Thunderbird II single pickup 1986 question

[Highlander]

My notes were concerning how much the seller wants to get and how much they are willing to take... the high figure (1/2 a 60's 'Bird) would be a seller's aspirations and the hope for an Uwe (true Kollektor) to step in... your figure is a high realistic starting figure...

Caliban... over to you...

[godofthunder]

   As mentioned early most everyone here is probably somewhat interested in the bass so therefore reluctant to put a figure on it. It's value imho is somewhere a bit less than a '76 or a bit more than a '76 the variable being what is driving a particular buyer to own it.

[Highlander]

You could just take a T4 and turn her into a T2 and barely spot the difference with your skills... 

[uwe]

I'd value it less than a sixties one, but a bit more than a Bicentennial - because of its limited run nature and the single pup (indeed a sidewinder like in the Bicentennials), some people like that look.

And I still have yours, Herr Carlston!

[Dave W]

I'd value it less than a sixties one, but a bit more than a Bicentennial - because of its limited run nature and the single pup (indeed a sidewinder like in the Bicentennials), some people like that look.

And I still have yours, Herr Carlston!

Even with Norlin's problems in general, I find it hard to believe that a Henry-era Bird would sell for more than a Bicentennial.

As always, I could be wrong.

[TBird1958]

It is, I think, a very cool bass. But, I've always really loved the look of single pickup Thunderbirds, white ones make me weak in the knees.

During my visit, it and the Francios Bucholz custom shop were the Birds I really wanted to see. 

[uwe]

The Buchholzbird (literally: beech tree wood, but it's still made from korina  ) is not only a one-off, beautiful and celebrity-connected, but also sounds great, a rare combo in my experience. It has that really warm, yet distinct, velvety tone, it "sings" all over the fretboard and invites legato playing. Would have been a dream as a fretless.

That Gibson never opted for a fretless TBird in all those decades of production baffles me - it's like a TBird from its wood and construction is made for just that.

[OldManC]

And I still have yours, Herr Carlston!

I knew it was going to a good home.

[gearHed289]

That Gibson never opted for a fretless TBird in all those decades of production baffles me - it's like a TBird from its wood and construction is made for just that.

A poorly balanced fretless is probably not a great idea, but I bet that would sound great with a nice ebony 'board.

[uwe]

Remember how the TBird/Firebird range was initially aimed a the serious musician market - those people sit down while playing!



A TBird isn't the most stable balancing bass in the world, but "neck-diver" is overstating it a bit I think. It doesn't balance like, say, a Jazz, but it's not much worse than a Ric either. Dangle in the wind. 

[wellREDman]

is not only a one-off, beautiful and celebrity-connected,

do tell the story ..

[Highlander]

It has a Sting in the tale...

[uwe]

That has been done so often before!  It goes a bit like this, based on inspired by a true story:

"The year is sometime in the early 80ies of the last century - dark and evil forces have conquered the US. The SS-Squad "Skorpion" visits Gibson facilities in Nashville.



Hauptsturmführer Rudolf S. is there to pick up his custom-produced Flying V Vergeltungswaffe - he is pleased with the result: "You Amerikaner do good work under our leadership." Not so his colleague Rottenführer Francis B.: "Ze Donnervogel BaSS was made to the exacting wood specifications - korina - I ordered, but I do not like ze finish!!! I will give you and your men from the spraying booth one more chance before taking reprisals when I return; do not take zis lightly!" So the bass is left behind, but Rottenführer Francis B never returns. It collects dust. Meanwhile, a member of the US resistance movement, Phil J, has infiltrated Gibson under a luthier guise:

Phil:"That bass there, what's wrong with it, not bad looking really, I do like korina as a wood ..."

Gibson co-worker:"Damn Nazis didn't like it." (spits in disgust)

Phil:"In that case, I like it even more. Mind if I work a little on it?"

Gibson co-worker:"Feel free."

So Phil secretively strips the bass (of most likely: Nazi insignia) and it turns into a labor of love of his. He even winds 60ies style pups for it.

Many moons later, the Nazis are defeated, America is once again the Land of the Free, young Phil leaves Gibson for greener pastures and takes the unloved piece of resistance with him as his own private stock. Later still, an unknown German collector gets wind of the whole thing ... and the rest is - as they say - history."

[Viewer advice: Rudolf S and Francis B were never Nazis or members of the SS. No SS entity named "Skorpion" ever existed. In fact much to the contrary: When an American photographer talked the then still young, inexperienced and naive Scorpions into donning Wehrmacht-regalia and gas masks and such for an early 80ies promo shoot, the band were collectively so aghast about the result, they moved hell and high water to not have the pictures released. They cannot be found on the internet today, but I saw one of them in an early 80ies paperback Scorpions fan biography, captioned as "an ill-advised early promo photo shooting for the US the band immediately much regretted and subsequently binned". They all looked uncomfortable in that pic.]

[wellREDman]

 

[gearHed289]

It doesn't balance like, say, a Jazz, but it's not much worse than a Ric either.

STRONGLY disagree. At least in my experience. I was in possession of a Bicentennial for a bit, and I owned a Bach non-rev for a few years. The '76 had more of that "leaning forward" feel, but the Bach was a total neck diver. My Fenderbird OTOH balances perfectly (which has much to do with the 44.45mm thick body).