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The New Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V
- Thread starter Zoidberg523
- Start date
Thanks allot for the pictures mate! 
So it's true.. in reality the sunburst looks no where near the one on the promo shots. ?
I see less dark edging and it looks overall more bright.
About the black version.. on the promo shots it seems it has blacked out edge like on a sunburst. but in reality. nothing.
Epiphone is really not selling the guitar on the promo-shots. It's rather crappy of them.
So it's true.. in reality the sunburst looks no where near the one on the promo shots. ?
I see less dark edging and it looks overall more bright.
About the black version.. on the promo shots it seems it has blacked out edge like on a sunburst. but in reality. nothing.
Epiphone is really not selling the guitar on the promo-shots. It's rather crappy of them.
Almost bought one today but I'm waiting to test run a Dean Eric Bass Signature Hillsboro. Anyone care to try to talk me out of waiting??
error in thinking active = better than passive....
'real' Gibby T-birds take some getting used to...but imho aren't even approached by these Epi Pro T-Birds...the old Epi Elites/Elitist were far far closer...these active 'birds are an entirely different beast...or bird of a very different feather...mind you I have only played them in store and have yet to own one...I owned and gigged (a ton) an '01 Gibby Bird that was only parted with to fund an asian/return home vacation as they are worth a ton in Korea...
this is exactly how my 5 string looks...and personally I think it looks tons better than the sunburst pics on the Epi website. I was actually really happy when mine arrived and it looked like this.
I have to agree with you, it's not even close to a Gibson bird. the active eq and different pickups ensure the epi pro will have it's own voice. but it's a nice bass on it's own anyway. fit and finish are pretty good although there's a few spots in the finish that are a little funky, if ya wanna nitpick.
the electronics are nothing like the originals but it sounds nice. it offers a wide range of tones from old school thump to high end modern.
I see it as a modern tbird but I don't think it sounds like a Gibson. it's a good bass for the money and it looks like a tbird.
well that's all very nice, I just hope you don't have the same defective fret wire problem that I have with the same model t/bird pro bass that I bought! For more exposure
Go to...'Search Forums with Internal Search' on this site and enter 'splitting frets'
Or even better go to 'Epiphone online forum' for more exposure of this outrage!
I'll send you a link to the page after this
Go to...'Search Forums with Internal Search' on this site and enter 'splitting frets'
Or even better go to 'Epiphone online forum' for more exposure of this outrage!
I'll send you a link to the page after this
Here's the link to the 'Epiphone online forum'
Two pages, be sure to look at the first page for the photo's...
Invalid Link Removed
Two pages, be sure to look at the first page for the photo's...
Invalid Link Removed
Well that's an interesting twist! After viewing your discussion of the subject I got my Epi Pro IV out (I've had it about 6 months, but bought it used...off the 'bay...so any issues are mine alone) There is fret wear. No fret splitting...that I can see...but definitely fretwear. I also have a 1990 Gibson Tbird that I bought new. Checked that also...no fret wear...none. And it has seen waaaaay more playing time than the Epi...and by the same player, with the same style/touch.
I guess I take frets for granted. Never had a problem with fret wear...I play with a light touch...but looks to me like the Chinese are using either a soft metal, or a thin metal...or a combination thereof...on the Epi Pro's. Definitely not good...refret jobs don't come cheap. Only consolation is that if a luthier refrets, the crappy Chinese frets will be replaced with better material.
Maaaaan that burst is stunning! The one I saw at GC before ordering my NAT was very verrrrrry dark so I dident order it.......
well I haven't noticed the fretwear problem on my Pro 5 but it doesn't have too many playing hours yet either. What I can say is that in my personal experience, Epiphone has great customer service. The Pro 5 I bought from MF came to me in great shape and looked beautiful. I was actually really impressed, it looked and felt better than I had expected. The only problem I had was with the preamp, it had a really loud grounding issue buzz. I contacted Epiphone customer service and they immediately issued a FedEx call tag and had the bass shipped to Nashville. They replaced the preamp and did a complete fret level/crown on the bass. I got it back and it's in perfect shape and sounds great. All issues resolved.
That's great. The only issue I have with that is that Gibson/Epiphone "claims" that all the Epiphone imports are gone over/set up here in the USA, once they arrive from overseas - BEFORE they reach customers hands. If that's the case, then how are all these Epi Pro's getting to customers, with the humming/buzzing/electronics issues, not to mention the fret splitting problem? Never time to do it right, always time to do it over...
...bad business practice. As always...JMO...
That's great. The only issue I have with that is that Gibson/Epiphone "claims" that all the Epiphone imports are gone over/set up here in the USA, once they arrive from overseas - BEFORE they reach customers hands. If that's the case, then how are all these Epi Pro's getting to customers, with the humming/buzzing/electronics issues, not to mention the fret splitting problem? Never time to do it right, always time to do it over...
I totally agree with you, that was my thought as well..."who passed this through QC!!!" That was a comment I made to them when I was getting the issue corrected through warranty. They didn't really address it but they did make it right.
Despite the weird quirks and subject QC, I would still recomend this bass for the money.
#7 to #32 guitar player/setup QC dude at the epi factory ha ha ha...I heard you get to do the basses today
Latest on T/bird pro faulty fret problem.
I took the bass back to the dealer again they said "we'll have to have our Luthier who is authorized and endorsed by Gibson/Epiphone to gain an assessment of any underlying problems relating to the guitar"
So they did that and he said " its fret wear normal wear and tear, just enjoy playing the guitar and think about re-freting it in a year There's nothing I can do" To my amazement!
I've already taken it to a Luthier Who I know and he said, " its faulty fret wire.
I repeat its SYSTEMATIC ABUSE
I took the bass back to the dealer again they said "we'll have to have our Luthier who is authorized and endorsed by Gibson/Epiphone to gain an assessment of any underlying problems relating to the guitar"
So they did that and he said " its fret wear normal wear and tear, just enjoy playing the guitar and think about re-freting it in a year There's nothing I can do" To my amazement!
I've already taken it to a Luthier Who I know and he said, " its faulty fret wire.
I repeat its SYSTEMATIC ABUSE
just to clarify, did Gibson/Epiphone customer service in Nashville TN deny your requests?
