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Would you recommend the Epiphone Thunderbird IV?

?

  • Yes

    Votes: 143 54.4%

  • No

    Votes: 120 45.6%
  • Total voters
    263
#44
I've had my Epiphone Thunderbird for about three years now, just put a fresh set of strings on it and I've fell in love with it all over again.

It's now set up in Drop-D, I'm going to start playing it live again and use the USA Jazz just for standard tuning.

Yes the neckdive is awful, yes it's heavy, yes it's boomy, but I think it's great! And you're right, it looks FANTASTIC!
 
#45
dave120 said:
This helps with neck dive somewhat, since the lack of upper horn is what makes these dive a little in the first place.
Click to expand...

I know this isn't really what are insinuating in your post, but it pisses me off anyways... People blame the design of the Thunderbird for the neck dive.

I can say without a doubt it is a problem with the Epiphone. It may not be the most traditional fit and feel of a Fender style bass, but the proper "Thunderbird" (Gibson) doesn't have neck diving problems. The Epi has a completely different construction and material, and on top of that, a relocated strap button.

An original Gibson bird will not dive like an Epi.



Whenever there is the opportunity to interject with this correct, I do. It's less of a "Thunderbird" problem, then a "Clone" problem (all of them). With a properly constructed Thunderbird (Neck-through and mahogany) with a heel-located strap button, you will have no diving problems to complain about on the internet......
 
#47
My first bass was a thunderbird and i bought it because i liked the look. Really really wish i hadnt. Dont want to offend anyone because i know a lot of people love thunderbirds but it is the worst bass i haveever owned by a wide margin and probably one of the worst i have ever played.(the worst bass i ever played being a really old tokai that had been laft in a damp garage for a long time and the neck was incredibly bowed)
They do not sound good at all,especially if your going for a pop-punk kind of sound,they have horrible neck dive(their famous for it).the floating 3 point bridge is dreadfull and the input twists alot so youll have to get good at soldering because it will become detatched very often.
 
#48
i hate username said:
My first bass was a thunderbird and i bought it because i liked the look. Really really wish i hadnt. Dont want to offend anyone because i know a lot of people love thunderbirds but it is the worst bass i haveever owned by a wide margin and probably one of the worst i have ever played.(the worst bass i ever played being a really old tokai that had been laft in a damp garage for a long time and the neck was incredibly bowed)
They do not sound good at all,especially if your going for a pop-punk kind of sound,they have horrible neck dive(their famous for it).the floating 3 point bridge is dreadfull and the input twists alot so youll have to get good at soldering because it will become detatched very often.
Click to expand...
You're completely right! None of those things have ever been a problem with any of my Thunderbirds!

:scowl:

This is what gives people a bad impression. It would be like me picking up a Squire and then denouncing all Fender P Basses because the Squire I played, which was probably not set up (amirite?) left a bad taste in my mouth.

I will say that I don't like Fender neck, frets, tone, or soemthing like that... something SPECIFIC. Not just "i bet this will happen. It sucks."


Also, how many times has the "neck dive" BS been covered? You guys must be some seriously sore vag!nas to complain about that so much. Strap button on heel. Good strap. No dive. For fcuks sake!


The.
Motherfcukin'.
End.
 
#49
$Lindz$ said:
You're completely right! None of those things have ever been a problem with any of my Thunderbirds!

:scowl:

This is what gives people a bad impression. It would be like me picking up a Squire and then denouncing all Fender P Basses because the Squire I played, which was probably not set up (amirite?) left a bad taste in my mouth.

I will say that I don't like Fender neck, frets, tone, or soemthing like that... something SPECIFIC. Not just "i bet this will happen. It sucks."


Also, how many times has the "neck dive" BS been covered? You guys must be some seriously sore vag!nas to complain about that so much. Strap button on heel. Good strap. No dive. For fcuks sake!


The.
Motherfcukin'.
End.
Click to expand...

Sorry mate didnt meen to offend but the guys asking for consumer advice and i just thought id tell him what happened to mine,it is not as you put it, me just saying i hate all thunderbirds because i own one,so ill clarify.

