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Silverburst Thunderbird

#21
gaffster787 said:
Gunner, mine was picked up used at MF. I got it immediately within an hour of seeing it because I thought it would not last. I looked for two months after seeing one on the Gibson website. I was kinda peeved because I think it's been up there forever...what's the deal?

IMHO the chrome silverburst does not sound like my 2007 gibson. With Roto 66's the silverburst sounds more like my 1994 MIJ Jazz bass. Nice clarity, piano type sound. The output is not a hot or as deep/dark as the 2007 gibby. I moved the strap button to the neck heel and it has zero dive now.
I paid a measley $240 for the silverburst and it may be the best deal I ever made for a bass.
Honestly my old standard epi t-bird is a bit "muddy" on the low end. It is my least favorite of ten basses. The fit and finish of this older Korean made bass is beautiful and I am thinking of changing out the pickups..maybe with a music man pup at the bridge. I bet that's all it needs.
Being a t-bird freak, I also have an epi-goth bass ($170 used from GC). It sounds great, sorta more on the deeper darker tone (like the gibsons) than my other epi's. You can slap it, pick it, or pluck it, etc. the neck is rock solid.
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I finally tracked one down at a MF outlet but I had to order it sight unseen so I really don't know if I'm getting the chromed out one or the one with the black hardware. Did you ever see the blacked out one in person or just in pictures? I'd still really like to know if there were two runs of them or if they put them together with whatever happened to be on hand that day. I really hope it is the chrome one.

I guess I have more money than sense. (Very little of either really) I'm just a guy who loves music and decided to learn to play in middle age. I guess I should worry more about learning how to play well than how my guitars look but I like what I like. :help:

Gunner
 
#22
Gunner77 said:
I finally tracked one down at a MF outlet but I had to order it sight unseen so I really don't know if I'm getting the chromed out one or the one with the black hardware. Did you ever see the blacked out one in person or just in pictures? I'd still really like to know if there were two runs of them or if they put them together with whatever happened to be on hand that day. I really hope it is the chrome one.

I guess I have more money than sense. (Very little of either really) I'm just a guy who loves music and decided to learn to play in middle age. I guess I should worry more about learning how to play well than how my guitars look but I like what I like. :help:

Gunner
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I'd like to know the same thing as I'm having major gas pains.
 
#24
Gunner77 said:
I finally tracked one down at a MF outlet but I had to order it sight unseen so I really don't know if I'm getting the chromed out one or the one with the black hardware. Did you ever see the blacked out one in person or just in pictures? I'd still really like to know if there were two runs of them or if they put them together with whatever happened to be on hand that day. I really hope it is the chrome one.

I guess I have more money than sense. (Very little of either really) I'm just a guy who loves music and decided to learn to play in middle age. I guess I should worry more about learning how to play well than how my guitars look but I like what I like. :help:

Gunner
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i didn't actually ever see a blacked-out Silverburst, but i called MF and asked the salesperson, and yep they said the silverbursts in stock had black pickups and HW- so i said no thanks- until i found the used one (they had actual pics online). I hope you luck out. If not they will show up on ebay or GC used or MF used, just like the white ones do from time to time. I was jones-in for that one as well but missed out. In a way when you get a limited run epi-bird, seems you can always sell it for more than you paid, if you wait a bit.
 
#25
Ok, can I get a little clarity from some current silverburst owners? I purchased the bass moonshine had for sale earlier in the thread after having no luck elsewhere. I purchased it for its beauty, but was hoping it would have a darker sound similar to the goth. I have a geddy Lee now and after reading gaffster787's post saying sounds like his jazz bass, I am bordering on disappiontment. I gave more for the guitar than I care to admit just because I loved the look....but man was I looking forward to a different sound. Little feedback please, does it at least sound more like a standard epi bird than a jazz????
 
#26
Gunner77 said:
I finally tracked one down at a MF outlet but I had to order it sight unseen so I really don't know if I'm getting the chromed out one or the one with the black hardware. Did you ever see the blacked out one in person or just in pictures? I'd still really like to know if there were two runs of them or if they put them together with whatever happened to be on hand that day. I really hope it is the chrome one.

