Why are they sticking to black hardware? The 80's are over. What's the deal?They have boxes of it lying around? What do I know ? I can't say I'm surprised. Maybe they have stock in chrome aftermarket parts so they get us coming and going.
...
Availability of chrome hardware cannot be the issue, Grabber II, Novoselic RD and Explorer all had chrome three-point bridges and tuners. I think it is actually a conscious design decision to keep Gibson TBird hardware black. It does have its fans, you know.
Are we already wetting out latex panties for this, Fräulein Rommel?Uwe I will keep you apprised, what color do you want?
I will certainly order one but perhaps Scott can seduce me with this HOG prices ... I have to distribute evenly on the West and East Coast, Mark!
You're afraid I would give the black hardware a stinging review ;)
Scott's got a good line on them, go for it!
Why are they sticking to black hardware? The 80's are over. What's the deal?
Black three point. :rolleyes:
Picky, spiteful girl!
Black three point. :rolleyes:
I reckon the 2 point is one of the defining factors of the NR. Booooo :P
I reckon the 2 point is one of the defining factors of the NR. Booooo :P
I think it is actually a conscious design decision to keep Gibson TBird hardware black. It does have its fans, you know.
Define "far from tradition" - the 3 point was introduced in 1973 and has been in continuous service longer than any other bridge. Except for a phase in the mid eighties - post-RD and pre-TB reissue - it was always employed. It's a Gibson tradition and btw you can intonate correctly with it too, unlike the early TB bridges.
But Herr Carlston! Stringholder and three point is belt and suspenders and looks crowded. If you must anchor the strings somewhere else use string-thru for Chrisssssakes!
String thru is a design aspect I always like. Not because it does wonders for sound - it doesn't -, but because it looks good. And has the side effect of doing away with rattling strings on saddles no matter how low you go with the bridge. To be fair, a separate stringholder with a three point will do that too as the stringholder is alway going to be lower than a three point even at its lowest setting.
Present day my ass!
Leftover black hardware from the '80s!? ;)
I just have the feeling this isn't going to please either camp - modernist or tradionalist.
I'll ride the fence...............kinda like my sexuality, grass is green on both sides ;D
If you have not been out in the world you would know the 80's is back in style. Neon colors and Black. Does not mean I like that look, but Gibson is in fashion now. Hold on to that old shirt or tie and it comes back again.
;)
I want a neon color TB with pitch-black hardware!
Unless it's a vintage model, chrome looks cheap and old-fashioned on a modern car these days. And black hardware on basses is still a feature on a quite a few new boutique basses as well. I find it more of a design statement than clobbering on some chrome. With unfinished wood it goes together extremely well. Nature knows black, but it doesn't know chrome - Silver Surfer excepted of course.
I want a neon color TB with pitch-black hardware!
Unless it's a vintage model, chrome looks cheap and old-fashioned on a modern car these days. And black hardware on basses is still a feature on a quite a few new boutique basses as well. I find it more of a design statement than clobbering on some chrome. With unfinished wood it goes together extremely well. Nature knows black, but it doesn't know chrome - Silver Surfer excepted of course.
I want a neon color TB with pitch-black hardware!
I want a neon color TB with pitch-black hardware!
Dave, that, uhum, Ford Ranger you mentioned, I assume that is pick-up truck, right? (We need an angelic icon here.) Yeah, I bet chrome looks great on those and it's easier to wipe off the blood spots from the deer and coon hunting too ...
Turning to our Seattle chief biologist and how all natural black is actually very dark grey, I always thought that it is in fact very dark blue? But whatever, real dark grey is black enough for me.
Dave, that, uhum, Ford Ranger you mentioned, I assume that is pick-up truck, right? (We need an angelic icon here.) Yeah, I bet chrome looks great on those and it's easier to wipe off the blood spots from the deer and coon hunting too ...
...
Put embarrassed icon here ...
Hey, I was just trying to be my usual sardonic self!!! I was expecting you to be all over me telling me that a Ford Ranger is not a pickup nor does every American - even in more rural, snow-prone areas - drive one.
