Fender Telecaster vs. Gibson Firebird
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2024
- #fendertelecaster #gibsonfirebird #guitarshootout #guitar
Welcome to this in depth comparison between the Fender Telecaster and Gibson Firebird! Which one do you like better? Let us know in the comments! Plugging into a VHT Amps D-Fifty amp, and using a Maxon OD808 Overdrive Pedal and One Control Prussian Blue Reverb.
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Disclaimer: I do basic audio editing on my videos to account for the microphones, preamp and room. This editing, mostly light EQ and compression, is intended to give you the most accurate representation of how the featured gear actually sounds. NO editing is done to misrepresent how the featured gear sounds in any way.
Firebirds have to be the most underrated Gibson guitar of all time. They deserve a lot more love. And as a plus it’s almost impossible to look uncool playing one.
I totally agree. They really turn heads.
@@JackFossett Does that Gibson Firebird have ceramic pickups ? Hard to tell
@@davidallen346 no mine has alnico pickups more like vintage ones
I bet I could look uncool playing one
Do you mean hard to look uncool as the headstock of the Firebird smashes into the floor 😂.
Actually great guitars though
They both sound great! To me, the Firebird sounds like a bar full of smoke and reaches down into you a little more than the Telecaster. The Telecaster sounds great, but a little cleaner. For me it's the Firebird every time.
I love Firebirds, and Teles more than Les Pauls, and Strats. It's hard to choose, but... man, that Firebird is killer.
I'd hate to have to choose! I love both. The interesting thing about Firebird pickups is that they have more in common with Fender pickups than they do most Gibson pickups. They use an alnico bar inside each coil rather than using a magnet on the bottom with steel polepieces like most humbuckers. For the best of both worlds, a tele with a hot bridge pickup and a firebird pickup in the neck is perfection.
I’m a Tele man. I have a 52 reissue butterscotch blonde. Then a bought an epiphone Firebird on a whim. I’m a convert. Next expected this. 3 things. 1 the string tension with the reverse headstock feels amazing. 2 the solid through neck has awesome sustain 3. The mini humbuckers (I don’t like humbuckers btw) are fantastic. In my view better than p90s. Never thought I would like anything as much as single coils but ... dial the volume back to 8, a little overdrive, neck pickup. Off the charts.
May I ask what your preference is and why between p90s and FB pickups for the bridge. Also will Firebirds squeel with heavy fuzz? I'm trying to decide what to put in the bridge of a Tele deluxe I'm building. Thanks very much in advance
Great, useful comment!!
Agree on all counts. Tele guy for almost 30 years and never even played a Firebird until I bought one on a whim a few months ago. I'm a convert too.
I bought one an Epiphone FB three days ago.
I'm not a convert 'cause I own the best telecaster I' ve ever heard, but damn that firebird spoke to me so quick that I was afraid it would take my telecaster 's number one place.
It' s like a Gibson child that was raised by a telecaster family 🔥
I’m a Tele man but firebirds have something special about them. I’ve tried a 2019 Firebird model (pre-original serie) and the tones were great. More grit. Just a tad more rebellious.
Yeah there's sort of a "statement" being made just by bringing out a Firebird to begin with.
@@JackFossett Yeah. A Firebird is a funny animal. It is somehow “too much” and kind of tacky... and at the same time it is absolutely great because it is... “too much” and kind of tacky. In all cases, mini Humbuckers are among my favorite pickups from a sound point of view. Aesthetically they don’t fit all guitars but on a Firebird they just look great. I really look forward to own one, one of these days and one thing that is kind of underrated for them is that their clean tones are great. Due to their shape they tend to be used with heavy distortions but they are just like flying Vs: great clean tones (particularly the neck block ups I find)
Thanks for this great comparison video. I never realized how close the Tele's and Firebirds sound to one another, but I do like that little bit of grit in the Firebird sound!
a telecaster fan here, but love the firebird shape and those minihumbucker pickups... gritty and open sounding
Hey dear Jack,
first my answer to your question: I own both guitars and since I am much of a strat-guy, I only own one iteration of both! BUT I never competed them head-to-head - in the moment I love my 2019 firebird!As always a very very good and useable video! You've been talking 'bout the firebird beeing a tele on steroids, but this is the first fime, that you've actually shown AND proved it (so far I am concerned)!
