Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

I'm wrestling with color choice, I want the Inverness as well but that would give me 4 (FOUR) Green Thunderbirds

It'll depend on how it turns out (IG) - here's what an original looks like - this lovely '64 belongs to a fellow tb member.

this is a '66 NR in Pelham Blue - a bit more of a subtle shade and slightly amber'd from age

...and then there's Watts NR in Pelham Blue

 

[Blazer]

I’d like to see an epi version of the studio bass, preferably with zero neck angle. That said, is there any word on the price and availability of the gene Simmons bird?

They made those in the mid nineties, non reverse bolt on neck, came in four and five string versions. But since Epiphone came out with the more traditional T-birds, everybody seemingly forgot about those.

A traditional NR T-bird those were not but a cool alternative take on a bass with a P-J set up, they definitely were.

But they seemed to have vanished from the planet completely.

 

[TBird1958]

It'll depend on how it turns out (IG) - here's what an original looks like - this lovely '64 belongs to a fellow tb member.

View attachment 4137451

That's David Price's Bird! I lust for it!

For those who don't know he's an actor that does a lot of WWII stuff, most recently Netflix "The Liberator"

 

[MCF]

View attachment 4137481
They made those in the mid nineties, non reverse bolt on neck, came in four and five string versions. But since Epiphone came out with the more traditional T-birds, everybody seemingly forgot about those.
View attachment 4137482
A traditional NR T-bird those were not but a cool alternative take on a bass with a P-J set up, they definitely were.

But they seemed to have vanished from the planet completely.

@Engle was looking at one the other day. They come up from time to time over here.

 

[PillO]

well, didn’t really wanna say “don’t think Gibson gives a toss about what a bunch of pasty, pot bellied old dudes want”...

That IS their market...

 

[godofthunder59]

View attachment 4137481
They made those in the mid nineties, non reverse bolt on neck, came in four and five string versions. But since Epiphone came out with the more traditional T-birds, everybody seemingly forgot about those.
View attachment 4137482
A traditional NR T-bird those were not but a cool alternative take on a bass with a P-J set up, they definitely were.

But they seemed to have vanished from the planet completely.

I had one, decent enough. Damndest thing the neck hurt my hand playing around the first three frets.

 

[WSquires]

I'd love to own a NR bird, but I really don't think I can get passed the logo not being on the truss rod. Anyone else in that boat?

 

[PillO]

Well crap! Here I am looking at that beautiful NR thinking I might just pull the trigger. My mechanic calls (because my truck broke the other day), I figured he would say it is a broken fuel pump, NOPE! I own a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with 260,000 miles and now I have to buy a replacement because the motor is toast Looking at options but realistically Im looking for a new(to me) ride. No NR for me this year

Well 260,000 is a full life... No option other than scrap it? Can't get a motor from a scrap yard? Go with a replacement two horsepower option?

 

[godofthunder59]

So with the impending arrival of the new NRs I pulled out my 2013 Nonreverse. I have partially chromed it out and installed ny Badbird II bridge. All in all as a platform it's a excellent bass, not completely a accurate rendition of a 60's NR but it plays well, great neck, takes rounds well, super low action.
I was possibly a little critical of the 2013 bass when it came out but

If this is the basis for the 2021 NR I am looking forward to it. If the pickups are not alnico humbuckers I'll pop a Thunderbucker in the neck and be set.

 

[godofthunder59]

I'd love to own a NR bird, but I really don't think I can get passed the logo not being on the truss rod. Anyone else in that boat?
View attachment 4137573

I can live with it.

 

[JIO]

I'd love to own a NR bird, but I really don't think I can get passed the logo not being on the truss rod. Anyone else in that boat?
View attachment 4137573

I never understood the reluctance to simply make a RI, a replica. G&L recently accomplished this with their recent CLF RI's of the L-1000 and L-2000 - dead on replica's. Regardless - anyone who's a geek enough to know would know a vintage version from a brand new version and whatever, all G&L's are good and some people will still want a vintage bass. I would really like to be a fly on the wall at the marketing sessions that determines how far they are going to go to "reintroduce" a classic model of their bass.

"...ah, no Jim... we have a stack of 3-point bridges from China that we need to use up so get that 'authentic concept' out of your head"

 

[MCF]

I'd love to own a NR bird, but I really don't think I can get passed the logo not being on the truss rod. Anyone else in that boat?
View attachment 4137573

Nah. Change can be a good thing.

 

[Gaolee]

Well crap! Here I am looking at that beautiful NR thinking I might just pull the trigger. My mechanic calls (because my truck broke the other day), I figured he would say it is a broken fuel pump, NOPE! I own a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with 260,000 miles and now I have to buy a replacement because the motor is toast Looking at options but realistically Im looking for a new(to me) ride. No NR for me this year

I am currently in the middle of paying for a motorcycle engine rebuild. So, no NR for me, either. But I don't want one unless it is burgundy mist metallic from the factory. If Gibson made a reverse in Inverness Green I might have to sell a kidney though.

 

[MCF]

So with the impending arrival of the new NRs I pulled out my 2013 Nonreverse. I have partially chromed it out and installed ny Badbird II bridge. All in all as a platform it's a excellent bass, not completely a accurate rendition of a 60's NR but it plays well, great neck, takes rounds well, super low action.
I was possibly a little critical of the 2013 bass when it came out but View attachment 4137582 If this is the basis for the 2021 NR I am looking forward to it. If the pickups are not alnico humbuckers I'll pop a Thunderbucker in the neck and be set.

I’m sitting here with mine and love it. Only thing I changed was the Babicz. It’s a great Thunderbird. I think the new ones will be great.

 

[Gaolee]

TBT

View attachment 4137445 View attachment 4137447

That has an elegance that the reissues don't have. I am happy with my reissues, but there is a visual difference. Having never played anything but reissues and briefly a bicentennial, I don't know if the elegance extends to sound and playing.

 

[Gaolee]

I don't have al the details yet. My wife had taken it to give her sister a ride to work. Her description is it lost power then stoped running. I woke the kids and took her car, it turned over but didn't sound good, towed it to shop. Mechanic turned it over, didn't like the sound either. I think he said there was oil in the water jacket. I will be getting more info soon, will go in tomorrow to discus options. It will go like this: 1) buy a used motor on the cheap but that will only introduce unknown trouble at unwanted times. 2) buy a ReMan motor, that will have a warranty 3yr/10,000(?) miles, must consider Mr. Murphy. 3) a crate motor.

option one is out. Option three will be way to expensive. Option two seems best but when everything is added up it will cost about $4500/$5000. Considering if I want to put the much into a 2002. Been a good truck but maybe its time for a Jeep

Blown gasket or cracked head at the least. Probably worse, since it won't run. Cracked block perhaps. There's not a lot of ways for coolant and oil to mix. None are good.

 

[JIO]

That has an elegance that the reissues don't have. I am happy with my reissues, but there is a visual difference. Having never played anything but reissues and briefly a bicentennial, I don't know if the elegance extends to sound and playing.

it does

 

[PillO]

"...ah, no Jim... we have a stack of 3-point bridges from China that we need to use up so get that 'authentic concept' out of your head"

I suspect that is exactly the reason that the Babicz bridges were dropped in the turn-around.

 

[Gaolee]

it does

I didn't need to know that. Well, I probably already knew it. Once the house is paid off...

 

[Engle]

A build I've been working on forever, nearly finished! Just some wiring to connect.

I understand: