Made in China Mahogany body Set mahogany neck 22 frets Alnico Classic humbuckers Chrome hardware 24-3/4" scale 1.68" nut width Dot inlays Stopbar tailpiece 2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way switch "Banjo"-style tuners 1/4" output jack UTILIZATION Playability is very nice. I was concerned about the sharper shoulder on the neck - it was a touch uncomfortable. One problem with this guitar is balance - standing up, the neck dives a lot, and it is quite annoying to have to be supporting the weight of the neck with the left hand while also trying to play notes. The guitar is very big, also, so it can get dinged up easily if one isn't careful. I think the tuners are interesting - not cool enough that I'd want to swap other tuners out to these style tuners, but refreshing and different. One other major annoyance is that most guitar cables are not angled, and the output jack is very close to the controls. With a straight cable, the knobs are now hard to turn. SOUNDS The sounds on this are fantastic. Thick, warm, clear, muddy, bright, crisp - this can do anything. The tone rolloff sound is one of the best I've ever heard - it nails Queens of the Stone Age type tones. The Slash/Cream "woman" tone is perfection on this. It's like taking the neck pickup from a Les Paul, and the bridge pickup from an SG, and blending it together. Blues, classic rock, metal - this is great for all of those genres. OVERALL OPINION This is a good guitar overall, but it sounds great. There are major annoyances, such as balance, size, neck shoulder, knob/jack placement, but then again, it plays well, looks good, and sounds wonderful. If those annoyances are not a big deal to you, this guitar will keep you happy for a long time. The guitar gets a 7 overall from me.
Bought a gold VII around 1999 from Musician's Friend as a close out. At the time I was not playing out and just wanted a different instrument. In the last year I have begun to take this out on gigs quite a bit. I am primarily a Les Paul player and usually took a Tele or Strat for alternate tones. I have been playing for about 30 years and have a room full of instruments. Our band plays primarily blues based southern rock and classic rock although we do not hesitate to step out to new horizons. Allman Brothers rule. Musician's Friend as a close out in the late 90's. I beleive I paid about $400 w/case. Bought it because when I was young and dumb I had a 60's Gibson Firebird V I let go of. Could not afford to replace the original so I sought to find a suitable sub. Really not disappointed as the whole snob appeal aspect means nothing when you are talking about a tool. <a href="Probably http//:www.musiciansfriend.com I believe">Probably http//:www.musiciansfriend.com I believe</a> Like the feel after I did my own setup although the instrument was pretty good out of the box. Tone is nice and best of all more versatile than most would suspect. Of course there is the look. A Heritage Cherry Les Paul is my primary instrument so obviously asthetics are of some importance. A Firebird is a head turner. I get more comments about it than I do my LP. I have had problems leveling the neck pickup. It's natural position is tilted toward the bridge. Unlike a Fender where one can remove pickguards and adapt, I was forced to insert shims on the bridge side of the pickup. Hey it works and if anyone gets that close they are a true fan. The neck on mine is 50's large profile. Don't know about newer models. I have small hands including 1/3 of my fretting hand index finger missing. This neck is not too big though. I have always enjoyed the mass of a Gibson style neck. I did have to remove all covers and blow the dust out of the instrument to get rid of crackles. The neck inlays are as cloudy as my grandmother's cataracts but that is purely cosmetic and does not effect sound or playability. Honestly, my Tele gets pissed when I grab the Firebird. While not a custom shop instrument and definitely not for fans of convention, the EPI Firebird VII is a very nice instrument. It offers anyone on a budget the opportunity to experience the eperimental side of Gibsonesque insturments beyond body shapes. The three mini humbuckers open a new world of sound. Mine is going with me tomorrow night w/ the Les Paul. I know I can rely on it. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
