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New Gibson Thunderbird
- Thread starter dryheat666
- Start date
The general consensus is that the QC is really hit or miss these days. Your best bet is to look around until you find one you like, but I wouldn't buy one sight unseen.
That said, my experience with my 07 'bird has been entirely positive. I think it's a great bass- maybe not the most versatile, but it's got a stellar neck, and excels at getting that rich, deep rock sound. As for the neck dive concerns? There's nothing much to worry about now that gibson puts the button on the neck heel.
That said, my experience with my 07 'bird has been entirely positive. I think it's a great bass- maybe not the most versatile, but it's got a stellar neck, and excels at getting that rich, deep rock sound. As for the neck dive concerns? There's nothing much to worry about now that gibson puts the button on the neck heel.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,908
- 142,366
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
I have a new Nikki Sixx Sig Thunderbird on order 
and have an '89 in my collection, but in general post '88 production modern era Thunderbirds are good basses. Gibson's (lack of) QC is a cause for concern tho, as much as I love my 'Birds they can be downright sloppy about what they send out the door so play a few or buy from a dealer that hes a good policy about returns. Maybe most important is to have it set up properly by a luthier that actually understands how to work a Gibson 3 point bridge - my own experience with this thru Mike Lull made a hugh difference in how well it plays and leads me to think that in the right hands an average bass can in fact become a great player. Good Luck!
and have an '89 in my collection, but in general post '88 production modern era Thunderbirds are good basses. Gibson's (lack of) QC is a cause for concern tho, as much as I love my 'Birds they can be downright sloppy about what they send out the door so play a few or buy from a dealer that hes a good policy about returns. Maybe most important is to have it set up properly by a luthier that actually understands how to work a Gibson 3 point bridge - my own experience with this thru Mike Lull made a hugh difference in how well it plays and leads me to think that in the right hands an average bass can in fact become a great player. Good Luck!Thanks for the feedback guys, but i got a couple of questions. One, what is QC, and the other is, what is a luthier and where can i find one.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,908
- 142,366
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
QC = Quality Control
A Luthier is one that knows how to properly set up and help you mantain your bass, finding a good one is important, I personally don't work on my basses except simple mantainence like string changes, if something needs a trussrod adjustment I take it in. On a neck thru instrument especially, that kind of work shouldn't be done by just anyone. Hopefully some looking around the better independant music stores in your area can help you find a qualified luthier, I am very lucky living in Seattle to be able to work with Mike Lull, he is an extraordinary talant.
A Luthier is one that knows how to properly set up and help you mantain your bass, finding a good one is important, I personally don't work on my basses except simple mantainence like string changes, if something needs a trussrod adjustment I take it in. On a neck thru instrument especially, that kind of work shouldn't be done by just anyone. Hopefully some looking around the better independant music stores in your area can help you find a qualified luthier, I am very lucky living in Seattle to be able to work with Mike Lull, he is an extraordinary talant.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,908
- 142,366
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Yup they do, I don't personally detune for what my band does but just a week ago I saw this Seattle band Link Removed
play a great set. They de tune for the whole set except two song in standard when the whole band changes guitars. Their bassist Jessica uses 2 Thunderbirds thru an Ampeg rig, she sounded great!
play a great set. They de tune for the whole set except two song in standard when the whole band changes guitars. Their bassist Jessica uses 2 Thunderbirds thru an Ampeg rig, she sounded great!
cool, cause i have heard that down tuning on a bass that has a scale less than 35" doesn't sound good when down-tuning
Personally, I am no fan of T-birds. The fret access is poor (it is a technique in it's own right to get past the 15th), some still neck dive, and I find the tone to be bland and unfocused (the latter wasn't my term, but I find it works very well).
As said above, if you want that slightly muddy classic rock sound, get it. If you want to have a bass which can cut through the mix, or at least sound clear doing anything more than root note pounding, I would look elsewhere.
As said above, if you want that slightly muddy classic rock sound, get it. If you want to have a bass which can cut through the mix, or at least sound clear doing anything more than root note pounding, I would look elsewhere.
T-birds do rather well at cutting through, actually. It depends on the amp and EQ, but I've always been able to identify the bassline and the bass when a track had a Thunderbird on it.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,908
- 142,366
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Yes you do..........
As Earwigger says IF you know and understand how to EQ an amp they work great, what would I know tho, I only own 6 of them........I don't personally spend alot time at the 15th fret doing the Les Claypool thing, I tend to keep to the money frets.....
As Earwigger says IF you know and understand how to EQ an amp they work great, what would I know tho, I only own 6 of them........I don't personally spend alot time at the 15th fret doing the Les Claypool thing, I tend to keep to the money frets.....
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,908
- 142,366
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,908
- 142,366
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Hmm, Steve Harris has a bass set up in drop D, also, Geezer Butler plays a number of songs in C#. Nikki Sixx down tunes his Tbirds to C routinely. In other words, proper string choice, and a quality set up by a good luthier, as well as proper selection of amp and eq WILL make a down tuned 34" scale bass sound positively killer. I am also pretty sure Eddie Jackson's (Queensryche) Spectors are 34" scale, I personally think Eyes of a Stranger, and I Don't Believe in Love both sound awesome (drop D tuning).
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,908
- 142,366
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
