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Thunderbird Club

#339,821
So I got to check out the new 2026 Thunderbird earlier this week and I was pretty impressed. In a nutshell it feels like the new Nonreverse but with a Reverse body. I've stopped comparing every new irritation of the Thunderbird to the 60's birds and I am just trying to evaluate them on their own merits. This just a short immediate reaction to the bass having just unboxed it.
 
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#339,822
BuddhaFingas said:
Outside of my oddball pickup issue, its an awesome bass. Feels so right. Throaty sounding and full even with flats.
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As I understand it, DeCola originally developed that pickup for the 2013 version of the EB. It truly is an under appreciated Alnico pickup. It can sound vintage or modern, depending on the tap and tone settings. They have wound it differently for different releases. The version in my ‘15 is pretty hot. And I suspect it paved the way for the untapped vintage reissue which is not as hot. I hope you can get your issue resolved.
 
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#339,823
godofthunder59 said:
So I got to check out the new 2026 Thunderbird earlier this week and I was pretty impressed. In a nutshell it feels like the new Nonreverse but with a Reverse body. I've stopped comparing every new irritation of the Thunderbird to the 60's birds and I am just trying to evaluate them on their own merits. This just a short immediate reaction to the bass having just unboxed it.
Click to expand...

Well what do you know! So not tapped? Huh.
 
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#339,824
godofthunder59 said:
So I got to check out the new 2026 Thunderbird earlier this week and I was pretty impressed. In a nutshell it feels like the new Nonreverse but with a Reverse body. I've stopped comparing every new irritation of the Thunderbird to the 60's birds and I am just trying to evaluate them on their own merits. This just a short immediate reaction to the bass having just unboxed it.
Click to expand...

I was wondering if Gibson would bring it back this year (and if I should hold off incase they did) Yeah nah I am good....personally I think that thing visually is ugly, which is funny cus the tbird is one of the best looking basses. You would think with the success of the epiphone models and the NR birds they would just come in swinging with a big headstock gibson, nickel hardware and pickup covers and an updated bridge design.

If I wanted a set neck reverse Tbird I would definitely go one of the older Japanese makes.

This thing looks confused....The reverse headstock design is one of the best headstocks in guitar history..... now its this boring black thing.

I actually think I hate it. Sounds good though
 
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#339,825
Mikaelbass said:
I was wondering if Gibson would bring it back this year (and if I should hold off incase they did) Yeah nah I am good....personally I think that thing visually is ugly, which is funny cus the tbird is one of the best looking basses. You would think with the success of the epiphone models and the NR birds they would just come in swinging with a big headstock gibson, nickel hardware and pickup covers and an updated bridge design.

If I wanted a set neck reverse Tbird I would definitely go one of the older Japanese makes.

This thing looks confused....The reverse headstock design is one of the best headstocks in guitar history..... now its this boring black thing.

I actually think I hate it. Sounds good though
Click to expand...
Put a black pickguard on it like most of us who have a ‘15 do. I’m not convinced a thicker body is for the best. My thin body ‘15 doesn’t dive at all. And they put the ultralights on it (I doubt they’re the USAs though). I’ll need to play one.
IMG_0209.jpeg
 
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#339,827
MCF said:
Put a black pickguard on it like most of us who have a ‘15 do. I’m not convinced a thicker body is for the best. My thin body ‘15 doesn’t dive at all. And they put the ultralights on it (I doubt they’re the USAs though). I’ll need to play one.
View attachment 7459501
Click to expand...
Yeah see this bass looks sick. The pickups match the rest of the hardware. The classic headstock is there.

This 2026 is an abomination I say!
 
