I think I want to replace the pickups in my '79 T-bird. As far as I know, unless you can find a set of original '60s pickups, choices are pretty much limited to Bartolini or new Gibson TB pickups. Both of these have black covers that'll ruin the vintage look, so that's out of the question. Does anybody have any experience with this? And what's with those wierdo 70's pickups anyway? What were they thinking?
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Bicentennial Thunderbird
- Thread starter grendel76
- Start date
TheDarkReaver said:
Ummm, the Bicentennial was 1976! (the year I graduated HS!)
The Bicentennial Thunderbirds were made in 76-77.
Why do you want to replace the pickups?
Well, be aware that new Gibby t-bird pickups are not the same size for one, and the Bart PASSIVE thunderbird pups sound quite excellent, regardless of look. Seymour Duncan has in the past made custom shop thunderbird pups, unsure if they can be had with crome covers, but if'n you want chrome bad enough, take some epoxy solvent to the original pups and melt out the brick in the original covers. 
Seriously tho, it'll be really hard to find chrome ones without paying thru the nose for a real-deal custom. So write Seymour Duncan and see what they will do.
Mon
Seriously tho, it'll be really hard to find chrome ones without paying thru the nose for a real-deal custom. So write Seymour Duncan and see what they will do.
Mon
Can't the cover be taken off and switched? When I had my '91 IV I thought about finding some Orville or Greco Thunderbird pups (they make them with the vintage style chrome) and swapping the covers. I can't remember if the covers were removable though. One would think they could though.
I say if that's possible, do that.
I thought my Thunderbird was a bit too bassy "all on 10", so I rolled off the neck pups volume... problem solved. I then thought about wiring it Volume-Blend-Tone, but I sold it before I did.
I say if that's possible, do that.
I thought my Thunderbird was a bit too bassy "all on 10", so I rolled off the neck pups volume... problem solved. I then thought about wiring it Volume-Blend-Tone, but I sold it before I did.
I have two Bicentennial Tbirds. One is all original - and the original pickups sound great. I've owned that one since it was new, and it is retired now. My other one I bought without pickups. After looking around and researching pickups that fit I eneded up buying SD Basslines Phase II passive soapbars. They fit pretty well inside the pickup rings. They are the same pickups that Sadowsky uses on his basses that have soapbars (except they aren't labeled Basslines on his). They sound really great. I would like to put original pickups in it, but the only ones I've found have gone for more than $500 for a pair.
Here is a picture of it. I don't think it looks bad at all with the black pickups.
Here is a picture of it. I don't think it looks bad at all with the black pickups.
