Buying a Gibson Firebird electric guitar on eBay   

I purchased my first professional guitar in 1968. It was a new non-reverse white Gibson Firebird. I played it in bands for six years and then traded it for a Fender Rhodes piano and a pair of tennis shoes. A big mistake.

Since then I have had the pleasure and advantage of owning several Gibson Firebirds. But I always regretted losing my first one.

Then came eBay. I saw a nearly identical white bird and I went after it.

Here's my approach. I contacted the seller and asked for the serial number. Beware any used guitars that do not have serial numbers. You can reference the serial number at many websites. Just search Gibson guitar serial numbers. If you can't verify the serial number from the seller, then pass on bidding on all guitars. Without the serial number, you can never establish the authenticity - when and where the guitar was manufactured.

Sellers will sometimes not publish the serial number in the auction because they don't want to share it with scammers. But they should tell you by phone or e-mail.

Of course I checked the sellers feedback. Ordinarily I pass on anyone who doesn't have at least 10 solid positive feedbacks. Any sellers who report that "I don't know much about guitars...I'm selling it for a friend...It appears to work, etc etc, I just pass on. If you buy a guitar from a seller, please make sure that the seller is a player. If he or she is not then you have a credibility and language problem.

My next step was to make sure that the pickups weren't replaced. Vintage Firebird guitars had mini-humbucker pickups. These smaller pickups delivered a certain bite. However, many owners of Firebirds have replaced the mini-humbuckers with larger humbucker pickups. The routing to enable the larger pickups means you can never perfectly restore the guitar to its original condition. You can remove wood easily but replacing wood doesn't work.


I ended up winning my white non-reverse Firebird for $800, which was a great bargain. I believe its true monetary value is closer to $1700. Of course, the sentimental value, for me, as they say, is priceless. I believe that the primary reason that the bids didn't go higher is that the red firebird emblem/logo wasn't visible. The color had worn off, but the imprint was fine. A little red nail polish would have easily brought the seller a few hundred more.

Fortunately there is a plus to bidding on Firebirds with routed, newer pickups. Since they are not in original condition, their collectable value is diminished. You can get the bargain. And they may sound and play better. I have a 1964 reverse firebird with new Gibson humbuckers. I bought it for $1000 in 1998, and it is a fantastic guitar.

Finally, make sure that your seller will allow a return if the guitar is unsatisfactory for any reason. I think this is important because there are many factors that make a guitar a good fit for the player. If the neck is a little thinner or thicker that what you want, then your playing will be affected. In other words, I believe that you should contact your seller before you bid and discuss his or her return policy. A good seller will want you to be satisfied with the item.

I've put together a Gibson Firebird Tribute site that features many pictures and stories about the Firebird. Search *Gibson Firebird* and I welcome eBayers to check out my pages to get a deeper appreciation of the Gibson Firebird.

Now, here is my approach to costing the Gibson Firebird in 2006 terms. These are my opinions and do not correlate with printed vintage guitar prices. The early 1960's firebirds are in demand. However, they will never approach the investment value of a 58 Les Paul or a 54 Fender Tele. I wouldn't reccomend speculating Firebirds. Invest your money in mututal funds, and spend what you can afford on a Firebird to play and enjoy the guitar.

1964-66 vintage reverse models in original state: up to $3200.

1964-66 reverse models in altered state: up to $1700

1966-68 non-reverse models in original state: up to $1900

1966-68 non-reverse models in altered state: up to $1200

1976 Bicentennial reissue: in original state: up to $2200

1990 to current models: up to $1000.

Epiphone (the Korean sister of Gibson) offers several Firebird models. Just skip these. The Epi versions I've played are clunky. They're cheap and you get what you pay for.
And Gibson recently offers a studio version of the reverse Firebird that does not have the neck through body design. Skip this one, too. Go for true reverse or non-reverse configurations.
(A side note. Some Epiphone versions of Gibson guitars are really great bargains and sound fantastic. The Joe Perry signature Les Paul is a prime example. Run and buy that one now while it lasts. It's a great guitar and a fantasticly underpriced for its looks and sounds. I wish the Epi Firebirds were manufactured with the same care and attention to detail as some of the Epi Les Pauls.)

Original Firebird cases are a plus, but many of the black cases that came with the mid-60's guitars were cheaply made, and have understandably lost the test of time.

One buyer beware note: Avoid any and all Gibson guitars that come from China. These are such cheap copies that you might as well ask your kids to build one out of cardboard and household items. Then you can save big bucks on the postage.

A final word on appraisal and figuring out what your Firebird is worth once you get it. I'm a big fan of George Gruhn in Nashville. For insurance purposes and re-sell, George is the guy.

Thanks for reading. Good luck on future bidding and KEEP ON ROCKIN'

Steve Moore