Red Gibson Firebird 1 on ebay

Looks just like Joe's! Even the top wrap...
Is Joe's an older one or a new one?

Gibson currently doesn't make the Firebird I and any of the custom shop firebirds go for around this price range so I really don't think the price is a joke, but this was the cheapest of the firebirds so you would think that they would have a lower price on it.  I have wanted one of these guitars for years in a sunburst after I learned that Eric Clapton basically recorded Cream Wheels Of Fire (The studio part) with one.  It made me wonder if Joe started playing one in honor of that fact.  I've come close to buying a Firebird V  2 different time.  These are just bad looking guitars with killer sounds.  Ben I bet you know all about it.  I believe I saw you had one on one of your posts.

I agree, especially when you can get a regular Firebird V that has the trapezoid inlays, neck pickup, and similar build quality/finish.  My dad's white Firebird V KILLS and was like 1/3 the price of that guitar.  I will say though, of the guitars that Joe used when I saw him live last, the Firebird was right up there with my favorites.  I liked his '58 Bigsby the best, then the "Peter Green/Gary Moore" Les Paul, then the '80s Flying V, and then the Firebird.  The Firebird's mini humbucker had this really cool sound to it that the other guitars didn't have.  It was a little clearer, thinner, and brighter.  It also wasn't as hot so you could really hear what Joe was playing better.  A little more clarity and cut like a Strat or Tele but with the meat of a Les Paul....I DIG IT!

I've seen 3 non reverse Firebirds in my time of playing for sale that is.  I've seen the blueish color, the natural, and a alpine white.  At the time I believe they were around $1400 (2004 maybe) I never played one of those.  Do they feel very different from the reverse body?  My friend I play guitar with in our group always wondered why they called those guitar NON reverse when the reverse bodys came out first.  Ben do you keep yours down a halfstep like your older brother Warren?

Hell Yea I keep it tuned down.  I pretty much bought it so I could play anything Mule thats down a half-step.  LP's don't sound right for that.  The bird has more agressiveness to it with the humbuckers, its super fat and nasty sounding.  Warren writes so many great riffs on the bird.  My new fav. one is off of the new album, Steppin' Lightly.

The reason its called reverse isn't becuase of the body, its becuase of the headstock.  The guitars were designed to compete with Fender.  Funny how Non-Reverse looks similar.  Either way Gibson still did it bettter (Kidding - No bashing now!).

Ben

PS - Fun Fact:  The person that Gibson hired to designed the Firebirds for Gibson was Ray Dietrich.  You might now the name because he designed the original Pontiac Firebird, which is also my Favorite Car.

EDITZ: Grammer