Thunderbird Club

[Christine]

But wait a minute, the "no such thing as tone wood" folks swear that if I drop EB electronics in a TBird it will sound exactly like an EB.

Of course many of those TB tone wood experts are also Gibson experts more than willing to parrot all the negatives they've heard over the years about mud, thud, dive, QC, head stocks, company morale and even the CEO.

So much fun, so little time.

To be fair to the experts (where "X" is the unknown quantity and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure) they may well not be able to hear any difference between different woods or more likely they haven't tried to do a fair comparison which after all isn't an easy thing to do. The thing that gets me is those same experts will agree that a high mass bridge will sound different to a bent bit of tin. If they had brains they would be dangerous!

 

[Korladis]

To be fair to the experts (where "X" is the unknown quantity and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure) they may well not be able to hear any difference between different woods or more likely they haven't tried to do a fair comparison which after all isn't an easy thing to do. The thing that gets me is those same experts will agree that a high mass bridge will sound different to a bent bit of tin. If they had brains they would be dangerous!

A bass is a sum of its parts. Well, so is a guitar, of course.

I have an explorer copy and a flying V copy. Electronically they're identical. The flying V is quite a bit heavier and made of denser wood. It has a noticeably different sound than the explorer.

 

[rumblejunkie]

I saw a post in another thread which mentioned that Fender (Rumbles I think) come new with a bumper sticker.
I laughed a little.

Well thats it settled then ! How could I possibly resist a free bumper sticker

 

[Count Bassie]

Nah, it's a new version.

Cool they're still making them though.

 

[Gaolee]

How would you characterize the difference?

The EB is brighter and crisper sounding. The 'Bird is more thunderous. You can get the EB to sound a bit like a J and the 'Bird can sound a bit like a P. If you want. Neither is a one trick pony. My specific 'Bird has a dead spot on the G string around the 7th fret that doesn't exist in the EB. I think it's a quirk to that bass that I haven't quite solved yet. Then there are the obvious ergonomic differences. The EB feels lighter. I like them both and doubt that anybody but me or another 'Bird person could ever tell the difference in a band setting.

 

[Gaolee]

Well they start off that way!

I've had several basses over the years that ended up accepting 3/16"

They become Whitworth then, right?

 

[TBird1958]

Thanks for your patience to SakuBass #616, MonsterGirl #617 and ubernator #618, you're our first additions to the club for 2017.
Please be welcome here, we enjoy all conversation, your questions, pictures, videos and good humor.

Now that I'm home and unpacking a bit today I'll wish you all the best for 2017, be healthy, happy and prosperous in all your endevors.



