Thunderbird Club

[ubernator]

BAG ALERT! (short and sweet version with links)

It is a tight fit, but epiphone Thunderbird IV standard in the store, and my goth when I got the bag home, FIT in this bag! On sale for $29 but the sale may be ending today.

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I didn't try the more expensive RR2EB due to time constraints and my hesitation to buy expensive gig bags. So I cannot vouch for a bird fitting in there.

 

[kat888]

I bought an Ernie ball poly pro as well just in case whatever 2nd bird I got didn't come with a strap, I will test it with my goth and same dickies jacket and see if the dive is the same, or that particular one was extra neck heavy.

The EB polypro is definitely a bit slippier than the old leather straps, but not annoyingly so. In fact it makes the instrument more mobile, in that you are not aware of the weight of the strap and you can fling it around a bit to vary the angle of the neck should you require. Also, you could always add a shoulder pad made out of something grippier.

[supplemental:] I'd be loath to take the Bird anywhere without its hard case. Yeah it's heavy but it's also solid. The Italia seemed perfectly fine in its gig bag.

 

[ubernator]

The EB polypro is definitely a bit slippier than the old leather straps, but not annoyingly so. In fact it makes the instrument more mobile, in that you are not aware of the weight of the strap and you can fling it around a bit to vary the angle of the neck should you require. Also, you could always add a shoulder pad made out of something grippier.

[supplemental:] I'd be loath to take the Bird anywhere without its hard case. Yeah it's heavy but it's also solid. The Italia seemed perfectly fine in its gig bag.

I like the levy's strap I got with it, thick cloth, big leather ends, plenty of length. The poly pro was a backup, and at the time of purchase I thought I had a good chance at a $150 bird.

This bag is so much better than the practically unpadded fender bag I was using that was an even tighter fit, in fact the previous owner left the tip out of the bag, but I was able to get it in, but no dent protection. This one at least has decent, though not super thick padding. I might check out some upgrades at another GC on the way to practice tomorrow. There is a double bag, that if it fit the bird and a ray, or 2 birds, I would trade this in for, since a double bag makes even more sense. I live on a boat so cases are not practical, if I got a bird with a case, the case would go into storage, and I would use the crap bag for a second bird, if the double didn't work, I would probably invest in another one of these next time they went on sale, or sooner since it was only $11 off.

I'm not currently in a situation where I need my hard cases. I feel so much better with this roadrunner than the bag I had, but not as good as I feel about my warwick bags, which do not fit the bird. Also "it's just a bolt on epi", if I was carting a Gibson or even a neck through epi, I might be more protective of it.

 

[ubernator]

For the skeptical...
Pics or it does not fit.
The last pic shows the "bump" of the headstock, but it was not something that needed to be stretched or forced, the bag is flexible enough.

 

[Gaolee]

Thanks, appreciate it. Sometimes healing hurts. I always hurt after PT but I see the progress I'm making and it's worth it. Don't neglect your core muscles folks...your back will thank you!

One more thing of note on the bass...I typically don't care for lacquered necks, but this neck flies. I found the Ric neck paint a bit sticky...not excessively so but a little bit. This one is super fast. I should have skipped the Ric purchase and went straight for a T-bird to begin with.

That was my experience with Rics as well. I have found 7ender necks can be sticky in my hands, too. I don't know what Gibson and Epiphone do differently, because the chemistry should be the same, but I am yet to pick up either one and find a sticky neck. I even had a bit of stickiness on an Ibanez guitar I had a number of years ago. Go figure. Maybe it's our hands telling us something.

 

[woodyng2]

Thanks, appreciate it. Sometimes healing hurts. I always hurt after PT but I see the progress I'm making and it's worth it. Don't neglect your core muscles folks...your back will thank you!

One more thing of note on the bass...I typically don't care for lacquered necks, but this neck flies. I found the Ric neck paint a bit sticky...not excessively so but a little bit. This one is super fast. I should have skipped the Ric purchase and went straight for a T-bird to begin with.

Those are 2 really different basses,for sure. Glad you've made a love connection!
Is your Epi a neck through,or bolt-on?

 

[JIO]

Out of the 13 Epiphone and 2 Gibson birds that I have from different production years and factories, none of the pickguards are readily interchangeable - They either differ in size or screw hole pattern....

