The Epiphone Thunderbird Club (Part 2)

[marko57]

My Epi Thunderbird, request to come aboard!

 

[Haji]

Its a work in progress. Gonna take a while to get it where I want it, and that may include repainting it. Haven't decided that yet, but there is more chrome lookin' stuff to come.
Link Removed

 

[Chris.Spurrier]

This is my Thunderbird.. I bought it back in 06 i believe and it started life as a "gothic" model... The day I bought it, I tom it apart spray painted it this green color and played the shot out of it.. There was a period of 3 years or so when it sat in a hot storage space, uncased., when she came out the neck was straight as an arrow. It has been thrown on the ground.. Stepped on and just all around abused and it is solid as a rock. One of the major falls drove the instrument cable completely through the body.. I cut out a piece of a white pickguard and made a little plate for the jack.. This bass is a killer.. Absolute killer

 

[Haji]

I have had, once again, the ferrules start to pull free from the body. This is after I glued them in with two part epoxy. So, what I'm wondering is, is the Pro bridge available as a separate part? Instead of fighting with the three point mounting system, I am considering top mounting a traditional style bridge and being done with it.

 

[Nocturnal]

This is my Thunderbird.. I bought it back in 06 i believe and it started life as a "gothic" model... The day I bought it, I tom it apart spray painted it this green color and played the shot out of it.. There was a period of 3 years or so when it sat in a hot storage space, uncased., when she came out the neck was straight as an arrow. It has been thrown on the ground.. Stepped on and just all around abused and it is solid as a rock. One of the major falls drove the instrument cable completely through the body.. I cut out a piece of a white pickguard and made a little plate for the jack.. This bass is a killer.. Absolute killer

That looks bad ass!!

 

[Nocturnal]

I have had, once again, the ferrules start to pull free from the body. This is after I glued them in with two part epoxy. So, what I'm wondering is, is the Pro bridge available as a separate part? Instead of fighting with the three point mounting system, I am considering top mounting a traditional style bridge and being done with it.

I'm sure you can find either the Pro bridge or something similar to work on it. If yours is a Goth it would be easy enough to dowel the insert holes and smooth out the surface and touch up the paint. With a Goth you could paint the raised center strip a different color to resemble a racing stripe. If it is the burst model, that would be harder to hide.

 

[Haji]

Its the Goth. I don't particularly care what that one looks like, although I did repaint it flat black. The work is easy, its the math (placement and bridge height) that I'm unsure about.

 

[Nocturnal]

When I rebuilt the Goth I used this type of ABM style bridge:

Chrome 4 String Bass Guitar Bridge with Screws Spanner Wholesale Parts | eBay

Works well enough but pretty sure there was a neck shim involved. The action is really low but the E string saddle is raised pretty high. I was thinking about switching that bridge up for the Schaller Roller bridge. Those came stock on my Hamer's and I really like those bridges. Those have a riser plate that can be added or not, depending on what is called for with the bass in question.

New Schaller High Mass 4 String Bass Bridge Black Adjustable w Rollers Badass | eBay

 

[Haji]

That's what I had in mind. Thanks, Noc! Much appreciated.

 

[LowNloud1]

I have one and I am happy with it. I like the neck and the humbuckers. I had to replace a tuner but they are easy to find. I use it at practice and get nice mids from it. Bought used for 160. Had a ding but it's a solid bass. Seems like the prices are rising on used ones.

 

[Nocturnal]

That's what I had in mind. Thanks, Noc! Much appreciated.

You could also try adding small shims cut from toothpicks and adding those in with the bridge inserts. That and more epoxy might make it grab better. Just a thought.

 

[Haji]

I pretty well dislike the three point bridges and would rather have a traditional bridge design with adjustability.

 

[jacoby75]

Hey guys,

In searching the threads, I have seen some positive reviews of both the older Epiphone Thunderbird Classic Pro (not to be confused with the pro with the active electronics) and the new Thunderbird Vintage Pro. But can anyone actually compare them to each other? Does anyone own both? Apart from the obvious hardware differences, how would you compare the sound of them? I have listened to the reviews by Chris Catero on youtube, and it's hard to distinguish the difference. If anything, perhaps the new vintage pro sounds a bit brighter/harsher (not in a bad way). Maybe a little thinner compared to the classic pro with the actual Gibson pickups. I don't have a guitar store near me at which to compare them. Nobody around even has the new Vintage models in stock where I could try one out.

I know "better" is all relative and subjective, but what are your thoughts?

Thanks

 

[C_Becker]

Just got my (used) Gothic Thunderbird. Seems to be an older, Korean model.
After cleaning it up a bit and setting it up, it turns out to be a great bass.
Surprisingly low action and good sustain.

Just the pickups aren't really that great, and they are the weird, rectangular ones.
Can anyone help me find some pickup rings that fit EMG TB sized pickups, so I can swap those in ?
Epiphone Thunderbird, rectangular pickups

 

[SpoonySmalls]

Heres my Epi Tbird Pro V w his TMB sibling! New here and finding all the cool clubs to be in!

 

[portaflexer]

I sold my Epi 'bird several years ago when I was moving and just wanted one less thing to move. I've kicked myself since because I really miss it and -despite having a really great crop of basses - nothing else handles like a Thunderbird. It's on my list of things to buy again when I find the right price on the right one. I stay subbed to this thread to torture myself. LOL.