Q. What makes the perfect Thunderbird...? Discuss...

dadagoboi · June 04, 2011, 07:51:03 AM

Epiphone and Gibson in the 60's were like Ford and Mercury from the late '70s on. Same car mechanically made on the same assembly line from the same parts. Only cosmetically different. Ditto GMC and Chevy pickups...the trucks not the musical contraption

Dave W · June 04, 2011, 08:56:32 AM

Except that Ford always outsold Mercury.

I've always heard the same thing about Gibsons and Epis of that era.

Stjofön Big · June 04, 2011, 09:39:54 AM

Does this mean that the reversed T-bird had nickel pup covers, while the non-revs had chrome? $:-\$

godofthunder · June 04, 2011, 10:14:31 AM

Quote from: Stjofön Big on June 04, 2011, 09:39:54 AM
Does this mean that the reversed T-bird had nickel pup covers, while the non-revs had chrome? $:-\$

Non reverse hardware is usually a mixed bag. some chrome, some nickle. My since sold of mint '66 had nickle tuners chrome pup, chrome bridge and nickle neck pickup cover. Looked like no rhyme or reason to me just what was available. the closer to '69 you get the more chrome you are likely to see.

dadagoboi · June 04, 2011, 10:35:51 AM

my '66 Embassy the same, all chrome except nickle tuners. Put the tuners on my '65 Reverse which was the other way round, all nickle except for tuners. Go figure.

Basvarken · June 04, 2011, 01:15:52 PM

Quote from: gweimer on June 04, 2011, 05:40:23 AM
From what he told me, there were some guitar models that didn't get a name tag until the final stages of production. You didn't know ahead of time whether a guitar was going to end up a Gibson or Epiphone.

I can't imagine that story you heard was about the electric guitars an basses.
When you start building an electric guitar or bass, one of the first things you do is define the shape it's going to be. So Gibson/Epiphone would have to choose which templates for the body and headstock they were going to use right at the beginning.
Most Epiphones had totally different body shapes and headstock shapes than their Gibson brethren.

I guess it could be possible the body shape of some of their semi-acoustics could end up on either a Gibson or an Epiphone. But the moment the neck had to be glued in, they knew exactly if it would be a Gibson or an Epi.
There's no way they shaped the headstock after the entire instrument was completed.

gweimer · June 04, 2011, 01:33:32 PM

Quote from: Basvarken on June 04, 2011, 01:15:52 PM
I can't imagine that story you heard was about the electric guitars an basses.
When you start building an electric guitar or bass, one of the first things you do is define the shape it's going to be. So Gibson/Epiphone would have to choose which templates for the body and headstock they were going to use right at the beginning.
Most Epiphones had totally different body shapes and headstock shapes than their Gibson brethren.

I guess it could be possible the body shape of some of their semi-acoustics could end up on either a Gibson or an Epiphone. But the moment the neck had to be glued in, they knew exactly if it would be a Gibson or an Epi.
There's no way they shaped the headstock after the entire instrument was completed.

It was the semi-acoustics that Larry (Ax-in-Hand owner, RIP) was talking about. Remember it's been over 30 years and too many brain cells ago since I heard this, but I think you are right about the bodies, and that may be what Larry was saying. The body was just a shell, and it became either a Gibson or and Epiphone.

Dave W · June 04, 2011, 04:22:37 PM

Jules may have learned more about the processes when he made his pilgrimage to Kalamazoo and talked with some of the old guys.

Bionic-Joe · June 04, 2011, 05:31:24 PM

DID YOU KNOW?

? The Embassy bass headstock is NOT a Batwing?

IT'S the LETTER "E" for Epiphone!!!!!!! HA!!!!

dadagoboi · June 04, 2011, 05:33:12 PM

Quote from: Baz Cooper on June 04, 2011, 05:31:24 PM
DID YOU KNOW?? The Embassy bass headstock is NOT a Batwing? IT'S the LETTER "E" for Epiphone!!!!!!! HA!!!!

I thought it was E for "EGLY"

Highlander · June 04, 2011, 05:34:51 PM

Isn't that a character in CSI...?

dadagoboi · June 04, 2011, 05:39:12 PM

Crack Smoking Infidels?

Highlander · June 04, 2011, 05:41:40 PM

Crazed Swamper Individuals

clankenstein · June 05, 2011, 04:48:20 AM

certain singular instrument.

the mojo hobo · June 05, 2011, 06:11:42 AM

Quote from: gweimer on June 04, 2011, 01:33:32 PM
It was the semi-acoustics that Larry (Ax-in-Hand owner, RIP) was talking about. Remember it's been over 30 years

If you are talking about the Axe-in-Hand in Dekalb Illinois, a little over 30 years ago I bought my first Rickenbacker there and the pair of Dimarzio Model 1's that went on the previously mentioned Thunderbird. Gene Liberty had a shop upstairs and fixed the headstock on the 'Bird the first three times it broke, and refinned it.