Gibson Custom Shop 1964 Firebird III Maestro Ltd - Pelham Blue
Additional Photos:
Near-perfect Recreation
Gibson's rendition of the 1964 Firebird III captures all the flair and panache of the original model circa 1964. It is still made in the labor-intensive through-neck style, with its mahogany and walnut neck/body section and mahogany wings dressed in a Vintage Sunburst finish. A Maestro Vibrato tailpiece partnered with a wrapover bridge with compensated saddle ridge provide stylistic versatility, while Gibson's Firebird Mini-Humbucking pickups remain true to the tone of the originals. Each Firebird III comes complete with a Custom Shop case and a Certificate of Authenticity.
Body
Seeking sleek new looks amid the competitive solidbody electric guitar market of the early 60s, Gibson went right to the source of marketing style and hired automotive designer Ray Dietrich - designer of the Duesenberg car, among others - to take the standard vision of the instrument back to the drawing board. The result was a guitar that was clearly ahead of its time: the new Firebird had a body that appeared to be the reverse image of other solidbody styles on the market, an upside-down six-in-line headstock (using banjo tuners to avoid spoiling the lines of the phoenix-head profile), and a solid integral neck/body section with glued-on wings, a rarity in guitar manufacture at that time.
Hardware
In addition to the increased resonance and sustain given to the Firebird by its through-body construction, a new style of Gibson Mini-Humbucking pickup (two of them on the Firebird III) lent the model a bright, stinging tone. Although they look much like the Mini-Humbuckers that Gibson acquired from Epiphone, they are actually an entirely different design, employing a pair of alnico bar magnets with the pickups coils wound directly around them.
Q & A
Reviews
Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty
A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.
Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.
How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
- Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
- Product Replacement: If your product cannot be fixed or costs too much to fix, we will replace it with the equivalent model for no additional charge. If this is not possible, a full refund will be provided.
- No Lemon Policy: Your product will be replaced should the same problem occur multiple times.
- Convenient: Easy drop off and pick up of the product at any Long & McQuade location.
- Guitar Setup: Guitars purchased at Long & McQuade come with 1 free setup, to be redeemed within 1 year for new guitars and 90 days for used guitars.
- Loaners Available: A loaner product may be given while the product is being repaired.
- Power Surge Protection: Your product is covered even if damaged from a power surge.
- Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered.
- Commercial Use Coverage: Music and recording professionals who purchase gear for “heavy-use” commercial purposes will still be covered.
Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.
Purchasing additional years of coverage
Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.
If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
- NEW products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
- USED products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to increase the warranty from 3 months to 1 year. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
- GUITARS: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year. $45 maximum. An additional free setup is not included with additional purchased years of Performance Warranty.
- BAND and ORCHESTRAL instruments: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
Great Additions
Reserve in Store
| Product | SKU | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 Firebird III Maestro Ltd - Pelham Blue | 450453 |