I did leave the chrome rifle holder in the driver cabin out though!!!
Clichées and preconceptions are your compass through life, I always say, just don't trust the needle always!
In the name of all upstanding forum members, I herewith demand a pic of that Ford Ranger, so we can deliberate on its chrome garnishing!!!
Ah...the heck with all of you with your Black Vs. Chrome...How about GOLD???????? Huh??????
;D
Chrome rifle rack? Is that what it is? I thought it was an umbrella holder. ;D
In ze old country, it holds a Heidelberg dueling saber.
I've not been without a pickup truck since 1984, when I bought a '59 Studebaker Scotsman. Studebaker made and sold the truck so cheap in part because there were no frills, not even a heater. The "Studebaker" name was in chrome and that's it.
As long as the hardware isn't pink, I bas(s)ically don't give a rat's ass. And even pink could look interesting on an all-black bass. Neon-pink with matching DR strings.
Man, I truly wish Inverness Green was an option!
:mrgreen:
You mean like my '68???
Now all I think about is plowing!
I ordered mine! In sunburst.Nice! I am starting to think one of each :)
drbassman,MAP (minimum advertised price) is 1,199.00. I think you can do better at the HOG. Now you will have to pay sales tax (ugh) and shipping so keep that in mind. I'm told only 300 are being made I have no idea how many will make there way to GC and MF.............................. if at all. My thoughts are if you want one get one while you can. Who knows in 4 months you may see these up on ebay for a steal. Me I'm gett'n while the getting is good.
How much did it end up costing, if you don't mind me asking of course?
drbassman,
How much did it end up costing, if you don't mind me asking of course?
Didn't Gibson make pink Q-80s with black hardware?
Now all I think about is plowing!
I'm a little embarrassed to say that I don't even ask. I, like Scott, practically live at the shop and they give me great discounts as I've probably bought 25 basses there over the last 5 years. I just call, tell them what I want and we settle up when it comes in. It's a great relationship we have built up over time. I am a newby compared to Scott who grew up around the corner from the place. If the list is around $1200, they'll give you a good deal off that I expect.I guess I did grow up there! As a kid I bought records and stuff and then my first bass. I started working there in '76 and on and off through '86 and still maintain a business relationship with them, well friendship really I've know these cats alooooong time. I am not sure of list price, MAP is just under 1,200.00.
I think she just woke up like this one morning and had no real explanation.
Also explains the Greek deficit. What do you expect to get done with farm help like her?
MAP (minimum advertised price) is 1,199.00. I think you can do better at the HOG.
Now all I think about is plowing!
I've got the chrome hardware all ready for mine, including Orville TB pups.
I'm sure that will look great Bill!
You may want to try Mike Lull or Jason Lollar pickups instead..Those Orvilles are Noisy....
You may want to try Mike Lull or Jason Lollar pickups instead..Those Orvilles are Noisy....
I think Baz is just trying to liberate those "noisy" Orvilles from Bill ;)
I think Baz is just trying to liberate those "noisy" Orvilles from Bill ;)
has anyone compared the tone of thunderbuckers to lull pickups? i sure like the 66 thunderbucker i got.
has anyone compared the tone of thunderbuckers to lull pickups? i sure like the 66 thunderbucker i got.
Damn, Mark!! Those are fantastic cuts! You get a fantastic sound out of that T-bird, and the whole band sounds great.
My store told me when I ordered mine that Gibson told him it would be 6 months.
Plenty of time to save up for one!I was thinking the same thing.
Baked Maple fingerboard? What the hell? :o
The funniest thing about it is the strap button still on the upper horn. Everyone has known since the 1960s that's a bad idea on Thunderbirds of any kind!
The funniest thing about it is the strap button still on the upper horn. Everyone has known since the 1960s that's a bad idea on Thunderbirds of any kind!
Ahhhh! the penny dropped as I was getting into bed last night. Gibson are using Baked maple for fingerboards because they dont have enough Rosewood due to the lawsuit. Strange days....... ???
does anyone know what kind of tonal difference using baked maple instead of rosewood might cause,if any?
