Epiphone Thunderbird IV

Features well described above, and as well similar to the Gibson model (except the bolt on neck). Mine was made 2001 in Korea, tow humbuckers, two volume one tone control.

The only thing I can say is that it sounds great. This thing is a real BASS, loads of bottom end and tons of growls, thats what you get out of it. But quite versatile though, two PU and controls give a variety of sounds. Sounds really angry if you want to and goes good with distortion and FX, but also great for a real fundament to the stuff you're playing (for me that's mostly rock, the alternative version)

Two things here, first the bad news- it's pretty neck-heavy. But that's what one can expect from such a hughe neck and headstock. Anyway, for me it is worth it, 'cause what you get is tone, and you feel the vibration of every string through the whole instrument. Secondly, the finish has to be mentioned, its great. Its warm and woody and just looks gorgeous. For me it was love at first sight.

Seems very reliable to me, heavy duty! The only thing is that it's quite instable leaning so I'd probably go for a bass-stand (if there is one out there, fitting this strange yet great shape). Got it without gigbag, tried a regular one, but it's to small...

I'm mainly guitarist, but been into bass every now and than (Squire P-Bass), but now it's gettin' serious ;-)
For now, I play the T-Bird through a Behringer Bass-V-amp (and my neighbors thank me) and it simply sounds great with all the amp-sims and effect-setups. What I wish it had? A gigbag and a stand, but thats just additionals. For that money it is a great instrument, if stolen or broken I'd definitely go for another one. If you want to play an instrument that gives great bass-tone and does not look like everybodies F**der, go test a T-bird, I bet you'll like it!

Not sure what year this bass is, probably late 90's or 2000. It looks a lot like the original Gibson thunderbirds, except for the bolt on neck.

The sound isn't bad for a meium range priced bass. If you really want to improve the sound, replace the pickups with Gibson's. I haven't done that yet, and don't plan to anytime soon, but maybe in the future. I use a SWR amp. I don't like the sound of the bass pickup alone or the treble pickup alone. Together they sound good. On stage I have no problem with this bass. I am not sure if I would use it in a studio...maybe...

The finish is nice, like a wooden cofee table. as always, the action must be set by a pro. the prickup height was way too low, and I could not raise it with a screwdriver. I decided to take a piece of foam and slide it under the pickup to give it more height and flexibility. this works well. I recommend it. The hardware seems decent so far, but the electronics need to be changed immediatly. The nut will need changing if you try and put a thicker gauge string on.

After changing the electronics, I now have full faith in the bass and use it for gigs regularly. Get good strap locks for this bass nad any other. It's a must. Once you have the action properly set by a pro, it will probably last several years as long as you keep the string gauge the same.

Never had to deal with them.

I recently started a hobby of buying classic inexpensic=ve bass guitars. I wanted the Gibson Thunderbird, but for the $1500 price I decided to buy a Epi T bird used for $300. I have to be honest and say it's pretty damn good. There are some modifications that you'll need to make in order to get it good though. I'm a semi-proffessional bassist who gigs regularly, so I know a bad bass from a good one. Boyttom line; don't spend less then $300, cause you'll get crap. If you spend $300 or more you'll get something mediocre, that can be upgraded to something great. First of all change the electronics (volumes, tone, and input jack); epiphone electronics suck. Next, have the action set correctly by a pro. Now you've got a depandable bass. If you really want to take it to the next level try new pickups, tuners, and a bridge, however I'm not doing that just yet. I'm pretty happy with it. Of course these upgrades will cost you, but it will still be leass than the $1500 for a Gibson. The Gibson is neck thru body though, which does give much better sustain, but not enough that anyone would really notice at a gig.

Being a Korean mage copy of its Gibson namesake, features are simple. Dual humbuckers with volume control for each, plus a general tone control. Solid alder body, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard.

I play stoner rock stuff like Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age etc. and this bass is perfect for the job. It really can sound like thunder. Most people buying this bass will do so because of its rock looks, but a good variety of sounds are possible, the volume controls for the pickups doing most of the work. The front pickup has a very rich, warm sound, but crank that back pickup up and it growls. The sustain is also amazing.

I bought this bass mail order and when I got it, the action was set very high. Because of the high action, the pickups are set quite high as well. The fit of the neck to the body is where I have most concern.This is beacuse the neck doesn't look parallel to the body which causes a bit of fret buzz low down on the neck, so I can't really get the action any lower. I'm sure a bit of truss rod adjustment will sort this but I've only had the bass about a month and don't want to mess about with it too much. The finish is gorgeous. The pictures I've seen do it no justice at all. It has a much warmer mahogany colour than I expected, with not a mark on it.

I've only had this bass about a month, but it looks like it will withstand some heavy rockin'. Time will tell.

I bought this mail order from Flying Pig Instrument Supply Company and I have to say I wasn't pleased wth the service. The bass was shippped within 24 hours but after three days I had to call up Flying Pig and find out where it had gone. I was told that it had been delivered and signed for the day before yet I didn't have it. After a day of calling to get it sorted out, I ended up having to call the courier company myself and within an hour the 'missing' bass arrived at my house. All it took was a phone call but this was obviously too much work for Flying Pig. I was tempted to send it back to have the neck problem sorted, but after the delivery fiasco I decided I'll just live with it. I don't need it going missing again.

