Greco TBII at Reverb

[Basvarken]

Very rare. Looks to be in good shape.

https://reverb.com/item/5036328-incoming-stock-greco-tb900-1977-sunburst-super-rare

[Granny Gremlin]

OK, but can't you get an actual Gibson for that much?  Granted not a II, and not 60s/70s (which this looks like, but isn't either), but still.

I shoulda bought so much more stuff back in the day when I had disposable income and prices were half.  And that was only like 10-15 years ago.

[Basvarken]

Greco TBIIs are rare as hen's teeth.
And chances on finding a sixties Gibson TBII are as close as finding the Holy Grail. (and would cost about 8 times as much)

[FrankieTbird]

Greco Thunderbirds were selling for about $7-800 when I bought mine a few years back, when you could find one.  Have they gone up, or is the seller overly optimistic?

Gibsons from the '60s aren't very hard to find, it's just that the sellers usually want way too much for them.

[Basvarken]

A Greco Thunderbird with two humbuckers (TB IV), yes. But a Greco Thunderbird with just one humbucker (TB II) just doesn't pop up that often.

As for Gibson TBII; only 713 were made. I don't know how many survived, but I don't really see them very often...

[Granny Gremlin]

I get that.  And I know a lot of folks really lust after the IIs vs the IVs (when it comes to the Gibsons), but I ain't one of those and neither is this bass (it's 80s not 60s); it IS a knock off.  Granted, a very well done and well regarded knock off, but still.  I care not how rare it is (and I'd be surprised if very many people do).  My barf-camo EBhO was also rare, and likewise not a PoS (set neck), still ain't worth nothing.  Granted, demand plays a big part here and the Greco TBirds are much more desirable, but most people will take a modern Gibson TBIV over the Greco TBII for less money; hell even Orvilles are cheaper than that if you must have nickel/chrome hardware - again, that is the IVs vs the IIs, but not that many people give a damn - all it takes is 1 passionate person to hit the BIN however, so fair enough for the seller to try; it's not an outlandish price, just seems a bit high.

[dadagoboi]

How much?  Seems to have disappeared.

[Granny Gremlin]

1.3K and change IIRC

[Dave W]

It's gone. Not relisted under another title, it's nowhere  in Greco basses on Reverb.

[dadagoboi]

1.3K and change IIRC

Crazy.   I paid less than three times that for my '64 five years ago.  Unbroken, with case and shipping.

[Granny Gremlin]

Reverb keeps listings in their DB for a really long time, but give you no easy way (via the site itself) to find them (the price guide is just date/price stats, which is stupid because you can't tell if prices are fluctuating due to condition/included accessories or an actual trend).  BUT you can find them using google.

... Couldn't find the girl we're discussing (it may take a few days before the google bots find the new link after the listing ends) but here is another one from 3 months ago, ended without sale at a lower price - $999 which seems to me to be the top end of about right:

https://reverb.com/ca/item/4213600-greco-thunderbird-bass-sunburst

So not THAT rare (it's not the same one -nice shiny chrome on the pup vs tarnished chrome/nickel on the girl in the OP)

[Chris P.]

one pickup Bird.... great!!!

[FrankieTbird]

I would gladly sell my Grecobird for $1300.  It would take a bit more to get my '64 away from me.

[Basvarken]

When I google for Greco TB900 (the one humbucker model) I get two hits a Reverb. Both for 1500 euro. One is from two years ago and the other 16 days ago. Both sold.

[Granny Gremlin]

WOW.  All I can say is, dem prices high and apparently there are some hardcore Greco fans in the old country.  I wonder if part of the reason for that is that a real TBird is even more expensive over there than over here (always were even when new; import) so they are also rarer, which ups the value of alternatives of high quality like Greco, but only in that region.  That would explain why the US based ones aren't getting the same prices. Note to self: buy Grecos local and sell in Germany/Poland when visiting.