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Thunderbird Club

#2,641
twil said:
Hi Guys,
So im new here and need some advice.
I bought my Thunderbird-proIV one mounth ago but it is already for the sell again for some reason.
The body!

I love the slim neck playing fast´n furios but the body is so damn big for me and kind of uncomfortable with heavey headstock.
Any advice?
Maybe re shaping the body some smaller?
Or are there some similar basses with the same slim neck and smaller bodys?

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Hows it going Twil. I understand how u feel when you play the TBird Pro4. I played one at guitar center the other day and I also didn't like how it felt. Lucky for me the GC Store that I went to had about 4 Thunderbirds on display and i played them all. I started with the Gibson $1,900. It felt awesome. The I played to $500 Epi-Classic TBird. It felt identical to the gibson but $1,400 cheaper. Then I played the Pro4. It felt awkward on the neck and the body just felt too heavy for a TBird. Even the base Epi-TBird (bolt-on neck) felt better than the Pro4. So I just recommend for you to try out other TBird before you decide to modify a Pro4 then you wont be able to sell at the of your project. Try the $500 Thunderbird Classic IV. I've own my Epi-TBird (bolt-on) since 2006. And its still one of my favorite bass.
 
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#2,643
OK, I'm gonna gloat a bit about this one. I've been looking for a TBird case for quite a while. As you know, they're stupid expensive for what they are. I was talking to our IT guy Taryn about it, so he started searching, too. He found a site called NoLowerPrice.com out of Indy and Appliss, which is a short ways from Hopkinsville, KY where I work. I bought the case yesterday, got it today. While that's awesome, that's not what's gloatalicious about this deal. It was listed as having a damaged box (which it did) but the contents of said box was fully usable. I pulled the case out of the shipping box, and its in new condition except that there's a 1/2" wide hole poked in the side wall of the lid. It doesn't extend into the case. That's the only thing that's wrong with it. Because of the damage, I got a gloatalicious price: $24.99 and $9.99 shipping. It weighs 19 pounds; I'm rather certain they lost money on the shipping, too. Its too dark to get a pic today, so I'll snap some tomorrow. Go ahead and hate me, I accept that.:woot:
 
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#2,646
Haji said:
OK, I'm gonna gloat a bit about this one. I've been looking for a TBird case for quite a while. As you know, they're stupid expensive for what they are. I was talking to our IT guy Taryn about it, so he started searching, too. He found a site called NoLowerPrice.com out of Indy and Appliss, which is a short ways from Hopkinsville, KY where I work. I bought the case yesterday, got it today. While that's awesome, that's not what's gloatalicious about this deal. It was listed as having a damaged box (which it did) but the contents of said box was fully usable. I pulled the case out of the shipping box, and its in new condition except that there's a 1/2" wide hole poked in the side wall of the lid. It doesn't extend into the case. That's the only thing that's wrong with it. Because of the damage, I got a gloatalicious price: $24.99 and $9.99 shipping. It weighs 19 pounds; I'm rather certain they lost money on the shipping, too. Its too dark to get a pic today, so I'll snap some tomorrow. Go ahead and hate me, I accept that.:woot:
Click to expand...
Good Score! :)
 
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#2,651
Reservoir Dog said:
Hey Twil , my jazz bass has a slim neck close to my epi pro IV . It is a 92 jazz plus so it also has a smaller body than a regular J-bass. Food for thought. I also have a question for our resident bird expert . Mark, I was reading your review on your white Burny bird you got back in 2012. I'm gasin bad for a white passive bird , I'm trying to decide between the Epi classic in white or one of the other offerings in the same or close price range . Or just buy a used Gibson for under a grand and don't worry what color it is . Help me or stop me , that would be cheaper.
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Sorry for not getting back with you a bit sooner, had to work on one of my "days off" - Commercial projects have no respect for my schedule :cool:

Anyway, were I buying a white Thunderbird today I'd look for a used Gibson - and probably pay way too much because their Classic White finish is out of production, thus they will get a higher price....... Common sense suggests the Epiphone "Classic Pro", its super nice (way better than the Burny BTW) and much more reasonable/available than the Gibson. Epi really nailed it just right with the "Classic Pro" price is fair, generally good build quality (not as spotty as Gibson) U.S. pickups etc.
 
