Epiphone and Gibson™ Custom have teamed up once again to create the updatedInspired by Gibson Custom 1963 Firebird V Reissue with Maestro Vibrola — an authenticreplica of the guitar designed by legendary automotive designer Ray Dietrich. When it waslaunched in 1963, the Firebird™ was Gibson’s first neck-through-body guitar, and it wenton to be used by players in a wide range of genres, including blues legend Johnny Winter,Keith Richards and Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and Phil Manzaneraof Roxy Music, to name a few.
The updated Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1963 Firebird V with Maestro Vibroladelivers vintage Firebird specifications at an accessible price. The vintage-inspiredfeatures include a 9-ply neck-through-body made of mahogany and walnut with mahoganybody wings to either side of the neck. This construction method results in the tuners,pickup, and bridge all being anchored into the same pieces of wood for exceptionalresonance, sustain, and tonal transfer between them. The neck features a SlimTaper™Rounded C profile with soft fretboard edges for a comfortable, played-in feel. Therosewood fretboard is adorned with mother-of-pearl trapezoid inlays and equipped with 22medium jumbo frets. Even the side dot position markers are the same size as on vintageFirebirds and placed in historically accurate locations. Kluson® planetary geared “banjo”tuners anchor the strings at the headstock and further add to the historic Firebird look,while an Epiphone ABR-1 bridge and Maestro™ Vibrola™ with an engraved Epiphonelogo hold things down at the other end. The electronics are also premium and includeGibson USA Firebird mini humbucker™ pickups with Alnico 5 magnets, CTS®potentiometers, Mallory™ capacitors, and a Switchcraft® 3-way pickup selector toggleswitch and 1/4” output jack, giving this remarkable recreation not only the look but alsothe sound of a classic Firebird V. An Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom hardshell caseis also included.
