RARE BIRD

EONS AHEAD OF its time when introduced in 1963, Gibson’s original Firebird has represented an iconic example of modernist guitar design ever since, remaining timeless and contemporary in equal measure. And from the time Johnny Winter started setting stages ablaze with this revolutionary electric in the late ’60s, the blues legend has served as the key reference point for what this radically angular and eclectically appointed guitar can do. The Gibson Custom Shop has created the ultimate tribute to both the man and the instrument in the new Johnny Winter 1964 Firebird V, and it’s a doozy of a guitar for anyone who has ever appreciated the equally unique look and voice of this classic.

The Johnny Winter 1964 Firebird V isn’t merely a period-correct reissue of the original model; it’s also a pinpoint-perfect re-creation of As such, the Gibson Custom Shop has fully replicated the holes in the body where the original Maestro vibrola was removed, the stop-bar tailpiece that replaced it, the missing reflector insert in the upper tone control knob, the faded Firebird logo on the pickguard, the splits in the wood where the original’s jack was once repaired and more. The cosmetics are the skilled work of Gibson’s Murphy Lab, which has added a myriad of dings, scuffs and scrapes to the well-aged Polaris White finish to bring the authenticity home. While only some 500 examples of the Firebird V were shipped in 1964, this Johnny Winter tribute is an even rarer bird, limited to 125 guitars.