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#2,652
Haji said:
OK, I'm gonna gloat a bit about this one. I've been looking for a TBird case for quite a while. As you know, they're stupid expensive for what they are. I was talking to our IT guy Taryn about it, so he started searching, too. He found a site called NoLowerPrice.com out of Indy and Appliss, which is a short ways from Hopkinsville, KY where I work. I bought the case yesterday, got it today. While that's awesome, that's not what's gloatalicious about this deal. It was listed as having a damaged box (which it did) but the contents of said box was fully usable. I pulled the case out of the shipping box, and its in new condition except that there's a 1/2" wide hole poked in the side wall of the lid. It doesn't extend into the case. That's the only thing that's wrong with it. Because of the damage, I got a gloatalicious price: $24.99 and $9.99 shipping. It weighs 19 pounds; I'm rather certain they lost money on the shipping, too. Its too dark to get a pic today, so I'll snap some tomorrow. Go ahead and hate me, I accept that.:woot:
Click to expand...
Gotta gloat about that kind of deal!
 
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#2,653
I took some CCPP's (Crappy Cell Phone Pics) for your viewing enjoyment...or apathy...whatever!
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This especially CCPP shows where the damage is and gives a sense of scale to how big (or small, depending on perspective) it is:
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Close ups, first of the damage as it was out of the box, and then some of it pried out with my Swiss Army Knife
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#2,655
I have decided with my future walnut 2014 t bird im gonna chrome it out.....

Those vintage birds just look so good.

I understand hipshot is the way to go for tuners and possibly bridge unless I go a different bridge design/build.

For pickups I was thinking lull's but pwoah 700 for a set is a bit much for me, unless there is a significant difference between them and say thunderbucker 66's. Which is where I am leaning, 66's seem to be the way to go if you just want to slam that vintage t-bird vibe onto a modern bird if I am not mistaken? I love how the new t-birds sound but I do think that a "blanket" could be taken off of the tone. I really like chicago music exchange's video of a 1977 t-bird.

Can't wait to get it all together!!!

IMG_24501.jpg
 
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#2,656
I work directly with Steve of ThunderBucker Ranch on the development of ThunderBucker pickups, they were cloned from five of my 60s Tbird pickups. They are exact replicas. You can return them in 30 days for a full refund if you're not happy. Lull sells great pickups but they are made by another company to Lull specs. Steve does the complete package himself from winding to making the covers, rings and spacers. You're buying direct from him with no middleman so pricing is better.
 
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#2,657
Well , I just pulled the trigger on a white Epi classic , Thanks Mark for the info . Sweetwater just dropped the price to 429.99 with free shipping so I just had to do it . I called to make sure they were not blems or refurbs , the sales rep said epiphone was going to discontinue , I'm assuming he was talking about the color , and that they had purchased several to offer with the price drop . The one I ordered was the lightest one at 9lbs 3 oz. I hope its not all in the headstock. I should have never started reading this forum .
 
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#2,659
Reservoir Dog said:
Well , I just pulled the trigger on a white Epi classic , Thanks Mark for the info . Sweetwater just dropped the price to 429.99 with free shipping so I just had to do it . I called to make sure they were not blems or refurbs , the sales rep said epiphone was going to discontinue , I'm assuming he was talking about the color , and that they had purchased several to offer with the price drop . The one I ordered was the lightest one at 9lbs 3 oz. I hope its not all in the headstock. I should have never started reading this forum .
Click to expand...
Neck dive is an easy fix...without touching the bass itself.
 
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#2,660
Mikaelbass said:
I have decided with my future walnut 2014 t bird im gonna chrome it out.....

Those vintage birds just look so good.

I understand hipshot is the way to go for tuners and possibly bridge unless I go a different bridge design/build.

For pickups I was thinking lull's but pwoah 700 for a set is a bit much for me, unless there is a significant difference between them and say thunderbucker 66's. Which is where I am leaning, 66's seem to be the way to go if you just want to slam that vintage t-bird vibe onto a modern bird if I am not mistaken? I love how the new t-birds sound but I do think that a "blanket" could be taken off of the tone. I really like chicago music exchange's video of a 1977 t-bird.

Can't wait to get it all together!!!

IMG_24501.jpg
Click to expand...







Great stuff!


Congratulations on your new bass, are you in the club? - The roster is a couple pages back, let me know.


Personally on the bridge I've never had to replace a 3 point, given to some one that knows what they're doing it should work in pretty much every circumstance - One of my '76s has a headstock repair that has slowly twisted over time and it's 3 point compensates for just fine. The Babicz bridge is at least a lot easier on your eyes and seems to fit a Thunderbird better than a Hipshot.
 

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