Gibson 2018 bass line-up - busy times for Uwe and Basvarken

[BTL]

The Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro is pretty sweet:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EBTVAWNH

[Basvarken]

Looks great!

I wonder how many Gibson trussrod covers there will be sold... 

[Chris P.]

White one is really cool.

I often think when guitars sales will drop. After some years, there must be more Strats than people. Saturation? Having said that I think the world has changed enormously. Around 20 years ago most people had one or two guitars. Now I see more and more young people with several guitars and even basses: vintage, second hand and new (*). Besides that in those years the Dutch population grew from 15 to 17 million, all Eastern European countries got better economics and access to western guitar brands. Russia, China and some more countries became big economies.

(*) When I started in bands all local musicians had a black Squier strat or a black cheap LP Studio, fed into a Marshall Valvestate. Now all youngsters I see have Tele, Strat and Gretsch, some vintage stuff...

[Granny Gremlin]

It's not so upsetting. At least this news is balanced out by an almost faithfully reproduced Thunderbird by Epiphone. Honestly, does anyone believe Gibson would have done any more of a capable job with it than what Epiphone could produce at a fraction of the cost? It's just a shame we'll be stuck with an Epiphone badge and have to settle for something not made in America.

Yep.  The Bonamassa ltd ed Firebird 1 is very nice on all accounts - all the tobaccoburst ones are sold out, only a few of the polymist golds remain.  ... For an Epi they were a bit high-priced, but still half of what a Gibson would cost, and the fit/finish was excellent they say.  If that 60s reissue TBird we saw promo pics for is anywhere close to that (and with no new TBirds in the last 2 model years) I bet it'll sell rather well.  As I said on a guitar forum in a Bonamassa FBird thread; I expect a bull market in Gibby truss rod covers in the next year (...and Rob beat me to it here).

[Dave W]

White one is really cool.

I often think when guitars sales will drop. After some years, there must be more Strats than people. Saturation? Having said that I think the world has changed enormously. Around 20 years ago most people had one or two guitars. Now I see more and more young people with several guitars and even basses: vintage, second hand and new (*). Besides that in those years the Dutch population grew from 15 to 17 million, all Eastern European countries got better economics and access to western guitar brands. Russia, China and some more countries became big economies.

(*) When I started in bands all local musicians had a black Squier strat or a black cheap LP Studio, fed into a Marshall Valvestate. Now all youngsters I see have Tele, Strat and Gretsch, some vintage stuff...

So true! Very few people I know had more than a couple of guitars or basses until sometime in the 90s, then things changed quite a bit within a few years. The only area where new guitar sales are dropping now is the under $200 category.

Only question I have about the new Epi Bird and Embassy is how they sound. Claiming that they sound like their 60s counterparts is fine, but I'll believe it when I hear it.

Meanwhile, here's an example of what Henry has in mind: your basic slab body LP Special, originally a student model, now available as a Gibson Custom model in Firebird finishes. Yours for only $3500! 

[Pilgrim]

Meanwhile, here's an example of what Henry has in mind: your basic slab body LP Special, originally a student model, now available as a Gibson Custom model in Firebird finishes. Yours for only $3500! 

That would make a very nice $600-$800 Epi. Over $1000, I can't see the appeal. The color is nice but it doesn't look more appealing than a Squier Vintage series instrument to me. Henry isn't going to sell $800 guitars for $3500.

I can't see that it looks more appealing than a Squier Vintage Modified Strat at a street price of $349, but since the Gibby has a nitro finish and a set neck, I'll give it a $400 bump in value over the Squier: call it street price of $749.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratVMRSG?adpos=1o1&creative=55280243281&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&product_id=StratVMRSG&gclid=CP_O5vqy49QCFc22wAodzfYC4g

[Dave W]

That would make a very nice $600-$800 Epi. Over $1000, I can't see why anyone with cognitive activity would buy it. The color is nice but it doesn't look more appealing than a Squier Vintage series instrument to me. Henry isn't going to sell $800 guitars for $3500.

IMHO more like a nice $600-$800 Gibson or a $300-$400 Epi. 

Henry always takes advice from Henry.

[TBird1958]

I think the new Epi will be quite nice esp. at that price point, and in it's own right a nice bass, as good as an original '60s, no, no way.
It'll just be a nice new bass to have and like the "Classic" version the QC will likely be pretty good (certainly better than most contemporary Gibsons), in terms of finish and fit. I have one coming and will probably leave it bone stock including the TRC, nothing to be ashamed of in owning and playing it out.

[Pilgrim]

IMHO more like a nice $600-$800 Gibson or a $300-$400 Epi. 

Henry always takes advice from Henry.

I agree. That's not a guitar with any features that justify a price over $1000.

[Highlander]

Not seeing much about it over here, let alone a UK price...

[westen44]

Not seeing much about it over here, let alone a UK price...

I was reading somewhere that people might be able to pre-order from GAK.

https://www.gak.co.uk/

[OldManC]

I have one coming and will probably leave it bone stock including the TRC, nothing to be ashamed of in owning and playing it out.

Hear hear!

[uwe]

I play all my Epis with pride. Some of them sound better than their Gibson counterparts.

[copacetic]

This is a chance for the Epiphone Elitist series in Japan to stir it up and take the stand.

[Highlander]

I was reading somewhere that people might be able to pre-order from GAK.

Not showing up yet Michael...