They were using baked maple and granadillo on some models. Now they're using laminated rosewood on some models. May take a while to get things sorted out.
I don't know. Baking it may give it a little more surface hardness which may affect tone, but it still won't be as hard as a rosewood.
"Which is why maple boards usually have a paint finish on them."
I thought that was only to keep them from all dirtying up because of the lighter untainted wood?
It's Shedua, sometimes referred to as Ovangkol.
....
What has bugged me on the fretboard material of Gibson basses in the last decade is that the boards shrink more than they used too, almost all my new basses get spiky after a while. No idea whether that is more specific to ebony or to rosewood and whether baked maple will shrink more or less.
It's not specific to either wood. It's not happening with other guitar manufacturers anywhere near as often as you hear it happening with Gibson. Whether it's the quality of the wood they're buying or some problem with the way they handle it or age it is anyone's guess.
It's not specific to either wood. It's not happening with other guitar manufacturers anywhere near as often as you hear it happening with Gibson.
People also tend to bitch about certain things while giving other things a pass, even if they issues are the same.
Back in the early '90s an industrial designer friend of mine attended an auto show and met an engineer who worked in the plant where the Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser and Mitsubishi Eclipse were built. The engineer said dealers received a fraction of the complaints about the Mistubishi Eclipse than they received received about the Eagle and Plymouth despite the fact they were made by the same people on the same assembly line.
Another example would be my former boss. She complained endlessly about her VW Golf she bought new. She finally got rid of it and bought an Accord. The Accord went to the shop at least 4 or 5 times for a window which refused to roll up or roll down. She NEVER complained about that.
I've noticed that the fret ends can stick out more during the really cold dry winters we have here in Upstate NY. With -45% humidity and forced air heating, our homes and businesses are very dry and shrink happens! Typically, things calm down as soon as spring hits and the frets are fine with minimal dressing of the edges. We even have to worry about our acoustic guitars cracking, etc. during our winters! What a pain!
This is a possibility with Gibson. You may hear about it more because Gibsons are more expensive and buyers expect more. OTOH Uwe has had enough experience with this happening that there may be something wrong somewhere in the process.
Winters here are just as cold and dry. It can and does happen, though not always. OTOH from what I've read, and from what Uwe is saying, there may be a problem that's not just related to low humidity.
Well, start with very young trees that were forced to grow as fast as possible in a plantation like setting as compared to a tree that grew in the rain forest for decades in a truly natural environment. The latter will not have tight growth rings and the former will have wider rings from forced growth. Also, smaller logs do not lend themselves to being quatersawn so you're forced to flat sawn stock that moves more.
"Baked maple" reminds me of potato chips. :)
...Once a bass is ten or more years old it does stop however.
I too have noticed that 10 years seems to be the magic amount of time for a neck to stabilize and start behaving.
Mmmmmmm.........stiff wood ;)
That reinforces the point about improperly dried wood. The modern process is much speeded up compared to when lumber didn't go from tree to kiln so quickly. This allowed an initial stabilizing period of air drying, especially imported logs that had been cut a long time before they got to the kiln.
Still waiting.................................
Yeah, I've heard that mentioned before but in the last factory tour video that was posted Jim Hall says something along the lines of "Billybob here is assembling necks on basses by install karflamulated maple between two pieces of maple". I'll have to dig around for the video again - my memory has failed me before :rolleyes:
Baked maple may be an alternative to rosewood but it's just isn't the same - now if it were impregnated with some type of resin or polymer that truly altered its tonal and wear characteristics....
Found it here at 6:07 : http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=6870.0
JH is talking about a 330/360 neck something along the lines of "...laminated neck with radified maple" ? ???
He's saying retified. See this RRF discussion from earlier this year: http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=403942
Very interesting, since he says it's harder and more stable. The linked pdf gives some further detail. That doesn't mean this is what Gibson is doing, but it certainly could be.
