Those strings are magnetic. Had to pry them off the pickups when installing.
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
- Start date
-
- Tags
- club thunderbird
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,632
- 222,241
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
For sure - at that time it was the only bass I owned. We (coincidentally) were a "Gibson band" as Eddie played a full-on ES-335 Deluxe (gold hardware etc - like BB King) and Steve played the 'working mans' version, both in trans-cherry. After those years playing it as a II - I added the Seymour Duncan Hawkbuker bridge pu in around '86-'87 (after Eddie passed away in '85), wanting more tonal definition. Never regretted doing so.
Interestingly enough - before joining Eddies band, I frequented the "blue Monday" shows at a local Chicago club called "Elsewheres" where Eddie was the "house" bluesman.
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- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,632
- 222,241
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Well, for coincidence sake - both Bond Girl and The Sean Conneries now have a drummer named "Phil". However, because of this I will not assume all drummers in the Bay Area are named "Phil".
I think @Chucky Stiletti has a tip jar named Phil.
Ok you bunch of enablers…
What's the general consensus on the 1995-1998 Epiphone NR with the P/J pup layout, 4 string version?
@Nocturnal says they are nice playing basses, I think he's had a couple of them, but may have since sold them. @GonePlaid had one IIRC at one time but may have since sold it. Only made for a few years, so there shouldn't be that many floating around, yet you always see them for sale. Is that because there is something inherently wrong with them (besides not sounding like a Tbird).
I'm considering buying one specifically because I WANT the P/J option in my Tbird lineup, it's one of the few pup layouts that I don't currently have covered in my diverse flock of birds.
What's the general consensus on the 1995-1998 Epiphone NR with the P/J pup layout, 4 string version?
@Nocturnal says they are nice playing basses, I think he's had a couple of them, but may have since sold them. @GonePlaid had one IIRC at one time but may have since sold it. Only made for a few years, so there shouldn't be that many floating around, yet you always see them for sale. Is that because there is something inherently wrong with them (besides not sounding like a Tbird).
I'm considering buying one specifically because I WANT the P/J option in my Tbird lineup, it's one of the few pup layouts that I don't currently have covered in my diverse flock of birds.
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One on OfferUp for a year at $600.
Saw that one. IIRC it's a local Chicago sale. But before I buy, I was wondering what folks here thought of them. Pros and Cons.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,632
- 222,241
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I think @Chucky Stiletti has a tip jar named Phil.
Yes, "Phil the tip-jar"... seems to work well.
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godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,061
- 38,450
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
I had one, well built Korean made bass for the era. Has more in common with a Precision bass tha anything else. I put a single Dimarzio Model G in mine with good results. Oddly the neck hurt my had in the at the first position so I eventually sold it.
And that's how short drum breaks became known as 'phils'.
Mine was a 5er. It was OK to play though a bit heavy, but they are NOT mahogany. Like most P/J layouts, the J pup bordered on useless. I was gonna hafta do too much to it to-maybe-get it to sound like what I wanted. Sold. BTW, Takes a l-o-o-o-ng E(or B, in my case)string.
Bofum.
Like Scott said, has more in common with a Precision than a Thunderbird in construction and sound. Stock electronics are decent, but a weak J pickup as Mike mentioned. Well made and a great platform for modification. I still own two of them. My white one has several mods done (P pickup, bridge, refinished) but the green is stock aside from a bridge replacement.
Possibly the best sounding guitars ever made. Was in two bands where the lead guitarists had them. One was the cherry finish. My favorite guitar I was ever in a band with as far as looks and sound. But he sold it..... I road him about it. He later regretted it. They may not look "cool" (which is relative to situation), but they are sweet sounding. Don't know about the new ones.
There ought to be some serious twang in that guitar.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,915
- 142,448
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Had one too, quite possibly the worst bass I've ever had.
I may've figured out what to do electronically with my epiphone ungoth bird: will test having series/parallel switch, see how it sounds either way. If i'm satisfied with the results, the body will have another hole again.
Will update in a few months, as i've got other pressing projects to attend prior.
Will update in a few months, as i've got other pressing projects to attend prior.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,915
- 142,448
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
I've never played one, but what really bothers me aesthetically is the J pickup in the wide humbucker cutout in the pickguard. I dislike it even more than NO pickup in there.
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