Gibson Thunderbird IV Bass

Not a lot of features, but that's not what anyone should buy a Thunderbird for in the first place. Two ceramic humbuckers. Single tone/volume controls. That's all, folks.

It can rumble, it can sound very articulate and punchy, it's very warm and it's fat as hell. And it is loud. You buy these for tone and they produce. They're professional quality instruments for gigging and recording if you want a huge bass sound for that can fill a lot of a mix or a lot of a space. I've seen the signature T-Bird sound utilized in all genres of music, but for obvious reasons I think it's most at home for rock/some gritty blues.

Gibson really needs to get their act together. I know they sell dumptrucks full of expensive instruments, but when someone shells out the kind of money it takes to buy something like this, Gibson needs to respect that. They need to not fit instruments like this with shitty plastic pickguards engraved with crappy graphics and spot-colored poorly. They need to not attach thin plastic gibson nameplates to the headstock with two tiny screws so that the nameplate doesn't even sit flush. Oh, and they need to do at least a cursory setup on the guitar so that the bridge doesn't arrive straight up and down diagonal and the guitar's out-of-the-box action is so poor that you have to head straight for the shop before you can even see what the guitar is capable of. Two thumbs down.

I won't harp on Gibson's hardly-durable finishes, because the finish on mine is natural wood-grain and hand-rubbed. But I've heard bad things. As far as the guitar itself goes, mine has been through some unfortunate incidents (both in the hardcase and out), and it's held up very well. I joke that this is my cursed guitar because it's always getting subjected to impact, but the neck has never experienced any problems as a result, nor has any other part of the guitar shown wear before its time.

Gibson gives its famous lifetime warranty on these. However, quality control at Gibson seems to have gone to shit. If you do need to get it repaired, dealing with Gibson is not unreasonable, but not a joy. They're a big company, they have a lot to deal with, they won't treat you disrespectfully, but you're going to have to self-advocate. That said, you can't beat the warranty they offer on their pro-grade instruments.

If you get a good set-up done, ignore some of the flimsy extras on the guitar like the pickguard and nameplate, and just listen to what this thing does through a quality setup, you'll be more than happy with having invested in one. It's a very quick and very simple way into huge tone with the kind of grit you'll usually find yourself playing with knobs for hours to accomplish. This bass will show you what high-end rock amps are capable of by way of its heat, and its strangely articulate but lo-fi sound. Buy it for what it'll make you hear and just suffer the small inconveniences of the current Gibson dark age.

2007 Vintage Sunburst. Simon form the Cure and Stefan from Placebo has the exact same bass.
The case comes with white fleece inside now. I thought I was gonna get black. White looks cool though.
The guy in the shop claimed that the bass player from Boney M was in the day before jamming on it. It was a big gibson dealer in Melbourne Australia and Boney M were playing that week so it could be true. It was enough to seal the deal for me.

Sounds amazing. I have an Alpine white epiphone thunderbird and I always dreamed of a real gibson but didn't think it would sound all that much different. I've even read some people say their epiphones sound better. This is so wrong in my experience. The Gibson sounds incredible. Loud, warm and punchy.
I run it through a Zoom B2, Boss Bass Chorus, Sovtek Big Muff and Boss Bass EQ. I used to have them all dialed in a fair bit to get a good tone out of the epi but now I've cut it all in favour of the gibsons pure bass sound.

I've read that Gibson basses arrive poorly set up so the shop must have done it because it is set up very well.
I was describing to a friend the experience of playing the Epiphone for a year and a half and then playing the gibson and the best way I can describe the feeling is it's like when you first stand up on a surfboard and ride a wave.

It feels so natural and good. Nowhere near as much neck dive as the epiphone, it feels heaps lighter and the neck is much much easier to grip and move your hands around on.
All of my bands songs are now totally effortless to play compared to playing them on the epi.

The finish is very nice. Very glossy and the grain of the wood is very beautiful. There is some small spots here and there where the finish looks not to be mirror perfect or the wood was shaped but I love that. You can tell it was shaped in Nashville.

But it looks so powerful and awe inspiring. I can't stop staring at it.

