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Thunderbird Club

#306,143
GBassNorth said:
Love the grain on that bird! Looks really sweet without the pick guard. As for the holes, I wouldn’t fill them, I’d just buy a cabinet and furniture repair marker in dark brown (hardware stores carry them) and hit each hole with it. From 3 feet away you’d never see the holes and yet they’ll still be there if you decide to put the guard back on.

As Geo noted, don’t use a magic marker, black isn’t black.


I’m curious as well Miles. I love the drop in feature, very few options out there for Eppi Tbird drop ins. Would you say they are an improvement over the stock pups? Hotter? More or less bottom end? Mids? Top end? I think EY even has a couple of wind options that they can put in this Eppi housing. Very cool company filling a needed niche.
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Follow the link I included. It covers that. 8^)

And yes to the grain on this bird. It's gorgeous as is. I'll try the marker trick - thanks!
 
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#306,144
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#306,145
JJR58 said:
Heads up gang, just sayin.
Here’s a chance to snag a set of these.

I’d like to trade my set of Thunderbucker 66 pickups for a set of Epiphone Probucker 760 Thunderbird pickups + $250.

The Thunderbuckers came to me in an Epiphone Thunderbird ‘60s model bass which I bought used. They sound incredible, and I get the...

https://www.talkbass.com/classified...ups-for-your-epiphone-probucker-760s.1661280/
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Would have but traded mine to @Ringhammer for his 1964 CTS 15 to get my B15 back to stock.
 
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#306,146
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#306,147
One of my White Birds............

OwZUOhi.jpg
 
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#306,148
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#306,150
Gaolee said:
Funny thing is that my '15 doesn't sustain all that well, relative. The '01 sure does. I put a Babicz on it, too, so I don't think that's it. The Flamingo might sustain like that, but I only play it plugged in anyway. The bass that really sustains is my Precision, although it is heavy, neck dives, and sounds thin compared to a Thunderbird. So I don't play it much any more. It's got a stock 7ender bridge and is bolt-on, like they are. I'm not convinced about construction making all that much difference. I think it comes down to the individual specimen. The Precision has an aircraft carrier for a neck, Maybe that's part of it.
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Every piece of wood is different. I think that is the difference. High line acoustic guitar builders spend a lot of time selecting wood. My ‘15 is by far the most incredible bass I own. It’s like your ‘01. Sometimes it’s good to be lucky. And magic happens.
 
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#306,157
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#306,158
Gaolee said:
What bridge would you be changing it from? I doubt you would hear much difference from changing the bridge unless there's something seriously odd about either the old bridge or the new bridge.

I have become partial to Babicz bridges. Others around here swear by Hipshots. Most of us are perfectly OK with the stock bridge, whether it's a 3-point or something else. I swap bridges because I'm shallow and like the way a Babicz looks. I don't think it sounds any different. It's certainly more adjustable than a 3-point. I understand that Hipshots have even more adjustment capability.

As far as I can tell, claims about sound tend to be marketing more than reality. I suppose the mass of a bridge might change the location of any dead spots on the neck. Probably not by enough to be useful.
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100% agree - the whole "bridge makes a difference tonally" is primarily BS. Here's the most realistic/rational aspects about a bridge being a contributing factor; 1) correct location of the bridge so saddles can be correctly intoned. (re: original '63-65 T-bird bridge incorrect location) 2) ability to dial correct height and string spacing, and 3) having a bridge that doesn't fall apart when changing strings. (YOMV on this one)

Having said this - other than simply screwing a bridge to the body - there are more sophisticated ways a bridge (any bridge) can affect the sound of a bass - but that's another more involved story. Everything else is naked marketing - believe what you wish to. Prime example: a standard Fender bent-plate, individual saddle bridge will deliver the exact sound/tone as has been successfully recorded for decades on hit records/recordings. "oh... that must be a _____ bridge on that bass..." :laugh: Spend your hard-earned cash accordingly.
 
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