Gibson 2017 Firebird T Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag)
With its mahogany body and neck-thru design, the Firebird is full of tone. Whatever stage you happen to be on, this rock 'n' roll machine is sure to deliver.
Overall User Ratings (based on 4 ratings)
Submitted August 24, 2018 by Ernie P in Pomona, CA
"Great Guitar Excellent Customer Service"
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I had a slight issue with my order and in less than 5 minutes Alex had fixed it.That's great customer service.The guitar is fantastic. Mini-humbuckers are the perfect mix.I am really happy with this purchase.The shape makes playing while seated a bit difficult but it is doable.The weight is similar to an SG, This one is 8 lbs.The strap you use will make a difference. Sling it too low and the belly cut turns away from you.
Musical Background:
55 years - a BA Music
Musical Style:
Name it and I've played it.I prefer Jazz or R&R.
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Submitted April 3, 2018 by Matt P in Vandalia, OH
"Unfortunately GIbson isn't what it once was."
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Straight out of the box it was obvious there were some problems with this guitar. The first thing I noticed was an issue with the paint on the back of the guitar. The back grooves had quite a lot of bare wood showing through. I was disappointed, but not deterred. The next problem I noticed was the the strap button on the back of the neck had been drilled in at an angle. Enough to dent the body in the process, again I was more disappointed. Lastly, one of the tone pots will keep turning after "10" and reset itself back when you let go. After that, I was really unhappy with my purchase. 2 of the 3 things were fixable yes, but for this to even leave the shop was unacceptable. This is definitely the worst "new condition" guitar I've bought over $1000. Compared to some of the other Gibson models, this model is not expensive. I have 2 other GIbson Les Pauls that are great guitars. This could have been just one that slipped through the cracks, but I'm not so sure. Aside from that - the guitar itself is great. It looks stunning in person (pelham blue). It's a blast to play, and I'm glad I picked one up. For what it's worth, I did reach out to zZounds about the issues, and they did give me a partial refund on the item. I was very happy with the end result. Aside from that, the guitar is a blast to play. The pelham blue looks absolutely stunning in person. I'm very glad I picked this guitar up, though I must admit the zZounds customer support team is the biggest reason why.
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Submitted August 31, 2018 by Brian P in Binghamton, NY
"2017 Firebird T"
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I got a blem and couldn’t tell where the issue was at first. Turns out to be a pickguard that is warped and not laying flat. Looks like they screwed it in wrong at the factory. Otherwise it’s perfect. The guitar itself is well built. I’ve had issues recently with Gibson QC like everyone else but besides the pickguard this guitar is beautiful.
Sound
I don’t care for the stock pickups. They sound weak to me and I’ll be replacing them eventually with alnico vintage wound ones. But they aren’t horrible and it’s very possible to get decent a decent sound from the guitar. But overall they don’t work for me. I play directly into either a tweed Princeton or various plexi-like tube amps. The pots and electronics are cheap no name import parts which possibly could be why the pickups are iffy.
Features
It’s basic, 2 volume 2 tone 1 switch and a jack. The guts are cheap no name parts, tiny ceramic caps, cheap plastic jack, and thin cheap wires. I should expect more from Gibson but I don’t any more. I’ll be replacing all that before I buy new pickups just to see how they sound with proper pots/caps. Gearless tuners are awful. I have 2 other firebirds and I replaced them with the banjo style reissues and plan on doing the same with this. The rolled fret binding is beautiful and flawless on my guitar. The fingerboard is very nice. It looks fantastic and plays very well.
Ease of Use
Neck is wide and somewhat thin. The width may not be for everyone. If you’re used to a LP for example, it may take some adjusting to the width. It’s very playable for me. I feel like the electronics might limit the pickups. I mainly play slide and setup for fairly high action but it came with SUPER low action and it didn’t buzz an ounce.
Quality
The guts are cheap import junk. Again, this is a Gibson. I don’t expect garbage pots and tiny ceramic caps. Other than that and the ‘blem’ pickguard, the guitar is very well built and finished. Gibson is horrible when it comes to QC so it’s easy to get a ‘blem’ with a minor issue and save a few bucks. If I got this new I would’ve been irritated it left the shop like that, but not surprised. The control cavity cover looks like it was screwed in while the paint was wet. Part of the wood where the screw goes in broke when I removed the cavity cover and was actually stuck to the cover. I glued it back on. I honestly have seen chibsons that are better quality than what Gibson churns out any more.
Value
My firebird is a 2017. I feel like at the price I paid (August of 2018), with the ‘blem’ being fixable, I got a good deal. Firebirds hold or increase in value typically so once I get the guts and pickguard straightened out I’ll have a fantastic guitar that will be worth more than I paid for it. At about half the price of the current model it’s a very good value. Besides the QC issues it’s an outstanding guitar.
Manufacturer Support
Gibson is terrible. They’re easy to reach but not typically helpful. They previously sent me a guitar with no truss rod nut and their answer was to mail me a nut. Unfortunately that didn’t help the fact there was no possibility for relief which the guitar needed. Then they wanted me to ship it to them to take the fingerboard off and fix the truss tod. Really. In the end zZounds sent me a new guitar and that one had cosmetic issues.
The Wow Factor
I’d say a lot of wow factor. Finish is beautiful (Pelham blue) and unique. People generally are fascinated by Firebirds and the blue really stands out. When I told a few friends I got another Firebird they all wanted pics and they all loved the finish.
Musical Background:
20 years playing guitar
Musical Style:
Blues, slide
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Submitted July 14, 2018 by Zack Mobley in Raymond, MS
"Not too good to be true"
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I bought this because I love the color despite the negative reviews but I was still skeptical. Let me say that I had a few of the same issues. Whoever signed off on this from the factory must have known they were about to be fired or laid off. Polishing compound all in the creases and the headstock. Paint chipped off by a tailpiece stud and so thick on the "Made In USA" stamp it just looks like dimples in the paint instead of words. The BIG issue though is the completely unacceptable fretwork for a guitar at this price range. The action had to be set very high to avoid buzz. I had to re-level the frets to make it right. Fortunately, I'm a luthier and have the tools and skill to do this at home. I shouldn't have to and anyone else will have to pay to get this fixed. Pair this with having to buy a hard case separately (the gig bag scared me with this headstock) and it's not a good deal.
The pickups sound great and it fits comfortably. I was nervous about neck dive but that isn't an issue. The metal they used in the bridge and tail piece are very light. It feels cheap but this thing sustains better than anything I've ever played so who knows. I get lots of complement on it's looks.
My $349 Squier from China came with perfect action and fret work. Why the heck is that not the case with this USA Gibson standard model? I have owned many Gibsons and have been usually very pleased, but someone was drunk on QC day for this model.
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