In the guitar world, everyone has come across this one brand of guitar while just starting or looking out for a more budget-friendly one. Firefly Guitars are the most popular and best type of budget guitars that anyone can find on the internet today.
This China-based company is known for its cheap and reliable copies of famous guitars such as the Gibson E335 and Gibson Les Paul. While the word, ‘copy’ may sound cheap, it is the best type of guitar and the best deal you can find anywhere on the internet in this modern world.
Firefly guitars have been around for less than a decade but have gained quite a bit of a reputation. This is because of the reliability and good sound the guitar delivers despite its price. There are many other similar guitar brands out there, same to Firefly but none of them has the reputation Firefly has.
The Firefly guitars are one of the most hyped guitars in the market due to their price range of $100 to $190 with some others costing a little bit higher. Along with being budget-friendly, its quality is also unmatched if it were to be compared with other guitars with similar price ranges.
Here is the list of the Best Firefly Guitar
As this is one of the best beginner guitars, due to its popularity it has become one of the most difficult guitars to find in the market. Alongside its best quality, the finish of the guitar is also one of the best aspects of Firefly guitar and on account of it, has become one of the most reached guitar brands in the world.
The FF338
The FF338 is without a doubt the most popular Firefly guitar. It is a copy of the legendary Gibson E335. The FF338 is a semi-hollow blues-tone electric guitar and sounds beautiful.
Talking about pickups, this Firefly has two chrome-plated humbucker pickups for a more balanced playing experience. It also has 22 frets that enable us to play with different levels of pitch.
We are presented with a three-way selector for pickups to get different tones. As we all know the neck pickup gives us a bold and more distinct sound while the bridge pickup presents us with a sharper tone.
Firefly 338 also has a set neck which is more focused on transferring the sound between the body and neck of the guitar more easily and with very less interference. This enriches the playing experience and creates both warmer and brighter sounds.
The FF338 comes with a glossy finish and comes in various colors such as wine red, gold, and so on. We loved the gold one which had quite a resemblance to the basic sunburst.
This Firefly guitar costs less than $150 and is one of the most loved guitars. It has a very fine finish and is a great deal for anyone looking for a great guitar that is pocket-friendly.
The FFLP
Firefly LP has to be one of the best guitars out there. With the FFLP being Les Paul’s clone, one may often expect a bad finish and all but despite it coming out from China, this guitar has one of the best finishes you can find.
Similar to FF338 this model also has a three-way selector with volume and tone controls. It has no problem with fret buzz and has no dead spots.
Firefly LP is a remarkable copy of Les Paul as the cost of it is also very low in comparison to other brands out there. The fretboard is also very smooth and very easy to play.
The FFLP holds the tune quite well and the pickups are also very great. The clean tone is a pleasure to play and listen to. The crunch sound is also admirable. The FFLP sure is microphonic when played with high gain but other than that, it is a great guitar to play.
Overall, the Firefly LP has a great finish, and even the fretboard marker inlays in the guitar look very well done and nice. The guitar has a high gloss finish along with it the neck of the guitar.
With such great feats, the guitar costs around $230 and that’s along with the shipping costs from China. For its price, we believe this is one of the best guitars Firefly has to offer.
The FF335
The Firefly 335 is another most wanted guitar from Firefly. The FF335 is a semi-hollow electric guitar that provides soul, funk, rock, and blues tones to us. This Gibson ES 335 clone feels raw and resonates with the tone through the body.
The FF335 has a dual humbucker for rock and a more sharp and softer sound. While the pickups may be slightly microphonic, it is far better than any other guitars out there with similar price ranges.
It has a strong body. The bone nut used to maintain the string is also very firm and of very good quality. The quality of the bridge is also admirable and there is no room for any complaints.
In the end, all we want to say is that the FF335 is very impressive. It is very similar to the FF338 but, we believe this is a slightly better version of that guitar. It provides us with a warmer tone and is more durable than any other guitars on the list.
Although the FF335 costs a bit more than the FF338, we think this is more of an investment than the FF338. This model is just an upgrade to the older model FF338.
The FFTH
Firefly TH is another semi-hollow body guitar. It is the more budget-friendly version of the Telecaster Thinline Semi-acoustic guitar which was popular back in the 1960s.
The FFTH has single-coil pickups at neck and bridge positions. Its custom-designed pickups give off a great vintage voice. The tone also beautifully resonates throughout the body.
Its body is made out of maple wood and is very reliable. It delivers more warmth and a rounded typical telecaster sound. The fretwork of this guitar is also very beautiful and it is a good value for the amount of money it costs.
The Firefly TH being a typical copy of the Telecaster Thinline, sounds very beautiful. It is a beginner-focused guitar. We believe this is one of the best Firefly has to offer.
Are Firefly Guitars really that good?
Yes, Firefly guitars are very good. The only reason the guitar costs that less is because these are made in China where the labor is very cheap. Also, the build materials are very good. All the components used in the guitar are of very good quality and in the end, the guitar gives a very good sound quality.
Firefly is one of those guitar brands that is well known all around the globe for its budget guitars and the durability it provides. Despite its cheapness, the finish and build quality of the guitars are very good.
Firefly guitars cost around $100 to $199 and within that price range, it’s near to impossible to get a guitar that looks this great. It looks and feels more premium than any other guitar in this price range.
Sure, this company only makes clone and copy guitars but believe us these are the best replicas of the original guitar. While the original costs a fortune, this brand has become our savior by bringing us a wide range of various guitars.
Firefly guitars are a great combination of quality and affordability. Some minor problems are expected to be here and there but leaving it, it is the best deal you guys can get as a beginner who is tight on a budget.
Where are Firefly Guitars made?
Firefly Guitars are made in China. The information on Firefly and its owner is not available on the internet, but from the looks of it, Firefly seems to be an independent business that produces musical instruments in tiny volumes.
The company seems to produce these instruments in small batches every time as it takes a very long time to get restocked in the market. Due to it, many people believe it is a small business that takes its time to produce the instruments.
Very little is known about Firefly itself, as there is no proper website out there.
Where are Firefly guitars sold?
Amazon is the prime distributor of Firefly guitars and the guitar quickly gets out of stock. Firefly guitars are currently available on a lot of platforms. Looks like it is especially sold on Amazon.
Guitars Garden is another exclusive distributor of Firefly guitars. This website is dedicated to selling Firefly guitars and only sells them, this is the reason most people say this could be the official website of Firefly.
eBay is another place where we can find Firefly guitars. Though, oftentimes they have higher prices than the prime distributors. The auction could be a great way to get your hands on a Firefly guitar.
Reverb is the only marketplace where you can get your hands on a Firefly guitar anywhere, anytime. As it is a marketplace, you guys can find both new and used guitars here. Firefly guitars are listed here almost every time.
Local Guitar Shops are a great way to find Firefly guitars. While they don’t sell these guitars officially, they could have some stock in the used section. Keep your eyes open for them as these Firefly guitars are a great deal.
Why are Firefly guitars so cheap?
Firefly guitars are cheap because the guitars are made in China. The labor cost in China is very cheap and due to that reason, it’s easier to cut most of the costs.
It is an independent brand and due to it, they can even sell the guitars at a very cheap price. It is also mass-produced and this significantly makes the guitar much more affordable.
The use of domestic less costly guitar parts is also another reason. While the quality is not the same as the original guitars, it makes the guitar best suited for beginners.
Well, it sure is a compromise using such materials, the use of such guitar parts cut the cost of manufacturing a lot less. Also, for $100 to $199, it is a very great deal.
The possible downsides
The Firefly guitar being one of the best budget guitars around the globe certainly has some drawbacks. Of course, at about $150 it is the best-sounding and most reliable guitar but it is nowhere close to the original.
The quality of the fretboard seems to be one of the major players in this topic. Oftentimes, we have seen many players saying it has a rough fretboard.
It is decent. Firefly guitars seem like the best player in the budget world of guitars but it is only decent. It is decent because it could be better. Most of the time, there seem to be squeals in the pickup.
The limited supply is last on the list, and it is a major problem. While Firefly is loved very much, the supply of these guitars is very limited and due to it oftentimes, most people reach out for other alternatives.
What happened to Firefly?
Seeing how this brand of guitars is mostly out of stock many people seem to be worrying about what is happening.
Well, nothing.
Firefly has been around and will always be around. It is very sought and that is the reason it goes out of stock in a very short time. Seems like the manufacturing is done in very small batches and also the shipping of those guitars takes a long time. These are the only reason, it’s not seen that much.
That’s why nothing has happened to Firefly. They are not out of business and they are not going down. Rather, the market for Firefly guitars seems to be expanding day by day.
Conclusion,
Firefly Guitar has given us all an alternative to cheaper guitars in the modern world. With the increasing inflation every year, firefly has given us the option to buy cheap and reliable guitars.
The quality and finish of the product could be less satisfactory than the big players in the market but for the price range of $100 to $200, they are the best option.
Even the quality of the guitars is not that bad. Both the guitar and the sound quality seem decent with minor problems here and there. But hey, it’s so cheap.
These guitars don’t even cost the fragment of what the originals cost. This is the reason we believe these producers and these guitars are a big bargain for all guitar lovers in the world!
Hey, these guitars aren’t perfect and as consumers, we think it’s unfair to even expect it but despite its cheapness, it is a great product. While the stock problem can be quite intimidating, be sure to pay attention to them, and good luck with getting one.