bolero Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Now let's change it again from a 357 to a Firebird V.... Do you're opinions change knowing its not a Heritage? Firebird V is completely different from a 357, in hand I would take a 150 over a Firebird...Firebird neck dive is addressed in a 357 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Firebird V is completely different from a 357, in hand I would take a 150 over a Firebird...Firebird neck dive is addressed in a 357 How so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 well the headstock is redesigned so it's lighter, and you can use regular tuners. which are lighter than the banjo tuners. actually on the 357 they even use mini-grovers, which are lighter still so there is NO neck dive at all. and the tuners have a better ratio than the oldstyle banjo tuners, so they're easier to use I believe the body is slightly thicker as well I don't like the thin firebird necks....however the custom shop firebird reissue's are nice and thick, but the list $ on one of those was $3900 at my local store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Now let's change it again from a 357 to a Firebird V.... Do you're opinions change knowing its not a Heritage? Yep, mine sure do..... only a 150!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smaj Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Firebird neck dive is no problem at all with a wide strap. I've played mine for forty years and love it. The body is much thicker on a 357. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockabilly69 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 This comparison can only be made by the player. An H150 is not more versatile the a 357, they are both two pickup, 3-way tone switch, 2 volume, 2 tone control guitars. Besides Marv will use full-size humbuckers in a 357. It's more about what DB needs for the tone he's chasing. In comparing my guitars I like my H150's better for lead playing, my Firebirds better for rhythm. The maple/mahogany body combination and the PAF style humbuckers gives me the Mick Taylor / Mark Knopfler style lead tone that I chase. The Firebirds cleaner sounding pickups have more of an acoustic guitar quality to the lower strings which is good for me since I play acoustic guitar 90% of the time. I also prefer the fretboard acces of the Firebird, but it required me getting used to it. I've heard taller players really like Firebirds, but I'm only 5'8". And if I was to go the 357 route, I would not by a Heritage, unless Marv agreed to use better hardware and Steinberger tuners. Although they are nice looking and pretty much handmade, they tuners Marv uses on the 357 can't hold a candle to the accuracy and ease of use of the Steinbergers, and the Tonepros hardware they use is just plain crappy. I've yanked that stuff off of 4 guitars now and the improvement I've made is always been noticeable. I also couldn't live with a fancy wood pickguard on a guitar that I was going to play aggressively. The 357 design is the least evolved design of the Firebird guitars, otherwise I would have bought one. And contrary to what Bolero stated, the new Gibsons don't neck dive, the Steinberger tuners fixed that just like the lighter tuners Marv used. And the Firebird that Gibson builds is quite labor intensive and I think the stuff that is done with machines on the Firebird makes for a better instrument, for example, the Plek work on the the Firebird necks on my guitars is far better than the hand done fretwork on my two H150's which I had to pay somebody to correct! But now Gibson on the 2014 model put a ridiculous looking inlay on the 12th fret, and they moved the location of the output jack which I think ruins the visual aesthetic. And even on the ones that we bought, they used Zamac hardware and 300k pots on the volumes which I don't like. But I think the 2010 version that many of us here got from the clearance sale was a pretty damn good guitar for the money. I paid close to $1100 for both of mine, and with all the hardware and electronics I bought, I will have about $1600 into my white one to get it dialed perfectly. Which is far cheaper than a 357 or the the best of the Firebird variants, which brings me to the Kauer Banshee. Doug Kauer is the only guy I know who builds a Firebird/357 guitar with everything I would want, as in high quality, everything! And that guy knows how to balance the body of the Firebird. He uses premium Spanish Cedar wood that is light and toneful. He is also the only one I know who gave thought to what would really make for great Firebirds, and he executes his ideas perfectly! You buy one of his Banshees, you're done, no upgrades needed! His guitar are I think are slightly lower priced than a custom 357 build. But DB, if you want to go the Firebird route you go can always buy Kitty's which is PRICED GREAT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockabilly69 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Check out the rock and roll tone on this Banshee. This guy plays heavier than I would like, even through the dirt you can hear the body resonance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockabilly69 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 whoops forgot to post the link to the Banshee... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurph1 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Never owned a 357.. Had a Firebird back in the day.. Never owned a 150, but I have a 140.. hows that for muddying the waters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockabilly69 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I love Muddy Waters:) Never owned a 357.. Had a Firebird back in the day.. Never owned a 150, but I have a 140.. hows that for muddying the waters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 ha...well we will have to agree to disagree then I haven't played a Gibson that didn't neck dive, even with the steinberger's, which are still heavier than mini grovers I also don't like the aesthetics of Steinburger's....I would rather have the oldschool heavy banjo tuners I much prefer Grover's over either of them, though! if you can't keep a gtr in tube with Grover's there is something else wrong but it's great to have options & variety....as you said it's personal preference!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdrommond Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Hope I never have to figure out what I'd do if I only had one guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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