When you’re reelin’ in the years like ol’ Dadwick here (wink), nothing lights that fire like a vintage Gibson worth its weight in gold. Gibson released just 351 of these 1972 Medallion Firebird Vs, built to commemorate the Olympic Games held that year in Munich, Germany, and this particular ‘Bird is one. Chadwick runs down the unique design of this wonderful one-off. Call or click to shop vintage Firebirds and other historic Gibson guitars today.
The Gibson Guitar Corporation released several new styles during the 1950s to compete with Fender's solid-body instruments, such as the Telecaster and Stratocaster. After success with the Les Paul in the 1950s, Gibson's popularity began to wane in the 1960s. Fender's colors, shapes and multiple pickups were endorsed by notable guitarists. Gibson's guitars, most of which were hollow or semi-hollow designs, seemed old-fashioned. Coupled with higher prices, this contributed to a decline in sales.
Gibson had made forays into radical body shapes – the Flying V and Explorer in the 1950s – which met limited initial success. The president of Gibson, Ted McCarty, hired car designer Ray Dietrich to design a guitar that would have popular appeal. Under Dietrich, the Firebird took on the lines of mid-50s car tail fins. Dietrich took the Explorer design and rounded the edges. The most unusual aspect is that the guitar is "backward" in that the right-hand (treble) horn of the body is longer than the other. Thus, the original Firebirds were unofficially referred to as "reverse".
Check it out here: https://bit.ly/306ERKA
Check out more Gibson guitars here: https://bit.ly/33YaHu1
More Vintage Gear Demos!
1960 Sunburst Fender Telecaster Custom: https://youtu.be/huCF1rJJWG0
1964 Gretsch Country Gentleman: https://youtu.be/NhVBZGcaxhE
1959 Sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard: https://youtu.be/UwBK4yhjwz0
Songs Played:
0:00 - 01:02 Reelin' In The Years by Steely Dan
04:30 - 05:40 Love Is The Drug by Roxy Music
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