50th Anniversay Thunderbird sighting!

[4stringer77]

50th anni. Firebird is up on the Gibson site. Wish they would get up to date on the bass page. The ES 335 bass still isn't up there.
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Firebird/Gibson-USA/50th-Anniversary-Firebird.aspx

[4stringer77]

In case anyone is still interested. Here's the bass on the Gibson site.
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Bass/Gibson-USA/50th-Anniversary-Thunderbird-Bass.aspx

[uwe]

Even I find that tone of the gold hardware unfortunate with the fin. My God, they could have done something just a bit more special, couldn't they? It would have given me a reason to get one.

And isn't bullion a French freedom soup anyway?

No mention of walnut content either in the text:

"The core of this exceptional bass lies in its "through neck" construction, with the neck and body core crafted from the same rugged multi-ply mahogany tone wood blank for unparalleled strength and sustain. It takes more work to build a bass this way, but the effort pays off in every aspect of the instrument's feel and response."

or in the product features:

"•Neck-through Mahogany neck with comfortable, rounded profile".

Might be an oversight, but they have done two-ply maho-only necks on modern TBirds before, eg on the Goth mini series. The very first Revs in 1963 had massive maho mecks too, but I doubt that it was a conscious move by them to recreate just that aspect.

[66Atlas]

Fedex has mine now and is set to deliver it tomorrow.  Not sure if I'll check a chance to do much with it since this is a holiday weekend here and my significant other has all sorts of things planned but as soon as I get a chance I'll post some detailed pictures. 

[66Atlas]

It's been a crazy few weeks and I finally got a chance to sit down and take some pics of the bass.  I know this seems to be a "love it or hate it" model but I am definitely in the love it category.  Looking closely at the back of the neck and headstock I can swear I see a grain change where the walnut stringers would be so I don't know if I believe it's an all mahogany neck but regardless it plays and sounds great.

[uwe]

The black pg and pups  with the gold is growing on me, not sure about the less than matching (in tone) gold hardware. But anyway, it will become a rarity, looks different and is a TBird, what's to complain?

[Highlander]

Is this a fin too far to miss...?

[TBird1958]

It's been a crazy few weeks and I finally got a chance to sit down and take some pics of the bass.  I know this seems to be a "love it or hate it" model but I am definitely in the love it category.  Looking closely at the back of the neck and headstock I can swear I see a grain change where the walnut stringers would be so I don't know if I believe it's an all mahogany neck but regardless it plays and sounds great.

Looks A LOT better in your pics

[66Atlas]

Thanks guys, if you get a chance to see one I really think they look a lot better in person.  I tried to capture a the grain in the back of the neck, it's really hard to capture in a photo but it seems like there is a change in the pattern that makes me think it's a standard 5 ply neck.  My attempt at a photo:



and it looks better too if you peel the plastic off the pickguard! 

[Basvarken]

I don't see obvious signs of a laminate.

The grain of mahogany goes back and forth in stripes. I think that is what you see.

[Dave W]

It does look better in these latest pics.

Agree with Rob, no obvious sign that it's a laminated neck.

[Highlander]

That looks like one piece - is it a thru-neck...?

[TBird1958]

I think it'd be really cool with some gold pup covers and Hipshot clover tuners.......
But it's really growing on me it it's "stock" state 


I collect for fins   

[Highlander]

There are those gold Lollar pups available to give that vintage sound...

[godofthunder]

 Would you guys please stop making me want something I don't want.