1965 Thunderbird Bass and Oliver Powerflex with Drew Hart // SOUND CHECK

Welcome to the Retrofret garage - BASS STUDIO, Drew Hart! Drew is rocking out on our 1965 Gibson Thunderbird through this totally wild Oliver Powerflex Model P-502. The automatic on/off feature of this amp prompted us to get a little more creative with our production choices.
This seriously imposing bass is a 1965-6 "Non-Reverse" Thunderbird IV, one of Gibson's greatest if less heralded 1960s 4-string classics. The Thunderbird was Gibson's first long-scale bass, specifically designed to woo customers accustomed to the feel of a Fender bass. Earlier Gibson basses were short scale affairs noted for their dark sound; the Thunderbirds have a much more wide-range tone and put a unique Gibson twist on the 34" scale bass concept Fender pioneered. The Thunderbird IV was the upscale model adding a second pickup to the mix making it a direct competitor to Fender's Jazz Bass.
This is simply one of the coolest if more eccentric amplifiers of all time, designed by one of the great unsung amp creators of the 20th century. Jess Oliver played a major role in the success of Ampeg as primary designer of the iconic Portaflex B-15 and B-12 amplifiers, still standard recording bass amps 50+ years on. In many ways, Oliver Sound Company, Inc. is to Ampeg what MusicMan and Randall are to Fender. In 1966, a dispute over finances lead to Oliver leaving Ampeg to start his own operation. He soon teamed up with Harry Bloom, whose name appears under his on the Baby Bass patent (along with Ampeg founder Everett Hull). Oliver and Bloom started their small amplifier factory right here in Brooklyn, out of Bloom's shop at 49-01 Farragut Road.
For more about this Gibson bass: www.retrofret....
For more on the Oliver: www.retrofret....
Check out Drew's music here:
drewhartishavinganicetime
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Retrofret Vintage Guitars
87 Luquer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11237
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