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Thunderbird Club

#2,287
NR Thunderbird sighting! Buffalo NY last Saturday. My new band Knight Patrol Playing on the President McKinley Monument Niagara Square. Quick one hour set, howling wind 35-50 plus MPH. Lots of fun! I am playing one of my main stage basses a totally beat '66-'67 NR, came to me as a basket case. It is one of my favorite Birds.
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#2,290
I haven't posted a picture of my beloved Purdy. She's been going through a phase. Since the killswitch has to be replaced, and i'm still missing the dowels to block 3 holes, i've been polishing her up to a beautiful shine. The headstock really pops due to it having 5 coats of gloss lacquer and then polished. THe body, has begun the process of polishing and so far, it's pretty neat. THe pictures don't do justice. But i'm thinking after i dowel the old holes, and paint them black, i'll clear coat the whole body and then polish it after a weeks curing.
 

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#2,292
Dadagoboi said:
Very early 63's weren't laminated, ALL USA Reverse TBirds after that were, including Bicentennials. Not NRs which have always been set necks.

My unbroken '64
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That is a crazy wear-spot! I also have a '64 - was the rear-mounted strap peg orig or did everyone remount it there? I have both upper 'horn' body side and this same rear mount and I've owned it so long I can't recall if I relocated it or I bought it that way. I first owned a '63 II but sadly it was stolen many years ago. I'm pretty sure it had the 9-ply laminate construction like my '64.

I can't recall the last time I saw a pic of a '63 II - anyone own one out there?
 
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#2,293
ThaCoast said:
I haven't posted a picture of my beloved Purdy. She's been going through a phase. Since the killswitch has to be replaced, and i'm still missing the dowels to block 3 holes, i've been polishing her up to a beautiful shine. The headstock really pops due to it having 5 coats of gloss lacquer and then polished. THe body, has begun the process of polishing and so far, it's pretty neat. THe pictures don't do justice. But i'm thinking after i dowel the old holes, and paint them black, i'll clear coat the whole body and then polish it after a weeks curing.
Click to expand...


Why don't you just sand and refin the whole bass, now that you've taken it more or less apart, or are you going for a semi-trashed look?

Btw, love The Ramones pictures on your wall - What a great band they were! :)
 
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#2,295
JIO said:
That is a crazy wear-spot! I also have a '64 - was the rear-mounted strap peg orig or did everyone remount it there? I have both upper 'horn' body side and this same rear mount and I've owned it so long I can't recall if I relocated it or I bought it that way. I first owned a '63 II but sadly it was stolen many years ago. I'm pretty sure it had the 9-ply laminate construction like my '64.
Click to expand...
Center back is the original location for the strap button, mine is one of the few that never had an added horn button. On the Bicentennials Gibson moved it to the horn as well as eliminating the belly cut.

Only the very earliest 63s were unlaminated.
 
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#2,296
JIO said:
That is a crazy wear-spot! I also have a '64 - was the rear-mounted strap peg orig or did everyone remount it there? I have both upper 'horn' body side and this same rear mount and I've owned it so long I can't recall if I relocated it or I bought it that way. I first owned a '63 II but sadly it was stolen many years ago. I'm pretty sure it had the 9-ply laminate construction like my '64.

I can't recall the last time I saw a pic of a '63 II - anyone own one out there?
Click to expand...

Considering only 2 were made, there's a very small chance we ever get to see one... ;)
 
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#2,297
hillerup said:
Considering only 2 were made, there's a very small chance we ever get to see one... ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks hillerup, I did read that factoid at one point years ago. At the time it was hard to believe, especially considering I owned one.
In 1974, I bought a T-bird II from a loan shop in Omaha Nebraska for $150. (w/orig case) It was a bit beat up but the neck was solid. Many I saw back then had the hs/neck surgery or at least cracks forming. I sent Gibson the serial # (no clue what that was now) and received a postcard back stating it was made in 1963. Back then I had no reference to inform it's worth other than it was 11 yrs old. Knowing that (as you stated) based on Gibson's "shipping figures" only 2 were shipped always made me wonder about that bass. Did the Gibson representative who replied to my serial #/date inquiry make a mistake? And if it was in fact a '63, why didn't he mention it being only one of 2, or frankly try to buy it from me?

If it was in fact one of the only 2, what a strange life it lived - being played for say, 10 years, ending up in a loan shop, bought and played by me for four years and then stolen… Is it still out there somewhere? Was the neck eventually broken and it was parted out? I'll never know.
 
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#2,298
hillerup said:
Why don't you just sand and refin the whole bass, now that you've taken it more or less apart, or are you going for a semi-trashed look?

Btw, love The Ramones pictures on your wall - What a great band they were! :)
Click to expand...

Thanks, first band that really made me want to play loud fast bass. And now, they're all back together, rocking in heaven's own CBGB's.

Regarding my bass, i don't wanna sand and refin the whole thing. I'm going for the trash look and keeping it black. So far it looks good worn out flat black glossy look. Better than that satin grey looking black. Plus, the red will pop out more, hopefully onjce i'm finished with it.
 
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