All in all a great video with the right dose of my beloved "jack-fossett-humor"!
Be well and safe in this dark and hard times... 2021 will be hopefully a much brighter year for us all - so all the best to you and your loved ones!
Your german fan,
Philip :-)
Thank you kindly! Yeah 2021 hasn't had the best start, but hopefully it has a better finish. Hope all is well in Germany.
Loved this. These comparison videos are fascinating. Keep up the good work and all the best for 2021
Thank you! You too!
I own a 1964 Firebird III and love the sound! It has a wide range of tones!
Jack, your playing is always great, but it was awesome in this video (especially the intro playing part). The two guitars were more similar than I expected them to be, and that amp is excellent. I have a Cabronita and a Custom Shop Asat, so I would go for the Firebird as it would add to my tool box. Your tele sounds great too.
Thank you, appreciate that very much! Really glad to hear as I actually struggled with this shoot, the jam is to an original song and I tend to get ultra perfectionist when I do my own music, so I went through about 20 takes before I got one I was happy with.
I also have both, from a playing point the Telecaster just feels right, the Firebird feels awkward but the Firebird sounds like a very good Tele with all the crisp attack and more depth to the sound
Jack just ran across this video since subscribing to your channel! Nice review and many positive comments for both guitars! I own 2 tele and a 65 firebird! I play my firebird at most jam nights! I always get many more positive comments on my vintage firebird then my teles.
Very nice! Yeah thats one of the things I love about Firebirds, they always turn heads. Great tone and eye catching.
For me it would have to be the Firebird. That tele is one great sounding guitar but I played a few years back and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, wish I’d bought it. I remember particularly liking the middle position
Nice to see a video with not too much talking, and showing the veratility of both axes.
Small point: I LOVE when Firebirds/Thunderbirds have that two tone headstock. Sadly the latest ones (regular original series ones at least, not custom shops) went to flat all black ones.
Agreed, this and no nitro or banjo tuners is whats kept me from the post 2016 or Epi models. Picking up a 2016 on Tuesday in great shape.
I own an American Tele and a Epiphone Firebird. Love em both!
Nice! Great guitars
Even though I've played several different Telecasters, but never a Firebird, my vote still goes to the Firebird, since I'm much more of a Gibson man than a Fender man. I still respect Fender as a brand and my favorite guitar that Fender has ever made is the Jazzmaster, which I like a lot.
Great Video!! Firebirds are special. Telecastors are just tough (indestructible) and hard to beat!!
You got that right!
I have both, and other staples however, if I only took one guitar to a gig, my firebird could pretty much pull off everything by itself. The telecaster can do a lot, but I feel like my firebird can do it all
Yeah I tend to agree - I do disagree with people who say Tele's can do everything. I think they're great, versatile guitars, but they always sound "like a Tele"
May I ask how the pickups handle heavy fuzz? That's primarily what I use, with a strat bridge. I'm building a Tele deluxe with a fb in the neck. Tossing up between a p90 or matching FB for the bridge.
I guess we need both!
Yes. You do.
My wife surprised me with the Epi Firebird…very impressed! Given it’s the honeymoon phase I’ll have to choose the FB in this vid…great demo!
As always, nice video. Love both of these guitars.
Thanks!
I sort of have one of each, although my 'Tele' is a Schecter Diamond Series T Style, and not an actual Fender, so my comparison will be skewed a little. I agree that there are times when nothing less than a Tele will do. I also have to say though there are times where nothing but 'Scorch' (my Bird) will do. My main musical love is Blues so both guitars work beautifully for me. Where I think a Firebird is far ahead of a Tele is with either open tunings or slide work. Of all my electrics, Scorch is my go-to for either of those. What my Bird doesn't have that the T style does is coil splits, and that will help turn the bridge pickup of the Schecter into a weapon! Long story short, I will never give up either!
