http://cgi.ebay.com/1966-Gibson-Thunderbird-Firebird-bass-Fender-sg-picks_W0QQitemZ230252797417QQihZ013QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I have never seen a real one. They believe it is original. I think black is one color the Non Reverse does not look great in.
Watching, always watching......................... I am ever the doubter, I'm not sure about the finish being original. Never seen a black one, might be might not. $3500 starting bid, over before it started for me.
Oh man, if I had money to burn.............. :P
BTW, chack out the hardware. Looks just like our reproduction tailpieces!
The case looks in nice condition though... thats got to be worth a few hundred dollars!
Stock?... I'd want to see a close up of the serial number, and it to be perfect.
It's funny how these have increased in value in the last few years way quicker than any other Gibson bass
I don't find it funny at all Jules, used to be I had these to myself. NRs have been my main axe since '78. Now with ebay and the web everyone knows how great these are. :-[ Oh for the good old days.
I'm not fond of black with white pickguards on anything but I bet it would look good with a b/w/b pickguard or something like that.
I like the "Fender sg picks" part and this question:
Q: Tell me about the Fender sg pickes. I didn't see that mentioned in the description? May-15-08
A: It is a Fender brand pick,sg is for super good.
Well I can't seem to find it now but a couple of days ago I saw a listing at a vintage store in England for a blacked-out NR Thunderbird. It looked pretty damn cool to me, but then my T-Bird is all blacked out. I think it had a B-W-B guard and the nickel hardware. I think they mentioned refin, and maybe a neck repair, but don't quote me on that. Anyhow, it looked better with the black guard than a white one IMO.
Is this the one?
http://www.vintageandrareguitars.com/web/our-catalogue/Gibson/Electric-Basses/item/3349 (http://www.vintageandrareguitars.com/web/our-catalogue/Gibson/Electric-Basses/item/3349)
That's so funny I saw that bass in person when I went to London. The headstock was badly cracked still or still had all the cracks visible. They also had several other cool Epi & Gibsons.
That shop is about as expensive as they get.... normally a lot more than ebay - i'm surprised nobody has bought that one yet, after all it has been in there for some time, and non rev prices on ebay are catching up
I was in there two weeks ago and the black NR either wasn't there or I missed it - mind you I was concentrating on my 14 year old son not damaging the custom colour Firebird VII he was playing.
That black on black bird looks KILLER!
The white pickguard would look a lot better with the bird logo.
...black too for that matter.
Quote from: Essential Tension on May 17, 2008, 04:02:00 PM
Is this the one?
http://www.vintageandrareguitars.com/web/our-catalogue/Gibson/Electric-Basses/item/3349 (http://www.vintageandrareguitars.com/web/our-catalogue/Gibson/Electric-Basses/item/3349)
Yep! That was the one!
I'm not entirely sure that this is the one that Mike Lull owned, I spoke with him about a 60's NR that he ordered in black back in the day........according to him the ONLY one ever factory painted in black. He played it and kept it for many years, eventually selling it and IIRC Kevin Borden owned for it awhile too...........Mike never mentioned a headstock repair, so I wonder about this instrument.
None the less, I'd be happy to own it!
Another nice one, one of Kevbo's
Love the blue
http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-1966-Vintage-Thunderbird-IV-Bass-Refin_W0QQitemZ170220367389QQihZ007QQcategoryZ64402QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Likewise. Interesting that there are still no bids on it.
Quote from: gweimer on May 19, 2008, 06:35:43 PM
Likewise. Interesting that there are still no bids on it.
Are you talking about Kevin's listing? I see 25 bids at present, but none cracking the reserve.
Don't think he'll get that BIN but if his reserve is reasonable it should sell.
Hard to say from just a few pictures, but that looks like a refin to me - this is my rationale:
- the pickguard is not original - there would be a trace of the original logo, since those are semi-engraved - and why would someone change the pickguard on a bass in that good condition?
- there's no checking in the finish - the only Gibsons from that era I've seen without checking are ones where the topcoat has been removed - I dont think Gibson would have done a custom color and no topcoat - they weren't like Fender, who did stuff like that all the time.
- the milkiness referred is more something that happens to poly finishes - not nitrocellulose nor acrylic lacquer.
krishna
Just a fyi not trying to be a smart ass, Thundebird logos are not semi engraved they are hot stamped with a die and transfer film.
I guess I meant to say "semi-embossed" - and the process you describe would explain what I've observed on 60s Firebirds and T-birds - I was wondering how they did it !!
So no - I dont take that as smart-ass at all - more to properly educate me !
Yay for more guitar trivia !! ;D
Quote from: Dave W on May 19, 2008, 09:42:43 PM
Are you talking about Kevin's listing? I see 25 bids at present, but none cracking the reserve.
Don't think he'll get that BIN but if his reserve is reasonable it should sell.
I'm talking about the one mentioned in the first post. Still no bids on that one.
In regard to that black NR, did anyone happen to notice the first time it was up for auction?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190211566137
:o
I wouldn't have noticed either. Someone at BABP posted it.
How come that kind of stuff never happens to me? I would have kept it!
Yeah, I would've kept that one also. I didn't see it til I saw the post at BABP's either. >:(