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The New Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V

#301
Got my epi pro 5 today. Beautiful bass, unfortunately I'm going to have to send it back. The blend knob isn't wired correctly, it only works at the center detent and then tapers to off at each end of the knob, so instead of being able to have just the bridge or neck pickup, it cuts off all together. Very strange, also a lot of hum and one of the pickup screws was already stipped, probably when they replaced the pickups or something. Other than that, I was very impressed with the build quality and fit/finish. It's a beautiful intstrument and feels very substantial. It's a solid bass, the obvious weak point is the electronics but I guess that's the best place for a weak point IMO.

Anyway, I'm going to send it back and try another one.
 
#302
A couple weeks before X-Mas, music123.com had a 20% off sale and I found a Thunderbird Pro 5 in their used section for $380. It was a "level 3" product, meaning that it showed some wear but still had a 45 day return option with it. I took a change on it and got for a little less then $350 (they charge shipping on the "used" stuff, and this was oversized so it was about $40.) I have been very pleasantly surprised with this instrument. None of the pickup problems of the earlist 5's. In fact, no problems at all that I could find. It does have a small paint chip on the top edge of the front, right where your arm rests. For this small "wear", I saved over $250! The bass plays better then expected AND sounds much better then expected. My only complaints are 1) I had read in someone's posting earlier that they thought the neck was reallly wide, so I was expecting the 3" spacing that Epi used on the Les Paul 5's and EB5's a few years ago, but this actually has a 2 11/16 spacing from end to end, and 2) the transparent black finish is almost totally opaque. Unless you are right next to it and shine a light on it, it appears to be solid black. I should add, while I haven't actually measured it, its weight is noticably lighter then my '76 T-bird (and this is a 5 string.)
 
#303
SMG said:
A couple weeks before X-Mas, music123.com had a 20% off sale and I found a Thunderbird Pro 5 in their used section for $380. It was a "level 3" product, meaning that it showed some wear but still had a 45 day return option with it. I took a change on it and got for a little less then $350 (they charge shipping on the "used" stuff, and this was oversized so it was about $40.) I have been very pleasantly surprised with this instrument. None of the pickup problems of the earlist 5's. In fact, no problems at all that I could find. It does have a small paint chip on the top edge of the front, right where your arm rests. For this small "wear", I saved over $250! The bass plays better then expected AND sounds much better then expected. My only complaints are 1) I had read in someone's posting earlier that they thought the neck was reallly wide, so I was expecting the 3" spacing that Epi used on the Les Paul 5's and EB5's a few years ago, but this actually has a 2 11/16 spacing from end to end, and 2) the transparent black finish is almost totally opaque. Unless you are right next to it and shine a light on it, it appears to be solid black. I should add, while I haven't actually measured it, its weight is noticably lighter then my '76 T-bird (and this is a 5 string.)
Click to expand...

yeah, mine didn't seem very heavy either. Also, that bridge is really heavy duty. I will do another review when I get my replacement, hopefully by the first of next week.
 
#304
2009-12-3114_48_20.jpg


Just picked it up!! $479 with case
 
#308
Xavier Knox said:
I'm no expert and if I'm wrong someone please correct me but this sounds like a grounding issue.
Click to expand...

I own a Pro IV, been down this road.

I checked the electronics cavity and found nothing out of order. Then I detuned the strings and took off the bridge. The grounding wire was just laying there, not attached to anything. I stripped off a bit of add'l insulation and looped the wire around one of the bridge screws. When I put everything back together & plugged it in, this minor repair seemed to help...but still not silent.

A couple of weeks later, I had had it with the original strings, & changed them for my favorite: GHS Boomers. That change seemed to quiet down the hiss/buzz also. Don't know how, or why, but it did. Still not perfect, but much better.

Between those 2 modifications I'd say I eliminated about 2/3rds of the issue. The extra noise the bass makes gets lost behind all the hissing the guitarist's Marshall makes, so nobody notices the bass...just like when we're playing!:bassist:
 
#309
bassplayer8953 said:
I own a Pro IV, been down this road.

I checked the electronics cavity and found nothing out of order. Then I detuned the strings and took off the bridge. The grounding wire was just laying there, not attached to anything. I stripped off a bit of add'l insulation and looped the wire around one of the bridge screws. When I put everything back together & plugged it in, this minor repair seemed to help...but still not silent.

A couple of weeks later, I had had it with the original strings, & changed them for my favorite: GHS Boomers. That change seemed to quiet down the hiss/buzz also. Don't know how, or why, but it did. Still not perfect, but much better.

Between those 2 modifications I'd say I eliminated about 2/3rds of the issue. The extra noise the bass makes gets lost behind all the hissing the guitarist's Marshall makes, so nobody notices the bass...just like when we're playing!:bassist:
Click to expand...

that's interesting that the new (better) strings made a difference...I wondered if that might help, I have a new set ready to go on but I don't want to put them on just yet in case I decide to send this one back and try a third one from MF. I checked the ground wire under the bridge and it seemed to be making good contact. I'm also waiting on an email back from Epiphone. I really like this bass but I want it to be perfectly quiet. The overall construction of this bass is great and totally worth the money, I just seem to be having electronics issues.
 
#311
Just purchased another Epiphone thunderbird Pro 5 stringer and this 2nd one is used so got her fairly cheap. It does have the bad pickups on it and right now gibson epiphone will not sell the replacement pickups for me to put on so does anyone out there have a idea on what active pickups I should install that are around the same demensions as these?
 
#312
thunder Wiegert said:
Just purchased another Epiphone thunderbird Pro 5 stringer and this 2nd one is used so got her fairly cheap. It does have the bad pickups on it and right now gibson epiphone will not sell the replacement pickups for me to put on so does anyone out there have a idea on what active pickups I should install that are around the same demensions as these?
Click to expand...