I love Teles...but listening to this, purely on sound, the Firebird wins.
From Leo: Great chops on that sweet Tele. I like the metallic blue with double binding. It really pops visually. The firebird pickups have a good voice, but hanging that much weight and awkward shape on my shoulder does not thrill me. The Tele has been fit with every and any combination of pickups and they just plain work. I even have one with a Danelectro lipstick in the neck. My favorite is a thinline with a splitable humbucker in the neck with a 4 way switch system
Pass my thanks onto Leo! Appreciate it very much.
Firebirds are not heavy guitars. My Firebird is lighter than either of my telecasters.
I wanted to add some class to my little guitar collection , and phoned a buddy of mine who still held a lot of guitars from when he owned a guitar show and told him what I wanted to do and mentioned maybe a cool SG or maybe a Firebird ( really feeling that would likely be a bust) and as it turned out he sold me his personal 1997 Firebird V which at 25 years old,looks like it was taken off the assembly line to the C.E.O.s and put under his desk untouched. Perfect dead mint condition. It won’t remain untouched for long though, I can’t wait to get that baby out and playing !
Part of my bucket list :)
Simply different in many ways.
Hard choice, gonna have to go with both!
I really want to like the Firebird. I had a 1991 that I just couldn’t bond with. The shape made it feel like the neck was beside me. Plus the banjo tuners made it neck dive like crazy. Maybe I will give it another try. They look really cool and I like the pickups a lot.
BTW your videos are great!
As much as I think they're underrated, I do also totally get that they aren't for everyone. Like you said, the shape is very different and I can imagine would be uncomfortable for more than a few players.
Both sweet axes! Notes sound clearer on the Tele. I'll eventually buy a Firebird. Just got a used Eastman T184MX for my birthday last week and a Schecter C-1 SLS Elite for Christmas. Didn't even think to try out a Firebird.
Oh cool, well happy Birthday! How do you like it?
@@JackFossett the Eastman is a really nice guitar. So is the Schecter. I like both of them. I wanted a 335 style guitar and the Eastman, although more akin to a 339, is a sweet alternative to a much more expensive gibson and the craftsmanship is superb. It is on the Schecter too. That's more of a shred guitar but is sounds great playing anything really. Those Fishman fluence pickups are pretty versatile and crystal clear on the clean channel.
The firebird pickups are pure magic. Putting a firebird pickup in the neck position of a telecaster gets the best of both worlds. I also have a jazzmaster clone that came with p90’s that I swapped in firebird PU’s, it’s a rocking axe. Also, the firebirds drop right into a p90 hole.
Always love a double bound Tele and that’s a cool blue too but the Firebird is something special!
Hey, great video! Awesome playing examples AND some history, too! You're knowledge and opinions are spot on 👍😃
Fantastic review! If I could only have one it would be the bird. I like the warmth and sweetness of it, and just look at it. Best looking guitar ever. There is a place for the harnesses and clarity of the tele too though obviously.
That's funny, I always thought that firebirds are ugly as hell. Then I tried one and bought it immediately. It's like a not-particularly-good-looking girl which is still sexy as hell
I love the comments sections in videos like this one...
All those edge lords saying they prefer the less well known guitar.
Wanna compare actual sales of Teles vs F/birds?
It's like those videos comparing Fenders to G&Ls, where almost everyone in the comments tells you how vastly superior G&L is, but I still don't know anybody who actually bought one.
LOL.
(Edit: I'd use a FB for slide, but other than that the Tele obviously craps all over it in every way.)
Thanks for a little six string sanity. I own a few fender guitars, Strats and Teles. So I just purchased one of the inspired by Gibson, Epiphone 335’s. So far I’m pretty happy with it, although it hasn’t had any set up work done on it. I think it will probably cover me in that area. Although one day I would love to own a Gibson Firebird.
