Thunderbird Club

[hillerup]

Since this Mockingbird story sorta came about from my KellyBird post, I'll bring the circle back around.
One of the guitar players in my band Duh Jokers, who was in many bands with my older brother (seen above) before he took me in. Anyway, he had a Seagull back in the days when he was in bands with my older brother. (seen above) He owned a BC Rich Seagull a good many years. Which was cool, as Seagulls are fairly rare birds in the guitar world. By the time we joined forces he had lost his Seagull to poor life choices. To a guy that profits from people selling instruments due to poor life choices. He was playing a Strat when we formed the band. He told me the story about the loss of his beloved guitar. Which made me a sad panda. I just happened to have another type of bird in my possession, a MockingBird laying around doing nothing. I did the only thing a person could do for a bandmate mourning the loss of his beloved guitar. He now enjoys a permanent loan of my MockingBird. Though I know it can never take the place of his love lost.
The End (cause I've babbled on enough now)

Great story... Thanks for sharing!

 

[Cropduster]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I appreciate the feedback, i'll be keeping it original except for the strings i reckon.
Cheers

 

[Haji]

cheers mate, the one i'm looking at is ebony, the guy has changed the strings and they're black with different coloured silks, other than that it's all standard and it looks sweet!
It has grover tuners and i see lots of owners swap the bridge and tuners shot for hipshot, the bridge i get but the std grovers look ok, why would they change them?

Grover makes a fine timing machine but Hipshot makes a fine tuning machine that is very lightweight. It helps improve the balance. As for the bridge, the Hipshot is more easily adjustable compared to the 3 point. I personally detest the 3 point, but I still have one on my TBIV. I had the Hipshot but had it replaced by the traditional style high mass bridge that comes in the TBIV Pro. The reason for that change is a few many pages back. Basically, the bridge ferrule design is stupid.

 

[jd56hawk]

Very entertaining - especially the last bit (two young chaps having a toss) All three sounded good but the "pro" should have been a bit louder to compare as it had more depth/colour than the passive versions (which sounded the same) if at a similar level. As always, your opinion may vary.

I agree...I'm one of the few who love the Pro IV, including the electronics. Of course, I know what strings to use!

 

[jd56hawk]

I'd recommend the Gator ProGo. If you remove the extra pad on the bottom, the Thunderbird will fit in there. Great bag, too, and VERY protective. On par with the MONOs.

 

[rodv66]

Only issue I ever had with a 3point bridge was having the bushings pop out and that was fixed with Crazy Glue.

 

[PillO]

I agree...I'm one of the few who love the Pro IV, including the electronics. Of course, I know what strings to use!

What strings do you use?

 

[jd56hawk]

For all those "You can't slap with a Thunderbird, it's a one-trick pony" people, though I don't remember any in this thread...

 

[jd56hawk]

What strings do you use?

I used to really like chrome flatwounds but this time I'm going with the LaBella Gold flats.

 

[vdub75]

Yeah, but do remember that a Babicz or a Hipshot Supertone uses those same body inserts/ferrules too - So if they aren't seated properly, they might pull out with those bridges as well... I'm pretty sure Haji will confirm that...

Why would you ever want the inserts to come out again?

Cause the epiphone inserts don't go flush into the body like the gibson inserts do, so the “full contact“ bridge would float....

 

[Nocturnal]

Some people are fine with the 3-point and others hate them. I fall somewhere in the middle. I have not had the opportunity to try a Bird with the Babicz bridge but I have put 2 Hipshot replacement bridges on my basses (TBird and RD). I have no issues with the Hipshot version at all but it is a "clunkier" design size wise. I found the Hipshot to be very easy to adjust and it blends in on my ebony Bird. The gold or chrome would be more obvious on most colors. The Babicz appears to be a sleeker more streamlined design that at least visually seems less intrusive. Having never used one I can't say how the adjust-ability is but people seem to like them. I will probably try one at some point on one of my Birds.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

Hi peeps, Love the thunderbird and i think i want one, no, i know i want one, but in reading around it seems the bridge is generally regarded as just ok, as well as that the headstock is large and they're prone to damage because of the narrow width of the nut.

I'm eyeing off a 2012 black Gibson, the guy claims it's mint and by the pics it does look it, i have no concerns over the condition of it and as i'm in Australia the price is what it is.

My questions, to those who own them and know, are they as fragile as some claim? is the bridge that bad? i'd like to leave it original, any concerns with this particular year/series?
I've also seen a few with a "120th" inlay on the 12th, what's that all about?

any input is appreciated, not looking to be talked into it or out of it, i don't know much about them and my search found what i mentioned above and i'd like owners real world opinions.
Thanks

Hi peeps, Love the thunderbird and i think i want one, no, i know i want one, but in reading around it seems the bridge is generally regarded as just ok, as well as that the headstock is large and they're prone to damage because of the narrow width of the nut.

