The Gibson Firebird III is a Gibson electric guitar, currently around $5500. Close alternatives include the Höfner Club 50 and the Fender Jazzmaster. It pairs well with the Fender Prosonic and the Orange Matamp.
Gibson Firebird III
Gibson · electric guitar
The Gibson Firebird III came from car designer Ray Dietrich in 1963 and is unlike anything else Gibson built: a reverse body with the treble horn longer than the bass horn, neck-through construction with mahogany wings, banjo-style tuners mounted on the back of the headstock, and mini-humbuckers. Those smaller pickups are the tonal signature, brighter and more cutting than a full-size humbucker.
- versatile sound
- cutting
- jangle
- indie
- treble
- country
- production
- gibson firebird iii
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Gibson Firebird III is commonly used in
- Country
- Alternative Rock
- Indie
Amps that pair well with the Gibson Firebird III
Fender Prosonic
amplifier
23% matchFender Prosonic's warm balances out the bright tone
Orange Matamp
Orange
22% matchWhere this leans bright, Orange Matamp answers back smooth
Revv Generator 100R MkIII 3-Channel Head
Revv
20% matchWhere this leans bright, Revv Generator 100R MkIII 3-Channel Head answers back smooth
Dumble Steel String Singer
Dumble
tonal matchRun Dumble Steel String Singer after it and the bright edge settles into something more smooth
Gibson GA-50
Gibson
tonal matchWhere this leans bright, Gibson GA-50 answers back warm
Orange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp
Orange
tonal matchOrange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Orange Terror Bass
Orange
tonal matchOrange Terror Bass leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Orange Little Bass Thing
Orange
tonal matchRun Orange Little Bass Thing after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Pedals that stack with the Gibson Firebird III
One Control Lingonberry Overdrive
One Control
15% matchWhere this leans bright, One Control Lingonberry Overdrive answers back warm
Caroline Guitar Company Icarus
Caroline Guitar Company
14% matchCaroline Guitar Company Icarus's warm balances out the bright tone
Orange - Vintage Distortion
Orange
tonal matchWhere this leans bright, Orange - Vintage Distortion answers back warm
SolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive
Solidgoldfx
tonal matchSolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it
Behringer Chorus Symphony
Behringer
tonal matchWhere this leans bright, Behringer Chorus Symphony answers back smooth
Dunlop Blue Hippo Optical Tremolo
Dunlop
tonal matchRun Dunlop Blue Hippo Optical Tremolo after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Pigtronix gamma drive
Pigtronix
tonal matchPigtronix gamma drive leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Dunlop Echoplex Preamp
Dunlop
tonal matchDunlop Echoplex Preamp leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it
Cheaper alternatives
Guild Starfire IV
Guild
92% similaritysimilar tone character
Univox Hi-Flier
Univox
91% similaritysimilar tone character
Epiphone Riviera Electric Guitar
electric guitar
90% similaritysimilar tone character
Jackson Adrian Smith SDX San Dimas
Jackson
90% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
See all alternatives to the Gibson Firebird III (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Gibson Firebird III?+
The closest matches in character are the Höfner Club 50, the Fender Jazzmaster, the ESP Tiger. Budget picks: Guild Starfire IV, Univox Hi-Flier, Epiphone Riviera Electric Guitar. Boutique upgrades: Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster.
What pairs well with the Gibson Firebird III?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Prosonic, Orange Matamp, Revv Generator 100R MkIII 3-Channel Head — Fender Prosonic's warm balances out the bright tone.
How much does the Gibson Firebird III cost?+
Around $5500 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).