Thunderbirds are.. ..Not that common?

[TBird1958]

My bad, I ment Classic, Not pro!

This one..

These are super nice, but this a much newer bass than the woman in the pic is playing - look carefully, the two aren't even shaped the same!

 

[Ender_rpm]

For me, its all about Gallup, but really its the Classic IV Pro. Other Epi 'birds have huge necks, or look like a chopping board. My Classic IV just fits me. I do wich it had some more treble output, gonna try swapping out pots to see if it helps. Then again, I am a rocker, and I have an ash/maple jazz if I need to slap something

 

[adece]

All this genre thing... I don't get it. Fenders are used everywhere in all genres, and not just P's and J's. Carlos D from Interpol used strictly a Jazz and he played post-punk. Peter Hook from Joy Division, the biggest influence for Interpol, used a Rick. James McNew of Yo La Tengo also plays Jazz.

True, the TBird has a particular shape that doesn't appeal to everybody instantly but as far as sound, in this day and age when you can make anything sound like anything else (or at least approximate to it) I don't seee why you can't use a TBird for any genre, sound wise.

Also, Johnny MOFO from A Place to Bury Stangers used a TBird too, when he was in the band.

 

[jd56hawk]

+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.

HeadsUp strap or equivalent.

 

[RandalPinkFloyd]

I saw them locally in Dallas a lot when I lived there. I've played a couple, but they just don't "feel" right for me.

 

[tomshepp]

Jeff Amment has a sig model, that while it is not a Gibson product, its pickups are clones of early 60's Gibson TBird pups.

To me, the best part of TBirds is their characteristic sound. A direct result of the pickups, and to some extent, mahogany, neck through construction. MHO..

 

[Jayhawk]

I've always associated Gibson Thunderbirds with the bluesier side of "hair metal" from the late 80's and very early 90's for some reason.

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[wvbass]

Keith Urban's bass player has been known to use a thunderbird. So, they are in country music, too.

 

[verycoolname]

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

Actually thought that when I saw them, haha! I'm a girl, and I never had an interest in Thunderbirds myself because of the perceived neck dive...but when I saw Nikki playing I was like "damn, maybe I should try one of those!"

LOVE Silversun Pickups. Nikki is a great rock bassist.

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

Same here! She has a lot of good bass lines, Panic Switch comes to mind instantly.

And, just to confirm, Jared (from Kings of Leon) does rock a Thunderbird as well...

Kinda discredits the theory that 'birds are just for harder rock/metal type stuff, because I'd consider both Silversun Pickups and Kings of Leon more to be more alternative/rock.

 

[bigmoosepi]

I want a lull t4 so bad


the ones gibson make nowadays are lame



my favourite tbird player:

 

[verycoolname]

Did a quick Google of "bassists who play Thunderbirds," and there's actually Link Removed (I'll copy the gist of it below)...

1. John Entwistle (The Who)

2. Gene Simmons (KISS)

3. Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith)

4. Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick)

5. Jared Followill (Kings of Leon)

6. Krist Novoselic (Nirvana)

7. Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth)

8. Mike Watt (Minutemen, The Stooges, and a slew of other bands)

9. Adam Clayton (U2)

10. Jackie Foxx (The Runaways)

Interesting they didn't mention Nikki Sixx...probably bitter about him moving to Schecter . And I think using Krist was a bit of a stretch. When I think of Krist I think of him using aGibson Ripper (the article even mentions how the Ripper was his main bass, but he "settled on the Thunderbird in the band's final months"). I also noticed that none of the bassists/bands mentioned were particularly recent (which I would label as pre-2000, but then again I was born in 1996...so my timeframe might be a bit biased ). The most recent band/bassist mentioned was Jared from Kings of Leon...maybe the Thunderbird's usage has just been declining recently (for whatever reason).

EDIT: A Yahoo Answers result I clicked on has a plethora of other bassists who use Thunderbirds, including Chris Squire (Yes), Shavo Odadjian (SOAD), Mikey Welsh (former Weezer bassist), Cliff Williams (AC/DC), Dean Bernardini (Chevelle)...a lot listed there.

 

[MRDOOM]

An older thread on a similar topic.
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/gibson-thunderbird-players.648413/

 

[silky smoove]

A bass I've always wanted to own, but have never pulled the trigger on one. If I owned one, I'd play it in every rock project I was in with a pick. I might need to get one going soon. Very cool basses.

 

[mistergoats]

I've had my 2012 T-bird IV for just over a year now. I love it. The sound is HUGE compared to my jazz and my G3.

I can confirm the neck dive; it is weighted awkwardly. Mine has a belly cut, but I do play it low and with a pick, so it's not really near my belly.

It is long. I have hit the butt end on a door, other amps and other musicinas. I have hit the headstock on the cymbals a number of times swinging back to look at the drummer. I play it with a pick and through an SVT. It is the loudest bass I've ever owned with the two humbuckers being supersonically powerful. As for the feeling, I've also never felt more badass behind an instrument than with the 'Bird.

 

[tomshepp]

I want a lull t4 so bad


the ones gibson make nowadays are lame



my favourite tbird player:

Why do you say they're lame? The one I have is a great playing and more importantly, sounding bass. I've not compared mine to either the vintage Gibsons nor the Lull basses.

 

[Johnny Crab]

Didn't see Martin Turner's name on here(Wishbone Ash).
Inspired me to get more than a few.

 

[bigmoosepi]

Why do you say they're lame? The one I have is a great playing and more importantly, sounding bass. I've not compared mine to either the vintage Gibsons nor the Lull basses.

I just don't like the plastic pickup covers and the different bridge.

 

[tomshepp]

I replaced the pickups with Thunderbuckers which are clones from 60's Birds. I stuck with the 3 point bridge. I don't see it as a problem, although some do. Never tried the Hipshot. My Tbird is surprisingly versatile too.

 

[Weirdo]

You know, That pic of Duff Mckagan with T-Bird baffles me to this day, It's the only time ive ever seen him with a bird, never once live, or in other photos.
As far as Krist Novoselic from Nirvana goes, i automatically associate him with T-Birds, Check out their reading performance, his sig model, the song Lounge Act, etc etc.
I do agree though that, that list is highly outdated, Gene doesnt play one anymore, haha.

You're right about the rock thing though, pretty much every rock band i see has one, Local band from Australia actually throws his around like its a p-bass when i saw them live last

 

[verycoolname]

...As far as Krist Novoselic from Nirvana goes, i automatically associate him with T-Birds, Check out their reading performance, his sig model, the song Lounge Act, etc etc.
I do agree though that, that list is highly outdated, Gene doesnt play one anymore, haha.

You're right about the rock thing though, pretty much every rock band i see has one, Local band from Australia actually throws his around like its a p-bass when i saw them live last

Dang, you're right about Krist...silly me. His Sig is very obviously T-Bird looking...huge oversights on my part.

And the list is definitely outdated. Should say a lot that Gibson doesn't have many current artists endorsing the T-Bird (not saying it's entirely Gibson's fault, nor am I bashing the T-Bird, but maybe the reputation towards them has just become a lot more negative).