A Thunderbird is a Jazz Bass on Steroids. Discuss...

[96tbird]

Why? because it has two pickups? Then a Gibson eb is a jazz too. What about a Ripper?

Real jazz basses have two coil lengths pickups. Does a Tbird have two?

They both have four strings too. A conundrum.

A jazz is a Fender. A Tbird is a Gibson. They are both electric basses. They are not the same. Stop it.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Are you implying cork sniffing, Sir?!

A cork Thunderbird would be quite lightweight. The truss rod would need to go all the way from the tip of the HS to the lower strap pin!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

This has turned into a pretty good thread.

I would dub thee @Instagator but that's already taken.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

There are some superficial similarities. Tbirds are second only to Jazzes in looks. I love the tobacco fade Tbird finish. Sublime. But Tbird ergonomics…ugh. Maybe it works for taller players and/or more rotund players?

A Yamaha TRBX would probably be a more apt designation of a "Jazz on steroids". Tbirds are Tbirds.

5'11", only mildly rotund, and they work great for me.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Sir you have offended my online , bass playing persona!!!!

I will meet you, virtually, at dawn outside the Guitar Center for a bass duel!!!

We will stand back to back, walk 10 paces, turn and play in Mixolodian mode.
Whoever's tone has the most spank, grunt, growl, sparkle and mwahhh, wins!

Dibs on being the judge!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

While we're on the topic of birds and jazz and performance-enhancing injections... I wonder if my frankenjazzbird somehow fits into this discussion? Though it is an EADGB short scale with Alembic electronics, it still has a "thunderbird" body shape, dual "jazz" pickups, 3 knobs on a metal plate, bolt-on neck, tug-bar... Lots of overlap. I guess it brings us back to the interesting question of what makes something a "jazz bass" or a "thunderbird"? Is it body shape, construction methods, pickups, nut width, or a combination thereof? Or does it just need to be an object sold by Gibson as a thunderbird or by Fender as a jazz bass?
View attachment 7231848

You need to let an independent auditor examine and play it for a year to determine that. I'll DM my address so you can send it right away.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

hate to say it but that looks cheesy....ymmv of course..

3D racing stripe!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

No worries- we all approach things in our own way for our own reasons. The way it looks has never concerned me.

I prefer the look of the strap behind the bass, but if I need it to help with neck dive, I happily use it.

 

[butterfingers1]

Didn't read the whole discussion but doesn't a Thunderbird sound like a big precision bass, with a big mid-frequency punch? I always found their tone very satisfying, something I sadly never heard from a jazz bass.

 

[Count Bassie]

Didn't read the whole discussion but doesn't a Thunderbird sound like a big precision bass, with a big mid-frequency punch? I always found their tone very satisfying, something I sadly never heard from a jazz bass.

Ears. They come in so many flavors...

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Ears. They come in so many flavors...

As do birds and, I presume, Jazzes.

 

[JIO]

I prefer the look of the strap behind the bass, but if I need it to help with neck dive, I happily use it.

I agree - I'd rather be happy than worry about the way it looked! But if you do...

 

[rodl2005]

These EB4 Gibsons have coil taps on both pick ups.
I love mine.
Always thought it very T-bird like in HB mode, which it mostly is.

 

[Harpo61]

I wear my Thunderbird a little bit higher than most people because of my belly nice thick strap, and it balances quite nicely not much hard to balance than my fenders

 

[JIO]

Here's how a T-bird can sound live - Bill Laswell [25:30]

 

[MCF]

I would buy a front-row ticket to that!!

So long as they aren't trying to play Smoke on the Water or Seven Nation Army.

 

[MCF]

Yep. Similar layout, and with my Epi Classic Pro it's the same nut width, though the fretboard radius might be a little flatter... But output is way hotter on the 'Bird- stock anyway. Ergos are obviously different.
But essentially they're very similar.
Just for throwing around...

Not much into the J, Rog. I appreciate those who can make them sound good, like Geddy. But I'm not at all into the burp and honk. And while the Jaco thing has its place on some Weather Report and Joni, in doses, I find it a difficult tone to want to hear all the time. And the J ergos don't fit me at all. I love the skinny necks on my Gibson reverses and BaCHs. So they're similar there. I guess to me, they're completely different instruments.

 

[MCF]

5'11", only mildly rotund, and they work great for me.

5'8", 160. Average wingspan. Only bird I have difficulty with is the VP. Thunderbirds pretty much just work for me.

 

[MCF]

View attachment 7234798
These EB4 Gibsons have coil taps on both pick ups.
I love mine.
Always thought it very T-bird like in HB mode, which it mostly is.

Underrated. My fiver is really nice. And well under 8 lbs.

 

[Count Bassie]

Underrated. My fiver is really nice. And well under 8 lbs.
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I'm curious about those.