Thunderbirds are.. ..Not that common?

[veebass]

Those clips above are great.
Ha... T Birds and Rics- guaranteed to get the juices flowing. I own both but gig Fenders and G & Ls normally.
Why not the Bird? Tight cramped little stage areas is the main reason. The Bird is a very long bass and I don't want to be banging it's headstock into things.
If we play on a decent size stage- the Bird gets a run, because it sounds great and feels great to play. Why not the Ric? Tone doesn't suit what we play.
Just a couple of points- the neck dive thing is over stated in my opinion. The position of the board when seated is a bit different to a P Bass because of the offset waist- I find almost the same thing when playing a Jazz seated.
My 08 TBird has a small tummy cut in the back and is actually not uncomfortable to play seated. I have heard lots of complaints about finish quality and I did play a few new before I found the one that I bought.

 

[Woofer]

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...

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...

LOVE Silversun Pickups. Nikki is a great rock bassist.

I believe that the bassist from Kings of Leon uses a 'bird as well.

 

[Weirdo]

Good answers, interesting read.. Gonna point out that the Woman playing the white Tbird looks suspiciously ALOT like an epi pro with the Gibson badge, In my understanding the White Gibson T-birds are more of a Cream white than an Alpine White.
+1 to the larger stage comment too.
I used my Thunderbird for a large venue and it was awesome, Never been on a small stage with it though..

 

[gr8avocado]

It's a real Gibson. The pro has more knobs with a different layout and a normal hi-mass bridge. Wish I still had my Epi T-bird pro Was a great bass for the $. Only thing I didn't like about it was that the body tilted out away from me at about a 20 degree angle when on a strap.

 

[Weirdo]

It's a real Gibson. The pro has more knobs with a different layout and a normal hi-mass bridge. Wish I still had my Epi T-bird pro Was a great bass for the $. Only thing I didn't like about it was that the body tilted out away from me at about a 20 degree angle when on a strap.

My bad, I ment Classic, Not pro!

This one..

 

[Bassic Playing]

I don't really feel that thunderbirds are that out-there as far as looks are concerned. Yes, they are way different than a fender, but I don't find it at all jarring or unusual, because it's such a classic and well known bass shape.

 

[Bisounourse]

Kim Gordon comes to mind;

On T-Birds: I have played them, they are nice basses, but they don't do it for me.

 

[Graykong]

Frankie from The Darkness loves his T-Birds

I just bought one as I've joined a Darkness tribute band, really enjoying playing it. Completely different to my StingRay, and taking some adjusting to though.

It has made me realise that I don't ever remember seeing one being played at the many gigs I've been to here in the UK though.

 

[BassTapp]

Simon Gallup made use of ye ol' Thunderbird for a while. Although I think he too has switched almost strictly to his Schecter signature these days...

 

[Weirdo]

Ah interesting, Darkness makes perfect sense. Can't say im a huge Cure fan though.
Interesting to hear no Nikki Sixx mentions so far though. Love Motley Crue, it's just good to see people thinking outside the box though per se.
I don't understand why people are moving to Schecter though.. Money i'd imagine, I personally have nothing good to say about Schecter.

 

[dalkowski]

If I played rock, I'd rock one.

 

[mcarp555]

Neck dive is only a problem when the strap pin is on the upper body bout. Putting the pin in the neck heel solves the problem. I've got a Gaskell T-bass and have no dive issues.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Weirdly, I see Tbirds quite often in local stores, and they seem to sell relatively quickly (especially the Epiphones).. they have to be one of the most iconic non-Fender basses, surely.. and the Epi's do seem like really good value for money looking at the specs.

However, I go to at least one gig a week on average, mostly in a venue that has local & touring bands pass through in a wide variety of genres, and there's only one bassist I can remember using one. I just can't picture seeing one any time recently otherwise. Seems very strange.

 

[Happynoj]

Dolf de Borst from The Datsuns.

 

[Bigmuffdiver]

Go to any metal festival and you'll see one.

 

[jwj1701]

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.

I agree completely. There have been some good ones, Grabber/Rippers, Tbirds, and SG models, but Gibson knows the Les Paul is their bread and butter. I really think it's a simple as that. Anybody out there have the new model bass they released last year? Anybody.....? I can't even think of it's name.

 

[inate_hex]

Ah interesting, Darkness makes perfect sense. Can't say im a huge Cure fan though.
Interesting to hear no Nikki Sixx mentions so far though. Love Motley Crue, it's just good to see people thinking outside the box though per se.
I don't understand why people are moving to Schecter though.. Money i'd imagine, I personally have nothing good to say about Schecter.

Nikki Sixx was mentioned in post #4


Musicman Bongo club #175

 

[Furious_Man77]

Neck dive is a myth.

 

[AlexanderB]

It seems all the guys in the pictures play with a pick?
When I have tried the Thunderbirds, they have seemed like great basses, especially the Gibson and the Pro (Classic) Epi. My only concern would be that they would sound too polite (or anonymous?) when played fingerstyle, especially through a clean amp.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[lavmonga]

Lastly - and maybe most importantly - neck dive!

+1 I have had a few Tbirds, and although they look and sound cool, the neck dive just kills me, makes it more of a chore to play live. And I don't like that "behind the neck" trick either.