1987 pre-regular line Custom Shop TB IV

[sniper]

i have not paid attention to the back of the "LullBird". the screwed joint does not seem to be as obtrusive as some set or through necks i have seen. nice!

[TBird1958]

You do see screws, it's a very tight neck joint.

I'm not much of an upper fret player, but I do like how that's addressed in Mike's rework. Ergonomics are improved and the bass "plays" very nicely with no balance or reach issues. As I've said before I really belive Gibson has the shape "right" and I can easily spot theirs vs. an Epi, etc. I'm hopelessly in love with 'Birds  

[Highlander]

Talking about body cave-ins and cutaways - post my rebuild the "jack" is in the side, and Mr Cook certainly went more radical with the neck access way back in '72

[Denis]

Congrats on the nifty T-bird!

Those are Fallschirmjäger troops on that King Tiger, by the way.

[eb2]

So, who is going to buy this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/CRAZY-vtg-GIBSON-THUNDERBIRD-bass-GUITAR-T-SHIRT-WOW-/200580631683?pt=Vintage_Unisex_T_Shirts&hash=item2eb3898c83

[Dave W]

So, who is going to buy this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/CRAZY-vtg-GIBSON-THUNDERBIRD-bass-GUITAR-T-SHIRT-WOW-/200580631683?pt=Vintage_Unisex_T_Shirts&hash=item2eb3898c83

If he gets $40 for that, look for Gibson to come out with a reissue for $80.

[sniper]

... Those are Fallschirmjäger troops on that King Tiger, by the way.

Reading about the Fallschirmjager troops and the weaponry they used is very interesting. Especially the developement of the FG 42 rifle and its impact on modern rifles, notibly the M-14, M-60 and variants like the M-39 EMR and the M1941 Johnson machine gun. The FG 42 is the basis of todays assault rifle designs.

Interesting research if you care to follow through.

There has to be a conection to the Gibson Custom Shop T-Bird in there somewhere!!!  

[PhilT]

So, if sustain is about keeping the vibration in the strings - string through the body gives what? Less sustain, more resonance?

[Denis]

Reading about the Fallschirmjager troops and the weaponry they used is very interesting. Especially the developement of the FG 42 rifle and its impact on modern rifles, notibly the M-14, M-60 and variants like the M-39 EMR and the M1941 Johnson machine gun. The FG 42 is the basis of todays assauut rifle designs.

Interesting research if you care to follow through.

There has to be a conection to the Gibson Custom Shop T-Bird in there somewhere!!! 

I think the M60 was developed more using the MG42 as a basis: more of a heavy machine gun. The FG 42 was more of an assault rifle. The early ones had a crazy, extremely angled pistol grip. I'd own one!


Hmm, seeking a Gibson connection to German weapons, maybe the all used "illegally" obtained wood?

[sniper]

So, if sustain is about keeping the vibration in the strings - string through the body gives what? Less sustain, more resonance?

that would explain why i see pictures of string through basses with the e and a through strung and the other two on the bridge or tailpiece or vice versa.

[Iome]

that would explain why i see pictures of string through basses with the e and a through strung and the other two on the bridge or tailpiece or vice versa.

I believe that's done to show you can use the bridge with both systems

[sniper]

oh 

[Dave W]

So, if sustain is about keeping the vibration in the strings - string through the body gives what? Less sustain, more resonance?

Not much string energy will make it past the bridge saddles. Everything makes some difference, at least in feel, maybe an audible difference. But the bridge is where most of the energy is transmitted to the body or not.

[uwe]

I would expect that a string-thru set up gives more sustain as there is greater saddle pressure while non-string thru with less saddle pressure will let the bass breathe more and sound more resonant. As such the set-up in the above pics (which I have seen before on other bridges too) does make sense as more than just a demonstration of what can be done. Deep sounding E and A with lively D and G is a preference of many bassists.

[JZumbro]

I believe that's done to show you can use the bridge with both systems

I've actually done that before though, on purpose. I had a five string bass (never mind the brand....) where the B string in a set of strings was too big and wouldn't fit through the top load hole, but would fit strung through the body. So I had the B through the body and all the rest through the bridge.