The Gibson Firebird, introduced in 1963, is a solid-body electric guitar designed to compete with Fender’s popular models. Created by car designer Ray Dietrich, the Firebird featured a distinctive “reverse” body shape with a longer treble horn and was the first Gibson solid-body to use neck-through construction, with a five-ply mahogany and walnut neck. Its unique pickups and reverse headstock set it apart. Despite initial efforts to popularize the “reverse” design, it faced legal challenges from Fender and sales difficulties, leading to the introduction of “non-reverse” models from 1965 to 1969. The original reverse-body design was reissued in 1972, with a Bicentennial model in 1976 celebrating with various finishes and gold hardware.
