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NBD Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro
- Thread starter johnk_10
- Start date
Is that bad? A couple of my basses only have one full wrap around the tuner.
I have some DR Silver Stars on order for my Ebony VP. They are similar to Black Beauties except silver vs black. I normally use Black Beauties on all my Stingrays to tame the top end a bit and it seemed to me this bass could use a similar treatment.
Love almost everything about this bass so far - no neck dive with a normal leather (non suede) bass strap, classic Thunderbird ergonomics (slung low with headstock at 1:00 or 2:00 position), zero quality control issues, comfy weight (not a feather light but no where near an anchor), amazing sound that can easily slam through any mix, phenomenal pickups and outstanding hardware, killer vintage looks, and a bargain basement price. My only concern is the exceptionally long distance from the G string ball seat on bridge tail piece to the G string tuner. The stock string just squeaks by with one full wrap around the post but I typically like about two or three. I have my fingers crossed that string purchases won't be a challenge with this bass, I'll know in a week or two when my new strings come in. Looks like this bass will need about a 50" long G string. For others that may be looking, I've heard that KS strings fit just fine but I've never been a big KS fan.
If others have replaced their stock strings with something that wraps at least two full times around the G string post I'd be interested to hear about it.
Well, it's not great.
If you're lucky one full wrap will work just fine. However, you do run the risk of the string slipping on the tuner peg and going flat or worse yet, not even being able to come up to pitch. If you dig in hard or accidentally tune past a G you run the risk of slipping as well. From a gigging standpoint one wrap isn't enough for me, too many things can go wrong in mid song. Good form is two or three wraps, more than that and you're kind of getting into the ridiculous, less than that and you're in the sublime.
Not great...
Doesn't seem to cause problems for me. Of course, when I change strings, I tend to maintain a lot of tension on it with my right hand while turning the tuner with my left. Maybe that's why.
If one wrap or less works for you its pure luck. You should buy a lottery ticket!
I really wish they could make these in a non-reverse.
If Epi did that, plus this current bass, they'd def' help Gibson's financial issues AND us all!
A vintage color NR would be awesome!
In fact it would be really cool if the marketing folks at Fender and Gibson put their guns down for a minute and came out with a joint offering in the form of a Fenderbird like Entwistle used to play. Guitar center could broker the deal and be the exclusive distributor. At $1,500 or less I'd buy one!
Then again, if a frog had wings...
In fact it would be really cool if the marketing folks at Fender and Gibson put their guns down for a minute and came out with a joint offering in the form of a Fenderbird like Entwistle used to play. Guitar center could broker the deal and be the exclusive distributor. At $1,500 or less I'd buy one!
Then again, if a frog had wings...
I just ordered it in from my local store. It seems like whomever entered it into their system did it so you can't see it or search it on their site. They have them though. Mine came from their warehouse.
I dunno, one to one and a half wraps is kinda how many I've had for years.If one wrap or less works for you its pure luck. You should buy a lottery ticket!
Does it fit in the Pro Go without putting pressure on the headstock? I'm still looking for a better solution than the hardcase (too heavy and cumbersome for NYC trains)
I tried the Gator Transit Bass gig bag and it didn't fit at all initially. After using the Transit bag with my ASAT bass for a while to break it in, I tried putting the Thunderbird in headstock first (learning from the hardshell case). I managed to get it squeeze it in there, but it puts a lot of pressure on the top of headstock and tuners. The sides narrow as the bag is stretched lengthwise. If I zip it up all the way, the neck isn't in equilibrium with the truss rod and I feel like the tuners will bend from the sideways pressure if I leave it in there too long.
I've recently bought a "Premium Thunderbird" gig bag - the ones advertised with Extra thick padding on amazon and ebay. The Vintage Pro fits in there with room to spare, which is both good and bad (slides around a little bit with the bag zipped up). It has a bad outgas odor that still hasn't dissipated. The internal material feels a bit like rough nylon - Epiphone's poly finish is probably tough enough to not get scratched by it, but I'd feel a lot better if it had an actual soft lining material. The backpack straps are poorly padded, but the side handle is pretty good. Zippers feel cheap, but they haven't skipped teeth (yet).
Thanks for the heads up! I went to my local L&M today and ordered one in Alpine White. There were 4 available in that colour at the time I placed the order so now there's only 3 left.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,904
- 142,321
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
That's a Gibson Blackbird case, same size as the standard Gibson. The Epiphone Vintage Pro fits, barely.
Just a quick update on my tuning peg wrap concern.
Looks like DR Silver Stars (basically DR Black Beauties but in a silver wrap vs Black) fit the G string position just fine. Here's a pic of the DR SS strings installed. The G and D strings were uncut and the A and E strings were trimmed a bit. All pegs now have 3 or 4 wraps, so I'm a happy camper.
As a side benefit - the overly bright nature of the bass was largely a function of the stock strings. The top end has been effectively brought under control with the DR SS strings. An important note though - the DR strings have a much lower tension than the stock strings, I had to back the truss rod off about three quarters of a turn to get proper relief back in the neck. The DRs are not floppy but they are noticeably lower tension than the stock strings.
Anybody have a clue what brand the stock strings are?
Looks like DR Silver Stars (basically DR Black Beauties but in a silver wrap vs Black) fit the G string position just fine. Here's a pic of the DR SS strings installed. The G and D strings were uncut and the A and E strings were trimmed a bit. All pegs now have 3 or 4 wraps, so I'm a happy camper.
As a side benefit - the overly bright nature of the bass was largely a function of the stock strings. The top end has been effectively brought under control with the DR SS strings. An important note though - the DR strings have a much lower tension than the stock strings, I had to back the truss rod off about three quarters of a turn to get proper relief back in the neck. The DRs are not floppy but they are noticeably lower tension than the stock strings.
Anybody have a clue what brand the stock strings are?
Got a black one last week b/c it showed 8lbs 3 oz on Sweetwater's scale and I had the funds. Never had a black one before. Had two SB '64's, a SB '63, and a SB '76 back when I had long hair and spandex(1970's), all sold in 1989 to move to Texas. The '76 got sold about a year or 2 after I got it(NEW) because the older ones blew it out of the water...IMO.
Since my TB got here, it's been mostly the Thunderbird(bandleader LOVES it and how it fits "our sound") and the Fender P get taken to gigs.
Allen wrench should have come with your bass unless you were so excited you threw it out with the box. All I've done on mine is put my strings(light gauge) on, loosen the truss rod 1/8th of a turn(if needed), and raise the G-string side of the bridge about 1/2 a turn. A new Embassy needed the most tweaks. It was not from Sweetwater and seems to have not been touched since the factory.....AND it came with the truss rod cover and screws missing. Dealer is making good on that by having Epi send those to me.
And one more reason to buy some more Epi T-Birds while you can. Like the original Steinberger brand when it was turned from real to wooden, so too these great T-Birds we have TODAY may be not available tomorrow if some accountant or alleged "manager" deems them not profitable enough. SMH.
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