Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Can anyone help me identify the year?

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-GIBSON-THUNDERBIRD-BASS_W0QQitemZ7379888783QQcategoryZ64402QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

i was just getting ready to post this for you!

per this: http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html#serial

it appears to be between 70-72...scroll near the bottom of the link

That is a NICE one, Marc! Good luck! Hope you're willing to hang in there on this one, it'll go higher...

Yes indeed. Hang on, that one is gonna jump...

I dunno...J701003....

It's not from 70-72 as Gibson didn't make Thunderbords then.Doesn't jibe with any of their serial numbers. I'm wondering if it's an Epiphone or something from the 90's.

I need to find some more expertise. I'm concerned because I placed a pretty nice bid on her.

According to Gruhn's guide, the serial number would make sense for a 1997 MIJ Epiphone. The fact there are no pics of the back is interesting. I have asked the seller about my concerns. Let's see what happens.

I don't believe they had one piece bridges in the '60s, more like this:



Although this is an aftermarket bridge, this is how they should be, with the stop tailpiece.

Me thinks that's an Orville Tbird from Japan , the pickups are a give away because they look like 60's Tbird pups w/ two screws at the ends of the cover , '76-79 Tbird pups have three screws on the cover, I think the truss rod cover has been changed w/ an aftermarket Gibson part , I'm a sucker for chrome covers on my pups but $900 to me seems a lot for that Bass if it's an Orville & I think it's been misrepresented , for one thing if it were from the 60's or 70's there would be holes for the pup & bridge covers screws & I don't see any , here's some info from Uwe one of our Gibson guys over at the Dudepit,"

In the late eighties/nineties, Orville built TBs under license from Gibson in Japan: full mahogany, but set neck. There are two versions: Plain "Orville" and "Orville by Gibson", the latter featuring allegedly original Gibson hardware/pups (I always take that with a pinch of salt: Orvilles have vintage look chrome hardware and pups, Gibson has been using black modern looking hardware and pups since 1987 when the TBird was reinstated to full flight by Gibson). Orvilles have a large following here and have a good image, but my particular "Orville by Gibson" one is "only" about 75 % of what a real Gibson can be. I think it sounds flatter and not as lively as my "real" Birds, I don't think the pups are really up to scratch and the structure isn't as responsive, but I'm a minority in this matter. "

Uwe has almost every Gibson / Epiphone US & Japanese made Bass there is so I trust his opinion , since the 70's Japan has made a quite a few lawsuit Tbirds w/ minor variations such as one pup, two pups, bridges w/ & w/o a tail piece chrome pup covers as well as the newer black 80's like pups also w/ & w/o rings around the pups most of these have the more common '63-'65 , '76-'79 & '86-today "reverse" body style both a few have been the '65-'69 "non-reverse" model as well,

Cheers,

I received an e-mail from a friend of mine in California who dabbles in vintage stuff, and he feels it's an Orville. He shared the same comments you had. My bid is withdrawn.

I too think that it is a Japanese serial number.

Gibson has a FAQ on serial numbers:
http://www.gibson.com/relations/faq.html#_9._How_can
Which basically says go to bluebookinc.com
If you're having trouble, you can always e-mail Gibson customer support.
I've dealt with them in the past and Gibson has always been great.
- Mark

Jaime's friend is partially correct. "Orville" didn't build them. "Orville" was the last minute name that Gibson marketing came up with when they decided to import the Japanese-built T-Birds (and, indeed, a whole passel of various replicas of Gibby guitars and basses) from Fuji Gen Gakki (same factory that was building all those Ibanez "lawsuit" copies). I owned an Ibanez "Howard Roberts" Gibby replica that was better than the original in every way. Gibson was having problems on two fronts at the time--the costs and QC were spiraling out of control in their American plants (what else is new--now a gennie new ES 335 is--what--$6K? Nutz), and Japan was ripping them off right and left, and building better instruments to boot.

Fender was in the same boat in the early '80s. They, too, contracted FGG to build for them. Gretsch builds some of their Pro series hollowbodies at FGG.

I'm sure the bass is a nice one, maybe better than a T-Bird, and I would be interested in the bass if it was represented and priced properly.

one of the other bidders just confirmed to me that it is an orville.