I replaced the strap buttons with the schaller ones. The screw on the back of the bass is, as mentioned in earlier reviews, a much larger diameter than the standard screws so you can't just screw the new button straight in.

The easiest fix is to put the screw in a vise and file the head to a small enough diameter so that it fits inside the schaller button. You have to keep turning the screw in the vise to keep it round but you can do it with a decent file.
It will still be plenty strong enough and is probably the easiest and quickest way to make the strap locks work.
You could try filling the hole with glued wood and re-drilling a smaller hole but trust me it's quicker and easier to just reduce the head diameter. I figure Gibson put a bigger screw in that hole for a good reason so I wanted to maintain the screw size.

You might need to trim a few thread off the ends of your Schaller screws to make them have the same depth as they had with the smaller gibson buttons. If they bottom out in the holes it could cause a crack I guess.

Everything else looks rock solid. Mines still new but I don't see any issues. A friend warned me about keeping it in a room where a heater is on and off as it could warp it or something. I don't know how much truth there is to that.

no trouble yet but it's the first week

if anyone even so much as tried to touch my new girl there'll be trouble.
My whole life is now devoted to protecting and cherishing this beautiful guitar.

the gibson thunderbird iv - string-thru design, walnut neck, mahogany wings, three-way adjustable bridge,looks almost like vintage, thin-style frets. comes with a very nice black case with lined white plush. mine is classic white or as i like to call it "vanilla" or even "80s" white. people say this bass is heavey, not at all - the neck seems heavier than the body and the placement of the strap knob on the back of the bass off-sets the weight but its not a big deal, i actually considered it to be on the light side.

this bass has nice warm tone, playing off the neck pick up it sounds like a fender but playing off the bridge pickup gives you that classic thunderbird sound, like simon gallup on Disintegration.the humbuckers work nicely, its very quiet and cuts through a full band nicely for passive pickups. i don't think its the most versitile instrument as far as sound but as far as styles it could be used for i think thats really up to the musician.

i got this bass on scatch and dent sale but i'm certain the previous owner gave it back because of the off white color, hahah. it does look kinda weird with the white pick guard and off-white finish but lemme tell you thats nothing buying a black pickguard can't fix which compliments the black hardware and the beautiful ebony fretboard. the pickups are easily adjustable, the action was fairly low. the bass is well-crafted, very distictive, no flaws. playing on the painted neck takes some getting used to, not the smoothest neck to play on.

i've heard some bad things about thunderbird construction but haven't had any problems. replace the strap buttons for sure otherwise you'll break them off or you'll drop the bass. this bass is reliable but i always bring two basses to shows anyway.

have not dealt with them

this is a nice bass, you are basically paying for the gibson thunderbird name and a neck thru body design bass and the impression that body design has on people, i don't think i woulda payed the full $1750 for it, its a good bass but you can get a lot more for a lot less like for instance a US Fender or a Musicman. i own 6 basses, i treasure this as a sweet addition to the family. if it were lost (how do you lose a bass?) or stolen i'd get around to buying a new one.

Made in USA in 2002. It sports 20 frets, 4 strings, two humbuckers, passive electronics (bass volume, treble volume, tone), Ebony Stain finish, three-way-adjustible bridge, Grover tuners, mahagony neck with mahagony body wings glued on.

This baby has a deep, rich sound well suited to rock. I play it through a Hartke 3500 and a Warwick 4x10"/1x15" stack. It has massive mid-lows, although it's not as boomy as I had feared. Of course, with its all-mahagony construction and humbucker pickups, it lacks the treble output of most basses, but if you're looking for that, steer clear (or use a new set of prosteels every other day). Playing with the controls can shape the sound a bit, yet it stays growling all the time, though I have found no hum whatsoever. I use a pick and I don't think you'd go anywhere on this bass fingerstyle. You cannot get a lot of sounds out of it, but the ones that are there are amazing.

I bought it used with only a tiny ding near the output jack. The finish is still immaculate after five years, so if you take care of it, it doesn't necessarily wear down as stated in some other reviews. The action was a bit high, but it was not problem at all bringing it down via the trussrod. Same for the pickups, no hassle adjusting them. I've heard a lot about inferior quality on recent Gibson instruments, but mine is as tidy as can be. Now, neck dive CAN pose a problem - use a wide leather strap and it's gone - but one thing really sucks: due to the placing of the strap buttons, it kind of rolls down on you (the upper side of the body tips over).

