Gibson Thunderbird IV Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1964)
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Item # 12950
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Gibson Thunderbird IV Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1964), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 160040, sunburst top, dark mahogany back and sides finish, laminated mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This seriously imposing bass is an early 1964 "Reverse" Thunderbird IV, Gibson's greatest 1960s 4-string classic. The Thunderbird was Gibson's first long-scale bass, specifically designed to woo customers accustomed to the feel of a Fender Bass. Earlier Gibson basses were short scale affairs noted for their dark sound; the Thunderbirds have a much more wide-range tone and put a unique Gibson twist on the 34" scale bass concept Fender pioneered. The Thunderbird IV was the upscale model adding a second pickup to the mix making it a direct competitor to Fender's Jazz Bass.
This instrument is one of the first batch of "reverse" Thunderbird IVs. The 6-guitar, 2-bass Firebird line was launched in late 1963, but the bass models were not shipped in quantity until early '64. These models were available for only a short time into in summer 1965; they were re-engineered into the simplified, less expensive "Non reverse" line that year but never considered a sales success. All Thunderbird basses are fairly rare and many have been damaged over the years making an unbroken example like this all the more delightful a find.
This Thunderbird IV like most is finished in the standard 2-tone sunburst, only on the top. Even in this fairly conservative livery it is a supremely striking bass with generous proportions all around, especially the slim long-scale neck that seems to go on forever. The huge ax-like headstock mounts four long-stem Kluson bass machines, the first time Gibson had used them. The large, thin-rimmed angular contoured body is made of two mahogany "wings" glued to a full-length 9-piece laminated mahogany neck/body center section, an audacious design for 1963 making building it a rather complex operation.
The neck is very similar in feel to a Jazz Bass, narrow at the nut but with a noticeable taper nearer the body. The rosewood fingerboard is unbound and dot inlaid. The lower body carries a white laminated pickguard with a "Thunderbird" logo. The Tune-O-Matic style adjustable bass bridge with a separate tailpiece was a new feature exclusive to Thunderbirds. Two humbucking bass pickup are mounted in the same body position as the Fender Jazz Bass, none down by the fingerboard as Gibson had previously preferred. The Thunderbird IV has Volume-Volume-Tone wiring also directly emulating the Jazz Bass. The large hand rests over pickup and bridge and pickguard-mounted "tug bar" were also Fender inspired features.
The pot codes on this bass date to late 1963, the serial number to early 1964. This marks it an early 'bird from the first production batch; the earliest known bear numbers in the high 159xxx range. Like all early Thunderbirds this bass has all nickel-plated hardware. The copper mute mounting plate has been trimmed off at the bridge, otherwise the bass is all original.
The original Thunderbird IVs is one of the rarest Gibson basses; only 235 were shipped 1964 and 87 followed in 1965, some of which were the new non-reverse models. The total run of "reverse" Thunderbird IVs is at the maximum around 300 instruments. The Thunderbird IV was listed in Gibson's 1964 price list at $370 plus $56.50 for the case which was hardly competitive with the $279.50 Fender Jazz Bass; sales remained a tiny fraction of Fender's.
In retrospect is it not hard to see why; Gibson hardly gave them a chance! Regardless this is a truly great playing and sounding bass, offering a powerful midrange punch with a Jazz-like tonal scoop when both pickups are engaged and a sound that slides into overdriven growl when played hard or cranked. Gibson poetically called it a "throaty bass tone". Slim-bodied, fast-playing and incredibly stylish, this Thunderbird IV is a superb example not for the player who wants to stand discreetly in the background but a bass that demands its own spotlight! John Entwistle, Glenn Cornick, "Overend" Watts, Martin Turner, Arthur Kane and many others have been noted as users of this unique bass, which began receiving the re-issue treatment from Gibson in 1976 and has stuck around as a niche instrument since. This is the earliest and nicest original Thunderbird IV we have ever had.
Overall length is 50 1/2 in. (128.3 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.).
