Thunderbird Club

[Ringhammer]

Thanks in advance ! For indulging my novice bird owner questions. (I’m on page 300 of the thread, only 10 years ago MAN Y’ALL IS A CHATTY BUNCH)

So just thinking ahead.
I have a Epi Vintage Pro arriving Friday.

The Tuners appear to be import commodity tuners.
I saw mention of standard Hipshot UL clovers not fitting some models, but those seemed to be the models with the “closed/sealed” type.
**Really like Gotoh Resolites on other basses.

Question(s)
Tuners shafts 3/8 shaft size or 1/2?

Specifically for the Epi VP:Want to add a D-Tuner.

What are my options (models) Hipshot tuners?
That will.:
Fit without running into each other.
Cover the existing holes (not critical)
Has a corresponding X-Tender.

Should I just knuckle down and get a set with lollipops?

Has anyone here relocated the strap pin on the bottom, away from the centerline, more towards the upper wing? (Like a Warwick Dolphin, or ASAT?) and did that help with any Neck Dive?

I’ll re-adjust to playing it lower than my belt line. May even re-acquaint myself with a Pick (oh the horror)

I posted this in response to virtually the same question about tuners on a VP:

I put Hipshot’s on my 2017 VP, 3 plus the extender. The ones I got were not a direct fit, I recall 2 of the 4 holes did not line up exactly. I drilled and filled the two holes with glue/dowels and they are covered by the new tuners plates. Pretty sure they were the HB1 tuners and BT1 extender.

 

[MCF]

Make sure to look at all the photos in the post.

I did. Great people for a great cause. They obviously had a blast. Thanks for posting it Ken.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Wow.

Can’t help myself, I want to refine and tweak every guitar that passes through my hands.

You all have created a treasure trove of TBird specific data and opinions.
I’m learning / absorbing it all.

I also have a project involving a Hondo Alien aluminum headless bass (30” scale Steinberger style)
That I am thinking I may build up into a bird using a firebird sized body.
Lots of learning.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Plus: My long-awaited pickup routing template arrived today.

Minus: fits the top of my new pickups nicely... to about halfway down. The pickup shell has a slight flair that is more pronounced at the middle of the long side.

I'll need to take off about a mm all around the template opening without losing accuracy, for the pickups to be able to ride down in the body rout.

At the template was laser cut instead of machined, the cutout has a slight taper too... it's just a bit wider at the top than the bottom. Optical cone effect when cutting 1/4" MDF. A degree or two, measured with a square.

More fun.

Rasp and file time.

Goal: remove pencilled thicknesses, perpendicular to face

View attachment 7209191

This will do... just under a mm clearance all the way around, and have to leave room for finish.

Pretty clean for hand-cut.

Not a lot of difference to be removed... just the difference between "fits" and "doesn't"

 

[GBassNorth]

If a green sparkle D-Bird like that one popped up for sale, I might have to consider the moratorium on bass guitar buying. Maybe. If it sounds and plays like it looks, it would be hard to resist.

That one sure did.

Don't tell me that. Thanks.

There are a few of them out there but not many. Mine is the less expensive one from Asia (equivalent marketing model to Eppi) and a real bargain in the sub $2000 category. The outrageously expensive ones are from Dingwalls home shop in Canada and I’d be hard pressed to justify their asking prices. I think I heard somewhere only about 80 were shipped into the US before Dingwall caught Gibsons attention.

The quality and innovation and attention to detail of both the home grown and Asian model is well beyond anything out there in the Tbird world. Essentially they are the Formula 1 response to Gibsons muscle car.

All that said, they sound nothing like a traditional Tbird. Three slim split P soap bars with an odd pickup switching layout crammed down near the feather weight single string bridges on a wafer thin body and multi scale maple neck make it a very razor sharp mid focused surgical tool. I modded the switching in mine to offer a more traditional ballsy sound, but even then it’s no TB+ or CP or Goth, it’s more a hifi version of the VP.

Someday I might consider buying four or five of the Dingwall pickups and creating an absolutely insane beast. Until then I’m perfectly happy with mine and have no GAS for a second one.