The neck is very delicate and head stock repairs are common in older T-Birds, so I cannot recommend crashing it into your singers side at a gig. The strap buttons are just fine with the right strap, I never felt the urge to replace them with safety locks. The only flaw in my eyes is that it can tend to go out of tune quickly (especially live), as mahagony is a very soft wood that kind of overreacts to changes of temperature.

I've been playing for six years, mostly hard rock, metal and punk. I also own a Rickenbacker 4003 and randomly pick up one of the two when I want to play. As with the Ric, the Thunderbird is purpose-built and makes no excuses for what it is. If you want versatility, get another bass! If you want to slap, get another bass! If you want excellent handling, comfort and balance... get another bass! But if you simply want to steamroll everything in your path and look cool doing so, then look no further!

2003-USA
20-fretted
Volume,Volume,Tone
TB Plus ceramic humbuckers
Passive
Mahogany
Ebony finish w/ white T-bird pickguard and black hardware
Body style: T-bird neck-through
3 point T-bird bridge
Grover tuners
Rosewood
Case (which is excellent)

Sound Likes:

AWESOME!!!! Totally unique tone from this bass, especially when all knobs are turned up! Totally awesome pick tone.

Finger style: Roll off the neck pickup, and you get a J-bass tone, roll off on the bridge pickup, and it's P-bass sounding. Fender purists would quickly argue, but it's passable enough to be considered versatile. Of course, where you play matters too-closer to the bridge gets you more of the J tone, closer to the neck gets you more P tone.

Oh yeah, this sounds better and better the louder it gets. For passive pups, it clips my Trace Elliot more than my SR5. Pups are quiet.

If you have a Trace Elliot, pcuh that 'Mid Pre-shape' button, and kick in a bit of EQ, and holy crap!

You might as well call it the Widowmaker, cuz you'll forget about your spouse!

Setup:

Just perfect for me-but tweaked by the store to make it better. It was very low, but has no buzz..... This was a "new/old" purchase, as it was a new 2003 model that was never sold and passed around like a hot potato between stores for 3+ years. Pickups etc.. were all good!

Neck:

Awesome fast neck, especially when you consider that it is painted on the back. Does NOT feel sticky to me at all.

Fretboard:

Perfect frets etc...those who like to play really high will have to make an adjustment as, for me, the 17th fret is about as far as I can go. For those who want to try to make the stretch, don't wear rings on the pinky and the "wedding band" finger as you might start to chip the finish....you'll figure that out though...

Finish:

Beautiful black finish, but you can see a few likely unfinished/missed spots in the grooves where the body is raised in the middle -front and back. But I got it below cost, and I had to really look for them, but they are there. If I paid full price, or close to that, I'd be a bit ticked.

Very light bass, which was a surprise-light to me anyway. Solid enough to me, I can't see why it can't withstand anything that other basses can't, except dropping it-word on the street is be cautious not to have it fall headstock first.

That said-get straplocks, and a good strap. This bass is NOT that neck heavy-don't buy into that crap. If you find the neck too heavy, hit the gym.

Dealt with them only once-via-email, and they were VERY quick to respond.

I bought this bass sight unseen-never played it or anything. I couldn't have been happier either.

It compares to no other bass, and that makes it that much better.

If it were stolen or lost, I wouldn't die, but the one who stole it might if I caught them. And I would hunt like hell to find them, because it's my #1 now.

Accept no imitations.

2006. Made in Nashville, Tenn. 21 Frets.4 string. Mahogany body wings, Walnut/Mahogony laminate neck. Beutiful dark, tight grained Rosewood fingerboard. Which is not commonly found on most new Rosewood boards. I guess, due to scarceness. 2 Volumes, 1 Tone. 2 Passive TBS Ceramic humbuckers. Finish is black (ebony). Reg Gibson tailpiece. Grover mini tuners. 34" scale, very thin, narrow string spaced neck. Not unlike a Jazz Bass. Comes with a really nice black with grey inside case. Well made, nice cushy handle. Thank God they got rid of those ugly Pimp-A-llac, pink cases. Came with the truss rod tool. No Allens needed for this bass.

