The Gibson Firebird

What does a car designer know about designing electric guitars? Collectors of  vintage gibson guitars already know the answer. Plenty. In the 1960’s, Gibson put that fact to good use.

Gibson electric guitars had made a name for themselves in the 50’s with the Telecaster, Stratocaster,

and the Les Paul. And one might have assumed that they would ride the crest of their success for a long time to come. But during the 50’s, the  popularity of Gibson electric guitars started to decline. And by the 60’s, Gibson electric guitars had a reputation of being higher priced and less innovative than Fender’s electric guitars.  The colors, shapes and multiple pickups characteristic of Fender’s main stream electric guitars were favored by well-known guitarists of the time. Clearly, Gibson electric guitars were in need of a competitive edge. And car designer Ray Deitrich was hired by Gibson president, Ted McCarty, to do just that.

So again, the question, “What does a car designer know about designing electric guitars?”  Actually, car designs of the times offered a wealth of inspiration. The sleek lines of the car tailfins of the 50’s inspired the now revered, “Firebird”.

Known as “reverse” electric guitars, the original Firebirds were designed “backwards” with the right-hand treble horn of the body longer than the other. However, the unusual reverse-body design unique to Gibson electric guitars was not a marketing success. And in 1965-1969, Gibson introduced “non-reverse” models.

So what was it that made the Firebird so instrumental in Gibson’s return to favor?

The Firebird had a number of unique features that made it a stand-out. For starters, it was the first of the solid-body Gibson electric guitars to use neck-through construction. Those who know vintage guitars know that the Firebird’s neck extended to the base of the body. Five ply mahogany reinforced by four narrow strips of walnut gave the neck added strength. “Banjo” tuning keys, reverse headstock and mini-humbucking pickups enhanced the early Firebirds. Some models from ’65 featured the single-coil P-90 pickup.

The Firebird line was introduced to the market in mid 1963. Four models – each unique in pickup and tailpiece configurations went on sale. While the Les Paul line had distinguished its models as “Junior, Special, Standard and Custom”, the Firebird Series used roman numerals “I, III, V and VII” . Interestingly, during Gibson’s efforts to reclaim some of the market it had lost to Fender – Fender actually threatened to bring a lawsuit against Gibson with claims that the Firebird headstock copied that of the Stratocaster, and that the body violated Fender’s design patents.  No suit followed, but disappointing sales led Gibson to drop the “non reverse” models, and in 1972, to reissue their original “Reverse” body design.

Collectors of vintage guitars and fans of Gibson electric guitars appreciate the fact that a long list of notable players have chosen the Gibson Firebird.  Eric Clapton has extensively used a Firebird I. Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones used both  reverse and  non-reverse Firebirds. And Aerosmith’s, Joe Perry, has used many Gibson electric guitars through the years, including Firebirds.

Through the years of both Reverse, or Non-Reverse designs, the Firebird continued to impress. Today, whether it’s a I, III, V or VII,  the Gibson Firebird is still flying high in popularity with collectors of vintage guitars

Gibson Billie Joe Armstrong ES-137 Hollowbody Electric Guitar Black Cherry Burst

Gibson Billie Joe Armstrong ES-137 Hollowbody Electric Guitar Black Cherry Burst

New from Gibson Memphis

Slammin' tone and uncompromising attitude just like Billy Joe himself.

As the premiere punk rocker of his generation, Green Day's Billy Joe Armstrong doesn't compromise on style, tone or attitude. The Billy Joe Armstrong ES-137 from Gibson Memphis rolls all three into a raging ball of badass, in a guitar that stems from surprising depths of tradition‒while packing the no-frills, sucker-punch power that punk demands.

This beautifully light and comfortable to play thinline semi-hollow sports the ES-175s classic lines, but thanks to a chambered mahogany core that enhances sustain and fights unwanted feedback, it rings like a bell when you hit it. And when you want it to wail, just crank the two fat and gnarly P-90 pickups‒long Billy Joe's favorites.

Grab the neck crafted to Billy Joe's preferred proportions, dial in the simplified controls to taste, and you're primed to deliver thick, meaty gobs of house-rockin' mayhem‒while looking utterly righteous in a sweet Black Cherry Burst nitrocellulose finish with traditional trapezoid inlays on a rosewood fretboard.

Includes Gibson Memphis Hard Case.

Features

• Top, Back, Rim: Maple, three-ply with poplar core
• Binding: 3-ply Black-White-Black on top, single-ply, Black on back
• Fretboard: Solid rosewood
• Inlay: Pearloid trapezoid
• Headstock: Gold Gibson logo
• Scale: 24-3/4" scale length with 1.657" nut width
• Tuners: Kluson White Oval Plastic Button
• Bridge: Nickel tune-o-matic
• Tailpeice: Nickel Stopbar
• Pickups Memphis P-90s
• Control Knobs: 2 CTS 500K Linear taper volume knobs, 1 Alpha 3-way rotary pickup selection switch
• Finish: Black Cherry Burst, High Gloss
• Includes:
• Gibson Memphis Certificate of Authenticity
• Gibson Memphis Hard Case

John Paul Jones: “What Is And What Should Never Be” Isolated Bass Track

If you’re looking for vintage tone and a melodic groove, look no further.

Zach McFatridge shared this clip of John Paul Jones’s isolated bass from the Led Zeppelin classic “What Is And What Should Never Be” from their second album.

Original Post Here

The Fender Jazzmaster Adapts to Everything but Jazz

Leo Fender hit it out of the park in the early 1950s with three innovative solid body instruments that changed music as we know it. They were the Fender Telecaster, Stratocaster and the Precision Bass.
But in 1957, Leo Fender set out to make another big splash. He decided to build a top-of-the-line sibling to the still new Fender Stratocaster. This one would be something completely different than anything ever created.  “The Jazzmaster” was intended to be a solid-body alternative to pricey hollow body arch top guitars that were then the industry standard. But despite its big unveiling at the 1958 NAMM show, it never caught on with jazz players at the time. Today, 55 years after its release, the Jazzmaster has proven to have the ability to adapt to all types of music.

New Design, New Tones
The body of the Jazzmaster is much larger than the Strat or Tele models.  The “offset-waist” was created for playing while seated, as jazz players often do. A completely new floating tremolo system with a tremolo lock contributed to the guitar’s design. The guitar was heavily shielded to eliminate hum from its wide “soapbar” single coil pickups. These coils had magnet pole pieces and flat wound coils that gave the Jazzmaster a warm tone while maintaining single coil clarity. The tailed bridge provided picking behind the bridge for bell tones. The maple finger boards of early Telecasters and Stratocasters were already showing wear and pitting through to the wood. Gibson had demonstrated a long time commitment to Rosewood fingerboards, so Leo Fender followed suit with the Jazzmaster. Standard on Jazzmasters was the rosewood “slab board” fingerboard.

Surfing to Success
The California-based surf music and instrumental rock craze of the late 1950’s and 1960’s gave the Jazzmaster its first real stage.  When Don Wilson of the Ventures played a Jazzmaster, it immediately gained an identity as a surf guitar.  Kids with limited music ability, who hoped a Fender could gift them with skills, were attracted to the Jazzmaster.  At the height of its popularity, Fender’s headquarters were inSouthern California.  Leo Fender himself, was said to been influenced by surf players. His follow up to the Jazzmaster, the Fender Jaguar, was targeted as surf music from the start.

A Dramatic Comeback
Despite being discontinued in 1980, the Jazzmaster’s popularity wouldn’t go away. One reason was Elvis Costello. In the late 70’s, Costello arrived from the UK with a unique image and a Fender Jazzmaster always in-hand. The guitar which had fallen out of fashion came roaring back to life thanks to Costello and Tom Verlaine of the 70’s New York Punk Godfathers, “Television.” Fender created an Elvis Costello Jazzmaster in 2008 which was a replica of the singer’s most famous vintage fender jazzmaster.

Going Grunge
Grunge music and alternative rock provided a musical renaissance in the early 90’s, and the Jazzmaster found its place again.  Sonic Youth, who began in New York in the 1980’s, had major label success in the 1990’s.  The band showcased double endorsers of Jazzmasters, Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo. These two took art rock to another level, and earned a new appreciation for the Jazzmaster. Fender later created signature versions for each of them.  Both models were highly customized — from pickups to colors to knob/switch variations. Other 90’s endorsers of the Jazzmaster include major label alternative music superstars, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., Indie rock hero, Stephen Malkmus of Pavement, and Nels Cline of Wilco. Although his first choices were the Mustang and the Jaguar, Grunge God Kurt Cobain had a Jazzmaster in his surf-guitar arsenal.

Here to Stay
The 1990’s created a new demand for the return of the Jazzmaster, and Fender slowly began to reissue the guitar.

Squier Baritone Jazzmaster

It was first reissued in Japan, followed by the US and Mexico, where many variations of the Jazzmaster are currently made.  And the Jazzmaster craze continues today. In 2013 Fender Jazzmasters are more popular than ever, with Fender currently producing 10 variations of the now iconic guitar.

The Coronado: The Un-Fender-Like Fender

The Fender Coronado is considered quite a departure from previous Fender instruments and stands out to vintage guitar enthusiasts as a peculiar point in Fender history. Introduced in 1965, the Coronado was a double-cutaway, thin-line, hollow-body electric guitar designed by Roger Rossmeisl, who also designed at the time for Rickenbacker. So why the departure from Fender’s traditional designs?

The Coronado was Fender’s attempt to jump on the semi-acoustic bandwagon and capitalize on the semi-acoustic’s growing popularity.

Between 1966 and 1972, three versions of the Coronado were produced. The Fender Coronado I, discontinued in 1970, was the original single pickup design. The Coronado II added a bridge pickup with relative tone and volume controls. In 1967, the XII model – a 12-string version – was released.

