We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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Larry Mal
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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by Larry Mal » Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:50 am

I sometimes think to put a Les Trem 2 on my Firebird.
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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by Fiddy » Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:53 am

The only thing ive decided is to keep ny burny after being informed is an early first year of production model, that and the fact that it plays fantastic. I do have to swich off the brightness option on my one amp though.

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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by Tafarel » Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:55 am

gishuk wrote:
Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:49 am
The only experience I have with that kind of folded metal trem is on a 65 SG I used to own, and it was basically a 'press me to go out of tune' lever :D
But with the straight string pull on a Firebird and a good roller bridge I can see it working better.
I had an SG Special from the early 70s. It had the lightning bridge on it. I agree -- all one had to do was stare at the damn tremolo long enough and I swear it would go out of tune.

The roller bridge seems to make all the difference in the world.
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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by efiug » Fri Jan 20, 2023 12:00 pm

I do also like the trems they have on the firebirds they feel great but they aren't very useful and throw off tuning easily. I also do think firebirds will resume production at some point but you gotta wonder if they'll do something like they have with the Rex Brown thunderbirds where they just fake the neck through.

Would also love to see the "non-reverse" version of the firebird come back too I think those are so ugly looking that I've become obsessed with them, I guess they really aren't as popular but somehow the thunderbird version is like one of 4 basses Gibson does at the moment (also one of the most uncomfortable basses I've ever played it's like Gibson makes bad basses on purpose out of spite).

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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by Tafarel » Fri Jan 20, 2023 12:05 pm

Larry Mal wrote:
Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:50 am
I sometimes think to put a Les Trem 2 on my Firebird.
Have you seen this: Les Trem 2 with Maestro

It retains some of the look of the Vs and VIIs, I guess. I was never a fan of the long cover, though. In my mind it made the guitar look like a Harley Davidson.
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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by Tafarel » Fri Jan 20, 2023 12:08 pm

efiug wrote:
Fri Jan 20, 2023 12:00 pm
I do also like the trems they have on the firebirds they feel great but they aren't very useful and throw off tuning easily. I also do think firebirds will resume production at some point but you gotta wonder if they'll do something like they have with the Rex Brown thunderbirds where they just fake the neck through.

Would also love to see the "non-reverse" version of the firebird come back too I think those are so ugly looking that I've become obsessed with them, I guess they really aren't as popular but somehow the thunderbird version is like one of 4 basses Gibson does at the moment (also one of the most uncomfortable basses I've ever played it's like Gibson makes bad basses on purpose out of spite).
Haha. Our bass player has both the reverse and non-reverse Thunderbirds and he loves them. He's only 5' 7" and he says he can get around on them better than his Ric 4003.

Honestly, give the roller bridge a try. We played a gig saturday night and I was wanging on it all evening long and only had to retune (slightly) one time.
"I'm nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday. I've begun reminiscing events before they even occur. I'm reminiscing this right now. I can't go to the bar because I've already looked back on it in my memory, and I didn't have a good time."

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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by windmill » Sat Jan 21, 2023 2:20 am

Johnny has beaten me too it , but anyway it is a good excuse to remember Ferbis (edit) our offset mascot. :)

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Last edited by windmill on Sat Jan 21, 2023 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by andy_tchp » Sat Jan 21, 2023 2:27 am

Ferbis IIRC. :-*
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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by JSett » Sat Jan 21, 2023 3:25 am

RIP Ferbis

Gone but not forgotten
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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by MechaBulletBill » Sat Jan 21, 2023 3:55 am

both firebird shapes are spiritually offset if not in actuality

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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by øøøøøøø » Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:33 am

I got a 2018 (sculpted headstock, steinberger tuners) last year. Immediately put some Lollar pickups in it but the stock ones were okay; not too bad.

I really like it, but it’s the most inconvenient guitar I own.

It doesn’t want to stay on any stand (I don’t use wall hangers), it doesn’t fit in any gig bag, and the hard shell case is huge

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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by Tafarel » Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:04 am

øøøøøøø wrote:
Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:33 am
I got a 2018 (sculpted headstock, steinberger tuners) last year. Immediately put some Lollar pickups in it but the stock ones were okay; not too bad.

I really like it, but it’s the most inconvenient guitar I own.

It doesn’t want to stay on any stand (I don’t use wall hangers), it doesn’t fit in any gig bag, and the hard shell case is huge
I use a Hamilton hanger stand like this: https://reverb.com/item/14337393-hamilt ... and-chrome
"I'm nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday. I've begun reminiscing events before they even occur. I'm reminiscing this right now. I can't go to the bar because I've already looked back on it in my memory, and I didn't have a good time."

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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by Tafarel » Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:05 am

MechaBulletBill wrote:
Sat Jan 21, 2023 3:55 am
both firebird shapes are spiritually offset if not in actuality
I agree with this wholeheartedly. Well said.
"I'm nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday. I've begun reminiscing events before they even occur. I'm reminiscing this right now. I can't go to the bar because I've already looked back on it in my memory, and I didn't have a good time."

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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by øøøøøøø » Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:39 am

Tafarel wrote:
Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:04 am
øøøøøøø wrote:
Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:33 am
I got a 2018 (sculpted headstock, steinberger tuners) last year. Immediately put some Lollar pickups in it but the stock ones were okay; not too bad.

I really like it, but it’s the most inconvenient guitar I own.

It doesn’t want to stay on any stand (I don’t use wall hangers), it doesn’t fit in any gig bag, and the hard shell case is huge
I use a Hamilton hanger stand like this: https://reverb.com/item/14337393-hamilt ... and-chrome
I've used those! A good solution for a Firebird.

I should've been more specific: the way my studio is configured, multi-guitar racks that take up as little space as possible are the only way. None of those work very well with the reverse 'bird. I have one that almost works, but one corner of the guitar rests on the floor and the guitar is sort of unstable. I tolerate it because I haven't found a better solution.

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Re: We've decided Firebirds are not offset, right?

Post by zhivago » Sat Jan 21, 2023 2:47 pm

Not much to add aside from...I love Firebirds!

Mine is Pelham Blue...

Image

:-*
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