Gibson Firebird Platypus Vintage Cherry
The Gibson Firebird Platypus in detail
The history of the Gibson Firebird
The Firebird is one of the most distinctive guitar designs ever! The Firebird Platypus takes the legendary design of this guitar and pushes its unique appearance a step further. Equally unique is its sound. The two historically accurate and articulate Gibson Firebird mini-humbucker pickups with Alnico VI magnets deliver an almost bell-like tone when played clean. When driven they produce great rock and blues tones. Individual volume and tone controls allow you to further shape the sound. The pickguard is, of course, adorned with the legendary Firebird graphic. This wonderful guitar comes with a hardshell case.
The key features explained
The Firebird Platypus is a homage to some rare transitional models. It has a mahogany body with a set neck, yet presents the appearance of a traditional reverse-Firebird body with a neck-through. The mahogany neck has a SlimTaper profile and a rosewood fretboard and features a platypus-style headstock with Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners. The headstock was slightly modified to allow a straight string pull for less friction and improved tuning stability.
The platypus headstock
In early 1965 the original Firebird design went through several development stages. One of the most significant changes was the switch of the headstock to the "Non-Reverse" form. Unlike the original "Reverse" design, which had a two-piece headstock with a holly veneer overlay, the new headstock was flat - similar to the beak of a platypus: Firebird Platypus. The platypus-style Firebird featured six inline tuners instead of the banjo-style tuners used previously.
Product information "Gibson Firebird Platypus Vintage Cherry"
A tribute to the rare 1965 transition models
In early 1965 the original Firebird design went through several iterations. One of the significant changes was the headstock being changed to the "Non-Reverse" shape. Unlike the original Reverse Firebird headstock design, which consisted of two layers with a veneer of holly, the new headstock was flat like the bill of a platypus. The Platypus-style Firebird was fitted with six inline tuners, as opposed to the earlier banjo-style tuners used on previous Firebird models.
The Firebird Platypus is a tribute to those rare transition models. It features a mahogany body with a glued-in, set-on neck and the look of a traditional Reverse Firebird body with a neck-through. The Platypus-style headstock is fitted with a Graph Tech nut and Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners. With individual volume and tone controls the sound can be further customised, and of course the pickguard carries the legendary hot-stamped Firebird graphic.
- Binding: White
- Body Material: Mahogany
- Body Shape: Offset
- Bridge / Tremolo: Aluminium Nashville Tune-O-Matic, Aluminium Stop Bar
- Bridge Pickup: Gibson Firebird Mini Humbucker
- Color/ Finish: Vintage Cherry
- Colour: Red
- Controls: 2x volume, 2x tone
- Country of Origin: USA
- Custom shop: no
- Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Fretboard Inlays: Acryl Trapez
- Fretboard radius: 12"
- Frets: 22
- Fret size: Medium Jumbo
- Hardware: Chrome
- Includes: Hard case + accessories
- Neck: Mahogany
- Neck Pickup: Gibson Firebird Mini Humbucker
- Neck Profile: Slim Taper
- Neck construction: Set in neck
- Nut Width: 43.053 mm / 1.695 in
- Nut material: Graph Tech
- Pickguard: 3-Ply White
- Pickup Configuration: H-H (2x Humbucker)
- Pickup Cover: Chrome
- Pickup Selector Switch: 3-way switch
- Pickup type: passive
- Pot Caps: Gold Top Hats with Silver Reflector
- Scale: 24" (610 - 634 mm)
- Scale Length: 24,75" (629 mm)
- Signature Model: no
- Strings: 6 string
- Strings thickness ex factory: .010 - .046
- Technology: Solid Body
- Tuning Machines: Grover Mini Rotomatic
The American Gibson Guitar Corporation, founded in 1902 by Orville Gibson in Kalamazoo, Michigan, first became known for the production of mandolins and banjos. Today the company’s headquarters are in Nashville, Tennessee, and Gibson is one of the world’s most renowned and respected manufacturers of electric guitars.
The model Les Paul, named after its creator Lester William Polsfuss, is one of the most famous and best‑selling electric guitar shapes of all time and established the single‑cut guitar form, which has been copied, adopted and reinterpreted by numerous other manufacturers. The Les Paul is mainly prized for its sound, characterised as warm and full. The humbucker pickup largely responsible for that sound, in its now common design, was developed by Seth Lover at Gibson.
In the early 1960s the Gibson SG appeared as another solid‑body electric from Gibson. Originally intended as the successor to the Les Paul, it became — helped by Angus Young of AC/DC — another rock‑history icon and is the basis for the double‑cutaway guitar type.
With the Flying V and the Explorer Gibson is responsible for two body shapes that, although they were far ahead of their time when introduced in the late 1950s, have over the years also achieved legendary status. They still serve as the foundation for a host of heavy guitars today, for example from makers such as Jackson or ESP.
The Gibson Custom Shop produces custom orders, high‑quality one‑offs and precise replicas of famous models and legendary instrument years. These are often subjected to an artificial ageing process called relicing.
Almost as long as the company has existed, acoustic guitars have also been produced. The J‑45, the Hummingbird, the L‑00 and the SJ‑200 are among the world’s most beloved steel‑string acoustics and were the instruments of choice for Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and John Lennon.
Besides the instruments already mentioned, you can of course also buy picks, bags and cases or merchandise from Gibson with us.
We are particularly proud to host a Gibson Flagship Store in our Frankfurt branch. There you’ll find not only a large selection and exclusive models to try out in person, but you’ll also benefit from the expertise of our Gibson‑trained and certified staff when choosing the perfect guitar.