The only two that are fairly close are my Pro and Classic Pro, and that could very well be by accident...

That is pretty funny - as if they are all really different!

 

[Ender_rpm]

So the Bird arrived today...well it arrived yesterday but I picked it up today...and I swear to god there was someone out there trying to delay my picking this bass up. I finally got out of work and headed to pick it up. Package was in good shape and it felt really light, especially considering the GC employee told me this bass weighed 10 pounds. So I get it home and unbox it and it's a lot smaller than I thought it would be. But it's absolutely stunning! So I do a quick once over and:
The Bad:
-Small ding in the headstock
-The bridge pickup was completely loose and falling out. The screws were completely loose. Great QC there.
-Setup was horrible. Worst I've ever seen on a new instrument. It appeared the truss rod was maxed out. Board was just on the verge of convex. The bass was unplayable.
-Getting to the truss rod was a pain. I kept having to take the A string out of the nut to adjust. Small inconvenience though, not too bad.
-The nut could use a little filing. Not too much but a little bit on the E string mainly.

The Good:
It's gorgeous!
It weighs 8.1 lbs!
The neck is amazing. it's the perfect width, perfect shape, everything. And I dig the flat radius.
-It sounds exactly like I hoped it would...actually better. Tons of sustain and with a piano-like quality to it. But quite aggressive.
-The electronics are really quiet, knobs turn smoothly, and I find that the V/V/T setup works really really well on this bass. Very usable

So I did a setup on it and I really like the bridge. you can't fine tune, but you make quick adjustments that make a big difference. The action is medium low and it plays exceptionally well. I love it. I found that if I run the rear part of the strap over the back edge it plays easer for me. It kind of leans forward if I don't. It's not hard to play that way, but it plays better the other way. I had big concerns over the reach but honestly it's more playable that a lot of basses I've owned. I love it.

This is obviously honeymoon stage but generally I know immediately if I have doubts. I have zero doubts. It feels like home just like my J bass does.

Thanks for all your help and advice, it is very much appreciated! Oh and pics or it didn't happen, right?View attachment 1044915

Happy New Bird day!!!

My white Classic IV will likely never leave me. Unless they come out with a Pelham Blue one

 

[803Bassist]

Damn you eBay! Damn you to hell!
View attachment 1039669

Back in 1993 I walked into a pawn shop in Myrtle Beach and traded about $200 worth of gear (Stinger P/J bass and 30 watt gorilla practice amp) for an 1982 MM Sabre (with OHSC) that was in pretty rough shape. The good ole days, when dumbasses didn't have access to the internet.

 

[willsellout]

Those are 2 really different basses,for sure. Glad you've made a love connection!
Is your Epi a neck through,or bolt-on?

It's neck through construction. It's funny it kind of has that same Ric feel and sound. Lots of sustain and punch but a bit thicker and aggressive. And just like with a Ric, you can tell it was meant to play dat Rawk and Roll!

 

[Gaolee]

Depending on touch and strings, you can play anything on a Bird, but the rock and roll beast is always ready right under the surface, waiting to be let off the leash. That makes playing one a whole lot of fun.

 

[hillerup]

So that makes at least 15 different pickguard screw hole patterns.

Gotta admit, I haven't compared the two Gibson pickguards as it would make no point in putting a 50th Anniversary PG on a regular ebony bird...

 

[PillO]

My white Classic IV will likely never leave me. Unless they come out with a Pelham Blue one

There is no need to get rid of a `bird just because you are getting another...

 

[Ender_rpm]

There is no need to get rid of a `bird just because you are getting another...

CAn you call my wife and let her know?

 

[PillO]

CAn you call my wife and let her know?

Sure, no problem. Did you enjoy being married?

 

[hillerup]

So I noticed that the $349 epiphone Thunderbird IV I played tonight at GC has the 1.5" nut, and I think the ex drummers was the same, but it was 2 months ago last I saw it.

Is this a new thing? Or are most of the standard bolt on epis that way, not counting the goth?

Also, this particular specimen had a very tilted neck, is the pocket that way or was there a pretty thick factory installed shim?

