Epiphone Thunderbird

Features 8: It looks like the real Gibson Thunderbird, absolutely beautiful. I got mine in dark sunburst. However, be warned. The position of the strap button up front causes a horrendous nose dive. I added a new strap button up front and a Levis leather strap. This solved the nose dive problem. I also replaced the truss rod cover with a generic black one without the Epiphone logo just for aesthetics. I paid $300 for it. After springing for a leather strap, new strings, new strap buttons, and a new truss rod cover my total cost was just over $400.

Sound 8: I immediately replaced the stock strings with Marcus Miller DR Fat Beams. This eliminates some of the ???muddy??? sound described by others. I also own a Warwick Corvette and a Carvin LB75. How does the Epiphone compare? It doesn???t sound as high end as those basses, but it sounds close in its own way. Each of these basses has its own unique tonal characteristics so it???s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but this Epiphone can certainly share the stage with them. It has a surprising amount of sustain for a bolt on neck. I had heard that the Thunderbird was not good for slap and pop but I found this to be untrue. Although most of my live playing is classic and modern rock, it sounds fine when I slap and pop. I emailed BestBassGear.com and was told that the Bartolini Gibson T-bird pickups will also fit the Epiphone. But for now the stock pickups are fine.

Action, Fit, and Finish 8: The action was set too low. I fixed this by raising the front bridge screw a few turns. The bridge looks cheap to me, but it is a replica of the bridge on a real Gibson Thunderbird so I won???t replace it. The sunburst finish on mine is flawless. I put a coat of Carnuba Wax on it and it shines nicely. The neck is thin and easy to play.

Not sure. Haven't had it long enough yet.

Customer Support 5: I bought this bass at Guitar Center. Any seasoned musician knows that an impaired baboon could provide better service than the people at Guitar Center. They tried to sell me the ???performance guarantee??? with it. You know, the one that says we???ll honor the standard warranty that already comes with the product if you pay us an extra $50. After spending thousands of dollars at Guitar Center a customer deserves better.

Overall Rating 9: If you fix the nose dive and put premium strings on it, this bass is almost a ???10??? for value. It???s an excellent alternative to paying $1750 for a real Gibson Thunderbird. And it looks so cool on stage. I play this bass live through an Ampeg SVT. Don???t be shy about playing a lower cost Epiphone Thunderbird copy. If you???re a proficient and confident bassist, the quality of your playing will speak for itself.

Epiphone Thunderbird bass in the brown burst standard finish
I wanted the white one but this one was hanging in the shop it was there and just I gave in.

Played it in the shop thru an Ampeg 115 combo and it sounded fantastic I played one years ago and it sounded good to but at the time it wasnt my cuppa T.
I dont have a bass amp anymore so I can't really judge the sound at home but I was very happy with the soft Dub sounding neck pick up and tight punchy bridge unit
both on together produce a nice tight modern sound
I use this setting the most with the tone control half way or all on
I think its better for the stage as it looks great but I have heard they record quite well
Im only dislike is it isnt white.

This bass came set up very well and has stayed very stable even with being hung on the wall and dragged to band rehersals in its gig bag
it gets thrown around on tubes and into the back of cars
but always seems fine
The pick ups do pick up a little earth buzz now and again its not a problem
the hardware seems ok this bass just sits in its case with a tuner and a cord until its needed for a gig or rehersal

I did swap the Strap button on the side of the instrument to just above the 4 bolt neck plate it hasnt cured the neck dip but it feels safer now.
It was ok as it was in the old place Im just being safer than sorry
This bass is very easy to play and the body shape the bass hangs diffrently and gives a diffrent position to play from than a Fender
the strings that come with it are shite but again not a problem

No dealings with Epiphone themselfs or the Shop I brought the instrument from

I played bass for 16 years,Then stopped and moved on to guitar as Id done everything I wanted on bass,Ive got an Ashley Pangborn Warlord and a few Jaydee basses from the 80's.A Fender 50's reissue Precision and a Spector legend 5 string
I have just started helping out my friends band playing Johnny Cash type of story telling country music with a bit of rock and Ska mixed in.
I didnt want to use a fender P like everyone else so I choose the Epiphone as it sounds great and looks fantastic.
I tried an EB3 bass and was very impressed with its sound and build.
The Epiphone can get very heavy after a few hours so I tend to use the fender on any long rehersals we do.
if it where stolen I would get the white version (anyone out there want to swap a White verson for a standard?)

two soap bar style pick ups. two volume and one tone control. i believe its all mahogany, bolt on neck. tobacco burst finish vintage gibson three point bridge.

sounds pretty good great rock sound. sounds good played with a pick or fingers. i play it through a vintage yamaha b100 and an swr cab. very quiet. i have giged out with it a it seems to set well with the band. it is a bit muddy sounding. pick ups could be better odd shape are tough to find replacments for.

terrible!! the action on mine was super high, i set up all my basses and this thing took alot of work. with the bridge screwed all the way down it was still too high tried adjusting the truss rod and it was very stiff and didnt seem to help. i ended up replacing the nut wich was cut crooked from the factory. the finish was pretty nice but the headstock chips way to easy. ive also seen quit a few on ebay with the headstock broken off.

i dont use much anymore, but it looks good hanging from my studio wall. hardware seems good although the tuning machines seem abit cheap. never gig without a backup.

never dealt with them

ive been playing about 12 years, i own around 10 guitars constantly changing ranging from a squire jazz bass to an ace frehley custom shop les paul. i should have played this one a bit more before buying it pretty much when i saw it my mind was made up before i played it and thats never good. if it were stolen id cut my losses and get something else. least favorite feature is the never ending battle with the headstock diving for the floor. thats gets very tiring after about an hour. favorite feature it does look very good. ive had a few epiphone guitars and basses and it seems as though they are hit and miss. i would stay away from mail order on this one find one at a music store and take a strap.

2004, Korea, laminated top, two volume knobs (one for each pickup), one tone knob, dual humbucking pickups, passive electronics,

sounds good, run through EH effects pedals into behringer, vox or peavy 60 watt amps

action was tough from factory, in store setup improved it some...made in korea, so there is visable wood that is not stained or finished around the controls, pickups, etc.

hardware seems fine. less than 3 months after i boughht it, stepped on a cord and the input jack (no plate, just mounted into the wood) broke out tearing the (1/8"?) wood all around it. i assume this will be covered by the lifetime warranty, but who knows? replaced the strap buttins with schaller locks.

dunno yet...

this is my first bass to own, played washburn and fenders before. love the look, but would not purchase this again. maybe a gibson, but not an epiphone. needs a plate around the input jack, or reinforced wood.

EPIPHONE THUNDERBIRD 2004 TWIN HUMBUCKERS PASSIVE FAT SOUND.THIS BASS WAS PURCHASED BECUASE I HATE HAVING TO TAKE EXPENSIVE BASSES TO GIGS.I CHECKED THE QUALITY AGAINST THE GIBSON THUNDERBIRD AND COULDNT FAULT THE EPIPHONE.I HAVE SEEN GIBSONS WITH THE PAINT BUFFED THROUGH.THIS BASS WAS PURCHASED TO PLAY ROCK/BLUES AND IT WORKS WELL.

THE PASSIVE PICK UPS GIVE A FULL SOUND VERY WARM.PART OF THE REASON FOR PURCHASING THIS BASS WAS BECAUSE IT WAS PASSIVE.I HATE WHEN YOUR SOUND IS NOT RIGHT AND YOUR THINKING IS IT THE BATTERIES.IT ALSO HAS HEAPS OF SUSTAIN.I RUN IT INTO A PEAVEY MAX PRE AMP WITH A CS 800X POWER AMP THROUGH A TRACE ELLIOT 4X10 AND HARTKE 2X10 WITH A COMPRESSOR.SOME TWEAKING WITH MY AMP WILL GET THE SOUND RIGHT SINCE I HAVE ONLY USED IT FOR THREE GIGS

IT WAS SET UP IN THE SHOP VERY WELL BUT WHEN I GOT IT HOME I HAD TO START ON IT.FIRSTLY TO RE STRING TUNNING IT B E A D BASICALLY A FIVE STRING WITHOUT THE G.THEN I HAD TO MODIFY THE NUT NEXT WAS THE BRIDGE AND ACTION WITH THE NECK NEXT.FINALLY IT WAS READY AFTER CHECKING INTONATION NEXT I ADJUSTED THE PICK UPS THE FRONT WAS ON A SLIGHT ANGLE SO I PULLED IT OUT AND ADJUSTED THE FOAM.TH NEXT IMPORTANT STEP WAS FITTING STRAP LOCKS AND A LARGE LEVYS PADDED STRAP THIS MADE THE BASS ALOT EASIER TO PLAY SURE IT IS NECK HEAVY BUT IF YOU GET THE BALANCE RIGHT IT IS NOT SUCH A BEAST TO PLAY LIKE EVERYONE SEEMS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THEY MUST BE TWO POUND WEAKLINGS.LASTLY I ALSO HAVE THE FACTORY FITTED CASE WHICH IS HUGE BUT DOES THE JOB.I COULNT FAULT THE FINISH ONLY A TINY BIT OF CUTTING COMPOUND NEAR THE REAR PICK UP

LIKE I SAID FIT STRAP LOCKS THE BASS IS VERY SOLID AND WILL LAST A LIFETIME.EPIPHONE SEEMS TO HAVE ITS QUALITY UP TO SCRATCH BETTER THAN A LOT OF FAR MORE EXPENSIVE BRANDS.

