Gibson Thunderbird IV Electric Bass (with Case)

No longer available at zZounds
Thunder indeed! With through-body construction and a 9-ply mahogany/walnut neck. the Thunderbird delivers cut-through-the-mix attack with a low-end thump.

What's special about this item?

Feature: What it does:
Neck-through-body construction Longer sustain; strong midrange; smooth feel
TB Plus ceramic magnet humbuckers Rich and detailed bass tone
Black "Top Hat" tuners Easy and stable tuning
Mahogany wings Rich, warm tone and smooth resonance

The Thunderbird IV debuted in 1963 with the original Firebird guitar series. The most highly respected of all Gibson basses, the Thunderbird was reissued in 1987 with original reverse body styling and special-design pickups. The dual TB Plus ceramic magnet humbuckers provide outstanding low-end tone to cover a range of genres in a single bass.

Body:
Body Species: Mahogany wings

Neck:
Species: Nine-ply Mahogany and Walnut neck-through-body
Profile: Rounded bass
Peghead Pitch: 10 degrees
Thickness at 1st Fret: 0.790 in.
Thickness at 12th Fret: 0.930 in.

Fingerboard:
Species: Rosewood
Scale Length: 34 in.
Number of Frets: 20
Nut Width: 1-1/2 in.
Width at 12th Fret: 2.080 in.
Inlays: Pearloid Dot

Hardware:
Plating Finish: Black Chrome
Tailpiece: 3-way adjustable
Knobs: Black Top Hat with Inserts
Tuners: Schaller

Electronics:
Pickups: 2 new design TB Plus ceramic magnet humbuckers
Controls: 2 volume, 1 tone

Case:
Case Interior: Charcoal Plush with Charcoal Shroud
Case Exterior: Black Hardshell
Case Silkscreen: Silver 'Gibson USA' logo

Strings:
Strings: .045 / .105 gauge

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 800-444-2766

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. (53 ratings)
Submitted October 5, 2010 by a customer from att.net

"A Bass that you need to try"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
I'll keep this bass until I die. If it was lost or stolen, I would die LOL. Seriously, I'd just buy another one.

Sound
I love the sound of this bass. I play mostly rock, metal, and some blues. It's got great punch when toned down and clear notes when brightened.

Features
The case is beautiful. It's strong, the handle is placed so that it is well balanced, and it has a lock on it. The inside secures the instrument nicely and it also has a utility compartment which stores the bottle of polish and the neck rod adjustment tool that comes with the guitar. I wasn't real excited about the inside of my case being the color pink, but what the heck, it's still a Gibson!

Ease of Use
The thunderbird's tonal quality is far superior to the P-bass that I used to play before I bought this bass. I personally find this bass very comfortable and easy to play, but I'm a tall, long armed person. It fits me well.

Quality
You have to pick one up for yourself to appreciate it's craftsmanship. I have no complaints about anything on my bass. I've read that the head can crack if it's dropped, but like anything that I value, I don't go throwing it around. I feel that it is a sturdy, well made bass. Mine is a beautiful sunburst finish that shines like a new car. I have no problem taking it on the road because of the sturdy case it comes in, and it's steady on my guitar stand during read more breaks. If I had to pick a worst aspect of quality, I'd say that the balance is a little neck heavy, but not to a point where it affects playing.

Value
Absolutely

Manufacturer Support
I haven't used them, but band members dealt with gibson support and had no problems.

The Wow Factor
I think it's the best looking bass out there. Mine has the sunburst finish that is just beautiful.

Musical Background:
hobbyist

Musical Style:
Rock, metal, blues
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No longer available at zZounds

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