Thunderbird Club Pt III

[hermzy]

I'm looking for help. I just bought my first Epiphone Thunderbird bass. It's a "limited edition" in the silverburst color - beautiful! It came with the celtic cross engraved on the pickguard instead of the thunderbird. I'd really like the thunderbird. Does anyone know where I can buy a replacement pickguard? I can't seem to find one anywhere. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[IAmACrocodile]

Pickguardian are one of the best companies out there who specialise in making aftermarket pickguards, or one-off custom designs. I have had a quick look at their website and could not see a Thunderbird pickguard, but they are bound to have the template on file (and even if they didn't, they would make one for you!).

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I'm very glad that you are enjoying your new 'Bird - they are beautiful basses, aren't they?

 

[TBird1958]

My ticket to join to the club

Nice! Lots of Gibson love here!
Great looking rig too, mordor thank you for posting and welcome, you're #214 - we love gig shots and questions

TBird1958 #1
Godof Thunder59 #2
Funkster#3
Gibenbackerbass #4
Sidd Laroy #5
Jazzbo58 #6
Tender Prey #7
Showdown #8
The Mojo Hobo #9
Doctorpunch #10
Stiles72 #11
Brenner182 #12
Baird6869 #13
Poorbassist15 #14
PWV #15
Mr Typhus #16
Tracii #17
Aditya #18
amimbari #19
knifedge #20
Nitrofix #21
Atoz #22
bassphreak #23
Seydlitz #24
bassclef112 #25
bassplayer8953 #26
D.M.N. #27
Edhunter #28
kruno maestro #29
Tombowlus #30
Kalik #31
winterburn69 #32
Walter Vega 33
Carlos 840 #34
Shadowtippy #35
Saltymonkey #36
lel95 #37
gaffster787 #38
mc2ny #39
Low Sound Love #40
BrianKrashpad #41
Deep Six #42
BenEd #43
Bassmachine2112 #44
ponkoponk #45
Heatheroo #46
darkside 88 #47
GCool#48
TedhHernstorm #49
Darbo #50
uncletupelo #51
Vaider #52
Rip Topaz #53
bmb73 #54
Badfish #55
Afireinside #56
Redstrand #57
reptyls #58
dabido #59
96tbird #60
whilke #61
JIO #63
thebrain #64
Rob Martinez #65
bazzandeson #66
PhR #67
Dr.Eagle #68
lowend1 #69 Mopar or no car!
Basvarken #70
s mcsleazy #71
Burruss #72
Matty H #73
moonshinegtrs #74
bass lord mutha #75
jumbodbassman #76
davidprice #77
A-Step-Towards #78
birdman14 #79
Quadzilla #80
jbalou02 #81
johnk 10 #82
electrocoyote #83
ih8law #84
muzukman7 #85
3rdcurve #86
rdwil191 #87
BluesBear #88
JAF #89
Swin #90
TBirdie #91
bassplayerbob #92
trevorguns #93
Clammy #94
jammi_fool #95
Molochnik #96
Rocker47 #97
Shark1 #98
BlueTalon #99
Fab Superlative #100
Doragon #5150
ThumpsAlot #102
Doelle #103
AllyDetours #104
Southway #105
mav #106
tw63 #107
Casperrobo #108
Killa #109
roffe #110
SOB H.R.MC #111
icks #112
thepunisher #113
PatQ #114
Venom of God #115
Jirishman #116
Midas #117
GibsonBassCAZ #118
snowblinder #119
Tilli #120
3l3phantstomp #121
Thrust Meatnozl #122
gaudenti #123
Birdbrain #124
CBTB #125
greghol #126
DV6 #127
marlond #128
DWest1981 #129
Shinji #130
jaibeau #131
Warrioralex #132
jonesn4bass #133
Rono7003 #134
hillerup #135
Dadagoboi #136
MRDOOM #137
secretsound5 #138
trevorguns #139
J Sinister #140
Capitian Bob #141
guitarded #142
Fullback32 #143
Johnny78 #144
jelenko #145
Jools4001 #146
Porkbun #147
Lucas G #148
NOT #149
JtheB #150
Andii Syckz #151
sj bass #152
FrankenIbanez70 #153
Nosgoth #154
Artyom76 #155
D Bopp #156
CDRhom #157
Mark4 #158
thepest #159
TheCush #160
Pure eVal #161
iamthebassman #162
juankidiaz #163
Wilbur88 #164
WillMuderface #165
Evsm73 #166
Mrfstop #167
brettsto #168
TheProphet #169
mikeowen17 #170
Pharaohamps #171
dial666 #172
faivy #173
HAVOK #174
Astroburn #175
aLLard #176
MissionTbird #177
Thebassman2011 #178
DaM13N # 179
LanOsb133 #180
Lowner #181
Frankiebass59 #182
Justice #183
tiger rich #184
spunkadizzle #185
quadrogong #186
Wolf C Red #187
guitarded #188
ledzep5296 #189
aussiebasshero #190
trackskinz#191
guns N rosesguy #192
Jamyi #193
Thunderbird90 #194
Cobra314 #195
Ric5 #196
ApocalypseDream #197
Gougedeye #198
okc-zee #199
NOLA Bass #200
AdamR #201
bassmaniac72 #202
pudge #203
BWileyTally #204
poomwah #205
chibfarm2001 #206
thisSNsucks #207
mr.mow #208
4005 #209
seansv #210
BassDoc51 #211
ben0099 #212
Trooper1911 #213
mordor #214