It was a true hollow-bodied electric. Like the Gibson ES-330 and the Epiphone Casino, the Coronado didn’t have a central solid wood block in the body. The Gibson ES-335 looked very similar to the Coronado, but was actually quite different in that it had a solid central block running lengthways through the body with two hollow “wings” attached to either side.

Vintage guitar collectors appreciate the fact that a number of Coronado II and XII guitars were offered with a unique “Wildwood” finish. This involved using a specially prepared, heavily grained beechwood. A chemical dye was injected into the growing trees prior to harvesting which stained the grain pattern of the wood.

What also made the Coronado so “un-Fender like” were its pickups — made by DeArmond, a company that made pickups for Gretsch. The bridge was also unusual – a free-floating, non-anchored ‘tune-o-matic’ style bridge with a suspended tailpiece.

And vintage fender guitar collectors would no doubt recognize the unique Coronado cases made in USA by the Vitoria Luggage Co.

So now you know what made them unique. Who made them famous? For starters, there’s Elvis. Remember Elvis Presley in the 1968 film, “Speedway”? Are you old enough? If so, you may remember his song “There Ain’t Nothing Like a Song” with Nancy Sinatra. The Coronado was the only guitar used by The King throughout the entire film and put the un-Fender-like Fender in the spotlight. Other notable users include Dave Davies of the Kinks, Wayne Newton, Jimmie Vaughn, Josh Klinghoffer of Red Hot Chili Peppers and so many more.

What do players and collectors look for these day? All of the Coronado models are very desirable — the Coronado I and II, the Coronado II Wildwood, Coronado XII, Bass I or Bass II would all be respectable additions to a collection.  Even though the Fender Coronado didn’t enjoy much commercial success back then due to feedback at high volumes, today this vintage guitar has gained a significant following after release for its natural resonance and bright deep tone.

Fender has re-introduced the Coronado in 2013! See the Video below!

The Fender Jaguar

One of the most unique all time Fender Vintage Guitars is the Fender Jaguar. Some of its design roots can be attributed to the Fender Jazzmaster, but the Jaguar is a matchless instrument. It was released in the ‘60s as Fender’s top-of-the-line guitar. With a 24” maple neck and an aggressive-looking body, the Jaguar is one of Fender’s most stylish guitars to date.

Along with being stylish, this vintage guitar has some features that give it a unique sound, like its single-coil pickups. Like the Jazzmaster, the Jaguar features a floating tremolo arm system. Leo Fender designed this to be different from “synchronized tremolo” system of the Stratocaster. During tremolo use, the Jaguar’s bridge moves along with the strings. This conserves proper intonation and prevents the strings from binding. The 

Fender originally released the Jaguar in 1962. It was popular among surf guitarists throughout the ‘60s. Its ad campaign featured people on beaches in order to make it more appealing to the surf genre. One ad from 1965 shows a man actually riding a surf board while holding a Jaguar. The ad is captioned “You won’t part with yours either.” One ad also featured Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys. Despite this vigorous ad campaign, the guitar didn't do as well as its competitors in its early years, and was discontinued in 1975.

The vintage Jaguar’s popularity started to rise again in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. Tom Verlaine of Television is shown playing one on a 1978. The guitar’s unique sound and lack of mainstream popularity made it big among punk and indie rock artists. In the 1990s, the Jaguar became extremely popular again after being used by artists like Black Francis of The Pixies, John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Kurt Cobain of Nirvana.

Fender reissued the Jaguar in 1999 as part of its American Vintage Series. The reissue was an exact replica of the 1962 Jaguar. Since then, variations of the Jaguar have also been released, most of which have humbucker pickups, like the Fender Blacktop and the Jaguar HH. Fender also issued the Jaguar Bass, the Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar, and last year, the Kurt Cobain Signature Jaguar. Since the reissue, this vintage guitar has had a major comeback.

The Gibson S-1

In the 1970s the major American guitar companies were losing money due to sales of the competition, whose sales model was to produce quality instruments at drastically lower production costs. Gibson Guitars has proven over the years that they were always willing to change their approach to guitar creation from decade to decade. This is clearly illustrated throughout their history from the 1950s creation of the Flying V and Explorer, to the GibsonFirebird / Thunderbird line of the 1960s, to some interesting instruments in the 1970s that were created with factors new to Gibson such as bolt on necks and newer woods such as maple and alder.

One of these instruments was the 1975 Gibson S-1, which was an effort to create a single coil-pickup guitar that could sound like a Fender at times while also keeping the ability to create a humbucker Gibson sound by combining coils with a “chicken head” four position rotary switch. The Gibson S-1 was shaped like a Gibson Les Paul with a Gibson Flying V peg head.

The Gibson S-1 is often mistaken for the Gibson Marauder, which had on humbucker and one slanted single coil pick up. While the Gibson S-1 was endorsed by Ron Wood, the Marauder was endorsed by Paul Stanley of Kiss. Either one is an easy way to get in the door of Collecting Vintage Guitars, find one at a vintage guitar shop at around $800-$1000.