![]() ![]() ![]() Mahogany body wings and a 3-piece mahogany neck deliver epic tone and stability. Classic Thunderbird IV design with supped-up gold hardware. Nickel-plated: Kluson tuners with metal buttons fully adjustable four-saddle bridge stop tailpiece bridge and pickup covers. Gibson 50th Anniversary Thunderbird Bass Features: A gorgeous bass guitar that celebrates the 50th anniversary of one of Gibsons classic 60s models. Gold Gibson logo on black truss rod cover three-ply (w/b/w) pickguard with bevelled edge and Firebird emblem two metal cap/reflector knobs labelled Volume and Tone 1964 Gibson Thunderbird IIĪsymmetrical reverse design tuners on bass side raised middle section black/ natural finish Exotic-sounding enough, but the regular, less expensive sunburst finish proved to be the most popular choice by far.Īlas, the Thunderbirds were not deemed popular enough to remain in production beyond the 60s, and with sales dropping off towards the end of the decade manufacturing ceased in 1969. Taking inspiration from Fender, the finishes included Ember Red, Frost Blue, Polaris White, Cardinal Red, Heather, Pelham Blue, Golden Mist, Kerry Green, Silver Mist and Inverness Green. Pictured at Guitars: The Museum in Umeå, Sweden, this custom colour 1967 Gibson Thunderbird II is of the later non-reverse variety. As before, the II and IV were structurally identical – the main difference being pickups and electronics (the IV sported an extra volume knob as per its second pickup).įrom its inception back in ’63, one of the range’s main selling-points was Gibson’s all-new custom color chart, and these options extended into the latter half of the 60s. Regardless, the revamped Thunderbirds arrived that year featuring glued-in necks. It seems reasonable to presume that the Fullerton firm was distracted enough by its CBS takeover during 1965 not to interfere. Interestingly, however, the ‘non-reverse’ design that followed – a virtual mirror image of the reverse counterpart – appears much closer to the Fender offset with respect to body and headstock profile. What better way to return to the drawing board than with a bona fide automotive designer? Well, that was the thinking when Gibson hired Raymond Dietrich And with Fender claiming a patent infringement of its Jazzmaster body styling, Gibson was further prompted to overhaul the entire range. The reverse Thunderbirds, it seems, were doomed from the start. And while a laminated neck-through-body construction provides great stability and tone, reverse Thunderbirds are especially prone to headstock breaks (aka Firebird disease) – a problem exacerbated by the instruments’ heavy Kluson tuners. The live version varies slightly from the album version, but as John later said on his Hotlicks Master Class, “You need to improvise a bit to stop yourself going mad.Indeed, Gibson still maintains the reverse ’Bird is one of the trickiest to produce. Les Claypool Carl Thompson Bass Talk about Bass Magic Amazing talent Primus Bass Player Les Claypool took over where Frank Zappa left off w/ some of the greatest modern progressive music known to man Les made the Carl Thompson Bass famous originally in the 'John the Fisherman' video. “In the early days I was compared to him, but then I did nick a lot of his stuff! I told him that too! He added something to bass that we were all waiting for.”Įntwistle’s solo on My Generation is based on a G minor blues scale. “Entwistle is a fantastic player,” the late Chris Squire of Yes once told us. The Beatles had riff-based songs like Day Tripper, but Entwistle’s bewildering technique and guitaristic approach went way beyond any standard root/5th ideas. In fact, until 1966, records produced in the UK sounded virtually bass-less compared to their American counterparts. When the album version was released in 1965, bass guitar solos were completely unheard of. Despite the original Live at Leeds album featuring just six songs, Entwistle’s short answering phrases in his solo section were enough to inspire a whole generation of bass players. Recorded at Leeds University in 1970, the isolated rhythm track below is of The Who’s must-listen hit, My Generation. In the face of Keith Moon’s drumming antics, Roger Daltrey’s whirling microphone and Pete Townshend’s windmill rhythm guitar, his signature bass style was one of the musical cornerstones that made The Who such an influential force. What is a Sales Engineer Most Popular Accessories & Related Items Description Specs Reviews A Bass with Iconic Looks and a Bolt of Colossal Sound Far from just a clever name, the Gibson Thunderbird 4-string bass possesses plenty of thunderous power and long-lasting reliability all in a vintage-looking instrument. John Entwistle, affectionately nicknamed ‘The Ox’ for his stoic onstage profile, revolutionised the role of the bass guitar. ![]() Bassist John Entwistle of the rock and roll band "The Who" performs onstage in February 1975. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |