![]() ![]() From From Price or 92/month with 24 month financing. Open quick view dialog for Gibson Non-Reverse Thunderbird Bass. Gene Simmons (1) Rex Brown (1) 48534 Series Clear Facets. Some finishes, such as Golden Mist poly, Heather poly, and Silver Mist poly are exceptionally rare, if existing at all. G2 Thunderbird (1) SG (1) Thunderbird (1) 47998 Artist Model Clear Facets. Some Gibson Thunderbird and Firebird custom finishes do come up, but of the 1700 or so total Thunderbird production (1963-69), the vast majority were the standard sunburst. Unfortunately, no shipping information by color is available, and these custom color basses are very rare. These colors were not advertised for other Gibson bass guitars, (though Pelham blue and Polaris White EB basses certainly exist). The brochure below, from 1963, details the original custom Thunderbird finish options for the reverse body basses. These Duco colours were available throughout their years of manufacture until 1969. Rosewood fretboard with dot inlays Frets: 20 Width at nut: 1 1/2' The Thunderbird bass was launched as a reverse style bass in 1963. Golden Mist poly, Cardinal Red, Heather poly, Inverness Green poly, Silver Mist poly, Ember Red, Kerry Green, Polaris White, Frost Blue and Pelham Blue poly. Year: 1992 Pickup: Dual TB plus ceramic humbuckers Scale: long, 34' Body: Mahogany wings Neck: Multi-ply mahogany/walnut through-neck construction. When the Gibson Thunderbird and Gibson Firebird were introduced in late 1963, they were offered with a Sunburst finish as standard, and in 10 new colors for an extra $15. 1981 Victory Standard (Candy Apple Red).Having said this, there are a lot worse guitars out there, and as well as being historically important, the 1820 bass can certainly provide the goods when required. Over the course of the 70s, the Japanese output improved dramatically, and in many ways these early 70s models are a low point for the brand. These new Epiphones were based on existing Matsumoku guitars, sharing body shapes, and hardware, but the Epiphone line was somewhat upgraded, with inlaid logos and a 2x2 peghead configuration. The Matsumoku factory had been producing guitars for export for some time, but the 1820 bass (alongside a number of guitar models and the 5120 electric acoustic bass) were the first Epiphone models to be made there. Like the Firebird III, V and VII, the Thunderbird models came with a leather neck strap.īy the end of the 1960s, a decision had been made to move Epiphone guitar production from the USA (at the Kalamazoo plant where Gibson guitars were made), to Matsumoto in Japan, creating a line of guitars and basses significantly less expensive than the USA-built models (actually less than half the price). Nickel plated hardware, single humbucker with volume and tone control. ![]() The 1963 Thunderbird II specs were as follows: Honduras mahogany body, through neck, unbound Brazilian rosewood fretboard with pearloid dot inlays. The short scale, single pickup Gibson EB0 was listed at $210 - broadly similar in price, but outsold the Thunderbird II significantly in every year the two basses were offered.Įven though this sheet was produced in 1963, and the Thunderbird II was listed in price lists as early as July of that year, Thunderbird shipping statistics suggest only two basses were shipped from the Kalamazoo plant that year.Ĭustom finishes available for the Thunderbird II were as follows: Cardinal Red, Heather poly, Inverness Green poly, Ember Red, Polaris White, Pelham Blue poly, Frost Blue, Kerry Green, Silver Mist poly and Gold Mist poly. I loved everything about it but never got to record with it with Tull though I used it all the time on stage as soon as I got it. Another surprise is the poor sales for this bass. Which was your first Glenn Cornick Late in 1970 after about a year of searching, I bought my original reverse T Bird single pickup. Considering the extra craftsmanship involved in producing a neck-through bass it is perhaps a little surprising that this price difference is as low as it is. At the same time (July 1963) The Precision had a list price of $229.50 / $240.97 for Sunburst / Custom finish. This was Gibson's first long scale bass, and their first real answer to the Fender Precision. The Gibson promo sheet for the 1963 Thunderbird II bass listed some specifications, and gave a price (accurate for the period July-August 1963) of $260 for a sunburst bass, and $275 in one of Gibson's custom Duco finishes. ![]()
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