The Firefly version of the venerable Les Paul guitar, dubbed the “FFLP” has taken the budget-conscious segment of the internet by storm and inspired a host of unofficial “resellers” or “scalpers” who buy them at retail and sell them at up to double the MSRP online. I ordered their top-of-the-line FFLP Elite in the spalted maple finish directly from the Guitars Garden website on May 10th, 2021. I paid full retail and had no contact with the brand about this review. Read on to see if this “Chibson” knock-off guitar for $220 shipped holds a candle to my 2013 Gibson Les Paul. Is the bar on this comparison set too high? You be the judge…
That is a great question and one that I’ve not seen a great answer to in my research. From what I have pieced together, the Firefly models appear to be imported by FIREBIRD MUSIC INC, 333 W, GARVEY AVE, MONTEREY PARK CA 91754 US. They are stamped with “Designed and backed by JSN” on the back of the headstocks, but I have no idea what “JSN” is. If you have better info on who Firefly and or Firebird Music is, please let me know so I can update this article. I’ll also note that I reached out via their website contact form to see if they would like to work with Gear Report on any future reviews. If they respond, then I can ask some additional corporate background questions.
While I have yet to find a definitive answer, I did stumble on US Customs shipping records that suggest Firebird Music Inc. gets frequent shipping containers from Weifang Jeson Musical Instrument Co. of SHANDONG PROVINCE, CHINA, with shipments coming from a wide range of ports in China. This is consistent with the rumors I’ve seen online that manufacturing has moved frequently to different factories in China. If you have better info on where Firefly and or Firebird Music guitars are made, please let me know and I will update this article.
Ngd! Firefly Fflp...
Let’s clear up this question right away so we can focus on the FFLP. If I could only keep one of them then the customized Gibson Les Paul Future would keep its place of honor on the wall within arms reach of my desk. With a slightly lower action, noticeably lower weight, and slightly wider string spacing at the nut, I find the Gibson to be the easiest guitar to play that I’ve ever laid my hands on.
However, the Gibson was a $1300 guitar when new, before a host of upgrades were installed. Links included so you can check prices or get the upgrades for your axe.
It isn’t remotely fair to compare the $220 (shipped) FFLP Elite to the customized Gibson. However, the Firefly actually fares pretty well against the “real thing”. I think that for a few bucks I could install a bone nut with slightly wider string spacing to make it easier for my big fingers. And the pickups… I’ll be honest. I’m undecided on what pickups I might like to install. The stock pickups are serving their purpose for me (the main practice guitar in my office) just fine. So, at the end of the day, this FFLP Elite is easily punching way above its weight class and is a stellar value, IMHO.
Firefly Guitars Review (what You Need To Know)
Not really. I’ll also caution that before you rush out to buy one, understand that buying a $200 guitar and expecting it to be THIS nice is setting yourself up for heartache. Part of the nature of rolling the dice on MUCH less expensive guitars is the chance that you get a good one without any major issues… or the chance that you got one with a range of issues. There simply isn’t enough margin in these budget guitars for the factory to spend much of a skilled luthier’s time checking, tweaking, and adjusting. If the assemblers happen to get it all right, then you may score an obscene deal on a guitar that plays far better than what you pay for it. If they don’t happen to get it all right, then you may have a bit of a mess to clean up in order to try to make it play well. If you want more of a “sure thing”, then hand over $1k or more to a more premium brand where a highly trained luthier has given significant attention to making sure everything is correct.
I am very much a novice guitar player just learning the instrument. I’ve owned 20 or so guitars from a wide range of brands over the years. So, I’ll speak within that limited frame of reference.
Honestly, the fit and finish of everything on this Firefly guitar to be leaps and bounds above what I would expect for such little money.
Who Makes Firefly Guitars? (2022)
My results were almost identical to those posted by internet guitar expert Phil McKnight in a YouTube video. Since this is a written review, I’ll suggest that you go check out Phil’s video for some tone samples. Here are some bullet points to consider.
I’ll echo what someone else said recently in one of the online discussion groups… Why the hell does FF put the shipping label on the bottom of the wide part of the triangle on the box
That means to scan it the UPS monkeys will flip the box up so all the weight is resting on the headstock end. My box looked pretty good on the outside EXCEPT that the headstock end is crunched a bit.
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I get that FF might not have realized this would happen. But the rumor is they have been told and still haven’t corrected it. That is going to cost them. I got lucky and the styrofoam on the inside of the box got crushed, absorbing the impact.
I imagine that headstock wasn’t far from breaking. If anyone here knows the Firefly / Firebird folks, please urge them to put the shipping label on the small end of the box so that the headstock won’t take so much abuse each time the package is scanned en route.
Edward H. was kind enough to point me to a somewhat more detailed listing in the Firefly Guitar Fans facebook group that had the following info:
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Jeff is the Chief Gear Head and Publisher of Gear Report. A National Shooting Sports Foundation Media member, he reviews gear for camping, hiking, shooting, hunting, paddling, backpacking, military vehicles, and other active pursuits. A USAF veteran and licensed pilot, Jeff earned an MBA in Marketing and Health Services. As an Online Marketing and eCommerce consultant and founder of Cress Sales & Marketing LLC, Jeff helps online merchants become more profitable via affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, social media marketing, conversion optimization, etc. In his copious free time, Jeff is an Assistant Scoutmaster for two Troops, Sea Scouts Mate, volunteer high school wrestling assistant Coach and swim dad with 3 teens, a soon to be Sainted wife of over 20 years, and a Boxer named Buddha.Firefly guitars have been creating a lot of buzz in the guitar community as of late. So much so that getting your hands on one was actually difficult for a period, as they would sell out within a couple days on Amazon to enthusiasts and scalpers alike.
Firefly guitars have come in a couple models, from 335 style guitars, telecaster style guitars, to the double cut/double pickup model I am reviewing here.
The Firefly FFDCD that I am reviewing today is modeled after the Gibson Les Paul Special, which is a highly sought-after model fetching on the used market for thousands.
Santa Cruz Firefly Parlor
Once he found out I was leaving my 9-5 to be a writer and working musician, he was kind enough to lend this guitar to me for an unboxing and review.
In my hands on review of the Firefly FFDCD we look at all of the pros and cons of it and discover if it is worth all the hype?
The stock FF90 pickups are surprisingly good. I wasn’t expecting a convincing P90 pickup sound to come from a guitar in this price range. On the neck pickup, the low end is hefty and the high end is pleasant and smooth.
Gear Review: Firefly Ff338 Guitar
The bridge pickup sits between a single coil and a humbucker, in true P90 fashion. I was able to crank my amp model up and the bridge pickup had enough heat to it to get a good growly response.
This is where the Firefly FFDCD really wants to live. I picked out a classic plexi-style amp, set the drive to 4 on the bridge pickup, and was in classic rock heaven. It was able to give me enough gain to have a rocking rhythm sound and with the click of a boost pedal I was in lead territory.
My favorite setting on a three-way pickup selector and two humbuckers is to set the neck pickup volume between 3-5, and the bridge at 10. With this set up I was able to have a clean tone and a lead tone ready to go at the tip of my fingers. To really hear this technique in
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