Thunderbird Club

[MCF]

Come with me to the Middle East and we can eat all the Iranian pistachios you want. Get some cheap saffron while we're at it. Not to mention the baklava, mamool, barazik, stuffed dates (no wise cracks)...maybe I should stop before George gets hungry.

Much as I love the food, I’ll never go to the Middle East. But thanks for the invite.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Someday I plan on getting a Tbird after many visits with the sunburst Epiphone 60s model that was at my local GC.

Before then, I had only ever had any experience with the newer ones that had the black plastic covered pups—wasn’t much a fan of those, as I didn’t find the sound very appealing.

The 60s style pups however, sounded great, and I could dial in a few other sounds I liked as well. What got me the most was how comfy the neck was.

If another one like that pops up, I may go for it—all that stopped me at the time was the appearance of my Ric copy! I got distracted, you might say.

I might check out copies, too, like the Greco I’ve seen. Anyone have experience with those?

Caveat: I've played a number of Gibsons at GTGs but don't own one at this time.

My Grecos, the Epi 64, and my VP are my go to basses for most things. The Grecos are are more aggressive, snarly. The VP (60s should be the same) has less growl, but doesn't have quite the low end. The 64 solves the low end problem of the 64 and sounds a bit warmer. The VP and 64 have a 1.5" nut whereas the Greco is a bit wider. The Greco is also slightly shorter scale. They're all great basses.

The CP is similar to a modern Gibson reverse with the darker pickups. I like it, too, for certain styles.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

The Epiphone you tried out is a great first Thunderbird, you can find them pretty easily, they have a nice tone to them. Over the years they've been produced Epiphone has changed the name several times, originally they were called a "Vintage Pro", then " '60's Thunderbird and now "'64 Thunderbird", this all relates to some design/production changes as well as country of origin.

This is a China built '64.

Grecos are fabulous Thunderbirds, they have a much deeper, bigger sounding pickup than the Epi, the neck is closer to a P Bass and they are slightly shorter scale at 33 1/4" IIRC, they are held in pretty high regard by those of us that own them, highly recommended! For the money I think they're closest to the real deal - Just my opinion

The Greco sound can most easily induce in me the same response I had to hearing Leon Wilkeson and John Entwhistle that night eons ago in Atlanta.

 

[bitterminnows]

You are on the right track. But Epis are much easier to come by.

I was thinking this would be the case, yeah. But I’m not in a hurry, I could wait for one to appear!

Many Greco fans here. The tone from the pickups is great. The necks are wider than the 60s Epi you’ve admired though. The Epi 60s is the only Thunderbird currently in production with a through neck.

I see! I did like the through neck. I thought they all had it, but I suppose not!

As for the Greco neck—wider’s okay (depending on how much), but would you say it’s any deeper/chunkier? I seem to be more sensitive to that than the width.

 

[Engle]

I think Donnie could use another project. Or Irv.

I'd love to take that one on!

 

[Stealth57]

Much as I love the food, I’ll never go to the Middle East. But thanks for the invite.

Coward

 

[Engle]

For those of you contemplating going down the EMG Geezer Butler P/J path on a bird or other nearly as fine a bass here’s a before and after sound clip on my mid 1990’s Epiphone Non Reverse originally equipped with an Eppi PJ set and now equipped with a passive EMG Geezer Butler PJ set…
View attachment 7259377
Stock pickups…
View attachment 7259381


Geezer pickups…
View attachment 7259382
Both recordings were set with all knobs maxed. Finger playing on the G and D strings, right hand over split P, fresh nickel round wounds.

My thoughts…
Sound - the Geezers are noticeably brighter on the top end, cleaner and tighter on the bottom end. They have more punch than the Eppi pups. With the tone knob slightly backed off and the neck pickup slightly favored the two pickups sound relatively similar. A strong lower mid punch is very easy to EQ in on the Geezers, not as easy on the more creamy Eppi pups. Both sound very good to my ears (although the Geezer recording picked up a lot of poor technique string noise, my bad not the pups) but I suspect the EMGs would be a better fit in a live stage setting. I also suspect that pick action would really set these things on fire.