I guess I have more money than sense. (Very little of either really) I'm just a guy who loves music and decided to learn to play in middle age. I guess I should worry more about learning how to play well than how my guitars look but I like what I like. :help:

Gunner
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Well the Silverburst T-Bird was waiting for me when I got home from work today. I almost had a heart attack when I saw the conditon of the box it came in. The outer box was large but a lot of the tape was coming loose. There was not a ton of packing material. Very loosely packed. The condition of the inner Epiphone box was even worse. The bottom end of the box was ripped out and had been taped back together. I steeled myself for the worst but then I cut the tape I pulled out a beautiful Silverburst T-Bird in perfect condition! The best part of it was that it was the chromed out version! :hyper:

I plugged it in and tuned it up. I realize it is a $300 dollar bass and it needs a setup done on it but the tone was very bright and twangy. Not what I expected at all after having played around with a Goth T-Bird. :rollno: My Fender Aerodyne P-bass is a lot more ballsy out of the same amp and it hasn't had a setup done on it yet either.

Being a novice bass player I need some advice. When I get the setup done which way do the pickups need to be adjusted to get a deeper sound? Should I have different strings put on it from the start? I am not experienced enough to know what brand/style to even put on it. Given the initial sound that came from it I would not be surprised if it is true that it has guitar pickups in it. I'm very confused. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Gunner
 
#27
Gunner77 said:
I have been scouring the internet and nobody seems to have them. I missed one on ebay a few days ago. I was assuming because they were "limited edition" that maybe they were all gone. Maybe they just haven't got into circulation yet. Can somebody enlighten me?

Gunner
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I saw one on ebay 4 or so days ago for about $250 after shipping. I was seriously considering picking it up but I have a Pelham Blue already and am working on other endeavors. I think there may have been another up as well. Check it out.
 
#28
Gunner77 said:
Well the Silverburst T-Bird was waiting for me when I got home from work today. I almost had a heart attack when I saw the conditon of the box it came in. The outer box was large but a lot of the tape was coming loose. There was not a ton of packing material. Very loosely packed. The condition of the inner Epiphone box was even worse. The bottom end of the box was ripped out and had been taped back together. I steeled myself for the worst but then I cut the tape I pulled out a beautiful Silverburst T-Bird in perfect condition! The best part of it was that it was the chromed out version! :hyper:

I plugged it in and tuned it up. I realize it is a $300 dollar bass and it needs a setup done on it but the tone was very bright and twangy. Not what I expected at all after having played around with a Goth T-Bird. :rollno: My Fender Aerodyne P-bass is a lot more ballsy out of the same amp and it hasn't had a setup done on it yet either.

Being a novice bass player I need some advice. When I get the setup done which way do the pickups need to be adjusted to get a deeper sound? Should I have different strings put on it from the start? I am not experienced enough to know what brand/style to even put on it. Given the initial sound that came from it I would not be surprised if it is true that it has guitar pickups in it. I'm very confused. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Gunner
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I've played a T-Bird direct from MF and boy, did it sound off due to the lack of set-up. Action was 10 feet high.
 
#30
michael_atw said:
I saw one on ebay 4 or so days ago for about $250 after shipping. I was seriously considering picking it up but I have a Pelham Blue already and am working on other endeavors. I think there may have been another up as well. Check it out.
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I have been keeping a pretty close eye on ebay since before Thanksgiving and I haven't seen a silverburst since Moonshines auction expired but thanks for the heads up.

Gunner
 
#33
Gunner77 said:
Being a novice bass player I need some advice. When I get the setup done which way do the pickups need to be adjusted to get a deeper sound? Should I have different strings put on it from the start? I am not experienced enough to know what brand/style to even put on it. Given the initial sound that came from it I would not be surprised if it is true that it has guitar pickups in it. I'm very confused. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Gunner
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well, getting the strings too close to pickups causes all sorts of issues (overtones, tuning issues, muddy) but too far away and your signal is weak and the low frequencies suffer. mess with the pups until you find the sweet spot after adjusting the bridge. Flatwound or tapewound strings usually sound deeper to me. t-bird 3-point bridges give you pretty good adjustment capability, but you have to get used to them falling apart when you loosen the strings, and try to keep the front screws sorta even height as the rear two screws or they get real tight and torqued up. I'm gonna go for flats. I'm betting it'll sound deeper and still be articulate. I actually wanted a brighter bird for certain songs. also it helps to cut back any string thread that touches the bridge saddles. yep- they are beautiful bass guitars, even if you have to tinker with em a bit..helps you get to know it well.
 