Thin fast rock stable fanned fret neck with nice strong volute, ultra compact head, just barely big enough for 5 small ultra light tuners…


Wafer thin sculpted body, total bass weight just over 7 pounds, unbelievable super deep high quality finish…


Belly cut that covers a big chunk of the back of the bass, very effective flush butt end strap pin placement and neck strap pin placement. Hex cap machine bolts thread into neck inserts for solid and precise neck attachment…


Easy truss access, no cover to remove, feather weight individual string bridges with maximum adjustability, pup bolts thread into inserts as well for super smooth pickup adjustments…

 

[GBassNorth]

This will do... just under a mm clearance all the way around, and have to leave room for finish.

Pretty clean for hand-cut.

View attachment 7209269


View attachment 7209271

Not a lot of difference to be removed... just the difference between "fits" and "doesn't"

Looks great!
I’m facing the same dilemma, the Gibson Tbird pickups don’t fit my Tbird pickup template (or the trim rings for that matter). Eppi and ChinaBucker pups fit just fine. I’d gladly buy one of your custom fit routing templates if you have one that works for these darn flared out Gibson pickups.

 

[RedVee]

Can’t help myself, I want to refine and tweak every guitar that passes through my hands.

You all have created a treasure trove of TBird specific data and opinions.
I’m learning / absorbing it all.

I also have a project involving a Hondo Alien aluminum headless bass (30” scale Steinberger style)
That I am thinking I may build up into a bird using a firebird sized body.
Lots of learning.

I think the Firebird has the same size body as the Thunderbird. But Marshall @MCF would know if the SS Thunderbird has a smaller body. He might know the dimensions if you are building wings.

 

[MCF]

I think the Firebird has the same size body as the Thunderbird. But Marshall @MCF would know if the SS Thunderbird has a smaller body. He might know the dimensions if you are building wings.

I am pretty certain the Thunderbird and Firebird bodies are the same size. That is what I have read over the years. The Gibson Thunderbirds short scale body is a little shorter lengthwise that the ‘’05 Studio. It is a lot shorter lengthwise than the ‘77 Bicentennial. Maybe 3/4 of an inch?

 

[MCF]

Can’t help myself, I want to refine and tweak every guitar that passes through my hands.

You all have created a treasure trove of TBird specific data and opinions.
I’m learning / absorbing it all.

I also have a project involving a Hondo Alien aluminum headless bass (30” scale Steinberger style)
That I am thinking I may build up into a bird using a firebird sized body.
Lots of learning.

Bear in mind that my opinions have changed over the years. I wasn’t big on the NR ten years ago. But Chuck kept on about them being so great. I had the opportunity to pick up a ‘13 NR for a good deal in ‘18. I was hooked. Now I have two Gibson NRs and two BaCH NRs. This club will do that to you.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Looks great!
I’m facing the same dilemma, the Gibson Tbird pickups don’t fit my Tbird pickup template (or the trim rings for that matter). Eppi and ChinaBucker pups fit just fine. I’d gladly buy one of your custom fit routing templates if you have one that works for these darn flared out Gibson pickups.

As this is my first attempt at cutting a template, you might want to wait until results are actually known...

Once I've got this body routed, I'll happily loan you this one if you want to give it a try against your pickups.

May be a one-off fit.
Or a disaster.

Im going to test it on a chunk of pine first.

 

[Count Bassie]

A-HA! moment.

 

[MCF]

A-HA! moment.
View attachment 7209428

That looks pretty loud. I like the gain up there too. Once your with the band, you may want some more mid? The deep and bright switches bring a lot of versatility, especially to that Boogie channel. Play with it and have fun.

 

[Gaolee]

Is that any part of those amps being warmer than many SS amps after those?

I don't know. I always thought the enormous transformers and caps were part of their sound. I am probably wrong.

 

[TBird1958]

Wednesday's child..........

 

[Engle]

Plus: My long-awaited pickup routing template arrived today.

Minus: fits the top of my new pickups nicely... to about halfway down. The pickup shell has a slight flair that is more pronounced at the middle of the long side.

I'll need to take off about a mm all around the template opening without losing accuracy, for the pickups to be able to ride down in the body rout.

