Firebird tribute

The Firebird is such an iconic guitar. Gibson was looking to do something new and different and hired an automobile designer to design this guitar. It's not hard to see the influcence.

This one is made from a single piece mahogany body with a single piece mahogany set neck. GraphTec ResoMax bridge and Tusq nut, WD Maestro Vibrato tailpiece. Rather than the typical "banjo" tuners, it has Riot gearless locking tuners (an innovative design out of Oregon). The pickup is a D'Urbano Magnetics Firebird bridge pickup (based on my research, perhaps the best sounding real Firebird design pickup available). 

Yes, that is a hand-carved, cocobolo tip on the vibrato handle and a hand-carved truss rod cover. The pickup is hot enough that the tone pot is a push-pull that will do a partial coil split, giving more of a vintage feel to the sound. To complete the vintage vibe, it has medium gauge pure nickel guitar strings (Stringjoy Broadways, 10/46). I also always use PureTone output jacks -- so it will take more effort than you are used to at first, in exchange for a very secure connection.

As a custom builder, this was a labor of love. I may have day's worth of sanding, dying, resanding, redying, sanding a lot more... and it just had to be done. It came out exactly as I hoped and worked for. It's likely the finest instrument I've made so far.

$969 with a nice, red Road Runner gig bag. You can go play it at Fretworks, near Hilton Head Island.