Thunderbird Club

[GBassNorth]

I know this has been discussed... But if I wanted a little brighter pickup for my Epiphone Classic Pro 'Bird, what should I be looking at?
It's got the stock Thunderbucker+ now.
They're seeming a tad dark to me.

Chinabuckers (EY pickups) are an inexpensive drop in replacement with trim rings, less than $100 for a set IIRC. Followed by 760ProBuckers as used in the Eppi VP and Embassy basses for a bit more money. But Andy suggested the best approach, try a .022uf tone cap and maybe even a 500k ohm tone pot first.

 

[The EDP]

Anyone got any info on the SIT Power Wound Nickel strings - same gauges? Dark or bright or muddy - or maybe dreadful tension/break all the time? Found some at an absurd price over here, thinking it's either because they are sh*te or they're now out of production but have ordered a couple sets to try them out! For less than one set of D'addarios or two thirds of a set of GHS boomers!!

It’s Marshall so a good guess would be:

View attachment 5217052

 

[The EDP]

That’s why I was asking what strings it had.

I normally lean towards the darker side of the bass tone spectrum. As such I routinely solo the neck pickup and play between the neck pickup and the neck in finger style mode with the tone knob almost always less than half up. On Marshall’s bass I found myself turning the tone knob all the way up to max and blending in a sizable portion of the bridge pickup to get my normal dark creamy tone. It seemed to have a lot more bottom end than I’ve run into on other Tbirds, possibly even more than my Goth Tbirds. I’d say it’s close to a Gibby with TB+ pickups or an Eppi CP on steroids.

It you’re after deep dark and bold (not really mushy or muddy) then this is the bass for you. It’s not as over the top as a Greco but it’s certainly in that direction. If you like crystal clear glassy highs you might want to steer clear of this one and focus more on the VP.

As a side note - I’d definitely consider finding a set of these pickups for a future Tbird build. But no idea what pickups they are. I was told they’re actually guitar pickups but I don’t know which model.

I think these are the same pups as the ones that came in my '13 Les Paul Bass (the best sounding bass I have ever heard) so I bought them back when I saw them on evilbay. The numbers are 345/346 and at the time I managed to find some info but now can't recall where. The Les Paul Bass specs refer to the pups as Thunderbird pickups. Epi often use Gibson designs for various parts - you think they might've used these pickups in that range of Thunderbirds?

 

[Count Bassie]

Chinabuckers (EY pickups) are an inexpensive drop in replacement with trim rings, less than $100 for a set IIRC. Followed by 760ProBuckers as used in the Eppi VP and Embassy basses for a bit more money. But Andy suggested the best approach, try a .022uf tone cap and maybe even a 500k ohm tone pot first.

I'll try that. Conservative, small moves have been the ones to make, it seems to me. Thanks you guys.

 

[Hondapunk]

Semi bass related, the latest iteration of the pedalboard

 

[The EDP]

Anyone got any info on the SIT Power Wound Nickel strings - same gauges? Dark or bright or muddy - or maybe dreadful tension/break all the time? Found some at an absurd price over here, thinking it's either because they are sh*te or they're now out of production but have ordered a couple sets to try them out! For less than one set of D'addarios or two thirds of a set of GHS boomers!!

These are the ones I'm wondering about - tho I shall prob find out for myself before too long . . .
£11 a set, blimmin chuffing what the hell, best try them at least!!

 

[semiprohooker]

You could try a different cap to see if that brightens things up a touch. Super cheap to test out.

500k pots instead of 250k can slightly help that. The cap shouldn't really help overall brightness it just adjusts the amount of adjustment available on the tone knob. Try some bright strings. Hi beams, Sun beams, fat beams, roto 66.

 

[Count Bassie]

500k pots instead of 250k can slightly help that. The cap shouldn't really help overall brightness it just adjusts the amount of adjustment available on the tone knob. Try some bright strings. Hi beams, Sun beams, fat beams, roto 66.

So a higher value cap increases or decreases available adjustment?

 

[MCF]

Looks familiar. What year?