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#339,829
godofthunder59 said:
So I got to check out the new 2026 Thunderbird earlier this week and I was pretty impressed. In a nutshell it feels like the new Nonreverse but with a Reverse body. I've stopped comparing every new irritation of the Thunderbird to the 60's birds and I am just trying to evaluate them on their own merits. This just a short immediate reaction to the bass having just unboxed it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Scott! I actually like the small headstock. I wish they’d left the HS edges burst, though. And I prefer thinner bodies. 1.5” neck? What’s MSRP? I was certain I was done buying new basses any time soon, now not so much.
 
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#339,830
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#339,831
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#339,832
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#339,833
MCF said:
Put a black pickguard on it like most of us who have a ‘15 do. I’m not convinced a thicker body is for the best. My thin body ‘15 doesn’t dive at all. And they put the ultralights on it (I doubt they’re the USAs though). I’ll need to play one.
View attachment 7459501
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I agree about a thicker body. It was my '64 II and most '60s Japanese basses that had 1-1/4" thick bodies that convinced me to make all my custom basses 1-1/4" thick. A thin body w/ ergonomic tapers, bevels & scallops conforms to your body and is lighter and far more comfortable to play. A thicker, heavier body wouldn't be a selling point for me.
 
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#339,834
JIO said:
I agree about a thicker body. It was my '64 II and most '60s Japanese basses that had 1-1/4" thick bodies that convinced me to make all my custom basses 1-1/4" thick. A thin body w/ ergonomic tapers, bevels & scallops conforms to your body and is lighter and far more comfortable to play. A thicker, heavier body wouldn't be a selling point for me.
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That’s only one of the things I love about my Gibson ‘15. It fits me perfectly.
 
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#339,836
MCF said:
Enabling is a calling.
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Whats the bet Ill play one in Japan this May, and it plays and sounds great.

Still........I refuse! Vanity alone will protect me from this one. The RRP for one of these in Australia is $4500, yeah naaah.


To me it looks like instead of returning to the proper reverse design, Gibson is just making the reverse body and using the same tooling for the neck/headstock/set neck to cut costs.
 
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#339,837
I’m happy Gibson is doing a reverse again. But if I wanted to buy another Thunderbird, the one @Ringhammer is selling would be at the top of the list. A super deal. I have way too many black Thunderbirds. Thank goodness his isn’t a different color. Or I would be in major trouble.
sfbay.craigslist.org

Gibson Thunderbird Bass 1997 - musical instruments - by owner - sale - craigslist

This is a 1997 Gibson Thunderbird. The tuners have been upgraded to HipShot USA ultra-lites. The bridge has been upgraded to a Chrome Babicz, and the pick ups are genuine Gibson vintage reissues....
sfbay.craigslist.org sfbay.craigslist.org
 
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#339,838
MCF said:
I’m happy Gibson is doing a reverse again. But if I wanted to buy another Thunderbird, the one @Ringhammer is selling would be at the top of the list. A super deal. I have way too many black Thunderbirds. Thank goodness his isn’t a different color. Or I would be in major trouble.
sfbay.craigslist.org

Gibson Thunderbird Bass 1997 - musical instruments - by owner - sale - craigslist

This is a 1997 Gibson Thunderbird. The tuners have been upgraded to HipShot USA ultra-lites. The bridge has been upgraded to a Chrome Babicz, and the pick ups are genuine Gibson vintage reissues....
sfbay.craigslist.org sfbay.craigslist.org
Click to expand...
His is done right.

I want to do that, but burst, with gold. Exactly that.
 
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#339,839
Mikaelbass said:
Whats the bet Ill play one in Japan this May, and it plays and sounds great.

Still........I refuse! Vanity alone will protect me from this one. The RRP for one of these in Australia is $4500, yeah naaah.


To me it looks like instead of returning to the proper reverse design, Gibson is just making the reverse body and using the same tooling for the neck/headstock/set neck to cut costs.
Click to expand...
You’re correct. They did that with the Rex Brown and the Simmons G2. I don’t know when production of the through necks ceased. I’m guessing’ ‘19, although some were still listed as available for a couple years after that. Old inventory? But wow. $4500? That’s like $3150 US.
 
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