Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

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She's as nice as she looks. I love her.

Heartwarming story - you're the guardian of a very special bass. What year is your B-15N?

 

[Kindness]

Heartwarming story - you're the guardian of a very special bass. What year is your B-15N?

1970 Ampeg B-15N, with a 1972 replacement square magnet CTS speaker.

 

[JIO]

1970 Ampeg B-15N, with a 1972 replacement square magnet CTS speaker.

If I had to guess I would have said early '70s. I love my '76 B15N. I installed a late '60s JBL D140R speaker a few yrs ago - bass nirvana.

 

[RedVee]

Where is that? Awesome! Next trip to Dublin I’ve got to make the pilgrimage to the Kid’s guitar!

The Guiness place is a bit touristy, but still loads of not to miss fun. I need to find my graduation certificate confirming that I’m a master pint puller.

Are you making your way down to Middleton to hit the Jameson Distillery? That is a very cool tour. The museum in Dublin is fun, but the big distillery is a not to be missed excursion. Fun fact. Marconi was John Jameson’s great grandson.

When are you going to Trinity?

I have a hard time distinguishing New Zealand and Australian accents at times. But English? Where was the guy from?

I wish I was there with you Geoff.

Christ Church was on the walk back from Guinness. I enjoyed it.

Jameson experience this afternoon, in Bow St. Viking Splash tour this morning in an old Army DUK, includes some water time - a canal I think.

The guy said he was originally from NY, but lives in Chicago and does marketing for his company for Texas or something. A young guy, maybe 30.

 

[Iristone]

New project in my head:
I may buy an Epiphone bolt-on Bird and convert it into 8-string. The bolt-on neck is wider so it could accomodate the double courses. I'll use the bridge from EY Guitar Music, which looks like Schecter and Musicvox bridges. I'll likely upgrade the pickups to Probuckers as I swap them out to Reissues on my VP Bass.
Any insights?

 

[RedVee]

Christ Church was on the walk back from Guinness. I enjoyed it.

Jameson experience this afternoon, in Bow St. Viking Splash tour this morning in an old Army DUK, includes some water time - a canal I think.

The guy said he was originally from NY, but lives in Chicago and does marketing for his company for Texas or something. A young guy, maybe 30.

Sorry @MCF the guitar is in Temple Bar.
Trinity I did Tuesday afternoon

 

[JJR58]

Apparently not who you referred to... for some reason I thought his name came up at one point. Mas Hino https://www.instagram.com/mashinonyc/

Ahhhhh, gotcha.
Yes, he has come up in the past.
But it’s not him.
Matt at 30th street guitars is who I was referring to.

 

[MCF]

New project in my head:
I may buy an Epiphone bolt-on Bird and convert it into 8-string. The bolt-on neck is wider so it could accomodate the double courses. I'll use the bridge from EY Guitar Music, which looks like Schecter and Musicvox bridges. I'll likely upgrade the pickups to Probuckers as I swap them out to Reissues on my VP Bass.
Any insights?

Sounds fun!

 

[BklynKen]

That explains it all. My experience with TB+ is from a 2019 Thunderbird. They are dark, middy, muffled and nasal, not unlike Epiphone bolt-on Birds (but less extremely dark). The 760 Probuckers are so bright it's a revelation, but I'm sure the Vintage Reissues will open up my Bird even more.

The key to the TB+ is to have the neck pickup on full and the bridge rolled off a bit, which wakes it up. But it sounds like you found what you like.

 

[Iristone]

The key to the TB+ is to have the neck pickup on full and the bridge rolled off a bit, which wakes it up. But it sounds like you found what you like.

That's how I played it before upgrading to EY Chinabuckers.
I wonder what's the difference between the EY Chinabuckers and 760 Probuckers? I've read that they are the same pickups, but I find the 760 Probucker more middy than the EY Chinabucker.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

New project in my head:
I may buy an Epiphone bolt-on Bird and convert it into 8-string. The bolt-on neck is wider so it could accomodate the double courses. I'll use the bridge from EY Guitar Music, which looks like Schecter and Musicvox bridges. I'll likely upgrade the pickups to Probuckers as I swap them out to Reissues on my VP Bass.
Any insights?

It depends on the Epi. My bolt-on Epi is the skinniest (1.5”) necked bird I own.

 

[Engle]

@Engle is world renowned. Someone on Facebook is looking for a VP PG and everyone said Irv is the man. Word travels fast.

Now I'm afraid to log into FB!

 

[TBird1958]

New project in my head:
I may buy an Epiphone bolt-on Bird and convert it into 8-string. The bolt-on neck is wider so it could accomodate the double courses. I'll use the bridge from EY Guitar Music, which looks like Schecter and Musicvox bridges. I'll likely upgrade the pickups to Probuckers as I swap them out to Reissues on my VP Bass.
Any insights?

I would use an Epiphone Pro for this, it's likely a better starting point for a number of reasons. Also worth noting that someone here on TB used this to make a similar Thunderbird a few years back.

 

[Stealth57]

It depends on the Epi. My bolt-on Epi is the skinniest (1.5”) necked bird I own.

My custom shop feels like a cricket bat in comparison to my IV.

 

[JIO]

Ahhhhh, gotcha.
Yes, he has come up in the past.
But it’s not him.
Matt at 30th street guitars is who I was referring to.

He did the work on your 3-pu bird?

 

[MCF]

That's how I played it before upgrading to EY Chinabuckers.
I wonder what's the difference between the EY Chinabuckers and 760 Probuckers? I've read that they are the same pickups, but I find the 760 Probucker more middy than the EY Chinabucker.

I think that it was discussed a few years ago that the Probuckers are not identical to the EY Chinabuckers. But who really knows. They could be made in the same factory to custom specs. Epi ain’t talking about who makes them. That’s for sure.

 

[MCF]

Now I'm afraid to log into FB!

It wasn’t me who spilled the beans. That’s all I will say about it.

 

[MCF]

I would use an Epiphone Pro for this, it's likely a better starting point for a number of reasons. Also worth noting that someone here on TB used this to make a similar Thunderbird a few years back.

The Epi Pro V may be just the ticket.

 

[Engle]

I think that it was discussed a few years ago that the Probuckers are not identical to the EY Chinabuckers. But who really knows. They could be made in the same factory to custom specs. Epi ain’t talking about who makes them. That’s for sure.

Gibson also doesn't talk about who makes their pickups.

 

[MCF]

Gibson also doesn't talk about who makes their pickups.

Other than to say they are crafted in the USA Gibson Pickup Shop pickups. Other forums indicate they are made in the Nashville plant. Who knows for sure.