Gibson Firebird III - Some Guitarists Have All the Fun
1968 Guitar Player add featuring the Gibson B25-12 flattop, GSS-100 amplifier, and two electrics, the Firebird III and the ES-330TD |
 Gibson Firebirds - as advertised in the 1963 Gibson catalog
The Gibson Firebird was launched in 1963 as a descendent of the commercially unpopular Explorer. Once again it took a few years before this futuristic design found popularity, despite being adopted by big stars of the day like Brian Jones and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. It was initially launched in four variants, with two similar bass models (the Thunderbirds). All were mahogany bodied with a neck-through construction. Necks were initially mahogany, fingerboards Brazilian rosewood (ebony for the Firebird VII). All models sported the same humbucking pickups
Detailed specifications for each model can be found here
The first version of the firebird was manufactured from 1963 to 1965, but sales, although not that small, but were low compared to other models.
 Gibson Firebirds - as advertised in the 1966 Gibson catalogue In 1966 the instrument was relaunched with a new body shape and set neck (rather than through neck from older models) construction. This was known as the non-reverse Firebird. In addition to the existing Firebird models, a 12-string was also produced. The Firebird I and II were now equipped with P90 single coil soapbars - the humbuckers only on the V, VII and V-12.
Gibson custom colours available on the Firebird and Thunderbird models were as follows: cardinal red, heather poly, inverness green poly, ember red, polaris white, pelham blue poly, frost blue, kerry green, silver mist poly, gold mist poly
 Gibson Firebird custom colour chart
| | Firebirds
all models* | SGs
all models** |
| 1963 |
| 1964 |
| 1965 |
| 1966 |
| 1967 |
| 1968 |
| 1969 |
* Firebirds I, II, V, V-12, VII
** standard, custom, special, jnr | The instruments were manufactured in 1966 and 1967, but were still being shipped as late as 1969. Despite a tiny rise in 1966, sales can only be described as dreadful.
In 1972, a few more Firebirds were produced. These were medallion models, made to celebrate the 1972 olympic games. A Medallion Flying V was also reissued at the same time. These were limited edition instruments, made in very small numbers, and have a numbered medallion attached to the body.
The Firebird (along with the Thunderbird) was brought out once again during the 1970s, again as a celebration/commemoration - this time the bicentennial anniversay of the creation of America. The Firebird logo on the scratchplate was in red white and blue. This issue never outsold the 1960s versions.
As is shown below, the Firebird decreased in popularity (as determined by sales) throughout the period 1963-79. The production figures show the most abundant firebirds are:
early 60s reverse-body models (63-65) - 5151
mid 60s non-reverse models (66-69) - 3868
late 70s bicentennial firebird (76-79) - 2847
early 70s medallion firebird (72-73) - 366
In fact the change from reverse to non-reverse body happened in mid 1965, so some of the 5151 instruments shipped that year may have actually been no-reverse bodies.
The separate shipping figures for all firebird models, 1963-1979 are as follows
1960s Firebird shipping figures
| | Firebird I | Firebird III | Firebird V | Firebird V-12 | Firebird VII | TOTAL |
| 1963 | 434 |
| 1964 | 2434 |
| 1965 | 2283 |
| 1966 | 2735 |
| 1967 | 779 |
| 1968 | 271 |
| 1969 | 83 |
1970s Firebird shipping figures
Firebird V
medallion | Bicentennial
Ebony | Bicentennial
Natural | Bicentennial
Tobacco Sunburst | Bicentennial
White | TOTAL |
| 1972 | 351 |
| 1973 | 15 |
| 1976 | 1277 |
| 1977 | 1254 |
| 1978 | 199 |
| 1979 | 117 |
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