There is no mistaking a Firebird V—with its unique "reversed" zig-zag body design and equally distinct headstock, it is simply one of the most recognizable of all guitar profiles. First introduced in 1963, the Gibson Firebird was the brainchild of legendary automotive designer and visionary Ray Dietrich (Lincoln, Packard), enlisted by Gibson to bolster the guitar lines of the early "60s and help solidify the company"s eminent rank among solidbody electric guitar manufacturers. Dietrich"s unconventional design was based loosely on both the legendary automobile tailfins of the 1950s and the Gibson Explorer, which had been introduced several years earlier. For 2010 we are upgrading the Firebird V with "Cutting Edge" Steinberger Gearless Tuners. These lighter precision tuners provide an astounding 40:1 tuning ratio for unparalled accuracy.