Same as yours bud. 2010.

Tony Levine……let’s do this!
View attachment 5217222

I can only imagine what you paid for those seats. Should be awesome!

 

[MCF]

Who makes it, and is it a drop-in replacement?

The stock pickups in the Epi Classic Pro are the modern Gibson Tbird+ pickups. They have ceramic magnets.
The stock pickups in the Epi Vintage Pro, now called the Epi 60’s, are Epi 760 Probuckers. They are also stock in the Epi Embassy. They have Alnico V magnets.
In general, I think the Gibson Tbird+ pickups sound a little darker than the 760 Probuckers. Of course strings and eq settings can alter things.

 

[MCF]

It’s Marshall so a good guess would be:

View attachment 5217052

Actually, trying these on it.

 

[MCF]

View attachment 5217405
I think these are the same pups as the ones that came in my '13 Les Paul Bass (the best sounding bass I have ever heard) so I bought them back when I saw them on evilbay. The numbers are 345/346 and at the time I managed to find some info but now can't recall where. The Les Paul Bass specs refer to the pups as Thunderbird pickups. Epi often use Gibson designs for various parts - you think they might've used these pickups in that range of Thunderbirds?

I’m speculating here, but I suspect those are the same as the chrome pickups found in Epi Limited Edition Custom Shop TV Silver, Silverburst, and white Thunderbirds. Some say they are guitar pickups. They have a ballsy low end. See @GBassNorth ’s comment about what he heard from my white LE Custom Shop Epi last Sunday.

 

[ThaCoast]

The link I provided above (reverb) is for a set of new 760’s and I think for a good price.

I'm tossing up between these & Gemini's Dominators. Im also still in homework mode...

 

[semiprohooker]

So a higher value cap increases or decreases available adjustment?

The higher the value the more it'll cut off. The higher the value the "darker" the sound.

 

[JJR58]

I know this has been discussed... But if I wanted a little brighter pickup for my Epiphone Classic Pro 'Bird, what should I be looking at?
It's got the stock Thunderbucker+ now.
They're seeming a tad dark to me.

If you can find ThunderBuckers made by Steve S..........

 

[semiprohooker]

So I took advantage of the Epiphone Embassy sale GC had for $300. Fantastic little bass with definite Tbird tone vibes. But it's just not really got a spot in my lineup so I'm about to return it.

Before I do, I figured I'd check to see if any of us in here wanted one but missed the sale. If anybody here wants it I'll take what I paid and toss in a set of EBCF strings.

 

[ThaCoast]

So I took advantage of the Epiphone Embassy sale GC had for $300. Fantastic little bass with definite Tbird tone vibes. But it's just not really got a spot in my lineup so I'm about to return it.

Before I do, I figured I'd check to see if any of us in here wanted one but missed the sale. If anybody here wants it I'll take what I paid and toss in a set of EBCF strings.

Pictures? Im curious on colour

 

[MCF]

I'm tossing up between these & Gemini's Dominators. Im also still in homework mode...

Just my opinion Andii. But I like these better than the 760 Probuckers. The one I just put in my BaCH II sounds great. They are what is in the recent NR Thunderbirds.
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[Ringhammer]

Just my opinion Andii. But I like these better than the 760 Probuckers. The one I just put in my BaCH II sounds great. They are what is in the recent NR Thunderbirds.
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I’ll back this up by saying that I put a pair in my 2001 burst bird and, at least in my garage at lower volumes they sound spectacular, with some older but still zingy SS rounds on it.

They are getting moved to a black ‘97 Gibby ‘bird that I picked up yesterday. Given that they are CHROME and not nickel, I’m putting them in the black ‘bird and possibly trying out the Gemini Dominators in the ‘01 burst, or moving the set of Novaks out of my black VP into the burst, or….

 

[Engle]

That's an SWR SS180. Probably late 80s and hand built by Steve Rabe himself.

love those, works?

Apparently the volume control crackles.
From the little bit I've read, these amps are tube preamp/SS power amp. And the power amp needs to be biased periodically using a scope.