The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: vates on November 24, 2010, 08:15:36 AM
-
I am very glad to join this community and here is my first question.
I've seen here and there some pictures (like the one attached) of Thunderbird II basses that've been marked as later (80-s or something) Custom Shop production.
But I cannot find any info on these basses anywhere. Like years of production, numbers, prices, specs, availability, any user thoughts and so on.
Maybe you can help me?
Thanks,
Serge
-
That one's mine....(and my favorite "go to" Tbird that I own.)
Gibson did a special small run of these in 1986 for key Gibson dealers in Japan, mostly in Polaris White color with ebony fingerboards. The ones from this run all have the Gibson Custom Shop decal on the back of the headstock.
I was told it was a run of only six but I ran across a post on the internet that states it may have been around 20.
Either way...they are VERY rare. I've seen three of them so far, including mine and the one Uwe owns, all Polaris White.
...I wish I could find another! I'd actually passed on a second one about a week after I'd bought this one, not realizing how rare it was at the time....and haven't found another since in six or seven years. DUH!!
-
Hey Serge,
Welcome here to the real Gibson bass forum!
And thanks Jon for that cool pic of your bass, that's one 'Bird I still really GAS for :)
-
The one I owned (Uwe has it now) didn't have the custom shop decal and didn't show any evidence of ever having been repaired. When I wrote Gibson about it the guy who responded said that they made a few after the Japan run as special orders. I've seen pictures of a black one and a beautiful burst one as well, but all the rest (including mine) were white (or cream now).
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/Thunderbirds/86_II_burst.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/Thunderbirds/86_II_burst_body.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/Thunderbirds/86_II_burst_body.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/Thunderbirds/86_II_burst_headstock_back.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/Thunderbirds/86ThunderbirdIIebony.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/auctions/86%20Thunderbird%20II/86_Thunderbird_IIfull.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/auctions/86%20Thunderbird%20II/86ThunderbirdIIbackII-1.jpg)
-
The one I owned (Uwe has it now) didn't have the custom shop decal and didn't show any evidence of ever having been repaired. When I wrote Gibson about it the guy who responded said that they made a few after the Japan run as special orders. I've seen pictures of a black one and a beautiful burst one as well, but all the rest (including mine) were white (or cream now).
Looks like a couple of those have rosewood fingerboards?
Mine and the other I could've bought both had ebony.
Hmmmm?
-
Now I'm all sproingky for a bass I can't have :-\
-
Lady, youse jush needsh that lottery win, an' then the worlsh your oyshter...
(think Spike in T&J) ;)
Oh yeah, an welcome to comune, Serge
-
BAD ASS!!!!! Jon, I want that bass!!! Ha! Nothing beats a Thunderbird II!!!!!! Wish they would make them now.
-
Wish they would make them now.
Wouldn't that be cool? Then I'd only have to buy one pickup when ridding it of that hideous black hardware! ;)
-
Thank you all for you kind greetings, your answers, info and pics provided!
Special thanks to TBird1958 for giving me a hint to visit this forum a while ago.
All is much clearer now. I assume, these are closer to vintage specs with all-mahogany neck (not like a later mahogany-walnut lamination)?
Thanks again for all your inputs!
-
Uh..All REAL Gibson Reverse Thunderbirds have 9 ply walnut and mahogany. You're thinking of the Gibson Firebirds or maybe some of the prototypes or early models that had 1 or 2 piece necks.
-
Only the 1963 Thunderbirds had a full maho neck, they introduced walnut in 1964. The all maho neck really isn't a quality characteristic, it costs more to do the nine-ply process and it makes sense from a stability prerspective.
I have a faded black one-off from 2006 that - miraculously - has a full maho neck, I guess they couldn't be bothered to find a nine-ply piece of wood in that one singular case. Does it sound different to my other Birds? Not a bit.
Uwe
-
I think they only made 2 thunderbird basses in 1963, both Thunderbird II's, am I right? Say Uwe, do you have any original T bird Saddles that are unnotched??? Like the one on your purple Burst Thunderbird IV that used to be mine that you got from Kevin??
-
Thank you for these details. I always though the original 1963-1965 TBirds II were all-mahogany.
-
Thank you for these details. I always though the original 1963-1965 TBirds II were all-mahogany.
I always thought the Embassy necks were full mahogany until I saw the recent purchase by dadagoboi.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/1966%20EMBASSY/DSC02864-1.jpg)
-
All my T-Bird saddles are notched - you can't really play them unnotched, at least I can't.
I think they made a few more than two of the full maho neck ones in 1963. I remember a 63 one being for sale on ebay a few years back - had it been one out of two it would have certainly fetched more of a premium (and the seller knew what he was selling though his angle was the early date, not the neck composition though he knew about it and mentioned it). I've seen early 64 models with the full maho neck too, never heard that they are especially collectible though.
IMHO, all structural considerations aside, the nine-ply looks much nicer too. It's a defining trait for a "real" TB in my book, just like the neck-thru structure is. More vital than the color of the hardware if I may coyly add. I'm still waiting for someome here to establish the case how black hardware sounds worse than nickel or chrome.
Uwe
-
I always thought the Embassy necks were full mahogany until I saw the recent purchase by dadagoboi.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/1966%20EMBASSY/DSC02864-1.jpg)
Very good point and brilliantly perceptive! :rimshot: Indeed, I thought these were like Non-Revs with solid maho necks. Quite possibly, Epi was just using the same wood stocks as Gibson was when the latter still built Rev Birds. Was the Embassy even still being built when the Non Revs came along after the demise of the Revs?
-
All my T-Bird saddles are notched - you can't really play them unnotched, at least I can't.
Being a pick player I find this to be my case too, my Orville 'Bird has a beatiful two point (of unknown to me origins) that has un-notched saddles, fine for fingerstyle around the house, but that bass is making the trip to Lull's in 2011 and getting notched.
More vital than the color of the hardware if I may coyly add. I'm still waiting for someome here to establish the case how black hardware sounds worse than nickel or chrome.
Uwe
You're gonna call me on Herr Moderator but the TB Plus pups I re-skinned with N.O.S. '76 covers definately sound better, no sound clips right now tho, so you'll just have to trust this girl's word ;)
-
You're gonna call me on Herr Moderator but the TB Plus pups I re-skinned with N.O.S. '76 covers definately sound better, no sound clips right now tho, so you'll just have to trust this girl's word ;)
I trust Mark on this - the force is with him/her :vader: ;D
And poly finishes restrict the tone of wood as well - fact :P ;)
-
Black absorbs. Black covers absorb the tone and heat up the bass. If you're holding the bass body against your body, too much tone will cause the bass to heat up your junk and affect your fertility. This is especially dangerous if you're wearing a skirt. That's why Mark is so insistent on this.
Chrome reflects the tone back to the audience. Too much reflected tone may cause groupies' undergarments to melt, but that's a good thing.
Have I covered everything here, or do I need to explain more? :mrgreen:
-
Clear as light. Thank you, Dave.
-
Chrome reflects the tone back to the audience. Too much reflected tone may cause groupies' undergarments to melt, but that's a good thing.
Dave! ;)
-
I seriously think that the metal covers add something to the pickup activity whereas the black plastic somewhat limits it. But I do have to say that the black covered Split coil pickups sound Incredible. But not like a T bird pickup, more like a Precision. Hey Uwe, thanks for the info. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!
-
Only the 1963 Thunderbirds had a full maho neck, they introduced walnut in 1964. The all maho neck really isn't a quality characteristic, it costs more to do the nine-ply process and it makes sense from a stability prerspective.
I have a faded black one-off from 2006 that - miraculously - has a full maho neck, I guess they couldn't be bothered to find a nine-ply piece of wood in that one singular case. Does it sound different to my other Birds? Not a bit.
Uwe
ZOMBIE THREAD REVIVAL
Hey Uwe......by "full mahogany neck" on the 1963 Thunderbird....do you mean a one-piece neck-thru?
Or was it maybe a two-piece?
Only asking because I own a 1963 Firebird and those real early ones were a two-piece mahogany neck-thru before they went to the 9-piece construction.
-
Duh, good question, I've only seen a picure of one, I didn't notice a two-piece back then, but it might have been a good bookmatch. If the Firebird is two-piece, then I think there is a good chance that the early TBirds were too - Gibson generally didn't stray too much with their basses from what worked with their guitars.
-
I just reread my reply at #19 from 2010. Still a valid explanation of chrome vs. black? :)
-
Black hardware will always be blighted by its disability to mirror the members of members, it lacks revelatory quality in so far.
George, your ten seconds of internet fame/notoriety please ...
-
Eleven now.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/parts/Schlange_pup.jpg)
-
George, I knew you and your reflected member would come through. :mrgreen:
-
Photobucket to the rescue!
-
All my T-Bird saddles are notched - you can't really play them unnotched, at least I can't.
Uwe
Not to be RUDE, But ALL of my thunderbirds have always had UN-Notched saddles....simple geometry. They find their own proper center....and stay centered......and I play aggressive...with a pick...and the strings have NEVER slipped off of the saddles...You must be ripping the strings or have some Monstrous hand technique....
-
Now George has brought the subject back to "wood", a curious quirk is that my PC thru neck is a three piece construction, so more like the original types...? Does anyone know for sure if JAE ever owned one of these early Thunderbirds...?
-
Not to be RUDE, But ALL of my thunderbirds have always had UN-Notched saddles....simple geometry. They find their own proper center....and stay centered......and I play aggressive...with a pick...and the strings have NEVER slipped off of the saddles...You must be ripping the strings or have some Monstrous hand technique....
I don't know in Uwe's case but maybe it depends on the type of strings. Stainless (rounds or flats) are usually hard enough to mark a softer metal saddle enough to keep centered.
-
Now George has brought the subject back to "wood"
You're welcome. :mrgreen:
-
I hope that's a finger.
-
'Fraid not... been a bone of contention round here for some years... :o :mrgreen:
-
I read today that our new US ambassador to Great Britain is the source of some amusement there. "Woody Johnson" evidently is received with some hilarity. One comment was that "...at least he won't go soft on us."
;) ;)