TBird1958 #1
GodofThunder59 #2
Funkster#3
Gibenbackerbass #4
Sidd Laroy #5
Jazzbo58 #6
Nocturnal #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
gui****ed #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
JB66#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
gui****ed #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
brotondo #215
HIaWATTha #216
Zerstorte Zelle #217
MrNecroVol #218
Freddy-G #219
Regininblood #220
ejaggers #221
gregoire1 #222
thundereagle #223
Geezer79 #224
cubanbass #225
Silverwolf1 #226
Mikaelbass #227
BruceBass3901 #228
Chris V #229
Mikaelbass #230
JayBassD #231
JMPeat #232
Phildogger #233
beebassdude #234
MrGotBass #235
2nd Wind #236
butter_fingers #237
Chumbly #238
roycroft 88 #239
finlover #240
recycled rocker #241
wolfmancharlie #242
balton4 #243
GregBummer #244
penguineman #245
TheOnlyJuan #246
nubs #247
Gringo Starr #248
PhR #249
georgestrings #250
cajunbass1985 #251
Wagz #252
armedmonkey #253
RedNeckBBQ #254
faviobarrio #255
PhantomApex #256
cmassa #257
vbass_2000 #258
MrMcHaggis #259
Linchpin72 #260
whitee96 #261
edpal #262
Ibanez Bassist #263
21petro #264
CiceroProfundo #265
Willncarolina #266
theweirdoid #267
Gaolee #268
TheLarch #269
Castagnier #270
diskovolos #271
fordkisskrazy #272
woodski #273
chipter #274
Unclejackrock #275
Bass173 #276
tbird99 #277
tore00 #278
lepreconbass13 #279
Junk420 #280
Tx Basser #281
epirokker #282
sugarsand #283
thebbconspiracy #284
Dionioann #285
LumberjackTBird #286
MikeyB5 #287
Thunders #288
anonparrot #289
darren1970 #290
Egbert89 #291
seBASStien #292
Figas #293
Vikerlane #294
ps10black #295
eldo #296
GGirl #297
FenderLove #298
quite_angry #299
hover #300
bdkthunder #301
MoSlevin #302
Gbass75 #303
rocknroll mouse #304
hillerup #305
GBassNorth #306
KPJ #307
fjadams #308
Nino D #309
Ecko #310
Peepaleep #311
DethByDoom #312
wvbass #313
rockscott #314
CDHawkins #315
scourge #316
Astreaux #317
pedrodelawasp #318
66Atlas #319
YOU LAND #320
Hilton Marsh #321
lfbassguy #322
Wolfpack #323
jayceofbass #324
ZombieSpacebat #325
Rotwang#326
mrb327#327
NWOBHM Kid # 328
Puisher 911 #329
Gunner 77 # 330
shadven #331
Guiness20 #332
dukey donkey #333
Bassco #334
chnapz #335
marq1965 #336
1stnamebassist #337
Electric Wizard #338
Ces art #339
liquorsbass #340
MarkusBass #341
BigH #342
Tonyxtiger #343
jnumme #344
BklynKen #345 - First Gibson lefty!
HofnerVox #346
blackest frank #347
prafeston #348
snaverb #349
DrPFunk #350
Moonshine #351
mournblade #352
CreepyJack #353
Bluzman90 #354
N10 #355
WaboRat72 #356
undead menace #357
BlacknWhite #358
Snakeman1066 #359
brokencode #360
The Seabass16 #361
Thunderdrool #362
rick4001s #363
echoSE7EN #364
solderjunkie #365
DougieB #366
untamedhellion #367
TabaccoRipper #368
LAST C #369
Basssssist #370
Arial Bender #371
ptleftybass #372
JackThe Ripper #373
Sigmundklaus #374
RadioRob #375
Liam McMonigle #376 Prince Liam
Karlos69 #377
JonDark #378
bassgod0dmw #379
TomStuart #380
Electric Delta #381
Mastermold #382
scars #383
monkeybass68 #384
exiii #385
HengistPod #386
jason the fox #387
Tamoume #388
jakelly #389
MicG #390
rogerinoly #391
mcarp555 #392
BlkHeli #393
mattj1stc #394
Roadstar #395
Satyrnine #396
Spiffmeister #397
Tim68 #398
tomshepp #399
THE DANiMAL #400
Andy Sivyer #401
Ender_rpm #402
Count Vitriol #403
bassistjoe93 #404
Project7Bass #405
Furious_Man77 #406
j.kernodle #407
Glass Onion #408
EpiRipper #409
msact #410
BirdThunder #411
pfox14 #412
jdb72 #413
SlingBass4 #444
GemJam #414
Faky77 #415
Purplefowler #416
starmann #417
mr pablo #418
GabeXLeouz #419
Rutger56 #420
bass geetarist #421
Bassic Playing #422
dorknowitski #423
jastacey #424
Terracite #425
MoparMonster #426
HypersoulRocks #427
germanson13 #428
Larry V #429
REMBO #430
WalMark #431
BassPlummet #432
Fletz #433
HockeyDawg #434
lowendblues #435
James P #436
gunkle #437
jd56hawk #438
blocka #439
Earapeach1965 #440
TwyreZ #441
Bullitt5135 #442
JimSalomao #443
jassthebass #445
Rooster009 #446
kodiakblair #447
bahia0019 #448
awilkie84 #449
marko57 #450
Darchyboy #451
SonnyBassPlayer #452
Tbone76 #453
KF2B #454
RandomBox#455
BadBassDrummer #456
Cliffclone #457
yahtzee1280 #458
OldPlucker #459
Haji #460
ugobo #461
mistergoats #462 Formerly Geoffypants!
rickwebb #463
dannoman #464
Diddi #465
Butchboy #466
basscow #467
Graykong #468
Gilsdorf #469
mattbass6945 #470
Josh Thatguy #667
jgould 1124 664
TNF #471
Reservoir Dog #472
Chauncy - #473
GIBrat51 #474
giocalypse #475
veebass #476
Bamabird #477
Sneezy #478
Galvez11 #479
mule47 #480
Rexalot #481
Rob L #482
Righteous Thunderer #483
stingray68 #484
gafbass02 #485
vdub76 #486
heatoise #487
Winfred #488
Mike A #489
depalm #490
hopsbb #491
ubnomnar #492
denki109 #493
Ronbeast #494
Klondike #495
SVTbird #496
Jay_Dub #497
imdkoz #498
mz888 #499
The Bear GT500
probassace2 #501
L.L. Elwood #502
JELLIS78 #503
mrnylon #504
ProperModulation #505
BassicDesire #506
Twangster 101 #507
Mark Cult #508
Nowyn #509
the_stoot64 #510
Bass master Burt man #511
Deaky #512
Bassmike62 #513
DocGeorge #514
Acoustic356 #515
aceytrixx #516
Greg Potts #517
friendlybass #518
kirillstokes #519
DinoRock #520
Leiria #521
Magi003 #522
Toddcaster64 #523
BigBadaBoom #524
Bace Waulkin #525
MIMJAZZ #526
Vara La Fey #527
Cole_The_Rumbler #528
Alaotto #529
Sahe_Bassist #530
z009 # 531
instagator #532
Mnoir #533
thorstiborsti #534
vegas532 #535
minirehak 212 #536
Off-Beat #537
phaze1todd #538
Matt O #539
Endo #540
R.Livingston #541
DonovanJM #542
AEAbass #543
BassmanMetzger56 #544
WSquires #545
Born To Hula #546.....Pics req'd
AkaGoal #547
AxxGrey #548
MCF #549
BassDaddy77 #550
Muchdoge #551
Count Bassie #552
George_Mirror #553
Sidewinder7 #554
Bucky4835 #555
el_cody_loco #556
MorguloN X Zed #557
drews.anderson #558
Medic579 #559
Mike.C. #560
MooThing #561
RustyNails #562
DesolationBlvd #563
Ajcsk8r #564
EdO #565
Brugizzle #566
Shaun_Allen_Bass #567
back5burner #568
Lo-Hz #569
backtobass #570
lancimouspitt 571
Xandrell #572
Thunderbirdfan #573
CharlyG #574
Milo's #575
drummer5359 #576
Tomand #577
Bear from Delaware #578
Springman #579
bassclef29 #580
Ryan Atchison #581
MrVanimal #583
Susqmike #584
crikker #585
Gabacho #586
tastelikedirt #587
Loretta #588
Az_Rocker76 #589
DerekW #590
Ross W. Lovell #591
DevinWard369 #592
KromaatiKlauun #593
Calderlund #594
Pelham Bleu #595
RedVee #596
tlintu #597
ColinLP #598
bluenose #599
howie289 #600
cuth #601
Spoono Ghiefardi #602
tomydacat #603
GTG 666 #604
bassburner #605
GrizzleTone #606
Mason Nagy #607
the breakman #608
shandou #609
Stevis #610
Sabee #611
georgiagoodie #612
Danilixo #613
Turlu #614
rumblejunkie #615
SakuBass #616
MonsterGirl #617
ubernator #618
Lemmy #666
Pillo #668 - Near the beast
kat888 #888

 

[Gaolee]

Sticker: 'Bumper, honking like a laryngitic goose since 1951' - should sell them as TB merchandise.

Now, as penance - and before anyone takes me too seriously - I'm off to listen to Duck (boomtish!) Dunn laying down a groove.

If you were not such a born sheyite stirrer, we probably wouldn't like you. Just saying.

 

[GBassNorth]

If you were not such a born sheyite stirrer, we probably wouldn't like you. Just saying.

Not to mention that Kat and Colin have significantly expanded my vocabulary, maybe kinda in a local slang sort of way.

 

[hillerup]

A bass is a sum of its parts. Well, so is a guitar, of course.

I have an explorer copy and a flying V copy. Electronically they're identical. The flying V is quite a bit heavier and made of denser wood. It has a noticeably different sound than the explorer.

On the other hand my Epiphones Goth '58 Explorer and Goth '58 Flying V are pretty much identical in electronics, sound and weight.

 

[wolfkeller]

I have a tech question. I bought the Thunderbird P pick up which is a split coil in a Thunderbird housing, it's a factory Gibson and pretty illusive as I can't find any info. Anyhow, I installed it in my new bird with a regular Gibson TB pup. Now, when I turned both pups on full, it severely thinned out the sound. If I turned the bridge pup down a hair, it totally killed the bridge pup. Either pup alone was fine.