I am a gear nut w/lots of GAS. I own (not to brag too much) many basses. From Alembic Europa 4, Gibson Explorer, Lakland Skyline Hollowbody, (2)Zon Sonus 4 strings, (1)8 string, '66 Precision Bass. This bass sounds GREAT and I'm not easy to please. I'm playing thru a QSC 1602 Power amp, Ampeg SVP Pro Preamp, (2) 2x12" Eden 212XLT cabs, SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver. Not noisy, although I havn't gigged with it yet. Obviously not many different sounds on board but that doesn't bother me 'cause the SanAmp offers so many diff sounds.

Setup was a tad high, so I loosened all the strings, gave the truss a 1/4 turn and presto, nice setup. No apparent flaws except the clear coat seems VERY dellicate, scratches real easy. The gloss coat also looks kind of rough in some areas such as the routed area of the headstock and on fingerboard side near body. This actually is very disappointing since it is a $1749 bass! Everything else looks great, nice fret work, nut, hardware.

The bass does seem very fragile due to the slim neck, long headstock and thin body depth. I'm 'gonna have to be real careful with this one. Bridge seems bulletproof, nice Grover tuners. See above for the finish. Strap buttons have two diff size screws which is odd, so to switch to locks I had to shove a piece of wood in the rear screw hole to accomodate the Schaller locks that I always use on all my guitars.Time will tell how she will hold up. The truss rod works well and responds good to adjustments. Backup, well I'm sick of lugging around extra basses, especially the large size cases these come in. So I'm just 'goona bring this one and live life on the edge.

Have not had to deal with Gibson.

I've been playing about 23 years. See above for basses. I also own a PRS cust 24, a Chapman Stick 10 String, a Stck Bass 8 string. In regards to other people complaining about the neck dive, for me it wasn't that bad, most basses have this issue to some degree. I like to use a wide, unworn leather strap that has the good suede grip for this problem. I love how this bass feels strapped on. Coming from playing the Explorer, this bass is a lot more comfortable and lighter too, about 8 1/2 lbs is my guess. Hate? Only thing I don't like is the clear coat...what's up with that proccess in that factory. This seems like a common flaw with Gibson. C'mon man, the overseas stuff that costs a fraction don't have these issues. Where is the pride. It's made in America, C'mon guys/gals.

Mine was bought in 2006 it is the normal thunderbird Mahogany 9 ply wood. It has the two pickups from neck based and one bridge based. Two volume controls respective of each pickup and one tone control. It is a passive instrument. The neck is very slim maybe even as slim as a JAzz badd and maybe even thinner. Comes with a rather large case which looks like a portable coffin for small people. Walk into a bar with this and it looks like your about to unload a mounted machine gun. Nice body. Great style there. I had a small chip on mine at the back of the guitar but I got money off at the shop for it. I hear these apparently are quite easy to chip.

I must admit I liked the sound. I was going to buy a P Bass but I found this and it was even bassier than P Bass but also you can roll off the volume for the neck Pick up and you have a nice slightly Jazz Bass sound in my opinion (though it doesnt compare with a proper Jazz Bass) which you obviously cant get with a P Bass. I use it through a Trace Elliot 300w Head with a 15 inch speaker and 2 10 inch speakers on top. Sounds nice. I found the notes appeared to ring out better on the D and G strings definatly. Though the other strings held there own. Still playing the Low E note seemed to be a touch weak though I cant be sure of that as the sound reaches the audience in a different way compared to how you hear it right next to you. Also I don't beleive mine is a growly as other reports have suggested. I have a Tobias bass which very much out growls the Gibson but still the gibson does not distort anywhere near as much. Another draw back I found that this was the only bass I have had which seems to give me feedback when im driving it hard on the upper notes. Never had a bass do that before. Also it doesnt like my Zoom effects pedal. My Bass wah just goes mental. I also have distortion pedal and it didnt like that either and kept making a very high pitch noise with it. Played throgh your amp without a pedal though it sounds very nice. THough I'll give it a 8 for sound. Still as a Bassy bass it beats the hell out of a P Bass.

