What's up with Gibson Firebird prices?

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:30 pm

What's up with the Gibson Firebird? They usually list ~$1600-1700.00, but the 2016 T is listed for $1099.00. The 2014's are still listing for $1600.00, so what's up? I see that the 2016 T comes with a gigbag instead of case, but that can't explain the discrepancy.

check out this link with current prices:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson-Fire ... x134716933

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 5:06 pm

Take it they realised their mistake that page ain't there no more...

Fakir Mustache · Post by **Fakir Mustache** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 5:49 pm

you have to change your country to US or nothing will show up.

my guess is Gibson lowered the price because they discontinued the Firebird Studio.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:34 pm

$1100 for a new firebird standard is not bad at all.

pumpkin · Post by **pumpkin** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:38 pm

Two different 2016 Firebird models out this year.

"Firebird V 2016 T" List $1099 has gig bag

"Firebird V 2016 HP" List $1449 has aluminum "HP Hardshell Case" also has G FORCE and Titanium Adjustable Zero Fret.

Find both by flicking through here: http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric ... 6/USA.aspx

2015 had 1 Firebird Model the...

"Firebird V 2015" list $2099 Has side jack, brass zero fret adjustable nut, titanium saddles, etc.

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric ... ird-V.aspx

Why is the 2015 more than either 2016, fuck me if I know. In 2015 Gibson raised their prices, they lowered them again in 2016

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 8:31 pm

Gibson are just blowing out all the shite guitars they made over the last couple of years. They always do daft things with Firebirds (sidejacks, Firebird X, comically bad pickups across the range etc.). Think they're just clearing old stock with those regular Firebird Vs.

Also: I can't think of a guitar less sensible to put in a gigbag than a Firebird.

Brandon W · Post by **Brandon W** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:42 pm

love firebirds.. mini-humbuckers are rad

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:49 pm

...except that Firebird pickups aren't mini-humbuckers. Link.

Brandon W · Post by **Brandon W** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 11:02 pm

benecol wrote:...except that Firebird pickups aren't mini-humbuckers. Link.

hmm not sure why i thought they were.. but i'm sure i'm wrong
" The mini humbucker was first made available in several Gibson-made Epiphone models of the late 1960s, and the Les Paul Deluxe in 1969. Today, it is best known as the pickup in the Gibson Firebird,..."
Gibson
Gibson Firebird
Neck width: Historic 1 11/16" neck width
Nut: TekToid nut
Tuners: Steinberger Gearless tuning keys
Pickups: Traditional Firebird mini-humbuckers
Body: Original neck-through-body construction
Bridge: Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
Finish: Nitro Vintage Sunburst finish
9 ply mahogany-walnut neck: Classic nine-ply mahogany-walnut neck construction
Inlays: Traditional trapezoid inlays
Comprehensive setup: Comprehensive hand-finished setup

ahh what do they know anyways

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 12:34 am

Firebird flame war...

Brandon W · Post by **Brandon W** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:17 am

😂😂😂😂 nah.. Since Gibson/epiphone invented the mini-humbucker and they call the firebird pickup "mini-humbucker", I'll go with Tim since he's so smart and always right.. 😂😂😂 it says mini-humbucker on the op link btw. Also describes them on every single page ever as - Pickups - firebird mini-humbuckers.. Doh I know there are variations on mini humbuckers blah blah. Gibson calls them firebird Mini humbuckers and I think they are rad. Johnny winter approves this.. I need to find a pic of my favorite leather wrapped firebird. Interesting story behind it as well. Let me find a link... Until then feel free to correct me and fact check the information above. It belonged to gatemouth brown and he lost it in the flood during Katrina and died shortly thereafter. I suck at posting pics from my phone so I'll do it later.. Carry on

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 2:01 am

I think they're generally referred to as "mini-humbuckers" for convenience, and that's essentially what they are. I just think Benecol's point (possibly expressed in a slightly condescending way - sorry Tim, you know I love you) is that they aren't the same as a standard mini-humbucker (i.e. this bar magnet business rather than the standard PAF-derived design, not that I fully understand the nuances or owt) and therefore it can be useful to make a distinction.

Brandon W · Post by **Brandon W** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 2:35 am

Sure there are slight variances in pickups. It's not an exact science. Firebird "mini-humbuckers" uses rail magnets and the les Paul deluxe uses one single magnet but they are both mini-humbuckers. I like the firebird mini-humbuckers better, hence why I said I like them in a firebird thread. Gibson/epiphone can call them whatever they want since they invented them, and not Tim. I can't even count the different type of humbuckers they have now but they're all referred to as humbuckers. I wanted one in the neck of a tele and I told them I want a "firebird mini-humbucker" and surprisingly they knew exactly what I meant. 😉

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:13 am

Ah, you can fuck off.

Mini-humbucker:

Firebird pickup:

Different internal construction, different appearance, different internal physics, different sound. Firebirds don't have mini-humbuckers in them, they have Firebird pickups in them. It's a misconception up there with "Jazzmasters have P90s in them". Gibson have proved they know fuck-all about their own product by virtue of the dogshit pickups they put in the reissues anyhow.

George · Post by **George** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 9:30 am

brandonwinmill wrote:
benecol wrote:...except that Firebird pickups aren't mini-humbuckers. Link.
hmm not sure why i thought they were.. but i'm sure i'm wrong
" The mini humbucker was first made available in several Gibson-made Epiphone models of the late 1960s, and the Les Paul Deluxe in 1969. Today, it is best known as the pickup in the Gibson Firebird,..."
Gibson
Gibson Firebird
Neck width: Historic 1 11/16" neck width
Nut: TekToid nut
Tuners: Steinberger Gearless tuning keys
Pickups: Traditional Firebird mini-humbuckers
Body: Original neck-through-body construction
Bridge: Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
Finish: Nitro Vintage Sunburst finish
9 ply mahogany-walnut neck: Classic nine-ply mahogany-walnut neck construction
Inlays: Traditional trapezoid inlays
Comprehensive setup: Comprehensive hand-finished setup

ahh what do they know anyways

i've underlined an important semantic difference. see they are called "traditional firebird mini-humbuckers" not "gibson mini-humbuckers" as regular ones are listed in their store. they even talk about the difference on their website in some detail: http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Fe ... -Them.aspx

and either way gibson are allowed to call these pickups whatever they want. it doesn't change the fact they are not typical mini-hums, as tim irightly pointed out, or that gibson may in fact be wrong about this. having thought about it it sounds like they are "half right" in distinguishing between firebird and regular mini-humbuckers, but half wrong in that firebird pups are not actually humbucker construction as we typically understand them

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 12:35 pm

gibson is always the wrong decision
the wrong decision is always gibson

Brandon W · Post by **Brandon W** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:23 pm

you two are hilarious

traditional firebird mini-humbuckers is mini-humbuckers, silly. I never said they were the same as in other gibson/epiphone guitars.. i said i like the mini-humbuckers in the firebird, which in fact they are, a type of mini-humbucker. Try and stay with me guys. I can slow it down if it helps..

George · Post by **George** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:46 pm

im actually meeting you both in the middle on this lol

but yeah if there's a slow enough setting where you stop posting altogether i'm all for it

Brandon W · Post by **Brandon W** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:54 pm

sure no problem. sorry to be an inconvenience

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 2:07 pm

brandonwinmill wrote:Try and stay with me guys. I can slow it down if it helps..

Maybe post a:

benecol wrote:Link.

Followed by a pictorial guide?

benecol wrote:Mini-humbucker:

Firebird pickup: