• 2015 Thunderbird Bass, Vintage Sunburst, SN:150045992, 8 lbs. 1.5 oz.  
  

The Thunderbird Bass was one of the most radical designs to come out of the Gibson Kalamazoo factory in the early '60s, thanks to legendary automotive designer Ray Dietrich, who was asked to put a new twist on solidbody guitars and basses. The Thunderbird was first introduced in 1963 and instantly became one of rock's most recognizable bass guitar designs. For almost five decades, the Thunderbird has powered artists as varied as John Entwistle,  Nikki Sixx, Kings of Leon, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. For 2015, Gibson takes all the vintage mojo of the original Thunderbird IV and sends it flying into the future.

The core of the 2015 Thunderbird Bass lies in its "through-neck" construction, with the neck and central body section fashioned from the same rugged nine-ply mahogany and walnut tonewood blank for unparalleled strength and sustain. Two solid mahogany body wings complete the distinctive Thunderbird look. This full-scale 34" bass features a rosewood fingerboard that carries 20 jumbo frets, acrylic pearl dot inlays. Gibson has employed a new, thicker slab of rosewood for the fingerboard. The increased mass improves sustain and the board is buffed and oiled for maximum playability. The factory 3-Point PLEK set-up delivers smooth action and improved intonation right out of the box.

New for 2015, the Thunderbird comes powered by a pair of Alnico V bass pickups. Gibson has added coil-tapping capabilities to further expand the tonal variety of this bass. Black Chrome hardware includes Gibson tuners and a three-point full-contact T-Bird bridge, which preserves every last string vibration for a wide range of unique tonal possibilities. Includes Gibson Hardshell Case.