Thunderbird Club

[godofthunder59]

@godofthunder59 didn't mean to step in on your Thunder with my noisy post! I just wanted to prove I actually play my Bird!

Nice sounds there, from my little phone speaker I can here what seems to be a nicely place bass in your mix. Gotta bring some headphones to the local library and give a few things a listen this week.

Lol no problem!

 

[nismaniac]

A 63 neck 66 bridge is my preference...but what do I know? I firmly believe pedals are for bicycles.

Hey Carlo! I've been planning on installing Thunderbuckers in my 5 string Epi Pro for about a year now and am finally in a place where I'll be able to do it! You were very helpful with some of my initial questions and I learned a lot.

Carlo, if you have a minute and don't mind, would you elaborate a little further on the characteristics you get from mixing the 66 and the 63? I know it comes down to personal preference but I'm intrigued by the idea and since I can't really hear them for myself before buying, the more info the better! Thanks!!!

 

[Count Bassie]

No audio on that clip but others sound great, especially 'Surrender'


The 'S' is the new MAX. Steve got tired stuffing all that wire into that small package and we agreed it was overkill, they have twice the output of a 66 (+3 db). I originally wanted to call it the 666, Steve said he didn't want to upset religious zealots. They won't be coming back, smoke 'em if you got 'em!

Thanks. Myself, I'm a little 'meh' on some of it- The Ocean was the best one, of course! Probably copyright/residuals hassling. Looking into it, there was audio on it this morning!

 

[Dadagoboi]

Hey Carlo! I've been planning on installing Thunderbuckers in my 5 string Epi Pro for about a year now and am finally in a place where I'll be able to do it! You were very helpful with some of my initial questions and I learned a lot.

Carlo, if you have a minute and don't mind, would you elaborate a little further on the characteristics you get from mixing the 66 and the 63? I know it comes down to personal preference but I'm intrigued by the idea and since I can't really hear them for myself before buying, the more info the better! Thanks!!!

Just comes down to personal choice. The 63N is the cleanest sounding and the 66B is the dirtiest except for the S. I like the combo, especially with stacked pots (or V/V/T/T). That gives me the widest passive sound spectrum. Or, with Volume/Blend/Tone. That works better for me than V/V/T, it makes the sound drop spot with both Volumes on 10 easier to deal with IMO.

 

[kat888]

A 63 neck 66 bridge is my preference...but what do I know? I firmly believe pedals are for bicycles.

Quite - and guitarists. Mine are stomp boxes anyway.

You start out with a tuner, then a valve preamp with slightly exotic power requirements and decide - cos it's not cool using batteries that are only going to end up as landfill - to get a PSU. Might as well put all that together on something solid and then you have a 'pedalboard'. One thing leads to another - the Class D sound isn't quite there, so you ask the resident TB authority how to go about getting a fatter shinier '70s' tone - and behold another stomp box! Finally you are exhausted with all the talking yourself out of adding a chorus and buy one just to shut yourself up. It's there, and who knows, one day you may actually use it.

 

[D.M.N.]

Why not try wax potting your pickup first before spending money on a Thunderbucker?

Yeah, I'm going to swing by the hardware store to see if they have any Parafin wax today, give that a try first.

63 is the original Reverse clone. 66 is hotter, it's a clone of the NR spec. 'S' is currently the hottest Steve winds. It's the closest to the Greco pickup in output but the magnets are Alnico and there's a lot more wire in it for a smoother sound.

I'm tempted to go with the '63 if I replace it, as Thunderbucker states they're a little more Fender-like, and not quite as hot as the stock Greco, which is a lovely pickup, but I'd like to get a little more highs and clarity from this bass.

 

[Korladis]

The Thunderbuckers I have are quite a bit brighter than the stock pickups were. I can get a lot more clank from them.

 

[TBird1958]

Also, there's a Greco T-II for sale down in Tacoma...I'm kinda thinking about trying to trade a Sunn 200s for it. I don't need two...but.........

I'm in Tacoma 5 days a week for work, if there's anything I can do to help should you decide to go ahead, let me know.

 

[TBird1958]

Speaking of Tacoma........
The band took a short trip to play there last night, had a good evening! We travelled "light" I only took two basses ( we left all the de tuned material off the set) in standard tuning. Played the beater 7enderbird for the first set, and the '89 with Lull pups for the second and third. Got home late, and trashed so I took the day off work............Time for a nap with the cat.

 

[BklynKen]

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but anyone know how to adjust the tension on the Grover tuning pegs that come with the 2013 Thunderbirds? One turns too tightly. Only screw I can find is at the top, which seems like it's just to hold on the part that turns to tune. I tried it, though, and it didn't seem to make any difference.

Thanks.

 

[Haji]

What a stupid question!


I don't have a bass in front of me-gimme a break, I'm at Burger King using their weefee-but some closed tuners have an adjustment screw on the underside, usually on the underside of the shaft.

If it doesn't have an adjustment screw, contact Gibson and see about getting a replacement under warranty.

 

[nismaniac]

Just comes down to personal choice. The 63N is the cleanest sounding and the 66B is the dirtiest except for the S. I like the combo, especially with stacked pots (or V/V/T/T). That gives me the widest passive sound spectrum. Or, with Volume/Blend/Tone. That works better for me than V/V/T, it makes the sound drop spot with both Volumes on 10 easier to deal with IMO.

Great info, I appreciate it! I was trying to decide between V/V/T/T or Vol/Blend/Tone, I generally prefer a master vol/blend but this bass already has 4 holes drilled. So from what you said, it sounds like the idea is to put the hotter pickup in the bridge position to help balance things out. Have you ever experimented with or heard someone put a 63s in the neck and 66s in the bridge for more output from both or is it kind of unnecessary or not the intended design?

