Epiphone Thunderbird Classic Iv Pro Electric Bass Reviews

Hi there!

Bass players often joke around near Gibson not making basses, and though I am certainly not fond of their Les Paul or SG basses, I call up their old Ripper and Grabber basses are pretty absurd. Not to mention their big gun, the Thunderbird. Today we are looking at a very good substitute that is sold by Epiphone, the Thunderbird Archetype-IV Pro.

The original Gibson Thunderbird was a refreshing alter of step when it was introduced in 1963. Information technology had a baroque reverse body profile and the headstock turned the wrong manner at the end, courtesy of automobile designer Ray Dietrich. It also got a super-solid neck-thru structure and a tone that Fender could not offer. It defenseless on with a few band over the years, most notably, the Who, Cheap Trick, Lynyrd Skynyrd, not to mention its about ardent administrator, Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue.

Fast forward four decades, and you will find that Epiphone introduced their own imported version of the Thunderbird, and it was immediately panned, and for good reason. It had a bolt-on cervix, was festooned with cheap-ass hardware, and it played and sounded like crap. However, information technology was actually cheap, coming in at effectually $300 (well-nigh a fifth the toll of the American-made Gibson model).

Well, Epiphone even so sells that chunk, but they take since introduced a $400 Pro-4 and the $500 Classic IV-pro I am reviewing here. The Archetype IV-Pro is a completely unlike animate being, and could be a bass worth ownership if yous tin hang with the eccentricities of owning a T-bird bass.

From the first glance you have to agree that they did a very good job of following the original visual theme. Epiphone went all the mode with the wood, going for mahogany wings on either side of the seven-ply mahogany and walnut thru-cervix. Information technology retains the original thin trunk wings that footstep up to the width of the cervix, which is a clever weight-cut feature. Rosewood is used for the fretboard which is unremarkable until you lot consider that if you purchase a new Gibson Les Paul you volition get a maple fretboard that is dyed to look like rosewood. For $2000 more. This ane is finished in Vintage Sunburst, which is the only color I like on this body manner. Alpine White is as well available, just I will make fun of you lot if you lot buy one.

That 7-ply neck has a 34-inch scale (rare for a Gibson bass) and it is a skinny 1.5-inches broad at the nut. It has a 60's profile on the back and a 12-inch radius across the fretboard. They sunk some cute pearloid dot markers into that fretboard, and pressed 20 medium jumbo nickel/silver frets into it. In that location is no binding on the neck (or the body, for that affair). Hidden on top of the headstock are the sealed gear tuners, which are finished in black. This is a difference from the original shiny open-geared tuners of the originals, but the current Gibson T-birds use blackness hardware as well.

Moving down to the body you volition find that the three-point flush-mount bridge has the same finish. The bridge seems solid plenty and is adjustable in every possible axis, allowing a multitude of ready-up possibilities. The black hardware bugs me a fleck, just it is not a bargain-breaker. The truss rod cover has the Epiphone logo, and it would probably not be difficult to find one that says Gibson if you want to fool your audition. Thankfully they went with iconic pickguard shape, consummate with the bird outline on it.

The electronics are very good, with two potted Gibson ceramic magnet humbuckers. They are wired through ii volume controls and a master tone control, which are in a tight line and set up right next to the Yard string.

I have ever liked the look of the Thunderbird, and Epiphone did a wonderful job of take hold of the vibe of the original. If you take not played one of these before it is kind of a trip, because the neck feels similar it is a mile long. This results in some neck swoop, which is somewhat ameliorated by the lightweight tuners. Thought the stepped body profile may look a little odd, I practice non notice it when playing, and it certainly does cutting weight as this bass comes in around ix pounds, ii ounces.

The neck on this i is overnice and thin and its rounded dorsum contour is very comfy. Epiphone's Indonesian workers made certain that the frets are level with nice ends, which is something that the Gibson manufactory cannot seem to accomplish with their loftier-dollar Les Pauls. This bass showed up with good intonation and a medium action tiptop. It is a practiced histrion, for sure.

The sound is very like to the Gibson Thunderbird. This bass was originally introduced to combat the Fender Jazz Bass, and though the controls are the same the humbuckers are less subtle, which gives this instrument a different character. The output is more than powerful and experimenting with different types of amps and gain settings will result in most whatsoever sort of tone you could perchance hope for. And though tin can play make clean and distinctive tones, where this bass naturally shines is in super fat and overdriven circumstances. Information technology is a dreamy stone bass, and you tin can come across why louder bands prefer its tone.

And then, for $499 (listing price $832) you become a bass that is just as good as its Gibson counterpart for a thou bucks less. This includes Epiphone's limited lifetime warranty, simply no example. Keep in listen that most cases volition not fit the T-bird, so you will want to pony upwards for the Epiphone hard case, which runs nigh $98 (list toll $148).

If y'all similar the looks of the Thunderbird and tin handle the ergonomics, the Epiphone Thunderbird Classic-IV Pro bass is the only one to consider. Check one out!

Mahalo!

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Source: http://www.rexbass.com/2013/12/epiphone-thunderbird-classic-iv-pro.html

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