• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Gibson Thunderbird or Fender Precision?

#41
bencwalker said:
You've got great taste in music, sir!

I know Nikolai Fraiture of The Strokes uses mostly Fender Jazz Basses (occasionally a P, rickenbacker, or stingray).

Jared Followill of KOL uses a thunderbird.

The arctic monkeys bassist uses a p bass, and I'm not sure about muse.

You sound like a rock type of guy, so you might go with the Thunderbird (a quintessential rock bass, no?). Make sure you play a couple p basses and thunderbirds and see which one you think plays and sounds better.
Click to expand...

The guy from Muse plays Precision and Jazz basses after switching from Pedulla.
 
#42
bencwalker said:
You've got great taste in music, sir!

I know Nikolai Fraiture of The Strokes uses mostly Fender Jazz Basses (occasionally a P, rickenbacker, or stingray).

Jared Followill of KOL uses a thunderbird.

The arctic monkeys bassist uses a p bass, and I'm not sure about muse.

You sound like a rock type of guy, so you might go with the Thunderbird (a quintessential rock bass, no?). Make sure you play a couple p basses and thunderbirds and see which one you think plays and sounds better.

EDIT: You might also want to get a fender jazz bass. I own one, and it is GREAT for rock music- it has a nice thin neck and a zingy, growly sound. It also works nicely in other genres with just a couple knob turns. However, that's personal preference. A lot of bassists like thicker necks and thuddier, thicker sounds- play a bunch of basses and pick the one you think suits you best.
Click to expand...
Ah, thought Fraiture used P most of the time, thanks :)

Wolstenholme from Muse mostly uses Jazz basses and sometimes a Rick 4003.

I'll try them out when I get the chance. Hopefully that'll be soon ;)
 
#43
Funnily enough I'm trying to decide between a USA Jazz and a Gibby Thunderbird at the moment. The jazz is cheaper and arguably more versatile, but I'm leaning towards the Gibson, even so.

I had an Epiphone Thunderbird years ago, absolutely hated it. However, I played a Gibson the other week and I thought it was a phenomenal bass. Great tone, felt nice, no balance issues, which was nice. Yea, it was maybe a bit of a one-trick pony, but then there are people who would say the same about the p-bass. I think that the only thing really making any bass a one-trick pony is a lack of imagination on the part of the player!

I have a p-bass, which I love - in fact, I prefer it to my CIJ Jazz and my Musicman Stingray. So both the (Gibson) T-Bird and the Precision are pretty great basses, but I'd go with the P-bass if you don't already have one. Every bassist should have a p-bass, just like every guitarist should have a Telecaster!!

The Gibson in my mind, is one of those 'someday' basses, whereas a p-bass is an essential! ;)
 
#45
Or is it the other way around?

ktlong.jpg
 
#48
I just can't resist posting in a thread that has turned into a " I played one of those EPI Tbirds in GC for 30 seconds, and I'll never buy a Gibson based on that" threads.

or "I have 10 Fender Precisions, spanning 40 years of manufacturing, what else would I need"

:rollno:

like I said in my earlier post I own them both, and could never be happier.

BTW, my 5 P-J's are REAL P/J's.....

P = pointy headstocks
J = JACKSONS

and yes they do bear some resemblance to a Fender body, but that's where it ends.

I assume all the $$$$ coffeetable basses are no match for the "old faithful" P bass for tone either??? <<< this is a topic of another thread
 
#50
It sounds like you can't go wrong either way, but, no matter what you get, you'll always kinda wish you bought the other. Now with that said:

The P bass is definately the safest!

I'd go with the T-bird (always wanted one, ever since I played one for 30 sec in GC)
 
#53
Can anybody give me an example of a T-Bird being used in classic rock or older hard rock or metal? I’m not familiar with the bands mentioned in this thread and I’m trying to think of how T-Birds really sound. The only guy that plays a T-Bird in music that I listen to is Nikki Sixx, and I’m still not sure what his bass sounds like. Seriously, can anybody ever really hear Nikki Sixx on anything he’s recorded?

BTW - I go with the P bass for my rock playing needs.
 
#55
Here's your '64 RI...............The pick ups are exact copies of the original Gibson ones and you can buy them separately too.
These are the two NAMM prototypes, I took this pic a few weeks ago at the shop. Mine's the #1 production piece :smug:


Line6007.jpg


Finished promo
LullT-BassBrochureFrontMedium.jpg
 
#57
I have the luck to own both a T-Bird and Precision. Now, granted they aren't the regular models of either, as the T-bird is a Gibson Zebrabird and the P-bass is a 62 RI, but I'm extremely happy with both. However, I like them for different reasons. I love the Mid-rangey growl of the Z-Bird and the body shape (I think it's very comfortable, never experienced any neck dive on mine) but I feel the neck is a little small (I have big hands). The P-bass has an incredibly versatile tone (though I normally keep my tone rolled pretty down) and an amazing neck. So, I'd probably go for the P-bass 1st, but definitely acquire a T-Bird at some point.
 
#58
bass player 48 said:
Can anybody give me an example of a T-Bird being used in classic rock or older hard rock or metal? I’m not familiar with the bands mentioned in this thread and I’m trying to think of how T-Birds really sound. The only guy that plays a T-Bird in music that I listen to is Nikki Sixx, and I’m still not sure what his bass sounds like. Seriously, can anybody ever really hear Nikki Sixx on anything he’s recorded?

BTW - I go with the P bass for my rock playing needs.
Click to expand...

Listen to Tom Petersson on the debut CHEAP TRICK lp from 1977. Possibly the best T-bird tone ever!!!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back