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Thunderbird Club

Made the pilgrimage to Emerald City Guitars this AM, had a nice chat with Trevor (Son of the owner) he was more than happy to chat for a few minutes about Thunderbirds. There were two in the shop, a '76 strung lefty and this fellow....

:drool:

View attachment 3899115

Interesting that is is has black knobs - most '64s I've seen including mine have gold knobs.
 
Made the pilgrimage to Emerald City Guitars this AM, had a nice chat with Trevor (Son of the owner) he was more than happy to chat for a few minutes about Thunderbirds. There were two in the shop, a '76 strung lefty and this fellow....

:drool:

View attachment 3899115

The only Gibson 'birds that usually get me drooling are the really old ones, which are out of my price range. But hey, my birthday is in December!
 
H...
Were I starting out, I would strongly suggest an Epiphone Vintage Pro, regardless of price it's simply a great bass guitar, and will serve as your gateway to spend many thousands of dollars and possibly selling body parts to finance yet more Thunderbirds.

If you can afford it, get a Vintage Pro and a Classic pro. The VP sounds more like an early bird, and the CP more like a later bird. Although they're both waaaay more versatile than some pundits think.
 
2. Are there certain years say, mid 80’s on up that are more or less desirable and why?
So far as I know, there were no Gibson Thunderbirds released into the wild between 1979 and 1989. After 1989, they are similar, with the usual variation between individual wooden objects. That said, I'm convinced that my 2001 has some magic in it that other bass guitars just don't. Now that the 1991 has been refinished, it's very close, and the 2015 has its own charms.

There was a small number of Thunderbirds (I think less than 20) built as Custom Shop in 1986, we can all thank Henry J. for production re issue in 1988.

These are '86s big headstocks chrome or black plastic pick ups
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Made the pilgrimage to Emerald City Guitars this AM, had a nice chat with Trevor (Son of the owner) he was more than happy to chat for a few minutes about Thunderbirds. There were two in the shop, a '76 strung lefty and this fellow....

:drool:

View attachment 3899115
Except for the ones @godofthunder59 and Geddy have, it seems like most of the rest of those are in the Seattle area. How is it you haven’t snagged one yet?
 
Except for the ones @godofthunder59 and Geddy have, it seems like most of the rest of those are in the Seattle area. How is it you haven’t snagged one yet?

'Cause 10K means I'm pedaling a kidney or my stunt liver (neither of which I want give just now, because alcohol) to afford one. :laugh:
 
I remember watching a documentary a while back, but for the life of me I can't recall who it was. I do remember that the person asked Paul McCartney about writing words for songs, and Paul's comment was it doesn't have to make any sense, it just has to fit. That would explain a lot of Beatles songs then.
What are you saying? That all the hours I spent in my youth pondering the meaning of the lyrics, playing albums backwards, and at various speeds, was a waste of time? The lyrics didn’t mean anything? I’m crushed. Just crushed I tell ya.
 
Introducing, the Miles Pick!

I think it was Miles that suggested drilling some holes in a pic when I mentioned that when I perspire they start moving around a little when I need to play something 16th notes. This was a trial. I think I could go with just using three holes and it would work just as well. But this does provide extra grip and might help with cooling as well. Remember, I hold a pic backwards, so the holes are basically were my finger and thumb is located. The part of the pig that it's the strain is actually the upper left-hand rounded corner. A drill press would've been handy.
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Or just use a Herco thumb pick?
 
Hey Thunderbirders!

I’m thinking about buying a Thunderbird (my first) and have a few questions please.

1. Are all Thunderbird necks 1 1/2” at the nut or are there certain models/years that have a chunkier neck/wider nut? Not a dealbreaker but just curious?

2. Are there certain years say, mid 80’s on up that are more or less desirable and why?

3. How are the 2014 120 anniversary models?

4. How are the models 2015? with the open coil pickups and extra switching options compared to the more traditional setup?

5. What is the general consensus on the set-neck studio models?

6. What are some of the more popular aftermarket pickups?

I’m not super knowledgeable on Tbirds at all but have some serious gas lately.

Thanks
Hey, always good to see a bird curious player out there asking the right questions before diving into the pool. Looks like most of your questions have already been answered. I have a nice assortment of birds that I've purchased over the years and have really come to love the look, feel and sound they deliver.

As our Queen and others have already noted, if you're just entering the world of birds and aren't sure where to start there isn't a better place under $1000 than a new or used Epiphone VP. A good second choice would be the Epiphone CP. If you're willing to spend a bit more, try to find a late 1970's Greco with the single pickup, they truly just devastate a precision bass but are pretty hard to find. If your budget is $1500 or more the 2015 TBird can be a real delight but a pretty far departure from the traditional Tbird look, feel and sound.

The neat thing about TBirds and their players is pretty much a complete lack of snobbery. A $300 Epiphone Goth isn't viewed in any less light than a $2000 modern Gibson TBird. They both bring something unique to the mix and are solid rocking machines. Respect runs both ways in the Gibby/Eppi relationship, so try a few on for size and buy the one that speaks to you.
 
Yes...yes it did...;)
KaraQ - do you have a secret to share with us? Please be the one that snagged it, I so wanted someone here to get it so we can catch a glimpse of it on Thunderbird Thursdays! So unique looking, with crazy pup placements and the ornate headstock. Ultra cool find if it's yours!
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