Short Scale Gibson TBird Questions

[veebass]

Hey guys! Anyone here have a Gibson Shortsale TBird? A friend is after some details for a build he is doing.
What is the neck width at the nut, neck width at the 12th, neck width at the treble end of the fretboard, neck thickness through at the nut, neck thickness through at the 12th?

Also is the neck a laminate like a full scale Gibson TBird?
Is it set neck or neck through?

Thanks in advance.

[Basvarken]

It is set neck.
The rest of the questions can/will be answered by Uwe, no doubt. He owns one.

[veebass]

^ Eggscellent!

[uwe]

In the course of the day ...

Sensible metric measurements or that crappy inches stuff?

[Granny Gremlin]

Wait what - there was a short scale TBird? 

[TBird1958]

You can see it against the wall in this pic of our esteemed Herr Hornung. I was lucky enough to get to play the little fellow before sending it to join it's larger brethren.

[Granny Gremlin]

Cool - tell me more: vintage or modern, weird one off or a prod run and I just missed it?  No doubt Uwe thinks the long scales are better as the short scale would be floppier and less assertive/agreesive like a TBird should be.

[TBird1958]

Well, it certainly plays very nicely if you like T Bird necks (which I do), small and easy to move around on, the headstock is small and it balanced quite easily too. The pups are the usual and in this application played finger style I recall liking them. It was enjoyable to play upstairs in my rehearsal room and I'm sure there are some great band situations for it too - With The Nasty Habits at rehearsal it was not the right bass, but I don't consider that a failing on the part of the instrument. Horses for Courses.   

[Basvarken]

Cool - tell me more: vintage or modern, weird one off or a prod run and I just missed it?  No doubt Uwe thinks the long scales are better as the short scale would be floppier and less assertive/agreesive like a TBird should be.

As with most Gibson bass guitars it was a shortlived affair. The shortscale Thunderbirds were introduced (and abandoned) in 2011. I'm guessing only a couple of hundred were made.

[Dave W]

From 2011: Gibson Announces Thunderbird Short Scale Bass

The article says MSRP was $1549, that was before Gibson went to single MAP pricing. IIRC the street price was $1199. You see a used one for sale now and then, the asking price is usually about the same as it was new.

[ajkula66]

I've been lusting for one of these SS Birds for a couple of years now, but they somehow keep evading me...

[uwe]

Come on guys, a short scale TBird is about as sensible as a Corvette with a trailer hitch or a  submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missile with reverse gear. Everything about a TBird cries LONG SCALE.

Size matters, as if we hadn't known all along.

[TBird1958]

Come on guys, a short scale TBird is about as sensible as a Corvette with a trailer hitch or a  submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missile with reverse gear. Everything about a TBird cries LONG SCALE.

Size matters, as if we hadn't known all along.

Yes, size does matter.
But, it's certainly an interesting little bass that, in the right setting would be fine. 

[Granny Gremlin]

OK I am dealing with some serious GAS right now.  Lucky for me it's all black hardware and set vs thru neck without the raised middle, so that takes the edge off, but still.

I've been lusting for one of these SS Birds for a couple of years now, but they somehow keep evading me...

Same problem with the mandobirds (esp the 8 string); people hold on to them.

[veebass]

In the course of the day ...

Sensible metric measurements or that crappy inches stuff?

Sensible metric by preference, please.