I noticed that the P has 2 hot wires, red and white plus ground. Never came across a P with 2 hot wires. It came with the white wire attached to the ground wire. I reversed the white and red and that eliminates the problem but it doesn't seem as bassy as it should. Maybe it's just cuz it's a P as it sounds very similar to my basses with P pups. I'm stumped on why this happened? If it came out of a Thunderbird wired white to ground, red to hot it should work fine as it's combined with a reg TB pick up but it doesn't. All other wiring is correct so I don't get it. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Haji]

Sounds like what you're describing is an out-of-phase issue.

 

[GBassNorth]

I have a tech question. I bought the Thunderbird P pick up which is a split coil in a Thunderbird housing, it's a factory Gibson and pretty illusive as I can't find any info. Anyhow, I installed it in my new bird with a regular Gibson TB pup. Now, when I turned both pups on full, it severely thinned out the sound. If I turned the bridge pup down a hair, it totally killed the bridge pup. Either pup alone was fine.

I noticed that the P has 2 hot wires, red and white plus ground. Never came across a P with 2 hot wires. It came with the white wire attached to the ground wire. I reversed the white and red and that eliminates the problem but it doesn't seem as bassy as it should. Maybe it's just cuz it's a P as it sounds very similar to my basses with P pups. I'm stumped on why this happened? If it came out of a Thunderbird wired white to ground, red to hot it should work fine as it's combined with a reg TB pick up but it doesn't. All other wiring is correct so I don't get it. Anyone have any thoughts?

I suspect a phase issue as well. Try connecting the split P so it sounds best when soloed. Then fade in the bridge pup. If that makes the bass sound thin then flip the leads on the bridge pup to reverse the phase. Now fade in the bridge pup again and see if it sounds better.

 

[wolfkeller]

I suspect a phase issue as well. Try connecting the split P so it sounds best when soloed. Then fade in the bridge pup. If that makes the bass sound thin then flip the leads on the bridge pup to reverse the phase. Now fade in the bridge pup again and see if it sounds better.

I shall attempt this mad scientist action!

 

[kat888]

If you were not such a born sheyite stirrer, we probably wouldn't like you. Just saying.

Did notice a thread earlier where the OP was asking which of his four Ps he should sell ... the obvious answer being all of them.

 

[GBassNorth]

I shall attempt this mad scientist action!

I take no responsibility if your bass bursts into flames and a portal to another world appears in your bedroom.

Seriously, it does sound like a phase issue. Kat, the Queen of Phase, should chime in since she had a similar sounding problem with her last pup swap.

 

[wolfkeller]

I take no responsibility if your bass bursts into flames and a portal to another world appears in your bedroom.

Seriously, it does sound like a phase issue. Kat, the Queen of Phase, should chime in since she had a similar sounding problem with her last pup swap.

I tried it, the P sounded about the same either way, but one way killed the bridge. I elected to leave the P as is and not monkey with that Braided ground wire. I might get ambitious and reverse the pups and see what I get. I have a warlock double P, sounds good at the bridge. I won't truly know til next rehearsal then a show. I can not get the real impact in the living room, how it will sit in the mix. Knowing me I'll sell it or trade for a regular TB+ so all 3 sound the same

 

[kat888]

I take no responsibility if your bass bursts into flames and a portal to another world appears in your bedroom.

Seriously, it does sound like a phase issue. Kat, the Queen of Phase, should chime in since she had a similar sounding problem with her last pup swap.

Definitely sounds like they are out of phase. But there may also be a wiring problem with the P pickup. Had a look for photos of actual P bobbin wiring and found nothing useful. All the diagrams seem to suggest 2 wires only. It's not an aftermarket pup installed in a TB pup cover?

 

[wolfkeller]

Definitely sounds like they are out of phase. But there may also be a wiring problem with the P pickup. Had a look for photos of actual P bobbin wiring and found nothing useful. All the diagrams seem to suggest 2 wires only. It's not an aftermarket pup installed in a TB pup cover?

Nope, definitely factory Gibson as confirmed by the Boss here.

 

[kat888]

Nope, definitely factory Gibson as confirmed by the Boss here.

A photo or two would be useful.