[quote name='robocorpse' post='568987' date='Aug 14 2009, 01:23 PM']I disagree. I spent a couple of hours setting mine up, and it plays like a dream, and handles as well as the Gibson T-Birds I have played, with the added advantage that I don't give a flying toss if I bump it during the gig, its the perfect hard gigging bass, and I want another one if its the right price. True, the pickups are a little uneven, couple of dead spots, but I'm using that particular bass for high energy NWOBHM, so it's all a bit academic really, and I'm slinging EMGs in it at some point. Having said that, do NOT buy a Thunderbird without trying it on a strap for at least 10 minutes (as testified by the number of "1 month old" T-birds on Ebay) loads of people bought them on a whim, then found they can't handle the position and the neck dive, despite the killer looks.
PS: Yamahas are great but extremely unfashionable. Spector might be your best bet off that list especially if you want to keep good resale value.[/quote]
Each to their own mate, and its down to personal taste at the end of the day. I would say that if you want a cheap(er) Thunderbird but much better quality than Epiphone and sounding just like the original then go for a Greco or Oville Thunderbird if you can. The Orvilles use Gibson pickups and sound just like the real thing. The neck dimensions are the same and it actually is identical to a Gibson in every way. The Greco is slightly different in that it has a two-piece brdige but sounds great.