Firefly Guitars Are On Amazon !!!!

[Ducerro]

There's a lot of speculation going on here as well as on Facebook. For the life of me I can't figure out how some of the naysayers made it so far in life... Let me see if I can clear things up a bit.

Amazon is a MARKETPLACE.

Firefly is a BRAND NAME.

Firebird Music is an IMPORTER based out of LA.

Firebird Music imports Firefly Guitars and sells them off their website AND on Amazon. Amazon is no more Firefly than Kraft Cheese is Krogers. It's just something they sell.

Firebird Music's store on Amazon is currently empty. which isn't too alarming considering they are currently SOLD OUT of product. Since Firebird Music is an importer they can only sell what they can get and when they can get it. They are not the manufacturers of Firefly Guitars, they are just the importer. It appears everything they import is their BRAND of Firefly, but they may have others. If the ship from China with the next shipment of Firefly Guitars sinks in the ocean on the way over - then we're not getting any new stock for Christmas. There are MULTIPLE Firefly Fan pages on Facebook - and some of these seem to have the ear of the owners of Firebird Music. They have posted the EXPECTED arrival date of the next shipment (early to mid December).

As to quality concerns... There was an extreme issue with the 335 style fret boards on the last shipment. As a result a lot of 335's were return. The importer (Firebird Music) stepped up and over rode Amazon's 30 day return window and ALL effected guitars are now being allowed to be returned. Those that were not yet sold were pulled by Amazon so no additional ones would find their way into the market. All of the effected guitars are being hand inspected for the fault (bad fret spacing) and then released for sale if no issues are found. This is as good a result as one could expect considering the circumstances. Unfortunately, a LARGE group of purchasers of the other Firefly models suddenly decided their guitars were also effected by the fret issue - even though there was nothing at all wrong with the guitars. This set off a panic of epic proportions as everyone started sending their Firefly's back to Amazon for issues they don't even have. If that wasn't enough, the "customers" suddenly became experts on all things guitar and invented faults that were quite laughable for a guitar with a sub $140 price tag.

We also have the issue of Amazon shipping the wrong model or color. This issue is Amazon's - it has nothing to do with Firebird Music or the Firefly Guitar brand. The outside of the boxes I have seen - that were shipped incorrectly - clearly show the color and model on the outside of the box. The only other possible explanation would be a misapplied barcode from the factory. That would shift blame to the factory, but I have nothing further on that. It was comical though as everyone had no idea what model or color they were getting until they opened the box. Mine was correct by the way.

None of this is to say a Firefly Guitar is anything more than an inexpensive import. If you want to play around with a good mod platform, then a Firefly just might be a great guitar for you. If your closet or music room is FULL of high dollar Telecasters and Stratocasters - but you've always wanted to TRY a 335 or Les Paul style guitar and don't mind a few upgrades, then a Firefly just might be a great guitar for you. If you bought a Firefly thinking it's Custom Shop quality at an everyday man's price - well, your just kinda special then... 'cause it ain't.

 

[Hungrycaveman]

Do you have this in writing (email) or something concrete? Is their facebook page taken down?

And the 'could be' thing---that was my point. If you go into 7-11 and they don't have a Take 5 candy bar in stock, do you run around telling everyone that Hershey 'could be' out of business? Or does that seem stupid and irresponsible?

Your first 4 posts here on TDPRI have been very well spent, huh.

At a loss as to the reason you are so upset. Like maybe you went to see Stevie Ray Vaughn and he played Voodoo Child and you railed on him for being too long and not the original Hendrix version.
I went to the page and on the right there is an add for the store that sold Firefly guitars. IT had a note that said "Out Of Business" on it.
To be frank i am so impressed with the guitar i was planning to buy several and resale them on E Bay as others have done. A 335 model there was $189.00 A Fender model there was $225.00 That is a nice profit for re-mailing a box. $50 on the 335 and $99 on the fender.
GO TRY TO IND ONE NOW. They look to be gone according to the evidence.
In the past i never heard of eaten up fret boards and the posts i have seen here about the condition they were received in. Mine was near perfect last January. I will concede i was not on a message board about it so i am sure some of that, like the broken neck, happened but IF i were a company in China that made them and i were shutting down, perhaps i would ship everything in stock and let the costumer deal with it.
ALSO the notes on a page i saved of a Fender model will send me to the last model that had and the note on it says they do not know WHEN or IF there will be more but that model was out of stock.
Now IF i told a lie, OR speculated incorrectly.... AND i HOPE I HAVE DONE THAT because i really want to put some money into this guitar. Then after that is discovered you can slap my hand MOMMY as much as you like.
BUT if i have speculated correctly and even one member here got one before it was too late... GO find that person and ask them if they are glad.
I call them like i see them. SO can we stop being my mommy, who died 40 years ago, and just plug in and jam?
That is a really good guitar and i hope the company restarts with the same quality they had.

