Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

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.

Brains not engaged when you are very small in a herd of lumbering dinosaurs makes for a short lifespan. Low mass is its own reward at times, though. It's amazing how many sticky situations I have wriggled out of because the bike fit through a little gap.

 

[JIO]

$.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.

yep -

 

[JIO]

Is there a standard for use bass prices any more, a Gruhn’s or a bluebook?

Most likely - but like real-estate values someone could opt to pay more than the asking price.

 

[GBassNorth]

It could be a Music Man, perhaps. That's what the headstock looks like right off.

Bingo - Musicman Sabre. The three+one headstock is a dead giveaway for Musicman.

 

[JIO]

so no go on this 65 huh?….
View attachment 6998987

I look at these situations like going to a museum - fun to witness in person even if prohibited to play. I went to a "Mid-Century Modern" show at MOMA here in SF years ago. Really great collection of industrial design from that seminal period. On the wall, they had a black 1959 Gibson Flying V guitar. A guy was staring at it very close to it and I quietly walked up and said; "whatever you do, don't touch it or alarms will go off!"

 

[JIO]

Bingo - Musicman Sabre. The three+one headstock is a dead giveaway for Musicman.

The Sabre's with carbon-fiber necks are among the most valuable MM's out there. Pretty rare and possibly one of the 1st basses to do a full cf neck.

 

[GBassNorth]

so no go on this 65 huh?….
View attachment 6998987

$40,000 Heck - I have a sweet playing all original (including the hard case) 1968 Fender P bass that I’ll sell you for half that price! I mean what are friends for. It’s a steal (for one of us).

 

[Iridescentone]

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.

I just searched Reverb for original condition 1964 and 1965 Fender Jazzes and P's.

1965 original condition Jazzes = 8
1965 original condition P's = 11

1964 original condition Jazzes = 4
1964 original condition P's =3

I allowed for a couple of acclaimed originals that had refrets or nut replacements to count as original, trusting that the sellers' descriptions are otherwise accurate. I disqualified all refins and modded ones as "non-original" condition.

Didn't bother searching the 64-65 Rics or T-birds, I already know they're scarce and have said so previously. That's exactly the point, while there were way more Fenders built than the "others", there aren't really all that many original old Fenders available. What's listed on Reverb may very well represent the majority of available vintage basses for sale, of all ilks. The economy blows right now, everyone and their brother with a vintage or uber hi-end bass would love to cash in before things get worse.

 

[JIO]

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.

Even more so because many didn't survive! And this is a good example - obviously rarer... but just not as sought after for a few reasons. Isn't part of being a T-bird player that we're a 'elite' subset? (one way of looking at it)

 

[JIO]

$40,000 Heck - I have a sweet playing all original (including the hard case) 1968 Fender P bass that I’ll sell you for half that price! I mean what are friends for. It’s a steal (for one of us).

My '66 P is better/worth more than your '68 P cause it's more "vintage"! (actually I played it and it is pretty swell!) George has an embarrassment of great sounding basses, and I didn't get a chance to play all of them!

FTR... If you removed four '0's - my '66 was still less than that!

 

[JIO]

I just searched Reverb for original condition 1964 and 1965 Fender Jazzes and P's.

1965 original condition Jazzes = 8
1965 original condition P's = 11

1964 original condition Jazzes = 4
1964 original condition P's =3

I allowed for a couple of acclaimed originals that had refrets or nut replacements to count as original, trusting that the sellers' descriptions are otherwise accurate. I disqualified all refins and modded ones as "non-original" condition.

Didn't bother searching the 64-65 Rics or T-birds, I already know they're scarce and have said so previously. That's exactly the point, while there were way more Fenders built than the "others", there aren't really all that many original old Fenders available. What's listed on Reverb may very well represent the majority of available vintage basses for sale, of all ilks. The economy blows right now, everyone and their brother with a vintage or uber hi-end bass would love to cash in before things get worse.

yep again...

 

[JJR58]

There was a point when I was gonna call @TBird1958 to come scoop me up from Sea-Tac.
But when Sewark decided they thought they could bring in a few more aircraft, I had to go.

I did fly right over Casa De Veronica.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I'm paraphrasing Chuck here, I didn't know it either. But, basically a lot of the Trace folks went to Ashdown after they folded.

yes, Mark Gooday and gang….

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Too common, not good enough for you, Chuck!

oh my!…you sure mom?…

 

[dagrev]

I have never seen a 55-57 Mustang! But even the earliest 60s Mustangs are somewhat rare. They tended to get wrecked, and not to survive those too well.

Commas are our friends!

 

[dagrev]

The nut looks hacked also...

View attachment 6998757

That's weird looking.

 

[TBird1958]

I just searched Reverb for original condition 1964 and 1965 Fender Jazzes and P's.

1965 original condition Jazzes = 8
1965 original condition P's = 11

1964 original condition Jazzes = 4
1964 original condition P's =3

I allowed for a couple of acclaimed originals that had refrets or nut replacements to count as original, trusting that the sellers' descriptions are otherwise accurate. I disqualified all refins and modded ones as "non-original" condition.

Didn't bother searching the 64-65 Rics or T-birds, I already know they're scarce and have said so previously. That's exactly the point, while there were way more Fenders built than the "others", there aren't really all that many original old Fenders available. What's listed on Reverb may very well represent the majority of available vintage basses for sale, of all ilks. The economy blows right now, everyone and their brother with a vintage or uber hi-end bass would love to cash in before things get worse.

If you're talking original condition there's currently only 3 Thunderbirds right now, I would flip to see 8 old ones listed. Judging by what I saw recently an old P bass really isn't that hard to find - buying one is another story. Glad I got an old Bird when I did!

 

[TBird1958]

oh my!…you sure mom?…

Well, if you sell that nicely colored Thunderbird of yours to me you can use the money toward the P Bass of your choice

 

[Stealth57]

Anything less than a drenching downpour counts as 'mist'. Never thought of assigning numbers, though.

Squall is real rain

 

[Iridescentone]

If you're talking original condition there's currently only 3 Thunderbirds right now, I would flip to see 8 old ones listed. Judging by what I saw recently an old P bass really isn't that hard to find - buying one is another story. Glad I got an old Bird when I did!

Yep, have been right from the start. If you want an original condition '64 P bass there are 3 available on the 'verb right now. Judging by the asking prices they're likely to be there for a while, too!