Epiphone 1963 Firebird I Reissue w/Hardshell Case, Cherry

Made in collaboration with Gibson Custom, now with a rosewood fretboard and a new Vintage Gloss finish

Epiphone and Gibson™ Custom have teamed up once again to create the updated Inspired by Gibson Custom 1963 Firebird I – an authentic replica of the guitar designed by legendary automotive designer Ray Dietrich. When it was launched in 1963, the Firebird™ was Gibson’s first neck-through-body model, and it went on 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 Manzanera of Roxy Music, to name a few.

The updated Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1963 Firebird I delivers vintage Firebird specifications at an accessible price, including a 9-ply neck-through-body made of mahogany and walnut with mahogany body 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 exceptional resonance, sustain, and tonal transfer between them.

The neck features a SlimTaper™ Rounded C profile with soft fretboard edges for a comfortable, played-in feel. The rosewood fretboard is adorned with mother-of-pearl dot inlays and equipped with 22 medium jumbo frets. Even the side dot position markers are the same size as on vintage Firebirds 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 a Wraparound Lightning Bar bridge holds things down at the other end and further reinforces the outstanding sustain. 

While in keeping with the vintage 1963 Firebird I’s stripped-down specifications, the electronics are also premium and include a Gibson USA Firebird mini humbucker™ pickup with Alnico 5 magnets. It is hand-wired to a pair of CTS® potentiometers, a Mallory™ tone capacitor, and a Switchcraft® 1/4” output jack, giving this remarkable recreation not only the look but the sound of a classic Firebird I. The new Vintage Gloss finish adds to the vintage appeal. An Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom hardshell case is also included.

Specifications

• Body Specs
  • Body Finish: Vintage Gloss
  • Body Material: Mahogany (Wings)
  • Body Shape: Firebird
  • Body Styles: Firebird
• Neck Specs
  • Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
  • Fingerboard Radius: 304.8 mm / 12.0 in
  • Fret Count: 22
  • Frets: Medium Jumbo
  • Inlays: Mother of Pearl Dot
  • Joint: Neck-Through-Body Construction
  • Neck Material: 9-ply Mahogany/Walnut
  • Nut Material: Graph Tech
  • Nut Width: 43.0 mm / 1.69 in
  • Profile: 1963 Firebird
  • Scale Length: 628.65 mm / 24.75 in
• Electronics Specs
  • Bridge Pickup: Gibson USA Firebird Mini Humbucker with Alnico 5 Magnets
  • Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone, Hand-wired with CTS Potentiometers and a Mallory Capacitor
  • Output Jack: 1/4" Switchcraft
• Hardware Specs
  • Bridge: Wraparound Lightning Bar
  • Control Covers: Black with Silver “Inspired by Gibson Custom” Logo Hotstamp
  • Control Knobs: Black Top Hat with Reflector
  • Finish: Nickel
  • Mounting Rings: Nickel
  • Pickguard: 3-ply White; Firebird Logo Hotstamp in Red
  • Pickup Covers: Nickel
  • Strap Buttons:
    • 3 – Bottom
    • Shoulder
    • Neck Heel
    • Historic Firebird Strap Button Placement Locations
  • Truss Rod: Dual Action
  • Truss Rod Cover: Single-Ply Black with Epiphone Logo in Gold
  • Tuner Plating: Nickel
  • Tuning Machines: Kluson Banjo-Style Planetary
• Misc Specs
  • Case: Inspired by Gibson Custom Hardshell
  • Model: ECFIR3CRNH1
  • Headstock Inlay: Modern Epiphone Logo in Gold (on Truss Rod Cover)