NO PROBLEMS AS YET I DONT THINK I WILL HAVE ANY

THIS BASS WAS PURCHASED TO PLAY ROCK/BLUES I HAVE ALSO USE A P- BASS WITH PASSIVE PICK UPS.LIKE I SAID BEFORE I HAVE OTHER EXPENSIVE BASSES BUT WHY USE THEM WHEN THIS BASS SUITS THE MUSIC STYLE YOU PLAY AND IF IT DOES GET STOLEN IT IS REPLACEABLE.IF YOU WANT ONE BUY IT

i fell in love with its big sister gibson,but damn that whore was expensive!so i went to guitar center in palm beach florida and they treated me like a dick by the way,and bought my epiphone thunderbird!shes got sustain for days and plays really great.the e string has a buzz to it especially when i tune it down to d but when its plugged in it sounds great.i didnt think that it would play as good as her sister beacuse of the bolt on thing but it does have the same feel.ive beenplaying over 20 years and i can honestley say that this is the first time im actually in love with my bass. oh dont get me wrong,ive had evreything from p-basses to pieces of crap,but im really in love this time.i dont have a hard time playing it but thats maybe cause i grew up trying to sound like steve harris, but its a good work out.guitar center didnt give me any paper work besides the recipt so ill have to call epiphone i guess.the finish is really nice. i cant help but carry a rag all the time. the sound is like no other ive ever herd in spite of those pick ups so i guess ill be doing something in the near future about that.i hate to bring this up cause evreybody does,but the neck wieghs a ton!now how hard would it have been for the boys at epiphone to change the position of the front strap button? makes me think they dont give a @#*!.its a great template to really put some loot into it and soup it up a bit.

it suits my musical taste cause im a hard rock/metal head kind of guy so its right up my alley. but i also dig alot of soft stuff and the bass handles that stuff really well. the thing has sustain for days> and it really seems to stay in tune.it dosent have a noise prolem but thats cause its still early in the game. i have to tell the truth, i played the gibson nikki sixx model and it didnt hold a candle to the eppy. ihave to say that the bass has a great sound for slapping but its kind of hard to do with this bass. stick to the pick rock and roll thing if you ask me. there are etter suited basses for that sort of thing.i hate the fact that she has a gravity problem, thats a real turn offf but i hear some of you guys move the strap button and that cures it bit you shouldnt have to do that in my opinion,EPIPHONE SHOULD!i havent used it in the studio ut i know shes gonna do a great job. if she sounds this good not plugged in just imagine what will happen through all that great tehnology thats out there!

she buzzes on the e string but over all it leat the factory in great condition. those idiots at guitar center are pro. to blame for that!i dont reccomend keeping her out in the humidity but thats any instrument.im glad i dont own her big sister in that regard. could you imagine the problems with the nek-through in the heat or cold?the bridge piece is nice. ive never seen anything like it in my life.i wonder what a badass would do for her? my luthier buddy sugested that i change the tuners for hip shot.this is a luthier for gods sake so he must know what hes talking about.but the tuners are fine to me. they keep her in tune thats all that matters.yes they look flimsy but looks can be deciveing.what looks good dosent always taste good if you know what i mean?

i would use this bass without a back up. and this is coming from a guy who likes to downtune alot in d so if i had to use a back up it would be another epiphone thunderbird.they might get jealous ut thats the way it goes i guess.i belive that she will stand up in the paint unless your an idiot that wants to bang the crap out of your instrument.even if i had an endorsement i wouldnt do that crap. id rather give them to kids who cant afford a bass. i dont recomend this to beginners beacuse of the balance thing but what a great horse to learn on!i play alot of geddy lee type stuff i still practice my yngwie and i can pull off all those runs on this bass.my action is pretty cool except for the buzz thing but ill have that taken care of this weekend. i havent had any adjustment problems yet but i know if shes taken care of i shouldnt have any problems. oh yeah, the fret oard is a bit dry ut how cheap is some oil to fix that?

i have to call them for the paper work so ill let you know how that turns out.

great bass except for the balance thing.change the hardware and pickups if you want but the bass sounds great as it is.i sleep with the thing for gods sake!im so happy i bought this bass and when the moneys right im gonna buy another one just to keep in d tuning!kings x rules,guitar center in palm beach sucks!!!

its got 3 knobs, upside down look, and the tuners are great. its good for a backup or intermediate player.

the sound sounds great except you cant really get that pnch of rock like sabbath or the guns and roses. but you do get a good the doors sound and an excellent van halen sound. you'll probably need to raise the action because the strings rattle..but just d and g.

its awesome but the people at epiphone should've made the neck a little shorter.

its durable but not too much.. dont bang it around too much. i learned the hard way.

had proble with truss rod.. they fixed it and shipped it on their own.

love it... get it. had it stolen, found and repaired. bought a new epiphone thunderbird IV the same one that duff mc kagan uses. i also have a gibson eb-03 theyre all awesome

dalla piastra all'attacco del manico risulta fatto a mano in corea.20 tasti,due humbucker passivi,controlli dei volumi separati piu' il tono.a prima vista sembra un prodotto straordinario,pero' a guardarlo bene si possono notare delle piccole imperfezioni solo estetiche dovute molto probabilmente alla manifatura coreana.

il suono e' la cosa piu' meravigliosa di questo strumento!e' davvero fantastico,suona caldo e corposo con qualsiasi configurazione di pickup.certo,avendo gli humbucker non si puo' chiedere un suono tagliente ma a mio avviso il meglio di se lo da con il plettro!
e' uno dei migliori bassi di questa categoria per il rock puro.

