NBD: RNR Thunderbird

Ken · December 28, 2020, 10:57:05 AM

After way too long at the luthier, my RNR Thunderbird is home. This is a 2013 NR that I had converted to left-handed after flipping a photo of one upside down and thinking how cool it looked. Pickguard isn't ready yet, but I'll update this when it is. Due to space constraints and my having no need for a tone knob, it's just VV now. I had a new truss rod cover made for it with the Gibson logo "right side up," but won't put it on until I'm done adjusting the truss rod to my liking.

BTL · December 28, 2020, 11:06:11 AM

What a cool idea, and well executed!

Ken · December 28, 2020, 11:22:35 AM

Thanks!

Basvarken · December 28, 2020, 12:33:42 PM

Looks great.
You could perhaps opt for an output jack on the side and use the third hole for the tone pot?

Ken · December 28, 2020, 12:38:59 PM

Thanks. The luthier initially wanted to put the jack on the side, but decided the front was a better option. I forget why. Might have to do with the belly cut getting in the way. Either way, I have no need for a tone knob, so I'm perfectly happy with it as-is. Just looking forward to the pickguard arriving.

Basvarken · December 28, 2020, 12:45:23 PM

If it works for you it's perfect.

But, how does mounting the output on the side interfere with the belly cut?

Ken · December 28, 2020, 12:59:05 PM

Good question. I really don't remember.

Ken · December 29, 2020, 08:14:23 AM

Properly-oriented truss rod cover.

gearHed289 · December 29, 2020, 08:27:48 AM

Cool concept. Looks great!

Ken · December 29, 2020, 08:32:23 AM

Thanks! Can't wait for the pickguard to arrive.

Dave W · December 29, 2020, 11:27:40 PM

Nicely done. Beats waiting for Gibson to do something.

planetgaffnet · December 30, 2020, 02:02:23 AM

For those of us who can't get their head around how this would look as a left-handed NR then flipped for a right-hander, I took the liberty of reversing the image.

To be honest, I like that a lot...I would maybe have gone with a Babicz bridge for aesthetic reasons, but otherwise, hubba-bubba. Also, that sunburst finish is lush and, to be honest, I wouldn't ruin it with a scratchplate. It looks brilliant as is.

I've been thinking about getting another Lull done at some point and this could be a decent start off (it would need to be an oversized body).

uwe · December 30, 2020, 06:22:42 AM

Never minding your personal predicament and how even in this day and age lefties are obviously left to their handicapped fate

, that mod turned out gorgeous, love the fin too! Makes me want to reverse my bass playing skills!!!

PS: My first year in school was in 1966/67, that was actually also the first year where German schools gave up forcing lefties to be righties based on a new recommendation of the education board that had gone out. But the principal would still make impromptu visits in our class to "check" whether the lefties were really "comfortable" in writing left-handed; not in an intimidating way, but genuinely concerned about what was obviously still deemed as an unfortunate affliction.

One leftie - Ralf - sat right in front of me, I remember the principal bowing down to him and even gently taking his left hand with which Ralf was scribbling/"shoving the pencil" away: "Can you actually write with that?"

No worries, Ralf stuck with writing left-handed - as did all the other lefties in class (I think we had three, two boys, one girl, roughly 10%). I still crack jokes about it. For some reason, attorneys seem to be quite often lefties and whenever I "detect" one at the office I comment: "OMG, you're a lefty, how did that slip through with our HR people?! " Invariably, they crack back: "As creative and smart people tend to be!" These days, they even celebrate it ...

Ken · December 30, 2020, 07:26:55 AM

Quote from: Dave W on December 29, 2020, 11:27:40 PM
Nicely done. Beats waiting for Gibson to do something.

Thanks, Dave. Absolutely. I started this project well before any rumors came about for new Thunderbird-related objects. I probably still would've gone through with this because I don't expect any left-handed options in the pipeline, other than maybe another model year for a "regular" Thunderbird.

Ken · December 30, 2020, 07:35:06 AM

Quote from: planetgaffnet on December 30, 2020, 02:02:23 AM
For those of us who can't get their head around how this would look as a left-handed NR then flipped for a right-hander, I took the liberty of reversing the image.

To be honest, I like that a lot...I would maybe have gone with a Babicz bridge for aesthetic reasons, but otherwise, hubba-bubba. Also, that sunburst finish is lush and, to be honest, I wouldn't ruin it with a scratchplate. It looks brilliant as is.

I've been thinking about getting another Lull done at some point and this could be a decent start off (it would need to be an oversized body).

Thank you! The finish is actually stock. The luthier just thickened the black borders a little to help cover the closed-up control holes on top. I think he did a great job overall. Unless you looked really closely in the light, you would never know it used to be a right-handed bass. Unless, of course, you know what a NR Thunderbird is.

Funny thing about Lulls, as great as they are, this still ended up being cheaper than one, all said and done. Also cheaper than what Gibson is currently charging for Thunderbirds.

The bridge is a personal preference thing. I think the Hipshot looks better than the Babicz. Only thing I would change in the Hipshot is to cut it straight across the front, instead of bowing out to cover the third bolt hole. I'm sure I'd be in a minority in that case. Plus Hipshot saddles allow for string spacing changes, which I take full advantage of. Babicz do not.

I do like very much how this looks as-is, but I think it will look even better with the pickguard. To be continued....