Gibson CS NR Thunderbird

[drbassman]

I would like it string thru! Pups, I'm flexible, as with color. I'd be satisfied with something that is a modern version of the old spirit, it doesn't have to be slavish copy of all historic features.

Slavish?  Yes! I want slavish, old-fashioned, hard core vintage!!!! But I'd probably settle for whatever they come up with.   

[OldManC]

Slavish is how I like my birds (and that works either way). 

[eb2]

Money being money for me, I would never buy one that wasn't a somewhat accurate reissue.  Gibson has polluted the market with inaccurate reissues for years, and lots of really nice and very close 59 Les Paul copies.  So, while a string through Studio bass would be amusing, I would never buy a NR with that, or Precision pickups, or a MM pup, or active electronics, or whatever other stuff proves more popular to the market these days.  I would only veer from vintage on a Dasson bridge to correct Gibson's original stupidity.

Knowing Gibson, doing only a dozen would be a perfect opportunity to do it really right, or for them to screw it up at the last minute.

[uwe]

After having put a foot in my mouth already, I will now stay quiet. You guys toy with your vintage obsessions and whatever (1) you agree on and (ii) get poor Gibson to agree on, I will have one specimen of as well. With chrome or better still nickel hardware of course. 

[bassvirtuoso]

You guys both make good points. Being young still and dreaming about buying my first NEW Gibson for years now, it really brought a smile to my face when I was able to unbox Uwe's BFG Bass this month. Now I would love to do that again, but this time be able to keep one. With that in mind, I honestly don't care how they do the NR as long as it's somewhat accurate with the two-point bridge and *maybe* some chrome hardware. But when it comes down to it, I just want a Gibson that is resonable price-wise and that appeals to me.

My honest two cents: add a third pickup to the bass. Uwe's BFG is amazing with the three pups in there! Ask him! If they could do that on a lighter instrument coughThunderbirdcough, it would be amazing!

[gweimer]

I would like it string thru! Pups, I'm flexible, as with color. I'd be satisfied with something that is a modern version of the old spirit, it doesn't have to be slavish copy of all historic features.

I'd go along with that.  Still, SOMEBODY took the lead and did a nice tobaccoburst finish.  Those are also pretty sharp.  I think a nice Royal Purple would be pretty cool, though.

[Lightyear]

It will be more than $1,200.00 They are not tooling up for a big run

Agreed.  Small run = $3K I'm thinking.

My point was that if they moved into production the original NR's were not any more complicated than the Studios were - i.e. no binding, dot inlay, set neck, flat body, standard HW, elcotronics etc

[uwe]

Anything from the Custom Shop can't be less than $ 3,000 street me thinks. But I'll gladly be surprised!

[the mojo hobo]

These will be Custom Shop models ordered by the House of Guitars. Gibson doesn't have to worry about selling them................................................ the HOG and I do.

I'm in for one, as long as the price is not outragous.

[Hornisse]

It will probably have the smaller headstock as on the current T-Bird and probably the small tuners.  Would be nice if they could pull off a near accurate reissue though.  If there are a limited run of 25 the dealers will scoop them up and mark them up quick, so I think 3K is wishful thinking.  Remember the limited Rickenbacker 75th anniversary basses?  I tried to order one through my local dealer (who said he probably couldn't get one, but he did) and when it arrived the original $2200 price went out the window and he sold it for $4999.  I couldn't fault him for wanting to make $$.

[godofthunder]

Both Bill and I expressed that if they want to sell these they need to make them a close as possible to the originals. I know that if they do small headstocks, different tuners, black hardware etc I have no interest, I only speak for myself. This is not a mass market bass (not that any Gibson is) if this comes to pass it will be a run of 25 being split between two stores.

[Dave W]

Both Bill and I expressed that if they want to sell these they need to make them a close as possible to the originals. I know that if they do small headstocks, different tuners, black hardware etc I have no interest, I only speak for myself. This is not a mass market bass (not that any Gibson is) if this comes to pass it will be a run of 25 being split between two stores.

No way I'll be able to afford one, but I agree that these have to be close to the originals or they might as well forget it. It will be a CS bass at a CS price, there's no reason for them to use standard tooling and modern features to produce it.

[Denis]

Both Bill and I expressed that if they want to sell these they need to make them a close as possible to the originals. I know that if they do small headstocks, different tuners, black hardware etc I have no interest, I only speak for myself. This is not a mass market bass (not that any Gibson is) if this comes to pass it will be a run of 25 being split between two stores.

So, if they split the 25 between two stores (and I'm assuming you mean GC and SA) what is the chance that they won't cost $4000 and not be available to anyone OTHER than GC and SA with their markups? Just sayin'...

I mean, it's not like either of those two stores actually carry Gibby basses at all. 

[drbassman]

So, if they split the 25 between two stores (and I'm assuming you mean GC and SA) what is the chance that they won't cost $4000 and not be available to anyone OTHER than GC and SA with their markups? Just sayin'...

I mean, it's not like either of those two stores actually carry Gibby basses at all. 

Well, I'd like to see them build 400 of them and sell them nationwide, but they don't have the vision for something like that.  We're just speculating right now, so we really don't know squat how this might work out, if at all!   

[Lightyear]

If the first batch are well received then they would be nuts not to do a larger run.

For 25 Gibson will most likely not hand cut any of the wood - it will be all CNC and once the kinks are worked out of the programming the hardest part is loading body and neck blanks.

Geez look at some the fugly geetars they churn out on limited runs