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Thunderbirds are.. ..Not that common?

Weirdo

Weirdo

Guest
Oct 24, 2012
103
14
34
Brisbane, Australia.
#1
Hey all,


Just a thought, or maybe its because i listen to alot of punk, But is it just me or are Thunderbirds not actually that common?

The only time i really see them these days are at Local Gigs.. I know a few players who are big names with them, but thats just it, a few players.

I own one, and love it, but i also have an assortment of other basses too, so it's not my main bass - per se.

So anyways, How many big names still rock thunderbirds these days?
Gibson, to clarify.


Jackson
 
#2
There are a lot more bass manufacturers it seems these days, around where I live there is a huge abundance of Fender basses (which seems to be probably the most common brand). It all depends on many factors as far as tone, play ability, features and yes if it is important to the musician the looks when considering a bass. Different things work for different players. I actually just bought a Thunderbird bass, Epiphone brand mind you, however I love it!
 
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#3
I don't know that Thunderbirds have ever been that popular. Granted, there probably were a few more visible players in the 70's than there are now, but it wasn't like everybody and their brother used to play one. Heck, Gibson never has really taken building basses all that seriously. Even if everybody wanted to play one, there just aren't tons and tons in existence.
 
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#4
Nikki Sixx went to Schecter, I guess. He played a T-Bird before that, since about 1989.

Except for the Nikki Gibson model, I've never been in the same room with one. They sound fantastical on the youtube vids, especially the 1964's with the nickel pickups.

They're massive basses. Too big, really.
 
#6
Thunderbirds - look and sound wise - are going to be more appropriate for certain genres. That cuts a lot of potential players down right off the bat.

Considering personal tastes even further - aside from what is appropriate - you're going to cut down even more players since the look is somewhat distinct and a lot of bass players may have more mainstream tastes (hence all the Ps and Js and their variants).

When you consider that Gibson never really took making basses as seriously as Fender or EBMM or Ibanez (etc...) you can understand why fewer players would go there. AFAIK, quality was always all over the map as well.

Lastly - and maybe most importantly - neck dive! Even if the above items are not a concern, you have to REALLY like the look, sound and feel of the bass to get past the different balance and ergonomics of the Thunderbird bass as a whole. The slab type body with no belly cut or forearm contour is going to turn a lot of players off, but the extended length of the neck in relation to the balancing point of the whole bass really tilts over the neck and a lot of people just don't find it comfortable. Or to play sitting down.

If you play with the bass slung super low then it's not as big a deal, but that too rules out the majority of players who have the bass around their hip or higher.

I like the look of them, but that's about it. I'm doing a Fenderbird project where the neck and body will be counterweighted to the best that I'm able, but doubt it will be much more than eye candy hanging on the wall, which coincidentally is probably the only reason I'd ever have a Ric style bass in my collection either.
 
#7
OldDirtyBassist said:
Nikki Sixx went to Schecter, I guess. He played a T-Bird before that, since about 1989.

Except for the Nikki Gibson model, I've never been in the same room with one. They sound fantastical on the youtube vids, especially the 1964's with the nickel pickups.

They're massive basses. Too big, really.
Click to expand...

They are massively cool, though. Too cool, really. :cool:
 
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#9
Thunderbirds are.. ..Not that common?

Hofners are not that common
Jaguar basses are not that common
Warwicks are not that common
Laklands are not that common
EB0 and EB3 basses are not that common
Gibson Grabber and G3 are not that common
Fenderbirds are not that common
Danelectros are not that common
Wals are not that common
Alembics are not that common


Etc ...
 
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#10
Baird6869 said:
Great basses IME but really only worked for hard rock/alternative stuff for me. Even better with a pick.
Click to expand...
I'm using my Epiphone Thunderbird Pro IV for an upcoming open mic night…just my buddy with his 12-string and me…and I'm getting some nice, mellow tones out of it. I have it strung with flatwounds but I do use a pick…5mm Wedgie.
I can go pretty aggressive, though.
The quality of this bass is amazing considering it only cost $399…picked it up hours before Gibson raised the price to $499!
 
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#11
They were expensive in the old days, then their build quality & appeal diminished...

Were I in a *rock and roll* band that I felt needed *the look*, I'd get on old one in heartbeat. I'd hunt down a '76 - my memory of playing them in stores (back in 1976!) was great - a very big sounding bass that looks tre cool.
 
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#12
Only Thunderbird I've ever seen in a concert was two years ago when I saw Silversun Pickups (and a couple of other bands). Their bassist Nikki uses one...

Nikki-Monninger.jpg


All the other band's bassists (like Ben from Soundgarden and David from AWOLNATION) were rocking the Fenders.

It could be noted that Nikki also plays an SG bass occasionally, another not so common instrument...
 
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#13
Weirdo said:
Hey all,


Just a thought, or maybe its because i listen to alot of punk, But is it just me or are Thunderbirds not actually that common?

The only time i really see them these days are at Local Gigs.. I know a few players who are big names with them, but thats just it, a few players.

I own one, and love it, but i also have an assortment of other basses too, so it's not my main bass - per se.

So anyways, How many big names still rock thunderbirds these days?
Gibson, to clarify.


Jackson
Click to expand...

ask Mark & co this…

http://www.talkbass.com/threads/thunderbird-club.1056205/page-82
 
#14
Ric5 said:
Thunderbirds are.. ..Not that common?

Hofners are not that common
Jaguar basses are not that common
Warwicks are not that common
Laklands are not that common
EB0 and EB3 basses are not that common
Gibson Grabber and G3 are not that common
Fenderbirds are not that common
Danelectros are not that common
Wals are not that common
Alembics are not that common


Etc ...
Click to expand...
If your point is that most big name players primarily use something that looks like a Fender, then I agree.
 
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#17
Nice!!!!!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

verycoolname said:
Only Thunderbird I've ever seen in a concert was two years ago when I saw Silversun Pickups (and a couple of other bands). Their bassist Nikki uses one...

Nikki-Monninger.jpg


All the other band's bassists (like Ben from Soundgarden and David from AWOLNATION) were rocking the Fenders.

It could be noted that Nikki also plays an SG bass occasionally, another not so common instrument...
Click to expand...


Somehow this lovely, small woman manages to play a bass the "neck dives" I'm laughing out loud!

The genre thing............What BS.

Good enough for Al Stewart's bassist


Good enough for Walter Becker of Steely Dan......


Seem to work for Horace Panter of The Specials just fine too.


Have Fun!
 
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#19
TBird1958 said:
Nice!!!!!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^




Somehow this lovely, small woman manages to play a bass the "neck dives" I'm laughing out loud!

The genre thing............What BS.

Good enough for Al Stewart's bassist


Good enough for Walter Becker of Steely Dan......


Seem to work for Horace Panter of The Specials just fine too.


Have Fun!
Click to expand...


TBird - great post! Those three videos were sonically and visually about as far apart as you can get (acoustic easy listening, classic rock, punk) and the Bird looked and sounded right at home in each. What I really got a kick out of was watching Steeley Dan's Becker fight with all his might to keep that neck diving Bird from hitting the floor (NOT). He couldn't look any more relaxed and laid back if he wanted to.
BTW I still intend to make it to one of your gigs some day and I plan on bringing my Spector Rex5 with me. I want to see you rock it on stage for at least one song!
 

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