Many Just Don't Get IT, Gibson Thunderbird

[SanDiegoHarry]

That Bi-Cent one is the one *I* want... I don't know when/where I'd play it, I just WANT one... Slap some Rotos on it and rock out!

 

[plekan]

I don't think I've ever seen someone rock it and not think, that looks so lame.

May I introduce the President of The "I don't get It Club"

I am so honored!!! I'll take that title. lol

 

[plekan]

I have em on all my basses but 1 and I am going to order for that one too. Helps my old tired eyes on stage find where i need to be!

Wait. Does your bass have LEDs on them? I'm confused.

 

[Ian Perge]

Wait. Does your bass have LEDs on them? I'm confused.

Fret FX - $71.95 for "top"-mounted "LEDs" contained within a flexible thin tubing that attaches to the top of your neck with the battery pack/electronics on the back of your headstock. Not quite as "hidden" as something like SIMs, but not 500+ pounds plus shipping to the UK to have done.

 

[Xavier Zed]

Here's mine Zebra she rocks

 

[IronLung1986]

Hey I am old and opinionated and wrong about a lot of stuff.

that about sums it up.

and i'm pretty sure bluewine tiredly refers to his own old age in about 85% of his 2500+ posts.

 

[Munjibunga]

that about sums it up.

and i'm pretty sure bluewine tiredly refers to his own old age in about 85% of his 2500+ posts.

Yeah. When he was in sixth grade, I was a senior in high school playing stand-up bass in a folk trio at hootenannies. I bitch about being old in less than 1% of my 23,000+ posts.

 

[JimmyM]

i embrace being old. except for the bladder problems.

 

[spiltcoil]

Ok, I think we've both misunderstood each other here. With that particular line I was talking about any bass, not the Thunderbird specifically. For the record I think they play like crap, sound ok and smell pretty good . To me, in your post, you sounded like you were upset with people for complaining about T-birds and telling them to just deal with it. And my post was trying to illustrate that no one should have to deal with a bass that they don't like for whatever reason.

Nobody should have to deal with a post about a bass that they don't like for any reason either. Your posts seem cute on the suface but are actually quite demeaning. Why post?

 

[Kwesi]

Nobody should have to deal with a post about a bass that they don't like for any reason either. Your posts seem cute on the suface but are actually quite demeaning. Why post?

Cute but demeaning? I think you've got the wrong guy, either that or you just haven't seen enough of my posts. Feel free to browse my history, it's quite colorful.

 

[spiltcoil]

Cute but demeaning? I think you've got the wrong guy.

Ok. Perhaps just a little condescending. So why post? You have been taking smart @$$ jabs throughout this thread...just curious if at some point you might provide usefull info? You may not agree with the way this thread was presented but it doesn't mean you can interject a bunch of meaningless poo in the guise of an informed bassist.

 

[Kwesi]

Hey now, I was far from the only one doing it. Why? Because it was fun. And, trust me, there's no need for a guise, I am indeed, a well informed bassist. Can you honestly, look at the OP post and tell me that this thread could have been useful and informative? No. Nothing wrong with useless threads though, they can be a lot of fun.

 

[Dynacord]

Disclaimer is I'm referring to my bass which is a '60s reverse - and they do sound different from other eras.... to a lot of the playability complaints, well, mine has a great thin neck that is arrow straight with action comparable to any boutique bass I've played - I did have the frets Plek'd but they are the original 47 year old frets so I put that in the same category as any bass that has had significant use.

I too feel that they aren't exactly ergonomic (one of the great characteristics of Fenders is just that Ergonomics) and are fairly limited, they certainly have a place... Just not in my kit. I have never seen a band that had a T-bird strapped bassist that wasn't playing either the Who or *METAL* - and I'm not doing either these days (was I ever...?). I think you can make the case that having a T-bird as your primary or single instrument is limiting - Use it in Funk/CW/Soul/Jazz setting? Seems hard to envision...

