All user reviews of 5/5 for the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro-IV

The First tbird Pro is very different from the standard TBird, the pro is active (that's not a surprise), it has a neck-through (the standard tbird has a handle screwed), the handle is thinner (38 Same-Silet to a jazz bass, 55 to 19 case - thinner than a JB), but also I had three surprises:

first surprise finish wood raw way that makes you feel like a handicraft unique in the hands of great beauty. The contours of the different volumes are softer than the standard TBird is evident at the surepaissseur the body at the neck is very smooth (a real staircase on the tbird standard)
As usual with the epiphone standard of finish is very correct.
deuxiemme surprise: the weight!! it is light (more than a squier deluxe JB) nothing to do with the standard TBird (Norman wardrobe) the body appears thinner and the density of the wood is certainly different.
third surprise: it is still longer than the standard tbird! (About 3 cm or 1.25m! A record?) Already the standard tbird does not fit into the standard houses and crates!! (Thoman has a special model of the house "THOMANN GIGBAG HEAVY BASS 1 / ref: 245877")

as usual with the epiphone violin is very good (for the price and Breathtaking respect to the concurrency at same price level, three of my bass before this one tbird the standard was already the cheapest (211E) and the best by far)

too bad there is no marking on the metal buttons (there are still a notch middle)
To solve the chronic default tbird, the hand strap attachment sleeve arrived behind the neck of the bass suddenly no longer immersed in the neck is much better than the previous series.

UTILIZATION

Good as usual with epiphone first action: throwing ropes, I unpacked, tuned bass, check that the electronic working and I changed the strings by DAdaRIO, I had the black finger! They could sell more of 10E and put real strings?! it is not important but the quality of the epiphone violin is a ridiculous!

SOUNDS

it's a very diverse sound with a little "Boissé" with less than high harmonics squier deluxe JB. The settings are really effective, we can obtain a fatty her sound very clear.

OVERALL OPINION

I resume, it's a very good low and the price is great.
It is very nice, very pleasant to play and effective in his.
I can not get enough.

The Thunderbird IV Pro is an official copy of the Gibson Thunderbird 4 string. Epiphone brand is "cheap" Gibson Group.

Price as Epiphone: about 350 €. Gibson equivalent model: over 1300 €!

The Thunderbird IV Pro is manufactured in Indonesia. It differs from the Thunderbird with its simple set neck and transverse (instead of screwed) and its active pickups (instead of liabilities).

The handle is a "long scale", 34''standard. Its shape, the Thunderbird is one of the longest low. It does not fit into a standard flight case. There are specific boxes branded Epiphone and Gibson (quite expensive).

This handle transversa consists of 7 layers of maple and walnut, topped with a touch of rosewood. The body is mahogany. There are three finishes in 2009-2010: plain, black tinted or "sunburst". I have stained the model type, where the grain of the wood is apparent, making it a beautiful object.

While the neck is wider at the base than that of a Fender Precision. But it's still easy to access for a bass player who used to try various instruments. Avoid it for beginners, however that may be turned off unless you have large hands and wide.

Two humbuckers pickups type T-Pro active electronics and four knobs: volume for each pickup, tone and volume. Thunderbird is more versatile than it seems and should not be confined to his usual role of big bass for big sound rock or metal.

I put 8 / 10, because I love this bass, which is a totally subjective opinion.

UTILIZATION

The neck seems generous when it comes to a Fender Precision or an Ibanez electric. It is less imposing than its thickness in an electro-acoustic (Ibanez).

Bass stings a little nose and is heavy. Is the weight of solid wood and a big model! It is also the charm of a Thunderbird. We like it or not this look a little off, both typed and vintage rock.

Access to acute is average, and provided you do not have small fingers.

The sound: a priori the Thunderbird (thunderbird) is here to send the Watts background, preferably with a pick. She played the score beautifully, the look and more. I have not yet studied all the possibilities, but by grinding a little knobs you can play something else, reggae or soul music for example. But I do not think this is the ideal instrument for funk or jazz. The sound is too heavy and the ergonomics too restrictive.

With the active pickups, you get easily high output. It is the ideal place to spend some effect as a preamp.

Again, hard to be objective Note: 8 / 10

SOUNDS

For now, I have not tested all the possibilities of the beast, but to play the "fat" (punk-rock, hardcore, heavy ...), I can now do without pedal and preamp send big sound and beautiful hum (I play on a Ashdown mag 300).

I even managed a few slaps with correct, even if it is not my thing and this bass is clearly not made for that.

But I expect him to mesh graft strings flat or round for, hopefully, get an even hotter. To see ...

OVERALL OPINION

10 days of happiness bassist already.

Note: Generally a good finish. Finishing "natural oil", actually a kind of glaze, brings into focus the wood. I tried a Jack Cassady, another kind of course, but less well finished (painted burrs, rough assembly of elements ...).

Who loves this very distinctive bass style rock: an excellent choice with it seems a very good value for money.

One downside: the flight case suitable model is difficult to find and expensive. The bass appears cumbersome, it will buy the big cars that goes with it.

I found the flight case: 79 € (15 € shipping in Germany)

everything has been said! 20 frets, neck-through (amazingly beautiful), mine is translucent black (very nice too), .... in short, is a Thunderbird! The average finish was excellent. This bass is the story of a compulsive buying! I was at my dealer (Very experienced in Brussels) to buy an EBS MULTICOMP, mid-afternoon before a rehearsal (I had to come back home, so I still had my bass on me) when I saw Thunderbird in the promotion to 299 € / Then I tried "to see", and voila, it's been almost a year that it delights me, I spun directly in repeats! Since then, I think buying the model 5cordes, to tell you.

UTILIZATION

The handle is a monster when we used a Jazz Bass, but we made it fast. I had to lend a file on the frets to me a little torn fingers on the first day. Access to acute is zero, but I tend to say: OSEF! As for sound, I could never even try the "real" Gibson, Epiphone, but the Pro is the bomb, the bomb, the bomb, it has to be said and re-told! I can not even imagine that instrument is less than 300 €, neck through, active, ... sounds as well! I'm sorry for the Chinese (or whatever I) that have been exploited for that, but for European students, which foot! [/ Selfish mode]

SOUNDS

That T-Bird: rock, heavy. A beast with a pick, yet another finger. Sustain madness, or slamming his heavy, vintage or modern, that's all! I do not know where does this idea that it sounds and not to finger pick, wrong. Me playing very little to pick, I admit it sounds really with it, but it sounds equally well with fingers. She even accepts the slap without flinching! The EQ is really effective and TBird is as accurate to any level to bottom knob, that's how it sounds best! 10/10 upgrade its stride

OVERALL OPINION

almost a year of use. My only regret is that it is active, for batteries. It's a boring ... I often forget this detail and I end up with a bass that does not leave a note. But that is not a concern of low, but the owner ... Value for money that crushes Cort, Fender, ... Finally, it is completely different and subjective of course, but nothing the neck through ... phew, no thinking about it, I get chills!