THE PERFECT BASS // McGrath Thunderhorse IV

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

I have been getting a lot of emails asking about the price. The price is currently 2100 plus tax plus shipping. I will try to ship to anywhere in the world. That price will change over time and that's why it's not stated in the video. I have some for sale on reverb currently for 5k, that price is temporary. I am planning on bringing those basses to Namm in January but if a whale wants to buy one right now that's fine by me. If they don't sell at Namm they will be listed on reverb for the correct price. I am planning on having seven Thunderhorse IVs at Namm. The four colors to come are White, Peach, Lavender and Gold. If you want to order one contact me on my website. Current lead time is four months but this will increase with demand. Maple fretboards, P Bass nut widths and black hardware are all no problem. I am working with a local paint shop to try and do matching headstocks.Thank you so much for the feedback and kind messages. It really does mean a lot to me. Cormac.

[@jayfree850]

@mcgrathguitars9692 That's a lotta quiche, hombre!

[@cormacbass]

​@jayfree850 😂 true. It's a lot of work man

[@JumpCaptain]

The 3 pickups together sounded much better than I thought they would! Awesome! Thank you!

[@joaniepeters2565]

Oh yea man.. that sounds great. I was surprised too. It has a nice full “humbucker soap bar” tone that sit in the mix well but with the nuances and attack of pj.. very cool and very surprised it sounded so clean & good especially since I like jazz voicings the best

[@-Harris-]

'Sure know something' is the PERFECT track for sound-demos. Well made!

[@TheBassChannel]

Someone previously said that it’s become the signature Bass Channel riff and I’m not mad about it.

[@stevenvalenti3722]

I've always loved that song from KISS. It's really a great rocking song.🙂🤘

[@misunderstudios]

Very nice bass!! Only thing missing (for me) is matching headstock

[@nuldorvamoysenor2091]

Cool song selection. I was listening to it on my phone and when that Tbird pickup was playing the whole thing started vibrating. You could phisically feel the difference between them. Awesome.

[@Klaus80804]

After the first "Sure know something" run through of the pickup combinations, it was clear to me that a normal P-Bass would be enough for me. I used to play a lot of Thunderbirds some years ago and often wish I had a nice Precision with 2 Thunderbird pickups in exactly the same position as they are on the Thunderbird. Maybe I'll have something like that built one day. The Thunderbird pickup in the neck position on this bass here reminds me more of the neck pickup on a Rickenbacker bass.

[@ryansaylor6043]

I need this bass more than I need air, groceries and rent.

[@samlelowitch]

Wow, that thing sounds killer! I enjoyed the entire video. I wonder if McGrath could make a medium-scale (32") bass.

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

I sure can

[@4stringz.]

this is how I mod all my P basses, but I use all relentless pickups. Love the tonal combo

[@richardwilliams877]

I'm not playing much the last few years and I've also kinda settled on the basses I like and wouldn't currently think about buying a new bass (unless I randomly played something in a store and fell in love etc). But saying that BLOODY HELL, this bass looks like amazing fun. The fact I can get so much tone out of a few different pickups and the actual sound and build quality look so good blows my mind. I'm not in a position to get such an expensive new bass right now, but if I ever am in that position, I AM going to look into this bass. I really hope McGrath sell a good bunch of these and can keep making them. And thanks for the video!

[@cfm498]

Great bass design! Love how in depth the video was as well - I made a PJ + Ric Neck PU that feels of a similar vein. If 5 string is coming I'd definitely buy it, ideally with a 35" scale and a zero fret !

[@Therealchuckbailey]

We’re discussing 5 string options! We will let you know!

[@christopherstorrier5560]

As Scott Divine would say " this crushes everything"....i like it...the closest to a 1 bass for all occasions, some neat tones, a PJT i guess....the EMG T-Bird pickup is good, i could play dub reggae all night with just that....nicely made

[@DonaldCaccamise]

Great look, great feel, great tone!! Outstanding video. Fully agree with you about the organic feel of the body. The wood grain texture lends itself more toward high end, top-tier production. Congrats on the collaboration with McGrath.

[@50beowulf]

Ahhh... the old Prethunderjazz. That T-Bird in the mudbucker spot is awesome.

[@TOMPHELAN-ws5tj]

Holy God I want this bass in black! This thing covers every genre possible. $2,100?

