2 Firebirds and 1 Thunderbird

erik · Post by **erik** » 13 May 2007 11:50 am

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IO19p1PqwBY

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 13 May 2007 4:41 pm

Was that Burt Bacarach introducing them??????

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 14 May 2007 3:00 am

"Was that Burt Bacarach introducing them??????"

If it was , he missing the matching shirt..

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 14 May 2007 8:38 am

Awesome band. Thanks for posting the link.

Dennis Schell · Post by **Dennis Schell** » 14 May 2007 9:30 pm

Gee, that brought back some memories!
I remember seeing Eric Clapton using a Firebird way back then so of course I had to try one too....Yecch! Only worse guitar has to be the "Flying V". The SG was another one that turned me off to Gibson. I have to admit I've played the odd Les Paul and ES-335 that were nice but for the most part, I'll stick with "FenderCasters"! (Or handbuilt facsimilies thereof..) I also owned a 2 pup H54 Harmony "Rocket" back then that I wish I still had....Ahhh the good ol' days!

FWIW,

Dennis
(who's donning his firesuit!)

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 15 May 2007 2:57 am

The Gibson SG was one of the best guitars ever made. Your kidding right?? You ever see Terry Kath of Chicago play one? Carlos Santana? Pete Townsend? List goes on and on.

I still have my SG standard I bought new in '65.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 15 May 2007 3:54 am

I've always loved the looks and sound of the Firebirds (Johnny Winter may have something to do with that....) so 5-6 years ago I decided to get one.
Didn't work for me, unfortunately, it was so neck heavy that playing it was a constant struggle with gravity... Still love them though...

As for the SG - well, it's my initials so I've always wanted one..

On a side note - A new student of mine showed up with a one year old Gibson SG, which naturally thrilled me, but the quality was a terrible disappointment,- the nut was poorly cut and it had very rough frets. My brand new Epiphone Les Paul is in better shape than that...
Another student of mine just bought a $2.000 worth Charvel guitar,- another disappointment. Took me ten seconds to throw the Floyd Rose trem out of tune, and the pickups were mediocre at best.
Any wonder why people buy cheap imports? Oh well, sorry, I'm drifting off topic here....

Steinar

erik · Post by **erik** » 15 May 2007 6:26 am

Yes, I've always thought the Firebird was the coolest looking guitar. My favorite bird player would be Allen Collins. That Johnny Winter Captured Live album is on fire with his white bird. Also, an obscure recording, Henry Paul Band- Feel The Heat showcases David Fiester's (deceased) Firebird on a number of cuts. Love his outro solo(1st one) on Turn It Up.

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 15 May 2007 1:38 pm

I've always found the Firebird very cool looking, cool sounding, and totally unplayable! Nothing I hate more than a neck-heavy guitar. Johnny Winter and Gatemouth Brown do well enough with them, though. (Gate's was a non-reverse, which may help some.)

I like SGs just fine--a '68 Standard was my main axe for a few years till I got into Fenders in the '70s.

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 15 May 2007 6:21 pm

Off topic, but I'm a Dusty Springfield fan. "What Are You Doing the Rest Of Your Life?' Sigh...

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 15 May 2007 7:17 pm

I'm a Dusty fan as well. But what the heck was this presentation??? Cross-cutting between the Merseybeats and Dusty lip-synching to their respective recordings in totally incompatible keys? That producer should have been keelhauled. Why put a tone-deaf person in charge of a "music" show? Yecchh!

Dennis Schell · Post by **Dennis Schell** » 16 May 2007 8:27 am

Bill Hatcher wrote:The Gibson SG was one of the best guitars ever made. Your kidding right?? You ever see Terry Kath of Chicago play one? Carlos Santana? Pete Townsend? List goes on and on.

I still have my SG standard I bought new in '65.

Sure, there've been a lot of fine players who have used an SG. I just don't personally like them. The few that I tried off the rack in music stores back in the 70's didn't impress me. The necks felt like clubs and the intonation wasn't exactly "gilt edged" either. Maybe it was the luck of the draw....(I also saw plenty of Fenders that were "firewood" in those days. That doesn't seem to stop people from spending thousands of dollars for them now on Ebay!)

I'm sure your '65 is a fine axe....Peace!

Dennis

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 17 May 2007 1:29 am

I never had the chance to play an original 1963-1965 reverse Firebird, but I did try out a 1976 reissue and one of the current production models. I didn't like them because they had big chunky necks like a classical guitar.

I have a Tokai FB-45, which is a copy of a reverse Firebird III. It has a stop tailpiece, no banjo tuners, and the body is made of Alder. It balances better than a Gibson and the back of the neck has a flatter radius like a Strat or a Les Paul.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 17 May 2007 2:33 pm

You guys who like these wimpy necks.....I don't about ya'll. The "manly" neck really helps out in the sustain department. I loathe "girly" necked guitars. Only girls should be "girly necked".

Dennis Schell · Post by **Dennis Schell** » 17 May 2007 8:43 pm

Bill Hatcher wrote:You guys who like these wimpy necks.....I don't about ya'll. The "manly" neck really helps out in the sustain department. I loathe "girly" necked guitars. Only girls should be "girly necked".

Yep, and strong liquor makes strong men!

Me, I'll stick with the girly necks as used by Don Rich or Eric Clapton to name a few...

Dennis

Of course if one has hands like "The Hulk"....

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 17 May 2007 10:24 pm

Bill Hatcher wrote:You guys who like these wimpy necks.....I don't about ya'll. The "manly" neck really helps out in the sustain department. I loathe "girly" necked guitars. Only girls should be "girly necked".

I play what feels comfortable. If a guitar neck feels awkward in my hand, I find it difficult to play. Try playing rock or country riffs on a classical guitar... it's hard!

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 18 May 2007 3:29 am

I prefer fatter necks,- not only do they offer more in terms of tone and sustain, but I actually find them more comfortable to play over longer periods of time. My left hand gets tired a lot faster on a thin neck, seems like the way a fat neck fills the hand is more ergonomically (?) 'correct' and offers better support - at least for me..

Steinar

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 18 May 2007 6:44 am

Bill Hatcher wrote:Was that Burt Bacarach introducing them??????

It sure is. Burt is the man. Or was the man...who's the man now?

That song is hilarious..."just do it, and after you do you will be his"!!! Now, what exactly is Dusty talking about?

...not to mention the whole "do the things he likes to do, wear your hair just for him" concept. Too funny! It's hard to imagine this song coming out today.

I love those giant Gibsons! After playing them for an hour, a person's height shrinks about a third of an inch.

What a great video.

The Steel Guitar Forum

2 Firebirds and 1 Thunderbird

2 Firebirds and 1 Thunderbird

Just say no to Gibson!