I've been playing bass for about 7 years and until now I only had a Japanese P bass copy with Semour Duncan pickups. The Thunderbird is a godsend. The sound is great. Far better than I expected in a #300 bass. I would definately buy one again.

korean made bolt on copy of the great gibson thunderbird,vintage sunburst,two pickups encased in plastic,body is probably made of alder or/and maple,with a maple neck and rosewood fretboard.came in a cardboard box

I haven`t tried the real thing so i guess compared to the real deal this one falls short,but on its own it`s very very good.you get trebly tones as well as more bassy sounds by dialing with the volume and tone pots,although i prefer everything on full tilt.so my rating is a good 8 on its own and probably 4 if compared to the gibson version

exellent!!! nicely built ,no discernable flaws ,even was in tune when i brought it home after a bumpy bus ride from the store i bought it from.a little bit of a buzz on the lower strings but easily remedied.
very good indeed,no sharp frets or anything.

yeah,for the money epiphone makes really good guitars and this bass isn`t any exception,strap buttons work ok,but i didn`t realize what a neck heavy instrument this is,until i put my strap on and stood up for a little bit of rocking in front of the mirror.anyone email me for suggestions about how to remedie this neck heavy problem

epiphone and gibson is the best.they have answered all of my emails,and they responded very quickly .nice!!!!

as a budget bass this one gets the thumbs up,i love this bass,gonna get me the guitar version too!!!

Pas pretty much everything you could concieveably want in a bass guitar. Dual humbuckers, each with separate volume control. And a separate tone control. 22 frets, Korean Made. Mine was probably made 2000, or 2001, as it was purchased recently. Stunning body style, really stands out from the crowd

The dual humbuckers give a lovely warm sound when both turned up, and if u prefer trebelly thin bass, u can adjust to fit by turning down one or the other pickup, and using the tone control. Perfect. In the 6 months since I purchased it its been used on stage and in the studio.

It should be noted that when bought new, you will need to spend some time playing with the action. From factory is seems 2 leave a bit to be desired. Which in some cases may cause a little buzzing. I think (not certain) that unlike the Gibson version, it is hollow bodied, and consequently is awfully neck heavy. I am still trying to think of a way to fix this without making the whole bass so heavy it hurts to play the thing.

I do try not to give my basses a good kicking where possible, but i would imagine this guitar is quite sturdy. It certainly isn't gonna break on ya. I always play gigs/concerts with a back-up, I think people who don't are just leaving too much to chance, it does take considerably longer to restring a bass than to pick up a spare after all. Strap button are a bit iffy, has slipped on me once or twice, i would recommend spending a little bit and getting proper strap locks.

I haven't had to ring them yet... i got a warranty card for lifetime warranty (limited).

I have only been playing a couple of years, but my band is practically a full time career at this point. It gets used every day, or every other day. I put it through an Ashdown MAG 250 (amazing sound with the sub-harmonic effect). I think if i lost it I would probably go the whole hog now that I can, and replace it with something like a MusicMan Stingray... but I reckon I would have 2 get another one at some point, purely for the look/feel to it. It was compared to the Precision/ Jazz bass, and all of the other epiphone gibson copies, but in the end it won hands down, which it would on looks alone, regardless of what it plays like. Only problem is the neck heavy issue, and it does have a long neck, if ur a small person its probably not the best choice.
If anybody has found a solution to the neck heavy problem, that works, I would be most appreciative if they could let me know.

This guitar gets the best sound considering that it was made in Korea i dont normally like Korean guitars ever since my Fender Jazz bass copy disaster

Im a metal bass player but considering i still get a groovy sound from this guitar and still the one beef with this guitar is its not active but oh well you cant get everything i suppose

The problem with this is the fact that the action was poo it took me 2hrs to get the action right that peaved me

Ive had this guitar 4 mounths now and i havent had any problems the strings even last ages and the strap buttons are class they dont even slip

I got a one year warranty from Kingfisher music

If been playing for 5-6 years and this is my third proper guitar.Ive got a 70's Peavey Bass head and a celestion speaker cab which makes this bass sound so cunkey. If i lost it i whould get another one cos this bass rocks.I love the sound but I hate the fact that there is no where to rest my thump.

Ithas a beutifully thought up body shape, the head also looks cool, the best thing about the apearance of this guitar is its completely unique look every thing about its looks are amazing, the head looks quality because the tuner keys arnt sticking out much at all.
the logo on the scratch plate is also very origional.

It has a crisp sound about it when the tone is turned up, but also when it is low the sound is very much in aleague of its own.
i have had a fender precision bass that is quite frankly shit compared to my epiphone.

The only thing that didnt make it a ten was because i had totighten all the screws but that is what its like for most guitars that are new.

