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Thunderbird Club

#310,041
GBassNorth said:
Dave, here’s a Greco company ad from around 1977 showing the bridge cover…
View attachment 7136137
….coincidentally, it also shows the neck pickup on both the II and IV in virtually identical locations, answering that age old question as well.
Click to expand...
Do you know anything about the original cases? The one I’m looking at comes with one.
 
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#310,042
dagrev said:
Anyone have an idea what of neck repair might run on a Thunderbird? I've got an offer for a 60s NR II that's broken and needs some attention. I know it will depend on the break, but just wondering what something like that might run. AFAIK Mike is the only person I can think of who had one repaired under his care, but that was a good bit ago.
Click to expand...
For the structural repair, it depends on how clean the break is and if there is enough glueable surface. If it's a long crack, it often just needs to be glued and clamped. If its a short break right across the grain, it may require splines or more.

Is the face of the headstock intact?

And then there's the question of the finish. Are you ok with seeing the crack? My Orville is repaired and you can see it/feel it, but it doesn't bother me. I believe Vs 64 is the same.

Gibsons have nitro finish, so new lacquer can be airbrushed on to the old and it blends in.

All that to say, it could be anywhere from $200 to $2000 depending on the severity and how you want it to look afterward.
 
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#310,044
Stealth57 said:
Do you know anything about the original cases? The one I’m looking at comes with one.
Click to expand...
Here’s what the original 1977 case and case candy looks like…

Bass, cover, strap, manual, wrenches and keys…
IMG_4109.jpeg


Inside the case…
IMG_4108.jpeg


Outside the case…
IMG_4107.jpeg
 
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#310,047
Engle said:
For the structural repair, it depends on how clean the break is and if there is enough glueable surface. If it's a long crack, it often just needs to be glued and clamped. If its a short break right across the grain, it may require splines or more.

Is the face of the headstock intact?

And then there's the question of the finish. Are you ok with seeing the crack? My Orville is repaired and you can see it/feel it, but it doesn't bother me. I believe Vs 64 is the same.

Gibsons have nitro finish, so new lacquer can be airbrushed on to the old and it blends in.

All that to say, it could be anywhere from $200 to $2000 depending on the severity and how you want it to look afterward.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Irv. I haven't seen a pic yet. It's just been a very initial conversation earlier today. I asked if a pic or two could be sent. It was a project that the person may not want to finish. More than he wants to get into at this time. He was going to put gold hardware on it and refinish it in a Gold Mist. I'm hoping broken in this case might mean "was" broken and repaired and other things need to be finished up with the bass. Just not 100% sure at this point and was thinking worst case scenario. I'm not sure how much I want to get into either. It might be an ugly body and parts. I just don't know yet. If it needed refinishing I could let it be depending on what it looks like.
 
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#310,048
GBassNorth said:
My 1977 Greco II does have the factory installed bridge cover.
My 1990 Greco IV does not have a bridge cover.
Click to expand...
The 1977 catalog shows the Suzi Q (PJ) bird with no cover, but there’s a Greco ad for a 1977 II with bridge cover. The 1978 catalog shows the TB900 (II) and TB1100 (IV) with bridge covers. I didn’t look further, but clearly they had covers in the late 70s, then dropped them at some point.

No Thunderbirds, but I highly recommend the 1972 “Yellow Submarine Spaghetti Western” (my name) catalog for viewing amusement: https://vintagejapanguitars.com/greco-1972-catalogue/ .
 
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#310,049
dagrev said:
Thanks, Irv. I haven't seen a pic yet. It's just been a very initial conversation earlier today. I asked if a pic or two could be sent. It was a project that the person may not want to finish. More than he wants to get into at this time. He was going to put gold hardware on it and refinish it in a Gold Mist. I'm hoping broken in this case might mean "was" broken and repaired and other things need to be finished up with the bass. Just not 100% sure at this point and was thinking worst case scenario. I'm not sure how much I want to get into either. It might be an ugly body and parts. I just don't know yet. If it needed refinishing I could let it be depending on what it looks like.
Click to expand...
Personally I prefer to leave the finish original as much as possible on old Gibsons.
 
