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We are a friendly group of people who enjoy passing the time with each other
If you have questions... bring 'em on over! It'd venture to guess that there is more knowledge of all things Thunderbird in that club, than anywhere else in the world, and the folks with that knowledge, are very generous with it. If you're not interested in the funny stories and pet photos... that's cool. Not everyone is. Just let your alerts tell you when someone has responded to your posting
BuffaloBill, hey I am like you I have always liked the sound and the look. I figured I could learn to live with the neck dive and the relocation of the neck strap attachment location supposedly helps with that so I took the plung.
Those are their own thing and are good bass guitars in their own right. I have Gibson Thunderbirds, but I also have a bolt-on Epi. It's the same shape, but very different in most other ways. All of them are aggressive sounding. I don't know how hot the bolt on Epi pickups are, but I suspect they are just a little tamer than Gibson pickups. The pickup shapes are slightly different, so you have to modify a bolt-on Epi a little if you want to put aftermarket pickups in it, but you may find that you like the sound as-is. String it with DR SunBeams or Black Beauties and let it rip!
This is absolutely true unless you have an early bolt-on Epi. They put the strap button on the vestigial upper horn on those. Fortunately, moving it is very easy. You can drill right through the aluminum or pot metal neck plate and relocate the button where it should have been all along. Then those will stay put wherever you want them, just like every other Thunderbird I have ever played. I understand there are Thunderbirds out there that do have some neck dive, but I haven't encountered one yet, so long as the strap button is at the heel of the neck.
That's actually true with just about every bass guitar. I even like wide leather straps for guitars. That's mostly because I'm happier with whatever weight it's supporting is spread over a larger area. For bass, with its longer neck, it does double duty by providing a little extra grippiness.
Yeah, we do get into some pretty irrelevant conversations in there. But, when somebody pops in with a question, it generally gets addressed. But, I can sure understand that it looks like a thicket to wade through. The good thing is that we also wander out to other threads when questions about Thunderbirds come up. They aren't for everyone. In that regard, they are a bit like Rickenbackers. It also means that some different kinds of characters end up playing them.
Epi makes a number of different models of Thunderbird.The "regular" TB IV is the bolt-on model, which I'm ashamed to say I blew off & laughed at for years... until I got one. Considering they can be found on the used market pretty regularly between $150 - $300, they're a steal! The Classic & Classic Pro are both neck-thru models, and remarkably close to a Gibson in terms of quality. The Classic Pro has an active system. I'm not an "active" guy, and have never experienced one in person, so I can't offer much intel there. The Classic comes stock with Gibson pups, and in a double blind test... I'm not sure you'd be able to tell the difference between the Gibson & the Epiphone. The newest one... the Vintage Pro... only started trickling out onto the market within the past couple months, and I've yet to see a bad review! People who've been playing Thunderbirds for 40 years, and people who've just purchased their first 'bird, both agree that the Vintage pro is an incredible bass at ANY price, and strongly recommend them! Regardless of what 'bird you eventually plug in... the most important advice I can give is this: If you're used to P's & J's and the likes... do not expect to sit down & plug in at your current amp/fx/EQ settings, and expect it to make the sound that you're used to hearing. The Thunderbird is a different animal. Generally speaking... they're mid-forward, and produce a snarl without the aid of external devices or a jacked up pre amp.
I'mma stop babbling now, but will extend an invitation to stop by the Thunderbird Club. There's lotta knowledge & experience from a lotta people more qualified than I, to answer any questions you might have. Probly get a laugh or two as well!
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