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

Indeed

[@OphilliaBalls]

Need this bass expeditiously

[@UnintelligentDesigner]

A Precision Jazz Thundercougarfalconbird? No way! Looks and sounds pretty awesome. Makes me wish I was looking for a new bass. Definitely going on the list for possible next purchases, though. It's annoying when I'm feeling particularly fidgety and keep switching between basses. This versatility is pretty great.🤘

[@tmherbamate]

I wanna hear that black Gibson with the tape wounds and fuzz circuit!

[@TheBassChannel]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4nHhGiAZZ6nhpI

[@tmherbamate]

@ awesome thank you!

[@carlosmgh3]

so many sounds love it

[@ludovicvanb9713]

Wow, that's what I've always wanted. There aren't enough basses with a "true" neck pickup.

[@cake_9510]

Neck pickups on a bass seem like they'd be pretty good for certain stuff. Personally, I've also always wanted a proper neck pickup on a bass instead of just a bridge and middle

[@TraversClark]

Me too, my ideal groovin' bass would be a bass that had pickups in mudbucker/precision/stingray positions. I don't need/want or even like a jazz bass bridge pickup so that can easily be omitted.

[@Therealchuckbailey]

This bass sounds fantastic. His 5 string P’s are amazing too. We are hoping to get one on the channel to show you all and soon… a 5 string Thunderhorse?!?! Never know!

[@woot1404]

Well dang... The addition of the Tbird pickup to the more classic P and J really does somethin for me. Definitely have a little research to do on this. And McGrath. Only thing I'd probably change is the nut width - I prefer the P neck specs. Otherwise, I'm already pretty much sold. Good review of a unique and well-thought-out instrument 👌🏾.

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

The red and blue one on my site have p bass nut widths.

[@joshbeast8599]

Can’t wait to play this!🤘🏼

[@kard2565]

Exactly the pick up combination I was wondering if anybody had done and now I get to hear it. Definitely makes me want one! Great work! So when is the giveaway I won’t win? Lol.

[@Emily_M81]

This thing sounds so great, and tbh $2100 seems like a steal for what it is

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

Thank you!

[@davedixon2167]

I have to comment here just to share with the viewers one thing that isn't obvious from the description of the bass - the playing feel of the J-width neck combined with the flattish 12" board radius is super freakin nice.

[@russellzauner]

well one might just drop a Billy Sheehan pickup set in there because it's already got all the holes but I like the way this is going

[@muttdiggedy]

I think it would be even more badass if you went with a rickenbacker pickup in the bridge instead of the J. Not as versatile but a straight up freaking rocker! I’m still super impressed. 👍👍

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

I can do that

[@1234drums]

Yeeeeah 🔥

[@Blakeadam52]

here i was thinking all those pick ups dont mix and needed to be separated, and then you guys come along and bash em up and change my whole mind!

[@TheBassChannel]

I think the bass will Come Out and Play a lot of gigs in the near future.

[@joo72]

Cool Concept 👍👍🤭

[@Gorbyrev]

Lovely excerpt of Distant Early Warning

[@EricT43]

You get a PJ, a Billy Sheehan, and a couple other weird modes all in one bass!

[@sickynixx]

I play a thunderbird for the looks 😂 In the Studio its preci. Another great t bird body with pj pickup would be right for me.

[@joaniepeters2565]

Very very nice pick tone.. perfect balance of the “scooped jazz”attack but with a nice full humbucker/pj tone that sits in the mix perfect. Also the ash and ebony have a lot to do with it too.. perfect choice of woods dude, this is a keeper especially for recording.. the only other bass that I’ve heard produce this same tone are the F basses and I’m sure paid much less for this one (but I know it wasn’t cheap) Edit: ok so I just looked up the price and I found one used on reverb.. at least maybe you paid a thousand or 2 less on this one vs F bass with the same customizations

[@joshuaowens5228]

You should a 3 pick up shoot out. Dingwall, Rascal, Stu Hamm Sig, G3, and I’m sure I’m missing a couple

[@lummond]

Oh man, I wish you got this routed for 3 EMG35 pickups. Then, you could do another shootout with all three pickups going at once! It would have been like a 5-hour video! 🎉

[@TheBassChannel]

Ha! That sounds like way too much work. That being said, the 5-string version may or may not be exactly what you described (but with the 40 size, of course)

[@lummond]

ooooooo good thinking....

