So whats the pro's and con's of Gibson/Epiphone Thunderbird basses?

[Conformer]

Whats about them is it you like and dislike about them? I have been pondering the notion of getting one after I get my jazz bass.

 

I was wanting to get some opinions on them.

[Crescent Seven]

I've played a few and I found no pro's anywhere. They weighed a metric ton, had softball bat necks, and a stiff action.

I suggested that their entire stock of Gibson basses be burned immediately, but they declined.

C7

[ARES]

gibson basses fall into two categories for me: love and hate

 

i love my gibson made tobias.

i love grabbers.

 

i hate thunderbirds.

i hate les paul basses.

[syciprider]

Neck dive

[no-logic]

Of all the basses that I've sold, I miss my T-Bird (Gibson, not Epi)the most. It was the first bass that I ever played that you could actually hear well in the mix. Mine was light weight, well balanced and had a slim neck. I don't know what kind of Thunderbird you other guys played but I really miss mine.

[BigPigPeaches]

 

Originally posted by syciprider Neck dive

 

 

+1. I've played the Epis and the Gibsons and both tend to dive. I haven't had a chance to play one of the Elitist series (which I despise just based on the name...why didn't they just call it the "Fascist Bastard" series?), so I have no opinion on that.

[Adrenochrome]

I tried an Epiphone T-bird a few years ago and it was sh1t. Muddy tone, neck dive, awful shaped wide plank of wood neck. Apparently the Gibson version is a completely different animal, with a thinner, through-neck and [presumably] much better pups. Quite a few fashion victims over here have the Epi T-bird for its iconic looks only.

[KeroseneTrewthe]

One is like 4 times the cost. Thats a con.

[KeroseneTrewthe]

Originally posted by Adrenochrome I tried an Epiphone T-bird a few years ago and it was sh1t. Muddy tone, neck dive, awful shaped wide plank of wood neck. Apparently the Gibson version is a completely different animal, with a thinner, through-neck and [presumably] much better pups. Quite a few fashion victims over here have the Epi T-bird for its iconic looks only.

 

 

You might be confusing the new Gibson Thunderbird Studio with the Standard Bird. Cause the Epi TBird and Gibson TBird are almost identical size and everything. One is neck through though.

 

I had a Epi TBird and it was a nice bass. Move the button, neck dive cured. Tone isnt perfect but pretty good.

 

www.otherguydrive.com go to the music tab. Download "Face to a Name" Hear a Epi TBird live.

[mench]

I played one a couple of years and liked how it played - didn't plug it in though. There's a local band around here who's bass player plays a gibson t-bird through a big old SVT, and his tone craps on most people in perth

[Darkstorm]

They dont sound very good with a pick. Best suited to figerstyle. Same goes for the other gibson basses. Its mainly due to the pups used. Also the thunderbirds balance between the pups is pretty lousy. This again is due to how gibson designed the output of the neck & bridge pups. Overall Id have to say there tonal balance and voicing isnt as good as regular soapbar type pups, J's & P's. The gibson type bass pups are an oddity of their own.

 

Thunderbird is also a awkward bass. THe reach to the nut just feels longer then any other bass I've played. They also neck dive easilly.

 

Adren > I've played the bolt on epi thunderbird with the gibson style thunderbird pups. Its sound is practically identical to the 1970's bicentenial edition gibson thunderbird. Including poorly balanced pup outputs and not good for use with a pick. Its actually a very good copy sound wise of the bicentenial edition gibson thunderbird. Modern gibson thunberbirds have diff pups then what those had.

[mench]

 

Originally posted by Darkstorm They dont sound very good with a pick. Best suited to figerstyle. Same goes for the other gibson basses. Its mainly due to the pups used. Also the thunderbirds balance between the pups is pretty lousy. This again is due to how gibson designed the output of the neck & bridge pups. Overall Id have to say there tonal balance and voicing isnt as good as regular soapbar type pups, J's & P's. The gibson type bass pups are an oddity of their own.

 

 

yeah - that's definitely true regarding the pickups. My LP special bass has thunderbird pickups, and while the pickups do sound great IMO, the difference between the pickups is insane... you pretty much have to stick to one pickup balance setting for a gig.

[Billy-B]

If a T-Bird is anything like an Epi Explorer (and I suspicion the T-Bird is also long scale), make sure you play one plenty before you buy one. My korina Explorer was a torture rack--very, very long reach, and neck heavy. On the plus side, it was beautiful, well constructed, and it did have really great tone.

 

Billy-B

[PrestiaRules]

 

Originally posted by no-logic Mine was light weight, well balanced and had a slim neck. I don't know what kind of Thunderbird you other guys played but I really miss mine.

 

 

mine fits this description....no neck dive..

 

I agree with Dark's decsription of a long reach to the nut

 

I really like mine...

[jannda]

well ive ownd both and other than the epi being a bolt and the gibson nt they pretty much are identicalin sound and feel . they deffently take some getting used to neck heavy and yes a very long reach . but after you get used to the feel they really aren't that bad the gibson neck is a little smaller at the nut but about the some other wise and the pups on both sound the same they really need two tone pots that I think would help a lot. wieght wise there about the same and mine really aren't that heavey i think a p or j are just as if not more so. over all ilike mine I also have an EB 2 and love the damn thing I must ive had it for almost 30 years an it's still goin strong .

[fintucfin]

It's not playing fair, I've only played an old Gibson Thunderbird for three minutes. It sounded good through an olde SVT with an olde eight-ten cab. But the Thunderbirds are yugly, IMHO.