 

[ThaCoast]

well i've finally gotten down to deciding all the modifications i'm doing to my bird: Im going to convert it from bolt on neck to set neck. it's going to be tough but i found a way to do it. so hopefully i will get the stupid busted screw in the neck, ill be starting the project. wish me luck as im not only doing that im also moving the jack output to the bottom of the bass, telecaster style.

 

[Porkbun]

Im going to convert it from bolt on neck to set neck.

Thats some heavy stuff! Good luck!
Heres a sneak peak of part of my mod

Cant wait for the new pickups to arrive!


EDIT: Is there any place or anyone who will sell me a black Goth Pickguard? Pickguards with designs are hard to come by

 

[ThaCoast]

Thats some heavy stuff! Good luck!
Heres a sneak peak of part of my mod

Cant wait for the new pickups to arrive!


EDIT: Is there any place or anyone who will sell me a black Goth Pickguard? Pickguards with designs are hard to come by

I have one but i cant decide if i want to keep it (as part of original version of my goth) or sell it and just keep the cross design from it.

 

[ThaCoast]

Thats some heavy stuff! Good luck!

Cant wait for the new pickups to arrive

What pickups are you using for your project?

 

[Porkbun]

I have one but i cant decide if i want to keep it (as part of original version of my goth) or sell it and just keep the cross design from it.

Id rather buy another one than sell mine. I might buy a blank guard and put some sort of sticker on it.
EDIT: Oooh La La: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-ZELDA-TRI...ies&vxp=mtr&hash=item1e6a907890#ht_1155wt_956

What pickups are you using for your project?

Im using EMG 40P5 and 40J pickups. The EMG 40 series needs just a bit of widening with the stock TBird routes. Its going to be the Ultra version of my old [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], and Ive got the Ultimate version planned in my head already! Epi Birds are a great platform for mods

Full upgrade list should look like this:
EMG 40P5 and 40J
Spector Tonepump Preamp with trim
2 9v Duracell batteries
Black Hipshot Thunderbird bridge replacement
Goth Thunderbird pickguard
Concentric bass/treble pot
Black knobs
Chrome Thunderbird Straplocks
DR Neon orange Strings

 

[BassDoc51]

I just got my mess of a new Thunderbird back from a shop in town. The action is a little higher than I'd like, but the fret buzz is gone and it's very playable. I am satisfied with it. Right now, I'm about to plug it in and crank up the SVT. My neighbor is forcing the whole building to listen to hip hop music. It's time for me to return the favor and rattle his walls.

 

[ThaCoast]

I just got my mess of a new Thunderbird back from a shop in town. The action is a little higher than I'd like, but the fret buzz is gone and it's very playable. I am satisfied with it. Right now, I'm about to plug it in and crank up the SVT. My neighbor is forcing the whole building to listen to hip hop music. It's time for me to return the favor and rattle his walls.

the first time i played my goth bird, fret buzz was an issue. After i snapped the factory strings, i polished it down every single day for a good 2-3 solid months. and once i restrung it with dunlop 45-105 strings, no more fret buzz and the action is close to being low. All in all just to say, polish the fretboard at least once a week, if not more, especially on the frets where it buzzes more than others. get the action lowered to your licking and polish it once more and presto the perfect non buzzing bass.

but thts my two cents on it xd

 

[hermzy]

Very nice. Great sound for small price!

