Thunderbird Club

[/\/\3phist0]

Tell me if I’m being spammy, tell me I suck it’s ok.

Debut with my new main crush (I’m totally in love with it)

Epi Vintage Pro Thunderbird is FANTASTIC.

It’s my first weekend with it:
3Days, 3 playlists my wife recorded with her iPhone.
These are playlists. The first song in the playlist is what is listed in the postage stamp.

 

[GBassNorth]

Tell me if I’m being spammy, tell me I suck it’s ok.

Debut with my new main crush (I’m totally in love with it)

Epi Vintage Pro Thunderbird is FANTASTIC.

It’s my first weekend with it:
3Days, 3 playlists my wife recorded with her iPhone.

The only thing that sucks about those performances is that I wasn’t there to enjoy them live!
Great set lists, great guitars, great vocals, great drums and most of all some great bass that was plenty forward in the mix.
The VP is a monster and it really shines in the genre you’re playing. A Greco II would also be an excellent choice for those tunes. A Gibby Tbird with modern pickups or an Eppi CP might be a bit too creamy in those set lists, the VP growl really fits nicely in the mix.
Great job! Thanks for posting.

 

[JJR58]

…sorry that I am about 60 pages behind… we got booked by the german Rolling Stone Magazine… down on the right
(The Truffauts)… some Thunderbirds maybe on stage in November…

Line-Up - Rollingstone Beach

13. & 14. November 2026 // Ferienpark Weissenhäuser Strand //

rollingstone-beach.de

Excellent!!!!

 

[JJR58]

Anyone have experience with the Ampeg SGT-DI pre amp box? Looks interesting as a SVT and B-15 tone with built in compression.

I personally don't.
But this little head cops the Ampeg tone with clarity.

 

[dagrev]

…sorry that I am about 60 pages behind… we got booked by the german Rolling Stone Magazine… down on the right
(The Truffauts)… some Thunderbirds maybe on stage in November…

Line-Up - Rollingstone Beach

13. & 14. November 2026 // Ferienpark Weissenhäuser Strand //

rollingstone-beach.de

Congrats! That's great.

 

[dagrev]

Tell me if I’m being spammy, tell me I suck it’s ok.

Debut with my new main crush (I’m totally in love with it)

Epi Vintage Pro Thunderbird is FANTASTIC.

It’s my first weekend with it:
3Days, 3 playlists my wife recorded with her iPhone.

Hate to be the one, but can you temper the Thunderbird enthusiasm just a bit? I know this is the Thunderbird thread, but they are just one of many tools in the tool box.





Just kidding.... No they're not. They are all that--and then some and make any band sound better. In fact, the band should gladly offer to pay for yours!

 

[BklynKen]

Tell me if I’m being spammy, tell me I suck it’s ok.

Debut with my new main crush (I’m totally in love with it)

Epi Vintage Pro Thunderbird is FANTASTIC.

It’s my first weekend with it:
3Days, 3 playlists my wife recorded with her iPhone.

Thanks for posting! Sounds great. I hope you realize that this is more on-topic than most of the discussion here?

 

[TBird1958]

We've already played two one hour sets and are 50 minutes into the third set here, I'm gassed. The Studio sounded really good on stage, the TB Plus pickups and a set neck are a good combination, and I think this happens to be a good pair of them - I've had plenty that didn't sound anywhere near as good. It's interesting to hear how much clank and grit become part of the mix - note when the band drops out and briefly it's just me.
Turn it up!

 

[Stealth57]

We've already played two one hour sets and are 50 minutes into the third set here, I'm gassed. The Studio sounded really good on stage, the TB Plus pickups and a set neck are a good combination, and I think this happens to be a good pair of them - I've had plenty that didn't sound anywhere near as good. It's interesting to hear how much clank and grit become part of the mix - note when the band drops out and briefly it's just me.
Turn it up!

Says Private Video.

 

[JJR58]

Says Private Video.

Same.....

 

[/\/\3phist0]

You all are so kind. Thank You!

Humble venues with better ones on the horizon.
My wife records every gig, almost every song and does at least 2 Facebook/ instagram lives per show. It’s fun to see my step daughters, grandkids, my Mom and Stepdad, my Dad, and a whole slew of my Texan family (and wife’s Texan brothers and sisters) joining in.
(virtually)
We post them ALL including all the train wrecks on YouTube. Dip in whenever you all want.

I would love any of you to come in person.

I agree the VP has got the girth and grit that I’ve been looking for, smooth is the opposite of what I want in this band.
Straight to the Mesa TT, no pedals.

**After the SUCCESS of the mods (mostly reversible) to address the neck dive: it is super comfy to play.
There are several moments on the Porchfest show that I go hands off with the bird staying solidly in place.

This is the first bass that I have:
Played an entire gig with without changing to another bass for a set.

Played consecutive gigs with, without changing it up gig to gig. That says A LOT.

Only 2 other basses I have, have that attitude: my G&L “LB 100” with an 86 reverse sickle headstock (the prototype I made while employed there)
And loaded with the prototype SB-1 split coil MFD’s gifted by Dale Hyatt to a close friend, who gifted them to me. That is the highest output passive bass I have ever owned, and the frequency range is as wide as anything I have ever owned.


My Ric but that’s a distinctly different , equally aggressive tone that fits me.
I’ve got it strung with 30-90 Roto SS.
I may try a set of those on the Bird next.


The SIT Power Steels are lasting pretty well I’ve probably got nearly 50 aggressive play hours on them now and the edge has mellowed only the slightest bit.

 

[GBassNorth]

Says Private Video.

Same.....

Plays just fine for me, but what does cold chicken and undergarments on the floor have to do with Thunderbirds???


Just kidding, says private here as well.

 

[ThaCoast]

It's been a while since i've had a chance to play an Epi classic pro from years ago, or a gibson Bird in modern itteration for that matter. Am wondering what's the general thought of the modern black pickups vs the vintage style chrome/nickel ones? I seem to recall the modern ones are ceramic magnet vs Alnico of the vintage, darker in tone? vs the angry piano vintages. Guess my main question is: are they so dark that no matter how much brightness i'd try to add to cut through, it just won't be possible?

Thanks!

 

[dagrev]

Says Private Video.

Worked for me. What kind of link did you copy?

 

[Stealth57]

It's been a while since i've had a chance to play an Epi classic pro from years ago, or a gibson Bird in modern itteration for that matter. Am wondering what's the general thought of the modern black pickups vs the vintage style chrome/nickel ones? I seem to recall the modern ones are ceramic magnet vs Alnico of the vintage, darker in tone? vs the angry piano vintages. Guess my main question is: are they so dark that no matter how much brightness i'd try to add to cut through, it just won't be possible?

Thanks!

Throw some EBCF stings on the CP and you can brighten it up. Likely other string suggestions will be coming from this group.

 

[BklynKen]

We've already played two one hour sets and are 50 minutes into the third set here, I'm gassed. The Studio sounded really good on stage, the TB Plus pickups and a set neck are a good combination, and I think this happens to be a good pair of them - I've had plenty that didn't sound anywhere near as good. It's interesting to hear how much clank and grit become part of the mix - note when the band drops out and briefly it's just me.
Turn it up!

Bass tone is fantastic!

 

[GBassNorth]

It's been a while since i've had a chance to play an Epi classic pro from years ago, or a gibson Bird in modern itteration for that matter. Am wondering what's the general thought of the modern black pickups vs the vintage style chrome/nickel ones? I seem to recall the modern ones are ceramic magnet vs Alnico of the vintage, darker in tone? vs the angry piano vintages. Guess my main question is: are they so dark that no matter how much brightness i'd try to add to cut through, it just won't be possible?

Thanks!

The modern Gibby pups (black plastic TB+ model) are great sounding - warm and articulate with a low and low mid bump. You can get plenty of top end out of them to cut thru but you’ll have to twist that treble knob up and maybe favor the bridge pickup. These pickups are in most of the Gibby birds from late 1990’s on.

The Gibson metal can Reissue pickups as found in the reissue NonReverse birds are a bit more aggressive and balanced than the TB+ pups, but still not in the Epiphone 760Probucker territory.

If you want max grit, grind and growl with a decent amount of bottom end grunt go with an Epiphone Tbird bass equipped with the metal can ProBuckers. The first gen ProBuckers that are in my 2017 VP are great pickups, but as much as I like them I think I like the newer Epiphone 60’s Tbird (purple or blue sparkle era) pickups even more.

Not sure when Eppi switched over to the new pickups but suspect it’s just been in the last couple years. The new ProBuckers have nearly all the grit and grind as the original ProBuckers but a bit more bottom end as well, best of both worlds.

PS - word has it that the 760probuckers marketed for sale on eBay are counterfeit or black market, according to Epiphone - they do not sell 760probucker pickups after market, the only way to get authentic ones is to buy an all original Eppi Tbird equipped with them.

 

[GBassNorth]

We've already played two one hour sets and are 50 minutes into the third set here, I'm gassed. The Studio sounded really good on stage, the TB Plus pickups and a set neck are a good combination, and I think this happens to be a good pair of them - I've had plenty that didn't sound anywhere near as good. It's interesting to hear how much clank and grit become part of the mix - note when the band drops out and briefly it's just me.
Turn it up!

Love it! Such a fun song tha always pulls the audience in. And a solo for the Queen as well! What could be better!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Says Private Video.

Worked for me, but hey, I'm the CM!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

You all are so kind. Thank You!

Humble venues with better ones on the horizon.
My wife records every gig, almost every song and does at least 2 Facebook/ instagram lives per show. It’s fun to see my step daughters, grandkids, my Mom and Stepdad, my Dad, and a whole slew of my Texan family (and wife’s Texan brothers and sisters) joining in.

We post them ALL including all the train wrecks on YouTube. Dip in whenever you all want.

I would love any of you to come in person.

I agree the VP has got the girth and grit that I’ve been looking for, smooth is the opposite of what I want in this band.
Straight to the Mesa TT, no pedals.

**After the SUCCESS of the mods (mostly reversible) to address the neck dive: it is super comfy to play.
There are several moments on the Porchfest show that I go hands off with the bird staying solidly in place.

This is the first bass that I have:
Played an entire gig with without changing to another bass for a set.

Played consecutive gigs with, without changing it up gig to gig. That says A LOT.

Only 2 other basses I have, have that attitude: my G&L “LB 100” with an 86 reverse sickle headstock (the prototype I made while employed there)
And loaded with the prototype SB-1 split coil MFD’s gifted by Dale Hyatt to a close friend, who gifted them to me. That is the highest output passive bass I have ever owned, and the frequency range is as wide as anything I have ever owned.

My Ric but that’s a distinctly different , equally aggressive tone that fits me.
I’ve got it strung with 30-90 Roto SS.
I may try a set of those on the Bird next.

The SIT Power Steels are lasting pretty well I’ve probably got nearly 50 aggressive play hours on them now and the edge has mellowed only the slightest bit.

Where in Texas? Anywhere near Austin? If you're ever visiting and have time, holler!