Thunderbird Club

[TBird1958]

Thunderbuckers were reproductions of the original Gibson pickups from the sixties. The winder who made them shut his shop a couple years ago. They are highly regarded on here, but increasingly hard to find.

One thing I don't care for on Thunderbuckers are the cans, not that good compared to any of the others especially at the corner . Soundwise tho, they are pretty nice.

Lull, same maker as Gibson used in the '60s.

 

[Gaolee]

Alright ya'll... I placed an order for a 2014 and joined the club...

I intend to use the thunderbird with a pick and I like that the darker pickups interact with pick in a really cool way. But it seems like a lot of folks have other pickup preferences... Are the original T Birds brighter than current birds? I heard something about a thunder bucker?

We experiment with everything around here, but strings and technique are probably all you need to get the sound you want.

 

[WillyW]

Alright ya'll... I placed an order for a 2014 and joined the club...

I intend to use the thunderbird with a pick and I like that the darker pickups interact with pick in a really cool way. But it seems like a lot of folks have other pickup preferences... Are the original T Birds brighter than current birds? I heard something about a thunder bucker?

Actually the 2014 has wonderful pickups in it. They are the modern sounding Tbird variant called TB+ pickups. Those combined with the pickup placement do offer a warmer tone than the vintage Tbirds but with a pick they really come to life. I’m always talking about different Tbird pickups in this thread along with many others, but don’t read that as any kind of short coming on the part of Gibson or Epiphone, for me it’s really more a function of having a lot of different Tbird basses in my collection and I don’t want them to all sound the same. I have TB+ pickups in my Gibson Anniversary Tbird and in my Epiphone CP - two of the best sounding Tbirds in my collection.

I suggest keeping the original pickups and playing the snot out of the bass in every genre you normally play in. If you find the bottom, mids or top end lacking or the attack or decay not to your liking be sure to check back in with this group to see if there’s a string recommendation that will meet your needs (lots of great string advice in this club). Heck, there’s even some really sound amp and cab advice in this group as well as tons of pickup experience.

Enjoy your new bass, play it in good health and don’t be surprised if you feel the urge to buy additional Tbirds down the line.

the 2017ish EB4 has these sumbichs,

splitting coils on any humburgler sounds like a compromise at best, until these pickups, they are thunderous in humbucking or split. I wish I had a dozen sets of these…

too bad the bass is extremely 7enderish ergonomically…. Also too bad Gibson didn’t promote it and it’s earlier variants, this could have been a great seller and well regarded

 

[Stealth57]

the 2017ish EB4 has these sumbichs,

splitting coils on any humburgler sounds like a compromise at best, until these pickups, they are thunderous in humbucking or split. I wish I had a dozen sets of these…

too bad the bass is extremely 7enderish ergonomically…. Also too bad Gibson didn’t promote it and it’s earlier variants, this could have been a great seller and well regarded

Frets

 

[JIO]

The road back home awaits.....
View attachment 5295675

I lived in Cincinnati (Camp Washington) for a couple years in the late '80s and being that Kentucky is right across the Kentucky River, I'd ride my bike there. Did a road-race there also. Once I rode from Cincy to Lexington through area's like this. It is pretty.

 

[dagrev]

The good old days…
Sugar maples, silver maples, dogwoods, red buds, black locust…
…and most importantly - Blue Grass!

And allergies. You forgot allergies....

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Well, armed with the articles from the Tokai chat thing shared on here Aaron Armstrong took measurements from the TB+ set, the current NR/reissue set (in the chrome covers) and the Grecos (the Tokai info being most pertinent to these p'ups) - originally intending to replicate the NR/reissue set in epoxy or plastic units as an alternative to the TB+ set (also with coil taps). The Alnico V magnets he's got in stock are doing some weird poopy stuff so we're going for the Greco spec/sound. Will def put recordings and info on here when they're ready.

great choice….bark for days…

 

[dagrev]

Frets

For now....

 

[Miles_ONeal]

There are people somewhere nearby shooting off fireworks. I never knew that was a Christmas 'thing'.

It’s been a thing around here for a decade or two.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I generally love Sweetwater but sometimes they’re weird. Most of their year end clearance sale items make sense to me, but then there’s a $3,000 Heritage 535 guitar that, rather than being discounted, gets a free gig bag thrown in. Gig bag clearance?

 

[WillyW]

Frets

For now....

nah, it’s too ergonomic for me, (ie; 7enderish) although I bet it will be a future closet classic bass, kinda like a ripper.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Actually the 2014 has wonderful pickups in it. They are the modern sounding Tbird variant called TB+ pickups. Those combined with the pickup placement do offer a warmer tone than the vintage Tbirds but with a pick they really come to life. I’m always talking about different Tbird pickups in this thread along with many others, but don’t read that as any kind of short coming on the part of Gibson or Epiphone, for me it’s really more a function of having a lot of different Tbird basses in my collection and I don’t want them to all sound the same. I have TB+ pickups in my Gibson Anniversary Tbird and in my Epiphone CP - two of the best sounding Tbirds in my collection.

I suggest keeping the original pickups and playing the snot out of the bass in every genre you normally play in. If you find the bottom, mids or top end lacking or the attack or decay not to your liking be sure to check back in with this group to see if there’s a string recommendation that will meet your needs (lots of great string advice in this club). Heck, there’s even some really sound amp and cab advice in this group as well as tons of pickup experience.

Enjoy your new bass, play it in good health and don’t be surprised if you feel the urge to buy additional Tbirds down the line.

also play with pickup height.

 

[WillyW]

I generally love Sweetwater but sometimes they’re weird. Most of their year end clearance sale items make sense to me, but then there’s a $3,000 Heritage 535 guitar that, rather than being discounted, gets a free gig bag thrown in. Gig bag clearance?

for $3,000 it doesn’t come with a case?

 

[JIO]

It’s been a thing around here for a decade or two.

It was always bad but it got worst during Covid... as many things did.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Hate to vote against Rosa, but this looks fantastic!

think she won, as good as the rib was, she had a trick up her sleeve and threw this in with eggs for breakfast….

 

[TBird1958]

 

[Miles_ONeal]

And allergies. You forgot allergies....

The Southeast is a big allergy farm.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

for $3,000 it doesn’t come with a case?

It does now.

 

[MCF]

the 2017ish EB4 has these sumbichs,

splitting coils on any humburgler sounds like a compromise at best, until these pickups, they are thunderous in humbucking or split. I wish I had a dozen sets of these…

too bad the bass is extremely 7enderish ergonomically…. Also too bad Gibson didn’t promote it and it’s earlier variants, this could have been a great seller and well regarded

Don’t forget these were also available in the 2015 Thunderbird, for that year only. My numero uno!

 

[GonePlaid]

The Southeast is a big allergy farm.

Never(hack, cough, wheeze, sneeze)noticed.