appena preso lo strumento non aveva minimamente idea di cosa fosse un set up decente.lavorandoci su (sinceramente non poco) sono riuscito ad ottenere quello che volevo:un action molto bassa senza che le corde frustino,bel sustain e un'intonazione perfetta degli armonici.peccato non sia uscito gia' cosi' dalla fabbrica...
meccaniche molto buone,ponte un po' meno,si fa fatica a suonare sui primi tasti perche' sono molto distanti.purtroppo pero' il basso ha un grande difetto:e' troppo sbilanciato verso il manico e tende a piegarsi.ho risolto parzialmente questo problema poggiando il braccio destro sulla spalla del basso per controbilanciarlo.

ci suono abitualmente con questo basso anche dal vivo.mai avuto problemi di suono o di elettronica.le finiture non sono delle migliori a ad ogni minima botta si rischia di rovinare qualcosa.
ma per il prezzo e' un prodotto eccellente!

mai avuto problemi tali da dover contattare la fabbrica

suono da 7 anni.ho sette bassi:fender jazz american standard '97,fender precision vintage '57,fender mustang u.s.a. '76,
ibanez Musician MC920 fretless '86,ibanez btb 406,epiphone thunderbird,epiphone eb-3.suono con un swr red head.
se me lo rubassero me lo ricomprerei subito!lo amo per il suono,un po' meno per il comfort.rispetto ai bassi che ho,il thunderbird e' unico.

'04 Model. Made in Korea, assembled in America. 4 string. Shaller-like tuners. 2 humbucking pickups. 2 vol. 1 tone knob.

I play everything from metal, funk, rock and pop. This bass does a decent job at covering a spectrum of sounds. It does have a grindy mid-high sound to it. Its pretty punchy. Probably not as punchy as my P-bass with a Seymour Duncan pickup. Very quiet bass. Hardly any hum at all. For my taste I would like some bigger bottom end but I am planning on installing Gibson pups in the future and that should solve that.

The action was pretty good right from the store. I do my own setups and got the action really low. About 1/8" high at the twelvth fret with no buzz. The neck dives really bad but move the strap button to the body of the guitar in line with the neck. If you dont know what Im talking about, you can email me. This cures the dive almost 100%. The nut needed some filing which I did with a small needle file. The height at the nut was slightly higher than the fret which isnt right but easily corrected. The finish on this bass is awesome. Thick coat of laquer with a dark reddish stain. Beautiful. Really caught my eye in the store. Like said before, it does have an awkward shape so be careful when setting it down. A regular guitar stand does suffice and can work. Be creative and you'll see what I mean.

The tone pot went scratchy the second week I had it. Easy replacement. Other than that zero failures since I bought it 3 months ago. I always gig with a backup. Just dumb not too.

Never had to deal with them so dont know.

Even though of the problems I had with this bass, they were easy fixes and adjustments. The bass rocks and has a great sound and mojo to it. I cant recommend it enough for a Epiphone.

it has a 20 fret wide neck. not good for fast playing. and passive electronics. i like the brisge design on this bass, iv not seen this brige type on any basses other than epiphones. the bass is too hevy and i find the poor balance very destracting whilst playing. i found a tip on the net about moving the neck strap button to fix the balance. i did this but it has not solved the problem. however you can not fault the looks of a thunderbird for a second. defenatly one of the best looking basses ever made.

you have very little control of the sound on this bass. as soon as you move the tone controll off 10 it just sounds empty and flat. however this is my only passive bass so i may just be too used to the control you get with active.

the bass was well set up and about as well made as you would expect for the price tag and no more. the neck joint seems a bit week and lose for the size of the bass. it was origanly desigend as a gibson with a through neck and on this the epiphone modle suffers slightly because they have tryed to keep the looks the same but biuld it in a difrent way.

this bass is in good condition but i have not used it much because of the poor balance. however it dose not seem like it will hold up to much in the way of giging where and tare. i have only used the bass for a handfull of gigs and it already looks worse then my yamaha (for about the same price) which i have been reguly giging with for about 3 years.

never needed

i would not recomend this guitar to anyone. i have only had mine about 6 months and am selling already. i brought this bass under the misconseption it would be a ecomany verstion of the gibson modle (which it is not at all) though it looks great i would say it is more of a possers guitar then a players one. however if you have already got you hart set on the looks id recomend buying a lefty and changing the strings and strap button around to sort out the balance.

korean made (what isn't) 20 frets, passive (hot) pick-ups...
you know if your looking at this bass the rest...i love this bridge!bolt on neck, but i got rid of a neck through for this so...

i'm 43 so classic rock it is. i use a fender bxr 300 watt amp and a
behringer bass v-amp...sweet! i've owned dozen of basses but i'm a tall guy at 6'6" and looks are important so....small bodies seem smaller, that is why i checked this out. this bass some how has the illusive bottom & the "geddy Lee" "thonk" that i want

you know i would like to complain, but everything was just about dead on. nothing loose finish fantastic!

i've owned all of them...ricks, gibsons, guilds, fenders.
now i can't afford the big boys anymore. i'm not comparing this to $1,500 basses on up, but i don't see a problem with anything!

lifetime warranty from epiphone.. guess that's pretty good

i've been playing bass & guitar for 30 years i've had it or owned it all! the looks, the feel, the sound, the action, i must admit i am impressed.

