Epiphone Thunderbird '64 Ember Red Original

A Thunderbird '64 "Inspired by Gibson Custom": The Spirit of an Icon, the Precision of a Premium Series

With the Thunderbird '64, Epiphone continues the legacy of instruments that marked rock history by offering a refined version from the Inspired by Gibson Custom collection. The idea is not to superficially copy a legendary design but to recapture the overall feel: an instrument with a bold style, quick response, and the full sound that made the 1960s Thunderbirds famous. This approach is reflected in coherent construction and hardware choices, designed to bring the playing experience closer to the historical references while staying true to Epiphone's DNA: consistent manufacturing, premium specifications, and a true "plug and play" logic.

The result: a bass with a very distinctive character, combining a strong visual identity and an architecture designed to deliver sustain, note definition, and a generous low end. If you are looking for a bass that stands out from the crowd and asserts its signature from the very first notes, this Thunderbird '64 clearly fits that category.

For Which Bassists and Styles?

The Thunderbird '64 fully expresses itself in the hands of intermediate to advanced musicians: its format, sonic balance, and clear attack invite determined playing, whether fingerstyle or with a pick. The long scale provides reassuring string tension and good precision on low notes, while the humbuckers' response encourages solid lines, pick-driven riffs, and well-anchored patterns.

In terms of styles, it is naturally comfortable in rock, hard rock, garage, punk, and metal, wherever you want a bass that "fills" without effort. It is also very effective in pop or alternative when you seek a present low-midrange, a wide foundation, and dynamics that hold up on stage. With its simple and direct controls, you can quickly switch from a round, thick tone to a more biting attack without losing tonal coherence.

Sound Characteristics

The mahogany body lays the foundation: natural warmth, solid lows, and fleshy mids, perfect for adding body to the note. This "full" base is then reinforced by the 9-piece maple-walnut neck-through construction: the attack gains clarity, definition remains readable even when playing hard, and the sustain becomes a real asset for long notes, open choruses, and lines that must hold steady without sagging.

The two Epiphone ProBuckers 760 humbuckers complete the picture with a generous low register and low-mids that "stick" to the mix, while retaining enough presence to stay audible among guitars. The neck pickup generally provides a warm, enveloping roundness, ideal for a massive and steady foundation, while the bridge pickup emphasizes attack and bite, useful for pick passages and parts that need more definition.

The two volume controls (neck and bridge) and one master tone layout is intentionally efficient: you blend the level of each pickup to widen the sound image (both pickups together), harden the tone (more bridge), or thicken the foundation (more neck). The tone control then adjusts overall brightness, allowing you to shift from a more open sound to a darker, vintage color while maintaining the instrument's powerful character.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

With its 34" / 864 mm scale length, this Thunderbird '64 uses 4-string long scale bass strings. The recommended gauge .040-.095 offers an excellent balance: enough tension for precise attack and firm lows, while remaining comfortable for dynamics, fast movements, and long playing sessions.

Technical specifications

Type	solid body electric bass	Nut width	38 mm / 1.50"
Body	mahogany	Bridge	Epiphone Vintage Bass Tune-O-Matic
Finish	glossy	Tailpiece	Epiphone Vintage Bass Claw
Color	Ember Red	Tuners	open Epiphone Bass, Historic Clover butterflies, 19:1 ratio
Construction	9-piece maple-walnut neck-through	Recommended string gauge	.040-.095
Profile	60s Rounded Bass	Pickups	2x Epiphone ProBuckers 760 humbuckers
Fingerboard	laurel	Controls	neck pickup volume, bridge pickup volume, master tone
Frets	20	Collection	EPIPHONE Original Collection Thunderbird '64
Scale length	34" / 864 mm	Case	sold with Epiphone Premium Gig Bag
Radius	12" / 305 mm