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any love for the bolt-on Epiphone Thunderbird Standard?

Bass V

Bass V

Dec 11, 2008
6,727
16,670
Honolulu, Hawaii
#1
a 'bird is always on the wish list but everybody seems to favor the neck-thru models and I assumed there was nothing to be had from the lower rung issue until I heard this video which sounds damn good. but it's a video, and I'll likely never have the chance to try various T-birds in a single sitting, so now after a fruitless search I'm intrigued who has great things to say about their lowly Standard?


the Classic sounds identical to the Std. and the Pro seems sterile, which I doubt it is...
 
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#2
Bass V said:
a 'bird is always on the wish list but everybody seems to favor the neck-thru models and I assumed there was nothing to be had from the lower rung issue until I heard this video which sounds damn good. but it's a video, and I'll likely never have the chance to try various T-birds in a single sitting, so now after a fruitless search I'm intrigued who has great things to say about their lowly Standard?


the Classic sounds identical to the Std. and the Pro seems sterile, which I doubt it is...
Click to expand...

Head over to the Thunderbird club. Plenty of love for bolt-ons there.
 
#3
I toyed around w one just like this top burst one in our local GC just yesterday, and it felt and sounded fine and dandy in the 10min I spent with it.

Of course I'm no expert on the Gibbys or Epis that I can give a good comparison review (the active Spector shaped bird I play is in a category of it's own.)

Go post this over in the Thunderbird Club for better answers and specs. Or let's bring an expert in... Hey @TBird1958! :cool:
 
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#4
Not as good as the Vintage Pro, or the Classic Pro or the Pro IV, but right up there with this one.
vcv2gp.jpg
 
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#6
in my life the Thunderbird is like other near-mythical Gibson basses which have eluded my passions with those unique tones to die for, and this bottom runger sounds awesome in it's own rights. I remember the bargain Goth model getting rave reviews / user comments and all those in a similar range were bolt-ons of marginal quality yet they hold their own for being mere cousins to the real McCoys. I wouldn't expect the cheaper versions to be 100% competitive next to the bulls but if they have stand-alone qualities then maybe they should be getting some smiles like the P-90 equipped Les Paul Jr. did vs the granddaddy Custom of olde. in fact, some hot PUs need to be tamed and the Std. may come dialed in for a different but worthwhile experience.
 
#7
FWIW, the bolt on neck version is just it's own somewhat unique Thunderbird, it's pickups are different than any other Epiphone or Gibson, as is the neck profile. I've had a couple of them over the years they're nice basses at that price point but I find for a bit more money the Vintage Pro and Classic are much better basses overall.
 
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#8
Bass V said:
a 'bird is always on the wish list but everybody seems to favor the neck-thru models and I assumed there was nothing to be had from the lower rung issue until I heard this video which sounds damn good. but it's a video, and I'll likely never have the chance to try various T-birds in a single sitting, so now after a fruitless search I'm intrigued who has great things to say about their lowly Standard?


the Classic sounds identical to the Std. and the Pro seems sterile, which I doubt it is...
Click to expand...
I listened through the second video and have no real idea how the bass sounds, except playing sixteenth notes. I don't know what kind of bass playing y'all are doing...
 
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#11
I'm resurrecting this thread as I have a chance to purchase locally a 2007 Epiphone Thunderbird IV, bolt-on neck, with an Epiphone hardshell case included for $275. Both look like new. The purpose of this would be for my son to keep in his apartment at college. IFAIK he has no specific preference on basses (all he's ever played-around with would be one of my Precisions) but I believe he'd think a T-bird looks cool. He's a really good keyboardist but a novice bass player. I'd let him use my my old GK MBE112 with it.

Any input on my thoughts here? Is this a decent choice?
 
#13
PaleAngel_90 said:
I'm curious to know if there is a chrome/stainless steel cover for the Epi Thunderbird IV pickup covers, I like the chrome steel look more than the ones they come with. And if so, where could I get a set?
Click to expand...
not much chance on that, I'm afraid.

I don't even remember posting this thread but have been the deliriously happy owner of a IV for 2yrs now and just got it's evil twin, the Epiphone Korina Explorer. Epiphone 100% killed it with these two.
 
#14
I recently bought a used bolt-on neck Epi TB bass from GC online, as the pics looked like the neck-thru version. For the asking price, it would have been a good deal for the neck-thru, but for the bolt-on, used, not so much. I played it at home, and it sounded ok, but when I played a live gig with it, it sounded really good. I am at odds w/GC about the inflated price... I am likely stuck with it, and will welcome it into my fold. I owned a Gibson EB3L for well over 30 years, and recently traded it for a Gibson Firebird guitar. I then got an Epi EB3 with set neck, and it sounds as good to me as the Gibson did.
 

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