Thunderbird pickup question

basshag · #1 12-21-2001, 04:49 PM

Hi Watt,

Caught the Banyan show at 14 Below on the 6th while I was in L.A. - great band. Hope to see you guys up in the Bay Area some more.

On to my question. Do your Thunderbird II and IV sound very different (did you use the bridge pickup on the IV very much)? I have a couple of old II's that I love, and I'm considering adding a bridge pickup to one of them to get a better fingerstyle tone (paint has been stripped natural - not a collector's piece). I really enjoy how much the sound changes by how/where I play with my right hand, but I'm wondering how useful you found the bridge pickup playing fingerstyle. I love the sound I'm getting with a pick from the neck pickup, but I have to work hard to get a fingerstyle sound that I like for my more percussive/fast parts (I can get it, but I have to work). I know you put preamps in yours, which I don't really want to do.

**watt** · #2 12-31-2001, 10:34 AM

hi,

the bridge pickup can help bring in more highs and definition but what can also help if you're looking for that is actually playing closer to the bridge w/your fingers. I think things are punchier w/just one pickup cuz there's no chance of phasing nuances. I think a good idea if you're using two pickups is to have a balance control between the two so you can blend the mix of the two easier.

on bass, watt

Quote:

Originally posted by basshag
Hi Watt,

Caught the Banyan show at 14 Below on the 6th while I was in L.A. - great band. Hope to see you guys up in the Bay Area some more.

On to my question. Do your Thunderbird II and IV sound very different (did you use the bridge pickup on the IV very much)? I have a couple of old II's that I love, and I'm considering adding a bridge pickup to one of them to get a better fingerstyle tone (paint has been stripped natural - not a collector's piece). I really enjoy how much the sound changes by how/where I play with my right hand, but I'm wondering how useful you found the bridge pickup playing fingerstyle. I love the sound I'm getting with a pick from the neck pickup, but I have to work hard to get a fingerstyle sound that I like for my more percussive/fast parts (I can get it, but I have to work). I know you put preamps in yours, which I don't really want to do.