In direct comparison I'd call the Firebird tone "slender" and the Tele "skinny". I guess in a Trio the Bird comes out a little more upfront (see Johnny Winter). Thanks for your down to earth & clarifying videos, kind of soothing in these our times of exaggeration.
To be fair on the exaggeration point, I did refer to the Firebird as a "mythical beast"
I love them both and I have a Tele, but there's something about that Gibson Firebird tone that makes me want one. I don't know how to describe it, but it's unique. Sort of like putting mid range tones through a tube.
Firebird hands down
I really do love the Telecaster but an experience that I had concerning them has since led me to be cautious of buying one with the intent of playing in a band. The situation arose when I was jamming/rehearsing with a group many years ago. There were two guitars that evening and one was a Gibson SG with humbuckers and the other was a Tele USA Standard. To cut a long story short, the Tele started to squeal and howl when the cymbals and snare drum kicked in whereas the SG handled the high volume levels without interference or trouble. The Tele proved to be unsuitable on that occasion which is a pity because I was really enjoying it's characterful tones when it was being played before the drums and volume proved to be a significant obstacle.
I discovered my love for the Telecaster a few years ago. Got myself an LTD Phoenix (Firebird Knockoff) a year ago and I simply adore that guitar for the badass look.
Now in my case I can't really comment on the tones as I use rail humbuckers in my Tele and the LTD has full sized humbuckers, but if I had to choose I'd go Telecaster.
Even with Singlecoils that guitar has such a nice and satisfying thump in the low end, yet it sounds gritty and mean with overdrive. Versatile as well.
The Firebird on the other hand certainly wins in the coolness department, but the shape is sometimes its biggest downfall:
The case is huge, the guitar is long, the neck is way out there and balance can be a problem. Mine is quite heavy so I have no neck dive but it took a while to get used to that guitar.
Now I love both and I have both, so no need to choose. Life is good 😅
Great video!
I have been playing Epiphones, Ibanezs and other brands for years, but after recently purchasing a Donner Telecaster guitar and I'm very impressed with it, but now thanks to your comparison video, I'm going to purchase a Mexican Telecaster and a Epiphone Firebird. The American Telecaster and the Gibson Firebird are excellent guitars, but the price range isn't for me at this time. The sound of the Fender Telecaster and the Gibson Firebird are very close and similar and I'm hoping that the Mexican Telecaster and the Epiphone Firebird are similar in sound as well. Thank you for providing us with a great video.
Love my 2015 firebird which I purchased for $999 zzounds blowout and two lespaulbjr for $549 each with the robot tuners back in 2016 all with hard shell cases it was an absolute steal!!! The 2015 firebird s now sell used for $2200 to $2500! Can't believe I pay more for my fender fingers strat min than the firebird!! Have to admit haven't played it very much its incredibly awkward to play while sitting and the neck is so freaking long its like playing a bass!!! Cheers from Salt Lake City!
I would be just sooo happy to rock a Firebird as my mainstay!
You see plenty of videos with Firebirds featured...but they are either borrowed or just someones feature piece in thei. r collecksh that never gets played cos they prefer the comfort of a Strat, or are just used to/ are known for their single cut LP/Tele/SG/JAG. .. whatever! You don't know anybody who plays a Firebird exclusively...except for Johnny Winters!
And why do you know Johnny Winters? Is it because of his sassy blues /rock riffs & grooves? Is it because of his James Dean attitude, Rebel withoutout a cause?? Is it because of his catchy tunes?
None of that's true!! The only thing you know about Johnny Winters is that he does Firebird!!!
So Badass!!🤟😆🤘
Both! Each for different reasons
I have both 👍. You can’t pick between any guitar. Isn’t the goal to have as many as you can ? That’s what I tell my wife at least lol.
My two favourite guitars! I hayhad more people speak to me about my Telecasters than any of my other guitars. The Firebird is a massive guitar, it takes up a lot of room, and the case is bug enough to live in? Because the Firebirds neck is moved over a few inches, it feels really long, and it requires you to be aware of whats around you when you're playing it.