Set up was ok but the bridge pickup was so low It was insane. Evey thing else was ok and I just raised the pick up. Action was fine. I found it great. No fret Buzz what so ever and the strings have not given me any trouble at all. I cant complain here at all really. A pick up needing to be raised is hardly a hassle is it?

The bass feels very fragile to me and when I was playing a gig the other day with a very much wild crowd who were up in our faces I was worried that if one of those flailing arms hit the bass it would shatter. The pickups feel like they will last forever but its still new. I hear the finish on the Bass only lasts a little while especially if you gigi a lot with it. Thats what I intend to do. Strap buttons seem solid but I would like to put some proper locks on them but I hear gibson uses a daft size screw so you cant actually put strap locks on them. Why?? Idiots. I use a plastic strap lock i got in the local shop which wirks well though so I dont worry much about it. I would use it without back up as its passive. Still you should always have a back up or an extra set of strings in case disaster strikes! Oh and also I have no trouble with the neck heavy at all. Maybe its just me but it seems fine!

Not had to deal with them yet

I have been playing for 10 years and own a Tobias 6 string Bass and also a Legend (very budget) 4 string bass. I have owned many other basses throughout my bassing life. This bass seems the best sounding and least likely to distort bass I have ever had. Nice and bassy and the controls are easy to use. I would love to get another one if I lost it but I couldnt afford it at all. Only thing I dislike about it is the fact it isnt a 24 fretted instrument. Im always doing stuff down there with my 6 string bass. I compared it to a P bass and a Jazz bass. Much better than any P bass. Even the american deluxe series paled in comparrison to it! Its not as sweet as a JAzz on upper notes even if you role the volume down off the bridge pick up. Still though it does a much better job than any P bass could.

I bought this bass about 2 years ago and it is a 2002 sunburst model. It is USA made. Body and Neck thru 9-ply Mahogony and walnut. Grover tuners (very nice and tight) The truss rod cover is cheap garbage a real shame on a bass of this price. I am also one of the unlucky ones who got the pink lined case. It is terrible looking, especially when the bass is in there, but function next to fashion... The case is solid and well made like everything that comes out of Canada.

I play a cross between folk and hard dark metal and this bass provides a pretty mean grumble and growl. I use it with an Ampeg SVT classic head and cab and I can get any sound I am looking for. I also fool around in a early... think Syd Barrett Pink Floyd sounding project once in awhile and it sounds great. Playing with the treble on the bass gets me any sound I am looking for when combined with my amp. This bass sounds and looks perfect in my books! I have played many other basses and this baby does way more for me in everyway.

Gibson really has to do something about there factory set-ups because this is the second instrument I have bought from them and the set up was terrible. It was not even playable in some fret position. TERRIBLE... TERRIBLE!! When I finally found a reliable set up guy after wasting time and money on idiots, I got rid of the buzz. Thus, if you are buying one expect to get a set up. Hopefully you already have a good guy you can take it to. Vintage sunburst is beautiful, but upon close inspection the finish is disappointing in some areas. Worse a little sweat took off some of my clear coat and I even wiped it off immediatly after the show. This is pretty weak for a bass that cost this much dough. Another complaint was the pick guard... the bird rubbed off after a few sweaty jams.

The bass is solid as hell, yes the neck is thin, and I was paranoid as hell for the first 3 months or so, but I can tell you I have accidently rammed the thing into my former bandmates guitar and it held up fine. I also dropped it once and it survived so I do not think the stories about the neck popping off are quite accurate. Not saying it can't or won't happen, but mine has proven pretty tough. Strap buttons were crap, had to buy lockers... This caused a problem of Gibson using an oversize screw that would not fit in any of the locking strap buttons. WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS???? I solved the problem with toothpicks and glue, but this made me extremely unhappy. I have used it in a gig without a backup once and I broke a string first song. Never again. My fault though. I've gigged with it and the chicks love it, its enough even to make most guys to get close. yikes!

No problem here since I never used Gibson in any way.