When first dealing with the buzz/hum issue I looked into pickups, and I believe that EMG has pickups available that are dimensionally close, if not exact replacement.

But check the bridge grounding & replacing the strings first (see my post above) might save you some $$$. If not, you're not out anything except a bit of time.
 
#313
Just purchased another Epiphone thunderbird Pro 5 stringer and this 2nd one is used so got her fairly cheap. It does have the bad pickups on it and right now gibson epiphone will not sell the replacement pickups for me to put on so does anyone out there have a idea on what active pickups I should install that are around the same demensions as these?
Click to expand...

Wiegert, I am not sure which pickups you should get, but I am sure I have read that TBird1958 knows that answer! I believe he has posted in one of the TB forums, possibly http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8664432, or maybe http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=504684, I am not too sure!

In any case, good luck! =]
 
#314
Yea I checked for the grounding under the bridge and it has good contact, although I think it is the pickups since they are doing the same as my 1st bass did with the low b string having very low output. I did check around for pickups and the EMG35P active pickups were recommended for replacements for this bass (by a source that had already done this) since the size of this EMG will fit and is made this type of application for 5 string basses. the person I talked to said they actually sound better than the originals so I may have to check them out.
Thanks for all the input from everyone on this!
I will send a updated post when and if I decide to go this route.
 
#316
So lemme get this straight.......these basses are thru neck (like the Gibsons), with active electronics (better than the Gibsons), better pickups than the Gibsons, and from the looks of it, brighter woods than the Gibsons. So do they sound BETTER than the Gibsons? I had a Gibson Thunderbird for a while, and it was a cool looking bass, but I could never get the sound I wanted out of it, no matter how I EQ'd it. In the end I sold it and got a Rex Brown signature. Anyhow, back to my main point; how do they stack up against the Gibson Thunderbirds?
 
#317
LCMBassist said:
So lemme get this straight.......these basses are thru neck (like the Gibsons), with active electronics (better than the Gibsons), better pickups than the Gibsons, and from the looks of it, brighter woods than the Gibsons. So do they sound BETTER than the Gibsons? I had a Gibson Thunderbird for a while, and it was a cool looking bass, but I could never get the sound I wanted out of it, no matter how I EQ'd it. In the end I sold it and got a Rex Brown signature. Anyhow, back to my main point; how do they stack up against the Gibson Thunderbirds?
Click to expand...

Yes the Pro's are active, and no, they don't sound better than a Gibson Tbird (IMO...I have both). Gibson birds have huge tone for a bass with passive p'ups. Way more punch than a Fender P or J...IMO. The idea is you have to control it, which means setting things flat on your amp, and building from there. If you keep trying to add more (bass, treble...etc) you can wind up with a pretty unpleasant sound IMO... been there, done that, made those mistakes, not any more.

The Pro, set flat, has tone more like an older Tbird: no as much punch, not as much bass, more laid back. Rolling on more bass & treble adds to that somewhat, but still doesn't match the Gibson sound, IMO. More like typical Asian produced active electronics...not bad, but still not the character of the real deal.
 
#318
Hey there everybody :) This is my first post...
Anyway, I just got a T-bird Pro Trans Black IV. I'm not very satisfied with it's looks. It looks so boring compared to Epiphones official promo shots. I'm thinking about returning it for a Vintage Sunburst, however i'm afraid to do so if the ones on the marked ALSO differs totally from the promo-shots.. for instance being much more bright and with less dark edge.
I'v seen a few pictures custumer has taken which indicates it doesn't look at all like in the Epi-homepage.

I was wondering if someone had a t-bird pro IV Vintage Sunburst, who could take a couple of quality pictures of it with a set whitebalance?
No shops here in copenhagen carries this model :-/

Thanks allot in Advance! :)

J
 
#319
Strycnostic said:
Hey there everybody :) This is my first post...
Anyway, I just got a T-bird Pro Trans Black IV. I'm not very satisfied with it's looks. It looks so boring compared to Epiphones official promo shots. I'm thinking about returning it for a Vintage Sunburst, however i'm afraid to do so if the ones on the marked ALSO differs totally from the promo-shots.. for instance being much more bright and with less dark edge.
I'v seen a few pictures custumer has taken which indicates it doesn't look at all like in the Epi-homepage.

I was wondering if someone had a t-bird pro IV Vintage Sunburst, who could take a couple of quality pictures of it with a set whitebalance?
No shops here in copenhagen carries this model :-/

Thanks allot in Advance! :)

J
Click to expand...

If it's too much of a hassle to return the Pro you have, consider replacing the black pick guard with a chrome one. There are numerous choices on ebay, with truss rod covers to match. I'd agree that the black on black scheme could tend to fade into the background, although the black guard looks killer on my natural oil Pro. Chrome will make it stand out, and it screams "METAL!!!"

(assuming that's what you're looking for)
 
#320
Strycnostic said:
Hey there everybody :) This is my first post...
Anyway, I just got a T-bird Pro Trans Black IV. I'm not very satisfied with it's looks. It looks so boring compared to Epiphones official promo shots. I'm thinking about returning it for a Vintage Sunburst, however i'm afraid to do so if the ones on the marked ALSO differs totally from the promo-shots.. for instance being much more bright and with less dark edge.
I'v seen a few pictures custumer has taken which indicates it doesn't look at all like in the Epi-homepage.

I was wondering if someone had a t-bird pro IV Vintage Sunburst, who could take a couple of quality pictures of it with a set whitebalance?
No shops here in copenhagen carries this model :-/

Thanks allot in Advance! :)

J
Click to expand...

ya liek the sunburst on the normal Thunderbird looked so good in pics and so bad in real life
 

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