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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
- Start date
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- Tags
- club thunderbird
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,587
- 221,942
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,587
- 221,942
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Almost bought one of these new in '96 - cool basses but especially with your pu upgrade.
I recall back in the 70s when a friend's older brother bought a new car. He drove up and we asked what is that? He said a Subaru. We said, what the.... is that? We had never heard of it, but it turned out to be a great car.
In the words of Arte Johnson: "Verrry interesting". So. The new Gibson NR is here(YAY!)and so far, except for positive remarks about the colo(u)rs available, most of the comments have been negative re the bridge-prolly the easiest upgrade-and that it looks kinda like the 2013 revisited.
Doesn't really matter to me, can't afford one anyway.
Doesn't really matter to me, can't afford one anyway.I had the same experience. My sister bought a little yellow 2 door, in maybe 1974. I had never heard of such a car. She drove it for years without any issues.
Congratulations on your new ride Klondike. Subaru makes great cars.
There were some 360s in our town owned by AF guys who had been in Japan. Then when they imported the first “real car” in about ‘73 or ‘74 our Keyboard player’s older brother got one to go off to his first year at the AF Academy. It seemed ok, but nothing special. They’ve come a long way. My ‘19 Forester is a great, stable all weather car. Klondike should like his just fine.
dieselman
Supporting Member
I’m chomping at the bit. The new amp, cab and cable all arrived in SoCal (San Bernardino) last night. The waiting is the hardest part. Still say Monday though. Oh well.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,894
- 142,206
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
The Green Things, new Thunderbird sister arrives in a few months and will fit right in.
It isn't easy being green, but you sure provide a safe haven.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,587
- 221,942
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Yes indeed!
Speaking of tools... my good friend Jim collects tools; planes, levels, hammers, screwdrivers, chisels, etc. He finds them, lovingly restores them and just appreciates them. It starts with being an artist (master art lithographer & painter) but he also can do pretty much anything work/craftsman related so he knows how tools are used. He helped me craft my Koa Factorbird fretless body, 25 years ago now. Other than ergonomic sculpting, it was spec'd from my '64 T-bird II - a 3 piece bonded with V joints and tapered wings. The rout for Kubicki's tuner/bridge unit was very tricky, but he 'nailed' it. 
Still have the paper moquette I made to imagine the cavity - also, a bit later I made a wood/laminate 'plug' for a Kubicki body to convert it into a standard bridge/tuners-on-the-neck bass which is what the drawing refers to.
That's so beautiful. Has anyone ever asked you to make one for them?Yes indeed!
View attachment 4139862
View attachment 4139899
Still have the paper moquette I made to imagine the cavity - also, a bit later I made a wood/laminate 'plug' for a Kubicki body to convert it into a standard bridge/tuners-on-the-neck bass which is what the drawing refers to.
View attachment 4139916
BTW, I'd still love to have a Sparkling Burgundy one. And I really don't give a ratz@$$ where the "Gibson" is. Or the jack/tone knob. Or even the bridge.* It just ain't likely to happen.In the words of Arte Johnson: "Verrry interesting". So. The new Gibson NR is here(YAY!)and so far, except for positive remarks about the colo(u)rs available, most of the comments have been negative re the bridge-prolly the easiest upgrade-and that it looks kinda like the 2013 revisited.
*where's that confounded bridge?-R.Plant
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,587
- 221,942
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Thanks! No, not that I can recall. The thing is that acquiring a Kubicki tuner/bridge or D-capo neck is not possible as they aren't made anymore and any left over after Phil passed away were used to build up left-over exotic wood bodies. At least as far as I know, there is some kind of Kubicki continuation but I don't know the extent of their involvement. In the late '90s or early 2000's I called Phil hoping to buy one (listed for $500 on his parts sheet) and he wasn't selling them at that point as his stock was dwindling and he didn't want to reorder a new batch due to the expense. I think he was ready to retire and end his involvement with the biz, plus I later learned he had health problems. No other headless bass came close to doing what Phil did with his Ex-Factor - it's still unparalleled. The tuner/bridge was off a FCS/Kubicki from the early '90s that I got for less because the pu's/electronics had been replaced with a standard set-up. (!!) It had a fretless neck which I resold after having Phil re-plane it. The fretless neck on mine I bought from Phil new in '94 (for $500) after buying a beat-up black '86 Ex-Factor in '93 for $750. (they sold for $2500 new) I later refinished the body, put the fretted neck back on it and sold it. I owned a few Ex-Factors over the years but my Factorbird fretless, the Saundersbird and my '93 J - both w/Fender Kubicki pre's are the only Kubicki related basses I now own. Vintage Ex-Factors are going for over $2k these days. When I got my '86 I called Phil to inquire about it as I didn't know much about them at the time. (no internet/google!) He asked how much I paid for it and when I told him he said - "I would have bought it for that price!"