[@BassRacerx]

i love the see thru black color. this bass is really cool! as a hobbyist for 5k you could get so many individual basses but if you are a professional i can see the value of having the "all in one" kitchen sink solution!

[@charlesgrey8651]

A ttthreee pu P bas?! My Gosh, finally, ... explicid vid🎶👌💖🙏In Da Ballpark⚽️🎄✌Had to ask, ... there will be a 5 string? and what price do these lovelys clock in, ... btw, nice playing, you guys, ... loved it. Well, liked and subbed, its all aboud da Bass🎶👌🎸✌

[@bforbass472]

17:17 Type 0 Negative, am i right? whats the name of the song?

[@andrewpardue3324]

Correct you are sir! definitely Type O Negative… The track is called Black No. 1 off of the Bloody🩸 Kisses album 🤘🏻

[@bforbass472]

@@andrewpardue3324 thanks sir nice song , RIP Peter

[@funkingitup1805]

It's impossible to create a bass that is perfect for everyone, but this sure hits a lot of the marks for mine. The things that are perfect to me are P bass body, great body finish, oiled neck, great hardware with full-sized tuners, 12" radius fretboard, spoke wheel truss rod adjustment, carbon reinforced neck, jazz bass nut width. My personal ideal pickup configuration in my dream bass would be T-bird/mudbucker neck, EMG 35P in the middle, and an MMTW in the bridge since the coil tap lets you get a single coil for a jazz pickup in addition to the MusicMan tone. I'm anti pick guard in favor of rear routing. I do love active EMGs. I also really like bound or rolled fingerboards, block inlays, and matched headstocks. My bass weight limit is about 9.5lbs for a 4-string, so probably would need some light alder or poplar. Then again full weight tuners are so nice, and heavier basses often sound great. I think McGrath will sell a bunch of these if the price is within people's budgets.

[@williamallfrey577]

Reverend do a short scale bass with a precision pick up and a mudbucker, the Mike Watt signature. I can't think of any other bass with this pick up configuration

[@andrewpardue3324]

I’ve been a guitar player for over 38 years now but I also love bass and do own one and play around on other peoples bass guitars whenever I get the chance just to take them for a test drive to see if I like them and if I would consider buying what they are using in the future. ( so far my favourite was a Fender P bass, an Ibanez 5 not sure what model and a Warwick Corvette) The bass I own isn’t expensive or anything like that it’s a Dean Metalman Explorer shape but I wanted a bass of my own just to play around with at home and it was in the right ( read: Cheap! $320 price range as I wanted a decent bass but didn’t have a lot of bucks back then at the moment ) and it sounds and plays decent and looked like Darth Vaders 59 Cadillac fin 🤣 this freakin thing is so damn LOOONG ! 😮. ( pretty bad ass and sexy looking 👀 though ) so I bought it and gave away my old Dana to a guy who just had his bass stolen until he could get something better to replace it with. He said don’t you even want it back ? and I said nope 👎 I’m a guitar player with 14 guitars and a better bass than that one now, so when you do get a new rig please pass it on to someone who wants to play bass but doesn’t have one yet ! 😊 I can’t even say how much I absolutely loved this bass Demo ( I’m on my 3rd back to back viewing of it as I write this) because of how many different styles you covered ( 🤔except Lemmy or maybe I just missed it somehow 😄 ) what a beautiful well thought out beast that can truly do it all ! I’ll take mine in an all black 5 string ( black headstock as well ) with all black hardware. As nice as the gold looks ( and it definitely does look ✨👌🏻 Sweet with the gold hardware! ) it’s a bit too flashy for me ! 😄 I could buy that in a 5 and never need another bass for the rest of my life that beast can do everything I would ever need it for! I even dig the all EMG setup it’s perfect as is ! Quick question 🙋‍♂️ how much for a 5 string just like this one roughly? $2200-2400? Or so? Have a great day guys thanks bigtime for the truly great demo ! Just found your channel today this is the first video I’ve seen , this guitar player Will definitely sub to the Bass channel… after all it’s still a guitar right?! 🤔 just a bass guitar 😄

[@TheBassChannel]

Thanks man, also check out The Guitar Channel, which we just started not too long ago and is still in its very infancy.

