1964 GIBSON THUNDERBIRD IV BASS (reverse)

1964 Thunderbird IV (reverse)

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Gibson first shipped the Thunderbird IV reverse body Bass in 1964. It featured a neck through body design and a two pickup configuration. During the year the two screws truss rod cover changed to three fastening screws. Another evolution was the white/black/white pickguard's bird logo changed from red to black.

Other 1964 reverse body Thunderbird IV characteristics: Two tone painted headstock, Gibson logo on black plastic truss rod cover, Kluson no-name riveted clover reverse tuners with slot head screws, serial number on headstock back, unbound Brazilian rosewood 20 fret board with pearloid dot fret markers, two nickel pickups each with two phillips head height adjustment screws, nickel pickup cover with plastic shim, curved ebony thumb rest under G string, three silver top/gold hat shaped knobs including numbers and metal position pointers, four saddle adjustable bridge with individual string mutes, nickel bridge cover with plastic shims, three phillips head screw tailpiece, CTS potentiometers, round orange capacitor, input jack on body front, strapholder on body back, four screw plastic controls access cover on body back, Honduras mahogany body and neck, standard sunburst finish, rectangular black tolex case with yellow interior.

Gibson records show a total of 235 reverse body Thunderbird IV's were shipped in 1964. For 1964 serial numbers see the "Gibson Serial Number Chart". For more precise dating cross reference the serial number with the instrument's potentiometer codes.