![]() ![]() ![]() plus that sharpness in the treble and deep, biting bass. You’ll find a whole new world of sound and performance potential. The new models appeared in Gibson’s 1963 catalogue, with the blurb insisting the Firebirds were a “revolutionary new series of solidbody guitars. And Ray also designed the firebird logo that’s on the pickguard.” He said, ‘Why don’t you call it Phoenix?’ I said, ‘Phoenix, that’s the firebird, the old story of rising from the ashes.’ So, that’s where the name Firebird came from. “I was sitting in my office one day with Ray and a couple of the other fellas,” McCarty later recalled, “and we were trying to come up with a name for this thing. He eventually came up with the design we know as the Firebird, but at first it didn’t have a name. Gibson boss Ted McCarty happened to go along to one, and afterwards, he introduced himself and asked if Dietrich would be interested in designing a guitar.ĭietrich agreed, and Gibson hired him to devise a new solidbody electric line. One of the ways Dietrich whiled away his retirement was to give talks on his life in car design. ![]() Four years later he returned to consulting work, and in 1960, at the age of 66, he retired to Kalamazoo. He founded Raymond Dietrich Inc in 1949 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Some of his best work was done in the 30s, when he designed the striking Chrysler Airstream. He started in the drawing office of a small company in 1913, and over the next few decades established the idea of the custom car- body designer.īased in New York City and then Detroit, Dietrich headed a number of firms, including his own, LeBaron Carrossiers, designing and building luxury car bodies and working for brands such as Lincoln, Packard, Duesenberg and Ford. Ray Dietrich had been a legendary car designer for 50 years. The company hired an outside designer to create the Firebird, someone who would not be limited by traditional approaches to guitar design and who would reconsider the way an electric could look and work. Nonetheless, Gibson hoped that a new spirit of innovation would win the day. The design had strong links with the failed Explorer, which had already been discontinued. So, it was that in 1963, Gibson introduced its new Fender-rivaling solidbody, the Firebird. To his surprise underneath the pickguard scratched in the finish were just 2 letters: "EC". Six months later David was cleaning the guitar and removed the pickguard to see if a Humbucker could be installed. They had done some research, checked old concert pics and they were pretty sure the Hollestelle Bird was the ex-Mason one. And one of the 2 was the one David bought, but which one it was they couldn't tell for sure.Ībout a year later David was on tour again and returned to the Shop. In the shop the manager told him that once in London there were 2 of these sold at almost the same time: 1 was sold to Dave Mason (Traffic) and 1 to Eric Clapton (Cream, Blind Faith). Head over heels in love, David asked for a pre-payment on his tour money and purchased the Bird. ![]() In the early 80's David Hollestelle was on tour in Germany with Herman Brood & His Wild Romance when he noticed this beautiful FireBird in a shop window. Another rare axe that is at the peak of our private collection! - NOT FOR SALEĪll original, no cracks, no breaks, pots date to '63 ![]()
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