My non-reverse T-bird was made around 1995 (mailed Gibson for an ID/dating)in Korea. It has 20 frets, 2 volume controls and one tone control, and it came with a passive P&J configuration for the pickups. This one's vintage sunburst (looks great!). The rest is pretty much the same as in previous reviews. Very different, bit large, great looker (but either you love the looks or hate 'em) Very nicely spaced strings, I can play just about as fast as on my shortscale bass!It came without accesories, but I soon bought a wide Levy's strap, it's a disaster to play with "standard" straps (it's pretty heavy).

I mostly play '60's/'70's and some blues & country. Suits seventies best, though. Still, it's nice and clear on country walking bass. Not the one for blues and R 'n' R, because I think it lacks the grunt, both sound-wise and output-wise (I need to crank the amp up a lot.)Nice, "open" sound, but not to be recommended for the heavy stuff. I play it through a Peavey Combo 115, and not even a real rocker like that'll make it sound really heavy. Warm & clean sums it up.

Wow, this baby feels rock-solid!! None of the lightness of my unidentified shortscale object! Very nice high-gloss finish (I keep cleaning it: I can use for a mirror!) Action's a bit high, but it'll do fine, at least there are no fret-buzzes. It's beautifully intonated (could have been serviced before sale, I don't know). I found it quick-playing for a full-scale. Might do even better with flatwounds. Oh, and do lean on the armrest, as said before: it's VERY top-heavy! Otherwise delivered flawless.

This bass is as solid-state as they'll get, but it's a large axe! Be careful not to cause harm with it! Holds tune beautifully, and the finish has seen some minor pitting, but I think it'll last long enough for my grandchildren to enjoy. Straps on great, doesn't come loose at all. I play 2 basses to suit the style I need, and no real backup. Machine heads seem a bit cheap, but so far they proved ok.

The shop gave me a two-week satisfaction guarantee, but I've never used that... Shop was great (I even got coffee whil considereing the purchase). Only time I dealt with the manufacturer was for dating/ID, my mail was answered in a couple of hours. If that gives an idea of Epiphone customer service, it'll be great. Never had "something real" though, so I'm not going to give a grade on this one.

I've been playing bass for about 3 years now, and i've played the T-bird for about 9 months. I own an no-ID shortscale bass, and a Motion accoustic for doodling on when friends bring a guitar over, and this one's my number 2 bass. I like the finish and the different looks. Hate the tone control, it doesn't give real effect. Only other full-scale I played was a Boston Precision from a friend, but this one's so much slimmer! Rugged, plays easy, looker!! I've no regrets!

This is a 4 string Korean Thunderbird with passive P & J pick-ups. Colour Robins Egg Blue, the headstock is black and the neck rosewood on maple.
As far as shape it's reverse traditional and the neck is a freakin' log.
It came with a bridge cover and case. I traded a Squire Jazz (with a over used neck) and a Samick J style Bowling Ball coloured 24 fret (not bad) for it at a local music store. They wanted $495 (with case) so I couldn't loose. The stock pick-ups sounded so bad, I'm sure thats why it was traded in virtually new. The colour was it's most attractive feature.

First thing I did was change the P's to a set of work-boot aftermarket d'marzios and now this thing sounds good in any situation!
But it is physically just too long for small stage use and I rarely use it.
I've never played a Gibson original, but if they're this long, no thanks.
I use a Peavey head and 210 & 15.
It just sounds like a bass. Nothing sparkling just work-boot bass.

The dealer told me it was traded by someone within the first month and you would have thought it was new except the person drilled a hole in the upper fron horn for a strap button relocation and it is just ugly. Other than crap pick-ups and a log sized neck (which I knew about) it was as good as it looked. Note: I cannot find this colour of blue to fix the hole.
The action I don't recall as first thing I did was take it all apart to replace the P's. I also left off the bridge cover.

I honestly belive this thing could bump around for the summer in the back of a truck and still play well. It's very robust. The finish through the screw hole looks thick and durable. I do find the tuners are a bit small and hard to get to if you like to tune down to B while you're wearing it, it's a long reach to the underside of the headstock.
The truss rod has never been adjusted in 6 years. The neck is a rock. It stays in tune.

I didn't deal with anyone for anthing after I got it from the non-dealer, but from the sound of it, I'm damn lucky I got the case (which has no brand name on it).

I'm givin' it a 8 for support as I could have got screwed on the case quite easily.

I've been playing for years and I play mostly a P Bass so the big neck isn't an issue, the LONG neck is! If you're gonna make it that long, throw a couple more frets on it. Rah-heally.
If I lost it I'd move on. It's a utility bass that looks good and sounds good but it's still a copy. If you've got big hands and long arms and you find one cheap (whatever that is to you) I'd buy it.
I haven't seen any others around here so it is different, but diffrent may not be enough.

