Squier VM P Bass Or Epiphone Thunderbird iv

[Corny]

I Was Thinking Of A New Bass And Cant Decide On The Above 2. So I Play Punk Pop (Blink 182, Simple Plan, Green Day). Rock (Guns n Roses). A Little Jazz And A Little Funk(RHCP). Maybe Starting On A Little Metal (Slipknot,Bullet For My Valentines). So Guys, Some Recommendations Please ^^ And Maybe You Could Tell Me The Pros And Cons Of Each Bass? Thanks

 

[Turxile]

Both Squier and Epiphone have been producing good quality instruments lately. Squier, like Fenders, have a bit of inconsistency but if you try a few you'll find a gem eventually. Epiphanies are consistent, only thing which really needs to change immediately are the tuner keys.

The VM P Bass has been very succesful with many admirers. I know many who bought it as a back up bass. Can't really go wrong with a P bass sound; it can play any genre. Just don't hope to get many different sounds. You'll have the great reliable P bass tone, and that should be enough anyway.

The Thunderbird is great for any Rock genre, including the heavy ones. It is also great for blues, reggae etc... But not for Jazz and funk (unless you get the active one which can pull the tones, but still won't look right for jazz IMO.) The advantages are that the tone is powerful and great for rock, the sustain is huge, and it looks great and unique . I like the mahogany body, it gives more clarity and is a bit stronger in the mid-range. The main disadvantage is that it's an acquired taste; the ergonomics are quite different to a P bass, takes a bit of getting used to. It kinda places the neck a hit further from you so if you try to sling it the same position as other basses the reach to the lower frets will be a bit further. once you adjust to the bass it's fine. You'll find a small neck dive problem in new ones, but it has a simple fix so that's not an issue.

Conclusion; they are very different basses in sound, feel, style, in every aspect. Try both, and see which one feels better for you.

 

[theliverevolution]

I would recommend the Precision over the Thunderbird IV, having tried both basses before eventually buying the former. Like what Turxile has mentioned, the Precision Bass is more versatile than the Thunderbird although you shouldn't be expecting too many sounds from it unless you modify it extensively. The Thunderbird has a fatter, thicker and fuller sound that would be more suitable for rock and metal, but jazz and funk? No way.

If you have a bit more money to spare, I recommend the Thunderbird Pro by Epiphone though. It has a lot more versatility and doesn't lose its characteristic tone, although it is still not recommended for Jazz. Funk... maybe yes, depending.