A Rare Bird with Hybrid DNA
In early 1965, Gibson's Firebird underwent a series of design changes that briefly produced some of the rarest guitars the company ever made. For a short window, instruments left the factory with a mix of Reverse and Non-Reverse features — most notably, a flattened "Platypus" headstock that looked nothing like the original banjo-style design. These transitional models are extremely hard to find today, and the Firebird Platypus brings that quirky piece of Gibson history back to life.
This isn't just a reissue — it's a thoughtful hybrid. You get the iconic reverse Firebird body shape in solid mahogany, but with a glued-in set neck (like the Non-Reverse models) instead of the traditional neck-through construction. The neck itself is all business: Gibson's fast SlimTaper profile, a bound rosewood fretboard with a 12" radius and 22 medium jumbo frets, and that distinctive flat Platypus headstock with six-in-line Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners.
If you've ever been curious about Firebird tone but wanted something a little different from the usual suspects, this is your chance. It's a conversation starter that plays beautifully and sounds like nothing else in your collection.
Mini Humbuckers with Maximum Character
The Firebird Platypus is loaded with a pair of historically accurate Firebird mini humbuckers equipped with Alnico 5 magnets. These pickups have a voice all their own — brighter and more articulate than a traditional humbucker, but thicker and more focused than a single-coil. When you play clean, you'll hear an almost bell-like chime with excellent clarity. Push your amp into overdrive, and these pickups cut through the mix with a snarl that works beautifully for rock, blues, and anything that needs presence without mud.
Each pickup has its own volume and tone control, giving you plenty of flexibility to shape your sound on the fly. A three-way toggle switch lets you select neck, bridge, or both pickups. The electronics are straightforward and responsive — no unnecessary complexity, just great tone that responds to how you play.
Built for Comfort and Stability
The mahogany neck features Gibson's SlimTaper profile, which is fast and comfortable without feeling thin or fragile. The bound rosewood fretboard has a 12" radius and acrylic trapezoid inlays, and the 24.75" scale length gives you that classic Gibson feel. The nut is a modern Graph Tech unit at 1.695" wide, paired with Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners with an 18:1 gear ratio for smooth, stable tuning.
The Platypus headstock has been slightly modified from the original 1965 design to provide a straight string pull, which reduces friction at the nut and improves tuning stability. Down at the bridge, you've got a Nashville Tune-O-Matic paired with an aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece — a proven setup for solid intonation and excellent sustain. The white three-ply pickguard features the legendary hot-stamped Firebird graphic.
Product Features:
- Mahogany body with reverse Firebird shape and faux center ridge
- Glued-in, set mahogany neck with SlimTaper profile
- Bound rosewood fretboard with 12" radius, 22 medium jumbo frets, and trapezoid inlays
- Modified Platypus-style headstock with straight string pull for improved tuning stability
- Two historically accurate Firebird mini humbucker pickups with Alnico 5 magnets
- Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge with aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece
- Graph Tech nut (1.695" width) and Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners (18:1 ratio)
- 24.75" scale length
- Individual volume and tone controls for each pickup, three-way toggle switch
- Chrome hardware and white three-ply pickguard with hot-stamped Firebird graphic
Brand: Gibson
Model: Firebird Platypus
SKU: DSFRP00TBCH1
Condition: New
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