Hey ... it's a Thunderbird - what else do you want? OK - bought brand new in 2002 ... has pickups & knobs - I'm a bass player - you want more? Huge problem is finding a case on line if the shop doesn't stock it. For the amount it weighes it sounds beautiful, but it is top heavy, so money on a suede backed strap will help you not dint it into the ground each time you drop the neck and adjust your microphone (I've played live with it - crowds don't appreciate the big guy on bass looking hard then crying as his bass nose dives the floor!).
No case, looks good, good scale but nose dives ... 8

Let's be frank - Thunderbird=Rock ... or Acoustic-Rock in this case. I still play a CSI Precission (minimum 15 years old - bought 2nd hand that long ago) which is still a beaut! But this comes with much more flavour - crank the pickups to max and it thrums quite nicely - turn the back down and leave the forward up and you have your metal drive ... mix and match between the two and you have your perfect sound - with the right amp a beautiful overdriven sound can come of cranking the gain full (control feedback with the volume) and dropping out the middle.
For those who play a pure Gibson - I wish I had your money! Epiphone does for me as it pure sounds great (I have a friend who plays a Gibson Les Paul, and yet his Washburn WP80 sounds better purely on feed back ...) so purist ... er .. sorry, lost it ... what was I saying? Oh yeah - sounds good!

Played a couple of times and at most a Hetfield style wrist band may be in order as with playing on a long strap you tend to crack you wrist (playing plectrum style) ...but then it's worth it as I love this instrument so much that I named it after my one true love ... Rowan Rhiannon Alice Ackford Schofield Schofield! - Rowan for short - as she feels the same - smooth, svelth and looks like a babe with enough deepth of personality you'll love her forever ( the original left me over my fetish for guitars ...doh!) Seriously - the guit's a beaut and if Rowan's still out there ...

The strap is at an amazing angle but still holds ... everything else needs play testing - I'll be back on this one ...

Can't get a case from the dealer, and where does get the correct case from on-line(please E-mail me with suggestions - not about Rowan - about the case!) Hunted many sights but the best showed a case with a head that rested to the left, not the right ...

I've been playing for 14 years in bands like Superstupid, BWSFI, Nadir, Kil Milhouse, Certain Hatred and Adagio/Gambler and played both base and rhythm guitar/lead vocals, and this is the first instrument that I've bought because I wanted it (fell in love in the shop). Find out if it comes with the correct case in stock (very important). It's a beaut - plain and simple - it looks good, and it sounds the nuts!

Mine is a rare left handed one, made in Korea 2001. Standard classic Thunderbird design and features, except the Epiphone is a bolt on maple neck rather than neck thru like the Gibsons. Body is either alder or maple as well, I believe, stained dark to look like mahogony. Two humbucker pickups, volume knob for each and 1 master tone knob.

Let me first say that I bought this bass primarily for the Thunderbird look and purely for show at live performances, and Gibson doesn't make left handed Thunderbirds (and Epiphone barely does). I wasn't expecting any great sounds out of this thing, as nearly every Epiphone piece of gear I've ever tried was god awful, and especially after reading negative reviews about it from Gibson purists on various Gibson chat lists who claim it sounds nothing like the Gibsons. So what? It's a fraction of the cost of the Gibsons and it by no means sounds bad. In fact, it sounds damn good, and I would even argue that it's more versatile sounding than the Gibson. It comes somewhat close to the classic dark gritty Gibson growl if you dig in with a pick and adjust the EQ on your bass head, but even better, it can come close to copping Fender tones like the back pickup of a Jazz (Jaco tone) when the back pickup is on only. And for me, that's fine, because I'm primarily a Fender J man. The tone is even and the sustain is excellent, due to the scale of this bass. Overall impressed.

The fit and finish on mine are immaculate, and this bass looks very close to the Gibosn version, complete with the Thunderbird logo on the pickguard and the huge headstock. This bass has absolutely no fret buzz or fret noise when I play, unlike my Rickenbacker which requires moreprecise fretting to avoid unwanted noise. Unfortunately, the very problems inherent in the Gibsons can be found in this lower cost model, so either add a point to my score for Epiphone's attempt at authenticity or deduct another point for perpetuating Gibson's poor design to begin with. Like the Gibsons, it is neck heavy and will nose dive quickly if you're not holding it up. Luckily, I find this problem is more or less eliminated when I rest my plucking arm across the back heel of the bass. But the other thing that causes fatigue over time is the long neck, further compounded by the fact that the bass has no extended horn to allow the strap to naturally hang away from your body instead of right down the middle of it. (Note: on some Epiphones and Gibosns, the strap button appeared on the neck heel, which I've heard caused worse inbalance problems. On mine, it's on the upper horn). The first fret seems miles away, and to compensate for arm tiredness that sets in soon enough I have to play with my elbow postion jutting out slightly. It's even harder playing in the upper frets.

This bass appears to be solidly built, but I have no doubt that the angled headstock would crack should this bass accidently fall over. (another lovely carry over from the Gibosn model).

I've never tried to contact Epiphone about this bass, but I did contact them for info about their lefty Thunderbirds in general as well as the Jack Cassidy bass. They got back to within a week and told me that they only made lefty models for a very limited time and had discontinued them.

