Gibson Thunderbird IV Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1964)
LOADING IMAGES
Gibson Thunderbird IV Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1964), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst top, natural back and sides finish, laminated mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This seriously imposing bass is a 1964 "Reverse" Thunderbird IV, Gibson's greatest vintage 4-string. This one remains in original condition, well played with the all-to common headstock repair but still an excellent player with a fantastic sound.
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.
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 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; this one included but the headstock was solidly repaired and the bass is still an excellent player.
Like nearly all of them this Thunderbird IV 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 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 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. This particular bass is a New York veteran, it hung in the windows of We Buy and Accent Guitars on 48th street here in NYC in the late '70s, lusted after by many but bought by the previous owner in 1982 and just now returned to market. It has been well played over the decades and fairly well worn in but has the Thunderbird growl and cool factor in spades.
Overall length is 50 1/2 in. (128.3 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) across at the widest point, 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 'bird shows a decent amount of play wear overall but remains original, repaired but unaltered. The most common Thunderbird restoration is present; there was a fairly major headstock repair which involved a graft onto the lower part of the headstock face making the elevated section raised a bit more than stock. This is beveled in neatly at an angle and begins just below the D string tuner extending to the nut. The throat of the neck on the back has some darker shading applied to cover the work but unlike many the original serial number was fully preserved and remains completely legible. The area around the truss rod is a bit deeper than normal and there are some old scars by the cover from adjustment.
There is noticeable wear to the body edges mostly at the points, the finish overall shows typical checking and an assortment of chips, scuffs, scratches and dings. There is some heavier scuffing and scratching on the back especially the lower edge. The back of the neck has some wear but is comparatively clean, with the lacquer overspray for the repair only extending to the first fret area.
The hardware is original and complete except the oft-missing large bridge and pickup cover plates and the mute are long gone. The bridge saddles were all notched in a couple of different spots. There is some typical pickguard shrinkage with a couple of small cracks by screws but all corners are intact and none split off. The engraved and painted bird emblem on the pickguard is fairly well preserved, with some rub-away to the lower wing. The nickel plating shows a lot of wear but remains largely intact. The only changed parts are the screws holding on the truss rod cover. The "Volume" markings are worn off the knobs, the "Tone" is just barely there.
The bass appears to have been refretted long ago and the wire shows just some light wear. While well worn in this bloodied but unbowed veteran 'bird is an excellent player, strung with Rotosound strings for the classic 1970s growly T-bird sound. It includes a 1970s style black rectangular Thunderbird case, somewhat more functional then the original '60s style one. While not the cleanest Thunderbird we have seen lately, this one has had an interesting life so far and remains an iconic and great sounding bass. Overall Very Good Condition.
This seriously imposing bass is a 1964 "Reverse" Thunderbird IV, Gibson's greatest vintage 4-string. This one remains in original condition, well played with the all-to common headstock repair but still an excellent player with a fantastic sound.
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.
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 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; this one included but the headstock was solidly repaired and the bass is still an excellent player.
Like nearly all of them this Thunderbird IV 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 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 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. This particular bass is a New York veteran, it hung in the windows of We Buy and Accent Guitars on 48th street here in NYC in the late '70s, lusted after by many but bought by the previous owner in 1982 and just now returned to market. It has been well played over the decades and fairly well worn in but has the Thunderbird growl and cool factor in spades.
Overall length is 50 1/2 in. (128.3 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) across at the widest point, 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 'bird shows a decent amount of play wear overall but remains original, repaired but unaltered. The most common Thunderbird restoration is present; there was a fairly major headstock repair which involved a graft onto the lower part of the headstock face making the elevated section raised a bit more than stock. This is beveled in neatly at an angle and begins just below the D string tuner extending to the nut. The throat of the neck on the back has some darker shading applied to cover the work but unlike many the original serial number was fully preserved and remains completely legible. The area around the truss rod is a bit deeper than normal and there are some old scars by the cover from adjustment.
There is noticeable wear to the body edges mostly at the points, the finish overall shows typical checking and an assortment of chips, scuffs, scratches and dings. There is some heavier scuffing and scratching on the back especially the lower edge. The back of the neck has some wear but is comparatively clean, with the lacquer overspray for the repair only extending to the first fret area.
The hardware is original and complete except the oft-missing large bridge and pickup cover plates and the mute are long gone. The bridge saddles were all notched in a couple of different spots. There is some typical pickguard shrinkage with a couple of small cracks by screws but all corners are intact and none split off. The engraved and painted bird emblem on the pickguard is fairly well preserved, with some rub-away to the lower wing. The nickel plating shows a lot of wear but remains largely intact. The only changed parts are the screws holding on the truss rod cover. The "Volume" markings are worn off the knobs, the "Tone" is just barely there.
The bass appears to have been refretted long ago and the wire shows just some light wear. While well worn in this bloodied but unbowed veteran 'bird is an excellent player, strung with Rotosound strings for the classic 1970s growly T-bird sound. It includes a 1970s style black rectangular Thunderbird case, somewhat more functional then the original '60s style one. While not the cleanest Thunderbird we have seen lately, this one has had an interesting life so far and remains an iconic and great sounding bass. Overall Very Good Condition.