 

[Hungrycaveman]

There's a lot of speculation going on here as well as on Facebook. For the life of me I can't figure out how some of the naysayers made it so far in life... Let me see if I can clear things up a bit.

Amazon is a MARKETPLACE.

Firefly is a BRAND NAME.

Firebird Music is an IMPORTER based out of LA.

Firebird Music imports Firefly Guitars and sells them off their website AND on Amazon. Amazon is no more Firefly than Kraft Cheese is Krogers. It's just something they sell.

Firebird Music's store on Amazon is currently empty. which isn't too alarming considering they are currently SOLD OUT of product. Since Firebird Music is an importer they can only sell what they can get and when they can get it. They are not the manufacturers of Firefly Guitars, they are just the importer. It appears everything they import is their BRAND of Firefly, but they may have others. If the ship from China with the next shipment of Firefly Guitars sinks in the ocean on the way over - then we're not getting any new stock for Christmas. There are MULTIPLE Firefly Fan pages on Facebook - and some of these seem to have the ear of the owners of Firebird Music. They have posted the EXPECTED arrival date of the next shipment (early to mid December).

As to quality concerns... There was an extreme issue with the 335 style fret boards on the last shipment. As a result a lot of 335's were return. The importer (Firebird Music) stepped up and over rode Amazon's 30 day return window and ALL effected guitars are now being allowed to be returned. Those that were not yet sold were pulled by Amazon so no additional ones would find their way into the market. All of the effected guitars are being hand inspected for the fault (bad fret spacing) and then released for sale if no issues are found. This is as good a result as one could expect considering the circumstances. Unfortunately, a LARGE group of purchasers of the other Firefly models suddenly decided their guitars were also effected by the fret issue - even though there was nothing at all wrong with the guitars. This set off a panic of epic proportions as everyone started sending their Firefly's back to Amazon for issues they don't even have. If that wasn't enough, the "customers" suddenly became experts on all things guitar and invented faults that were quite laughable for a guitar with a sub $140 price tag.

We also have the issue of Amazon shipping the wrong model or color. This issue is Amazon's - it has nothing to do with Firebird Music or the Firefly Guitar brand. The outside of the boxes I have seen - that were shipped incorrectly - clearly show the color and model on the outside of the box. The only other possible explanation would be a misapplied barcode from the factory. That would shift blame to the factory, but I have nothing further on that. It was comical though as everyone had no idea what model or color they were getting until they opened the box. Mine was correct by the way.

None of this is to say a Firefly Guitar is anything more than an inexpensive import. If you want to play around with a good mod platform, then a Firefly just might be a great guitar for you. If your closet or music room is FULL of high dollar Telecasters and Stratocasters - but you've always wanted to TRY a 335 or Les Paul style guitar and don't mind a few upgrades, then a Firefly just might be a great guitar for you. If you bought a Firefly thinking it's Custom Shop quality at an everyday man's price - well, your just kinda special then... 'cause it ain't.

OK i will do the leg work. I am a messenger friend of the owner of the firebrand company. I just sent a message about the future availability of the Firefly guitar. SO when he replies i waill share it.
BTW i had a Gibson ES as a kid (20 something) and sold it. THESE do not compare to that one in look, or play, or sound BUT they are better than any other guitar i have had. Ovation, and an Eppy among them.

 

[blowtorch]

Loving my this

Especially now that I installed the missing strap button. First band prac with it tonight

 

[blowtorch]

This guy seems to like his alrite, too

 

[Hungrycaveman]

OK i will do the leg work. I am a messenger friend of the owner of the firebrand company. I just sent a message about the future availability of the Firefly guitar. SO when he replies i waill share it.
BTW i had a Gibson ES as a kid (20 something) and sold it. THESE do not compare to that one in look, or play, or sound BUT they are better than any other guitar i have had. Ovation, and an Eppy among them.

sent a message to him that day, looked the next morning and he had been on an hour earlier, this is 2 days since the message was in his box and no reply.
This doesn't sound good for the availability of this brand. Thinking about paying the mark up for a used one. Almost double for most of them.

 

[Hungrycaveman]

This guy seems to like his alrite, too

They are cheep guitars but they, the ones that arrive right, play really well once you adjust them to your style and sound really good.

 

[blowtorch]

Agree

 

[bender66]

sent a message to him that day, looked the next morning and he had been on an hour earlier, this is 2 days since the message was in his box and no reply.
This doesn't sound good for the availability of this brand. Thinking about paying the mark up for a used one. Almost double for most of them.

While you have his ear, ask him to return the wraparound bridges (in the appropriate position) so we might all enjoy these wonderfully inexpensive guitars. Not everyone wants a tuneomatic.

I see Harley Bentons double cut just hit the market. Looks good for the same price, give or take. At least HB already gives you good hardware, so you know you don't have to go changing everything straight away.

 

[richey88]

Yep they’re gone from Amazon. Wow.

 

[Hungrycaveman]

So the store owner finally sent me a reply
"They will be available next month"
Nothing more.. So i will wait and see.

 

[Fuggle]

Dang, the shipment of 338s got sent back to China.

 

[Obsessed]

Yep they’re gone from Amazon. Wow.

Yup. Off of Amazon. Quite a run.

 

[Fuggle]

The FF338s showed up today but they're flying fast...

 

[zippofan]

I love this Grote jazz box, what a sweet playing guitar. My luthier installed a bone nut and removed the tape from the bridge bottom. He said he had to do a little spot leveling, specifically the 5th fret, and I had asked him to do a quick fret polish if he needed to do any fret work.
I've been considering new tuners, though the stock ones are currently holding tune, they're not great. Bridge is fine now it's in the right spot. The only thing I think it really needs are pots and the jack. I wasn't going to change the pickup, it sounds good and seems to be wound to the classic P90 spec, mine reads 7.8K in my 65 degree basement. I'm putting a Lollar 50's wind with new Bourns 500K pots, PIO cap wired 50's style cause I want to

I'll be taking it up the lake with me in the summers, if I want to play acoustically I can with some of the other guitar players there, and I can plug it in to a Pignose to get nasty too. Once the pickup in in I'll still have about half of what a new Epi Century costs into the Grote. A winner all the way around!

 

[Obsessed]

I love this Grote jazz box, what a sweet playing guitar. My luthier installed a bone nut and removed the tape from the bridge bottom. He said he had to do a little spot leveling, specifically the 5th fret, and I had asked him to do a quick fret polish if he needed to do any fret work.
I've been considering new tuners, though the stock ones are currently holding tune, they're not great. Bridge is fine now it's in the right spot. The only thing I think it really needs are pots and the jack. I wasn't going to change the pickup, it sounds good and seems to be wound to the classic P90 spec, mine reads 7.8K in my 65 degree basement. I'm putting a Lollar 50's wind with new Bourns 500K pots, PIO cap wired 50's style cause I want to

I'll be taking it up the lake with me in the summers, if I want to play acoustically I can with some of the other guitar players there, and I can plug it in to a Pignose to get nasty too. Once the pickup in in I'll still have about half of what a new Epi Century costs into the Grote. A winner all the way around!

Nice report. Biorn 500K pots are what I put in my Sheraton years ago, so you should be happy with them. Yup, once I removed the tape underneath the bridge and found the correct location for the bridge, it intonated easily. I think just removing the tape lowered the action enough to make it very adjustable. My bridge does not follow the more arched body, so I'm going to sand that down to match as soon as my string order comes in. This alone will lower the action too, so wondering if @FenderGyrl needed to mod her bridge the way she did in the first place? My thinking is that these archtop top pieces were pressed from a mold and vary quite a bit, causing the height at the bridge not being very consistent.

Speaking of strings, I've ordered D'Addario electric 11-52s and then ordered a wound G string. Apparently, the L-5 arch top crowd's string sets are out of production. I'm going to experiment with the two different G strings to see which combo works best with a slide and Open A tuning.

 

[FenderGyrl]

I removed the tape from mine and got it into the correct position. I leveled the frets on mine from the 13th on up.

I did a little fine sanding on the bottom of the bridge wood to follow the arch of the guitar top. Before I did this I made sure that my strings were sitting evenly across all of the P90 slugs.

I was at 5/64ths under the Low E to the 17th fret. 4/64ths under the High E. The bridge was as low as it could go.

I wanted 1/16 under all the strings.
Took the bridge to my friends bike shop.
He milled it down in 5 minutes.
Badda boom, Badda Bing...
Easy Action

 

[FenderGyrl]

I popped for a Black 338.
After using my points I got it for $115 and free shipping.

I finished my Green 338. Love it.
Guitar Madness Gretsch Clone Pups are pretty cool.
Was playing it tonight for an hour or so.
Rauchy..

 

[Ducerro]

The black and the blue burst were still available when I checked 15 minutes ago, but I'm gonna go with a hard no this time. And this was the guitar I really wanted.

The QC issues of the last batch had me on the fence, and then Adorama put Gretsch G5622T's on a Cyber Monday deal at $449 (regular price $799) and that was just too sweet of a deal to let go. So I ordered one and it arrived a couple of days ago. Near as I can tell it needs nothing.

I'll wait for the Firefly LP's to arrive and pick one of those up. Once that's done I'm pretty sure I've got a minimum of one guitar in every style I'm interested in...

 

[FenderGyrl]

The Black FF338 arrived today.

Gave it a good look over. Checked the Neck and the Truss Rod.
Everything looks good.

Tapped the frets with a Blank Bone Nut.
Frets were all seated.
Went over them with my fret hammer.

Got out the Fret Rocker.
7 frets need a slight level
Marked them up.

Didn't even plug it in, just gutted it.

The Black with the binding looks killer.
Removed all the cheap hardware.

Its ready for an overhaul.

I have a bunch of Dragonfire PUPS to choose from.
Let the fun begin.