Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

Your wife won't mind scandalous pics on the internet, right?

Well....

Maybe I'll ask her. She's full of surprises.

 

[GBassNorth]

It's not same as winding off the bridge pup, I can't explain it, it's just better. I bought my Greco before I had Lull make my T4, that was the reason it (the Lull) is a single pup - it just sounds great, angry, a lot of RAWR.

FWIW - I've heard of guitar players removing one of their pickups to change the sound of the guitar. They claim the magnets of the unused Humbucker draw on the strings, dampening movement to a degree and negatively effecting the harmonics and sustain. Removing the unneeded pup is said to increase the growl of the remaining pup.

I don't know if any of that's true or if anyone besides the player can actually hear a difference but it at least sounds plausible in theory. Maybe I'll have to abandon my NR hunt and buy that darn Greco on FB - nah, then I'd have to deal with a FB interaction.

 

[BklynKen]

I saw lots of Grecos on Reverb.

 

[GBassNorth]

?...
I'm debating what to bring. I think the 2013 EB and 2015 'Bird for comparison purposes might be interesting. Same electronics, but maple and ash vs. mahogany...

I'd love to hear the two played side by side. Is there a noticible difference between the two?
I love the sound of my 2013 EB and would consider adding a 2015 Bird to my mix if it sounds noticeably different than the EB and my Anniversary TBird.
Any way possible to post a back to back sound clip of the two basses?

 

[JJR58]

I saw lots of Grecos on Reverb.

Nice ones at that.

 

[Gaolee]

I'd love to hear the two played side by side. Is there a noticible difference between the two?
I love the sound of my 2013 EB and would consider adding a 2015 Bird to my mix if it sounds noticeably different than the EB and my Anniversary TBird.
Any way possible to post a back to back sound clip of the two basses?

I'll have to think about how to do that. They are different for sure. Right now, they are strung differently and set up a little different, which means I would need to restring both and tweak both to get them as close as possible so all you are hearing is the difference in the sound.

Oh, and play competently, but that's a different issue.

Like any bass guitar, an audience won't notice the difference. It's subtle. I would say the EB is a little brighter, which you would expect from a harder, more brittle wood. The EB may sustain just a little longer, too, for the same reason. I'm pretty sure it sustains longer than any of my 'Birds. Mahogany has a darker sound and rings some. Just not as much as the EB does. String choice may wipe out most of the differences, too. Put brighter strings on the 'Bird and it will be brighter than the EB unless you restring the EB.

For what its worth, BklynKen's comment about Grecos on Reverb got me to glance in there. There are several 2015 Gibsons there for less than $1500. I don't know if any of us bought the 2015 that Sam Ash or somebody like that had for $1000. I hope somebody in here got it.

 

[JJR58]

I'll have to think about how to do that. They are different for sure. Right now, they are strung differently and set up a little different, which means I would need to restring both and tweak both to get them as close as possible so all you are hearing is the difference in the sound.

Oh, and play competently, but that's a different issue.

Like any bass guitar, an audience won't notice the difference. It's subtle. I would say the EB is a little brighter, which you would expect from a harder, more brittle wood. The EB may sustain just a little longer, too, for the same reason. I'm pretty sure it sustains longer than any of my 'Birds. Mahogany has a darker sound and rings some. Just not as much as the EB does. String choice may wipe out most of the differences, too. Put brighter strings on the 'Bird and it will be brighter than the EB unless you restring the EB.

For what its worth, BklynKen's comment about Grecos on Reverb got me to glance in there. There are several 2015 Gibsons there for less than $1500. I don't know if any of us bought the 2015 that Sam Ash or somebody like that had for $1000. I hope somebody in here got it.

Was just checking out Reverb as well, no Greco's at the moment, but you're right Gaolee, a couple of nice Birds there.
Sam Ash still has it up on there site i think.
Was eyeing that myself.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

View attachment 1106554 I love my Epiphone so much! Such a gnarly bass. A lot of people say they won't touch them, but they're seriously missing out on a great tone.

My bass mechanic told me flat out "see that thing over there on the workbench"?, "Its a piece of S--t and you will will never need one"!. He couldnt have ever been more wrong, I got one and now its the only one I use out of 4 basses that I own of witch all of them are amazing weapons.

 

[BklynKen]

Did Greco do any left-handed basses? Tempting fate.

 

[GBassNorth]

I'll have to think about how to do that. They are different for sure. Right now, they are strung differently and set up a little different, which means I would need to restring both and tweak both to get them as close as possible so all you are hearing is the difference in the sound.

Oh, and play competently, but that's a different issue.

Like any bass guitar, an audience won't notice the difference. It's subtle. I would say the EB is a little brighter, which you would expect from a harder, more brittle wood. The EB may sustain just a little longer, too, for the same reason. I'm pretty sure it sustains longer than any of my 'Birds. Mahogany has a darker sound and rings some. Just not as much as the EB does. String choice may wipe out most of the differences, too. Put brighter strings on the 'Bird and it will be brighter than the EB unless you restring the EB.

For what its worth, BklynKen's comment about Grecos on Reverb got me to glance in there. There are several 2015 Gibsons there for less than $1500. I don't know if any of us bought the 2015 that Sam Ash or somebody like that had for $1000. I hope somebody in here got it.

I was looking at the Sam Ash one a couple of months ago but decided not to pull the trigger because I thought it would sound too close to my 2013 EB and therefore redundant. Probably gone by now.

 

[JJR58]

I was looking at the Sam Ash one a couple of months ago but decided not to pull the trigger because I thought it would sound too close to my 2013 EB and therefore redundant. Probably gone by now.

It's still there.