I have been using my thunderbird man and boy played at about 40 gigs and i still wouldnt trade for a proper gibson thunderbird because it just feels perfect and ibought it in 86 and it is as good as new.

I havnt had a problem.

I have had it since i was 14 it was mmy first bass ive been playing bass for 16 years. i did get a fender p bass but that just stays in the loft now. i dont want to think about what would happen if it was stolen.

THIS BASS KICKS ASS!

Correcting mistake I made on original review referance woods used. Has mohagony neck with rosewood fretboard. Alder & maple body. As best I can tell te wings must be one wood & the central part of body the other kind of wood.

Notices a couple posts have comented about bridge ref saddles can fall out if not careful when changeing strings. Overall I've found gibson type bass bridges give a tighter sound & better sustain then the fender type.

Comparing the sound unamplified to my ESP Ltd B104, the thunderbird is louder unamplified then the ESP is. I also noticed this when playing amp at lower volumes in mornings & evenings at home in apt. Hears the unamplified string sound from thunderbird bass more then the ESP. (Loves both basses). Thunderbird plays deepest articulate bass tones of any passive bass I've played. I'd noticed that about my 1976 Gibson thunderbird too while I had it.

Got it used so not sure what year it is. Made in Korea. Alder body, maple neck, rosewood or ebony fretboard. 2 soapbar humbuckers, Gibson style bridge, tuners, control knobs etc etc. Dark sunburst finish. Excellent condition. Long scale, comfy slim neck. 20 frets. Vol, vol, tone for controls. Passive. I had a 1976 Gibson Thunderbird as a kid thru young adult. This is an excellent copy in all regards. Only real differance is bolt on neck instead of neck thru. Maybe slightly more modern sound then the 76 Bird I had.

Is excellent vintage Gibson Thunderbird bass sound. Rich, full, nice growl, also able to do mellow deep tones. Is suitable for both stage & studio. Myself has allways preferred soapbar humbucker pu's sound over the pj & jj type pu's. Works better for overdrive, distortion & great clean tones too. Did make it closer to set neck sustain & harmonics by unbolting neck, properly glueing it in then rebolting.

Got used so dunno how original owner received it set up wise. Store got it at had it set up beautifully & rechecked truss rod etc for me. Gets great low action. Is one tiny nick on back of neck next to where it fits into body. Doesnt affect playing at all. Fixed with tiny dab of suitable paint to fill in tiny nick. Pickups adjusted well.

Is as well made I think as the better done Gibsons. Previous owner had put strap locks on it. So was allready as I prefer for strap. Very dependable instrument. No battery needed, so no worry bout that dying while playing. LOL. Excellent finish. Glossy Dark sunburst.

Dunno.

Had lost my 76 Gibson Thunderbird while in AF due to roomate running up phone bill & haveing to sell my Bird for that. This Epiphone is imo a very very good replica of vintage Gibson Thunderbird bass in all ways except for bolt on neck. I preferred Gibsons bass bridges over the fender type, also their pu's & necks. So getting another Thunderbird to replace the one I lost makes for a fantastic day of trading for me. Lol. Traded an Ibanez SR400 bass & BC Rich Platinum Bich guitar even for it.

dunno how old it is. bought it new so i presume it's 2000/01. dunno what it's made from. rosewood neck. pretty heavy, but unless you're a little girl it shouldn't matter. bolt on neck, passive humbuckers (2, one bridge, one neck position) three pots (volume, volume, tone) erm... dark sunburst. i think it's the only finish that epiphone do. gibson do about 4. big fat neck. good to grab onto. pretty wide at the nut too. nice action. huge sound.
for this price, the features cant be beat

this baby does the lot. it can be mellow if you want. you can make it fat, you can make it thin. and it's a distortion monster. if you play with overdrive, this is THE bass to use. huge sound through my marshall bass state B150. quiet enough to use in the studio, loud enough to use on stage.
this is the only bass you'll ever need.

setup was good, but i got it from a bass shop down denmark street. perfect finish. other people have been complaining about theirs (see below) but i can't find a flaw on mine. spot on. the only thing that's a bit scrappy is where the neck joins the body. there's a gap between the neck and the body, but you ain't gonna notice it from more that a foot away, so it's ok i suppose :)
holds tune pretty well.

strap buttons are crappy plastic. booo. finish is solid. strings are cheap. the bass itself is solid. big heavy and re-assuring. nice. makes you feel safe :)
change the strings and the strap buttons and you're laughing.

the bridge it held on by string tension, (as with most epiphones basses and guitars) so re-string it one string at a time. this stops it all falling apart, and it also helps prevent any problems with neck tension and stuff. or so i understand. just remember the bridge ain't screwed on!

dunno

i've been playing a couple of years and this is my second bass. and i see it as a step up from my p-bass. great tone, loads of variation. a very useful bass, which produces a very clear sound. for the money, personally, i don't think it can be beat. it looks s**t hot and it sounds even better. if i had the money, i'd buy the gibson. but i'm poor, so i'm more than happy with this :)
buy one. if you want something that looks, and plays different to a boring ol' fender.