I've been playing for close to 20 years, and I have collected over 15 left handed basses. Some are purely for collecting, and some are for playing. This one will be a collector, since they just didn't make too many lefties. It's also a fun bass to play and people immediately comment on how good it looks (and sounds). It is not my main bass, and I don't think it ever will be, because it's playability is simply a bit too awkward for me, so my Jazz or Sterling gets the first call. But it does have a great driving punchy, dark tone playing with a pickthat myother basses don'thave, so it's worth having it in my arsenal. I would buy it again, if I could find another one.

this is a 2000 edition ThunderBird 'Reverse' bass.
which I got for #335 which is abou $ 399 so it was a bit expensive all though I got a lead with iT !!!!
It has 20 frets but its a Huge NECK. 4 strings, In a nice vintage sunburst (in a coffee table way). I has 2 very nice humbucker type bass pickups. 1 volume for each pickup and an over all tone knob. the electronics a passive but I think u get a choice of what u want. The bridge is a funny thing really its got 3 kind of supporters that screw up and down and I don't really understand it (I dont like it)
the tuners are locking. pretty basic but fun to have!!

The sound is very versitile!!! you can make it really bouncey and trebley!! (which I use!!) and U can make it a 'marylin manson' muddy
sound which is really cool. Its good to pop and slap on it as it has a long neck. It is good on stage for show for the amazing body shape and sound. Note: If the 2 volume knobs arn't on the same number the can be a bit of buzzing!!! Ill give it 9 but I would of given it 10 if it wasnt for the buzzin!!!

The action is extremly high!!!! and when i got it the pickups were put out at there highest point but I' ve got used to it!!!
The BAD thing about this bass is that u allways have to hold the neck up because of the poorly positioning of the front strap button so i would use strap locks NOTE: ( the gibson model has the front strap button raound the back!!) but it has a nice finnish on it even though I would of liked a Black or white one!!!. but only get this bass if you have got strong left arm because of holding the neck up. which can leed to alot of effort. A 5!! Because of the strap button

This bass Is HARD !!!! Im sure U could kill the Northan part of florida single handedly with this AXE!!. The strap buttons are awful because of the position.
I left It in is case In the car once and It Condensated and the bridges screws rusted so dont leave it in the HEAT!!!!! It could warp
I would have a back up just in case anythin would happen to it!!! but this guitar is BITCHIN!!! and as solid as a Ducks arse
An 8 for its Solidness but because of that piss anoyin strap button it cant really go any higher

Dont know epiphone atall but my guitar to about 2 weeks to come which is Pretty cool!!!

This guitar is cool very cool. But I recomend U might save up for the Gibson??? if u want but I didn't so u dont have too...........
apart from the strap button which u can just re-locate by drilling a hole in the back and put there!! (like the gibson model) But I know u can get this bass for less DOSH like $ 250 .I got i got it with a warranty though! but over all this guitar is duribale and good looking and an amazing sound!!!! BUY IT!!!!!!!


ANYWAY the bassist out of System Of A Down has a thunderbird!! so it must be good!!! ahhahahahahhahahahahhaha!!!!!

This is a nice bass but it is rather large. It has a nice sound that comes from two soapbar pickups. One at the bridge position and one at the neck position. The bridge pu give the bass a nice punchy sound and the neck pu give the bass a nice lowend full sound. I have found that with my amp (a crate practice amp) that a blend of the the bridge pu on full and the neck on half give the bass a great sound. The controls are one tone and two volume, one for each pu. The electronics on this 4 sting bass are passive, but work well. I did have a problem with the imput jack being loose soon after I bought it but I has it relplaced with a new one for about $10. The finish on this bass is not the best but it is good. It is a stained finish of some sort and there are a couple of dark spots on the back on the body and neck, other than that it is nice. The bridge is held on by the sting tension and I do not like that feature cause when I change strings the bridge and saddles always fall off and I have to put them back on and that sucks. The neck is fat and I love it. I like jazz necks but I prefer a fat neck to grab on to. It came with a hard shell case that is falling apart due to lots of use over 2 years. OVer all this is your average low to mid priced bass. There may not be a lot of features on this bass, but what it does have works quite well. When I bought the bass I also purchased the case two, that was included in the price I paid for it.

This bass suits my music style fine, but most basses do. I due like this one a lot though cause of the ability to get a punchy sound and still have good low end responce. The pu's are amazingly quite, when I plug in this bass there is no buzz at all. The sound as I said is punch with lowend, but you can taylor it to be warm, or bright and trebley as well.

When I got the bass the action was to high, but I set it lower and now it plays great. The pu's were fine when I got the bass and I have not made any changes to them at all. The finish had a couple of dark spots in the stain but nothing to bas cause they were both on the back. I think as long as the bass sounds good who care what it looks like.

I feel that this is a very sturdy bass when the strings are on, when there are off the bridge comes loose, but other than that it is heavey and I love it. The thing feels like a tank. The hardware is brass and was painted black, however that black paint is coming off, but the hardware itself is very good and seems to be holding up well. This bass has seen lots of use in the last 3 years or so and the finish is showing no wear other than the sratches I have put in it. The strap buttons were ok, but I replaced them with strap locks when I strung the bass left handed, I recomend every one do this (put on strap locks). Overall this bass is dependable. The neck and truss rod have only been adjusted twice when I switched string gauges. Other than that the neck and action have been fine. I would never play a gig without a backup bass, but that is because I hate to change strings while playing a show, so I always bring along my Ibanez. But I rarely use it. That is just my personal preferance though.

