Polaris White Bicentennial on Ebay

dadagoboi · June 13, 2013, 09:10:00 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161045065107&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

Anyone else think the side strap button location is off?

Dave W · June 13, 2013, 09:20:58 AM

Nice looker! I wouldn't know about the strap button, price is crazy high though.

OldManC · June 13, 2013, 10:25:00 AM

Strap button is way off. If original, it's nice to see Gibson is consistent in it's inconsistency.

TBird1958 · June 13, 2013, 11:54:20 AM

White Thunderbird = Drop dead Sexy!

4stringer77 · June 13, 2013, 01:13:13 PM

If you scroll down there's a pic of the back of the bass with an additional strap button on the neck heel too. It was also marked as a factory second for some reason.

Highlander · June 13, 2013, 01:32:31 PM

The picture of the inside of the control cavity - unusual marking that looks like a large "knot" to the lower left...?

lowend1 · June 13, 2013, 01:38:53 PM

Anybody else think that "finish crack" is a harbinger of things to come?

godofthunder · June 13, 2013, 02:37:53 PM

That bass is refined with the strap button hole filled! Nice crack in the headstock. Correct me if I am wrong but shouldn't the raised section on the headstock be black? A true '76 would have a decal serial #. Silly, silly money I wouldn't touch it.

dadagoboi · June 13, 2013, 03:10:32 PM

Quote from: godofthunder on June 13, 2013, 02:37:53 PM
That bass is refined with the strap button hole filled! Nice crack in the headstock. Correct me if I am wrong but shouldn't the raised section on the headstock be black? A true '76 would have a decal serial #. Silly, silly money I wouldn't touch it.

The headstock is correct for a '77, no white ones were shipped in '76. Mine also has a stamped serial number. Doesn't say "second". Nut is not original on that one. There's a lot of paint on the white ones. The raised part of the headstock is black plastic so it took quite a bit to cover it, it's definitely possible the crack is just in the poly. You can see how much paint has chipped off mine. The original owner did quite a bit of touch up on it.

As far as the price, it's high. But that's the first white one I've seen on EBay. Only 136 were made. If I didn't own one I'd be seriously considering making an offer. I'd been looking for 5 years before Dave happened across an unbroken one.

godofthunder · June 13, 2013, 03:13:11 PM

Carlo I was hoping you would post the headstock of yours. Thanks! There sure is a lot of paint on those ,looks pretty thick by the headstock crack.

dadagoboi · June 13, 2013, 03:26:59 PM

Quote from: godofthunder on June 13, 2013, 03:13:11 PM
Carlo I was hoping you would post the headstock of yours. Thanks! There sure is a lot of paint on those ,looks pretty thick by the headstock crack.

It's very thick on the entire bass, I might give the headstock the benefit of the doubt pending a close inspection. But the strap button has to have been moved. I remember mine pulled out more than once.

What color is the Bicentennial serial number decal? If it's white that might be why they stamped the white ones. I can't remember if my original '77 was stamped or decalled but that was 36 years ago;D

godofthunder · June 13, 2013, 05:14:23 PM

The decal was a clear oval with gold lettering.

dadagoboi · June 13, 2013, 05:49:57 PM

Quote from: godofthunder on June 13, 2013, 05:14:23 PM
The decal was a clear oval with gold lettering.

Thanks! Here's mine

Gibson didn't use clearcoat over white so a decal probably wouldn't have been a good idea.

the mojo hobo · June 13, 2013, 07:31:20 PM

That serial number looks to be in the traditional Thunderbird location but the one in the auction has it on the end of the headstock like a EB. and the numbers are so crooked.

TBird1958 · June 13, 2013, 08:49:28 PM

The s/n location on Carlo's is different than my '77, (like the auction) weren't some produced in Nashville and most in Kalamazoo?
Not that they haven't always been all over the place QC, but wasn't this about the worst time?
My others are a '76, the green one which *had* a decal and the purple one which likely was a '76 too since it also had a decal, tho I thought I'd heard some '77s had them as well.