[@andrewpardue3324]

@@TheBassChannelthanks 🎸🤘🏻 I will definitely go and check that one out as well 👍🏻 Happy 🎄🎉 Holidays 😊

[@cu2971]

Did you consider a reverse P config?

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

For sure! I have one made already. It's the blue one on my site. One more in production.

[@katiegoodman7003]

MORE GWAAAAAAR!!!

[@DarioRondini]

I think you nailed it! Maybe I missed it: price range?

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

You can order one right now for 2100 plus tax plus shipping. The build time is 4 months.

[@57precision]

@@mcgrathguitars9692 the Thunderhorse IV isn't 5K? That's what I see on your Reverb storefront. Am I missing something?

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

​@57precision did you read the description?

[@57precision]

@@mcgrathguitars9692 obviously not. Saw Sadowsky NYC/F bass/Dingwall prices for a P bass and immediately moved on.

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

@@57precision "This bass is being shown at namm 2025, after that the price will drop. You can buy it now if you wish."

[@robertjabonski519]

Elegancko!!!

[@D.Leikert-h9l]

So is the controll: v/v/v/t ?

[@klaymeister]

9:25

[@Blech319]

What's with the massive output drop with multiple pickups at once? The precision pickup is out of phase?

[@jacobsmith1877]

I think the TBHZ pickup needs to be raised. It was quieter in every example

[@russthompson7994]

A fair question!

[@hillblocksview]

Want! 🤩 But not a fan of the gold, would love black hardware! 🔥

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

Easy

[@needsLITHIUM]

I have a friend who would probably want one of these in a 39" 5 string, if that is possible. Unfortunately, his car just died, but maybe, someday...

[@MrGwg11]

send one to me and i'll love it forever and ever!

[@christocr]

One of my favorite Kiss songs.

[@OrbitalDeathRay]

that thing is gonna make me act up ngl

[@Basserino84]

I don't really hear a lot of treblass on it, but maybe that's just me. I remember way back I used to hear of "Spear" brand basses that had that mix of pickups (or at least MM/P/J).

[@RDog4484]

Man, swap out the J pick up for a MM style humbucker at the bridge, and that WOULD be perfect. (…and maybe make it a 5 or 6 string 😅)

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

I can do that

[@RDog4484]

@ 👀👀👀

[@LennyLujan]

Might as well close with Wonderwall!! 😂 Great video!

[@denniskrigger]

10:20 billy sheehan yamaha attitude

[@Cytoxyn]

at the roughly 14:48 mark is that Adrenaline that is being played?

[@TheBassChannel]

Limp Bizkit - Take A Look Around

[@kard2565]

Listening again because I don’t remember hearing it but how close to a Rick can it get?

[@TheBassChannel]

With this pickup configuration, the traditional Rick sound isn’t really in its wheelhouse. So much of that tone comes down to pickup placement (among other construction choices) and this setup doesn’t quite put the pickups in the same spots.

[@llynellyn]

Are you planning to sell those bass flags in the background? $$

[@TheBassChannel]

I think they’re already available in our teespring store

[@tarinindell8217]

Approx cost?

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

You can order one right now for 2100 plus tax plus shipping. The build time is 4 months.

[@greggblankenshipp8202]

Is that McGrath bass a short scale?It looks like it on video......

[@Therealchuckbailey]

Nope full scale

[@MisterKarib]

My perfect bass is my Dingwall D-ROC 5

[@4deuce31]

🤦‍♂️ just killed every other bass out there.

[@funkingitup1805]

The only issue I've found with super neck positioned pickups is that they can get in the way of slapping and popping. Still nothing wrong with having a perfect bass for picking and fingerstyle and a separate one for slapping.

[@ronaldwilson9525]

Not that I don't think that this bass isn't worth the $2000 plus asking price, I just don't see many being sold for that price. I just don't see the resale value in a bass that is pretty much only a hybrid precision jazz with a bonus mudbucker. But good luck on it.

[@lucaserojas]

Is it me or the body is extremely small?

