The Last Bass Outpost

Okay all,

Here's my "owner's shot" of my '75 Ibanez Thunderbird. The question is: To refinish it or not?
My own thoughts go towards stripping and refinning in some kind 1960's car color, Mopar Blue or Go Mango perhaps. The original finish has seen some better days, the headstock is beat up pretty bad, the area around the jack has a split, at some point it was flipped and set up as a lefty as there's an extra hole in the lower 'bout and there's a stress crack in the finish around the neck pocket.
Were this an older bass I might feel  differently about it, I'm thinking that any value this bass has is long gone, I love kitchy Japanese stuff as much as the person but this thing needs help. what do you guys think?
Of course feel free to suggest other options too  :)




(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1307203611.jpg)

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1307203619.jpg)

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1307203663.jpg)

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1307203671.jpg)

i'd find a good repairman/sprayer and overhaul that little bit_h. might even consider new pups unless you like the present tone. if you don't want to change the pups but wanted a bit more (whatever! growl, deep bass ?) then i'd talk to Curt Novak and see what he thinks he could do for you with those.

Go crazy on this one Mark! BTW how those minis sound? Kinda plonky maybe? :)

Strip it baby!  ;D  You might luck out and the original finish could be nitro - meaning lacquer thinner and some rags vs. the stripper route.  If it's nitro you won't loose all of your grain filler in the stripping process either.

'70s vintage finish, probably nitro.
With the neck pup dimed and no bridge it's quite plonky, which I like - tonewise it's a fun bass, not much like my others which I like  ;)

The best color would be a surf-ey 50s one, it will match its tone better! ;)

Line 'em all up, think of a rainbow, fill the missing gaps... QED

And here I thought you were gonna say tequeila............. ;)

Your more classy than that Ma'am... (except maybe your liver) ;D

edit
Damn... nearly missed that... Mark's Amazing Technicolor Dream Bass...  :P

I have a Klassey liver.........It just likes good scotch anymore :)

The rainbow method would indicate both blue and violet are missing.

I'm thinking major metalflake finish to go with the glam stuff you wear!

Mark, what do you mean by Mopar Blue? Are we talking what is commonly referred to as "Petty Blue", or maybe the ever-popular "B5 Blue"?

I think you need a Marty Bell refin:
http://www.martybellfinishing.com/index.html

I think it's the B5 blue, I saw an old Roadrunner at a car show, I think in that color. 
I've heard a lot great comments on TB about Marty Bell, and one guy has a 'Bird in this insane sparkle paint job, so cool!  Nice website......Maybe! :)

But it may go to Scott's Thunderbird garage as well, if he' up for it  :thumbsup:     

that is one sweet bid. i'd leave it the way it is. but i guess blue would be cool too. and fit you better Mark.

Quote from: TBird1958 on June 05, 2011, 12:41:45 AM

I think it's the B5 blue, I saw an old Roadrunner at a car show, I think in that color.  
I've heard a lot great comments on TB about Marty Bell, and one guy has a 'Bird in this insane sparkle paint job, so cool!  Nice website......Maybe! :)

But it may go to Scott's Thunderbird garage as well, if he' up for it  :thumbsup:      

"Up for it" I'm not saying a word. These are pretty rare, it's the sister to my '76 Ibanez Destroyer. I would leave it alone it doesn't look to beat up to me. The finish on my Destroyer is poly so I bet the Tbird  is also. If you are inclined to refinish it I would be happy to take it, honestly I'd like to take it off your hands ;) It would look bitch'n next to my Destroyer. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/76Ibanezdestroyernewpg001.jpg)

Here you go: 1970 Plymouth Moulin Rouge!

http://www.tcpglobal.com/autocolorlibrary/aclchip.aspx?image=1970-plymouth-pg01.jpg

I'd leave it. I've posted pics of Denis Kipridis playing his Ibanez bird here before. I love the tone that these basses (pups) give you. I had a bit of a plunk on Denis' bird after a Streamliners show a while back. I fell in love with it immediately.

(http://www.thestreamliners.net/wu8.JPG)

+1
Leave it.
Nothing wrong with a few battle scars.

if you go for the refin, do a gold sparkle or a lemon yellow.  if you decide not to refin, you should move it.  a vintage sunburst seems a bit dreary, given your other birds.

Quote from: ramone57 on June 06, 2011, 04:12:36 AM
if you go for the refin, do a gold sparkle or a lemon yellow.  if you decide not to refin, you should move it.  a vintage sunburst seems a bit dreary, given your other birds.

That's just it, I know it's a little rare, but it's just beat up and not in a cool, rightfully earned mojo kind of way, I like mojo. It needs help. Vintage burst is definately not my thing but my Greco TBII is in much better shape and is almost identical - not so likely a candidate for a refin by comparison.