Description

Eric Clapton’s use of a Gibson Firebird I in the 1960s and 70s represents some of the most inspired, fiery, and influential playing of his legendary career. Though he had previously played a Les Paul, ES-335, and SG, it’s the 1964 Firebird I that Eric remembers as being truly outstanding.
“I remember one night in particular with the Firebird…it was a Cream show in Philadelphia and it was one of the greatest gigs I ever played.”

Gibson Custom Shop is proud to present this limited-edition reissue of Clapton’s famous Firebird, made using authentic construction methods and precise dimensions scanned from vintage 1964 Firebird models. Each is outfitted with a newly-developed Alnico V Firebird pickup to recapture the scorching output and searing tones of the original. And each features an Eric Clapton signed backplate, a replica of the strap he used, a replica of the guitar’s original case, a Certificate of Authenticity booklet, and more. Fifty (50) Eric Clapton Firebird models will be sold through Guitar Center in the United States and another fifty (50) will be sold through select International Gibson dealers.

ERIC CLAPTON
Eric Patrick Clapton is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist and separately as a member of the Yardbirds and of Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time. Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” and fourth in Gibson’s “Top 50 Guitarists of All Time”. He was also named number five in Time magazine’s list of “The 10 Best Electric Guitar Players” in 2009.

ABOUT GIBSON
Orville Gibson founded the company in 1902 as “The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd.” in Kalamazoo, Michigan to make mandolin-family instruments. Gibson invented archtop guitars by constructing the same type of carved, arched tops used on violins. By the 1930s, the company was also making flattop acoustic guitars, as well as one of the first commercially available hollow-body electric guitars, used and popularized by Charlie Christian. www.gibson.com