I always liked the production functionality in Ray Dietrich's original design: "
Hey, let's make neck and center body one piece and wedge the rest of the body in as wings at the side ...". That is just
so neat (in both meanings of the term). And it must have been something he must have come up with by himself (perhaps inspired by Rickenbacker) - did Gibson ever do a neck-thru before? The reverse look of the Firebird/Thunderbird was of course inspired by the Explorer and not the other way around as one might be inclined to think - Ted McCarty asked Ray Dietrich what he might be able to do with the failed Explorer shape, but that was set neck.
And Dietrich's Art Deco design flourish - he was an Art Deco man ...
... and already retired as an auto designer when Ted McCarty approached him - really gave the Fire-/Thunderbird something. The Explorer had looked strangely modern and bit like a sawed out prop from a 50ies sci fi B movie, but Dietrich's design was more classy than modern. Designwise a Fire- or Thunderbird wouldn't have looked out of a place in a hotel lounge bar band scene in some Raymond Chandler inspired
film noir from the late 30ies or early 40ies with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall just around the corner. The design of that bass (or guitar) is great art, just look at that glorious headstock (for the same reason, I prefer the similar NIKE swoosh to whatever ADIDAS and PUMA do on their sneakers).
In comparison, a non-reverse TBird is to me just another bass with both a nondescript look and construction. With the swoosh turned upside down, adding insult to injury.
PS: If Wilfer dares a rev Bird with a Warwick headstock, I'll have him sent to the
Ostfront.
