Gibson Thunderbird IV

[Shylock]

[b]Brand:[/b]
Gibson

[b]Model:[/b]
Thunderbird IV

I cannot believe there is not a review for this great bass so I have put one together for those who are leaning towards puchasing one.

[b]Features: 9[/b]

I bought this bass second hand in July 2012 from a bassist who bought it new in 1999 from Denmark Street. I already owned an Epiphone Thunderbird (please see my review of this) which I thought was great and made me want to try and buy the Gibson version. I took my Epiphone with me to compare side by side and ending up buying the Gibbo.

I know, and understand, that this bass is considered to be a 'marmite' bass and I will try to be objective in this review with maybe comparisons with the Epi T’Bird.

The Gibson is the standard vintage sunburst which I think looks good. There are little colour options, black or white, but I like the wood finish even if it does look like a coffee table! I really can’t understand why Gibson does not offer it in other colour options but there it is.

Through mahogany/walnut neck design with the mahogany wings I understand stuck on. This is miles better than the Epi which has a thicker and wider bolt on neck stained the same colour as the body but does not quite match, probably because it is a different wood.

Whilst the body is awkward shape and does not contour your body (especially my stomach) like a fender, it is a lot lighter than the Epi version, my Fender Jag and Fender MIM Precision. So whilst the shape may need to getting used to the lightness is joy when gigging.

As with the Epi there is a floating bridge and there are many recommendations to replace it with a Hipshot Supertone. It is a strange bridge as whilst you can lengthen or shorten the string very easily you cannot adjust the height of each string individualy. There are three screws, with one at the front which heightens and slants the bridge upwards and one at each side which heightens the lower E side or upper G side. The guitar does have a very good sustain, however, despite the bridge which does not have full contact with the body.

Personally it is not a big issue for me and I think the Hipshot looks too big for it. The acid test for me however is that with all the well known bassists using this bass I have never seen a photo of such a bassist using the Hipshot so if its good for Kings of Leon, Wishbone Ash, The Darkness, etc its good enough for me!

I did have an issue with the bridge pins lifting which if you trawl the internet is common and I cannot believe Gibson don’t stick them in. But I got a local luthier to glue them in for for 20 notes and now fixed.

There is another issue with the bridge in so far as the space between where you anchor the ball end and the actual bridge is small and some silk round strings, such as Rotosounds, can end up with the silk lying over the actual bridge which may effect intonation. The cure is to buy unsilked strings and my choice is D’Addrio pro steels.


[b]Action, Fit, & Finish: 9[/b]

I can find no guide as to what the neck relief should be and I have set mine at 8thou’ which seems to work. Action is set quite low with no buzzes and comparable, if not lower, than my other guitars. The neck is narrower than the Epi and most other basses and good to play. There is critism that you cannot reach the dusty end as well as a fender, because the body is in the way, but the neck does not taper as much as a Fender and being narrower the near dusty end it is a lot easier to fret reaching across to the E string.

The soldering of the electrics is good and all wires are neat. However I did have an issue when it stop working and on opening up I found the jack socket earth soldered direct on to a pot and the joint had broken. Simple to fix and just glad it did not happen mid gig.

The finish of the frets is first class with no rough edges The intonatation is perfect on every note and its stays in tune well on stage and in its case.

The nitrocellulose finish is georgous and has lovely smell every time you open the case. But it does show finger/hand marks and can develop a kind of cloudiness. I have tried various guitar cleaners and after seeing comment on here now use a cheap can of Pledge wood furniture polish which gets rid of the cloudiness. There are some comments that you should not use Pledge as it leaves a coating which may be true so every now and then I use Lord Sheraton Caretaker Wood Balsam which contains beeswax, turpentine and linseed oil and really cleans up any scum (I used this on the back of a S/H Squier and it got rid of lots of ingrained dirt) and, according to the jar, nourishes and protects the wood. Less than a fiver and works well but is not so slippery and smooth to the touch as the Pledge. All in all far cheaper, larger quantity and in my view superior to the small bottles of guitar polish available.


[b]Sound Quality: 10[/b]

This what I love about this bass as it has a lovely growly but bright tone. Compared to the Epi the tone is clearer, not so muddy, but still a dark growl. I play a mixture of fingers and plectrum, depending on the number, and it suits both styles. The main reason I believe this bass is better than any other bass is when I use a plectrum. I play through a small Trace Elliot rig and practice through Marshall MB30 on headphones. It is under the headphones that you tell the tone differences and with plectrum the sound remains good and deep and does not sound twangy as with my other basses. Live with a plectrum it is brillant cutting through the mix with the growly tone.

I respect that tone is personal and it may not suit everybody. However I definately find that this T’Bird can cut through the band mix better than other guitars and higher up the register. I know some people think the T’Bird is a one trick pony but I find the tone better than my other bass guitars and a good clear tone on the G string rather than a twangy sound I get on my Fenders/Squire. I do not consider it one trick but, and bearing in mind I have not compared it to a US Fender Jazz, if it is, it is a really good trick.

[b]Reliability/Durability: 9[/b]

I must admit because of the the thin neck and the horror stories of the necks snapping I do handle this bass very carefully as if it was made of china. It is lighter than my others and because of this it feels delicate. But apart from the aforementioned solder break and the lifting bridge pins (which did not efect playability) it is very reliable; but with a passive bass there is so little to go wrong.

