Gibson 1963 Firebird V Reissue ER ULA

Gibson 1963 Firebird V Reissue ER ULA review

The Gibson 1963 Firebird V Reissue ER ULA is a U.S.-made Murphy Lab Custom Shop model built around the Firebird design. Its Ember Red finish receives an Ultra Light Aged treatment, including lacquer checking that gives the surface a lightly worn appearance. The listed price is 5998, and the model has been available since November 2022.

Its appeal is specific: a vintage-style Firebird with a solid mahogany body, a multi-piece continuous neck, two Firebird humbuckers, and a Maestro Vibrola. Gibson includes a case and a Certificate of Authenticity. The supplied owner feedback praises the instrument's vintage appearance and sound, though it does not provide detailed measurements or a technical account of the sound.

Construction and finish

The body is solid mahogany, with no separate top. The continuous neck is made from nine pieces of mahogany and walnut. That construction is a central part of the instrument's design, and the rosewood fingerboard completes the traditional wood combination specified for this model. Perloid trapezoid inlays add a period-style detail across the fingerboard.

The Ultra Light Aged finish is described as lacquer checking rather than heavy wear. The result, according to the owner feedback, is one of the guitar's strongest points: the appearance was singled out alongside the sound. That assessment is subjective, but it aligns with the purpose of the finish, which is to evoke an older instrument without specifying extensive damage or distressing.

The neck has an Authentic '63 Medium C profile. Gibson lists a 42 mm nut width, a 12-inch fingerboard radius, and 22 frets. The 628 mm scale length gives the guitar its specified short scale compared with many standard electric-guitar designs. No information is provided about neck thickness measurements, fret material, or fret size, so those details cannot be assessed from the specifications.

Pickups and controls

Two Firebird Alnico V humbuckers provide the pickup system. The guitar has two volume controls, two tone controls, and a three-way toggle switch. This is a conventional layout for selecting between the neck pickup, bridge pickup, or both, with separate level and tone adjustment for each pickup. The listed specifications do not include pickup output, magnet dimensions, wiring details, or measured frequency response.

The owner describes the sound favorably, calling it a highlight of the instrument, but offers no examples of playing style, amplifier settings, or specific tonal characteristics. That makes the feedback useful as a general impression, not as a basis for claims about how the pickups behave across genres or at different gain levels.

Bridge, vibrato, and hardware

An ABR-1 bridge is paired with a Maestro Vibrola. The vibrato adds the hardware and visual character associated with this Firebird configuration. The specifications identify the system but do not describe its tuning stability, range of pitch movement, or setup condition. Those points would depend on the individual instrument and its adjustment.

The tuning machines are deluxe banjo-style units, and the hardware is nickel. Together with the red finish, trapezoid inlays, and lightly checked lacquer, these details give the guitar a coherent vintage-oriented look. The model is supplied with a case, but not a gig bag.

Owner feedback and buying considerations

The available field report is positive about both the vintage-inspired appearance and sound. It also highlights support from the retailer after a technical issue, specifically praising the help provided by a staff member identified as O.S. That service experience is worth noting, while keeping in mind that it describes the retailer's support rather than Gibson's manufacturing or the long-term reliability of the guitar.

At a listed price of 5998, this is a premium Custom Shop instrument with a defined period design and aged finish. Prospective buyers should consider whether they want the continuous nine-piece neck, the Maestro Vibrola, and the Ultra Light Aged appearance. Anyone comparing examples should inspect the finish and test the vibrato and tuning behavior in person, since the supplied information does not document setup details or sample-to-sample variation.

• Construction: Solid mahogany body and nine-piece mahogany-and-walnut continuous neck.
• Electronics: Two Firebird Alnico V humbuckers with separate volume and tone controls.
• Included: Case and Certificate of Authenticity.