 

[hermzy]

Thats some heavy stuff! Good luck!
Heres a sneak peak of part of my mod

Cant wait for the new pickups to arrive!


EDIT: Is there any place or anyone who will sell me a black Goth Pickguard? Pickguards with designs are hard to come by

Do you have a pickguard with the bird on it? I might beinterested in a trade....

 

[godofthunder59]

Hi I make them in w/b/w or parchment /b/parchment. pm me for details.

I'm looking for help. I just bought my first Epiphone Thunderbird bass. It's a "limited edition" in the silverburst color - beautiful! It came with the celtic cross engraved on the pickguard instead of the thunderbird. I'd really like the thunderbird. Does anyone know where I can buy a replacement pickguard? I can't seem to find one anywhere. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[NOT]

Anybody see the alpine white '64 Thunderbird on eBay??

A bit overpriced if you ask me.

 

[jnumme]

Anybody see the alpine white '64 Thunderbird on eBay??

A bit overpriced if you ask me.

Yea, 28,000 ouch dont kniw about that

 

[Dadagoboi]

Makes my '65 seem like a steal.

 

[TBird1958]

Makes my '65 seem like a steal.

A far better deal Carlo, as always, that's a beauty!

 

[BWileyTally]

Finally got a pic of me and my Epi bird.



At a super bowl halftime show.

 

[juankidiaz]

I finally took my Epi bird from my brother's care and today I will be adjusting its setup.

Got with a crazy high action from the store and now that I'll start playing it I need to take care of this from the get go before I start learning new tunes and practicing on it.

I'll be using the following method previously posted in other TB threads:

1. Screw down the bridge evenly over all three screws till you have an action around the 15th and higher frets that is comfortable for you without any or too much buzz
Keep the front stud a little higher for best string to saddle pressure.
Retune the bass, don't worry about buzzing in the lower registers at this point.

2. Now you've got your bass retuned with a lower action at the high frets.
Your lower frets will now either buzz (see 2a for the subsequent steps) or the action will still be too high even in the low registers (see 2b for the subsequent steps).

2a: Low Register buzzes:
You need to loosen the truss rod. Take off the truss rod cover and insert an allen wrench in the allen nut. Don't detune the bass for that, rather lift the A and the D string to the side to the slots of the G and E string to have room for turning the allen wrench.
With the bass' butt resting on your toes and the strings/fretboard facing away from you, you - while standing up and looking down - will now turn the allen wrench <--- counterclockwise <---.
Epi truss rods move easily (if noisily), turn it and immediately look to find out how the action of the bass has altered and buzzing has become less or disappeared.
Don't be scared of overdoing it - it is impossible to break a truss rod by loosening it as you are releasing tension. That said, one or two "one third turns" counterclockwise should do it. sometimes you will need a few more of those to actually adjust the bass if the neck is too straight or even curved away from the fretboard.

2 b: Low Register has too much action:
Same as 2a, except that you have too tighten the truss rod now which is done by turning the allen wrench ---> clockwise --->.
You will also have to be more careful as you can break a trussrod by overtightening it. But Epi truss rods are hardy and can certainly survive one full turn or even more as your bass is probably a virgin as regards truss rod adjustment.

3. After a combination of either steps 1 and 2a or steps 1 and 2 b you should have a relatively or even totally buzz free bass with good to reasonable action.
If there is still some persistent buzzing at some places then raise the bridge a little. Raising the front stud will raise all strings, raising the lower hind stud more the D and G string, raising the upper hind stud more E and A.

4. (optional) Is all buzzing just on one string (while the other strings are buzz-free) and you have to raise the bridge considerably to make it go away even though you could stay much lower if it were just for the other strings? Try this then: I assume that on your Epi too the saddles for the four individual strings do not all have the same height, but that there are two higher and two lower ones. If the persistently buzzing string is on a lower saddle, then exchange that saddle against a higher saddle.

Goes anyone have any tips, warnings and what not?

They will be greatly appreciated

 

[Birdbrain]

Porkbun - I have a goth pg. If you want it, it's yours. Message me.