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Replacement Strings for my Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V 5-String Bass

M

MrDaggger

Guest
Dec 29, 2017
2
0
#1
Hey All,

Anyone who plays this bass, have you had problems with the low B-string (gauge 125, 130, or 135), fitting through bridge channel?

Epiphone Thunderbird Pro-V Bass

I just bought the bass used and went to Guitar Center to buy a new set of strings. Buy a new bass, install new strings.

The guitar repair tech and I tried every set of strings in the store (11 sets/6 manufacturers) attempting to get a B-string that fits through the "thread through channel" at the bridge. The issue is the finishing wind on the string is too thick to fit through the channel, so I CAN thread the whole string through but, once I hit the last 2 inches of the string it gets hung up.

I have several aggressive options such as filing out the channel to widen it, but if someone, who uses this actual model bass, has a recommendation that doesn't require guitar modification, I would love to hear it. It's not like the guitar is super rare, and I called Gibson customer service and they've never heard of the problem, so there has to be a solution.

Thanks,
MrDaggger
 
#3
I recently bought the same bass, but haven't replaced the strings yet due to a different bridge issue. For some reason the previous owner replaced one of the saddles with a Gotoh-style saddle (just a bulkier version of the cylindrical fender precision saddles), and I want to get a new saddle before replacing strings. For the life of me, I can't find any info about this bridge at all! So no luck with saddles as a result.

My mid-late nineties Cort 5 string fretless has an almost identical bridge (baseplate is identical from what I can tell, the only difference us the saddles dont have those silver bits in them), but still no info to be found.

I have however had similar issues to you with the B string. Currently I have an Elixir 135 in there, which was a bit of a pain, but did go in. Prior to that its been 10 years since I changed strings (went overseas, left bass behind), and I can't recall if I filed it out. I may have - perhaps not the slot though, just the hole, so I thread the strings through rather than slotting them in (if that makes sense?).

I also used to use something similar to the Rotosound PSD 99's. These have a much narrower string end on the ball-end, the narrower bit also going over the saddle. I recall them actually being pretty nice sounding & feeling strings too. Something like that would fit without any bridge modifications. Just search for the above or "piano style" strings.
 
#4
Hey! Same issue here!. I tried several different options for strings. I got Ernie Ball Super Slinky Bass 5 and the B string (125) fit; however, when I replaced them the second time with another set of the same strings, it didn't! I guess no 2 sets of strings are exactly the same. I have been playing my bass with the B string on that awkward position since. I plan to replace the current set of strings soon, and will again buy the same. Try my luck. If you get a better solution, please let us know!
 

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