Too bad Epiphone doesn't come out with a version of this one, but hats off to anyone who spends $3,000 for the Gibson.
Other than that, are they joking with that pickguard?
A mistake or purposeful misrepresentation, there has been ample time for Fender/Gretsch to respond to the bass community.
That they have not done so, leads me to believe they're trying their best to come up with a plausible explanation that will basically amount to bs.
Never really considered one of these in my eight years of playing, though I've owned a number of Epiphone Thunderbirds.
Took one for a spin last week and discovered I've been missing something special.
(Hipshot Supertone 3-point bridge and Magma black tapewounds.)