Paul S Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 I have never played a Thunder bass, only read about them, and wonder what the differences are between the models when you actually lay hands on them? They consistently get recommended for punching above their weight and, since buying my Washburn Scavenger (and most recently a Westone Thunder 1-T 6 string), I am falling a little bit in love with the whole Matsumoku thing. I kind of get that the I has single pickup and bolt on neck, the II and III have through neck and two pickups of varying configurations and the A models are active. Thunder Jet seems, on the face of it, a cool-looking but retrospective step back to the I? But that is all from reading so might be complete nonsense. So - are there any particular gems to look out for - duff periods, purple patches? And are they all available in black...? Apologies to anyone reading this elsewhere, just casting my net wide for opinions. Ta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 (edited) I've got one of the last top-line models produced - the Thunder IIIA (Mk2) Fretless Unlined. As you say, through neck. My understanding is that the neck is maple/walnut sandwich. The body wings are ash, fingerboard is ebony. Tuners are great, bridge is Heavy Enough. 18V electrics to a peculiar pre. 1st knob is Vol/pull/push for phase. 2nd knob is passive treble roll-off. 3rd is pre - centre detente. Anti-clockwise boosts bottom & low mids, clockwise boosts high mids. 3 pos large switch for neck/both/bridge. 1st small switch outs both pups in series/parallel (ie each pup is 2 coils, so its within the pup - not in combination). 2nd small switch is active/passive. Although both pups look like 'buckers, the neck pup is a 'P' type in a soapbar, while the bridge is a side-by-side bucker. Huge range of tones available including that burpy bass on the bridge. Not overly heavy. Doesn't eat batteries. Side dots accurate to fret positions. Plays great. Loads of Mwah if desired. What's not to like? I bought this in Cash Converters for £120 and saw an identical one go for £350 on Ebay about 2 months ago. G. Edited June 17, 2011 by geoffbyrne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWRRSS Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 (edited) This is my Thunder I bass, that I bought for £40 when I was 14, as my first bass, it still sounds good, and I still use it. just a volume and tone knob. It's that good that when I was looking for my first guitar I bought another Thunder I (£150), although I've beaten it to pieces in 7 years of playing in a noise-rock/punk band, including stamping on it, throwing it at stuff, playing it with a hammer, etc. real idiot things. but it still works great and the neck is still straight. Edited February 20, 2010 by WWRRSS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Best thing you can do for a quick overview is check out the Thunder pages at www.westone.info: [url="http://www.westone.info/indexthunderbass.html"]http://www.westone.info/indexthunderbass.html[/url] And Geoff - what a stunner for £120! It's things like that that keep me going into Crack Converters. Mind you, I think my Thunder 1 guitar was a bit of a bargain: £8. It's good when people don't appreciate the value of something, ain't it? Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWRRSS Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 [quote name='Bassassin' post='752044' date='Feb 20 2010, 06:47 PM']£8. It's good when people don't appreciate the value of something, ain't it? Jon.[/quote] Mine looked that good once. Sean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Great basses, solid Japanese build. Can't fault them...sold loads of them at our shop back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Anyone remember the TV music programme "Rockschool"? Henry "King Thumb" Thomas used to play a Thunder III on there.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 [quote name='WWRRSS' post='752048' date='Feb 20 2010, 06:50 PM']Mine looked that good once. Sean.[/quote] In fairness, it didn't look much like that when I got it. Scrubbed up nice, though. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 (edited) Here's another vastly under-rated model, although Fuji-Gen this time, my 1979 Ibanez Studio ST105, again, bought in Cash Converters for £140 this time, with original case. Pups are DiMarzio PAF in neck & a DiMarzio Dual Sound in bridge. Tone pots pull to split the pups. This is a *really* excellent guitar and if you can get hold of a decent one, get it. Set neck. A Studio bass (about 90% a Musician bass) went on Ebay the other night for £350. I really wish I had been able to afford to bid for it. G. Edited June 17, 2011 by geoffbyrne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Here's a 1984 model Thunder III - the same model (albeit in a different colour) to the one Henry Thomas played in the Rockschool series. It's purchase was due to the bout of GAS I suffered after seeing the Rockschool band perform live. [attachment=43182:WTIIIall.JPG][attachment=43183:WTIIIthruneck.JPG][attachment=43184:WTIIIbody.JPG][ attachment=43185:WT3headstock.jpg] This is still the only bass I gig. It's a bit neck-heavy, but it's still a joy to play and is still totally original after nearly 25 years' ownership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 (edited) Some beautiful basses - Geoff, WWRRSS, Krysbass - thanks for the pics. Guitars are nice, too. Jon - the finish on your guitar is gorgeous - how did you do it? yes, I did read that page you linked to - the man has done his research hasn't he! What I was hoping for were some comments like -'oh, the one you should look out for is the III-A - pick of the crop' or 'can't go wrong with the I, nothing ever beat it'. But I guess that kind of thing is always going to be subjective anyway - active vs passive. What would be the advantages of a set neck vs bolt on? From what has been sadi it looks like the active ones have a good range if tone available - do they sound good played passively, too? Did the electrics vary from model to model? Edited February 21, 2010 by Paul S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 [quote name='Paul S' post='752523' date='Feb 21 2010, 09:12 AM']What would be the advantages of a set neck vs bolt on? From what has been sadi it looks like the active ones have a good range if tone available - do they sound good played passively, too? Did the electrics vary from model to model?[/quote] I originally owned a Thunder 1A in natural finish - this has a bolt-on neck, a single "P" type pickup and active/passive switching. I have to say the build quality and finish was every bit as good on the 1A as it was on the Thunder III I upgraded to. But there's definitely more sustain from the thru neck on the Thunder III - I remember being impressed by this when I first got it. As for the active circuitry - it definitely gives more tonal options, but I mostly play the bass passive. on the Thunder III, soloing the bridge pickup and backing off the tone gives a fingerstyle tone that I still haven't grown tired of. Another nice fingerstyle tone is using both pickups, again backing off the tone, but switching the pickups out of phase. Again with the pickups out of phase, but boosting the bass with the active circuit and putting the tone to max treble gives a "gravelly" rock tone that cuts through well - believe it or not, I only just discovered this one fairly recently! Soloing the neck pickup gives a really deep powerful bass - adding to active to this is well; thunderous! The 3 switches below the control knobs on the '84 Thunder III are for series/parellel, phase and active. The active circuit is switched on by plugging a jack into the bass, so the active switch is just a bypass to the active circuit. You should get about 200 hours from a good pair of PP3's for the active circuit - the secret to prolonging battery life is to always unplug the bass when not using it. Hope the above helps. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 Exactly the hands on appraisal I was looking for - thanks Chris! One more question - neck width and profile - skinny or fat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 [quote name='geoffbyrne' post='752343' date='Feb 20 2010, 11:30 PM']Here's another vastly under-rated model, although Fuji-Gen this time, my 1979 Ibanez Studio ST105, again, bought in Cash Converters for £140 this time, with original case. G.[/quote] Bloody hell Geoff - Cash Convertors by you must be staffed by mugs! Result! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 There's a Thunderjet just appeared on [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230440053145&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]eBay[/url] - has anyone owned one of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryPotter Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 [quote name='Paul S' post='752613' date='Feb 21 2010, 10:57 AM']Exactly the hands on appraisal I was looking for - thanks Chris! One more question - neck width and profile - skinny or fat?[/quote] The 1A I had felt like a skinny P if that makes any sense. The only reason I parted with mine is that after playing for an hour or so it would make my wrist ache in a way that wasn't good. Aside from that - fabulous basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 [quote name='HarryPotter' post='753527' date='Feb 22 2010, 09:52 AM']The 1A I had felt like a skinny P if that makes any sense. The only reason I parted with mine is that after playing for an hour or so it would make my wrist ache in a way that wasn't good. Aside from that - fabulous basses.[/quote] Skinny p - but not like a jazz. I think I know what you mean - sounds like the neck on my Scavenger, which I am guessing is going to be very similar overall to the passive Thunder 1 with just the one split coil pup. Thanks Harry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 [quote name='Paul S' post='752819' date='Feb 21 2010, 02:22 PM']There's a Thunderjet just appeared on [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230440053145&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]eBay[/url] - has anyone owned one of these?[/quote] I had a jet, they have a maple body, probably means less neck dive, it was quite trebly, but it had new strings on it, which may have explained that. Really, you should go buy my Thunder 1A, surprised I still have it, thought it would be first thing to go in my sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryPotter Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 [quote name='Paul S' post='753631' date='Feb 22 2010, 11:51 AM']Skinny p - but not like a jazz. I think I know what you mean - sounds like the neck on my Scavenger, which I am guessing is going to be very similar overall to the passive Thunder 1 with just the one split coil pup. Thanks Harry.[/quote] Yep that's right mate, totally not like a Jazz. Think a shallower P and it''s about right (if memory serves) and I mean compared to a really meaty club like P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 Harry - yup, thought so. Wouldn't be surprised if the Westone/Washburn necks were almost exactly the same. Ta. Oli - don't tempt me! Pm sent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.