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New Epiphone Vintage Pro Thunderbird

Opinions?

  • A true thing of beauty

    Votes: 115 66.9%

  • Looks pretty cool

    Votes: 42 24.4%

  • It's alright I guess

    Votes: 8 4.7%

  • I'll pass thanks

    Votes: 6 3.5%

  • Wouldn't be seen dead with that thing

    Votes: 1 0.6%

  • Would buy if it weren't so goddamn big!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    172
#61
Jonathan C said:
I don't expect a bass from Sweetwater to need adjustments, I'll post mine when I get it Tuesday. Best of luck with your bass! You order a case?
Click to expand...

Thanks! I don’t fault them too much because a lot of set up can be subjective and based on playing style and preference. But the pick up height thing did kind of throw me. I did not order a case yet because I am waiting for the Epiphone model to go on sale, or to be available for that matter. A few online retailers carry it but don’t have it in stock.
 
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#62
As a PSA to the Canadian members here, even though the bass isn't listed on L&M's website, it is listed in their internal system so you can go to a store and order it there. I received mine yesterday, two weeks after placing the order.

My first choice for a Firebird or Thunderbird finish is usually Tobacco Sunburst, but I thought the Alpine White finish looked so striking that I decided to go with that instead. I'm glad I did - it really looks stunning.

Mine weighs in at 8.6 lbs. and feels very comfortable with a strap. It sounds like the intonation on the A string is out a bit but that's an easy fix. Otherwise it plays great - the action is well setup and no buzzing anywhere.

Cosmetically it looks fine except for a small flaw on the headstock near the E tuning peg - there's a piece of black that sticks out where it shouldn't. I don't care about that though.

The best part of this bass are the pickups. Oh. My. God. I plugged the Thunderbird into my large rig which was already set at a volume level that's comfortable when playing my other basses. But when I started playing the Thunderbird, the whole room started shaking! Holy cow. Now I know why they call it a THUNDERbird.

As for the strap, what type of strap would go best with a white Thunderbird - a white one of course! As it turns out, about a year ago I picked up a really nice padded white leather Levy's strap on an Amazon Lightning Deal. At the time I had no use for such a strap but I bought it because it was such a smoking deal, and I had the feeling that some day that strap would come in handy. Well, that day is today.

If getting the Thunderbird wasn't enough, yesterday I also adopted a 12 year old cat from the local Humane Society. I have a soft spot in my heart for senior cats and this one is a doll - and a total diva!

Thunderbird1.JPG


Thunderbird3.JPG


Thunderbird2.JPG


Jazz3-wpcf_425x425.jpg
 
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#64
ZenGuitarist said:
As a PSA to the Canadian members here, even though the bass isn't listed on L&M's website, it is listed in their internal system so you can go to a store and order it there. I received mine yesterday, two weeks after placing the order.

My first choice for a Firebird or Thunderbird finish is usually Tobacco Sunburst, but I thought the Alpine White finish looked so striking that I decided to go with that instead. I'm glad I did - it really looks stunning.

Mine weighs in at 8.6 lbs. and feels very comfortable with a strap. It sounds like the intonation on the A string is out a bit but that's an easy fix. Otherwise it plays great - the action is well setup and no buzzing anywhere.

Cosmetically it looks fine except for a small flaw on the headstock near the E tuning peg - there's a piece of black that sticks out where it shouldn't. I don't care about that though.

The best part of this bass are the pickups. Oh. My. God. I plugged the Thunderbird into my large rig which was already set at a volume level that's comfortable when playing my other basses. But when I started playing the Thunderbird, the whole room started shaking! Holy cow. Now I know why they call it a THUNDERbird.

As for the strap, what type of strap would go best with a white Thunderbird - a white one of course! As it turns out, about a year ago I picked up a really nice padded white leather Levy's strap on an Amazon Lightning Deal. At the time I had no use for such a strap but I bought it because it was such a smoking deal, and I had the feeling that some day that strap would come in handy. Well, that day is today.

If getting the Thunderbird wasn't enough, yesterday I also adopted a 12 year old cat from the local Humane Society. I have a soft spot in my heart for senior cats and this one is a doll - and a total diva!

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Click to expand...
Looks great in white! I got the same Levi's strap for mine in black for my Sunburst.
Good luck with your bass, I'm in love with mine too! Nothing else like it that's for sure. I had to lengthen the strap all the way to reach down the neck to the lowest frets. It's totally comfy though.
 
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#65
Jonathan C said:
I'm on Long Island too and couldn't find a VP either. Showed the picture of 4 tobacco bursts on Sweetwater to my girlfriend. She said pick one, it's your birthday present!
I'll have it Tuesday The case is on backorder, my sales guy there Michael shipped me a free gig bag till they come in.
Click to expand...
I'm curious to know what gig bag they shipped to you that fits the VP. I have yet to find one that can deal with the monstrous (but oh-so-cool) headstock.
 
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#66
hairypete1138 said:
I'm curious to know what gig bag they shipped to you that fits the VP. I have yet to find one that can deal with the monstrous (but oh-so-cool) headstock.
Click to expand...
A gig bag that did not fit! Sadly I never checked before I was ready to put the Thunderbird in it and was unable to take it out of the house. That day I discovered Musicians Friend had the case in stock so I ordered it. Received about 5 days later and it's a perfect fit.
 
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#67
Jonathan C said:
A gig bag that did not fit! Sadly I never checked before I was ready to put the Thunderbird in it and was unable to take it out of the house. That day I discovered Musicians Friend had the case in stock so I ordered it. Received about 5 days later and it's a perfect fit.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that. I already have a hard case from my classic pro that fits the VP but have been searching for a gig bag too. So far the only one that appears to fit the bill is the 30mm padded BC Rich gig bag intended for Warlocks etc.
 
#68
hairypete1138 said:
Thanks for that. I already have a hard case from my classic pro that fits the VP but have been searching for a gig bag too. So far the only one that appears to fit the bill is the 30mm padded BC Rich gig bag intended for Warlocks etc.
Click to expand...
Which hard case do you use? Do you know a model number? Please and thank you.
 
#70
Has anyone else noticed the bass Chris is playing in the Epiphone video has the black plastic mounting ring on the front pickup too? Evidently it was dropped on production models because mine certainly doesn't have one. Do any of you early buyers have the ring?
 
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#74
jd56hawk said:
Glad to know so many people bought them before Gibson upped the price last week.
Click to expand...
Dirty of Gibson to raise the price on a model with no new 2018 version. Fender at least has the decency to call something old by a new name! "American Original" what is original?? Are these new AVRI basses which were several hundred less?
Glad I got my Vintage Pro Tbird before the price increase, I love it!
 
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#80
jacoby75 said:
If they’re the same bass but different colors does that still count?
Click to expand...
I've got three Birds, one with the black TBird+ pickups in classic sunburst, a white one with some sort of chrome humbuckers no one seems to know much about (2011 Custom Shop limited edition), and a 5 string in natural oil finish. All three sound different from the others so I don't think of them as "the same bass". Really don't understand why anyone wants multiples of the same thing, variety is a lot more fun.
 
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