Gibson has never focused on bass. I doubt they ever will. It's an afterthought for them, if even that. Their money is in Les Paul's and the Custom Shop.
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Gibson Thunderbird Discontinued???
- Thread starter LAST_C
- Start date
I love the way a thunderbird sounds. And its my favorite looking bass. But after trying several, it is just not for me. I have short arms and the neck length feels insane to me. Its one of those "I wish I could play it instruments." Hope the Grabber comes back.
- Jun 30, 2010
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- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
T-bird players are bass players who play a T-bird bass because they like the way they look, and like the way they sound. Some people don't like them for various reasons and that's - ok. There's no shortage of other basses out there.
T-bird player since 1974 - (I play other basses also...)
T-bird player since 1974 - (I play other basses also...)
I don't think there was a difference in nomenclature – just a difference in aesthetic taste.
I like both a lot in terms of looks, but prefer the '66 – '69 style (unofficially called "non-reverse" at the time). That's the one you think is ugly.
I think Gibson should have made the Thunderbird look like a '64, with the chrome pickups
- Jun 30, 2010
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- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Well yah.., but industrial design whether it be cars or toasters feels the need to continually change their product to attract new consumers. No different with guitars. Until Epiphone more recently produced the closest thing to a RI of the '63-'65 T-bird IV (already mentioned) - most people were ok with whatever new version Gibson decided to produce. It was only those (of us) who really like T-birds and its history becoming big enough as a group (the T-bird thread on TB being part of that) finally got through to the producers (at Epiphone) that yah.., it would be nice to have a nearly RI of the groundbreaking Gibson bass. Fender since the '80s has never been shy of RI's of their basses (P & J, '51 P/Tele, Mustang) and there's been countless revisitations over decades of those iconic basses. A defining difference between Gibson/(Epi) and Fender to this day.
- Mar 13, 2008
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- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
It's certainly within their ability to do so now, the re-issue chrome pickups used in the current Non Reverse are really nice sounding ( I have a '64 Gibson to compare them to.) and there is a good two point bridge available to complete the look of an early '60 vintage Thunderbird as the pic below shows.
That's a 2023 custom shop bass, the biggest difference between this and the real deal is the size of the headstock and tuners.
The Non-Reverse is the better bass, based on their newly reissued pickups. I hope Gibson will bring back a neck-through Bird with that pickup instead of the TB-"plus".
I love the Tbird reverse.
The non reverse looks like it's carved out of a bar of soap by some pre school kid.
But it's funky, it's odd looking and I can fully understand why some people like it.
Just like I can understand why people dislike the reverse style Tbird even though I myself love it.
There are members in the Thunderbird Club who would be very happy to unburden you of that Thunderbird. Just saying…
I have 14 Thunderbirds. Gibsons, Epiphones, and BaCHs. They do not neck dive with a proper strap. I will admit that a couple have relocated neck pins. I'm a player with an average build (5'8" 160) and I find them, reverses and non-reverses, to be perfectly comfortable players. And the tone from them is awesome.
I was like you until I got a non-reverse. Now I have four of them. While I prefer the looks of the Reverse, and have several, I love my NR's.
I think that (much like electric guitars) the overall high quality of the Epiphone line probably cuts into what Gibson USA could do with basses. The two have the opposite reputation, Epiphone for being high quality and great value at the price, Gibson for quality control issues and being overpriced.
You can find an Epiphone Thunderbird and get the fix or try out the platform for much less investment. If you don't like it you're not so badly off, and if you do like it you might just keep it and not see the need to hunt down a Gibson.
You can find an Epiphone Thunderbird and get the fix or try out the platform for much less investment. If you don't like it you're not so badly off, and if you do like it you might just keep it and not see the need to hunt down a Gibson.
I do not agree. Spend some time with Jim DeCola. He believes that basses are an important part of their business. Gibson has, and will continue to produce amazing basses.
They must be amazing instruments!
This probably sound nit-picky, but the standard pick guard just looks wonky to me, like a big, abstract heart.
I guess, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, I would like the non-reverse Thunderbird a lot more if the pick guard covered just the upper horn area, or the lower horn. (Either one would be fine to me.)
I'm saying that this (below, something I modified using Powerpoint) would look sharp, and make it more attractive to me.
