Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Ebony Mirror

[Eldon Tyrell]

Just saw this on GG's website: "The Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Ebony Mirror is a stunning bass that reflects the legendary Gene Simmons perfectly. It sports a sleek, modern design, and has a number of great appointments such as a bound ebony fingerboard embedded with Pearloid reverse split diamond inlays, Hipshot Mini Clover tuners, a Hipshot Bass Bridge and is powered by a set of T-Bird pickups."

 

Not sure the new features (mirror plex pickguard with Gene's custom logo, new truss rod cover, bound ebony fingerboard with split diamond inlays, and the hipshot hardware) are worth the hefty markup over a regular Tbird (£2,499 instead of £1,999). Probably only of interest to die-hard KISS fans. What do you think? 

 

 

  

[Paul S]

I can think of many words to describe Gene Simmons but 'Sleek' isn't one of them.

[LeftyJ]

Looks like a set-neck design too, without the thinner body wings of the regular model, so it's in fact fatter over the full width of the body. 

[Paul S]

1 minute ago, LeftyJ said:

Looks like a set-neck design too, without the thinner body wings of the regular model, so it's in fact fatter over the full width of the body. 

 

That would make more sense.

[mr4stringz]

“Reflects Gene Simmons perfectly.” Apart from the fact he’s never really been known as a T-Bird user.

A Gibson Simmons sig should be a Ripper.

Edited April 19, 2022 by mr4stringz

[Eldon Tyrell]

Interestingly, the nut width is not the typical 1.5" but 1.6''

 

That's how the back looks like:

 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

It's a cool looking bird, but Gibson's decision to move their logo from the truss rod cover onto the headstock itself is ill-advised.

 

Although Gene did briefly use a modified Thunderbird back in the day, I agree that a Ripper would make much more sense.

 

Edit: those tiny cloverleaf tuners look daft as well.

Edited April 19, 2022 by Cosmo Valdemar

[Doctor J]

"It sports a sleek, modern design"

Perhaps, if it's 1968.

[fretmeister]

48 minutes ago, Paul S said:

I can think of many words to describe Gene Simmons but 'Sleek' isn't one of them.

 

That just reminded me of this

 

 

 

[Cat Burrito]

Didn't he borrow a T-bird for one tour circa 1975? If that ain't worthy of a tribute model, I don't know what is!

 

 

[jd56hawk]

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?

[CPCustomdubwise]

 

I read somewhere (I think Bassist magazine) many years ago, probably at the time that they were marketing the Punisher bass, that one of GS's pet peeves was asymmetric basses.....

 

Odd choice for a sig, then?

[NancyJohnson]

Nope.  Just nope.

 

This is just wrong on so many levels; aside from a brief dalliance with a black bi-centennial Thunderbird in the 1970s, nothing in his legacy says he deserves a signature model of this.  A Grabber/Ripper would have been more appropriate.

 

Bad Gibson.  Bad, bad Gibson.

[skankdelvar]

2 hours ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

"The Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Ebony Mirror is a stunning bass that reflects the legendary Gene Simmons perfectly.

 

Gene Simmons: 'Wowza! That's me, there in the mirror. Rawkanroll! Hey, Gibson guy, you have a look'.
 

Gibson Guy: (Looks) 'Sorry, Gene. The only person I can see is myself.'
 

Gene Simmons: 'No, no. It's me. Look harder'.
 

Edited April 19, 2022 by skankdelvar

[Cosmo Valdemar]

 

[Eldon Tyrell]

1 hour ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

 

Well, credit to Gibson. Cool video. However, like so often, the ad is much better than the actual product it tries to sell. 

[Cato]

I think it's a really nice looking instrument, spoilt somewhat by the logo on the pickguard, although I imagine that pickguard could be swapped out fairly easily

Edited April 19, 2022 by Cato

[Cosmo Valdemar]

1 hour ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

Well, credit to Gibson. Cool video. However, like so often, the ad is much better than the actual product it tries to sell. 

That's a bit unkind, we haven't played one yet! 😉

[Eldon Tyrell]

2 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

That's a bit unkind, we haven't played one yet! 😉

Well, it may be a decent instrument but I doubt it is so good that it can turn losers into rock stars. Well, maybe I should get one and if I do not turn into a rock star that gets respected by guys and adored by girls, then I should ask for my money back and threaten to sue Gibson for misleading advertising, which is against the law: https://www.gov.uk/marketing-advertising-law/regulations-that-affect-advertising 

"The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations mean you cannot mislead or harass consumers by, for example: including false or deceptive messages

Penalties - if you break the regulations, you could be reported to a local Trading Standards office. You could be fined, prosecuted or imprisoned."

So, watch out Gibson 😉 

[Dad3353]

6 minutes ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

... sue Gibson for misleading advertising...

 

Nah, it wouldn't hold up in court. The ad only says that'll it'll work for 'losers'; you're too cool to qualify, so it's not applicable. Sorry. 

 

...

 

 

[Eldon Tyrell]

5 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

Nah, it wouldn't hold up in court. The ad only says that'll it'll work for 'losers'; you're too cool to qualify, so it's not applicable. Sorry. 

 

...

 

 

Thank you, @Dad3353, the cheque is in the post 😉 

[lee650]

Not keen on that at all! He was never associated with a Thunderbird. As stated earlier, they should release a Ripper/Grabber in that paint job, with his logo, and watch them fly off the shelves.

Are his Cort punisher basses  still being made?

[jd56hawk]

If the Gibson 3-point bridge is supposed to be just fine, I have to wonder why they're using the same bridge I put on my Jack Casady bass.

[Vin Venal]

6 hours ago, lee650 said:

Not keen on that at all! He was never associated with a Thunderbird. As stated earlier, they should release a Ripper/Grabber in that paint job, with his logo, and watch them fly off the shelves.

Are his Cort punisher basses  still being made?

I feel like a ripper/grabber might be coming - several references in the ad to "what's coming next..."

[NancyJohnson]

7 hours ago, jd56hawk said:

If the Gibson 3-point bridge is supposed to be just fine, I have to wonder why they're using the same bridge I put on my Jack Casady bass.

 

People have been swapping out the three-pointer for years.

 

What's odd is why they went with the Hipshot and not the Babicz bridge they went with a few years back.  As terrible as the three-pointer is (and what an improvement the Hipshot is over that), the Babicz replacement is a country mile better than the Hipshot (by comfort, design and functionality).