 

[GBassNorth]

My bass mechanic told me flat out "see that thing over there on the workbench"?, "Its a piece of S--t and you will will never need one"!. He couldnt have ever been more wrong, I got one and now its the only one I use out of 4 basses that I own of witch all of them are amazing weapons.

I tend to find that people that think that way of Gibson basses are usually predisposed to think that way. Frequently when they try them (if they're honest about it) they actually feel quite differently after the fact. Sure not everyone will like the look or feel or sound or ergonomics or cost of a TBird but that can be said for any bass. I just find a large percentage of people change their mind in a positive direction after actually trying a TBird. It's like everyone has been preprogrammed to hate this beast but once given a fair shake many actually like it.

 

[Haji]

Not everybody is worthy of playing a Thunderbird. That apparently holds true of working on them, too.

 

[TBird1958]

View attachment 1106554 I love my Epiphone so much! Such a gnarly bass. A lot of people say they won't touch them, but they're seriously missing out on a great tone.

Nice! Shall I add you to the club sir?

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

I tend to find that people that think that way of Gibson basses are usually predisposed to think that way. Frequently when they try them (if they're honest about it) they actually feel quite differently after the fact. Sure not everyone will like the look or feel or sound or ergonomics or cost of a TBird but that can be said for any bass. I just find a large percentage of people change their mind in a positive direction after actually trying a TBird. It's like everyone has been preprogrammed to hate this beast but once given a fair shake many actually like it.

Strangest damn thing, those words stuck with me and then I started research on them and had to have one. The statement had a reverse reaction on me.

 

[JIO]

I started out with very cheap ($40) MIJ "Stadium" as my 1st bass, and after later selling it to a friend I bought a used VOX Cougar hollow-body. But mostly because of Jack Bruce/Cream, I sold the VOX, saved and bought a cherry finished Gibson EB-3 new in '71. I ordered the long scale (brown) model they also produced w/the slotted headstock but the short scale was sent to the music store instead. I could have waited for a re-order, but just accepted the bass. (I was young with little patience) I never could get used to the short neck and later a friend called to tell me there was a Fender P at a local dusty old hock-shop. By the time I got there it was gone, and I was there with money burning a hole in my pocket. Scanning the instruments hanging on the wall in the dimly lit shop, was a ('63) T-bird II. The rest as they say, is history - I bought it w/OHSC for $150. It was my only bass for years and I really bonded w/it, especially the neck. Who knows if I would ever like or own T-birds if that P had been there. So not so matter of it choosing me, but just part of the serendipity of life.

 

[JJR58]

I started out with very cheap ($40) MIJ "Stadium" as my 1st bass, and after later selling it to a friend I bought a used VOX Cougar hollow-body. But mostly because of Jack Bruce/Cream, I sold the VOX, saved and bought a cherry finished Gibson EB-3 new in '71. I ordered the long scale (brown) model they also produced w/the slotted headstock but the short scale was sent to the music store instead. I could have waited for a re-order, but just accepted the bass. (I was young with little patience) I never could get used to the short neck and later a friend called to tell me there was a Fender P at a local dusty old hock-shop. By the time I got there it was gone, and I was there with money burning a hole in my pocket. Scanning the instruments hanging on the wall in the dimly lit shop, was a ('63) T-bird II. The rest as they say, is history - I bought it w/OHSC for $150. It was my only bass for years and I really bonded w/it, especially the neck. Who knows if I would ever like or own T-birds if that P had been there. So not so matter of it choosing me, but just part of the serendipity of life.

My first Gibson was an EB-O, used of course, back in '74, i think, my time line is so scattered from those days.
I thought it was great, but really knew nothing about "tone" back then.
Wish i paid more attention.

The EB series were pretty much all you saw in the shops as far as Gibson basses went.
I knew nothing of the Thunderbird till much later in life.

This old dog can always learn something new.

 

[JIO]

My first Gibson was an EB-O, used of course, back in '74, i think, my time line is so scattered from those days.
I thought it was great, but really knew nothing about "tone" back then.
Wish i paid more attention.

The EB series were pretty much all you saw in the shops as far as Gibson basses went.
I knew nothing of the Thunderbird till much later in life.

This old dog can always learn something new.

So true - tone was a concept never considered - only volume counted! Such was the ignorant bliss of youth. In todays world any novice player has incredible access to all of this nuance of tone and which amp, bass, pu, pu position, string, etc does what and why, and why they need this or that. It's funny really - none of that was a consideration then. It was just about what one could afford and which famous bass-player you liked best and what they played. I knew of T-birds because of Entwistle - but liked Cream more than The Who.., it was as simple as that.

 

[JJR58]

Ha!!!!

How true!!!, that's how it was, my same sentiments as well.

And Cream, yeah, was so hooked on them.

 

[Gaolee]

I started out with very cheap ($40) MIJ "Stadium" as my 1st bass, and after later selling it to a friend I bought a used VOX Cougar hollow-body. But mostly because of Jack Bruce/Cream, I sold the VOX, saved and bought a cherry finished Gibson EB-3 new in '71. I ordered the long scale (brown) model they also produced w/the slotted headstock but the short scale was sent to the music store instead. I could have waited for a re-order, but just accepted the bass. (I was young with little patience) I never could get used to the short neck and later a friend called to tell me there was a Fender P at a local dusty old hock-shop. By the time I got there it was gone, and I was there with money burning a hole in my pocket. Scanning the instruments hanging on the wall in the dimly lit shop, was a ('63) T-bird II. The rest as they say, is history - I bought it w/OHSC for $150. It was my only bass for years and I really bonded w/it, especially the neck. Who knows if I would ever like or own T-birds if that P had been there. So not so matter of it choosing me, but just part of the serendipity of life.

Oh, it chose you alright. It just knew.