[@williamj.nerison8834]

Not a neck through 😢

[@funkingitup1805]

I love neck throughs, but they are not inherently better. Yes, they have the potential to sustain more, and they are more comfortable, but there are downsides. Neck throughs often suffer worse from dead spots in the fret board, this is because the resonant frequencies of the neck woods are the same as the body wood. You'll often find one note that decays very fast on neck through as it hits the resonant frequency of the bass. This can happen on bolt ons too, but by having a body with a different resonant frequency than the neck, the lull is distributed between multiple points rather than compounding, so it can be less noticable. Also bolt ons sustain plenty long, and people that want short decay times for slapping or loving dead flatwounds are going to like the less sustaining nature of a bolt on. Not trying to say neck throughs aren't great, but I'd choose a bolt on over a glue set-neck through every day. For true one-piece neck-throughs, they are beautiful.

[@Rooster50525]

All the technical details in the world are no substitution for practice and skill.

[@Therealchuckbailey]

Dafuq are you on about

[@roofkorean6948]

I know it's all subjective, but I've never liked the sound of EMG bass pickups. I've never heard one that I liked. I love the idea of the versatility of this bass, but the pickups to me sound meh.

[@elbackapacko7138]

Had my interest from Thumbnail thru 8 seconds in… then I saw the unpainted headstock.

[@LennyLujan]

Order one painted then

[@elbackapacko7138]

@ may have to… really like the idea of it. Just surprised in that particular one being blacked out from nut down, then BAM, bright tan.

[@mcgrathguitars9692]

​@LennyLujan this is something I'm working on with a local paint shop.

[@funkingitup1805]

@@mcgrathguitars9692 Super respectful answer, and smart listening to customers. I like this guy.

[@williamj.nerison8834]

Still not a neck through 😢

[@timezup16]

Nothing gets by you, huh?

[@OnThaCode]

now why would yall not do a modern metal tone smh...compression plus b7k.... lets get it. snap snap. yall know what we come here for lol

[@IUPACify]

Wow! Cool concept and great sound. But, way overpriced at 5K! Yeah, I’d pick up a Fodera with that money.

[@Therealchuckbailey]

It’s just a placeholder price. Not the actual.

[@dbosse311]

I'm not sure how it's a flex to rock every bass with EMGs. Don't you want anything else? Anyhow, neat idea, but I'm out on the ESPs. I don't get this channel's weird obsession with them. It's not 2002 anymore.

[@TheBassChannel]

Not sure why you think it’s a “flex”. As a channel that primarily demos amps and pedals, it’s advantageous to minimize variables. Going from Nordstand to Aguilar to EMG to Lindy Fralin is going to give you tonal differences within the same pickups shape/style. Not tremendous gigantic differences, but different enough. Take that idea and combine it with different bass types. EMG P to Seymour Duncan Jazz to stock Music Man is going to contain even more tonal variation. Once you start introducing different amp settings for a demo video, it becomes difficult to differentiate the change in amp settings vs the change in pickup. Having the same brand of pickup, particularly in the core P, J, and Stingray basses minimizes the variables in construction materials and makes the tonal differences easier to attribute to either the amp settings change or the bass type change. I could have achieved the same end result with any pickup manufacturer, I just like EMG so it made sense to go with that. Plus they’re easier to install, which is nice.

[@dbosse311]

@TheBassChannel Great answer. Thanks for calling me out for being a jerk, that wasn't nice of me. I get the idea here. I'm surprised the demo stuff takes priority over diversity in sound portfolio, but I can understand the premise.

[@TheBassChannel]

The demo stuff will always take priority (because without it, I’d have none of this) but that’s where the preference comes in. I chose EMG solely based on the fact that I like them. There was no contract or anything like that. So whether it’s a demo video, a recording session, or a gig, I know exactly what to expect. And to be fair, there is some tonal diversity between the specific models that excel at different things, but I can always count on the overall tone and performance in any of those situations.

[@funkingitup1805]

Not only did they clearly say you could get Aguilars or Seymour Duncans if you want, but EMG makes so many pickups that it would be tough not to find at least one that works for you. You've got that typical outdated mentality that thinks EMGs have to be for a certain type of music or time period just because they became popular around the time of grunge and nu metal. Ultimately pickup position is going to matter way more than what brand of pickup you choose.

[@dbosse311]

@@funkingitup1805 EMGs have a sound. They all have that sound. They always will. And that sound works best in certain context. If they were so great you'd see many more of today's best players rock them but they don't because they don't want the EMG sound. It's ok to like a thing but to pretend that it's somehow the same as other options is wild.

[@bobbyzig3879]

Thunderbird is not that close to the neck though.