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Thunderbird Club

#21,061
JIO said:
Oh, I'm aware it's stock, just wondered if Gibson used a Hipshot Type A for this one. (excellent bridges) If it is a Hipshot, there won't be any markings on it - probably a knock-off as it would be a Gibson selling point to specifically say it was a Hipshot bridge.

A Hipshot Type A is 2"x 3 3/8" for reference. (4 string) The one on the Studio model looks a bit longer than 2" but it could be a perspective illusion.
Click to expand...
It's this bridge:
Chrome 5-String Bass Bridge | Allparts.com

It's a 'Hipshot type', also comes in black and in 4 string. Adjustable for width .

P1080954P_zpsrrjbzfc4.jpg


Import, just like the three points used on late model TBirds before they switched to the Baboonicz bridge.
 
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#21,062
GBassNorth said:
Thanks for the quick follow up.
Both pups sound nice but there's definitely a lot more tonal content in the Thunderbuckers.:thumbsup:

That would imply that with Thunderbuckers it would be relatively easy to adjust the tone knob on the bass or at the amp to achieve a sound similar to the Chinabucker if that's what you wanted but not vice versa.

Now it would be really interesting to hear a Thunderbucker back to back with a 2015 TBird pup, which I think is the same pup my 2013EB has.:rolleyes:

Another interesting idea would be to put a Thunderbucker all the way up at the neck in SG style,:bookworm: might be the perfect combination of broad tonal capability in the Max deep sweet spot. I guess you can tell, I like to be different;).
Click to expand...

Yes, that nails it. There's a wider tone spectrum with a ThunderBucker .

Sorta done the neck 'bucker thing with both a JAEbird and this 12er...no 4 string JAEbird pic.

P1090349P_zpsaksbhyaz.jpg


I'm personally a single pickup guy but open to experimentation. Bridge pup in the twelver is a single coil hot Jazz in Tbird cover. So there's a lot of tone available with 3 stacked pots! And NO Hum.
 
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#21,067
Dadagoboi said:
Yes, that nails it. There's a wider tone spectrum with a ThunderBucker .

Sorta done the neck 'bucker thing with both a JAEbird and this 12er...no 4 string JAEbird pic.

P1090349P_zpsaksbhyaz.jpg


I'm personally a single pickup guy but open to experimentation. Bridge pup in the twelver is a single coil hot Jazz in Tbird cover. So there's a lot of tone available with 3 stacked pots! And NO Hum.
Click to expand...
I've always thought the NR Bird would look and sound killer with 3 pups and a vol/tone stack for each pup. Now just slap a black blocked and bound vintage tint Fender jazz maple neck on a CAR maple NR TBird body with all black hardware and a parchment color pickguard and I'm all in!
 
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#21,072
Count Bassie said:
Hey, while we're all waiting for our newest member to get initiated, I've been reading up on the G&L MFD humbucker I'm waiting on. I was going to put it in the bridge position, but apparently it's got a huge amount of low end as well as eyeball-splitting snap. Maybe the neck is the place for it?

Just throwing it around. What if it ends up as the only pup...
Click to expand...

Interesting discussion about using G&L Humbuckers in TBird builds. I will be very interested in the outcomes.
I have a G&L Asat, which has the same fancy electronics and pickups as the L2K, except in a Telecaster Guitar body. Mine has the 1.5 inch nut width and a lovely flamey neck. Here's a pic. I have a Hipshot drop tuner on it and it works really well on this neck and I dressed her up with a pearloid pickguard from a Cabronita.

2ztk206.jpg



It is without doubt one of the hardest hitting basses I have ever played even in passive mode. Certainly a bass that was on the gig roster until a TBird and a LP Double Cut muscled in. The pickups are monstrous and extremely versatile, really Swiss Army knife stuff. The active modes are not for the faint hearted- plenty of guys I know with G&Ls don't run them active. The Asat is also the reason I haven't kept any Stingrays, it does that type of sound (and many others for that matter) but "nicer" in my opinion.
As for pickup position- the pickups in my Asat are pretty much in the vintage positions for TB IVs. If you are only doing single pickup I would definitely put it in the TBII position. It will be plenty.
One thing to be aware of with these pickups is that the magnets are incredibly strong. It took me a long time to track down that they were the cause of some inexplicable fret buzz I was getting on a perfectly set up neck (the G&L necks are beautiful BTW- get the 1.5 inch one, if you like TBird necks). I was discussing the issue with the Australian importer because it had me stumped as to why I was getting the buzz and he suggested that I ensure that the pickups were screwed down into the body as far as they will go otherwise they can pull the strings downwards slightly and cause unexpected fret buzz. Screwed then right down- no appreciable drop in output and the buzz went away.

And wasn't Nick Seymour's Midtown just fantastic in the Crowded House concert? Just goes to show what a load of rot gets generalised about Gibson basses.
 
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#21,074
veebass said:
Interesting discussion about using G&L Humbuckers in TBird builds. I will be very interested in the outcomes.
I have a G&L Asat, which has the same fancy electronics and pickups as the L2K, except in a Telecaster Guitar body. Mine has the 1.5 inch nut width and a lovely flamey neck. Here's a pic. I have a Hipshot drop tuner on it and it works really well on this neck and I dressed her up with a pearloid pickguard from a Cabronita.


It is without doubt one of the hardest hitting basses I have ever played even in passive mode. Certainly a bass that was on the gig roster until a TBird and a LP Double Cut muscled in. The pickups are monstrous and extremely versatile, really Swiss Army knife stuff. The active modes are not for the faint hearted- plenty of guys I know with G&Ls don't run them active. The Asat is also the reason I haven't kept any Stingrays, it does that type of sound (and many others for that matter) but "nicer" in my opinion.
As for pickup position- the pickups in my Asat are pretty much in the vintage positions for TB IVs. If you are only doing single pickup I would definitely put it in the TBII position. It will be plenty.
One thing to be aware of with these pickups is that the magnets are incredibly strong. It took me a long time to track down that they were the cause of some inexplicable fret buzz I was getting on a perfectly set up neck (the G&L necks are beautiful BTW- get the 1.5 inch one, if you like TBird necks). I was discussing the issue with the Australian importer because it had me stumped as to why I was getting the buzz and he suggested that I ensure that the pickups were screwed down into the body as far as they will go otherwise they can pull the strings downwards slightly and cause unexpected fret buzz. Screwed then right down- no appreciable drop in output and the buzz went away.

And wasn't Nick Seymour's Midtown just fantastic in the Crowded House concert? Just goes to show what a load of rot gets generalised about Gibson basses.
Click to expand...


I hear ya! Agreed on all points... I LOVE my ASAT, but it's taken a back seat since discovering Tbirds.
aa.jpg
 
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