Been playing for about 15 years. I also own a Gibson Les Paul, Ibanez Ice man and a my bass cab and head (Ampeg SVT Classic) If it was lost or stolen I would buy another one. I love the rumbling growl and the look and feel of it. I don't hate anything about it really other than things Gibson could improve with quality control that I already mentioned. I was going to buy a Fender, but this bass always appealed to me. When I finally sat down with one, I fell in love. I wish it came with a better quality truss rod cover because though a minor detail it looks like crap. If you are thinking of buying one sit down with it, I don't think it is for everybody. I have bass player friends who either love it or hate it.

I bought it new in 2005 from Guitar Center. It was made in Nashville, TN. Solid black (ebony) finish.

Right off the bat, the stock pickups had a horrible constant hum when plugged in. I took it to a local reputable repairman. He checked it out and said there was nothing he could do with it because it was a flaw with the pickups. I emailed Gibson with my problem two times and recieved no reply back. It is definetly a classic, passive, P-bass style sound that sets this bass apart from others.

The action was very high from the factory, I had it set up. The finish was terrible. Like many others have said, for a bass of this price and history of a company like Gibson, you would think the quality would be better. There were "naked" spots on the headstock and on the back where the inset of the neck is at that had wood showing through.

It does seem to be very durable minus the finish. You have to be so delicate with this thing. The paint will chip or crack if you look at it wrong. The finish will defiently be ruined with lots of playing. But I bought it to play not look at on my wall.

GIBSON IS TERRIBLE!!! At least with their Thunderbird basses. With my humming pickup problem to the flaws in the finish, Gibson was horrible. To be backordered for six months and then have recieved a bass like it was for the price paid.....Gibson should be ashamed to have their name on it.

I've been playing for 17 years and have owned quite a few different basses. The Thunderbirds cool looks and style is what drew me to it. I also own a Euro4 Spector bass. This bass was a few hundred dollars cheaper and in my opinion, WORLDS apart and BETTER in quality and craftsmanship and playability. I do believe based on my experience that Gibson is soley riding on their name and have let the quality go the wind..at least with their basses. The guitars still seem good. Anyone about to purchase a Thunderbird, do your homework and think long and hard because you're going to spend A LOT and not get a lot.

2004 Classic White Gibson Thunderbird
Made in the USA
9-ply walnut mahogany neck through body with mahogany wings
Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays
Black chrome hardware (3 way adjustable bridge, schaller tuners)
4 string, 20 frets
2 volume one tone controls
2 TB plus ceramic humbuckers
Case and shroud included

The thunderbird has a very distinct sound that is extremely well suited to rock or metal. It is a lot bassier than a Jazz or P bass, so you will need to tweak your usual settings considerably. Very full and rich sound. Not awfully versatile, but you can get it to sound similar a Rickenbacker or a P bass with a bit of messing around.

My bass was set up by the guys in the store where I bought it, so no issues there. The finish, to be honest, isn't good enough for an instrument of this price range. There was a slight run on the back and a small section on the neck has worn away within 2 weeks of purchase. One of the volume knobs also makes a bit of noise. One of the tuning pegs made a rattling sound.

The bass seems to stand up well to live playing. The hardware seems sturdy. Get some Schaller strap locks though, because theres about six thousand horror stories of these basses falling and snapping the headstock off.

I sent and email to gibson asking about touch up paint in classic white (they sell ebony, natural, and wine red touch up pens) they told me to take my bass to an authorised Gibson service centre to get it evaluated, where I was told it would cose about $120 to fix up..... less than 2 weeks after I paid $2810 the damn thing! I was not impressed at all!

But on the other hand, the importer was very helpful in helping me track down a white one in the country.

I've been playing for about 10 years and own a jazz bass, a P bass, and a stingray.. I'd have to say that the thunderbird is most comparable to the P bass - terrific for rock, not so great for other styles of music. Less versatile than the jazz or stingray. It's playablity isn't the greatest either, not really good for slapping, tapping and that sort of thing.

I do love the bass though. It deserves a solid 8 out of 10 based purely on looks and sound. It's drawbacks are it's limited versatility and playability, some questionable quality, and the high price. It's not the first thing I grab when I'm practising around the house, but it is the first choice when I play a gig simply because of how cool it looks and sounds.

Buy this bass if you love the look and sound of the instrument.