Thunderbird Club

[JJR58]

Assuming they’re real, what does this mean? The seller has other Epi pickups at low prices. Did Epi change pickup suppliers (some comment that the latest Probuckers sound different than the older ones) and this is a liquidation? Or something more ominous about the future of Epiphone?

I highly recommend EB Group IV’s SS flats.
Unlike Cobalts, they are less gritty sounding, but still have a very bright top end without any brash.
Very smooth sounding throughout all the frequencies, and imo, have a much better low end then the Cobalts.
And they last.
They’re my new favorite flat.
Second fav are these, which are on one of my basses.

 

[dagrev]

What strings are you currently using? I find the TB+ love really bright, aggressive stainless steel strings. At least for my taste.

I would revisit this option in a heartbeat, but I love the LaBella tapes with TB+ for my likes.

 

[dagrev]

I highly recommend EB Group IV’s SS flats.
Unlike Cobalts, they are less gritty sounding, but still have a very bright top end without any brash.
Very smooth sounding throughout all the frequencies, and imo, have a much better low end then the Cobalts.
And they last.
They’re my new favorite flat.
Second fav are these, which are on one of my basses.

View attachment 7138183

Wondered about those.

 

[Camaro69]

All this talk of pickups has me wondering.......

If you had a set of Lollar T-bird pickups in a drawer and wanted to use one of them in a P-Bass body, would you use the neck pick up or the bridge pickup for a 1 pickup application?

The bridge is about 9k and the neck about 8k IIRC. Any real difference in the application?

Asking for a friend....

Guess I forgot to add the spec. The neck pu from that set is 8.2

Volume is even across the 4 despite the 7.25 radius

Output is high, but I do have the height close enough that the E grazes the cover

 

[TBird1958]

My phone just makes these shorts and adds some music.
I can, in my head, hear everybody's voice and it's very pleasant memories - thanks guys, love you all.

 

[GBassNorth]

All this talk of pickups has me wondering.......

If you had a set of Lollar T-bird pickups in a drawer and wanted to use one of them in a P-Bass body, would you use the neck pick up or the bridge pickup for a 1 pickup application?

The bridge is about 9k and the neck about 8k IIRC. Any real difference in the application?

Asking for a friend....

There is no right or wrong answer, just a matter of opinion or taste. I personally like a bridge pickup on a single pickup bass. About the biggest difference in the two choices is pickup height. A bridge pickup in the mid or P bass position will allow you to bury the pickup deeper in the route and still get good volume and tone, a neck pickup in that position will normally need to be a bit closer to the strings. Either will work just fine, but the bridge pickup in that position gives you the opportunity to fine tune the pickup height for added volume if needed.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Right. The whole "vintage" thing holds no value to me. If you're cool with effect pedals, one very effective (no pun intended) way to sharpen up those TB+ is an EHX Steel Leather pedal. What I have in my 2013 Reverse right now is a set of 2001 TB+ I bought from Ringhammer. They sound amazing, but had a lot of inherent hum, so I went overboard and had someone do some surgery on them to remove and reverse the magnets. My RNR has Will's old 1991 TB+. Pretty good. But I like all TB+. I just like to try whatever variety I can. Playing left-handed, I don't have the luxury of trying all different era Thunderbirds. And I happen to love black hardware. That partly stems from my BMW racing days. The "M" and sport series BMWs have black window molding and such. The "regular" BMWs have chrome.

too bad we don't get the latest Scirocco over here, quick, very.....

 

[Stealth57]

too bad we don't get the latest Scirocco over here, quick, very.....

View attachment 7138320View attachment 7138321

Who bent the He77 out of the exhaust?

 

[Engle]

Assuming they’re real, what does this mean? The seller has other Epi pickups at low prices. Did Epi change pickup suppliers (some comment that the latest Probuckers sound different than the older ones) and this is a liquidation? Or something more ominous about the future of Epiphone?

The Probucker guitar pickups have been available for years. I don't think they are fakes - worst case they are Chinabuckers.

 

[GBassNorth]

Who bent the He77 out of the exhaust?

LOL - it was the first thing I saw, even before the BMW logo. My OCD is going nutz!

 

[Gaolee]

My CP sounds almost exactly like my TB+ equipped Gibson Tbirds. Dark and creamy.

That's because they are supposedly the exact same pickups. But Gibson, so who knows.

 

[Gaolee]

Assuming they’re real, what does this mean? The seller has other Epi pickups at low prices. Did Epi change pickup suppliers (some comment that the latest Probuckers sound different than the older ones) and this is a liquidation? Or something more ominous about the future of Epiphone?

It means they are coming from China, land of counterfeits. Caveat Emptor.

 

[TBird1958]

Still II Tuesday!

 

[GBassNorth]

You really need to make a GTG and play all manner of birds.

Any word out there yet as to the possibility and time, date and location of a GTG this year?

 

[Gaolee]

I highly recommend EB Group IV’s SS flats.
Unlike Cobalts, they are less gritty sounding, but still have a very bright top end without any brash.
Very smooth sounding throughout all the frequencies, and imo, have a much better low end then the Cobalts.
And they last.
They’re my new favorite flat.
Second fav are these, which are on one of my basses.

View attachment 7138183

I just looked those up. Are there heavier gauges? I'm only seeing 40-95. My CroMagnon hands like thicker strings.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Assuming they’re real, what does this mean? The seller has other Epi pickups at low prices. Did Epi change pickup suppliers (some comment that the latest Probuckers sound different than the older ones) and this is a liquidation? Or something more ominous about the future of Epiphone?

The tech world is rife with examples of Chinese fakes. Epi doesn’t typically sell their pickups. None of that means these are fake; it’s just an area I’d do extra sleuthing in.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I’d use the bridge one, but that’s just me.

Me, too. Higher output.

 

[TBird1958]

Any word out there yet as to the possibility and time, date and location of a GTG this year?

Not yet, but stay tuned - I think the Green Subie is returning to California

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Any word out there yet as to the possibility and time, date and location of a GTG this year?

I’d be happy to host but most folk don’t want to be in central Texas in the summer.

 

[Stealth57]

Still II Tuesday!

You using Willy's calendar?