This seems based on looks/visual stereotype alone. Just because something may be hard to envision does not mean it is not possible. In terms of tone, it could totally cut it in a Funk/CW/Soul/Jazz setting (I've played mine on a lot of soul dates with a horn band I was with for 10 years - and we did some jazz stuff too - sounded absolutely fine - but, yes, I get the visual concern for some - but, hey, I play a pink paisley Fender too so that's not a "limiting" factor to me ) I know a great bass player in the Santa Cruz area (Jerry Bradley) while not famous, an excellent and tasteful player who's been doing it forever - he has - I think - a '63 and has played it in exactly those idioms and done it very well. People here have pointed to Walter Becker's use in Steely Dan, the guy in the Chambers Brothers, I mentioned Tyran's use of one for a lot of the main stuff in the Doobie Brothers (and I talked with their guitar tech, Mark Brown, and he was quick to say that was the best sounding of all of Tyran's basses during that band's peak) and Leon Wilkeson and, of course, Mike Watt and Jeff Ament. And my friend Chris Solberg played his '60s Epiphone Embassy (same pups/hardware/scale) in Santana for 7 or 8 years. For the record, I've never played metal (closest being the occasional Led Zed or Hendrix cover...) but have played a ton of blues gigs with it as well as soul/R&B, rock and even used one with Olatunji (African) and used it backing Johnny Rivers, Al Jardine (one of the founders of the Beach Boys) and others - never a complaint or request to use a different bass. In terms of musical functionally, I don't see it as more limited that a same period P-bass other than the top couple frets being a bit awkward. Yes, they, like most Gibsons compared to Fenders are more delicate.

Same bass in use - yes, pretty much sticking to roots but it's what the song called for....

Very cool, thanks for posting this.

Thanks for the additional info and the pointer--I had missed David's clip earlier.

Thanks, Greg!

 

[Dr. Eagle]

Fret FX - $71.95 for "top"-mounted "LEDs" contained within a flexible thin tubing that attaches to the top of your neck with the battery pack/electronics on the back of your headstock. Not quite as "hidden" as something like SIMs, but not 500+ pounds plus shipping to the UK to have done.

I have them on all my basses.

 

[fingerbun]

Another youngster, under the age of 55. Not his fault, he gets a pass.

So what you are saying is when I get to 55 and my hearing is gone from too much loud music and my eyes are getting dim....at that point I will think a bird sounds and looks good?



Couldn't resist.

 

[rockscott]

I love my Thunderbird! Its my all time favorite bass over a span of 32 years playing. They have a tone & look all their own. As far as the epiphone vs. the gibson, i played them both side by side and found the new (2009) epiphone pro superior. Needless to say i walked out the door with a 2010 epiphone pro 4, no regrets at all, there's a reason they are called thunderbirds!

 

[Dynacord]

To those that harp on about neck dive, I only have this to say:

It's not that complicated:

Related, how many people use the strap button on the back of the headstock on their vintage/reissue Fender basses?

 

[bassbenj]

To those that harp on about neck dive, I only have this to say:

Related, how many people use the strap button on the back of the headstock on their vintage/reissue Fender basses?

Hey. I've never played a T-bird. Don't know if they play like crap and neck-dive like mad...But since this is TB why should that stop me from having an opinion?

I simply don't get it. In fact, I pretty much don't get Gibson at all not just the basses. Hey, I've got a Gibson Les Paul and it's the most amazing LP I ever played. Makes the one I built look like some high school shop project. But I've also got an SG. Biggest piece of crap on the planet. What were they thinking?

And that goes for Gibson basses too! Just look at that T-bird. Yeah, they were falling all over themselves to try to get a different "look" to snow the kids, but all they end up with is an upside down bass. Hint. to balance a bass the forward support needs to be out near the 12th fret. And what does Gibson do? They put it back BEHIND the neck joint! Brilliant!

And I"m sorry but your "solution" is no solution at all. First off, the support is better but not nearly far enough out the neck. And I've got some guitars with buttons like that and I can tell you that it's a nasty solution. the instrument tends to tilt away from your body which is very annoying and even worse by pulling the support back to the neck joint it forces the instrument forward into an unnatural playing position that just screams "GIBSON DESIGNED INSTRUMENT"! (A headstock button has the same problem but in the opposite direction)

Put me on the "I don't get it" list. In my opinion a T-bird is just lame in so many ways.

PS. That superglue on the strap cures neckdive every time...

Oh wait! I just remembered going to see a local band where the bass player had a T-bird. Generally speaking I hate the sound of Gibson basses, but this one sounded really, really good! Probably all they needed was to throw a sheet over the bass player and his bass so you could hear it, but not see it...

 

[Dynacord]

And I"m sorry but your "solution" is no solution at all.

I beg to differ. It works for me so, yes, I call that a "solution" - and, while it may be true that other Gibsons you've had experience with that had buttons in that location tilted forward, this stays vertical and does not exhibit that at all - zero - sorry.

Again, I'm not much of a fan of most Gibson basses but I think these '60s t-birds are a real exception - even if by mistake.

 

[DWBass]

Patiently awaits bluewine posting a pic of himself and his 'Bird!