Gibson Thunderbird Discontinued???

[Old Blastard]

I love my Jack Casady. I love my Embassy. But the QC on them absolutely sucked. Luckily, the shop I bought them from had a great tech on staff and he fixed wonky tuners that spun around most free, impossible-to-set-up bridges, jacked-up jacks and a transformer that had transformed from the factory into a whirly-gig and competed with the tuners for being useless. After the warranty work, and a week of waiting, they play and sound great. I do hope QC from Gibson is better. EDIT -- In Epiphone's defense, those purchases were made a few years ago. Maybe thing have dramatically changed, Maybe.

 

[MCF]

They must be amazing instruments!

This probably sound nit-picky, but the standard pick guard just looks wonky to me, like a big, abstract heart.

I guess, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, I would like the non-reverse Thunderbird a lot more if the pick guard covered just the upper horn area, or the lower horn. (Either one would be fine to me.)

I'm saying that this (below, something I modified using Powerpoint) would look sharp, and make it more attractive to me.


View attachment 7056936

They are really nice basses.

I like your proposed mod. Easy enough to do if you have a pro fill the holes, refinish the top, and get a pickguard made (we have members in the TBird club who can make one). It's only money. Or there are builders we know who can build one

When Cataldo was in business, he made some cool IIs with a guard that actually looked more like a heart. I like them.

 

[s_wood]

Here's a plug for the current issue Epiphone Thunderbird 60's. I own a few original 1964 T-Bird IV's… and a '79 and a '90, too. The Epi sounds more like my '64s than anything Gibson has made since it ended production of the original T-Bird IV in 1965, and once my tech leveled the frets and filed the nut the Epi plays just as well as any of my Gibsons… at roughly 1/3 of the cost of the last run of Gibsons. I admit that I wish my Epi said "Gibson" on the headstock, but to be honest I can't read the headstock when I play, so…

I also wish that Gibson still made the reverse T-Bird (with pickups that copied the originals), but the fact is that 3 different Gibson ownership groups have cancelled production of the T-Bird for lack of sales. Blaming private equity for the market's consistent rejection of the reverse T-Bird misses the whole point of a market based economy.

 

[Jugghaid]

I do not agree. Spend some time with Jim DeCola. He believes that basses are an important part of their business. Gibson has, and will continue to produce amazing basses.

Lol. They sell 2 standard models and 3 sig basses. They have more models of explorers than their entire bass lineup. I would be willing to bet that their basses account for way less than 1% of their sales. The basses may be important to Jim DeCola, but they are definitely not important to their business.

 

[EdO.]

I admit that I wish my Epi said "Gibson" on the headstock, but to be honest I can't read the headstock when I play, so…

May not be an exact fit but should be close enough I believe, the link has a diagram with size measurements. Might have to drill a small screw hole or two to make it work. So it's always an option I suppose...

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[TBird1958]

Here's a plug for the current issue Epiphone Thunderbird 60's. I own a few original 1964 T-Bird IV's… and a '79 and a '90, too. The Epi sounds more like my '64s than anything Gibson has made since it ended production of the original T-Bird IV in 1965, and once my tech leveled the frets and filed the nut the Epi plays just as well as any of my Gibsons… at roughly 1/3 of the cost of the last run of Gibsons. I admit that I wish my Epi said "Gibson" on the headstock, but to be honest I can't read the headstock when I play, so…

I also wish that Gibson still made the reverse T-Bird (with pickups that copied the originals), but the fact is that 3 different Gibson ownership groups have cancelled production of the T-Bird for lack of sales. Blaming private equity for the market's consistent rejection of the reverse T-Bird misses the whole point of a market based economy.

Agreed on the Epiphone '60s, they're really nice basses in their own right. Gibson may have shelved the Reverse for the time being, and for whatever reason, but I'm certain they'll produce them again at some point - I might be too old and sucking food out of a tube in the retirement home tho!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

love''em all……prefer the ergos of the NR (on left)……

 

[TBird1958]

love''em all……prefer the ergos of the NR (on left)……
View attachment 7057368

The best of both!

 

[Engle]

May not be an exact fit but should be close enough I believe, the link has a diagram with size measurements. Might have to drill a small screw hole or two to make it work. So it's always an option I suppose...

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Or just polish the Epiphone silk screened logo off (its very thin) and put a Gibson decal on it.
But the one time I put a Gibson truss rod cover on my Orville, it didn't feel right and I changed it back the next day.

 

[MCF]

Here's a plug for the current issue Epiphone Thunderbird 60's. I own a few original 1964 T-Bird IV's… and a '79 and a '90, too. The Epi sounds more like my '64s than anything Gibson has made since it ended production of the original T-Bird IV in 1965, and once my tech leveled the frets and filed the nut the Epi plays just as well as any of my Gibsons… at roughly 1/3 of the cost of the last run of Gibsons. I admit that I wish my Epi said "Gibson" on the headstock, but to be honest I can't read the headstock when I play, so…

I also wish that Gibson still made the reverse T-Bird (with pickups that copied the originals), but the fact is that 3 different Gibson ownership groups have cancelled production of the T-Bird for lack of sales. Blaming private equity for the market's consistent rejection of the reverse T-Bird misses the whole point of a market based economy.

