Fender American Deluxe Precision or Gibson Thunderbird Studio-4

[FenderStripes]

http://fender.com/products/prod_images/basses/0194060791_md.jpg
Fender American Deluxe Precision (http://fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0194060791)

http://gibson.com/Files//USABasses/bat4hcbc.jpg
Gibson Thunderbird Studio-4 (http://gibson.com/Products/GibsonElectric/Gibson%20Electric%20Guitars/Gibson%20Basses/Thunderbird%20Studio%204%2DString/)

I've been playing for a little over a year now on a WAL*MART FirstAct Bass. Yea, laugh it up :rolleyes: but I love that thing to death. It's been with me for my first few gigs and two school talent shows. At a wedding gig last week, some of the kids were running around backstage after our set and messed around with it. It fell flat onto the floor from a guitar-rack, twice. To my surprise, it still worked perfectly fine, despite the tone-knob being hard-to-turn. It's got a bunch of sentimental value, but enough of that; I'm lookin for an upgrade. I'm looking for a very fuzzy, punchy tone like Krist Novaselic from Nirvana. Opinions are much appreciated! :D

[Deacy]

For what your after soundwise, the Thunderbird I guess, though I'd take a Fender over a Gibson anyday.

[sixxbassist90]

i hear the thunderbird has a really good growly tone. i woud go with that.

[DomtarOpaque]

thunderbird IMO, but im a sucker for the looks of it!:thumb:

[FenderStripes]

bump, I just need a few more opinions...

[JELLOOO]

i like the fender

but the thunderbird would be better for what you want

[I<3myOLPmm2]

that fender is my dream bass but you want the thunderbird

-olp

[Alma]

fender.

no question at all.

[Patrick D]

I'd take the Thunderbird if I were you, even though I like the pickup config on the Fender, and I think Thunderbirds look like arse.

[TheIdiotBox]

For what you want it for, Thunderbird.

[good rats]

fender.

no question at all.
123. I'd go with the Fender.

[willobassman]

T-bird. If you want the easy way out. The P bass has more tones but it wont be able to quite nail the tone you want, it could get close but the thunderbird is what you want.

IMO opinion id take the fender though with the right amount of finetuning and eq-ing you could almost get the tone, but it would be more your's rather than Kris's

[-bass-]

If you're going for a Thunderbird, get a real one second hand, not the Studio version...You'll get a better looking, sounding and playing bass for the same, possibly less in terms of price. Personally I think in any situation the P-bass ****s all over the Thunderbird for versatility, playability and in some ways, looks - but thats just my personal view.

[blizzard]

I probably would go with the Fender but purely because i don't like Gibson basses much.

[Alma]

get the fender, if u dont like it sell it and ull still be able to afford the gibson.

i think

[Linkinbassist]

I hear what primus_55 is saying...

[ivy]

novoselic actually played thunderbirds quite a lot... iv used an epi one not a gibson but that was still really coo;l

[Jamie]

T-bird!



Mate, could you pleeeease take pictures of your Walmart bass? Ive never seen one before and im intrigued to see what they look like!


EDIT: Found it! http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/60/72/66/30/0060726630901_500X500.jpg


Its not to bad looking! Looks a bit like a Variax..

[kev_trb1006]

i dunno about the P bass but yesterday i tried an american deluxe jazz bass, and it felt so cheap and shitty. i was very disappointed. the MIM jazz's to me feel a thousand pounds better than the american deluxe!! The thunderbird roars with lower mids, i'd go for the tbird

[sixner]

i love the body of a thunderbird, but never played one... ive heard the tone is really muddy, and is an aquired taste kind of thing.. just what i heard...
never really heard much bad about any fender? im not much of a fender man but i like a few of the older vintage stuff.....hmm..
im thinkin i'd go with the birdy ;)
-sixner

[TheIdiotBox]

get the fender, if u dont like it sell it and ull still be able to afford the gibson.

i thinkActually, that's not a bad idea. I think...

[FenderStripes]

http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/60/72/66/30/0060726630901_500X500.jpg

That's her alright :thumb:

Thanks to everyone who replied so far...though I'm still not quite sure what I should do/get :upset: I've heard people say that the AM Deluxe P-bass is one of the best you can get, but I don't know if it's what I want.

Also, to whoever said that I should get the regular T-Bird as opposed to the Studio version; what's the difference? If I were to get the T-bird, I would want that metallic cherry color, but I can't seem to find a regular Gibson T-bird with that color. Also, is the sound-difference that drastic between a Gibson T-Bird and an Epiphone T-Bird? Because I don't wanna fork out a bunch of cash for a 'better' version if you can barely hear the difference...

[The Forgotten Bassist]

I don't like Fender Deluxe Precision, but i hate Gibson Thunderbirds even more so I'd say the Fender, but that is only because I hate the Precision less than the Thunderbird.

[WhoDidTheElf]

The Fender by miles. The TB maybe able to get the tone you want, or at least close, but that will be about it, and you may later want to change tones. The Fender is much more versitile...and a much better looking bass IMO.

[baggagebassman]

I'd get the Fender due to tone and versatility.

[the101er]

get the t-bird, its got the tone ur after and looks great

just get a white one though

[PatBass]

I've had several jazz Basses (currently an '86 American) one P-Bass (current), an Ibanez 82 Musician (amazing harmonics, current) a JP-90 (current), and a '99 Thunderbird. The Bird is without a doubt the sweetest bass I have ever played. I linked the 2 volume controls for simplicity. The bass is extremely crisp & pounding. I'm very old school and believe the bass should punch you in the solar plexus. No muddiness anywhere, a very fast and thin neck (I've got small hands) and a LOT of sustain from the neck-through-body. I waited over 40 years to find this particular bass. I first bought an Epiphone version that sucked. Bolt-on neck & strap pin on the back where the neck joined the body. If I let go of the neck, it dropped straight down. No balance at all. Go to any large music store and try one out. They are pricey but if its the sound you need, worth it. Early '60's are almost none existant because of the very thin neck. Headstocks had a habit of snapping off if you dropped it.

[Tryxx]

This thread is over five months old, while in most cases we'd appreciate the contribution bumping old threads nullfies that. Please take a look at the rules and regulations thread. :thumb: