Gibson Thunderbird Bicentennial Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1976), ser. #00254580, black tolex hard shell case.

Gibson Thunderbird Bicentennial Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1976), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 00254580, natural lacquer finish, laminated mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.

This seriously imposing bass is a 1976 "Bicentennial" Thunderbird, Gibson's first re-issue of the original "Reverse" Thunderbird IV, the company's greatest vintage 4-string. This one remains in fine original condition, not too much played and having avoided the all-to common headstock repair.

The Firebird/Thunderbird line was first launched in late 1963, the basses not shipped in quantity until early '64. The Thunderbird was Gibson's first long-scale bass, designed to woo Fender Bass customer. Previous Gibson basses were short scale affairs noted for their dark sound; Thunderbirds have a much more wide-range tone and put a unique Gibson twist on the 34" scale Fender bass concept. The Thunderbird IV was originally intended as a direct competitor to Fender's Jazz Bass.

The original models were only available for a short time into in summer 1965 before being re-engineered into the simplified, less expensive "Non reverse" line. These were then discontinued after 1969. By the mid- '70's use by bands including The Who, Jethro Tull, Wishbone Ash, Mott the Hoople, the New York Dolls and Lynyrd Skynyrd had made the original Thunderbird a sought-after bass leading Gibson to re-issue this revamped model, itself only in production for about three years. Several finishes were offered; this first-year model is finished with a 2-tone Tobacco sunburst on the top only. Only 228 of these shipped in 1976, identified by a "00" prefix on the serial number decal and the little "76" in the red, white and blue bird logo.

This edition pretty accurately re-created the older 'birds with a few notable changes. In any era 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 (noticeable reduced in size on later reissues) mounts four long-stem Kluson bass machines. 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; building it in 1976 was still a complex and expensive operation.

The neck is similar in feel to a Jazz Bass, a narrow 1 1/2" 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 the now tri-color "Thunderbird '76" logo with a belly full of stars; the original "tug bar" fingerrest was deleted from this model. A new 3-point adjustable bass bridge replaced the original style that required a separate tailpiece. Two somewhat modified humbucking bass pickup are mounted in a similar body position to the Fender Jazz, now adjusted for height by three screws. The Volume-Volume-Tone wiring also directly emulated the Jazz Bass.

Just like its 1964 ancestor this is a great sounding bass, offering a powerful midrange punch with a Jazz-like tonal scoop when both pickups are engaged. The sound slides easily 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, one of Gibson's best ideas from the 1970's. Not for the player who wants to stand discreetly in the background, this is a bass that demands its own spotlight!

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 now 50 (!) year old bass remains in very fine, all original condition with only some light general wear, mostly just scuffs, shallow scratches and small dings, most heavily on the back. It is missing the large chrome handrest and bridge cover, but otherwise remains original and complete with some light plating wear to some of the hardware. The original frets have just minor wear and this is a very good playing and sounding example of Gibson's earliest Thunderbird re-issue, complete with the original Gibson-branded HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.