Legendary KISS frontman Gene Simmons partners with Gibson for his first-ever signature artist bass.
The Gene Simmons G² Thunderbird Bass guitar is designed to meet Gene’s performance needs and preferences in stadiums across the globe. Designed for modern bassists, it features the classic Gibson Reverse Thunderbird body and headstock shape. The Gene Simmons G² Thunderbird Bass is voiced with a pair of powerful T-Bird Pickups, each with individual Volume controls and paired with a master Tone control. The bound ebony fretboard features pearloid reverse split diamond inlays. A GraphTech nut and Hipshot Mini-Clover tuners keep the tuning rock-solid, while the other end of the strings anchor to a Hipshot Bass Bridge. The back of the headstock features a G² logo. The Ebony nitrocellulose lacquer finish is paired with Black Chrome hardware and a Mirror Plex truss rod cover with a Mirror Plex pickguard which features a laser engraved custom Gene Simmons logo. A hardshell case is included.
“We are excited to launch the first of many projects together with Gene Simmons!” says Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands. “The Gibson Gene Simmons G² Thunderbird Bass guitar has been more than a year in the making. It looks and sounds EPIC, and it is unmistakably Gene. Working with him is such a privilege for all of us at Gibson; he is deeply involved in every aspect of developing the guitars and planning our launch. A legendary musician who has touched the lives of generations of music fans, Gene is also a creative and successful entrepreneur. This is the first of many ways in which the G² partnership will be paying tribute to Gene, his iconic status, and continue to inspire new generations of Gibson and Gene Simmons fans to play and create music.
Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass
Explore the new Gene Simmons G² Thunderbird Bass at www.gibson.com.
The day before they played the coveted Blue Room at Third Man Records in Nashville, the Washington, D.C.-based garage-punk duo Teen Mortgage released their debut record, Devil Ultrasonic Dream. Not a bad couple of days for a young band.
PG’s Chris Kies caught up with guitarist and vocalist James Guile at the Blue Room to find out how he builds the band’s bombastic guitar attack.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Devilish Dunable
Guile has been known to use Telecasters and Gretsches in the past, but this time out he’s sticking with this Dunable Cyclops DE, courtesy of Gwarsenio Hall—aka Jordan Olds of metal-themed comedy talk show Two Minutes to Late Night. Guile digs the Dunable’s lightness on his shoulders, and its balance of high and low frequencies.
Storm Warning
What does Guile like about this Squier Cyclone? Simple: its color. This one is also nice and easy on the back, and Guile picked it up from Atomic Music in Beltsville, Maryland.
Crushing It
Guile also scooped this Music Man 410-HD from Atomic, which he got just for this tour for a pretty sweet deal. It runs alongside an Orange Crush Bass 100 to rumble out the low end.
James Guile’s Pedalboard
The Electro-Harmonix Micro POG and Hiwatt Filter Fuzz MkII run to the Orange, while everything else—a DigiTech Whammy, Pro Co Lil’ RAT, and Death by Audio Echo Dream 2—runs to the Music Man. A TC Helicon Mic Mechanic is on board for vocal assistance, and a TC Electronic PolyTune 3, Morley ABY, and Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 3 Plus keep the ship afloat.