[b]Ease of Use: 7[/b]

It is an awkward shape andpresses into you stomach but you do get used to it. Fender basses are far more comfortable as they are more contoured, the T’Bird is not and is like a slab of wood. You have to get the height right on the strap to be comfortable.

The kneck is long but being 6ft and a bit not an issue for me but could be for some. I love the length and putting it on and playing live makes you feel so so good. Perhaps its just a phallus symbol?

I have no problem with neckdive and my Fender Jaguar is worse but I always use wide leather straps. The neck, lengthways, does tend to tip slightly forward away from you and you do have hold the bass to counter this effect so you can see the frets clearly. I tend to wear it low and with my upper right leg tilt it towards me.

[b]Customer Support: 7[/b]

I did email Gibson once to ask what size allen key an Epiphone T’Bird it takes and I got a esponses a few days later which was good. However there is not much support regarding set up, wiring, etc., comparable to what is available on the Fender website and it really is quite poor. This could be much improved.

[b]Overall Rating: 9[/b]

[b]Pros[/b]

Relatively low priced second hand and you can pick one up for sub £800. You get a lot a quality well built bass with lots of pedigree and kudos. In addition you should get a hardcase. Mine is the tan version with the lovely deep pink furry interior.
Recognised as a quality bass and used professionally by rock bands.
Lighter than its competitors with less strain on the shoulder.
Perfect intonation
Cuts through the mix with a live band
Good ‘rock’ tone but clear and bright on the upper strings and not ‘twangy’
Keeps in tune
Georgeous nitrocellulose finish
Slim fast neck, even at the dusty end

[b]Cons[/b]

Uncomfortable to play (but you do get used to it)
Long neck
Tone will not be to everybody’s taste especially if you prefer a smooth ‘bassier’ sound. Tends to be used by the heavier metal rock bands because of the Gibson growly tone.
Bridge will not permit individual strings to be heightened or lowered.
Bridge pins can lift and need gluing in.
You treat it carefully!

[b] [size=4]Conclusion[/size][/b]

I much prefer the Gibson and I can certainly tell the difference in tone, quality and the ease of playing it, and it is miles better than the Epi but when I took the Epi instead of the Gibson to band practice (when the bridge pins were being fixed) no one noticed!! Doh!!

P.S I loved the Gibson so much more that I never played the Epiphone version and it rarely left its hard case for over two years. So as per the agreement i.e. one in = one out, I traded it up for a red Japanese Fender Jaguar, having seen the local band Kasabian using a black one. The Jag is very good with a large variety of tones, being active and passive, but it is far heavier than the T’bird and I still prefer the tone of me T’Bird.

Edit: Nov 2015; i sold the Jaguar after three months as whilst it is a gorgeous bass to look at I found it too heavy at 9.68Ib (the T'Bird weighs 8.88Ib), the neck dive worse than the T'Bird, and I did not like the active bass settings and as the passive setting was great I thought I ought to get a jazz bass instead which I know have, but still prefer the T'Bird which has tone that I think fits between a Precision and a Jazz....and so after three years and comparing to a number of basses I own or have owned it still ticks all the boxes for me. i.e. light, fast slim neck, great tone and looks.

Edited November 11, 2015 by Shylock

[Phil Starr]

This seems to be very fair to me. Light bass slim, fast neck, great rock tone, wonderful sustain. It always created a stir when I got it out at gigs and playing it live was a bit like Jim Carey putting on the mask!

I found the neck dive to be a bit of a problem, even after moving the strap fixings and with a wide non slip strap. The OP is right about the twist away from you being the bigger problem though. I found after an hour playing I was getting wrist pain from my fretting hand, I guess because I was subtly but constantly pulling the neck straight. Shifting the playing position high on your body helps or play it low as the OP suggests, where it is easier to play with a pick rather than finger style.

After persevering for six months I sold mine, figuring I wasn't using it live 'cos I wasn't playing rock and I could always buy an Epi Pro if I wanted a T-bird for the odd gig. I traded it in for an American Deluxe Precision and had a fair bit of change so I was pretty happy. However my pop covers band folded and I'm now playing a lot more rock. I've tried the Epi's The Pro and the classic are much heavier Fender weights and have thicker necks, nice basses but if you've played a Gibbo you won't want to go there. I'm having hankerings to go back to the T-bird just to use for the second set, That sound and that lovely neck ......

Edited October 5, 2014 by Phil Starr

[PlungerModerno]

Thanks for the review! I'm not crazy about the Tbird personally, but each to their own. Glad you've found a bass you love to play.

When I get another chance I'll be sure to give one another chance with an open mind. ATM I'm leaning more towards getting an EB-3...

...anyway the reason I decided to comment was just to let you know to be super careful with cases and nitro finishes! As I understand it you need to keep the nitro clean before storing.

[Shylock]

Thanks and my understanding is to keep the nitro finish away from all plastics and synthetic material. I cover rmine in a cotton muslin square cloth. Very cheap and excellent guitar and string cleaning cloth.

[Billy Apple]

Good review. I briefly fell out of love with my TBird and sold it on. Wish I hadn't now