"The Gibson Firebird may not be as well known as its cousins the Les Paul and SG, but it does have a cult following of its own. Modeled after the then, futuristic-looking Explorer, the Firebird has a more subtle appearance. Ray Dietrich, best known for his work on a different type of classicя the automobileяwas hired by Gibson president Ted McCarty to create a new guitar. Faced with this challenge, Dietrich went against the grain by making the lower bout more prominent than the upper. The guitar was also the first Gibson to have a neck-through construction, as earlier models had been set-neck designs. The Firebird seen here is a rare gem featuring a transition headstock (with the tuners on the bass side), a reverse body and a gorgeous sunburst finish. Thanks to Andy Gerber, Daniel Demchuk and Scott Silver of Chicago Music Exchange for listing this guitar on Gear Search."