I have a standerd epiphone thunderbird. I had a lot of problems with it.It was a constant pain and didnt put out a good enough tone to put up with the stress. This does not apply to all Tbirds in the epiphone range because i have not owned any so i couldnt give an acurate enough opinion although i doubt the construction would be greatly improved. Obviously a gibson would be much better.

Maybe you just got lucky $Lindz$ with yours or i got really unlucky with mine, but the problems i listed were all true and all very annoying.I remember i eventually just borrowed a friends old SX while i was saving to buy a new bass cause i was sick of the thing crapping out on me.

Hope that clears it.
 
#50
Think you were unlucky... I don't care for Epiphones, like I said because I don't put down the Gibson long enough to play anything else. But they are really well made guitars. Not many people have had major problems with Epis.

1. Buy the Epi.
2. Have it set up and throw on a set of your preferred strings.
3. Play it and abuse it because it cost $300.
 
#52
$Lindz$ said:
1. Buy the Epi.
2. Have it set up and throw on a set of your preferred strings.
3. Play it and abuse it because it cost $300.
Click to expand...

Or buy mine since it's only $200! :D

I expected the worst when I put this bass together after reading so many reviews of neck dive, etc but it's really not THAT bad. And its almost nonexistent with the strap button moved to a better location. I didn't give it a chance on the upper horn to be a problem. It's not a bass I'd try and play jazz or something complicated on but for typical punk or rock it works pretty well, though I have to play it standing up and slung low for it to be comfortable. Nice action and a sound unlike any of my other P, J or P/J basses.
 
#53
HGS9669 said:
I play guitar and want to learn bass. I mostly play pop, punk, and alternative rock. Right now I'm thinking of getting the Epiphone TB because I really like the look of it. No way for me to test it since the guitar center closest to me doesn't have it. To anyone who has experience with it, do you recommend it?
Click to expand...

The Epiphone Thunderbird sounds ok but it isn't going to sound like the USA model. You'll have to make some heavy adjustments on your amp's EQ to dial out some of the big boomy sound.

If you were going to be JUST ONE bass then save up and buy a used USA model. If you want to have a variety then the Epiphone is probably fine. Lots of epiphone TB demos on youtube.
 
#55
Big surprise I voted Thunderbird.
Epi 'Birds do have so easy to fix issues, but for the money they're a pretty good bass with a voice that's theirs alone. As for some earlier comments about the aesthetics of the design quite honestly it just "works" for me, I won't be caught dead with anything that looks like or is shaped like a Fender, plently of guys out there already doing that - No Thanks!
 
#56
A very playable bass, kinda heavy.
Its my main axe at the moment

getting a case is awkward but I would still recommend.

to those who say it is muddy, I didnt find it to be exceptionally. Maybe with all the tones rolled off but hey....
 
#57
TBird1958 said:
Big surprise I voted Thunderbird.
Epi 'Birds do have so easy to fix issues, but for the money they're a pretty good bass with a voice that's theirs alone. As for some earlier comments about the aesthetics of the design quite honestly it just "works" for me, I won't be caught dead with anything that looks like or is shaped like a Fender, plently of guys out there already doing that - No Thanks!
Click to expand...

^ This. And to the O.P. You probably have noticed that the bassists on T.B. are fairly well divided. Some Love and swear by Fender, SX, and all of the other " clone/wannabe Fenders" . Some, like myself do not like the Fender style, or sound AT ALL. A bass is a personal thing, it really doesn't matter what everyone here, or elsewhere think. What matters is what YOU think.You are the one that needs to be happy with your choice. Try some different basses out, then decide. If G.C. near you does not have T-Birds , how about another store? try them out, and ultimately buy what YOU like.
 
#60
I realize I'm chiming in a bit late here... but I recently bought a used Epi T-bird just cuz it was cheap and I thought it looked cool. I figured... ah what the heck... its another bass for the collection... but it turns out I actually like it a lot. I've been doing some mods to it and it may actually become one of my "go to" basses. Who knew? :)
 

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