6feet7

2 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Why not fitting it the old way on the car roof ?

But with a modern touch : in a dedicated and insulated roof box.

I've the biggest roof box Halfords sell and my db fits perfectly, except I can't shut it as the bridge is an inch too high (and I'm not cutting a hole in a £250 roof box just for that).

2 hours ago, diddywah said:

I used to have a Korean black one, and also a German in Bubinga. The fancy wood on the German was stunning, but soundwise they were very similar. 

I forgot, I had a Bubinga German one too. Apart from the fancy woodwork I couldn't tell any difference from the Korean versions (and I was afraid to take it out in case I dented it and knocked a couple of £k off the price).

I used to have a gold one and now have a black one. Wonderful basses.

Any idea how much this one weighs? 

10 hours ago, LowJoeFro said:

Hey 6feet7 - are you still considering selling your artcore bass? If so, is it a 4 or 5 string? 

I had two - sold both I'm afraid.

3 minutes ago, TheLowDown said:

I'm not a collector of basses, so I would consider the Gibson to be hugely overpriced for what you get.

You could be right. I’m not even sure why I’m looking. I’ve got two gorgeous Maruszcyck Jake V’s (a P/J and a P/MM) and a Warwick Starbass Pro V, plus a double bass. 
I think it’s wanting to have that ‘Rawk’ look whilst I can still stand without a Zimmer frame. 

13 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

you wouldn't need new pickups (and I assume like the other neck thru epiphones, they are gibson pickups), just take the preamp out, take the battery out, and wire the output from the blend to the output socket.

And if that didn't work i.e. an onboard preamp was needed, I'd need a new set of passive T bird pickups (which would be £460 from Bass Direct - more than the bass costs). 

4 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

That looks odd (as in unusual) for a Gibson/ Epiphone.

You could still get it and replace the electrics with V/V/T/T for not-too-much cash. 

A luthier could likely add the forearm contour or more radiused edges. 

If it were me, I'd factor in a re-fin, too. Black? White? Matte Grey? or even a dark Gibson-esque stain like Cherry, Dark Green, Grey... 

 

I know that if I got the Epi I’d still be hankering after the Gibson so I think that it’s a Gibson or not at all (and because the Gibson I’m looking at is the studio version in black it’s easy enough to sand in a contour and refinish that area).

I still can’t decide. It’ll be on the NBD if I do get it

2 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

Do any thunderbirds have a forearm contour? I don't recall seeing one on any I've owned or played.

The Gibson one appears 'smoother'. The Epi ones seem to have a sharper edge.

29 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

I tried out the four string version of the studio. It was okay but not in the same class as an epiphone vintage pro.

There's a five string epiphone pro-v at the Gallery at the moment which does have a thru neck: https://thebassgallery.com/collections/all/products/epiphone-thunderbird-5-string

I've seen that but don't want active, which the Epiphone is. I'm allergic to putting batteries in my basses (though I could remove the wiring, put new pickups in and still be £400 in pocket). The Epi also doesn't have a forearm contour, which is a big no no as far as I'm concerned

1 minute ago, Happy Jack said:

For a fairly rare genuine Gibson, that doesn't strike me as outrageous.

You're already well aware of the known T-bird issues, as would be any potential buyer as and when you want to move it on, so if the price is at least OK then you're unlikely to take much of a hit.

Can you play it first or is this a punt on eBay or similar?

 

There's one in Spain and one in Germany, so trying is out of the question. The problem is that we have a month before import taxes will be added, so it's now or never. 

2 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

What sort of money are you looking at?

 

Just over a grand

9 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

The 5 string gibson version from that time is not a 'classic' style thunderbird with the usual string thru construction but is designated as 'thunderbird studio' model. instead of the neck-thru construction of nine-ply mahogany/walnut neck with mahogany wings it has a mahogany body with a mahogany set neck, and a different bridge.

But what's it like? as I only play 5 stringers it's this or nothing. I'm more into how it looks and feels and am not bothered about how it's made.

GAS has hit again. This time in the shape of a 2006 Gibson Thunderbird V (V as in 5 string version). In my opinion they look absolutely as cool as a cucumber (but then I think that about Rickenbackers, and I've had 3 of them and hated every one). I did get a Jackson David Ellefson bass a while back to scratch the pointy headed itch, but the lack of a forearm contour and that imperceptible 'just not gelling with it' meant it went pretty quickly. 

The reason for this post is really what do the great and the good of basschat actually think of a proper (i.e. not the Epiphone version) Gibson Thunderbird V? (Before I part with money I don't really have for something I might be selling on here for a loss a week after I've bought it)

If it had 5 strings I'd buy it back from you as I do miss it

32 minutes ago, haruki said:

I have one these fellas and I really like it  - with some TI flats on it does a great  impersonation of my  double bass and is a lot easier to play and carry   round.

 

Totally agree, but I've had GAS so it was last in so first out

Bump

2 minutes ago, Golder7 said:

Was there a particular part of the fly rig that made you change?

Overdrive and compressor didn't do it for me at all. I now don't use a compressor and use an MXR Bass preamp and a Darkglass Vintage Microtubes overdrive and Boss TU3 tuner.

I had a flyrig (for a very short time) as I wanted ease of use and small size. I now use separates. That's my opinion.

Cheesy but we always finish with the Beatles Let it Be which segues (which is when the thank you for coming/introduce the band etc is done) into the chorus of Hey Jude. Always goes down an absolute storm.

GAS has occurred so I have to thin the herd

It's in very good condition except for a chip near the switches.

I can post in a well wrapped up standard shipping guitar cardboard box, but obviously meeting up would be preferable (if possible). 

I've got one I might be selling. Let me know if still interested.

trades?

How much do these weigh? Unfortunately that is always my first thought when eyeing up any new bass.

I do love a StarBass - I've had both a Korean and a German one - both 5 strings - but now have a couple of Ibanez Artcore AGB205's, but I've seen a Korean StarBass 5 going for sale and can't make my mind up whether I should sell both Artcores and get the StarBass, or let GAS settle and stick with the Ibanez' (unfortunately I can't have both the Ibanez' and the Warwick).

Someone help me decide.

I must say, looking at this thread, I am tempted. I've got two Ibanez AGB205's (the semi hollow F holed, short scaled ones) and play them more than my 2 Maruszczyk 34 inch scale Jake 5's. They are just more comfortable to play, and with different strings on each I can go from P thump to J growl. I could get two Talmans, sell the Maru's and have two great basses and have about £1500 in my bank account