Thanks Dave! The PDF was very interesting and to my mind this sounds like what Gibson is doing. Retifcation is a registered mark of a French company and it looks like the French did indeed develop this concept. After reading the article I'm less skeptical of the baked maple than I was and I have to say I'm somewhat optomistic about it even though the article stated that some slight loss of mechanical strength is expected. The true test will be several months of testing with some round wound Rotosounds ;)
I chatted with Kurt at the HOG yesterday and he was on the phone with the Gibson rep. The rep said a couple months for the NR and then the Midtown basses will come out after that. For what it's worth, these guys are never right in my experience. So, take it for what it is.
It's not on any US retailers' sites yet AFAIK.
I've checked Gibson's website each week in case these showed up. Now that I see pics, I'm tempted to switch my order from blue to burst.
I notice the fretboard is rosewood, not baked maple, according to the specs.
Kurt told me that! You could buy one then send it back to Gibson and for 2k they'll paint it whatever you want!
I've checked Gibson's website each week in case these showed up. Now that I see pics, I'm tempted to switch my order from blue to burst.
Kurt told me that! You could buy one then send it back to Gibson and for 2k they'll paint it whatever you want!
I've checked Gibson's website each week in case these showed up. Now that I see pics, I'm tempted to switch my order from blue to burst.
I notice the fretboard is rosewood, not baked maple, according to the specs.
its kind of odd that they did a bridge / tailpiece for the les paul bfg bass but did not put it on here.
Given my experiences with the Custom Shop I severely doubt that. The notion that if you throw money at Gibson, then they will do it for you seems to be overtly romantic. :-\Years ago, mid 80's maybe I contacted Gibson to refin my '68 NR Thundebird II, back then they said S1,200. I almost choked. Maybe now they are not so willing ?
DAMN!!! How can you contact him???
Must be getting closer:
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Bass/Gibson-USA/Thunderbird-Studio-Non-Reverse-Bass.aspx
Wow, Gibson's already taken that link down and the NR is no longer listed on their page.
I was mistaken...the NR is relegated to the last page, even after the Epis.
Sweetwaters site has some detailed pics of a Pelham Blue NR. From the photos, it looks like the grain is really pronounced on the body. For anyone who has one, are those just visible through the clear, or can you feel the texture? On my IV, the body and back of neck are smooth, but the trim around the headstock is textured.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BANTPBCH/
(http://www.sweetwater.com/images/closeup/xl/1600-BANTPBCH_detail1.jpg)
no, the new LP Jr shaped model. I got the models confused! :P
The naming of the EB line was always unfortunate and logic-defying.
It does on mine, but I hadn't noticed it until reading about it in this thread, so I looked for it and found it.
I thought you Gibson guys liked seeing the mahogany grain through the finish....?
Some do. I doubt if most do, especially on a more expensive guitar or bass. Gibson has filled the grain even on its less expensive models until a few years ago. As a sometimes woodworker, I don't mind it, but it goes against tradition in guitar building.
They wanted to name it "lame attempt to design something sort of like the original doublecut Junior EB-0" but wisely decided on EB-11 instead. :P
Man, I stop paying attention for a few years, and tie up my disposable income in a mortgage and fathering a kid, and THAT's when Gibson decideds to put out/reissue all the basses we've been lusting for for years (this, the EB2 reissue and the NR TB). Please at least tell me it was long scale (not really a fan of Pelham Ble and it having a bridge pup).
Sorry still catching up here.
I agree with Dave. I don't mind seeing the grain, in fact the grain on my NR is beautiful. But seeing the finish falling into the grain and being able to feel it is another story. On my NR burst, they did a really nice job filling and finishing. Nothing like the blue one above.
+1 I don't mind seeing the grain, but don't think I'd want to feel the texture of it
If you can see the wood grain under a solid or metallic color, you can feel it. Different story with stain, clear or clear over stain finishes.
IMO, Gibson should be able to fill grain on any instrument with less than an hour of labor per unit and very little material expense in an industrial setting. Of course it takes the right equipment and properly trained labor.
The mind (my mind at least) is a funny thing. When I held my first Gibson TBird in hand in 1998, I was horrified at the wavy kitchen brush paint job with dents in the wood and all. These days I like that and rate high gloss ultra-even finishes as cheap along the lines of "what are they hiding underneath it?"
