I have put a deposit on one at the House of Guitars. Some thoughts on the new offering from Gibson. My overall impression is this bass is small ! Feels more like a guitar, build quality over all is good, the mat black finish I am not crazy about, it marks easily. The worn finish offered on some of the SG basses would have been nicer. The pickup spacing has the neck pup closer to the neck and not in the sweet spot, there is limited space for two pickups, I would have liked one pup in the sweet spot. The bass plays well but having played full size Thunderbirds for so long I felt like I was holding a toy and could not help but think of the "toy" Thunderbird Peter Cook made for JAEs son. The bass is sure to be a collectors item but I wonder how much use I may get out of it................................great for sitting on the couch and not smacking the missus in the face with the headstock. Oh Another cool thing is the aside from made in USA, serial #, they stamped they year 2011 on the back of the headstock!
I felt the same about a Fireburst SG Supreme GOTM bass I had. It was a beautiful bass and sounded great- but I couldnt get over how it felt like a guitar compared to my T-birds. I really wished I could have made that bass work for me, but it felt like a toy so I had to let it go to a new home.
Quote from: stiles72 on March 11, 2011, 07:30:26 AM
GOTM
What does that stand for ?
It works the other way around for me. I never felt "at home" with my T-Bird where the SG Basses feel like they were made especially for me .........
Guitar of the Month
Thanks Uwe !
As for sound the bass is no toy, lots of variations from throaty roar to just plain snappy, in large part due to the Ceramic TB plus pups. My favorite3 setting was neck full with less than 1/4 bridge mixed in. There is no hint of neck dive. I like the sharp radius on the body edge and the set neck. Plank like in simplicity in that way it reminds me of a NR. This bass isn't for everyone. Great for smaller players or those who can't manage the reach of a full size bird. For me I bought it as a collectors item. I have no idea how many Gibson will make but I am betting it is a here today gone tomorrow type thing.
I gotta have one.
All lies without pictures.
;D
Can't figure out how to get the picture off my phone :( Waiting for my daughter to get home.
Quote from: Basvarken on March 11, 2011, 09:41:56 AM
I gotta have one.
Perhaps you can intercept the one I send to Uwe as it wings its way over Holland ;)
Quote from: TBird1958 on March 11, 2011, 11:47:08 AM
Perhaps you can intercept the one I send to Uwe as it wings its way over Holland ;)
With Rotterdam so nicely rebuilt and all, that would be a pity, really. :mrgreen:
I'll have to get it "lost" when I visit Ze Office ;)
The Hobbit liberator cometh!!!
I forgot it comes in a very nice black hardshell case with gray lining.
;D
Quote from: stiles72 on March 11, 2011, 07:30:26 AM
Fireburst SG Supreme GOTM bass .
I think Mr. Stiles meant GOTW from the year when Gibson made 400 copies of a special version of their guitars and basses.
Myself, I have no interest in short scale basses.
Quote from: the mojo hobo on March 12, 2011, 06:33:01 AM
I think Mr. Stiles meant GOTW from the year when Gibson made 400 copies of a special version of their guitars and basses.
Myself, I have no interest in short scale basses.
Depends on when it was made. The first year (2007) it was one limited run model per week, after that it became one a month.
Quote from: godofthunder on March 11, 2011, 11:16:39 AM
Can't figure out how to get the picture off my phone :( Waiting for my daughter to get home.
Ah, yes, teenagers - in house tech support! ;D Never a need to call India :P
If you have email setup on your phone you can email to yourself and then you'll have it.
Quote from: the mojo hobo on March 12, 2011, 06:33:01 AM
Myself, I have no interest in short scale basses.
Ditto for me, not any made after 1967 anyway. Almost bought a 60s Dano a few months ago but thought better of it.
Quote from: dadagoboi on March 12, 2011, 10:18:55 AM
Ditto for me, not any made after 1967 anyway. Almost bought a 60s Dano a few months ago but thought better of it.
