Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

Hey folks, not a club member but I'm curious about Thunderbird and basses. Since there's no upper horn and the strap button is set so far up the neck, I am curious if this makes the bass hang awkwardly, like the lower frets would be a farther reach due to hanging point of the body. Does that make sense? Is it a non-issue, or something to get used to coming from a more traditional Fender-style bass background? I know neck dive is a complaint some people have, but I don't see much info about the reach. I unfortunately do not have a Tbird available locally to test the waters.

I have long-ish arms for my height, so take all of this with that in mind. I typically use a long strap at full extension. That puts the body of the bass down fairly low. I like tipping the neck up more vertical than a Fender will usually sit. Thunderbirds let you do that, while I find a more traditionally shaped bass, Fenders and Rics for example, to fight that pretty hard. Once it's settled in and adjusted on the strap, a Thunderbird will sit wherever I put it, from vertical to horizontal. Because there's no upper horn, you have to use a longer strap to get it to hang at the same place. I have not measured it, but I think the strap button is about six inches, maybe, lower on a Thunderbird than it would be on a FSO.

I also use a really wide strap. It's partially because a padded 4" strap is more comfortable no matter what, and partially because it is more stable. This is true for FSOs as well as Thunderbirds.

With the neck tipped up, there's no problem reaching anything. It's more like playing an upright bass when it's tipped up like that, although it has bass guitar frets and scale length. Assume it will be a bit different. It's hard to know if you are going to get along with Thunderbirds until one chooses you. Then you are a Thunderbird player. If it doesn't choose you, it will fight with you. That is the only explanation I have for finding Thunderbirds to be the perfect ergonomic shape and other bass guitars playable but less ideal. For me. Not for others.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Cool looking place. Where?

Messina in Sicily..

 

[MCF]

So what are we calling the new Thunderbird? The Non-Non-Reverse Thunderbird?
What a hot mess.
I wonder how long it will take Gibson to abandon this one again. Like they've abandoned almost any bass they've released in the past 30 years.

I’m guessing it won’t take long.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

And I’m shallow. The Babicz looks better IMO.

Not shallow. Just a preference. I feel the other way in most cases. I have seen one or two basses the Babicz just worked on.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

No Thunderbird content:

Fender Japan Very RARE Order Made 2004 Lucite Stratocaster MIJ w/ Hardcase | Reverb

Here is a very rare Fender Japan Lucite Stratocaster built in 2004 (CIJ R-Serial). This model never appeared in official catalogues and is believed to have been a special-order instrument, likely commissioned for a Japanese retailer. It is the only example we have ever had at Gas Statio...

reverb.com

They didn't mention that Nile Rogers played one. His was the first (and nearly only) one I saw.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I remain devout to Thunderbirds my good friend, that FSO belongs to the bassist of the band that followed us that night. I'm well past the FSO's - Fine for those who like them

pretty badazz...

 

[Albert Ross]

The pickups on the 2026 Thunderbird look/sound good!

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.

Thanks for the review! Do you think the pickups will be available as parts? Overall, I gotta say my initial impression is I like what they did to improve the Thunderbird. I'd definitely like to try one out...

 

[bylar13]

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.

Nice! Any talk of color options?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Nice! Any talk of color options?

(fingers in ears) Not listening. NOT LISTENING!

 

[bylar13]

(fingers in ears) Not listening. NOT LISTENING!

I see sunburst & black on the website. Also neck is 1.6 vs. 1.5 on an older Thunderbird. So basically an NR neck on a Reverse body.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I see sunburst & black on the website. Also neck is 1.6 vs. 1.5 on an older Thunderbird. So basically an NR neck on a Reverse body.

I know. The limited color selection helps keep me safe!

 

[godofthunder59]

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.

I agree, overall it feels pretty much the same as the New Nonreverse

Nice! Any talk of color options?

Ebony is the other color option, a rather safe choice. Some custom color choices would have been nice.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I agree, overall it feels pretty much the same as the New Nonreverse

Ebony is the other color option, a rather safe choice. Some custom color choices would have been nice.

I realize guitars (esp. Les Pauls) ar etheir bread and butter, but if they'd make just a little more effort (like custom shop and limited edition paint jobs) they could start selling more basses.

 

[MCF]

I realize guitars (esp. Les Pauls) ar etheir bread and butter, but if they'd make just a little more effort (like custom shop and limited edition paint jobs) they could start selling more basses.

Allocation of production capacity I suppose. As a fanboy I just feel lucky that they are making any basses at all. Recall they closed the Memphis factory and consolidated it with Nashville some years ago.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Allocation of production capacity I suppose. As a fanboy I just feel lucky that they are making any basses at all. Recall they closed the Memphis factory and consolidated it with Nashville some years ago.

They have to paint them either way. It seems it would be a worthwhile experiment to try and get bass sales up.

 

[MCF]

They have to paint them either way. It seems it would be a worthwhile experiment to try and get bass sales up.

Yeah. Slip a few in with the Firebirds.

 

[GonePlaid]

I see sunburst & black on the website. Also neck is 1.6 vs. 1.5 on an older Thunderbird. So basically an NR neck on a Reverse body.

FYI, my 67 NR is 1.5".

 

[RedVee]

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.

Thanks for the video Scott.

The headstock… I prefer the coloured groove around the edge but that looks fine. I’m thinking that’s the headstock they used on the Studio model?

I’m a little surprised by the thicker body. I get your reasoning though I’m not 100% onboard with the change. I’d have to try one I guess.

 

[RedVee]

Yeah, I have no need for a black Thunderbird. Unless, of course, a ridiculous deal showed up on a Nikki or something equally cool. And while burst is fine, it's seldom as sexy as certain colors.

Yeah, I get that. But I ended up with a VSB (Vintage Sunburst) T’Bird and I fell in love with its looks.
Just lucky I guess, to get a very good example.

 

[RedVee]

A bit of Aussie Rock n Roll. I’d call it Pub Rock but that scene is long dead. Although the song originated in that timeframe.

Rose Tattoo - Hard Road offical video. It’s a Vanda Young song originally written for Stevie Wright. I think Rod Stewart might have covered it back then as well. Still this version has the Tatts all over it!

Putting the video up because I thought Donnie @dagrev might dig the Valiant convertible.