Great guitars! What string action do you usually set?
i have tele and hopefully get my 2nd guitar soon, cant decide between jazzmaster or firebird both are looking awesome
Question to you all: do you think the Firebird neck with some bass rolled off would sound close enough to a tele neck pu? I'm building my own guitar and love the tele tone but that firebird pu sure is tempting...
Gee I'm so excited! Not much longer and that firebird will be sitting on a stand, or in my hands, in a very short time. Hand's down, the sharpest body style of all Gibson models, and probably, out of all styles and models. in my opinion. That body style compliments all forms of music that is created by a hand's on approach.
I love my 64 firebird rev
Firebird all day ... I own one!
Firebirds are so cool it's a shame it wasn't more popular
Totally agree
Telecaster and Firebirds eat up the bluesy sounds like the Rolling Stones. They’re both super-versatile and can definitely crank rock and rockabilly. Once you get real heavy, I think moving to a Les Paul or a Strat are the more natural options because of the better sustain and richer tones on those models. That said, a Tele or Firebird could still get even that done.
Ps - love a blonde color for the Tele and a cherry Firebird.
Nice video! Any suggestions on a Duncan Tele bridge pickup that comes closest to a FB in sound?
I'm kind of lusting after both, but I already have a couple of Tele's. That said, that exact Tele I drool over because of the double binding and the same pickups I chose for my partscaster Tele. So for me, I'll probably go Firebird next. One thing I will say is if you swap out the Tele 3 way switch for a 4 way, you can get a VERY fat humbucker with attitude tone (parallel wiring I believe). I did that on the partscaster and LOVE it! A cheap and simple mod well worth doing.
Man, you have excellent musical taste and knowledge! I LOVE my Firebird, and the only guitar I would take over it is my tele. ALL of the best picker's play tele's. Nasville Cats every time 11:04
When I broke a string live on a Firebird, I take my Telecaster. Same flavour. I love both.
The Bob Stinson collection I see!
I would love to hear your opinion of the "goldfoil" telecaster. It is by far my favorite guitar. It is like having Firebird pickup's in a tele, I think. Love mine and it is my first MIM and I am very impressed with it.
Never was down with the tele... that being said, I just bought a 2013 firebird V!!🤘🏾🤘🏾
Well this is easy, I'd go for the firebird, because I already have a telecaster. Like them both.
Telecaster all day 👍🔥🎸🦅
Great video and history lesson. I prefer the sound and playability of a Tele
Cool, thanks!
Ohh, very hard to choose sound wise. I'd most likely still go for the Tele if I had to choose, only because I prefer the Fender feel and scale length
Both very similar. Firebird is a bit sweeter, rounder while the Tele feels snappier and has more bite. There's not a lot between them. Both awesome imo.
I prefer the Firebird and own a reverse and custom non-reverse. I'm a big fan of Johnny Winter and always prefer a less travelled and unique style. I also like the slightly shorter scale length from a playability standpoint. Of course, both guitars sound great.
Gee I'm so excited! Not much longer and that firebird will be sitting on a stand, or in my hands, in a very short time. Hand's down, the sharpest body style of all Gibson models, and probably, out of all styles and models. in my opinion. That body style compliments all forms of music that is created by a hand's on approach. It won't be the Gibson, but the Epiphone version that I purchase, for the simple fact that I will be playing to a crowd of sometimes one, besides myself. Would be completely pointless for me to pay triple the price just for the name.
I prefer the sound of the Télé bridge pickup....and the firebird neck pickup.
As a lefty, I don't get to choose. There isn't and never has been a left-handed Firebird, which is too bad since that's the one Gibson I could see myself playing.
Ah thats to bad. Yeah I hear alot from lefty players that the options are seriously limited.
My father was a lefty and played a firebird for 40+ years. Give it a chance! Looks amazing strung left handed & very erganomic
Firebird >>>
What an instrument!