....I noticed someone mention that the bursts have a dark finishedbneck, but this one, and my memory of dickwads, was glossy natural mahagony, I liked it.

So far the only Epi's I've encountered with a 1.5" nut are the Pro IV, Classic Pro IV and limited edition TV Silver ones, although I've read that newer vintage sunburst ones should have them now as well.

In regards to tilted necks/shims, I haven't seen any like that so far.

Necks on the vintage sunbursts can vary in color scheme: Old Korean made ones have a very brownish sunburst with a matching colored neck (very vintage looking), whereas newer Chinese ones have a sunburst with a pronounced black edge and almost black neck and headstock - But that can vary as well...

 

[Klondike]

BAG ALERT!

I had some time to kill tonight because band practice got rescheduled, and since I have a case of gas I dropped into GC for the last 45 minutes of its "openage". Unfortunately no used birds, but I did not expect any since I had been watching the site. The only bird there was the usual epiphone $349 sunburst IV, which I will talk about in a separate post. So I notice the normally $39.99 roadrunner avenue gig bag was on sale for $29.00 and the sale ended 2/1. So I stuck the bird in it, and lo and behold, with a little coaxing, it fit! It is tight against the headstock like it is in the nearly unpadded fender monstrosity of a gig bag that the previous owner included, but there is padding against it. I feel much better about this bag.

Unfortunately, right after I bought the bag, I got a text back from former drummer telling me I was not worth the breath of talking to, so there is not only no chance of buying his bird, but he said he won't give back the banner and we can go buy a new one. There was a novel written to him by the guitarist with all the reasons and examples of such, as to why he was fired, 90% was before I was in the band, but he had to throw in the small unneeded info about his drunk, racist and homophobic banter with the bartender after the show, which basically ratted me out for ratting him out. In a guy like thats' mind, that makes the firing my fault and I am a liar, since he denied everything. Bad bad on the guitar player for not just keeping that to himself.

When I apologized for bothering him, he told me I was worth less than s#it on his shoes... A screenshot of this really pissed the guitar player off and made him feel even better about firing the guy. I have withheld from posting this drama on talkbass when it was current, but maybe now it is fair game for fodder, if I get bored.

In other words, I discovered that the roadrunner RR 1EB avenue series gig bag FITS A T BIRD, and is only $29 but the sale ends tonight. But even at $39.99 it would be worth it.

Yipes! That dude has a really bad self loathing of himself! Keep away!

In other non related news, glad you discovered you dont want that bird

 

[Klondike]

Thanks, appreciate it. Sometimes healing hurts. I always hurt after PT but I see the progress I'm making and it's worth it. Don't neglect your core muscles folks...your back will thank you!

One more thing of note on the bass...I typically don't care for lacquered necks, but this neck flies. I found the Ric neck paint a bit sticky...not excessively so but a little bit. This one is super fast. I should have skipped the Ric purchase and went straight for a T-bird to begin with.

I totally feel you (back) pain! I went to the Dr yesterday and the day before(Mon). He thinks I've had a heart attack sometime in my past! Now I get to meet a Cardiologist

 

[PillO]

I totally feel you (back) pain! I went to the Dr yesterday and the day before(Mon). He thinks I've had a heart attack sometime in my past! Now I get to meet a Cardiologist

An odd diagnosis. But, FWIW, most GPs are not that good with cardiology (and abundantly cautious with matters of cardiology), so good odds that he/she is misreading things. And also FWIW, all the cardiologists I know and have met have been really nice people (except one who was quite arrogant, but was quickly put in his place when I demonstrated that my knowledge was superior to his).

 

[Klondike]

An odd diagnosis. But, FWIW, most GPs are not that good with cardiology (and abundantly cautious with matters of cardiology), so good odds that he/she is misreading things. And also FWIW, all the cardiologists I know and have met have been really nice people (except one who was quite arrogant, but was quickly put in his place when I demonstrated that my knowledge was superior to his).

I went in because i really needed a comprehensive check up. My diabetes has been out-a-whack and I guess i needed to open my eyes. Durring this check up the doc wanted an EKG, thats where he thinks i had a heart attack sometime in the past. Found out my meter was way way off so a new meter/test strips and I'm getting my blood sugar back in line. But I will need to go see a few specialists now.