Thunderbird Club

[El Diablo Rojo]

Is it April 1? Totally watching this one to see if it gets a bid.

I picked up a Fender Rumble 100 for a practice amp yesterday for $140.00 off of CL. Prices are all over the place right now, there listings for Rumble 40's on CL that are $100.00 more than a new one! People still thinking we are in that late 2020/21 bull market for guitars and equipment.

 

[GonePlaid]

Is it April 1? Totally watching this one to see if it gets a bid.

That ad has been up for quite awhile.

 

[Stealth57]

I picked up a Fender Rumble 100 for a practice amp yesterday for $140.00 off of CL. Prices are all over the place right now, there listings for Rumble 40's on CL that are $100.00 more than a new one! People still thinking we are in that late 2020/21 bull market for guitars and equipment.

If things keep going like they are, we might, unfortunately, start seeing a lot of deals on equipment as people need cash.

 

[Hondapunk]

Better late then never....My P-bass has a humbucker and a Tele headstock too

 

[GonePlaid]

If things keep going like they are, we might, unfortunately, start seeing a lot of deals on equipment as people need cash.

Except the people who would be buying are needing cash too.

 

[Stealth57]

Except the people who would be buying are needing cash too.

Yep, a viscous spiral...

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Mind blown when we played that Thunderbird. If you can get a set Dave, go for it! That would be the Stealthiest Epi ever.

Looks like Lollars and EY [edit: and Lulls and SD] are it for new pickups; Steve Soar said the last Thunderbuckers have been sold (I was too late).

 

[Miles_ONeal]

My VP has a neck pu/12th fret distance of (from the 12th fret to the leading edge of the pu) neck 10.25"/bridge 13.25"

Thanks. We're all measuring to the centerlines of the pickups, though.

 

[GonePlaid]

Yep, a viscous spiral...

I think that's what's for supper...(with apologies to Grandpa Jones)

 

[Miles_ONeal]

2022, I just bought it a few weeks ago.

Thanks. Added to the wiki.

 

[GonePlaid]

Thanks. We're all measuring to the centerlines of the pickups, though.

Even though I'm totally OK with the pup(s) on my 67NR, I figured I'd go ahead and check. So. From the base of the neck to the 'neck' pup is about that far and from there to the superfluous pup is a little farther.
J/K. I ain't a-changing them so it don't matter to me.
Hey, I could write a song. Got the title: "I Ain't A-Changing".

 

[Stealth57]

Looks like Lollars and EY are it for new pickups; Steve Soar said the last Thunderbuckers have been sold (I was too late).

A set of Lollars would cost 50% more than what I paid for the bass...EY is a lot less but know nothing about them.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Also the the variance of the spot of the measurement on the PU side. Eyeballing it could explain the discrepancies.

I run a straight edge between the screws for two screw pickups, and between the center screw on one side and eyeballed between the two on the other side for three screw pickups.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

@Miles_ONeal and team firebird bass…

would it be helpful on the same page to mention what pickups come stock on certain Epiphone and Gibson’s?

Maybe list current manufacturers?

I always forget what pickups I have on my CP I believe I was told it’s a 2013.


Probucker 760’s in my embassy’s

21 NR is just listed as thunderbird rhythm and lead…

no clue if there is a special name for the Greco pickups. Or if they are different year to year.

I like the idea, but we need the experts to chime in on what's what.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

IIRC there’s a 2017, a 2019, and a 2022.

I think folks are over thinking this. The original intent of the listing was to give relatively accurate measurements for pup spacing of different models and model years in regards to impacting the tone of the bass. With that objective in mind, it isn’t going to make any noticeable difference in sound if one pickup is 1/16” closer to the neck than another. Due to different people measuring and different measuring tools used we’d be lucky to have + or - 1/16” accuracy, probably more like + or - 1/8” accuracy is more realistic.

From a scientific standpoint the proper way to take this measurement is with a certified caliper that measures in at least the 100ths of an inch, and to measure from the center of the 12th fret wire to the confirmed scribed center of each pickup. I could have done that but felt it would be overkill for the original intent. What I did, is use a construction grade tape measure (with markings down to 1/16”). Then I hooked the dumb end of the tape measure over the 12th fret wire and pulled the smart end down to what looked like about the center of the pickup. Because I didn’t sit down and scribe each pickup to find the true dead center, I just eyeballed it I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I was off by a 32nd of an inch in either direction.

Net takeaway - use the dimensions listed as a reference to determine pup placement and how it might impact tone. Do Not use the measurements to route a bass or a pickguard with out confirming the exact dimensions you need. A pickguard that’s off a 16th of an inch is pretty much a throwaway. A discussion about a vintage bird being with in a 16th of an inch on pup spacing to a modern bird is very informative.

Well said!

There are at least one each 2017, 2019, 2022, and unknown (@dagrev).

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I picked up a Fender Rumble 100 for a practice amp yesterday for $140.00 off of CL. Prices are all over the place right now, there listings for Rumble 40's on CL that are $100.00 more than a new one! People still thinking we are in that late 2020/21 bull market for guitars and equipment.

That's a steal! Check out the Rumble Club if you haven't already. Their wiki is comprehensive, too.

 

[TBird1958]

Looks like Lollars and EY are it for new pickups; Steve Soar said the last Thunderbuckers have been sold (I was too late).

AFAIK Lulls are still available, expensive, yes. Worth it? Ask the guys that played my '89 at Chuck's.

 

[Gaolee]

@Miles_ONeal and team firebird bass…

would it be helpful on the same page to mention what pickups come stock on certain Epiphone and Gibson’s?

Maybe list current manufacturers?

I always forget what pickups I have on my CP I believe I was told it’s a 2013.


Probucker 760’s in my embassy’s

21 NR is just listed as thunderbird rhythm and lead…

no clue if there is a special name for the Greco pickups. Or if they are different year to year.

Good luck with that. Gibson Thunderbird pickups come in a number of different flavors under their covers. There's the originals in the '60s, and those are all a little different. Then there are the '70s sidewinders. After that there are rumors of split coils hiding in the black plastic covers, reused sidewinders, and a bunch of other iterations that never got documented for the public. Greco Thunderbird pickups are their own different thing, and so are 2021 Thunderbird pickups, so far as I know. Then there are DeCola pickups which are distinctive looking in 2015 Thunderbirds.

There's plenty of head exploding variation, and I'm not even as up on it as some others around here. Not close.

 

[Gaolee]

A set of Lollars would cost 50% more than what I paid for the bass...EY is a lot less but know nothing about them.

They are pretty thin on the bottom end. I have a set I took out of the Flamingo if you want them.

 

[Gaolee]

AFAIK Lulls are still available, expensive, yes. Worth it? Ask the guys that played my '89 at Chuck's.

Or at Casa Veronica for that matter. Lulls are really, really good.