Epiphone Firebird Studio Guitar Review

The Gibson Firebird has been a standby of classic rock artists for years. It has the sound quality of its more famous cousin, the Les Paul, and a more angular and edgy look. Artists from Johnny Winter to Lynyrd Skynyrd and even Eric Clapton have been using them since their inception in the 1950's. They were made with a unique body structure to compete with Fender products such as the Stratocaster and Telecaster. Today, Epiphone, a daughter company of Gibson, offers an affordable version of the Firebird with all the essential features that have made it such a staple in rock and roll, country, and even jazz. Let's look a little deeper to see what it's all about.

Features: This guitar comes from production lines in Korea, but don't let the fact that it's foreign fool you. It's well made. The body is solid mahogany that comes with either a worn cherry red or classic sunburst finish. Both have a very nostalgic feel. The neck is set into the body, not bolted. This is a key feature in lengthening sound clarity and sustain. The neck itself is also made out of mohagany, The fingerboard is made of rosewood and features pearl dot inlays. All the hardware, including the tuning heads and Tune-O-Matic bridge are made of chrome. The two Alnico pickups also have chrome covers (a very slick touch). Another feature unique to the Firebird style guitar is that the tuning heads are on the back of the headstock. As for electronics, the Epiphone Firebird Studio has two volume and two tone knobs, complete with a three way selector switch. This gives the player many options as to how the guitar will sound amplified.

Playability: The only real problem I have with the Epiphone Firebird Studio as far as playability goes is the guitar's shape. It can be tough to find a position that isn't awkward to play in when sitting down. .But the Firebird does have some things going for it. The set neck allows for great access to the upper frets. Also, the width of the neck is nice and thin, making it easier for long reaches.

Sound: One thing most users agree on when playing this guitar is that it has an excellent, versatile sound. The neck pickup is smooth and bassy, which is great for jazz and blues. The bridge pickup makes for some beautiful high tones, and can pump out anything from classic rock to metal. If you have the tone controls mastered, you could probably even kick out some pretty good sounding country.

Overall: The Epiphone Firebird Studio is an excellent mid-range guitar. It has the ability to adapt to whatever its owner feels like playing that day, and enough oomph to hold its own up there with the big boys. Not to mention, it's downright sexy. You can find this guitar at nearly any music store for about $400.