Back to navigation


Soar with Single-pickup Simplicity





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





Inspired by the Gibson Firebird’s single-pickup variation first launched in 1963, the Epiphone 1963 Firebird I is a rock-ready 6-string that’s sure to set your playing alight with old-school attitude. In classic Firebird fashion, this guitar’s body boasts an incredibly resonant and sustain-packed 9-piece mahogany/walnut neck-through construction, along with lightweight mahogany wings. A fire-breathing Gibson USA-made Firebird pickup in the bridge position delivers a surprisingly versatile array of tones to explore thanks to its seamless cross of humbucking depth and single-coil articulation. And much in the same vein as Gibson’s legendary “Jr.” models of the 1950s and 1960s, the Firebird I’s unbound laurel fingerboard and 1-piece wraparound Lightning Bar bridge harbor a no-nonsense, utilitarian edge for plug-and-play simplicity. Lastly, vintage-correct Kluson banjo-style planetary tuners and a swooping matched and painted headstock (literally) top it all off. Take the Firebird’s most raw and ripping iteration into your own talons with unabashedly vintage-inspired Epiphone 1963 Firebird I!





Related Videos: 1963 Firebird I Electric Guitar - Silver Mist


Sustain-rich neck-through construction





While the Firebird is clearly inspired by Gibson’s early angular Explorer model, what truly sets the ’bird apart from the flock? Sure, the banjo tuners and stepped headstock design are unique among Gibson and Epiphone’s historic offerings, but the Firebird’s signature feature is found in its 9-piece laminate neck-through construction. Consisting of alternating mahogany and walnut stripes from the strap pin to the tip of the headstock, the Firebird’s neck-through construction delivers mammoth sustain and an exceptionally responsive, lively feel even when strummed unplugged. Coupled with two lightweight mahogany wings, the Epiphone 1963 Firebird I’s nearly never-ending cry is sure to please even the most sustain-obsessed guitarist.





Serial 23091529634


Serial 23091529634


Vintage-correct Firebird humbucker





Often mistaken for Gibson’s similar-looking mini humbuckers of the late 1960s and 1970s, the sleek pole piece-less pickups Gibson’s Firebird took flight with in 1963 are wholly original humbucking creations. The Epiphone 1963 Firebird I’s bridge-position Gibson USA-made Firebird pickup is a screaming tonal tribute to those very vintage pickups, re-creating the raw rock ’n’ roll vibe of the original single-pickup Firebird I. Truly an outlier in Gibson’s pickup pantheon, Firebird pickups are revered among Sweetwater’s Firebird fans as perhaps the most successful marriage of humbucker depth and single-coil sparkle in Gibson history.





Stripped-down Firebird I style





Right out of the gate, Gibson’s original 1963 Firebird arrived with several distinct variations, from single-pickup stunners to triple-pickup powerhouses equipped with high-end vibrato units. This Epiphone 1963 Firebird I lies in the former camp, recreating the no-nonsense feel of what Gibson originally intended to be the extravagant Firebird’s most budget-oriented model. But like the legendary Les Paul Jr. that came before it, the Firebird I’s dead-simple setup of an unbound neck, 1-piece bridge, and solo bridge pickup has proven to be a mainstay among rockers and old-school blues guitarists, allowing it to soar high above its modest beginnings.





Serial 23091529634


Epiphone 1963 Firebird I Electric Guitar Features:


A spot-on tribute to the single-pickup Gibson Firebird I guitars first launched in 1963


9-ply mahogany/walnut neck delivers superior sustain and incredible body resonance


12-inch-radius Indian laurel fingerboard, unbound in the classic Firebird I tradition


Gibson USA-made Firebird humbucking bridge pickup delivers a bright, clear, and exceptionally defined sound that’s perfect for high-octane rock and bluesy bite


1-piece wraparound Lightning Bar bridge with compensation for enhanced intonation


Classic Firebird I appointments include planetary banjo tuners from Kluson, a stepped and painted headstock, and a signature Phoenix-adorned pickguard