DISC Gibson Firebird HP Electric Guitar, Vintage Sunburst (2017)

Full Description

The Legendary Firebird, Reborn in an Insanely High Performance Version

As innovative as 1963 original, The Firebird 2017 HP combines the assumed modernity of its original design and Gibson's latest and greatest technological and design fits. On top of its neck-through construction, mini-humbuckers and iconic headstock, the addition of the soloist neck, polished frets over binding design, full chrome hardware with improved ergonomics and upgraded electronics really takes the Firebird 2017 HP over the edge and into the future.

Elegant Mahogany Body & Through Neck

Originally designed by car designer Ray Dietrich in the 1960s, who based the design on 1950's car tail-fins, the classic Firebird body shape provides the ultimate comfort as well as a renowned style icon. The 2017 Firebird HP follows the classic lines of the original "reverse-body" Firebirds of 1960s, with an iconic elongated offset upper horn and shorter, rounded lower horn that give it its "flipped over" appearance that make it memorable. The Firebird HP is beautifully crafted from solid mahogany, due to it being a medium-dense wood with excellent resonance and superior sustain, that offers a rich, round, warm tone, but with plenty of high-end sheen and good midrange presence. In addition to the body, the stunning through neck is also constructed from mahogany with intricate details, and its unique design provides easy access to the high frets and adds extra sustain.

Slim Taper Neck & Headstock

The new Firebird HP features an slim taper neck profile, which allows for fluid hand flexibility and provides a perfect guitar for playing solos. Keeping in tradition with its iconic design, the headstock has been carefully angled at 14 degrees, which increases pressure on the strings and helps them stay in the nut slots. An increase in string pressure also means there is no loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain and an overall better tone.

Polished Frets Offer a Smooth Feel

Like with many of the new Gibson Firebirds, this model also features a stunning rosewood fingerboard, complete with 22 polished frets. As wells as offering a prestigious look, these polished frets allow for smoother bends, and a fluid hand movement across the whole fingerboard, which is ideal for soloists out there.

Mini-Humbuckers Produce Iconic Firebird Tones

Gibson's 495R and 495T mini-humbuckers are each constructed with coils wound directly around their dual ceramic magnets for added clarity and definition. Each coil of the 495R (rhythm) in the neck position is wound with 7,000 turns of 44-gauge wire, while the 495T (treble) has coils wound with 8,500 turns each of thinner 45-gauge wire for a hotter response in the bridge position. Together, they comprise a calibrated set with a well-balanced middle position between pickups. The Firebird HP features an individual volume control for each pickup, which consists of a quality 300k linear potentiometer for a smooth, natural volume roll-off. As well as volume, this guitar also features individual tone controls for each pickup, comprised of 500k non-linear potentiometers with .22mF tone capacitors for a smooth transition from bright to warm.

G Force Auto-Tuning System with Smooth & Silent Gears

As well as looks and tone, the new 2017 Firebird HP also features the G force self tuning system, which is an innovative system worked by a mechanical device that is secured to the headstock. Each machine head contains a small servo motor that can wind the string up or down. Simply push the on button and strum to see this device in action and perfectly tune your guitar. The new Gibson HP models all feature an updated G Force system, with even smoother and more silent gears.

Not only does the G force tuning system provide standard tunings, it also offers alternate and custom tunings, tuning to instruments that are in tune with themselves but not to concert pitch, adding pitch offsets to individual strings, and tuning with a capo. Powered by a rechargeable battery, the G force system provides up to 100 tunings on one single charge, and also allows for manual tuning.

Titanium Zero-Fret Adjustable Nut

Not only does the new Firebird HP provide the perfect combination of superb tone and looks, it is also equipped with an innovative Nut. The Zero-Fret Adjustable Nut is a superior nut design in Gibson’s High-Performance series of guitars, due to its exceptional adjustability to match various playing styles. This cleverly designed Nut benefits from an all-titanium construction for extreme durability, and a retaining screw so the nut stays in place when you change strings. Like with bridge adjustments, the Zero-Fret Nut allows you to adjust the height and angle, for the optimum feel.

Aluminium Tune-O-Matic Bridge

With its PAF inspired tones, the Firebird HP Electric Guitar is also equipped with an aluminium Tune-O-Matic bridge, which offers stability, reliability, comfortable playing position and impressive sustain. This innovative bridge is easy to adjust, as you simply adjust the height of the bridge with the mounting rods to alter the action, and screw the bridge saddles in or out to achieve perfect intonation.

In addition, every Tune-O-Matic bridge that Gibson feature on thier models is combined with a separate "stopbar" tailpiece, which is essentially designed to further enhance the connection between the strings and the body.

Included Accessories

Features

• 495R & T Mini-Humbuckers Produce PAF-Inspired Firebird Tones
• Includes Gibson’s Traditional Hardshell Case for Portability and Storage
• Firebird Slim Taper Neck Profile Offers a Comfortably Smooth Play
• G Force Tuner Offers a Quick and Easy Auto-Tuning System
• Aluminium TOM Bridge and Stop Bar Create Excellent String Resonance
• A Lightweight Mahogany Body Offers the Ultimate Comfort
• Mahogany Neck and Rosewood Fingerboard Deliver Strong Midrange Attack
• Includes Premium Leather Strap, Gibson’s Multi-Tool, and a Polishing Cloth

Specifications

Body & Bridge

• Series: Core HP
• Style: Firebird
• Body: Mahogany
• Bridge: Aluminium Tune-O-Matic w/Steel Thumbwheels
• Tailpiece: Aluminium Stop Bar w/Steel Posts
• Construction: Neck-Through
• Finish: Vintage Sunburst

Neck & Fingerboard

• Neck: Mahogany
• Profile: Firebird Slim Taper
• Width: 1.745"
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Scale Length: 24.75”
• Frets: 22 Polished
• Nut: Titanium Zero-Fret Adjustable
• Heel: Fast-Access
• Inlays: Mother of Pearl Trapezoids

Electronics & Hardware

• Bridge Pickup: 495T Mini-Humbucker
• Neck Pickup: 495R Mini-Humbucker
• Controls: 2x Volume/1x Tone/1x Aviation Grade Toggle Switch
• Tuning Machines: G Force w/Improved Gears
• Control knobs: Knurled UFO
• Saddles: Titanium
• Hardware: Chrome
• Case: Traditional Gibson Hardshell
• Accessories: Premium Leather Strap, Gibson’s Multi-Tool, and a Polishing Cloth