#34
Wow! All kinds of information here. AS for the Silverburst that I just sold (this is the only Silverburst that I have ever owned and I have never played a Goth model. I have owned both std. Epi & Gibson T-birds in the past); I found it to be a great playing & sounding bass (I bought mine locally, used). As I just told 3rdcurve (in an email), I used to play Jazz basses, but now I play P-basses due to J-basses being too bright for my ears. I'm not knocking J-basses. I love the way they look and play, I just find them to be brighter sounding than I prefer. Like I said in a previous posting; Tone is subjective. The Silverburst definitely did not strike me as being "bright, twangy or trebley". I usually roll off my (passive) tone control, I found that I didn't have to with the Silverburst. Also, as I have previously stated; No Epiphone T-bird is ever going to sound like a Gibson T-bird, too many differences. As for the pickups being guitar pickups; I did unscrewed the Silverbursts' bridge pickup (I didn't unsolder it) just to see if it was the same pickup as the Gibson L.P. Bass TB plus. It was not, but I didn't see anything that made me think it was a guitar pickup (I did not remove the cover). The overall output was slighty less than my P-bass, but I have a Seymour Duncan Quarter pounder in it, so that was to be expected. I really liked the Silverburst and I would have loved to have kept it. What I really want is to build a Fenderbird and the Silverburst was just too nice to cut up. Most likely, I will end up buying a Goth body on ebay or better yet, build my own body (like I'll ever have time to do that!). I love the Gibson 'Birds & will own another one someday. I see no reason to replace the bridge on any T-bird, unless you just don't like the Gibson style 3-point bridge. Once again, this is all my personal opinion, for what it's worth.

Moonshine :bassist:
 
#35
My question about strings still remains. Should I replace the stock Epiphone strings when I get the setup done or just have the bass setup and see how it sounds from there? In general are stock strings subpar be they Fender, Epiphone or another brand or does it just depend on the brand to begin with. Thanks.

Gunner
 
#37
Gunner77 said:
My question about strings still remains. Should I replace the stock Epiphone strings when I get the setup done or just have the bass setup and see how it sounds from there? In general are stock strings subpar be they Fender, Epiphone or another brand or does it just depend on the brand to begin with. Thanks.

Gunner
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Sure, I would replace the stock strings.

- I don't know what stock strings Epi puts on their basses, but I DO know that you never know what the stock strings have been through before you got that bass, even if the bass is new.

- I consider putting YOUR preferred strings on the bass to be part of making it YOUR instrument.

IMHO, of course.
 
#38
NortyFiner said:
Sure, I would replace the stock strings.

- I don't know what stock strings Epi puts on their basses, but I DO know that you never know what the stock strings have been through before you got that bass, even if the bass is new.

- I consider putting YOUR preferred strings on the bass to be part of making it YOUR instrument.

IMHO, of course.
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I'm neophyte enough to not know what my preferred strings are! :o

I do know a little bit about guns and I see guys that buy the biggest baddest weapons available with ultra modern sighting systems, glass bedding, trigger jobs and basically anything else you can spend money on and they still can't shoot because they have not practiced the basics of marksmanship. I don't want to be like that so I'm asking if the strings make that much difference or if I should just use the stock strings until I have practiced enough to be a better bassist or will after market strings help me to be a better bassist even if only a little bit?

Gunner
 
#39
3rdcurve said:
NOOOOOO!!!! Please say it aint so! But the time I swap pickups and the bridge I'll be half way to a Gibson.
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I took my T-Bird to the guitar shop today to have the setup done but the guy was too busy to take it in today so I'll have to go back next week. When I left there I stopped by a pawn shop where I go sometimes and i traded a .25 acp pocket pistol I had for an Ampeg BA-115 and a little Peavy Microbass practice amp. When I got home I plugged the T-Bird into the Ampeg and man there was a lot of difference in the sound compared to the Fender B-Dec I was playing it through before. Enough to alleviate a lot of my fears and hopefully yours too 3rdcurve. I guess the Epi didn't like the same settings I was using for my Aerodyne. It sounded a ton different and it still doesn't have a setup done on it. I feel a lot better now and I can't wait to get the setup done. The guy at the shop looked a the T-Bird and raised his eyebrows in shock and said "Man, you can't play that thing like that!". I picked up a set of Elixr coated strings I'm going to try on it.

Gunner
 

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