Thunderbird Club

[Count Bassie]

If you really want a more Ric-like tone from your TB+, try an EHX Steel Leather.

I'll look that up, thanks Ken.

 

[Count Bassie]

If you really want a more Ric-like tone from your TB+, try an EHX Steel Leather.

Been seeing the James Rocket on Facebook lately, good to see you out there mang!

 

[The EDP]

If I were going to reverse engineer any pickup out there for a Tbird it would be a Greco bird pickup from the late 1970’s era.

Does anyone have any info on the Greco pups?
I've got this off the Gibson site:

I've also got info about the passive humbuckers from the late '80s that I liked so much but it turns out they are very different specs:
42.5AWG with an 8mm ceramic magnet with a coil tap at .6 of the full winding turns.
Does anyone know for certain which gauge wire is used in the current T'Bird reissues above?
I'm definitely considering having a tap on them.
But first thing that's gonna happen is those EB Bass pickups from the Rexbird are getting potted into gold covers!

 

[Engle]

Funny, I got a remark tonight from someone who was at my last gig, that my CP sounded like a Hofner, esp during our rendition of Hey Bulldog by the Beatles... That was through a GK 800RB>small 215 cab.
I in fact thought it was 'Rickenbacker-like' upon seeing a vid of us when I was playing through a mid-90s Peavey TNT combo a few months ago.
Getting Rickie vibes from my TB+ equipped Classic Pro. Funny. Didn't expect that. Anyone else get that, or is it just my mojo?? Can't be...

You're just proving "it's in the fingers"!

 

[Engle]

Dude you tryin'ta start trouble?!

Anybody that has a significant chip in their Epiphone can see how thick the finish is!

 

[MCF]

Does anyone have any info on the Greco pups?
I've got this off the Gibson site:
View attachment 5236217 View attachment 5236218

I've also got info about the passive humbuckers from the late '80s that I liked so much but it turns out they are very different specs:
42.5AWG with an 8mm ceramic magnet with a coil tap at .6 of the full winding turns.
Does anyone know for certain which gauge wire is used in the current T'Bird reissues above?
I'm definitely considering having a tap on them.
But first thing that's gonna happen is those EB Bass pickups from the Rexbird are getting potted into gold covers!

The Gibson reissue is the best overall bang for the buck IMO. We installed one in my BaCH II and it is awesome. It’s the same pickup used in the recent NR reissues.

Getting info on Greco pickups has been something I’ve been trying to do. It’s tough because the factories changed over the years. Matsumoko built them in the 70’s. Then there was a switch to Fujigen Gakki, Dyna Gakki, and possibly a couple others.

@GBassNorth swears by the late 70’s pickups which would have been when Fujigen was making the instruments. It’s anyone’s guess who made those pickups. Sometime during the early 80’s, the pickups started being wound in house.

I don’t know of anyone backward engineering the Greco pickups. It would be cool if someone would and produce reissues.

 

[The EDP]

My Greco is a '90s anyway so even if I get it r-e'd it may well not be an identical unit as those preferred by @GBassNorth despite achieving the same readings.
Might do it regardless tho . . .

The Gibson reissue is the best overall bang for the buck IMO. We installed one in my BaCH II and it is awesome. It’s the same pickup used in the recent NR reissues.

Getting info on Greco pickups has been something I’ve been trying to do. It’s tough because the factories changed over the years. Matsumoko built them in the 70’s. Then there was a switch to Fujigen Gakki, Dyna Gakki, and possibly a couple others.

@GBassNorth swears by the late 70’s pickups which would have been when Fujigen was making the instruments. It’s anyone’s guess who made those pickups. Sometime during the early 80’s, the pickups started being wound in house.

I don’t know of anyone backward engineering the Greco pickups. It would be cool if someone would and produce reissues.

 

[JJR58]

Anybody that has a significant chip in their Epiphone can see how thick the finish is!

Under the PG, i have one. And absolutely proves how thick the finish really is.

 

[Thumper]

So the new Gibson replacements are both the same resistance?

 

[TBird1958]

Bird, legs............

 

[Stealth57]

So the new Gibson replacements are both the same resistance?

They did not release a neck and bridge pickup, just a single pickup.

 

[Ringhammer]

So the new Gibson replacements are both the same resistance?

Yes. I bought a pair and first thing I did was read the DCR and both pickups were identical. I was really hoping one would just slightly different, if for no other reason than to help with picking one for the bridge position. So all I have done is set the bridge pup a little closer to the strings and the neck pup a bit farther. This actually works well for me as I can tend to play hard sometimes and I don’t want the strings to hit the neck pup.

 

[Count Bassie]

You're just proving "it's in the fingers"!

This is an emergent thing, hasn't always been my penchant. It's the Bird... Odd.

 

[Count Bassie]

Bird, legs............

Striking, actually.

 

[Gaolee]

Now don't get me wrong..I have been known to imbibe at the gig. It's just that Halloween weekend is probably not the best time to do that and be on the road after the gig with the professional crazies. Cheers!
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It's the New Year's amateur crazies that and St. Patrick's amateur crazies that make me nervous. Pros know what they are doing.

 

[Gaolee]

Can I pick both?

Of course. Being even handed is a good thing.

 

[Instagator]

It's the New Year's amateur crazies that and St. Patrick's amateur crazies that make me nervous. Pros know what they are doing.

So true. The amateurs are the people that get in their cars and wait for their house to pull up.

 

[JJR58]

So true. The amateurs are the people that get in their cars and wait for their house to pull up.

 

[Engle]

Under the PG, i have one. And absolutely proves how thick the finish really is.

I'm not saying it's bad, just thick. That finish is a big part of how Epiphone produces high quality guitars and basses at affordable price points.
I don't believe the finish thickness affects the sound of an electric bass.

 

[ThaCoast]

Yes. I bought a pair and first thing I did was read the DCR and both pickups were identical. I was really hoping one would just slightly different, if for no other reason than to help with picking one for the bridge position. So all I have done is set the bridge pup a little closer to the strings and the neck pup a bit farther. This actually works well for me as I can tend to play hard sometimes and I don’t want the strings to hit the neck pup.

Whats the thickness of these pickups? Since i'm opting to get these for my own epiphone bird, i've a hunch i'll need to add a block/shim of wood in the original deep cavities. & might as well add them in now, since Sadly, i've some extensive fixes to do on my bird (crack in the body on the treble side wing, Clear coat finish cracking as well near the raised section & headstock. a friend from my old shop had done the clear work, & it did turn out nice, though started cracking/chipping away maybe a few months after it was done -.-) anyway, i'm doing a lot of work to get the bird in proper form, some reclear, repaint, wood work.