 

[DoctorNop]

Hello Tbirds players! May I ask a question even if I'm not a Tbird member for the moment?

I live in a city in France where it's impossible to try anything else than a Jazz Bass or a Pbass. I'm making some plans about getting a Tbird only based on what I've hear/read and totally biased by the fact I find they are beauty!
I mainly play hard rock with a bass plugged into an Orange OB1. Some fuzz with the blend control, good low end, a pick an many powerchords. The sound must be powerful, with low end (but not too muddy because of my powerchords playing) and a good response in the mid-range for fuzz/OD.

What kind of Tbird do you think will suit the best? I just don't want an Epi. But are there any "better years"/era for this kind of tone? Or a 2015 will be pretty much the same as a 2011 or 1990?
Thanks !

 

[Korladis]

Great info, I appreciate it! I was trying to decide between V/V/T/T or Vol/Blend/Tone, I generally prefer a master vol/blend but this bass already has 4 holes drilled. So from what you said, it sounds like the idea is to put the hotter pickup in the bridge position to help balance things out. Have you ever experimented with or heard someone put a 63s in the neck and 66s in the bridge for more output from both or is it kind of unnecessary or not the intended design?

V/V/S - volume, volume, pickup switch.

 

[Dadagoboi]

Great info, I appreciate it! I was trying to decide between V/V/T/T or Vol/Blend/Tone, I generally prefer a master vol/blend but this bass already has 4 holes drilled. So from what you said, it sounds like the idea is to put the hotter pickup in the bridge position to help balance things out. Have you ever experimented with or heard someone put a 63s in the neck and 66s in the bridge for more output from both or is it kind of unnecessary or not the intended design?

it sounds like the idea is to put the hotter pickup in the bridge position to help balance things out. Yes.

Have you ever experimented with or heard someone put a 63s in the neck and 66s in the bridge for more output. No.

There is no 63 S. An S is hotter than a 66B, it was developed at the request of Leslie McCurdy of LH McCurdy Basses as a single pickup option to be located closer to the bridge than the Thunderbird neck pickup 'sweet spot'.

 

[Count Bassie]

T-Bird shot at Plan 9 rehearsal. Me learning one of the tunes from before my time... see the concentration. See It?

This little bird wins compliments with everyone who hears it. I'm talking about the bass, now...

 

[Gaolee]

Hello Tbirds players! May I ask a question even if I'm not a Tbird member for the moment?

I live in a city in France where it's impossible to try anything else than a Jazz Bass or a Pbass. I'm making some plans about getting a Tbird only based on what I've hear/read and totally biased by the fact I find they are beauty!
I mainly play hard rock with a bass plugged into an Orange OB1. Some fuzz with the blend control, good low end, a pick an many powerchords. The sound must be powerful, with low end (but not too muddy because of my powerchords playing) and a good response in the mid-range for fuzz/OD.

What kind of Tbird do you think will suit the best? I just don't want an Epi. But are there any "better years"/era for this kind of tone? Or a 2015 will be pretty much the same as a 2011 or 1990?
Thanks !

If you don't want an Epi, then your choices are more limited.

A 2015 is not the same as other years of Gibson. A 2015 has the same electronics as a 2013 or 2014 EB. Gibson released a new EB with the same electronics but a different shape late last year. Those are nothing like earlier Thunderbirds. A 2015 is electronically more flexible, but there are no aftermarket pickups you can put into it to refine or tune the sound you get.

From the late 1980s to 2014, Gibson Thunderbirds are all fairly similar. I have a 1991 and a 2001. The 1991 balances a little better, and the 2001 has a slightly better, punchier sound and feel. If you aren't satisfied with the sound the stock pickups give you, there are plenty of choices of replacements that sound clearer. The 1991 will eventually get Thunderbucker pickups when a few of the projects in front of it get done.

I cannot tell you anything about Greco, Burney, Tokai, or any of the other Thunderbirds that are out there. All I know about are Gibson and Epiphone Thunderbirds.

 

[TBird1958]

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but anyone know how to adjust the tension on the Grover tuning pegs that come with the 2013 Thunderbirds? One turns too tightly. Only screw I can find is at the top, which seems like it's just to hold on the part that turns to tune. I tried it, though, and it didn't seem to make any difference.

Thanks.

Long Time!

Can you take the string off the tuner and then unscrew the single mounting screw. I've seen this before, it's probably a bad tuner - Just a way to check it.

 

[TBird1958]

Hello Tbirds players! May I ask a question even if I'm not a Tbird member for the moment?

I live in a city in France where it's impossible to try anything else than a Jazz Bass or a Pbass. I'm making some plans about getting a Tbird only based on what I've hear/read and totally biased by the fact I find they are beauty!
I mainly play hard rock with a bass plugged into an Orange OB1. Some fuzz with the blend control, good low end, a pick an many powerchords. The sound must be powerful, with low end (but not too muddy because of my powerchords playing) and a good response in the mid-range for fuzz/OD.

What kind of Tbird do you think will suit the best? I just don't want an Epi. But are there any "better years"/era for this kind of tone? Or a 2015 will be pretty much the same as a 2011 or 1990?
Thanks !

For used, I'm going to say you'll be travelling to some larger city to try one that's in a larger shop's used inventory. Post 1988 Thunderbirds are all similar with certain colors i.e. white bring considered more desirable. Gibson did at least four running design changes on the pickups, but I don't have productions dates for them.

 

[GBassNorth]

Something I've never seen done but might be interesting for the minimalist out there - no volume or tone pots, just a pan pot or mix slider on the bass. Then plug into a volume pedal on the pedal board to adjust overall volume. For the pedal board fans it might be a neat option. Certainly would give a different look to the bird with no knobs and instead a slider.