Thunderbird Club

[RikiP]

oh sorry, i thought there is a reason to change the pick-up cover other than the look.
i didn't intend to start a fight.

btw. those basses from Japan are much cheaper on local selling sites.
i don't know the exact reason of extra price on international selling.

 

[GBassNorth]

Funny that the '76 post it says there's been headstock repair but the '77 post does not. Definitely screams sketchy.
I usually message the seller for more info and more pics, if they reply and send pics it usually means it's legit

Ask both sellers for more pics. If they each provide the same pics then its way to fishy to pass the smell test.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Ask both sellers for more pics. If they each provide the same pics then its way to fishy to pass the smell test.

I'll let you know what they say.

 

[PillO]

That will leave the question of what to do with the PRO IV - Thunderbucker or Lace Alumitone?

Hey, that's my conundrum with my Pro-V! Go get your own problems!

 

[kat888]

Hey, that's my conundrum with my Pro-V! Go get your own problems!

I suspect that I'll end up with a pair of Thunderbuckers in the VP and a single Alumitone in the PRO IV - making it an Alumibird II.

 

[hillerup]

Funnily enough, I was wondering more or less the same thing. Did a 'what if' search the other day for white Gibson Birds and found 2 x '2005' on Reverb.com from the same seller and both happen to have ebony FBs, so no CITES. Did that version come in ebony? [updated year details as the Reverb thumbnail advert says '2003' but the actual page says '2005']

Gibson USA Thunderbird IV Classic White
Gibson USA Thunderbird IV Classic White

Hmmmm.... My Black 2005 has a rosewood board to the best of my knowledge - Either that, or my "ebony" fretboard has a very reddish tone to it...

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Funnily enough, I was wondering more or less the same thing. Did a 'what if' search the other day for white Gibson Birds and found 2 x '2005' on Reverb.com from the same seller and both happen to have ebony FBs, so no CITES. Did that version come in ebony? [updated year details as the Reverb thumbnail advert says '2003' but the actual page says '2005']

Gibson USA Thunderbird IV Classic White
Gibson USA Thunderbird IV Classic White

My 2008 White Bird has an ebony board, but there is really no info about the use of ebony boards in the mid-late 2000's except that in 2009 Gibson was busted for having illegal wood at their factory.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Ask both sellers for more pics. If they each provide the same pics then its way to fishy to pass the smell test.

From the '77 seller:

"hi,The 200th anniversary of the foundation "Bicentennial" model! Cool !!

Head repair, weight about 4, 33 Kg, original hard case included.


I show pic on ebay

check please"

They did not state the head stock repair in the ad. So no real additional info or pics... *fishy gauge increasing... more than what it was*
Still waiting for the other to reply

 

[hillerup]

From the '77 seller:

"hi,The 200th anniversary of the foundation "Bicentennial" model! Cool !!

Head repair, weight about 4, 33 Kg, original hard case included.


I show pic on ebay

check please"

They did not state the head stock repair in the ad. So no real additional info or pics... *fishy gauge increasing... more than what it was*
Still waiting for the other to reply

The other seller could be the same, but with a different profile... Did you use the same email account when you wrote him - Then he knows you are the same guy asking, and you might just get the exact same reply.

 

[RikiP]

From the '77 seller:

"hi,The 200th anniversary of the foundation "Bicentennial" model! Cool !!

Head repair, weight about 4, 33 Kg, original hard case included.


I show pic on ebay

check please"

They did not state the head stock repair in the ad. So no real additional info or pics... *fishy gauge increasing... more than what it was*
Still waiting for the other to reply

The item is legit and the seller has good reputation so i don't think u would end up without the bass.
Invalid Link Removed
But the interesting thing the original japanese price is around 2800$, but here is sold for 3700$.
idk insurance and things can produce this high of difference.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

The other seller could be the same, but with a different profile... Did you use the same email account when you wrote him - Then he knows you are the same guy asking, and you might just get the exact same reply.

I did think about that but figured if it is the same guy it adds to the fishiness of the whole senario.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

The item is legit and the seller has good reputation so i don't think u would end up without the bass.
Invalid Link Removed
But the interesting thing the original japanese price is around 2800$, but here is sold for 3700$.
idk insurance and things can produce this high of difference.

It's more about the fact 2 accounts are selling the same bass titled as different years.

 

[RikiP]

It's more about the fact 2 accounts are selling the same bass titled as different years.

yeah, "76" version is probably legit too... but the description is shaged up by one of the seller and even bigger profiteering.

But anyway i use ebay, amazon etc. (in Japan digimart, rakouten) and such sites just as a searching engine.
Then i look up the site of the music shop and buy it right from there.
I don't buy expensive stuff from person over internet.. that's too risky.

 

[kat888]

If we all chip in and pay you something to do it, then you are a professional. Sound like a plan?

Well smartarse, if it was possible to see what was going on in there an owld biddy with terrible eyesight might be able to attempt it, but it's recessed by several millimetres with no wiggle room, so even if the nut would come out, it's highly probable I'd never get it in again -- stop giggling at the back there!

 

[RedVee]

I suspect that I'll end up with a pair of Thunderbuckers in the VP and a single Alumitone in the PRO IV - making it an Alumibird II.

Q for no point except that I'm curious.

Is the placement of the pickup on the II's the same as if a IV had the bridge pickup removed? And... does it make any difference?

(Not sure that sentence even makes sense lol)

I'll follow the pickup story with interest

 

[kat888]

Q for no point except that I'm curious.

Is the placement of the pickup on the II's the same as if a IV had the bridge pickup removed? And... does it make any difference?

(Not sure that sentence even makes sense lol)

I'll follow the pickup story with interest

I measured the distance from the nut to the 'neck' pickup on both Birds [corrected]. The single pickup Cataldo = 680mm and the two pickup Epi Reverse = 686mm. That would appear to be statistically insignificant aka 'near as damnit'.

 

[hillerup]

I measured the distance from the nut to the 'bridge' pickup on both Birds. The single pickup Cataldo = 680mm and the two pickup Epi Reverse = 686mm. That would appear to be statistically insignificant aka 'near as damnit'.

Didn't you mean the "neck" pickup?

 

[Gaolee]

And then I will be DONE. I can sit back and post cat pictures, laugh at Carlo's jokes, admire people's orange paint jobs and carp about tort.

I don't believe any of us is ever done. But we do carp about tort. Salami is for sandwiches, not sticking to guitars.

 

[RedVee]

Didn't you mean the "neck" pickup?

Ha, I read it as Kat talking about the neck pickups. I'm sure that is what was meant.
But I'm very foggy this weekend

 

[kat888]

Didn't you mean the "neck" pickup?

Yeah, corrected. Had my mind on other things and was in a rush.