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Joe B Firebird I/Treasure. What's everyone think?

gmann

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May 26, 2003
Messages
6,147
The thing about mine, I got it last nite, is that the studs are so loose in the bushings that they noticeably tilt fwd. No big deal those as they are going to be replaced. I was quite surprised about the tuners. I love FB's but hate the tuners. These were quite smooth and stay in tune. I got the plastic buttons which makes more of a difference than you might think. All in all very nice, no complaints.
 

deytookerjaabs

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Nov 6, 2016
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1,592
Did they use a Gibson style rod/adjustment on these or is it still that big metric nut inside the truss channel? Firebirds already have a sensitive headstock, a big metric nut means even less wood where it's needed the most so if you've got one be cautious. People think Gibson headstocks break, search ebay for "not working" Epi's and you'll see a lot of breaks even with the big scarf joint right there in the more traditional guitars.
 
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JJ Jones

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Sep 28, 2001
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1,260
There was a B-stock available at Thomann in Germany so I bought it immediately.
I have been watching them since they were announced, so I am looking forward to get it!
 

gmann

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Joined
May 26, 2003
Messages
6,147
Did they use a Gibson style rod/adjustment on these or is it still that big metric nut inside the truss channel? Firebirds already have a sensitive headstock, a big metric nut means even less wood where it's needed the most so if you've got one be cautious. People think Gibson headstocks break, search ebay for "not working" Epi's and you'll see a lot of breaks even with the big scarf joint right there in the more traditional guitars.

It adjusts with an allen wrench
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I think I got lucky as I slightly tweaked the rod on mine when I got in late Dec. and haven't touched it since!
 

Roe

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Apr 6, 2006
Messages
463
I've placed an order for a gold one, which I found for a very good price (750$, including shipping and norwegian taxes)
 

JJ Jones

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Sep 28, 2001
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1,260
There was a B-stock available at Thomann in Germany so I bought it immediately.
I have been watching them since they were announced, so I am looking forward to get it!



And now it is here. I just had the time to plug it in and try it out and it is a really good guitar. I don't think I have ever played a Firebird so it is a new playing experience too, which is fun after 30 years of playing guitar!
 

Roe

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Apr 6, 2006
Messages
463
I've placed an order for a gold one, which I found for a very good price (750$, including shipping and norwegian taxes)

after 10 weeks, the guitar finally shipped. the seller complained about the CITES paperwork
 
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Amp360

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Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
852
I like mine but I don't think it's anywhere near what comes out of the Custom Shop like someone said.

I sanded mine down and refinished it, changed the pickup to a Lollar and added new pots and cap. For what I paid it's a nice guitar, but I would rather have a Gibson USA model for the money I spent on the pickups and the caps but it was a fun project.

I have an Elliot Easton Firebird that's better in every way, but it was also a lot more money.

I play mine once in a while and I like it. I don't play it all the time.
 

Roe

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Apr 6, 2006
Messages
463
I finally got mine yesterday. Looks and sounds great but it needed a setup. It came with high action and needed to be intonated. The bridge wasn't notched at all and the string spacing was very uneven. And the nut is too high. The finish looks very nice but is quite far from perfect. The neck was bowed but adjusting the truss rod helped with that, except the last frets (on the body) are still a little too high, resulting in a little fret buzz at the 19th fret. I'll try to experiment with the truss rod and to raise the action again (its not low now, its 1.7mm or more than 1/16" at the high e and 2.2mm at the low E)
 

Wattage

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Feb 23, 2003
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509
Yeah dig mine so far had it a little more than a month I guess? I'm going to try a little better version of the wraptail next string change. I may change to a Duncan 'Bird pickup since I have a few to mess with see what difference it makes.

Gigged with it the day after I got it, works fine. Those are tuners odd but sooooo cool, they did a nice job re-creating them.

1498437776_birddog.jpg
 

Tommy Tourbus

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Jan 1, 2005
Messages
871
Yeah dig mine so far had it a little more than a month I guess? I'm going to try a little better version of the wraptail next string change. I may change to a Duncan 'Bird pickup since I have a few to mess with see what difference it makes.

Gigged with it the day after I got it, works fine. Those are tuners odd but sooooo cool, they did a nice job re-creating them.

1498437776_birddog.jpg

it's got the vintage correct pickguard shape. Not even the historics have that
 

gmann

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May 26, 2003
Messages
6,147
Yeah dig mine so far had it a little more than a month I guess? I'm going to try a little better version of the wraptail next string change. I may change to a Duncan 'Bird pickup since I have a few to mess with see what difference it makes.

Gigged with it the day after I got it, works fine. Those are tuners odd but sooooo cool, they did a nice job re-creating them.

1498437776_birddog.jpg

I've got a Duncan Antiquity in mine and it sounds great. Also, I put a MojoAxe compensated tailpiece on mine. The original did intonate correctly but the MojoAxe is just a better tailpiece all the way around.
 

Roe

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Apr 6, 2006
Messages
463
I got the antiquities in a Firebird V and I think the bonamassa pickup holds its own in the FBI. The former sounds like A5 and the latter A2. The former is a little bright and cutting, the latter fatter and more compressed
 

Wattage

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Joined
Feb 23, 2003
Messages
509
I dropped in a Duncan Seymourized FB pickup I had and it sounds killer, not vintage of course butit still sounds like a 'Bird. Makes the guitar much more band friendly for me. Love this guitar.

I have a Gotoh conpensated tailpiece to put on next string change, it has the vintage correct compensation fwiw.
 

Big Al

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Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I dropped in a Duncan Seymourized FB pickup I had and it sounds killer, not vintage of course butit still sounds like a 'Bird. Makes the guitar much more band friendly for me. Love this guitar.

I have a Gotoh conpensated tailpiece to put on next string change, it has the vintage correct compensation fwiw.

Vintage correct won't intonate unless you use a wound G string. My Epi is an excellent bird.
 

Pellman73

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Aug 9, 2016
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I've never really wanted an epiphone or a chinese guitar but I have to admit this is very intriguing

cool guitar!
 

Stephens

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Dec 30, 2001
Messages
438
Mine feels like a poly finish. It's applied well and does not feel overly thick. Quite a resonant Guitar acoustically.
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Finish is poly on both.
If you want a great bridge that really improves the tone & sustain, get the Bell Brass Wrapover from ABM in Germany. I also installed a Nylon nut like the original would have. There's a gentleman here that goes by RandK who is CNC'ing Nylon nuts. I think you can probably find him in the Classifieds and I know he's been selling some on EBay. Really great quality!!
 
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