At the template was laser cut instead of machined, the cutout has a slight taper too... it's just a bit wider at the top than the bottom. Optical cone effect when cutting 1/4" MDF. A degree or two, measured with a square.

More fun.

Rasp and file time.

Goal: remove pencilled thicknesses, perpendicular to face

View attachment 7209191

I did not know laser cutting MDF would result in a slanted cut. Once you get it sorted, I would use it to make a new template from plexiglass.

 

[Count Bassie]

That looks pretty loud. I like the gain up there too. Once your with the band, you may some more mid? The deep and bright switches bring a lot of versatility, especially to that Boogie channel. Play with it and have fun.

Yeah the EQ got handled in moving it around, I took the pic after I'd put the rig back in its place.
I used the deep and bright switches at rehearsal the night before, things I'd normally leave alone. Different approach with this amp- it's a toolbox.
Also the High Pass filter can yield some interesting EQ when used with the Bass knob... Really cool amp, super versatile!
And loud as anything... you should hear the CP through it.
Thanks Marshall, very happy with this little machine.
This roof will totally handle A Reverie too. Unloading a few things pretty soon.

 

[Albert Ross]

There are a few of them out there but not many. Mine is the less expensive one from Asia (equivalent marketing model to Eppi) and a real bargain in the sub $2000 category. The outrageously expensive ones are from Dingwalls home shop in Canada and I’d be hard pressed to justify their asking prices. I think I heard somewhere only about 80 were shipped into the US before Dingwall caught Gibsons attention.

The quality and innovation and attention to detail of both the home grown and Asian model is well beyond anything out there in the Tbird world. Essentially they are the Formula 1 response to Gibsons muscle car.

All that said, they sound nothing like a traditional Tbird. Three slim split P soap bars with an odd pickup switching layout crammed down near the feather weight single string bridges on a wafer thin body and multi scale maple neck make it a very razor sharp mid focused surgical tool. I modded the switching in mine to offer a more traditional ballsy sound, but even then it’s no TB+ or CP or Goth, it’s more a hifi version of the VP.

Someday I might consider buying four or five of the Dingwall pickups and creating an absolutely insane beast. Until then I’m perfectly happy with mine and have no GAS for a second one.

Thin fast rock stable fanned fret neck with nice strong volute, ultra compact head, just barely big enough for 5 small ultra light tuners…
View attachment 7209312

Wafer thin sculpted body, total bass weight just over 7 pounds, unbelievable super deep high quality finish…
View attachment 7209313

Belly cut that covers a big chunk of the back of the bass, very effective flush butt end strap pin placement and neck strap pin placement. Hex cap machine bolts thread into neck inserts for solid and precise neck attachment…
View attachment 7209314View attachment 7209315

Easy truss access, no cover to remove, feather weight individual string bridges with maximum adjustability, pup bolts thread into inserts as well for super smooth pickup adjustments…
View attachment 7209316View attachment 7209317

Word. Canadian Dingwalls are crazy expensive! I got my used D-Bird standard (the Chinese import model) for $1600 on Craigslist...which is coincidentally the exact same price I paid for my 2018 Thunderbird, which I also found on CL.

 

[Ringhammer]

Can’t help myself, I want to refine and tweak every guitar that passes through my hands.

Yep, in one way or another virtually no bass that is available is exactly how I want it. Almost always is the bridge, esp on ‘70’s /‘80’s 7enders. Almost always I put on an extender as well as the other keys to match, on all my basses, with the only exception being my ‘78 Mustang/Precision and MusicMaster/Jazz basses, since Hipshot does not make a replacement or extender for the short stem tuners they came with. Almost always I swap out pickups. Always change strap pins to Dunlops Dual Design.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Yep, in one way or another virtually no bass that is available is exactly how I want it. Almost always is the bridge, esp on ‘70’s /‘80’s 7enders. Almost always I put on an extender as well as the other keys to match, on all my basses, with the only exception being my ‘78 Mustang/Precision and MusicMaster/Jazz basses, since Hipshot does not make a replacement or extender for the short stem tuners they came with. Almost always I swap out pickups. Always change strap pins to Dunlops Dual Design.

Dual design pins on everything.
Just saw these on the Hipshot page:

 

[Stealth57]

W*BW

*Willbird