Another Firebird copy

Log Out | Topics | Search Moderators | Edit Profile

Author Message   Harry Username: Harry Registered: 03-2001 Posted on Saturday, November 04, 2006 - 6:57 am:    Hi all! Let's look at the following: We already knew this Firebird copy Also available in white, with gold hardware: The rare non-reversed Firebird: And now this one popped up on German Ebay: Has anyone of you seen this type of Firebird before? If it is original, it's super-super rare. Unfortunately it was just this blurry picture that was added to the auction. Please note: the reversed headstock, the stop/tailpiece and above that the seller says that it has a neck-through construction! I have sent the seller a mail about the guitar and I asked if I could get some more pictures. I'll keep you informed. Kind greetz, Harry   Harry Username: Harry Registered: 03-2001 Posted on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 11:46 am:    bump   Paul_a Username: Paul_a Registered: 08-2002 Posted on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 11:58 am:    Are yoiu going to add it to your collection?   Siroliver Username: Siroliver Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 2:32 pm:    Can“t find it on German Ebay??   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Sunday, November 05, 2006 - 7:16 pm:    Harry, Maybe it's a Burny or a Greco with a Ibanez truss rod cover. six   Harry Username: Harry Registered: 03-2001 Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 5:11 am:    Paul: if it turns out to be original and the bids aren't that outrageous I hope so, yes. Six: that's why I asked the seller for more detailed pictures. Until now I've received nothing, but I understand he has a shop so probably he won't react during the weekend. If the originality of this one being an Ibanez cannot be confirmed I think I let it pass. We know that there's a lot of messing around going on these days. On the other hand: where would one get such an Ibanez truss rod cover (it would have to be the same cover that is to be found only on the non-reversed Firebird copy, the third one of the series pictured above) and put it on another guitar to make it look like an Ibanez? Kind greetz, Harry   Snowjays Username: Snowjays Registered: 09-2004 Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 6:12 am:    That bridge looks a bit odd for an Ibanez, don't you think, Harry?   Harry Username: Harry Registered: 03-2001 Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 6:56 am:    Hmmm.... It's difficult to see. Could be a replacement since the seller told me that there are traces visible of a Vibrola trem unit that obviously was on this guitar before he bought it. So somebody might have put on a standard tailpiece and a new bridge (which looks a bit like a roller-bridge to me)? As I said: I need more pictures (and better ones) to judge this guitar and to decide wether I take the risk of bidding on a (doubtful or ultra rare) Ibanez (?)..... Harry   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 9:26 am:    I'm sure Greco made a copy of the Firebird and pretty sure that some parts are interchangeable with Ibanez guitars of the same era. Does anyone else know more? six   Paul_a Username: Paul_a Registered: 08-2002 Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 4:32 pm:    Harry, I have asked John S to post some pictures of a 1988 Greco Firebird that I found. Looks pretty much the same to me....   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 5:21 pm:    Here's the pictures of Paul_A's Greco Firebird. This is an '88?   Dave_g Username: Dave_g Registered: 01-2002 Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 8:41 pm:    Heres picts of my Starfield Firebird..its a bolt neck, but a hell of a nice guitar-I love the neck LONG laminated Mahogony, not too thin...I originally intended to restore it(its been Gibsonized), but I just don't have the time and-besides-its pretty awesome as is !   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 10:21 pm:    Love that nickel hardware on the Greco Paul. I would expect to see chrome on the Ibanez. six   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 10:35 pm:    Firebird Trivia Those of you with a mid to late 70's accessories catalogue will note that 'reverse' headstock Firebird tuners show up as part #1365. These are labeled as Banjo Tuners. I managed to get a couple of sets and made up 6 for a 64' Gibson Firebird 5 I had back around 1980. Never used them though and sold them some years later. Must have been expensive to manufacture those back in the 70's. Sorry about the trivia six   Snowjays Username: Snowjays Registered: 09-2004 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 1:15 am:    Harry, If the one in the photo you have is labelled an Ibanez, then I would have some doubts about it's authenticity, although nothing can be said for certain. The non-reverse that you bought is featured in the Greco catalogues from about '71 to '73, alongside that Mosrite I sent you a pic of. Greco did make a Firebird that fits the description of this guitar except that it has the block inlays and tremlo, made from '74 on (model fb980). The model that Paul A has started from '78, but was originally only made per special order.   