Gibson Firebird V Reverse Review

Did I really need another guitar? That was the question going through my head when I saw her in the music shop back in '02. After all, I already had 3 Gibsons, 5 Fenders, a couple of Carvins, and a home-built Warmoth "Frankenstrat" doubleneck.

"Just get the replacement trem arm and get out!" I told myself.

I wouldn't listen.

She was a beauty, and once I got her in my arms I knew I was in trouble. I had always loved the look of the Firebird V Reverse. This guitar just comes right out and says "Look at me! Hear me! Play me! You'll never go back to that boring old SG!"

d;-)

I barely escaped with my checkbook unscathed.

I was back in the store a month or so later and she was still there, just as beautiful as ever. Her price tag had dropped a little. I sat down and played for a few minutes before grabbing the set of strings I was there for and running out the door.

Then came the day of the big sale. This time, as soon as I walked in the door, I knew I was doomed. In a daze, I carried her out to the truck. I don't remember the drive home. Once I got her plugged in to that Marshall and cranked up a bit I knew this was a match made in......Kalamazoo! (Yeah, I know they don't make em there anymore, but it sounds better than Nashville to me.)

Ok, now let's get down to brass tacks. The fit and finish on this axe was great, the set and intonation perfect, build quality first rate. However, one of the volume knob lock nuts worked itself loose within the first month. Minor inconvenience, and easily remedied. The mini-buckers have a tone all their own.

The specs:

• 9 ply Mahogany/Walnut Slim Taper Neck-through body construction
• Nut width - 1.695"
• Rosewood fingerboard - 24 3/4" scale - 22 frets
• Pearloid Trapezoid Inlays
• Chrome plated Tune-O-Matic bridge
• Reversed Inline Banjo Tuners
• High output ceramic Mini Humbucker Pickups
• Black "Top Hat" Knobs (2 volume, 2 tone)
• 3 way pup selector switch
• Mahogany body "wings"

The neck-through construction with mahogany "wings" to make up the rest of the body really make this a sustain monster. It takes some getting used to the reverse banjo tuners, the low E is where the high E normally would be on an inline 6 headstock (hence the "reverse" designation). Once I got my head around that and quit tuning the wrong string everything was fine.

All in all, this is a great guitar, the price tag was a bit high (List price is over $2,500) but if you wait for the sales, you may get a great deal. I got mine for just over $1,200, new. Gibson's QC is rather hit or miss, so you may have to do some looking around to find one that meets your particular standards.