I wrestled with it being a short scale I doubt I'll get much use out of it, though I don't have much difficulty in going from a long scale to a short. It is such a odd duck I think it's a good one to add to the collection.
Quote from: dadagoboi on March 12, 2011, 10:18:55 AM
Ditto for me, not any made after 1967 anyway. Almost bought a 60s Dano a few months ago but thought better of it.
Dr Fang wakes up, stares at the empty Margarita blender and realizes he does know the hidden meaning behind the new Mahogany tattoo!
Quote from: godofthunder on March 11, 2011, 07:19:46 AM
.great for sitting on the couch and not smacking the missus in the face with the headstock.
Thats an issue I have too, my Birds all stick so far over to the left that its easy to smack someone on stage. Awesome, let me know how you like it when you get it. I agree it will probably be one of those limited edition collector items you won't be able to find in a few years.
Ahhhhhhhhh.......... ;)
Ze good Doctor! So glad you could make it!
Ja mein Freund, ich bin hier :o
(thank you google translator!)
Und Col Klink has arrived with you ;D
Do feel free to share those cool basses of yours with us too!
Quote from: Dave W on March 12, 2011, 08:03:39 AM
Depends on when it was made. The first year (2007) it was one limited run model per week, after that it became one a month.
Ahh yes - sorry GOTWeek - got my Gibson promos mixed up!
Die kleine Donnervogel has arrived! ;D
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1300128671.jpg)
Gibson should have added a little weiner on the 'Bird logo for this model :)
A young bird crawling out of an egg.
I think this is almost cool. How much does this thing run? My thoughts are that in a few years - when hopefully there is that sweet spot between short-run and failed vs limited run and collectible - that I can pick one up for short dough. The Money bass will be there soon I believe. Then I will modificate it into a proper short scale Gibson bass.
That bird is too big on the guard though.
One's strayed into Canada and has landed on evilBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Thunderbird-Short-Scale-Bass-Ebony-NEW-2011_W0QQitemZ330542602930QQcategoryZ33034QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D7797377015182696121)
That pickguard looks chopped up, it's beginning to bother me.
I never noticed, but now that you pointed it out you're right. It looks horrible.
I like the concept, but I think I'll build one of my own someday. I need chrome!!! :vader:
Quote from: Barklessdog on March 17, 2011, 05:47:33 AM
I never noticed, but now that you pointed it out you're right. It looks horrible.
I think they dropped the ball in the looks department.I don't like the offset controls, Pickguard or the two pups. One pickup in the sweet spot would have looks and sounded much better imho. In spit of all that I bought one anyhow.
I hate small barrel tuners, I don't like black hardware, I not really fond of the smaller headstock but still I'm afraid I will get one too ....... ;D ( I like the off-set controls though, but what can you expect of a SG Bass fan .... ;D )
It will no doubt find its devotees as it marries the probably most iconic Gibson trademarks: maho, short scale AND TBird shape. This bass is the antithesis to everything Fender.
Thinking about pickup configurations... Like GOT said, a single pickup would be nice in the sweet spot. But then, shorties sound cool with a pickup right at the end of the fingerboard. SO, I got to thinking.... the SG pup arrangement might be cool on these. ;D
TB-Plus PUPs will be TB-Plus PUPs so what's the use, other than cosmetics ... ;)
More than 20 years into their making and being put on pretty much every Gibson bass in that time (IV/V, TBird reissue, LP Special, LP Standard, EB-650, Money, Grabber II, TB Studio, SG-RI and Standard) a little more variety wouldn't do any harm and I love the TB Plus sound. Still, the short scale will make this baby sound quite a bit different, it's not just cosmetics. TB Plus pups have a certain character, but they don't make all basses sound alike.
With just the neck pup full on it sounds surprisingly EBO ish I just picked mine up this afternoon and am setting it up right now :) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/chairsandbabybird001.jpg)