Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

1990, first year reissue.

Old wood too.

The grain on the back side of the lower wing is different from the usual. The rest appears to be iridescent bees wing.

 

[Fab Superlative]

They used the original equipment/jigs, had the oldtimers build these and they used their primo stash of choice old woods when they made these.
All of this is long gone now.

 

[dagrev]

I know what to get y'all for Christmas.

View attachment 4505983

I don't even want to know how you knew about this.

 

[dagrev]

I heard a rumor that Epiphone was going to offer more colors on the VP (60’s) for 2022.

Anyone else hear that?

I don't know, but it's SMART.

 

[WillyW]

I don't even want to know how you knew about this.

It was featured prominently on your wish list....

 

[dagrev]

It was featured prominently on your wish list....

Crap. That was public?

 

[Instagator]

Getting out my homemade tree ornaments..I made these from fridge magnets and clothes pins..Sadly the magnets were not available in Thunderbird…
Years ago we used to do ornaments exchanges on the ReRanch paint forum..we would join in and you would be paired with a random partner via numbers drawn from a hat..Once the pairings were announced you sent your best guitar related ornament in the mail and waited to see what your partner would send you..It was a pretty cool set up..I have a lot of treasured ornaments from those days..Cheers everyone.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Always loved the '27 and '07.

Especially the 707. Which was also my first plane ride (a flight around El Paso on Armed Forces Day[1] circa 1960).

[1] They pointed out military bases and other cool landmarks.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Falling from 10,000 wouldn't have killed him, the landing, ( he could be hanging in his 'chute from a tree today!) rough terrain and weather on the other hand!

Thanking his lucky stars he brought lots and lots and lots of Twinkies!

Let me know if you're making the trip out! March is the slightly warmer, really wet time of year in Washington and Everett is actually a convergence zone for rain!

We're hoping to be in Seattle mid-spring (still working on our itinerary after a wedding in California). Would love to meet up.

 

[TBird1958]

1990, first year reissue.

Old wood too.

Actually 1988 is the first year for reissue Thunderbirds, there were some custom shop Birds built in '86 and '87, they are easily distinguished by their larger headstock.

 

[TBird1958]

Thanking his lucky stars he brought lots and lots and lots of Twinkies!



We're hoping to be in Seattle mid-spring (still working on our itinerary after a wedding in California). Would love to meet up.

That would be awesome.......Hope you like flamey Queens

 

[Miles_ONeal]

That would be awesome.......Hope you like flamey Queens

If not, would I be hanging 'round? (Cue the Monkees, with Mike (RIP) singing.)

 

[TBird1958]

If not, would I be hanging 'round? (Cue the Monkees, with Mike (RIP) singing.)

Please do let me know a bit in advance, I'll take some time off.

 

[Gaolee]

I don't know what that is, and I don't think I want to google it....

A late 1980s Seattle band double bill. Cat Butt with Bible Stud. They appeared a lot together. I never saw a show, but the name has amused me ever since.

 

[Gaolee]

They used the original equipment/jigs, had the oldtimers build these and they used their primo stash of choice old woods when they made these.
All of this is long gone now.

My '91 is a really great bass guitar. It was pounded when I got it, and it's the Flamingo now. But the wood is light and resonant, as it should be. What's interesting is that my EB-2, which is 12 to 14 years older, is a heavy instrument. Thunderbirds are surprisingly lightweight for how big they are.

 

[Gaolee]

We're hoping to be in Seattle mid-spring (still working on our itinerary after a wedding in California). Would love to meet up.

That would be great!

 

[Engle]

Yes! Early reissue with the shallow neck pitch and who knows what's under those black plastic pickup covers - not what we have today!

There’s a 91 for sale in BC. An Ebony fingerboard is nice. What’s the deal with pickups?

 

[TBird1958]

There’s a 91 for sale in BC. An Ebony fingerboard is nice. What’s the deal with pickups?

Could be one of 3 types at that point, I've seen unpotted '76s, potted '76s, and an early version of the TB Plus in early re issues, mine '89s were originally potted '76s. I think the shallow pitch neck is the real selling point though.

 

[JJR58]

Especially the 707. Which was also my first plane ride (a flight around El Paso on Armed Forces Day[1] circa 1960).

[1] They pointed out military bases and other cool landmarks.

Way cool!!!
One of my fav flights ever was a short hop from Bradley to JFK on an American Airlines Lockheed Electra L-188.

 

[JJR58]

I’m always up for a new twist on the classic Tbird design, be it Gibby or Eppi or anyone else, even if it’s only color changes.

BaCH, Greco, Orville and a few others have pretty much duplicated the Thunderbird design and put their stamp on it, whereas Alembic, Spector, Dingwal and a few others took bolder steps and made some interesting models that had a hint of Tbird DNA…
View attachment 4506257
(…and a Butt bow for the Queen)

Whuuuuaaaattt???!!! That Alemcbic!!!! Yes!!!