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#310,050
Miles_ONeal said:
The 1977 catalog shows the Suzi Q (PJ) bird with no cover, but there’s a Greco ad for a 1977 II with bridge cover. The 1978 catalog shows the TB900 (II) and TB1100 (IV) with bridge covers. I didn’t look further, but clearly they had covers in the late 70s, then dropped them at some point.

No Thunderbirds, but I highly recommend the 1972 “Yellow Submarine Spaghetti Western” (my name) catalog for viewing amusement: https://vintagejapanguitars.com/greco-1972-catalogue/ .
Click to expand...
It looks like the bridge covers went away with mid-80s models.
 
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#310,055
Ejtibbetts said:
Are there any gig bags that fit a Thunderbird? I know there are hard cases, but for how I play out of the house and what I carry I’d rather be able to put it on my back.
Click to expand...

Which model Thunderbird? I know what you're talking about. I practice once a week and gig fairly often around NYC and the hardshell case is a joke on public transportation. My 2013 Gibson fits fine in Gator's Icon and ProGo bags, if you take out the removable bottom cushion. I prefer the pockets in the ProGo, but the Icon fits a little better. And they're both incredibly protective. Mine has gotten smacked hard into overhangs, and people, more times than I can remember, and neither the case nor the bass is any worse for the wear.
 
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#310,056
BklynKen said:
Which model Thunderbird? I know what you're talking about. I practice once a week and gig fairly often around NYC and the hardshell case is a joke on public transportation. My 2013 Gibson fits fine in Gator's Icon and ProGo bags, if you take out the removable bottom cushion. I prefer the pockets in the ProGo, but the Icon fits a little better. And they're both incredibly protective. Mine has gotten smacked hard into overhangs, and people, more times than I can remember, and neither the case nor the bass is any worse for the wear.
Click to expand...
Epiphone Pro 60’s or whatever it is - can’t recall right off the top of my head. I have a Gator Transit that I use for some of my other 34” scale basses. It works fine from my home, to my car and to wherever I’m playing - usually church. Even removing the lower insert and the upper padding, it’s still a few inches longer. In situation, this works because I’m the only one handling it, but it’s just an annoyance for the slight overhand.
 
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#310,057
Ejtibbetts said:
Epiphone Pro 60’s or whatever it is - can’t recall right off the top of my head. I have a Gator Transit that I use for some of my other 34” scale basses. It works fine from my home, to my car and to wherever I’m playing - usually church. Even removing the lower insert and the upper padding, it’s still a few inches longer. In situation, this works because I’m the only one handling it, but it’s just an annoyance for the slight overhand.
Click to expand...
You’ll need 52” internal space. Not sure anyone has found one that size. Even in hard cases only the Epi triangular case works.
 
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#310,058
Ejtibbetts said:
Epiphone Pro 60’s or whatever it is - can’t recall right off the top of my head. I have a Gator Transit that I use for some of my other 34” scale basses. It works fine from my home, to my car and to wherever I’m playing - usually church. Even removing the lower insert and the upper padding, it’s still a few inches longer. In situation, this works because I’m the only one handling it, but it’s just an annoyance for the slight overhand.
Click to expand...

Yeah, sorry, those Epiphones have bigger headstocks than the modern Gibsons.
 
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#310,059
dagrev said:
Anyone have an idea what of neck repair might run on a Thunderbird? I've got an offer for a 60s NR II that's broken and needs some attention. I know it will depend on the break, but just wondering what something like that might run. AFAIK Mike is the only person I can think of who had one repaired under his care, but that was a good bit ago.
Click to expand...
IIRC, it was ~$250.-H.S. completely separated.
 
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#310,060
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