Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

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

Which I did - and yes, its very doable. I kept the original for providence-sake and stored it with all the other original bits.

 

[MCF]

A few necessities arrived today.

 

[MCF]

UGH.



This bass is a scant 15 miles from where I am at the moment.


Unfortunately, my car is in the shop having around 400 bucks worth of work done on it.




I am not the chosen one.

Call the car shop. Tell them to only do the minimum to get it running. Have your neighbor drive you. Get him a sixer of his favorite beer on the way home. You need that Thunderbird!

 

[MCF]

I feel ya! I'm about 30 minutes away. Sadly, I wont be the new owner either.

Oh come on guys. One of you needs to grab it. Pick up our wheel less friend and go in as 50/50 owners.

 

[TBird1958]

Happy first full day of summer and it’s Thunderbird Thursday, as well!

 

[Nocturnal]

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.

I bought my 76 Tbird around 1985 and they weren't trying to sell it as vintage, just a used bass ($400 with the case and a very well done headstock repair). When I was taking lessons there was a newer used G&L of some type in the shop. I asked about trading my 64 7ender Pbass for it and they said they didn't want any old basses. The 7ender was 20 years old then but they didn't see it as the type of "vintage" gear they were interested in. Old Les Paul's and Strat's were all they were interested in at that point.

 

[MCF]

I'm most stoked for seeing you and the other peeps, but that's icing on the cake.

And it appears the trial I have that was set for 08/09 is getting moved out a few months.

 

[RedVee]

oh it’s that refinished one…..if the price was right….interesting that a collector’s car gains value with a refin but not so with many instruments ….

Here doing the refinish in the original colours is preferred, but a good paint job will get takers anyway

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.

It is interesting just when things go from just being old, to ‘classic’

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

Like Gibson ?

 

[dagrev]

I bought my 76 Tbird around 1985 and they weren't trying to sell it as vintage, just a used bass ($400 with the case and a very well done headstock repair). When I was taking lessons there was a newer used G&L of some type in the shop. I asked about trading my 64 7ender Pbass for it and they said they didn't want any old basses. The 7ender was 20 years old then but they didn't see it as the type of "vintage" gear they were interested in. Old Les Paul's and Strat's were all they were interested in at that point.

Yeah, who in their right mind would want that old Fender... I some ways I think its a little odd. Kind of like '55-57 Chevys. There were an untold number of them all over then place (like a Corolla today maybe), but are sought after and valuable. Rare isn't what they were, kind of like old Fenders. Not a perfect analogy by any means.

 

[MCF]

Someone at GC is a little more on the ball:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Yeah. They can be all over the place.

The advantage to them is $23.00 shipping. But you also pay sales tax. So if you’re in CA, what seems like a great deal may not be so great at the end of the day.

I did get them to refund me a bit on the TV Silver Epi. It’s such a nice bass, except for the lower wing damage, there was no way I was rejecting it.

 

[MCF]

That's a hell of a collection. I like those old Japanese basses with lots of unique style.

I think I've shown this one, maybe here and probably on the distressed finishes thread.

I made the neck. based loosely on the teisco del Rey neck. 32" scale again. Body is of unknown origin. Old, plywood, and likely Japanese.
View attachment 5101584

I want him to bring the Custom Craft to the GTG.

 

[JIO]

I want him to bring the Custom Craft to the GTG.

We'll finalize the list as time draws near.

 

[MCF]

How can you stand playing an instrument with 2 unsightly holes in it?

The tone is in the holes.

 

[MCF]

It’s Thunderbird Thursday.
With the NR that you all made me buy.
When I joined this club I just had one T-Bird.
I’m hopeless now. . Cheers!

View attachment 5101741

And we’re glad you’re here, even if your wallet isn’t….

 

[MCF]

When I joined this club I had one Tbird shaped object. Soon it became two. Then a third and fourth. A few years ago I had enough birds to play a different one every day of the week. I’m now bumping up against having enough to play a different one every other day for a month. When I get to the point where I have one for every day of the month I’ll start to taper off. I guess my personal limit would be a different Tbird for every day of the year, I don’t think I’ll hit that limit anytime soon.

But Scott has.

 

[MCF]

Yes I do know.I'm working on it..Waiting for the green one to come up around me.
View attachment 5101788

But life won’t be complete until you have a ‘13 Pelham Blue NR. Happy TT Mr. Gator!

 

[MCF]

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.

But you wouldn’t sell them.

 

[MCF]

It's the colour I'd refinish it to....

Yep.

 

[MCF]

naw too much $$$ for what it is... I have a limit, and I doubt they'd budge.

@D.M.N. tried some time back.

 

[MCF]

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

I don’t recall the source. But the gist of the article I read some months ago was that the online sales during the pandemic gave them a reprieve and that they would likely be gone by now. They’re only hope now is paying kids minimum wage to give lessons. Have you been in one lately and seen all the junk on the walls?