Epiphone Thunderbird Pro-IV Bass Review – A Powerful Reimagined Classic

Body And Neck:
Electronics:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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Gibson’s Thunderbird is one of those iconic bass guitars that’s shared a stage with John Entwistle, Gene Simmons and Tom Hamilton, among many others. It’s also a model that’s seen many different reissues since its inception in 1963. Today we’re looking at one of the newest Thunderbirds – the Pro-IV – from Gibson subsidiary Epiphone, which is a worthy inclusion in our chart of the best basses under $500. Let’s check it out.

Body And Neck

The Thunderbird’s legendary design needs no introduction. With its distinctive curvy single-cutaway body shape, this Pro-IV retains all the design points that make it great. This version’s ‘wings’ are made from solid mahogany, with the seven-piece through-body neck – made from alternating walnut and maple – providing a striking focal point. The Pro-IV comes in a cool dark Vintage Sunburst finish, or a naturally oiled finish (which pushes the price up slightly).

With a scale length of 34”, the neck is very nice to play, and features a SlimTaper profile, a 1.50” nut width, a rosewood fretboard, and 20 medium jumbo frets. The classic look is finished off with the black plastic pickguard and silver Thunderbird logo. Make no mistake about it, you’re playing a Thunderbird! It’s hard to fault the build quality or feel of this affordable instrument, even though it’s no custom shop job.

Hardware

The bass looks and feels professional, so what about the hardware? Starting with the electronics, the Pro-IV has two of Epiphone’s new T-Pro active bass humbuckers fitted at the middle and bridge positions (these are battery powered, with access at the back of the body). There are ample controls – one knob for master volume and one blend control, along with High-EQ and Low-EQ control knobs.

Aside from electronics, this Thunderbird features some quality components, including a set of premium die-cast tuners with an accurate 17:1 gear ratio sitting on that distinctive headstock. There’s a two-way truss rod in the neck, and a stable and fully-adjustable BadAss bridge. The hardware looks great in its black finish, especially the covered pickups.

Sound

In this under $500 category you’d expect a bass with a stage-worthy sound, and the Pro-IV doesn’t disappoint. The active humbuckers give you a clear but powerful sound, with higher highs and lower lows than what you’d find with passive pickups. The EQ controls offer good versatility, allowing you to dial in pretty much any sound you like. Meanwhile the through-body construction offers superb sustain.

Conclusion

If you hadn’t already gathered, this is one impressive Thunderbird. It’s build to last and looks awesome – Epiphone have done a great job. While you’ll need to stock up on 9V batteries (as the battery life isn’t the longest) the active humbuckers really give your playing some oomph. The design, the build and the sound all add up to a fantastic bass for the advanced player – and at this price it’s a steal.

For more info about the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro-IV Bass, click here.
For more bass guitar under $500 you might like, click here.