....
Afterthought: Depending on placement, string-thru can sure affect my tension! :-*
2nd on the nickel - the patina it develops over time is great. Chrome is more expensive and rusts/pits over time.
I just don't understand how Gibson could ship a bass with mixed hardware like that. Who thought that was a good idea?
And you don't even likebondagebinding.
Silly question. Gibson's decisions on material combination are not based on something as fickle as a "good idea", but on inventory necessities!
Besides, that bass is already now highly collectible. And in 20 years from now some kid on a forum will shoot off his mouth when he sees it on (Appl)e-Bay:
"That can't be original, they wouldn't have mixed chrome and black hardware, the seller is a liar."
...
Didn't people think CBS-era Fenders were crap when they were new? Now look how much they are going for. Ridiculous.
I just looked over there and found it. Bizarre that they shipped it with chrome bridge but black tuners.
I'd deem it collectible! Cock-ups (I use the term in all innocence) like that are nice.
Give me a week and I'll have one too. :mrgreen:
These are just as collectable as D-Day painted GI helmets but a lot easier to fake.
Anybody have a chrome 3 point they want to sell?
Now what are you going to do if you get a mismatched one from the factory? Better document yourself opening the package or no one will believe it! ;D
Enough about Gibson. You guys know that they're just imitating the real thing from Czech Republic... :mrgreen:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/228305_255636771231435_1198867843_n.jpg)
(in a sniggering tone) Yeah, with a maple neck!
(in a sniggering tone) Yeah, with a maple neck!
How Id I miss this new Bach? Looks great Rob. I hate to say it but Ihas more in common with a real 60's NR Than Gibsons latest offering.
Nope. Mahogany all the way!
I have a vintage B&CH with maple neck then!!! Very rare.
Will you take CAD at parity with the Euro? ;D :rolleyes: :-\Almost Jake!
Yes, only 50 were made of this first series!
Now you need a full mahogany one too :rolleyes: :mrgreen:
So the first 20 Bachs had maple necks? So, is this breakdown correct?
Series I: 20 made in white, thick body, no belly cut, thick maple neck, mahogany body, single pickup
Series II: 30 made (10 black, 10 white, 10 Sonic Blue), thin body, belly cut, thin mahogany neck, mahogany body, single pickup
Series III: Unknown number made (Trans Cherry with single or two pups and Honeyburst with single pups), thick body, no belly cut, thick mahogany neck, mahogany body.
Series II: 30 made (10 black, 10 white, 10 Sonic Blue), thin body, belly cut, thin mahogany neck, mahogany body, single pickup
Hi Guys & girls, I stumbled accross this post yesterday and thought I'd join up. I'm the guy from that other site with NR with mixed chrome and black hardware. I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next guy but I'm afraid I'm not trying to dupe anyone. I cant explain why Gibson sent out the bass the way they did or why they printed labels with "chrome" on the hardware description. I'll try to post a pic of the bass that was sent to me when I bought it. Reguardless of why or how they did it I really like the look of the chrome, I'm toying with the idea of swapping out the tuning machines just to see what it looks like.
Anyway, love my gibsons. In addition the 3 birds I've also got a '79 Ripper and an early '67 EB-3 that was built to '66 specs...but that's a whole 'nother consipspiracy :mrgreen:
Now back to talking T-birds, Love the look of those Bach's!
Thanks for the welcome all, Not to Hijack the thread but here's an old shot of the kids on the back porch before the NR came along.
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n614/tlkroon/P1010565.jpg)
Now back to talking T-birds, Love the look of those Bach's!
When stripping it, I found that my "series II" actually had a thin maple neck!
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/thunderbird/refin/DSCF0008.jpg)
Scarf joint too:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/thunderbird/refin/DSCF0034.jpg)
Welcome Atlas 66!!
Thanks for the welcome all, Not to Hijack the thread but here's an old shot of the kids on the back porch before the NR came along.
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n614/tlkroon/P1010565.jpg)
Now back to talking T-birds, Love the look of those Bach's!
As long as this has turned into another thread where we show our spiffy NRs... ;D
Honestly, I think I like NRs more than regular T-birds.
Series II, Sonic Blue. It's not really such a light blue. This one is hard to photograph!
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/BaCH-TH1%20Sonic%20Blue/SonicBlue.jpg)
As long as this has turned into another thread where we show our spiffy NRs... ;D
Honestly, I think I like NRs more than regular T-birds.
Epi NR. Gone, but certainly not forgotten!
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/DSC05949a.jpg)
I had the 5 string version of that.............
I didn't get on well with that bass.
I had the 5 string version of that.............
I didn't get on well with that bass.
I still have it. They should have called it USS TBird given neck width and weight. Gives new meaning to the word neck-heavy, right up there with a Kramer alu neck. But unsinkable at Pearl Harbour, no doubt.
I had the 5 string version of that.............
I didn't get on well with that bass.
Is there a bass in that photo? I'm all eyes for the girl in the olive drab and the boots!
I played one for a while as well. The spacing was very tight! I can pretty much deal with any type of spacing on a 5 string but that was pushing it. Had the original case too which was huge!
(http://i45.tinypic.com/2h4m4ja.jpg)
Here is a Halloween gig pic from several years ago. I'm certain it will catch Uwe's eye!
Why should it catch my eye? Ace Frehley is overrated as a guitarist and not nearly as good as Ritchie Blackmore.
Sorry to resurrect this thread, but has anyone in Europe ordered/received one of these yet? My order has been on with Key Music in Belgium for a couple of months now...they're expected mid-January. No one else seems to have stock (yet).
Happy New Year too!
P
Perhaps it would be best to do what we do for Uwe. Buy it here and then ship it to Europe.
I got an e-mail (from Key) yesterday saying end of January. I do wonder how hard it can be to get these into Europe.
P
I have an email from Session Music, I'm picking mine up tomorrow!
I have an email from Session Music, I'm picking mine up tomorrow!
Just checked the Key Music site. Pelham Blue models in stock now. Can't be long for my VS can it?
P
Which BaCH are you comparing with the '67 and the RI, a TH-2?
With the arrival of My New Gibson NR and my Cataldo NR so close together I am afraid my Gibson has barley seen the light of day. ;D
I need the "Love that dare not speak it's name" ;D
or anyone's son?
Let's try this again. Maybe Uwe will jump in.
The love that shall not be named and "Anyone's Daughter". I thought someone would connect the dots...
Very nice! Funny how different the blue ones look depending on the light.
Ritchie Blackmore!!! The song is his tribute to Albert Lee btw, he rated Lee very much.
Very nice! Funny how different the blue ones look depending on the light.
I've finally picked up my "Bluebird"
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/Demonturtle/bluebird.jpg)
This is beautiful!
That picture really makes the blue look nice!
Heads up if anyone is looking - AMS has a returned/scratch n dent blue NR for $899
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-GIB-BANT-LIST
Mine is making it's way across the country now. Set to arrive on Monday! Zzounds.com had a scratch and dent when I ordered mine as well. But they're also offering a 12 payment plan with no interest on a number of Gibson basses including the NRs and the gold top LPs.
The reason AMS and Zzounds both have a scratch and dent is because it's the same bass. Same Day Music , AMS and Zzounds are three different companies sharing the same inventory and warehouse.
I've always bought from AMS because they offer an extra year's warranty on most items, although I've never had to use it.
The 12 payment option is nice, but it's not exactly zero interest. True, AMS doesn't charge you any interest, but they bill whatever credit card you use in 12 installments, and your credit card does charge interest. So unless you pay at least your minimum credit card payment due plus the billed amount in full every month, you'll be paying interest.
Europe update. Key Music advise that Gibson Europe are quoting production difficulties in the US and are giving February 25th as the delivery date for the VS and (hold your breath) June '13 for the Pelham Blue.
Ho hum.
P
And he seems to think the volute is "really really cool" ;)
The GC NAMM video shows off an NR. Not a lot of real info, but nice to see some basses...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUEf_ie0dvQ
Did anybody notice how he says about the SG Standard bass: "We've got it in long scale, we've got in short scale ..."? ??? At 2:40. Is that just a gaffe or is he maybe referring to the Epi EB-3 or is there something out there we don't yet know of?
