think about 'em?

thank you.

Had one, yes, the tuners stayed in tune fine, the mini-humbuckers sounded good but it was so "neck heavy" i couldn't keep it from nose diving and sold it !

Nice guitar though !

reverbbb · September 23rd, 2006, 10:04 AM

I own a Custom Shop that is sort of like a '65 RI of a non-reverse. I find this to be an incredible guitar. It has traditional tuners and is shaped in a comfortable directioin. I was test driving a few of the original styled Firebirds before I bought this guitar. The originals did seem very awkward to tune. I think the problem was the floating tremelo was never going to let me get it tuned right with or without banjo tuners. Mine has a hardtail - problem solved.

I would just recommend playing several for as long as you can before to commit to buying one. There is a reason that they never caught on as a mainstay guitar like the Les Paul and Strat. But they are beautiful guitars. The '65~68 non-reverse RI are extremely difficult to find. But you get a great guitar, easier to play/tune and that really pushes out that Firebird sound (Johnny Winter is flowing through my thoughts).

aunchaki · September 23rd, 2006, 10:43 AM

The Epiphone Firebird Studio sports these high-tech tuners:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/G...ss_Tuners.html

Not exactly banjo tuners, but similar straight-through style.

sunkidd · September 23rd, 2006, 11:52 AM

I bought a Gibson Firebird VII ri. about 2 months ago and it is a great sounding guitar that is somewhere between a Tele and a SG.... tuners are the banjo style and stay in tune what seems like a week at a time, after playing and stretching the crap out of the strings.... the only times that it seems to need retuning is when the temperature changes dramatically over a 12 or 24 hour period..... and talk about stage presence! looks beautiful... I wish I would have got one of these a long time ago I Love it!!! mine has the neck thru the body from the tip of the headstock to the tail strap button... one long solid piece of neck/body...

John Harrison · September 23rd, 2006, 11:59 AM

I had a Firebird V and, as others have mentioned, had zero problems with staying in tune. Ergonomically, however, I just couldn't bond with it. The neck seemed a mile long and the guitar seemed out of balance (neck heavy).
Sure looked cool, though (and it sounded GREAT!).

sunkidd · September 23rd, 2006, 12:55 PM

I use a kinda wide leather strap that is smooth on the outside and rougher on the inside against my shoulder...keeps it from slipping around... had a thinner vinyl one for a while and it slipped a bit... now no problems at all...wear it for hours and don't even think about it...

sleepingtiger · September 24th, 2006, 02:51 AM

I have 3 & they're my favorites. No tuning issues at all. The Studios LOOK kind of Firebird-ish, but that's it! From the construction, to the pickups they have nothing in common with the real 'Birds....
Tony

September 23rd, 2006, 08:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
thunderbyrd Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: central ky Age: 49 Posts: 518	Firebird And Firebird Studio Query Hello: yes i know this is a fender forum, but i also know youse guys and gals have owned/do own everything and anything. So i want to know from those of you in the know: do gibson firebirds with the banjo style tuners have trouble staying in tune? if so, does anybody make an after-market tuner that corrects it? and just what do you think of firebirds in general? also: has anybody here played or bought a firebird studio and if so, what do you think about 'em? thank you. __________________ Nietzsche is dead.

September 23rd, 2006, 10:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
reverbbb Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Just Plano, Texas Age: 50 Posts: 3,704 34 Photos	I own a Custom Shop that is sort of like a '65 RI of a non-reverse. I find this to be an incredible guitar. It has traditional tuners and is shaped in a comfortable directioin. I was test driving a few of the original styled Firebirds before I bought this guitar. The originals did seem very awkward to tune. I think the problem was the floating tremelo was never going to let me get it tuned right with or without banjo tuners. Mine has a hardtail - problem solved. I would just recommend playing several for as long as you can before to commit to buying one. There is a reason that they never caught on as a mainstay guitar like the Les Paul and Strat. But they are beautiful guitars. The '65~68 non-reverse RI are extremely difficult to find. But you get a great guitar, easier to play/tune and that really pushes out that Firebird sound (Johnny Winter is flowing through my thoughts). __________________ "I come here to reflect a little."™ Myspace Guitarist P&W Forum

September 23rd, 2006, 11:59 AM	#6 (permalink)
John Harrison Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Corvallis, OR Posts: 1,043	I had a Firebird V and, as others have mentioned, had zero problems with staying in tune. Ergonomically, however, I just couldn't bond with it. The neck seemed a mile long and the guitar seemed out of balance (neck heavy). Sure looked cool, though (and it sounded GREAT!). __________________ How can you be two places at once when you're really nowhere at all?

September 23rd, 2006, 10:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
aunchaki Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Western New York Posts: 1,240 16 Photos	The Epiphone Firebird Studio sports these high-tech tuners: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/G...ss_Tuners.html Not exactly banjo tuners, but similar straight-through style.

September 23rd, 2006, 11:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
sunkidd Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 404	I bought a Gibson Firebird VII ri. about 2 months ago and it is a great sounding guitar that is somewhere between a Tele and a SG.... tuners are the banjo style and stay in tune what seems like a week at a time, after playing and stretching the crap out of the strings.... the only times that it seems to need retuning is when the temperature changes dramatically over a 12 or 24 hour period..... and talk about stage presence! looks beautiful... I wish I would have got one of these a long time ago I Love it!!! mine has the neck thru the body from the tip of the headstock to the tail strap button... one long solid piece of neck/body...

September 23rd, 2006, 12:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
sunkidd Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 404	I use a kinda wide leather strap that is smooth on the outside and rougher on the inside against my shoulder...keeps it from slipping around... had a thinner vinyl one for a while and it slipped a bit... now no problems at all...wear it for hours and don't even think about it...

September 24th, 2006, 02:51 AM	#8 (permalink)
sleepingtiger TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Elgin, IL Age: 51 Posts: 20	I have 3 & they're my favorites. No tuning issues at all. The Studios LOOK kind of Firebird-ish, but that's it! From the construction, to the pickups they have nothing in common with the real 'Birds.... Tony