Gibson Thunderbird 2021

[neepheid]

57 minutes ago, Tee said:

Is the Gibson 2021 NR Thunderbird ever going to see the light of day, do you think? It's been a while since they were announced.

https://bassmagazine.com/gear/gibson-releases-new-non-reverse-thunderbird-basses

It's Gibson, who knows when they'll appear?  Who knows if they'll appear.  I note the chrome pickup covers though - looks identical to the Epiphone ones, even down to the chrome ring on the bridge pickup.  If they're the same pickups then what's the appeal of this NR?  If you want something with these pickups and a better bridge but not a reverse Thunderbird shape then just get an Epiphone Embassy?  Unless you simply must have an NR Thunderbird shaped bass I guess.  I had one of the NRs from last time around (circa 2014) and I remember it being a big bass, but with the usual TB+ pickups it wasn't exciting enough for me to keep it.  It wasn't a bad bass, it just felt a bit too ordinary considering the price tag.

[NancyJohnson]

1 hour ago, Tee said:

Is the Gibson 2021 NR Thunderbird ever going to see the light of day, do you think? It's been a while since they were announced.

https://bassmagazine.com/gear/gibson-releases-new-non-reverse-thunderbird-basses

Gibson site shows pages of Les Pauls, SGs, 335s and pointy 'designer' stuff, but basses are limited to the SG Bass and Thunderbird in two colours each.

If they don't make these you'd just have a handful of disgruntled bass players going 'hurrumph!' and the whole launch would just quietly go away.  That said, expect to see the handful they have made in their Reverb Demo Shop.

Gibson just seem to be so out of touch with their (potential) customers; perhaps yes, thousands of people do actually want more Les Pauls and SGs, but there was also massive interest (still is) for a faithful reissues of the Junior double cut, Firebird FB1, Thunderbird II basses.EB2s etc.

[mxm]

1 hour ago, Tee said:

Is the Gibson 2021 NR Thunderbird ever going to see the light of day, do you think? It's been a while since they were announced.

https://bassmagazine.com/gear/gibson-releases-new-non-reverse-thunderbird-basses

…and the chances of a Left Handed version ?!!!

[neepheid]

6 minutes ago, mxm said:

…and the chances of a Left Handed version ?!!!

I'd estimate somewhere between negligible and non-existent.

[AndyTravis]

1 hour ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

I'm still waiting to see the Epiphone Rex Brown Thunderbird!

Oh? Is that a thing?

[Cosmo Valdemar]

1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

Oh? Is that a thing?

Well I thought it was going to be!

[cetera]

Rex has probably moved onto the next brand who'll pay him to endorse their basses by now...

 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

8 minutes ago, cetera said:

Rex has probably moved onto the next brand who'll pay him to endorse their basses by now...

 

Now now, he's not as bad as Glenn Hughes!

[NancyJohnson]

The NR Thunderbirds are now listed on the Andertons site for £1,650.00, so more than double what I paid for my first run NRs about nine years ago.

I'll pass this time around. 

[Tee]

To be fair most basses/guitars were cheaper back then. The AM Pro II P bass is more than double what i paid for mine (equivalent, US Standard) back then.

Shame they don't do the single pickup version.

Edited July 20, 2021 by Tee

[neepheid]

47 minutes ago, Tee said:

To be fair most basses/guitars were cheaper back then. The AM Pro II P bass is more than double what i paid for mine (equivalent, US Standard) back then.

Shame they don't do the single pickup version.

What, and Gibson make people happy?  Are you new?  

[NancyJohnson]

50 minutes ago, Tee said:

To be fair most basses/guitars were cheaper back then. The AM Pro II P bass is more than double what i paid for mine (equivalent, US Standard) back then.

Shame they don't do the single pickup version.

Back then?  We're not talking the 1940s.  The t-shirt I'm currently wearing pre-dates my NR purchase!

[Tee]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

What, and Gibson make people happy?  Are you new?  

Oh don't worry i'm very familiar with Gibson's antics. 😕

[Tee]

3 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

Back then?  We're not talking the 1940s.  The t-shirt I'm currently wearing pre-dates my NR purchase!

Sure:

10 years - back then.

20 years - back when.

30 years - way back when.

40 years - when all this was just fields.

 

[NancyJohnson]

Just now, Tee said:

Sure:

10 years - back then.

20 years - back when.

30 years - way back when.

40 years - when all this was just fields.

 

Where does 'back in the day' fit in?

[Tee]

Just now, NancyJohnson said:

Where does 'back in the day' fit in?

The beauty of that one is that it can go anywhere. Or when you have completely forgotten when it was.

[NancyJohnson]

On the Gibson Mod-Shop they had a pelham blue NR Thunderbird up for $1.6K last week. 

 

Interestingly, this lacks the scratchplate and the chromed hardware/pickup covers of the current reissues and, to be honest, this looks a whole lot better for it. 

 

The only things I could add to improve things?  Put the Gibson logo back on the truss-rod cover, give it a two part bridge, and cosmetically, line the pots up in a straight line and move the output jack to the lower bout.  

 

[Edit] Oh, and paint it black.

 

 

 

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Guitar/DMOWGQ675/Non-Reverse-Thunderbird/Faded-Pelham-Blue

Edited November 2, 2021 by NancyJohnson

[Cosmo Valdemar]

5 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

On the Gibson Mod-Shop they had a pelham blue NR Thunderbird up for $1.6K last week. 

 

Interestingly, this lacks the scratchplate and the chromed hardware/pickup covers of the current reissues and, to be honest, this looks a whole lot better for it.  The only things I could add to improve things?  Put the Gibson logo back on the truss-rod cover, give it a two part bridge, and cosmetically, line the pots up in a straight line and move the output jack to the lower bout.

 

 

 

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Guitar/DMOWGQ675/Non-Reverse-Thunderbird/Faded-Pelham-Blue

Looks very odd without the scratchplate to me, it needs it to complement the body shape otherwise it looks a bit shapeless and unfinished.

[NancyJohnson]

2 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Looks very odd without the scratchplate to me, it needs it to complement the body shape otherwise it looks a bit shapeless and unfinished.

 

Oddly familiar...

[AndyTravis]

Still really want one. Still really wouldn’t play it. So. I’m stupid.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[SteveXFR]

I don't really like the NR Thunderbird but I think it looks a lot better without the pickguard. I think it makes it look less wrong.

[NancyJohnson]

52 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

I don't really like the NR Thunderbird but I think it looks a lot better without the pickguard. I think it makes it look less wrong.

 

Spot on.  The NR/Firebird reverse pickguard horrific.

[neepheid]

Divisive.  Maybe it's just the angle of the photograph but without the pickguard to guide the shape, the top "horn" looks out of proportion to me - in the too big kind of way.  Can't put my finger on it, it's just tugging at a thread in my brain.

 

The proportions of the Lull face on to the camera look right.  I think it might be my mind playing tricks on me, or doing anything except the work it's supposed to be doing

 

[ezbass]

I find the non reverse a lumpen mess, no matter who makes it or whether it has a P/G or not. Why, just why?

 

YMMV