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Pros:
- Unique Design
- Impressive Low Tones
- Powerful Output
Cons:
- Tuning Stability Issues
Let’s get real for a second. There are not that many affordable electric bass guitars on the market currently that look in any way unique or outstanding, and honestly that is a shame. A shame because the similarity between all the guitars is making the market oversaturated with a homogenous guitar look, so much so that all the variety is seemingly disappearing. Thankfully, we still have designers and manufacturers willing to take risks. So let’s take a look at the Epiphone Goth Thunderbird-IV Electric Bass, one of the most unique-looking bass guitars under 500.
Body Quality
Let us talk about the shiniest, most noticeable part of the guitar first. The design of this marvel is something of a rare thing to see on the market nowadays. After all, the instrument was built by a former car designer, who was inspired by the shapes and aerodynamics of a car. As a result, we have a guitar that looks like it could float in the air if you let it go. Don’t let it go though, as you will end up with a broken bass guitar. The rounded corners and the interesting shape of the body are all highly desirable aspects, while the coloring options provided are lovely and further enhance the unique look of the instrument.
The body of the guitar is built out of mahogany, one of the best bass guitar body woods you could lay your hands on in any price range. Mahogany is known for a whole lot of good things in the guitar manufacturing industry. The most famous quality of the instrument is the fact that it resonates with the low tones produced by the guitar extremely well. The resulting sound is low and warm, with a nice spike in the mid tones. The sturdiness of the mahogany is also another nice bonus, which provides the guitar with a nice and long life. The heavy weight of the tonewood is not anything to worry about since the body of this bass guitar is not that big.
The neck of the guitar is made out of maple, which is a traditional choice among electric and acoustic guitars. The maple is always a good choice because of its sturdy nature. It is highly resistant to warping, as well as to most kinds of denting and scratching damage, providing a long life for the guitar. The neck is bolted onto the guitar, which I would have a problem with most of the time, but works just fine in the case of this instrument. The fretboard of the guitar is made out of rosewood.
Hardware
The guitar comes with a simple, four-saddle fixed bridge. It provides the instrument with a nice level of action and a nice level of string stability.
The nut of the guitar is of midway quality synthetic material. This provides the guitar with a nice and clear sound, nice action, and some great harmony.
The tuning machine of the guitar works well with the rest of the guitar’s design. The tuning stability of the guitar leaves more to be desired.
Electronics
The guitar comes equipped with two pickups, one located at the middle and one at the bridge, as is traditional with electric bass guitars. The two Thunderbird plus pickups provide a whole lot of fun for the player. The pickups provide a whole lot of output, as well as a nice level of tonal intensity. The nuance of tones picked up is high and rather impressive, while the lifespan of the pickups is long enough to enjoy.
The controls of the guitar are rather simplistic. You are provided with two individual volume knobs and one master tone knob to cover all of your sound customization needs.
Epiphone Goth Thunderbird Sound
The sound of the bass guitar is rather dark, which is what the manufacturers were going for. The guitar has a low tone propensity, thanks to the mahogany body and the thunderbird pickups. This allows the guitar a whole lot of low-tone, deep, growling sound that is bound to impress a whole lot of people. The guitar is also well capable of producing bright tones, but the specialty of the guitar is entirely located in the lower tone range.
Conclusion
This guitar is one of the better electric bass guitars available on the market right now. It has a beautiful design and a rather impressive sound that is bound to be the favorite of any metalhead. Highly recommended.
