FIREBIRD LUST!!!!

[toomanycats]

I've been lusting after a Firebird for a while now, and it's largely this young gentleman's fault:

Well, his mostly anyways, though also Johnny Winter and Allen Collins. I played a 1999 Firebird for about an hour yesterday, the one linked below. I don't know a damn thing about them, so I'm asking the AGF collective, is this a good year? And is $1300 a fair price? It's in good shape, with the most conspicuous sign of wear being a relocated top strap pin. It played and sounded KILLER! A very fast and thin neck, a narrow nut, awesome low action, spongy string tension, just a dream to play.

https://guitarwishes.com/product/1999-g ... -firebird/

[Flatline]

Never played one. There is a 2005 w/case in pretty mint condition on my local CL for $1200.

[mozz]

Don't think the price is that great, pictures are out of focus, not clear enough to see, no description? You can get a studio with p90's and swap out to mini hums also for a bit cheaper. I've never played a firebird, just wondering how comfortable they are standing up of course.

That being said, here's my 2020 tele project, have everything to build it, Clapton tele. Late Cream (rosewood strat neck)/ early Blind Faith tele with strat neck and humbucker.

[dearlpitts]

Nice guitar

[golem]

$1200 is pretty normal for a firebird. I saw one with P90s that was beat up go for $650 locally recently because the seller needed $$$ for rent that day.

[nomadh]

The firebird is an odd duck. I may never play mine live just because my stages are so small and it feels so big.
Wasn't there 1 year recently where gibson was selling them for 1100. All the years before or since are more around 1700. Never noticed if that year had depressed used prices. Mine is the washburn copy so similar feel. The pickups are also odd. Built opposite the classics. Small wire diamater insane high dcr ohms. Yet I didnt hate them. Didnt get alot of time on the gibson model but I remember expecting to hate the pups. So it's based on expectations.

[mkgearhead]

I can't justify a "real" Firebird so I bought one from Hardluck Kings, then I traded an acoustic for this homemade one.

[honyock]

Seems on high side of used, but then again it seems like people are expecting damn near retail for a lot of used Gibbys.

If that includes a case and has mojo, it probably isn't a terrible deal. Just not a drop everything and drive across town gotta have it deal.

[slowhand84]

I've been lusting after a Firebird for a while now, and it's largely this young gentleman's fault:


clapton best quality classic firebird 894X830.jpg


Well, his mostly anyways, though also Johnny Winter and Allen Collins. I played a 1999 Firebird for about an hour yesterday, the one linked below. I don't know a damn thing about them, so I'm asking the AGF collective, is this a good year? And is $1300 a fair price? It's in good shape, with the most conspicuous sign of wear being a relocated top strap pin. It played and sounded KILLER! A very fast and thin neck, a narrow nut, awesome low action, spongy string tension, just a dream to play.

https://guitarwishes.com/product/1999-g ... -firebird/

The "good year" thing really doesn't matter given that you've actually played the guitar, so you would know if it's a "good one" more than we would just based on pics or date of birth . A relocated strap pin definitely affects the value (extra hole in the guitar is an irreversible thing and not something you can just undo like a pickup swap), so I certainly would not pay $1300 for it in that situation. I've seen these go for as low as $1200 in pretty great shape so with the strap pin relo I wouldn't pay over $1,000 for it. Certainly if you like the guitar and loved how it played, you really can't go wrong.

[glasshand]

I admit I've been casting some glances at Firebirds lately. They do seem rather expensive for what they are, and there are also a lot of "Firebirds" out there with full-size humbuckers and/or bolt-on necks and/or headstocks facing the wrong way (for a Firebird) and/or the "wrong" tuners (IMO), which if you ask me makes them less proper Firebirds than they should be.

[toomanycats]

there are also a lot of "Firebirds" out there with full-size humbuckers and/or bolt-on necks and/or headstocks facing the wrong way (for a Firebird) and/or the "wrong" tuners (IMO), which if you ask me makes them less proper Firebirds than they should be.

Exactly! This is what I mean by being a "good year."

I know that banjo tuners are "correct," which this 1999 had. I also seem to recall reading that Gibson changed the mini-hums after 2006ish. Maybe I'm mistaken, and please somebody correct me if I'm wrong on this. My point is, I would want a traditionally equipped Firebird with all the classic appointments, not a modern take on one. That would be a good year for me.

[PsychoCid]

Well, I think you should get it after negotiating him down on the moved pin hole

[andrewsrea]

Give into your lust for the Firebird!

[glasshand]

I totally forgot we had this thread. Here's my new toy. I wish it had banjo tuners, but other than that I've got nothing to complain about.