Ford Thunderbird in Rancho Mirage, California also lays claim to being the inspiration for the name of the car. Ernest Breech, a Thunderbird Country Club member, who was then chairman of Ford Motor Company was supposedly deeply involved in the creation of the Thunderbird. Breech asked the Club's permission to name the new model after the Club and the club consented to the use of the name. The Ford Thunderbird began life in February 1953 in direct response to Chevrolet's new sports car, the Corvette, which was publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month before. Under rapid development, the Thunderbird went
Gibson Thunderbird Nikki Sixx Thunderbird Bass is made with a mahogany/walnut neck-through with Flame Maple body wings attached to form the body, finished in transparent Black Cherry. The fretboard is inlaid with red acrylic "X"s at the third, fifth, seventh and 12th frets. The Gibson Thunderbird Studio models (which were also available as five-string versions) have mahogany necks set into mahogany bodies. This model was discontinued in 2007. The Gibson Thunderbird IV Zebra Wood Bass, 2007, Limited run of 400 (Gibson guitar of the Week, Week 11)."ZebraBird" Thunderbird Short Scale Bass, 30.5" scale, 2011, Limited run of 400. "Short Scale Thunderbird" The