A reverse with the Gibson Vintage Reissues could happen. There are some rumors. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that they will abandon the three-point in favor of a claw and two-point. One with a Babicz would certainly be most welcome. At least by me. I would preorder one in a heartbeat.

 

[mikeswals]

I'm fond of the Thunderbird bass.

The non-reverse jobbie, meh..... not so much.

It's seriously ugly.

Then, I like ugly!
I want one so bad. Will be my next purchase

 

[TBird1958]

Then, I like ugly!
I want one so bad. Will be my next purchase

Mike, keep your eyes open for a BaCH Non Reverse, these are really nice copies of a '60's Gibson for much less money. There's only about 90 or so in total,
but well worth finding, they were modestly priced and designed to be modified if so desired.
This one is mine, it's has a Lull pickup, new PG, and bridge cover added.

 

[JIO]

But it didn't attract new customers and most people were not okay with whatever version they threw at us. Because it's now discontinued.

First world problem...

 

[JIO]

I love the Tbird reverse.
The non reverse looks like it's carved out of a bar of soap by some pre school kid.
But it's funky, it's odd looking and I can fully understand why some people like it.
Just like I can understand why people dislike the reverse style Tbird even though I myself love it.

Took some inspiration from the much more sculpted '62 Danelectro Dane 34" scale -

...and late '60's Coral Deluxe Bass (Dano made)

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

one graduates to NRs…..

 

[BklynKen]

one graduates to NRs…..

View attachment 7058173
View attachment 7058176

And they look really good "reversed."

 

[JIO]

They must be amazing instruments!

This probably sound nit-picky, but the standard pick guard just looks wonky to me, like a big, abstract heart.

I guess, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, I would like the non-reverse Thunderbird a lot more if the pick guard covered just the upper horn area, or the lower horn. (Either one would be fine to me.)

I'm saying that this (below, something I modified using Powerpoint) would look sharp, and make it more attractive to me.


View attachment 7056936

Greco over the recent years made an actual reverse T-bird* (reverse of the original '63-'65 "called" the reverse - NOT referring to a lefty) and frankly it looks - well, you decide. After decades of invented reasons why Gibson "reversed" the original (and before that why it was so-called "reverse") were both debunked recently. The original was described as the 'reverse'... of a Fender Jazz bass. Yah.., right.. and that's why it was turned into a 'non-reverse', which it wasn't. As already posted here - it all came down to sales and the Gen1 wasn't selling so they made up all this marketing BS to say Fender sent a cease & desist letter, and that's why Gibson changed it. Many people suspected this all along - I mean... it looked like a Jazz Bass???

...wow! It's crazy how much they look the same! - not. But who do you believe, Gibson marketing or your own two eyes...

* Found it! If it looked like this originally (which it didn't, and even if once reversed like this one it still looks nothing like a Fender Jazz) - Fender may have had a case... sorta'... maybe... not. At least it would have balanced better!

 

[pklima]

I have an Epi reverse T-bird which I play upside-down, and the funny thing is that this makes it feel like a very small-bodied bass. The part of the lower bout that ends up under my forearm is small, that's the only part I make contact with, and because that part is small it makes the whole body feel smaller than it looks.

 

[JIO]

I have an Epi reverse T-bird which I play upside-down, and the funny thing is that this makes it feel like a very small-bodied bass. The part of the lower bout that ends up under my forearm is small, that's the only part I make contact with, and because that part is small it makes the whole body feel smaller than it looks.

Although the Gen1 T-bird isn't the reverse of a Fender bass (as graphically illustrated above) - it is 'reversed' of a standard solid-body guitar shape with the longer horn on top for better balance, and as you've found out the elbow bout is smaller. Either way is more-or-less the same seated but the inside peak of the lower curve of the TBR-70, when sitting on one's leg positions the bass slightly better to reach first position.

The GenII T-bird's shape was softened and rounded but the upper horn is barely longer. Actually, both Gen1 & Gen II have the upper strap -peg at the 17th fret. The TBR-70 is at the 15th fret, as is the Coral. 12th fret is ideal. Bottom/butt is reversed so there's that. Coral could have sent a real cease & desist letter for the GenII T-bird but both that model and the Coral brand didn't make it into the '70s.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I have an Epi reverse T-bird which I play upside-down, and the funny thing is that this makes it feel like a very small-bodied bass. The part of the lower bout that ends up under my forearm is small, that's the only part I make contact with, and because that part is small it makes the whole body feel smaller than it looks.

used to that with a 76 that got stolen…..doesn't do the NR justice but I totally get it…