Thunderbird Club

[Warpeg]

Not your question, but why is it that you want and Gibson and not an Epi Thunderbird? Something to keep in mind.
1. You already want chrome and the Epi already has that. Nothing to do and it sounds fantastic.
2. The Epi sounds more like original Thunderbirds. Better IMO, and I have all to make that comparison. (And no one to my knowledge thinks the modern versions sound like the originals.)

So it in part depends on if you want the look, the name, or the sound.

Having said that, the new Gibsons have their own thing going on and worked wonderfully and sounds great for some depending upon what they are shooting for. Mine plays as well as anything I own and is wonderfully made. But if you are shooting for a "true" Thunderbird sound, the modern Thunderbird is not your bird. It's a great bass and can do a lot of things but it won't do that. For vintage you need the VP. Which I like so much I bought two!

Say all this because I bought a modern Gibson and was very disappointed in the sound, but have worked and arrived at a tone I can live with. I knew from reading that it would sound different and more modern, but I had no idea how different it would sound from what I was used to hearing from Thunderbirds for decades. Just didn't want you to make that same mistake just because bass had Gibson on it versus Epiphone. The Epis are very well made.

I've settled on wanting to get a used Epiphone Vintage Pro. Unfortunately, they seem near impossible to find on the used market!

 

[GBassNorth]

I've settled on wanting to get a used Epiphone Vintage Pro. Unfortunately, they seem near impossible to find on the used market!

Here’s one…
Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro Electric Bass, Alpine White | zZounds | Reverb

and another…
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

There’s several on Reverb right now but most have high shipping costs and aren’t great deals. The two posted above seem to be a couple of the best priced ones right now. No affiliation here, just enabling bird curious buyers.

Something else you might consider…
Greco TB 750 Thunderbird bass 1990 Tobacco burst classic MIJ with original leather gigbag | Fuji Guitars and Gear- An American Enjoying Being Lost in Japan | Reverb
I find these every bit as good as the VP (maybe better) if you can find one for about the same price as a VP.

 

[Engle]

That is truly beautiful! Congrats!

I really need a bass that plays itself. I was struggling with I want You (She's So Heavy) last night. Deceptively complicated.

A worthy song to learn for sure! I’ve played it in a jazz band and later at a jam dedicated to doing the whole album.

 

[Gaolee]

thought it sounded ok…
https://youtu.be/zT1gn4vzmxs

It's all about the bass face and hat. That's the key to good tone.

 

[Gaolee]

Good thing I talked myself into the black VP when I did. We are staring down the barrel of a new electrical panel, among other things. No money for things like a bass for a while. Timing means it obviously chose me and I didn't have a say in the matter.

 

[MCF]

Happy Canada Day!

 

[Larry V]

Happy Canada Day, eh!

View attachment 4320286

Fixed it for ya'.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

thought it sounded ok…
https://youtu.be/zT1gn4vzmxs

Puttin' the trouble in Double Trouble!

Love it.

 

[GonePlaid]

wondering how they arrive at that price….

After careful consideration: dartboard.

 

[tyohars]

I always thought that Thunderbird's only fit for loud music, but it's fit on my electro band. Can't wait to release our debut single on July 25th. I thought I'm gonna miss my Fenderesque bass, but actually I love when people expect us to play hardcore music but we're going to play a chill electronic music

 

[BklynKen]

I've been noticing a lot lately people wearing guitar straps with the strap buckle in the front. Any ideas why? I never wore it like that.

 

[GonePlaid]

I've been noticing a lot lately people wearing guitar straps with the strap buckle in the front. Any ideas why? I never wore it like that.

They didn't read the directions.

 

[BklynKen]

They didn't read the directions.

Best explanation yet.

 

[MCF]

I always thought that Thunderbird's only fit for loud music, but it's fit on my electro band. Can't wait to release our debut single on July 25th. I thought I'm gonna miss my Fenderesque bass, but actually I love when people expect us to play hardcore music but we're going to play a chill electronic music

Another myth busted. Thunderbirds are the best basses for all music. Even metal.

 

[TBird1958]

I've settled on wanting to get a used Epiphone Vintage Pro. Unfortunately, they seem near impossible to find on the used market!

Here’s one…
Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro Electric Bass, Alpine White | zZounds | Reverb

and another…
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

There’s several on Reverb right now but most have high shipping costs and aren’t great deals. The two posted above seem to be a couple of the best priced ones right now. No affiliation here, just enabling bird curious buyers.

Something else you might consider…
Greco TB 750 Thunderbird bass 1990 Tobacco burst classic MIJ with original leather gigbag | Fuji Guitars and Gear- An American Enjoying Being Lost in Japan | Reverb
I find these every bit as good as the VP (maybe better) if you can find one for about the same price as a VP.

Buy the Greco, it's more than worth it, even with the shipping.

 

[BklynKen]

Buy the Greco, it's more than worth it, even with the shipping.

Yeah, especially considering the lefty one on eBay keeps getting reposted at the same $1,467.33 + $130 shipping, and it says it might need a fret job.

But how cool is this?

Greco MTB-65 Used Electric Bass | eBay

 

[GBassNorth]

Yeah, especially considering the lefty one on eBay keeps getting reposted at the same $1,467.33 + $130 shipping, and it says it might need a fret job.

But how cool is this?

Greco MTB-65 Used Electric Bass | eBay

Very cool indeed. I’ve looked at that posting several times trying to guess the control layout, and all I can guess is they have the top two jazz pups wired together as a single humbucker and same with the bottom two jazz pups. So the control layout would probably be vol/vol/tone. If that’s what they did they’d in essence have exceptionally wide humbuckers, not sure exactly how that would sound, might be great, might not. Would love to try it first.

 

[JIO]

Here's one for Chucky - '70s Italian LEM rig (love it!) of course, you'd also have to rock this cool '70s Ibanez wau-wau pedal

 

[PillO]

Very cool indeed. I’ve looked at that posting several times trying to guess the control layout, and all I can guess is they have the top two jazz pups wired together as a single humbucker and same with the bottom two jazz pups. So the control layout would probably be vol/vol/tone. If that’s what they did they’d in essence have exceptionally wide humbuckers, not sure exactly how that would sound, might be great, might not. Would love to try it first.

I had the same thought - wired as humbuckers. And he switch is some kind of coil split.

 

[GBassNorth]

I had the same thought - wired as humbuckers. And he switch is some kind of coil split.

If they wired the switch the same way I wired my FrankenGoth it’ll be a two way coil split switch with one position utilizing the outermost neck and bridge single coils (in essence, a super duper wide humbucker when both volumes are on, or a true single coil when only one volume is used) and the other switch position for standard humbucker mode (with the first two jazz pups wired together and the last two pups wired together). This design has proven to be the most flexible single switch design I’ve ever used. It completely and drastically changes the sound of the bass, very much like having two basses in one.

or

They may have done a series parallel switch. I find this wiring method nearly useless since I end up leaving the pups in series mode 90+% of the time.

or

They may have done a selector switch with up position being neck pair pups, center position being all pups, and down position being bridge pair pups. Pretty typical Les Paul stuff and relatively useful on guitar, not as much for me on bass.

or

They may have installed a kill switch. Great to have on stage or in the studio.

or

It might not do anything, it’s just there to make fools like me obsess over trivial details and wax on at great length about what it could be.