Tele’s are great. This firebird in particular wins. Great cut. Great balls.
The Firebird has slightly more depth to my ear on my iPad probably because it’s a mammoth! but I would choose the Tele all day long. I must add though that I think you could play anything and sound good!
Stop by this week and you can play my Professional ll Deluxe Tele if you want to hear different tones!!
I do want to try those new Pro II series. I played a handful of the first round of American Pro models and I thought they were great.
I e got a Tele so next for me is a Firebird. They both sound great.
My ear gets more snap from Tele , and more warmth from the firebird........both are sweet though
I would agree with that assessment
The Firebird. Really distinctive sound. To me it sounds "hollower" and possibly a little bit trebbler than the tele. Both are great, anyway
Hey man, I like your tele, but I really liked your thunderbird!
I like them both, but in this particular test, given the sheer number of variables involved, most notably pickup height and amp eq. used, I liked the Tele better. Note that in this test Tele has a higher volume than Firebird which tends to tip the analysis in its favor.
This brings to mind a local band from a while back who had 3 guitarists: 1 strat, 1 tele, and 1 firebird. They always sounded great together!
As for myself: I would probably choose the firebird for myself. Love the unique look and it's closer to what I'm used to, my main/favorite guitar I own is an Epi SG
Came for the comparison, stayed for the playing.
Are that the original pickups on that Firebird? I have 2014 model and it sound not half as good.. so i'm looking at different pickups I guess
Put some humbucker sized firebird pickups in that PRS
I cut my teeth on a firebird , a very beautiful rock and blues monster. now I 've gotten Into jazz its great unique.
Need to try a bird properly. Tried one before and kind of went Aaaargh ! Way too big ,long , felt like a coffee table! However, it sounds way good! Might just need to try again.
I'll go with the tele for the versatility, although I like the set neck and reverse headstock and the pickups on the firebird. The tele is a little less ugly than the firebird, I'd like it better with a strat headstock though.
I got to say I definitely perfer a tele. Firebirds are great, they sound fantastic and they have a cool factor to them that the tele doesn't have. Honestly think a Firebird could be compared to a p90 les paul. The bridge is the biggest difference between tele and Firebird. A p90 les paul would be more consistent in sound to the mini humbuckers in the Firebird.
I have both and it depends on the amp and style of music. If I had to choose,------ It would be the Tele!
I’ll take the Firebird please. (Already have 3 Teles)
I like the Firebird, but when you're playing it. It looks long, it's a weird look. It feels long, like I don't need all that. Definitely cool but I couldn't bond. I'll take the plain Telecaster. Ashtray and please no belly cut. If it ain't broke don't fix if.
Have you seen the new Epiphone Firebirds? Really giving Gibson a run for it's money!
I’ve seen them on UA-cam but I haven’t played one in person. Would be interested to try one.
Jack Fossett: What years are your Firebirds?
Mine is a 2013
@@JackFossett : Sounds awesome! Mine are 2004 and 2009 and they sounds amazing aswell but i do wonder what the difference is between and custom shop reissues?
You look like Nathan Fillion! Cheers :)
Hes a very handsome man so I take that as a compliment!
firebird 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Firebird.
Gibson for life!🤟
I liked the Firebird more
Im a dyed in the wool Fender guy but I recently got a Firebird, just out of curiosity.
It perplexes me somewhat I must say.
I like it, particularly in the middle position with some mild overdrive, but if I really start to crank up the overdrive, it squeels like a pig!
Those Firebird pick ups are very microphonic beasts!
I actually love my strats and teles as players, but this thing is starting to win me over.
I dont think Id use one for an entire gig though.
Just buy both
Gibson firebird for me
Fantastic review! I Super enjoyed it. I think it would be even better if you took a Slower cadence while discussing the guitars, like a slower blues jam. Everything you say is spot on, just take a little longer to say it, like Willie Nelson or Billie Gibbons. Steady wins the race, as they say😉