Epiphone Thunderbird IV: VSB or Gothic?

[zwischenzug]

[font="Tahoma"][b]Epiphone Thunderbird IV[/b] [/font][font="Tahoma"][size=3][b][color="orange"]VSB[/color][/b][/size][/font][font="Tahoma"] or [b]Epiphone Thunderbird IV[/b] [/font][font="Tahoma"][size=3][b][color="orange"]Gothic[/color][/b][/size][/font][font="Tahoma"]???

There are some differences between them and I have a dilemma:

[b]which one resembles more to the original Gibson[/b] [b]Thunderbird[/b]? (please consider sound, materials etc.)[/font]
[font="Tahoma"]
If you compare [b]VSB[/b] and [b]Gothic[/b] which one is better? I'm interested in pros and cons.

Cheers![/font]

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Differences? probably the main difference is the finish - get whichever one you think looks best. I don't think there'd be any different in sound.

Gibson T-birds are mahogany with a thru mahogany neck, whereas Epiphone ones have an alder body with a bolt-on maple neck. So they are completely different beasts. I have a lovely white epiphone t-bird.

[neepheid]

[quote name='zwischenzug' post='268113' date='Aug 22 2008, 09:03 PM'][font="Tahoma"][b]Epiphone Thunderbird IV[/b] [/font][font="Tahoma"][size=3][b][color="orange"]VSB[/color][/b][/size][/font][font="Tahoma"] or [b]Epiphone Thunderbird IV[/b] [/font][font="Tahoma"][size=3][b][color="orange"]Gothic[/color][/b][/size][/font][font="Tahoma"]???

There are some differences between them and I have a dilemma:

[b]which one resembles more to the original Gibson[/b] [b]Thunderbird[/b]? (please consider sound, materials etc.)[/font]
[font="Tahoma"]
If you compare [b]VSB[/b] and [b]Gothic[/b] which one is better? I'm interested in pros and cons.

Cheers![/font]
[/quote]

As far as I'm aware, any differences between the two are purely cosmetic. The VSB visually most closely resembles the original Gibson Thunderbird. Both of them are only going to give you an approximation of the Gibson Thunderbird sound due to different construction (Epi is bolt on neck, Gibson is neck thru), different woods (Epis VSB have alder body and maple neck - Goth has mahogany body and maple neck, Gibsons have mahogany/walnut neck and mahogany body wings). There are also bound to be price induced differences in pickups, electronics and hardware.

All info taken from Epiphone and Gibson's own sites.

[zwischenzug]

VSB
[url="http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=114&CollectionID=12"]http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=...CollectionID=12[/url]

Gothic
[url="http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=209&CollectionID=5"]http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=...;CollectionID=5[/url]



Gibson
[url="http://www.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibson%20usa/products/bass/thunderbirdiv/"]http://www.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibs.../thunderbirdiv/[/url]


VSB is alder body, Gothic is mahogany. And I think that they have different pickups also.
The price is the same.

Edited August 22, 2008 by zwischenzug

[neepheid]

[quote name='zwischenzug' post='268254' date='Aug 23 2008, 12:31 AM']VSB
[url="http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=114&CollectionID=12"]http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=...CollectionID=12[/url]

Gothic
[url="http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=209&CollectionID=5"]http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=...;CollectionID=5[/url]



Gibson
[url="http://www.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibson%20usa/products/bass/thunderbirdiv/"]http://www.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibs.../thunderbirdiv/[/url]


VSB is alder body, Gothic is mahogany. [b]And I think that they have different pickups also. [/b]
The price is the same.[/quote]

I don't think so.

[Balcro]

[quote name='zwischenzug' post='268254' date='Aug 23 2008, 12:31 AM']VSB
[url="http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=114&CollectionID=12"]http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=...CollectionID=12[/url]
Gothic
[url="http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=209&CollectionID=5"]http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=...;CollectionID=5[/url]
:)
Gibson
[url="http://www.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibson%20usa/products/bass/thunderbirdiv/"]http://www.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibs.../thunderbirdiv/[/url]

VSB is alder body, Gothic is mahogany. :)[/quote]


Neepheid seems to be correct. WEb-site info shows pickups to be the same. The gothic has a narrower neck. It will [u]probably[/u] have a slightly richer tone because of mahogany content in the body.
For a good guide to tonewood see the following "Warmoth" link.

[url="http://www.warmoth.com/bass/options/options_bodywoods.cfm"]http://www.warmoth.com/bass/options/options_bodywoods.cfm[/url]

It's which one is better for you. Try at least one. Then the other is warmer or brighter.

Balcro

[BassMunkee]

I have ordered a Gothic. Yay!
I have to wait until 14th November. Boo!

[zwischenzug]

[quote name='BassMunkee' post='270120' date='Aug 26 2008, 01:52 PM']I have ordered a Gothic. Yay!
I have to wait until 14th November. Boo![/quote]

Cool! But why do you have to wait so long?

[TheDarkReaver]

The Gothic is a nice bass, I have one myself. In my mind it's closer to the Gibson T-bird as it has that mahogany body.