I have never had to call upon customer support cause if it breaks I fix it, but it never breaks so it isn't a problem.

I have been playing for about 3 years and this was my starter bass and it has always been my favorite. The more I lear about high end basses the more I realize that this was a good deal. This bass, to me, has a great sound and feels good to play to. It also looks good to. I also own and Ibanez SR300DX. I prefer that thunderbird casue the Ibanez sounds like crap. I have plans on replacing the pickups and electronics in it soon. If this bass was stolen or lost I would replace it asap. I think that this is a great bass but it is not for every one. I love it though.

This the Epifone Thunderrbird. It is very good. I think made in Japan, which is good (better than Korean or Mesican). It has nobs to make volume bigger and also tone. I don't like to change tone but I like to play volume LOUD. I play with a twin Marshall Stack with much power so it plays very LOUD, which is good. It has nobs to tune strings on the neck to make guitar in tune. Humbucker pick ups and it is brown with yellow on the front like FIRE. I bought because I like Jimmy Hendrix make song about fire and even though he play a Strat I like the Epifone more better.

I like to play LOUD. I play much kinds of music. Traditional rock and roll like Black Sabbath and Ozzy Ozboarne and Fleetwoodmac and KORN!!! I have long hair like Ted Nugent. I use guitar with lots of petals like BOSS CS1, BOSS CS2, and BOSS CS3, Voodoo Labs Superfuzz, BOSS OD1, BOSS OD2, Tube King. The sound is very dirty and muddy and thick. With all the compressors on it sounds like a mud train stuck in the tracks. If turn amp to 11 you can "cum on feel the NOISE!!!"

I rock and roll HARD to things like Ted Nugent Cat Scratch Fever and KORN!!! Sometimes I pretend to smash guitar but not really hard because I don't want to break or make crack and have to go back to Guitar Center because I have not much more money to spend $290 to fix. But when I pretend to smash, guitar is very solid and good. 10!

I never tried call Epifone. They probably good if you call.

I been playing LOUD rock and roll for almost 3 months. Before that I played in band in school but not guitar (trumpet and flugalhorn) so I know how to read music which has helped me play rock better. I wish I had noticed small nick on neck which man said could be crack before bought guitar, but lucky nice man at Guitar Center help me and only charge $290 to fix and another $25 to polish. He said normally charge $30 to polish but gave me deal. It is worth it to ask for deal. Guitar looks great now!

I have the 1994 made in Korea model, which looks like Gibson Thunderbirds did back in the 60's, kind of a Jazz Bass like shape, minus the horns. P/J pickups, two volumes, one tone knob. It has a reverse painted headstock that looks cool but can be kind of annoying sometimes. I don't know what kind of body woood it has, maybe Ash? I wish it came with a heavier duty bridge, all it's got is a standard Fender style bridge, not string thru. The finish is very nice and tough, kind of a dark cherry sunburst. I've thrown it around quite a bit over the years and there are virtualy no scratches. This bass is a beast, people with short arms and small hands should look elsewhere; overall, it's the longest bass i have ever played (i think Gibson RD's are also quite long). I just wish it had a set neck and bigger bridge.

This bass can do just fine in most muscial styles. I've played mostly rock, jazz, blues, and funk, and it copes with most situations well. Wise use of the volume and tone controls can give you almost any sound you want. Use a pick, you fingers, or slap, it's all good. But in my opinion, this bass shines in rock situations. Get yourslef a heavy pick, a loud amp, and rock it out. This is definitely a rock bass. Right now i am using an Ampeg SVT350 with an Ampoeg 210 and a Mesa 115 and it sounds excellent. Not too much high end, so you'll have to improvise that with your amp (a 210 or 410 helps). Lows and mids are good, stay around the middle of the fretboard and it sounds clear and crisp, get down low and it has a P-bass like tone, it rings like a piano. I use medium or med-light strings, depending on how fat of an E string i feel like.

Superb. No flaws. I bought it on a closeout deal and it was set up at the shop before i brought it home. That was over 6 years ago, and it's only seen slight adjustments since (bridge saddle height to make up for fatter or skinnier strings).

Would withstand practically anything. I'm in a punk band, and since i don't sing, i am free of a mic stand and i can jump around and get nuts. I slam into things, slam the bass into things, and generally beat the shyte of it. It doesn't flinch. If it had active electronics or a weak neck, it woundnt last. Thankfully Epiphone had some insight to make it tough.

No idea.

9- wish it had a set neck and heavier duty bridge, BadAss or something. If it got stolen, i'd probably look into a Gibson RD or Ripper bass. I also wish the darn thing had a custom fitted case. The store i bought it from had NO CASES to fit it, it was too long for standard SKB bass cases and wouldnt fit any Fender cases. So i went to a sporting goods store and bought an extra-huge rifle case, cut out the shape of the bass in the foam, and voila, instant hard shell case. I also wouln't mind if the pickups had a little more output and sensitivity, but for $350, this bass rules. I've had it for a good 6 years, been playing bass about 8. Too bad Epiphone now makes a Thunderbird that is basically a cheaper version of the Gibson, at least the older one had some personality. I have yet to see anyone with this bass. My other bass is a beat up '76 Musicmaster, a completely different animal altogether.