Head to head
Gibson 1963 Firebird V with Maestro Vibrola, Heavy Aged, Antique Frost Blue vs Harley Benton ST-70 RW
Electric$9,799
No ratings yet75Overall / 100
The verdict
The Gibson 1963 Firebird V with Maestro Vibrola, Heavy Aged, Antique Frost Blue comes out ahead overall — 75 to 65 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Gibson 1963 Firebird V with Maestro Vibrola, Heavy Aged, Antique Frost Blue wins on
- Better build (87 vs 58)
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
Harley Benton ST-70 RW wins on
- Better value (75 vs 65)
- Lower price ($195 vs $9,799)
Scorecard
| Metric | 1963 Firebird V with Maestro Vibrola, Heavy Aged, Antique Frost Blue | ST-70 RW |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 75 | 65 |
| Build | 87 | 58 |
| Playability | 75 | 72 |
| Sound | 68 | 60 |
| Value | 65 | 75 |
Full specifications
| Spec | 1963 Firebird V with Maestro Vibrola, Heavy Aged, Antique Frost Blue | ST-70 RW |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Gibson | Harley Benton |
| Type | Electric | Electric |
| Years | — | — |
| Country | US | — |
| Body wood | Layered Mahogany | Basswood |
| Neck wood | 9-ply Mahogany/Walnut Neck-Through | Maple |
| Fretboard | Indian Rosewood | Amaranth |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 22 | — |
| Scale | 24.75" | 25.51" |
| Pickups | Firebird Alnico 5 / Firebird Alnico 5 | 3 Roswell STA Alnico-5 Vintage ST-Style Single Coils |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $9,799 | $195 |
| Accessories | Certificate of Authenticity | — |
| Binding | Fretboard 1-ply Cream | — |
| Body Finish | Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer | — |
| Body shape | Firebird | — |
| Body Styles | Firebird | — |
| Bridge | ABR-1 | — |
| Bridge pickup | Firebird Alnico 5 | — |
| Case | Aged Brown/Pink Lifton Reissue 5-Latch Case | — |
| Control Covers | Black | — |
| Control Knobs | Gold Top Hats with Silver Inserts | — |
| Controls | 2 Volume, 2, Tone, CTS Potentiometers, Hand-Wired Harness | — |
| End Of Board Width | 56.89mm / 2.24in | — |
| Finish | Nickel; Murphy Lab Heavy Aged | Natural High Gloss |
| Fretboard inlay | Aged Cellulose Nitrate Trapezoid | — |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | 305 mm |
| Fret Count | 22 | — |
| Joint | Neck-Through Construction | — |
| Model | FB5HAAFBNM1 | — |
| Neck pickup | Firebird Alnico 5 | — |
| Nut | Nylon | — |
| Nut width | 42.85mm / 1.69in | 42 mm |
| Output Jack | 1/4" Switchcraft | — |
| Pickguard | 3-Ply White/Black/White Firebird Hot-stamped | — |
| Pickup Covers | Nickel | — |
| Pickup Selector | 3-Way Switchcraft | — |
| Profile | Medium C | — |
| Saddle Material | Nickel-plated Brass | — |
| Scale length | 628.65mm / 24.75in | 648 mm |
| Strap Buttons | Aluminum | — |
| String gauges | .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 | — |
| Switch Tip | Cream | — |
| Tailpiece | Maestro Vibrola | — |
| Truss rod | 2-way Adjustable | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | Black 1-Ply Gibson Hot-stamped | — |
| Tuner Plating | Nickel | — |
| Tuners | Deluxe Banjo Tuners | — |
| Weight Relief | None | — |
| Ex Factory Stringing | — | D'Addario .010 - .046 (Article no. #104555#) |
| Neck profile | — | C |
| Top wood | — | Imitation rosewood veneer |
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