P-bass vs. T-Bird

[PhR75]

I made these two short comparison clips of these two basses:

T-Bird (Epiphone Vintage Pro) has only the neck pickup on. All the settings were the same between basses. In the clean clip T-Bird first, in the dirty P-Bass first.

What's the point? For fun and also for how close they eventually sound. Especially in the clip with overdrive, without the P-bass I could be fooled that the T-Bird was a Precision. In fact when I first heard Cheap Trick's debut album I thought Tom Petersson used a Precision on it.

With a modern Gibson Thunderbird neck pickup location the difference would be bigger as it is closer to the neck than on a 60's style Thunderbird.

 

[Bass V]

in a similar vein I went from a P obsession to favoring my Epi 'Bird then to their Explorer of which each share the same non-classic TB PUs because they give a beefier P tone and push things harder to get some natural brutality going. it seems the classics do the same, what type of fuzz do you use here? I get cracking velcro disto via the Duncan Lava Box.

 

[PhR75]

The OD is Bad Monkey.

 

[Thumper]

My ThunderP and ThunderJ have higher highs and lower lows, plus snarl where the P growls. I only play ThunderThings, the Ps are nice wall art though. Here's my ThunderP:

 

[PhR75]

I also forgot to mention that this was not a DI recording. I used a cab sim IR (Gallien Krueger 4x10 from Dr. Bonkers). Suncoast Triple Band EQ and SD Studio Bass comp were also in the signal path. Might have something to do with the highs and lows...
The overdriven sound would have been horrible without the simulator.

I made a quick DI clip too. Clean only.

 

[poochiecheeks]

Tbird neck pickup is my favorite neck pu sound ever- totally different flavor to a P bass I think

 

[Iristone]

A Thunderbird neck pickup can get lots of that P-bass vibe, all the while being even fatter with a round bottom end. I went with one for this reason, plus its slim neck profile feels better to me than a chunky P-neck.

 

[Londo Molari]

Do another clip with both of the Tbird pups on. That's when the magic happens.

 

[PhR75]

Do another clip with both of the Tbird pups on. That's when the magic happens.

Yes, why not but then I should compare it to a Jazz Bass maybe? Which is possible and since I did this for fun too so why not indeed.
I usually play the T-Bird with both pickups on and am a big fan of that sound.

I'd also like to compare the Vintage Pro to a modern style Gibson Thunderbird where the pickup locations differ (mainly the neck pickup is closer to the neck). Or to the new Epiphone Embassy which has the same pickups but the neck pickup again is closer to the neck than on the 60s version. Unfortunately I don't have those basses.

 

[MtManiac]

I bought a Vintage Pro a few years back and also found that it sounded a lot like my P basses in the mix, but only when played with a light attack - with a heavier attack, it had its own thing going on, a beautiful, gorgeous, angry, snarling, thing and the bridge pickup just gave it a little sparkle on the top, without adding a bunch of treble I didn’t want. They’re very nice pickups indeed!

 

[MtManiac]

Yes, why not but then I should compare it to a Jazz Bass maybe? Which is possible and since I did this for fun too so why not indeed.
I usually play the T-Bird with both pickups on and am a big fan of that sound.

I'd also like to compare the Vintage Pro to a modern style Gibson Thunderbird where the pickup locations differ (mainly the neck pickup is closer to the neck). Or to the new Epiphone Embassy which has the same pickups but the neck pickup again is closer to the neck than on the 60s version. Unfortunately I don't have those basses.

I also have an Embassy - it does sound different from the Tbird with the same pickups, but the neck pickup is lower then the bridge pickup, and at least in mine, there are no springs or sponge to raise it with. I put some springs in but it didn’t help much.

 

[PhR75]

I also have an Embassy - it does sound different from the Tbird with the same pickups, but the neck pickup is lower then the bridge pickup, and at least in mine, there are no springs or sponge to raise it with. I put some springs in but it didn’t help much.

Put some foam there preferably.
Have you measured the neck pickup location and how much it differs from the VP's neck pickup location?

 

[PhR75]

I also have this Franken Tele bass which has pickups almost exactly in the same positions as the Vintage Pro T-Bird.

So, here's one neck pickup comparison until Jan Hammer wants his riff back. The Tele has a reversed P-pickup in that large cover.
Tele first, T-bird second.

 

[PhR75]

And since a clip with both pickups was ordered and promised I made them from those two. I also have a Tele with two T-Bird pickups which would have made an interesting variation but it's not at home at the moment.
The Franken Tele has a Tesla MM pickup in the bridge position, neck pickup is a Dimarzio. No settings were changed between basses.

 

[PhR75]

Scrap the OD clips, they both are from the Franken Tele despite what the name says. The overdrive doesn't make them sound that alike...
I'll do new ones a bit later.