1980s Burny FB-85 F-Bird III Vintage Electric Guitar Gold Mist Poly P-90s, Japan

Up for sale, a 1980's Burny Firebird III model FB-85 with a trio of P-90 pickups and rare Gold Mist Poly finish. Made in Japan under the auspices of Fernandes' Burny brand, this FB-85 is an exceedingly rare instrument and a great spin on the Gibson Firebird III platform. With its wraparound tailpiece design and mahogany body construction, the guitar offers a barky, cutting acoustic tone that translates well through the P-90 pickups. With Bridge/Bridge+Middle/Neck pickup options available via the three-way toggle, the bridge offers classic midrange-forward bark with ideal cut and roundness. The middle position offers two of the P-90s out of phase, for a sound that’s still plenty big, yet with a sweet, cutting squawk. The neck pickup is really warm and full, with gobs of growling, broad low end. Weighing only 7lbs 3oz and well-balanced, this Burny is dialed in with fresh 10-46 strings and low action.

The neck has a nice full C shaped profile with lots of shoulder, measuring .870" dee at the 1st fret and tapering notably to 1.010" at the 12th. On the rosewood fretboard, the original medium jumbo frets have lots of meat and height, showing light wear on the crowns beneath the plain strings on frets 1-7. The scale length will feel comfortable to any Gibson fan at 24 3/4", and the original bone nut measures 1 5/8" in width. The headstock features the original Burny truss rod cover and set of six-in-line Kluson-style tuners that turn smoothly and hold pitch well.

All of the electronics function as intended, with the stock middle and neck pickups. The bridge pickup route was slightly enlarged for a humbucker, and the original pickguard has a sliver of new plastic to once again cleanly fit the replacement bridge position P-90 that works well with the two stock pickups. The wraparound tailpiece adds a certain zing and top end character to the sound, with uniform surface patina. The guard even features the iconic red Firebird silkscreen graphic. The guitar is structurally sound with zero cracks, and the instrument shows a faint square outline of a previously removed sticker on the lower bout on the top, and some light scuffs in this area as well. There are various nicks, scuffs, and dings on the back and around the body edges and only a couple small, shallow nicks on the neck profile which is surprisingly clean on the whole.