Paul_a Username: Paul_a Registered: 08-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 3:35 am:    To set the record straight, the Firebird isn't mine (unfortunately) though I do own a Greco V. I thought the pics were relevant however.   Paul_a Username: Paul_a Registered: 08-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 3:43 am:    Harry, the Greco is a set neck (or perhaps a through-neck as on the original). Is the 'Ibanez' a bolt neck? Paul   Fox Username: Fox Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 5:19 am:    Six, what comes to the Kluson Banjos, original in "G" birds, they were quite expensive, if purchased durin the period there was no reissues etc. available.. I had to purchase a set then.. Gotoh made also a replica of Kluson Banjos, but here in North Europe they were a seldom seen option.. Importer was not interested in acquiring them. However, there was at least one Greco that was "Gibsonized" and sold as one.. I had to "check it out" back then, I believe it ended with charges of fraud. It was a decent guitar, if my memory serves me right, but I believe it was a fixed neck?? Not neckthru. More like those new Firebird Studios..   Harry Username: Harry Registered: 03-2001 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 7:07 am:    Hi Paul a Until now every Ibanez Firebird I have seen or heard of have bolt-on necks. That's why the Firebird on German Ebay drew my attention and came up with so many questions. Some years ago there was a thread on this board about the question "Did Ibanez ever made a set neck Firebird". I remember that at that time nobody knew the answer. This one may be either a new discovery or a fake Ibanez......still waiting for some answers of the seller. About the exchanged truss rod cover: two problems: IF you were looking for an Ibanez trc to put it on your Burny or Greco....how the hell would you find one? It is mirrored shaped in comparison to the ones that are on the "regular" Ibanez Firebird copies and as far as I know they were only to be found on the non-reversed one(picture 3, see above) which is ultra-ultra rare. So as a spare-part it would be almost impossible to find. And IF you would find one it would have been still ON an Ibanez. But why take it off the Ibanez and put it on an other guitar to make that one look like an Ibanez? Could be self-made? I made the trc of my thunderbird bass myself, because it was missing: took a thin piece of one-layer black plastic, cut out the contours and engraved the Ibanez logo in it. I painted the engraved letters of the logo white and voilą....it's impossible to see the difference to a real one from more then 3 feet distance. I'll add a picture of my home-made trc later, since I'm at my work now (no, not in my Bosses time: I have a break at this moment....;-) Kind greetz, Harry   Harry Username: Harry Registered: 03-2001 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 3:15 pm:    Here's the self-made Ibanez truss rod cover In the meantime I found out that the "German Explorer" most probably has a fake truss rod cover: seller says that the logo is in gold script letters...... these truss rod covers always were engraved and filled in with white paint. I'll let this one pass......It's a too high risk that I spend too much money on a doubtful axe. Harry   Harry Username: Harry Registered: 03-2001 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 3:33 pm:    Oh yeah, forgot: The seller wrote me that the serial number in the back of the headstock says: 7672127 So that's totally non-Ibanez and the definite proof somebody messed around with the logo. I'm soo happy to have done a little research before regretting a head-over-heels buy.... Harry   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 5:15 pm:    Harry, The picture you posted of the peg head. The fingerboard width at the nut looks narrow where as the Greco Paul posted looks to be 43mm. six   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 5:21 pm:    Fox Interesting story. I got my pegs at trade through the shop I used to work in (although by 1980 I had already stopped working there). I can't recall the cost but they were well made and as you state, probably made by Goto. Incidentally. As Banjo pegs, it was possible to buy the 5th peg (smaller) seprately. six   Fox Username: Fox Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 7:12 pm:    Six.. It sure was about that time, late 70s or early 80s.. Btw..that very "project" was momentarily done with normal banjo tuners..I happen to have 2 regular banjos. Those Kluson "Banjos" are totally different, of course (and most of all, I doubt theyre ever used in any banjo).. What comes to tr-covers, they are quite easy to do, I have many times taken advantage of a friend, who is an engraver. Those shops have multi-ply plastics that can easily be engraved to read anything..

Add Your Message Here Post: -Color- Black Red Green Blue Yellow Purple Orange Cyan Gray White -Font- Arial Courier Symbol Times Verdana -Size- Smallest (-2) Small (-1) Normal Large (+1) Largest (+2) Enter Item number: Username: Posting Information: This is a private posting area. Only registered users and moderators may post messages here. Password: Options: Enable HTML code in message Automatically activate URLs in message Action: