The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: wellREDman on November 03, 2023, 03:02:33 AM

Title: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: wellREDman on November 03, 2023, 03:02:33 AM
I'm looking to invest around £2k in a Gibson bass i can hang on my wall and look at, that will not depreciate in value

I'm looking at this bird on reverb, its a bit  younger than i was hoping for, but also a lot cheaper than I was expecting  is there any reason for this? were mid 90s birds pigs for any reason?

https://reverb.com/uk/item/74601496-gibson-thunderbird-iv-1993-vintage-sunburst
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: uwe on November 03, 2023, 09:23:36 AM
Not at all, just not that collectible, at least not yet. And there is probably too many of them in unbroken condition for them to become valuable anytime soon.

You know my theory: If you took a time machine back to the 60ies and left three TBirds - a 60ies one, a Bicentennial and a modern one like you are looking at - in a recording studio, the musicians and the recording engineer would pick the modern one every time for consistency and depth of tone. Not something the vintage gear folks like to hear, but true.
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: Ken on November 03, 2023, 09:37:05 AM
How are the early '90s TB+ compared to the more recent ones?
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: uwe on November 03, 2023, 01:15:15 PM
Less dense. Imagine a slightly brickwalled pup signal for maximal output, that’s the sound of the current generation. The older TB+ had a bit more clarity at the expense of power and perhaps sub-lows. Still plenty rock.
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: Ken on November 03, 2023, 01:18:56 PM
Probably what I liked about the 2001 TB+ compared to my 2013, which I still love.  A friend thinks he has a set he took out of his '91 that he'll give me if he finds them.  Very interested to try those.
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: n!k on November 12, 2023, 11:42:18 PM
I just bought a 1990 Thunderbird and this thread was right about the pickup differences. Made me realize how subtly aggressive the TB+ pups in my '07 are by comparison
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: TBird1958 on November 13, 2023, 08:28:50 AM
Quote from: n!k on November 12, 2023, 11:42:18 PM
I just bought a 1990 Thunderbird and this thread was right about the pickup differences. Made me realize how subtly aggressive the TB+ pups in my '07 are by comparison
 

 Have you by chance had them out of the bass for a look? I'm quite curious at to what design of pickup yours may have compared to my '89s originals. 
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: Ken on November 13, 2023, 09:25:22 AM
Quote from: TBird1958 on November 13, 2023, 08:28:50 AM
 

 Have you by chance had them out of the bass for a look? I'm quite curious at to what design of pickup yours may have compared to my '89s originals.

I have sets of 2001 and 2018 here if you want to see anything.
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: n!k on November 14, 2023, 11:25:18 PM
Quote from: TBird1958 on November 13, 2023, 08:28:50 AM
 

 Have you by chance had them out of the bass for a look? I'm quite curious at to what design of pickup yours may have compared to my '89s originals.

They both look like this, neither labeled.
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: TBird1958 on November 16, 2023, 08:29:49 AM
Quote from: n!k on November 14, 2023, 11:25:18 PM
They both look like this, neither labeled.
 

 Thank you, they're completely different from what was in my '89. There are at least 5 variations that I've been able to find.
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: slinkp on November 16, 2023, 09:18:29 AM
When did they make the ones that look like split pickups (a coil for the low strings and a coil for the high strings, like a P but different) crammed into the black soapbar case?
I have always wondered what those sound like - and what basses they came in.

My only experience of TB-Plus pickups is in my LPB-1 which I believe is circa 1992. Still my favorite sounding bass.
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: planetgaffnet on November 18, 2023, 04:23:43 AM
This is worrisome:

"Wye Fret is a High-end Rare & Vintage guitar shop based in the Mid Wales town of Hay-On-Wye." 

It's right on the border of England and Wales, but definitely in Herefordshire, England.

As you were.
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: Dave W on November 19, 2023, 10:41:08 AM
Quote from: planetgaffnet on November 18, 2023, 04:23:43 AM
This is worrisome:

"Wye Fret is a High-end Rare & Vintage guitar shop based in the Mid Wales town of Hay-On-Wye." 

It's right on the border of England and Wales, but definitely in Herefordshire, England.

As you were.

I'm definitely no authority, but Wikipedia says Hay-On-Wye is in Wales.
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: uwe on November 19, 2023, 07:14:48 PM
Lots of good things come from there:

(https://64.media.tumblr.com/93ef28a6e730996ec7557c7662874283/tumblr_oairfct8F11uap7i3o1_400.gif)

The language is memorable too:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/LlanfairPGsign.jpg/1920px-LlanfairPGsign.jpg)
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: Ken on November 19, 2023, 07:15:41 PM
Are you sure that's not Icelandic?  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: are 93 T-birds any good?
Post by: uwe on November 19, 2023, 08:28:19 PM
Who knows where they scattered their longboat DNA!

In a recent post, døømbåss assured us, however, that it was all very cønsensuål and that it was really only a fragrance attraction.

(https://i0.wp.com/www.bulletproofaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/14-4.jpg)