I have always been looking for this bass. It gives that powerful defined thump that rock players find hard to produce without playing around with effects. Build quality can vary but from the second I tried mine I had to have it. Apart from the Gibson version having higher gain on the pickups it was hard to tell the differance soundwise and the neck shape and action make this a very fast machine. OK the Thunderbird logo has been changed to a celtic cross on the pick guard but it is a small price to pay for a superb sounding bass. I can only suggest that before you make a final decision on any bass you must try this one and at the current price it is a no brainer