I'm eyeing off a 2012 black Gibson, the guy claims it's mint and by the pics it does look it, i have no concerns over the condition of it and as i'm in Australia the price is what it is.

My questions, to those who own them and know, are they as fragile as some claim? is the bridge that bad? i'd like to leave it original, any concerns with this particular year/series?
I've also seen a few with a "120th" inlay on the 12th, what's that all about?

any input is appreciated, not looking to be talked into it or out of it, i don't know much about them and my search found what i mentioned above and i'd like owners real world opinions.
Thanks

Ive mentioned this here on TB and I will keep mentioning it everytime Im presented with the opportunity to do so and for good reason. My bass tech had one on a table at his shop when I took him my Squier P for some modding, My bass tech said to me "See that thing over there"?, (Thunderbird) "Well it is a piece of s**t and you will never need one so dont even think about one"!. That was the moment that got me thinking that I might have to find me one, dont know why but I just have to. Shortly after I got a brand new Epiphone Thunderbird in a trade and out of all 4 of my basses its the one I use the most. JUST BUY IT!, If you have an issue it will be settled quickly and painlessly in the Thunderbird Club.

 

[Gaolee]

Cause the epiphone inserts don't go flush into the body like the gibson inserts do, so the “full contact“ bridge would float....

Got it. As I recall, a Babicz comes with a shim plate for later Thunderbirds that have a neck angle that would require extra bridge height. I don't know if it would fit between the raised inserts or if it would work with Epiphone's neck angle. If you are replacing the inserts anyway, why wouldn't you put flush inserts back in and then epoxy them if you have the time and resources to get flush inserts or the time and ability to remove the protruding part of the Epi inserts?

 

[TBird1958]

I've never met a Three point that I didn't love, in the right hands it'll do pretty much anything. That said, I like a good Two point as well

 

[Gaolee]

Hi peeps, Love the thunderbird and i think i want one, no, i know i want one, but in reading around it seems the bridge is generally regarded as just ok, as well as that the headstock is large and they're prone to damage because of the narrow width of the nut.

I'm eyeing off a 2012 black Gibson, the guy claims it's mint and by the pics it does look it, i have no concerns over the condition of it and as i'm in Australia the price is what it is.

My questions, to those who own them and know, are they as fragile as some claim? is the bridge that bad? i'd like to leave it original, any concerns with this particular year/series?
I've also seen a few with a "120th" inlay on the 12th, what's that all about?

any input is appreciated, not looking to be talked into it or out of it, i don't know much about them and my search found what i mentioned above and i'd like owners real world opinions.
Thanks

120th means it's a 2014. You will find it to be light and well balanced. The new ones, like the one you are thinking about, aren't particularly fragile, nor are they top heavy. The bridge isn't a problem. It's different from the usual. That's all. It's enough for those who don't know and can't be bothered to find out to think it's awful, but really, it works fine. The neck isn't a war club like a Precision, so you can't slam it into the floor or the back of a singer's head with the same level of ferocity and get away with it, but I have had no issues with any 'Bird neck. You will know right away when you pick up a 'Bird if you are being chosen by Thunderbirds to be a 'Bird player or not. They aren't for everyone, but the good thing is that they let you know.

 

[Gaolee]

I've never met a Three point that I didn't love, in the right hands it'll do pretty much anything. That said, I like a good Two point as well

Well, you are a little different sometimes...

I have a two point on the EB-2. It works and is completely stable once it's set. Otherwise, it's a bit of a pain. I haven't had any reason to mess with it and I don't remember the last time I needed to adjust it. Same with three points once they are set up right. The only reason I put a Babicz on the '91 is because I swapped out everything for chrome. Same with the tuners. It's all about shiny! Shiny makes me happy.

 

[BklynKen]

Brother!

 

[BklynKen]

The right-handed models have a slight advantage in these cases in that I have to intentionally work the zipper around the lower horn with the pickguard because it pushes slightly. But the bag has been quote solid for years and there are something startling bangs to it in the NYC subway. Mostly the very top since it sits high. But the bag is so protective.

 

[JIO]

I agree...I'm one of the few who love the Pro IV, including the electronics. Of course, I know what strings to use!

I own both passive and active basses - for me each has it's own character and depending on the bass itself (design, wood, pu's and as noted, strings) a passive or active bass will excel or just be so-so. My Saunderbird (Epi T-bird body, Saunders P-neck with Fender/Kubicki 9v pre and Wilkinson buckers) crushes tonally. Without the pre it would sound like a decent Episode T-bird, much like the white classic in the shoot-out vid. It just comes down to what sound you are after.

 

[BklynKen]

If you're going to swap the bridge, I'd go for a Babicz over the Hipshot.

Why is that?