Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

beauty….looks like no headstock damage..

Yes, looks as clean as they come.

 

[JJR58]

minty

Gibson Thunderbird II 1966 Vintage Electric Bass Guitar | eBay

I especially love the faded edges. If they are indeed faded.
That's quite a stunning NR.

 

[MCF]

I’ve never seen one. But I understand that after a level and crown, a fret end dress, new tuners, a pickup swap and a new bridge, they can be decent.

But a clean, used MIM Fender or
an EPI Thunderbird IV is a better buy.

 

[MCF]

So what's going on here? That's now a handful of VP's selling for under $400. All used... so is this someone who bought it (their 1st T-bird) and then decided it wasn't for them? You have to wonder as they list for twice that and more.

It’s GC. Say no more. Just be glad they are sometimes clueless.

 

[MCF]

At least not a flavor I care for!

Too many hops give me heartburn.

 

[Engle]

Easy Fenderbird project body:
Epiphone Thunderbird bass body loaded Project NICE! | eBay

 

[MCF]

If this develops into a trend, in five years current but used NRs will be going for $999!

Don’t count on it. GC will be gone long before that.

 

[dagrev]

The whole "vintage worth" trend started in the later '80s. It coincided with Fender re-acquiring full ownership of their company from CBS. Their guitars/basses were being made in Japan, and the Japanese understood the interest/value of "vintage" Fender guitars/basses and were producing what were basically well made RI's of vintage Fenders. It also aligned with the whole retro atmosphere of the '80s overall. Before this the instruments now selling for over $10k were not that old and they were looked at as "used" more than "vintage". But it also has to do with trends going in & out of style. Once the "retro" trend was "the way" in the early-mid '90s, pointy & headless basses sold for very little, regardless of their initial cost. I bought 3 Kubicki Ex-Factors in the '90s that sold new in the mid-late '80s for $1500, for under $800 each. They were and still are great basses - they were just "out of style" then. (now selling for over their original cost)

My '63 II w/OHSC in 1974 cost me $150 cash. If I had it today, you could easily add two more 0's.

Wasn't sure when "vintage" when through the roof, but I know in the early 80s it wasn't a thing. Not in my circles anyway. If I remember correctly, around '81 I paid aprox $600-650 each for a new Fender Pbass with an A neck (stollen), the '64 Thunderbird and the '55 Pbass. Indicating that some used/vintage had some value, but only about the going rate of a new Fender. As you said, they were more "used" with some demand, than the vintage craze today.

 

[MCF]

Properly grenaded!


(In my best epic movie voice over)…From the ashes of a glarry burning fire rises the mighty Thunderbird!


I suspect it’s all in the comps.
GC sets their asking prices on completed sales of similar models. Their offering formula is roughly 60% of the anticipated sale price. So if they are asking $400 for these basses (because that’s what the most recent ones listed on their used gear pages sold for) the poor schmuck selling it to GC got less than $250 for it. I wanna find one of those sellers and offer them $260!

There could be a lot of reasons why someone would part with a VP at that insanely low price, one of which is stolen goods. GC does have a “no hot goods” policy, but on a mass produced bass like a VP it would be very difficult to ever enforce that policy.

There is no way they are running comps on those as VPs. They’re calling them and pricing them like IVs. They do not have a clue.

 

[dagrev]

minty

Gibson Thunderbird II 1966 Vintage Electric Bass Guitar | eBay

That's about as perfect as I've seen given the age. If I were rich or stupid I might consider it. Since I'm not rich and I'm only mildly stupid on occasion, I'll have to pass.

 

[MCF]

Not that I'm happy about it, but 6 of the basses in this pic are no longer mine.

Never sell a Thunder. Except to one of us.

 

[dagrev]

There is no way they are running comps on those as VPs. They’re calling them and pricing them like IVs. They do not have a clue.

Agree. This is the most likely explanation. They look up "Epi Thunderbird" and go with what pops up since there is no name on them.

 

[JIO]

I especially love the faded edges. If they are indeed faded.
That's quite a stunning NR.

...however, upon closer investigation I see the nut slots are 'off'. It appears the A & D string need to shift over toward the G string. (wider space between D & G)

My '64 also had a mis-slotted nut.

 

[WillyW]

...however, upon closer investigation I see the nut slots are 'off'. It appears the A & D string need to shift over toward the G string. (wider space between D & G)

View attachment 5102242
My '64 also had a mis-slotted nut.
View attachment 5102264

that's called a "feature"

 

[Gaolee]

same with these….what a joke….they were actually marketed as bass practice amps LMAO…..
Fender Musicmaster Bass 2-Channel 12-Watt 1x12" Bass Combo 1970 - 1980 | Reverb

Looks like it would be a great guitar amp, though. Useless for bass.

 

[Gaolee]

just trying to get you to like NRs…..seems like this is The NR Thunderbird Club these days…..

Keep working on that. It's not taking root just yet. I still don't like NRs. But we have scientifically determined that I have goofy tastes, so there's that.

 

[JJR58]

...however, upon closer investigation I see the nut slots are 'off'. It appears the A & D string need to shift over toward the G string. (wider space between D & G)

View attachment 5102242
My '64 also had a mis-slotted nut.
View attachment 5102264

That's an easy fix though.
New nut.
And i'd have no issue replacing it.

 

[JJR58]

Never sell a Thunder. Except to one of us.

I'd actually sell my 2 to get a TBird of my liking.
Sorry Epi, time to move on.
With exception being given to a VP.

 

[Gaolee]

I would have been devastated as I’m sure you were/are…..with its history that would prolly go for upwards of 20k or more…
I have gotten three basses stolen, a 72P, a 76J and a 76Bird…..hard to describe the pain…..almost like personally invasive….​

Can't like this, but sure can relate. I haven't had a musical instrument stolen, which is a miracle. My apartment was robbed in NYC, but they only took the stereo. They didn't look in the closet and find my Acoustic 126 or EB-2. Thank goodness.

 

[Gaolee]

Don’t count on it. GC will be gone long before that.

The demise of GC has been happening for years. I suspect they will always be around in spite of themselves.