So if there are rules, why is volute not pronounced like tribute, but rather like dilute? Explain the differentiation to me, I'm eager to learn that most confounding secret of the English language.
there are rules but no one pays attention to them. :rolleyes:
Rules are meant to be broken. The rules say tribute should be pronounced like dilute. I don't know why we pronounce tri-bunal and trib-ute the way we do.
Some people in Minnesota pronounce "Duluth" as "Dilute".
How I envy you.
I'm seeing the original Quo-oho-ho-ho at Wembley Arena on March 17!!!!!!
Will Francis recognize me from 1976 in Wiesbaden? ??? ??? ???
I think mine was $1195. Given that Gibson made 400 of them I'm pretty sure you'll never lose money on one. And yeah, a vintage NR really does cost 2-3x this price! Unless you're REALLY lucky.
It's decently priced. Not too many years ago Gibson would have priced it higher. I'm not sure though whether there is a market for 400 Non Rev buyers so there is a chance that a few of them might crop up on Ebay in, say, half a year at lower than a thousand bucks.
If not, I'm to blame, I recommended it. :-X
It's not Victory-style heavy! That bassy substance (more than both an original or a B&CH would have) has to come from somewhere.
Too heavy basses --- tsk, tsk, tsk ... are people in this forum getting old or what? :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
4) Sound...tough for me to describe right now since it was a small amp....but it is a pleasant surprise (again, what 4003??)! It's similar to the bird, but different. I'll have a real idea when I rehearse on Thursday. Bridge pickup only dials in a nice jazzy tone. Seems tighter like the Money bass I had.
Hmmm. Mine was just mud. It's well documented elsewhere. Took it to my tech and he replaced all the guts with decent pots. The Gibson pots were just sucking all the life out of it. Tonally (now), it's Thunderbirdish, but phatter, probably due to the body mass. I like it a lot (now), but it's never going to be my go-to bass.
P
To me, no Non Rev will ever sit as good as a Rev, but it is not an uncomfortable bass. My B&CH though would have been drafted as a Czech national into a Stuka squadron no doubt. The body is just too light. Almost as bad as an Epiphone Embassy.
E....
m.....
b....
a.....
s.....
s......
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
y!!!!!!!!!!!
They should have called it "Epiphone Gravity"!
That's really interesting. I'd say that it seems more focused overall, but tomorrow's the bigger test.
Well....non-rev won'em over. But a couple liked the 4003 look better.
Even the idoltry prevalent in this forum hasn't made me blind to the fact that a Non Rev is one ugly duckling of a bass. Always has been, always will be. But nature inevitably compensates and it has redeeming qualities.
Very true Uwe, I fell in love with the bass for the sound and the feel not it's looks. The NR has become part of my playing style and image over the years, I dare say it suites me.(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/JOHNNYSMOKEBuffaloNYwaterfront8-19-13057.jpg)
It just looks ... quaint. Everybody owning one should get a medal for the "obviously not concerned about looks "-person he/she is. It does have a coolness factor to it though.
Let's agree on that they have a cult following.
Let's agree on that they have a cult following.
Can't put mine down. If I had the cash I'd grab a blue one.
My burst has the two volume and tone all in a row...with the jack on the bottom. Most I see don't have it configured that way. It's like this:
(http://blog-imgs-32.fc2.com/f/e/n/fender1961/b91f_1.jpg)
Finally got round to making some new pics of the Pelham Blue BaCHbird.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1097940_371752676286510_982709520_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1094801_371752642953180_366691751_n.jpg)
(https://sphotos-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/533704_371752629619848_1093434405_n.jpg)
Yes, Scott (GOT) makes them.
And I have a guy in The Netherlands who makes them for me.
Pretty. Out of curiosity, does anyone make replacement guards (with the TB logo on them) for NRs? I know everyone will say let the elements take their course, but the slab of white on my VS is overbright...sunglasses bright...I'd love a more creamy one.
P