As well as being a car, the Firebird is also a range of guitars made by Gibson in the 1960s. They are typically found in dark natural finish (although others are available) with an instantly recognisable angular body shape similar to the Explorer but much more rounded. Weird lookers but quite popular; their miini-humbucker pickups give off a tone which has the usual sustain but a far more trebly, brittle tone. Artists who have favoured the 'Bird include Cream and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
More well known is the FB's bass
equivalent, the
Thunderbird, played at some point by just about any big-name rock bassist you care to mention: John Entwistle, Peter Hook,
Nikki Sixx, Nicky Wire, etc.