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Thunderbird Club

#3,185
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So there it is. "Let's make the Thunderbird sound like 8 different basses," said some genius at Gibson marketing, enthusiastically. While normally I refrain from comment on things like this prior to actually playing one to hear it for myself, this is exactly the opposite of what I'd personally like to see in a T-bird.

Things I fully understand: the Gibson Thunderbird has remained essentially radically unchanged for about 50ish years, give or take a pick-up, an additional string, and a "Studio" style here and there. The sounds that have come out of the Thunderbird at different eras and times in yearly production have been different. Fit and finish has changed from year to year. I'll assume that "the Gibson Thunderbird is a one trick pony!" is a common complaint among the majority of owners of other basses.

Things I don't understand: There are SO many "versatile" basses on the market. So many. Why take a flagship product and strip it of what makes it great just to shoe-horn it in with everyone else's vision of a great, versatile instrument? "Tuned" coil taps - Because futzing around with three knobs and several switches is the epitome of rock and roll. The Babicz bridge, sure, maybe it's a huge sonic upgrade to play your 8 position coil taps through, but it is ugly. Did anyone notice in the article that the pick-ups look very familiar? Maybe like slightly differently wound G3 reissue single coils mashed together? Had a bunch left over, hey Gibson?

And lastly this: "For recording, the Thunderbird’s versatility is a huge plus, and for gigging…well, it’s certainly easier to take one bass to the gig than eight." I agree with the first part, sure, super handy, but the realities of recording, for me anyway, have been that there are always a number of instruments including my own to draw from, and I welcome that challenge. I really don't want the T-bird to sound like a Jazz. I have a Jazz for that. Short of me having one, there's likely a Jazz available at the studio or I can borrow one locally or even rent one. As for the last part of that sentence, NO ONE brings 8 basses to a gig.

My reality is different from yours, I know. I'm just really disappointed in this departure from a sonic rock machine into a versatile replication of a meh machine for an additional $1000.

My 2 cents. Or, in Gibson money, 4 cents.
 
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#3,186
mistergoats said:
Presented with comment:

Link Removed

So there it is. "Let's make the Thunderbird sound like 8 different basses," said some genius at Gibson marketing, enthusiastically. While normally I refrain from comment on things like this prior to actually playing one to hear it for myself, this is exactly the opposite of what I'd personally like to see in a T-bird.

Things I fully understand: the Gibson Thunderbird has remained essentially radically unchanged for about 50ish years, give or take a pick-up, an additional string, and a "Studio" style here and there. The sounds that have come out of the Thunderbird at different eras and times in yearly production have been different. Fit and finish has changed from year to year. I'll assume that "the Gibson Thunderbird is a one trick pony!" is a common complaint among the majority of owners of other basses.

Things I don't understand: There are SO many "versatile" basses on the market. So many. Why take a flagship product and strip it of what makes it great just to shoe-horn it in with everyone else's vision of a great, versatile instrument? "Tuned" coil taps - Because futzing around with three knobs and several switches is the epitome of rock and roll. The Babicz bridge, sure, maybe it's a huge sonic upgrade to play your 8 position coil taps through, but it is ugly. Did anyone notice in the article that the pick-ups look very familiar? Maybe like slightly differently wound G3 reissue single coils mashed together? Had a bunch left over, hey Gibson?

And lastly this: "For recording, the Thunderbird’s versatility is a huge plus, and for gigging…well, it’s certainly easier to take one bass to the gig than eight." I agree with the first part, sure, super handy, but the realities of recording, for me anyway, have been that there are always a number of instruments including my own to draw from, and I welcome that challenge. I really don't want the T-bird to sound like a Jazz. I have a Jazz for that. Short of me having one, there's likely a Jazz available at the studio or I can borrow one locally or even rent one. As for the last part of that sentence, NO ONE brings 8 basses to a gig.

My reality is different from yours, I know. I'm just really disappointed in this departure from a sonic rock machine into a versatile replication of a meh machine for an additional $1000.

My 2 cents. Or, in Gibson money, 4 cents.
Click to expand...


I agree with you completely. I bought my Thunderbird because it IS a one trick pony that hasn't really been tampered with since the 70s. I wanted THAT sound and THAT look.

The last thing a Thunderbird needs to be is a bass that sounds like everything else. There's no way the 2015s will sound anything like the older models with alnico pups instead of ceramics. The bridge may be a nice upgrade, but something I could take or leave. Taps? no way, it's a rock bass, loud and hot is what it's supposed to do. I generally leave mine dimed out with maybe a small tweak on one of the volumes to get some more bite. That's all I need.

This is a vintage style bass that doesnt need modern updates. If Gibson wants to tinker they should make a sub-model to do that with and see how it does.

And the $1000+ price increase in two years is a joke. There's no way I'd pay that much for a Thunderbird. Especially one with maybe $250 worth of upgrades I don't want. Ridiculous.

Sorry for the long one, I've been really annoyed at everything Gibson has done lately. 2014 was the start of Gibson getting real dumb.

On a positive, hopefully all of our Gibson Birds will see a jump in value over the next year or two.
 
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#3,189
I think it'll push used value up for everything prior - All good by me, tho I'm not planning on selling anything anytime soon. Knowing Gibson, they may offer the updated one for a year and then move on.....
 
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#3,193
THE DANiMAL said:
I agree with you completely. I bought my Thunderbird because it IS a one trick pony that hasn't really been tampered with since the 70s. I wanted THAT sound and THAT look.

The last thing a Thunderbird needs to be is a bass that sounds like everything else. There's no way the 2015s will sound anything like the older models with alnico pups instead of ceramics. The bridge may be a nice upgrade, but something I could take or leave. Taps? no way, it's a rock bass, loud and hot is what it's supposed to do. I generally leave mine dimed out with maybe a small tweak on one of the volumes to get some more bite. That's all I need.

This is a vintage style bass that doesnt need modern updates. If Gibson wants to tinker they should make a sub-model to do that with and see how it does.

And the $1000+ price increase in two years is a joke. There's no way I'd pay that much for a Thunderbird. Especially one with maybe $250 worth of upgrades I don't want. Ridiculous.

Sorry for the long one, I've been really annoyed at everything Gibson has done lately. 2014 was the start of Gibson getting real dumb.

On a positive, hopefully all of our Gibson Birds will see a jump in value over the next year or two.
Click to expand...

Man, am I glad I managed to get my hands on both a 50th anniversary on discount and a used 2005 for more or less the same price they're selling the 2014 models for, just a couple of months ago... :)

Prices are about to go up in near future...
 
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#3,194
TBird1958 said:
I think it'll push used value up for everything prior - All good by me, tho I'm not planning on selling anything anytime soon. Knowing Gibson, they may offer the updated one for a year and then move on.....
Click to expand...

I agree they might offer it for a short time and then back to the bass they have been selling for many years. It's a classic that is not for everyone but nothing really like them. How about an older style Thunderbird II chromed up, I'd want one.
 
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