This bass is original, relatively clean and complete, just a really nice example of this rare 'bird resplendent in the original HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
This seriously imposing bass is an early 1964 "Reverse" Thunderbird IV, Gibson's greatest 1960s 4-string classic. The Thunderbird was Gibson's first long-scale bass, specifically designed to woo customers accustomed to the feel of a Fender Bass. Earlier Gibson basses were short scale affairs noted for their dark sound; the Thunderbirds have a much more wide-range tone and put a unique Gibson twist on the 34" scale bass concept Fender pioneered. The Thunderbird IV was the upscale model adding a second pickup to the mix making it a direct competitor to Fender's Jazz Bass.
This instrument is one of the first batch of "reverse" Thunderbird IVs. The 6-guitar, 2-bass Firebird line was launched in late 1963, but the bass models were not shipped in quantity until early '64. These models were available for only a short time into in summer 1965; they were re-engineered into the simplified, less expensive "Non reverse" line that year but never considered a sales success. All Thunderbird basses are fairly rare and many have been damaged over the years making an unbroken example like this all the more delightful a find.
This Thunderbird IV like most is finished in the standard 2-tone sunburst, only on the top. Even in this fairly conservative livery it is a supremely striking bass with generous proportions all around, especially the slim long-scale neck that seems to go on forever. The huge ax-like headstock mounts four long-stem Kluson bass machines, the first time Gibson had used them. The large, thin-rimmed angular contoured body is made of two mahogany "wings" glued to a full-length 9-piece laminated mahogany neck/body center section, an audacious design for 1963 making building it a rather complex operation.
The neck is very similar in feel to a Jazz Bass, narrow at the nut but with a noticeable taper nearer the body. The rosewood fingerboard is unbound and dot inlaid. The lower body carries a white laminated pickguard with a "Thunderbird" logo. The Tune-O-Matic style adjustable bass bridge with a separate tailpiece was a new feature exclusive to Thunderbirds. Two humbucking bass pickup are mounted in the same body position as the Fender Jazz Bass, none down by the fingerboard as Gibson had previously preferred. The Thunderbird IV has Volume-Volume-Tone wiring also directly emulating the Jazz Bass. The large hand rests over pickup and bridge and pickguard-mounted "tug bar" were also Fender inspired features.
The pot codes on this bass date to late 1963, the serial number to early 1964. This marks it an early 'bird from the first production batch; the earliest known bear numbers in the high 159xxx range. Like all early Thunderbirds this bass has all nickel-plated hardware. The copper mute mounting plate has been trimmed off at the bridge, otherwise the bass is all original.
The original Thunderbird IVs is one of the rarest Gibson basses; only 235 were shipped 1964 and 87 followed in 1965, some of which were the new non-reverse models. The total run of "reverse" Thunderbird IVs is at the maximum around 300 instruments. The Thunderbird IV was listed in Gibson's 1964 price list at $370 plus $56.50 for the case which was hardly competitive with the $279.50 Fender Jazz Bass; sales remained a tiny fraction of Fender's.
In retrospect is it not hard to see why; Gibson hardly gave them a chance! Regardless this is a truly great playing and sounding bass, offering a powerful midrange punch with a Jazz-like tonal scoop when both pickups are engaged and a sound that slides into overdriven growl when played hard or cranked. Gibson poetically called it a "throaty bass tone". Slim-bodied, fast-playing and incredibly stylish, this Thunderbird IV is a superb example not for the player who wants to stand discreetly in the background but a bass that demands its own spotlight! John Entwistle, Glenn Cornick, "Overend" Watts, Martin Turner, Arthur Kane and many others have been noted as users of this unique bass, which began receiving the re-issue treatment from Gibson in 1976 and has stuck around as a niche instrument since. This is the earliest and nicest original Thunderbird IV we have ever had.
Overall length is 50 1/2 in. (128.3 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.).
This bass is original, relatively clean and complete, just a really nice example of this rare 'bird resplendent in the original HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.