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NBD: Epiphone Thunderbird

mfbolton

mfbolton

Supporting Member
Oct 30, 2007
639
311
St. Louis, MO
#1
Picked up an Epiphone Thunderbird today. My new cover band plays several songs down tuned a half step, so I picked this up to be permanently tuned in Eb. I got a great deal. It was on clearance at Best Buy for $200! Saved a hundred bucks.

It is in really good shape, no usual store rash. Brought it home and took off the old strings, polished it up, and restrung with some D'Addario EXL160 medium gauge strings. I figured the heavier gauge would be good for tuning down.

I'm not a huge fan of poly finished necks, so I may end up sanding the finish off. I'll play it for a couple weeks before deciding though.
 

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#2
I picked up a strap and some strap locks at my local mom & pop. I got a nicely padded, wide strap because the 'Bird is pretty heavy. It does neck dive like a champ. But I'll only be playing it for 5 or 6 songs a night, so it shouldn't be too bad.
 
#5
I bought my Epi T-bird from my son, mainly so he could use the money to get himself a laptop. I figured I'd eventually sell the 'bird, but the more I played it, the more I liked it. No plans to sell it now. For $300, it's a good deal.
 
#9
PWRL said:
Good deal, hard to pass up at that rate.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I was shocked, as I had just seen one at Guitar Center with a big gash in the finish on one of the corners, and the best they offered was $269.

The Best Buy also had a Squier Classic Vibe Precision Bass in Sonic Blue for $260. I almost went with it, but I just finished putting together a P Bass, so I decided to do something different.
 
#10
mfbolton said:
Yeah. I was shocked, as I had just seen one at Guitar Center with a big gash in the finish on one of the corners, and the best they offered was $269.

The Best Buy also had a Squier Classic Vibe Precision Bass in Sonic Blue for $260. I almost went with it, but I just finished putting together a P Bass, so I decided to do something different.
Click to expand...

Sounds like right decision.
 
#11
Moving the strap button to the neck heel is the best way to help reduce neck dive. On Gibsons, the button is at the neck heel already - but I move both the end button and the neck button to "off center" positions which makes the bass rest almost vertically. I've done this with all of my Gibsons and my Epi and it works great for me.

tbirdstrapbuttons002.jpg


tbirdstrapbuttons001.jpg


Not the best picture - but I can let go of the neck and it stays pretty much as you see it. Note how the strap is actually connected closer to the lower horn.

551239_571951269485968_1077423519_n_zpsc6839ce8.jpg
 
#12
stiles72 said:
Moving the strap button to the neck heel is the best way to help reduce neck dive. On Gibsons, the button is at the neck heel already - but I move both the end button and the neck button to "off center" positions which makes the bass rest almost vertically. I've done this with all of my Gibsons and my Epi and it works great for me.

Not the best picture - but I can let go of the neck and it stays pretty much as you see it. Note how the strap is actually connected closer to the lower horn.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips. I moved the buttons today and it is much better!
 
#16
A bit of topic but pro 4 is a great bass
Love mine in black.
I think they are discontinued now by the classic pro 4.
Somebody posted that they had made theirs passive and had sound clips.
I tried out a classic one
The only difference apart from being made somewhere else was the bridge and being passive with the thunderbird pups.
I can get the same sound with the pro4 but you can get more sounds with the active.
 

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