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Thunderbird Club

#300,024
JIO said:
"Rare" is a greatly exaggerated term used to attach "worth" similar to "vintage". All sellers use terms like that with the sole goal of creating the impression of worth. After a while everything is considered rare and vintage so it essentially becomes meaningless. When I see such labeling I basically ignore it - it's only the bass (or whatever I'm looking at) itself that determines if I have interest in it.
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$.02...

When it comes to guitars, "rare" might be better taken in context. Regardless of how many were originally built, IMHO rarity is qualified by the number of them that are currently available for sale at any given point. The number of original condition '65 Fender basses (e.g.) for sale is limited, moreso with every passing year.

If 100K Fender "instruments" were made in 1965 (I don't doubt that stat), and with the generally agreed upon ratio of 1 bass for every 10 guitars sold, that leaves ~ 10K basses built that year. Deduct the mandolins, violins, and whatever other oddball Fender creations from the 100K total "Fender instruments", and we're apparently left with less than 10K basses for that year? Is that a lot? I bet it was in 1965 but because that number is finite, and while the number of potential buyers has grown exponentially over the decades, an orig '65 Fender bass qualifies as rare for a lotta people.

When compared to the "other" major guitar makers, whose combined efforts to eke out a little slice of Fender's bass market share that year, amounts to a hill of beans, '65 Fenders could seem abundant. In reality, they're not. I suspect it's just that orig condition '65 Rics and T-birds (e.g.) are way harder to source. Cheers.
 
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#300,025
GonePlaid said:
We've been having a lotta rain here lately which shot down my plans to go to GC and actually hold a P bass. Something I've never done(and in truth, have no desire to do).
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Yah, there are many basses I admire from afar but have no interest in owning. Compared to what I own/play - I'd only be disappointed...

1722895262414.jpeg
 
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#300,026
GonePlaid said:
We've been having a lotta rain here lately which shot down my plans to go to GC and actually hold a P bass. Something I've never done(and in truth, have no desire to do).
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"Hit's a sign!"

Don't drown, ok? I sure wish we had interstate water pipelines; you could send a bunch of that here.
 
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#300,027
Iridescentone said:
$.02...

When it comes to guitars, "rare" might be better taken in context. Regardless of how many were originally built, IMHO rarity is qualified by the number of them that are currently available for sale at any given point. The number of original condition '65 Fender basses (e.g.) for sale is limited, moreso with every passing year.

If 100K Fender "instruments" were made in 1965 (I don't doubt that stat), and with the generally agreed upon ratio of 1 bass for every 10 guitars sold, that leaves ~ 10K basses built that year. Deduct the mandolins, violins, and whatever other oddball Fender creations from the 100K total "Fender instruments", and we're apparently left with less than 10K basses for that year? Is that a lot? I bet it was in 1965 but because that number is finite, and while the number of potential buyers has grown exponentially over the decades, an orig '65 Fender bass qualifies as rare for a lotta people.

When compared to the "other" major guitar makers, whose combined efforts to eke out a little slice of Fender's bass market share that year, amounts to a hill of beans, '65 Fenders could seem abundant. In reality, they're not. I suspect it's just that orig condition '65 Rics and T-birds (e.g.) are way harder to source. Cheers.
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A good way to look at it I think.

Here, after WW2 Chevrolet were repositioned in the market with the introduction of Holden in the “Everyman car” slot. Once they came on production in strength the Chevs and Pontiac drifted north in price, south in production numbers, and became “prestige cars”. Buick and Olds assembly died by about 1949, certain dealers were allowed to import directly from the US and arrange RHD conversions themselves.
To be fair to the local Chev they used leather seats and the like but were still 6 cylinder and 3 on the tree until the early 60s.

So, a 55-7, 59, 62, 65, 67, 68 (last assembled here) Chev in world terms is not rare, but an Australian assembled RHD (same for NZ & South Af) Chev from that period IS rare and finding one that is in standard form is like finding the proverbial “hens teeth”.
 
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#300,030
Iridescentone said:
$.02...

When it comes to guitars, "rare" might be better taken in context. Regardless of how many were originally built, IMHO rarity is qualified by the number of them that are currently available for sale at any given point. The number of original condition '65 Fender basses (e.g.) for sale is limited, moreso with every passing year.

If 100K Fender "instruments" were made in 1965 (I don't doubt that stat), and with the generally agreed upon ratio of 1 bass for every 10 guitars sold, that leaves ~ 10K basses built that year. Deduct the mandolins, violins, and whatever other oddball Fender creations from the 100K total "Fender instruments", and we're apparently left with less than 10K basses for that year? Is that a lot? I bet it was in 1965 but because that number is finite, and while the number of potential buyers has grown exponentially over the decades, an orig '65 Fender bass qualifies as rare for a lotta people.

When compared to the "other" major guitar makers, whose combined efforts to eke out a little slice of Fender's bass market share that year, amounts to a hill of beans, '65 Fenders could seem abundant. In reality, they're not. I suspect it's just that orig condition '65 Rics and T-birds (e.g.) are way harder to source. Cheers.
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I saw more '60s P Basses touring two Seattle music stores last week than all of the "60 T Birds listed on Reverb and Ebay, they're far more common than what you suggest, there's at least 70 1964 P basses on Reverb as of today vs. 5 T Birds. 1965 Thunderbird production totaled 302 pieces, they're harder to find because they're far, far rarer regardless of condition with only 1,040 total made from '63-65.
 
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#300,034
TBird1958 said:
I saw more '60s P Basses touring two Seattle music stores last week than all of the "60 T Birds listed on Reverb and Ebay, they're far more common than what you suggest, there's at least 70 1964 P basses on Reverb as of today vs. 5 T Birds. 1965 Thunderbird production totaled 302 pieces, they're harder to find because they're far, far rarer regardless of condition with only 1,040 total made from '63-65.
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Yup!
 
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#300,036
GBassNorth said:
Happy Monday all!
Had this song (or maybe it was the band members) stuck in my head when I woke up this morning…

I know it’ll be hard to focus on an instrument, but extra points if you can name the brand and model bass used in the video.

Hint: Michelle plays a Tbird NR (among many other types of basses) but not in this video.
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It could be a Music Man, perhaps. That's what the headstock looks like right off.
 
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#300,038
Miles_ONeal said:
I have. It sucked.
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My first car had no side mirrors. Just a small one on the dashboard. It was a 1954 Triumph, so I was probably lucky to have any mirror. The good thing was that you could swivel your head around and see everywhere. The only thing with less visual obstructions is a motorcycle.
 
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#300,039
TBird1958 said:
I saw more '60s P Basses touring two Seattle music stores last week than all of the "60 T Birds listed on Reverb and Ebay, they're far more common than what you suggest, there's at least 70 1964 P basses on Reverb as of today vs. 5 T Birds. 1965 Thunderbird production totaled 302 pieces, they're harder to find because they're far, far rarer regardless of condition with only 1,040 total made from '63-65.
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When you consider that some percentage of them got destroyed over time, there's even fewer. Of course, counterfeitters are probably making a few. Maybe. They are probably more likely to make a counterfeit Precision than Thunderbird because it's easier and there's a bigger market.
 
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#300,040
Gaolee said:
My first car had no side mirrors. Just a small one on the dashboard. It was a 1954 Triumph, so I was probably lucky to have any mirror. The good thing was that you could swivel your head around and see everywhere. The only thing with less visual obstructions is a motorcycle.
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A 2001 Miata was close for visibility, although it had wing mirrors. Bikes and small, sporty convertibles tend to be the best that way. They really promote situational awareness, too, at least in those with brains engaged.
 
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