Quality - top notch, solderless connections and dead easy instructions.

Fit - so so on the Eppi NR. The split P screw tabs were quite a bit smaller than the stock Eppi tabs so there’s a bit of air gap in the pick guard. The Jazz pickup was a perfect fit though. Exposed coils look nice on this bass but don’t line up exactly with the strings, doesn’t seem to effect the quality of the sound though. If you have string/coil OCD you might want to think twice about these or possibly get a bridge that provides adjustable string spacing.

Cost - at about $200 they aren’t an expensive upgrade. The set comes with both the P and Jazz pickups, both volume pots and the tone pot, an output jack, all the necessary wiring harnesses and all screws/washers/nuts to install everything. The only thing it does not include (and in my opinion should be provided) are knobs, but there’s so many knob options on in the market out there I guess it would be difficult to find something that pleases everybody.

So there ya go, get a set if you’re so inclined.

Once again - thanks for taking the time and doing this George!

 

[GBassNorth]

Come with me to the Middle East and we can eat all the Iranian pistachios you want. Get some cheap saffron while we're at it. Not to mention the baklava, mamool, barazik, stuffed dates (no wise cracks)...maybe I should stop before George gets hungry.

Too late! You had me at baklava.

 

[GBassNorth]

kinda looks like Dave...

 

[dagrev]

I'd love to take that one on!

How can I assist (translated into TB talk: enable)?

It needs rescuing.
Needs someone with your skills.
Needs a good home after restoration.
Needs a great player after restoration.
It would love the scenery in CA.
They like to ride in Karman Ghias. (Silver the best from what I hear.)

Others can feel free to "assist."

 

[bitterminnows]

The Epiphone you tried out is a great first Thunderbird, you can find them pretty easily, they have a nice tone to them. Over the years they've been produced Epiphone has changed the name several times, originally they were called a "Vintage Pro", then " '60's Thunderbird and now "'64 Thunderbird", this all relates to some design/production changes as well as country of origin.

This is a China built '64.

Grecos are fabulous Thunderbirds, they have a much deeper, bigger sounding pickup than the Epi, the neck is closer to a P Bass and they are slightly shorter scale at 33 1/4" IIRC, they are held in pretty high regard by those of us that own them, highly recommended! For the money I think they're closest to the real deal - Just my opinion

Very nice basses! I like the color on the Epi, not seen one in a deep red like that before.

Did the Greco only come in a one pickup version? I feel like I remember seeing one with two, but I could be wrong. Yours looks really nice as well!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Very nice basses! I like the color on the Epi, not seen one in a deep red like that before.

Did the Greco only come in a one pickup version? I feel like I remember seeing one with two, but I could be wrong. Yours looks really nice as well!

Both of mine are two pickups. I'll try to dig up a photo.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Both of mine are two pickups. I'll try to dig up a photo.

The Gibson TRC came with the burst. I really need to replace that. ‘88 and ‘90.

 

[dagrev]

Very nice basses! I like the color on the Epi, not seen one in a deep red like that before.

Did the Greco only come in a one pickup version? I feel like I remember seeing one with two, but I could be wrong. Yours looks really nice as well!

I haven't landed a Greco yet, but of my 6 or so Thunderbirds, two are Epis. Sound almost as good as my '64.

 

[MCF]

I was thinking this would be the case, yeah. But I’m not in a hurry, I could wait for one to appear!


I see! I did like the through neck. I thought they all had it, but I suppose not!

As for the Greco neck—wider’s okay (depending on how much), but would you say it’s any deeper/chunkier? I seem to be more sensitive to that than the width.

I’m generally neck agnostic. But truth be told, I do prefer a narrow neck, but wide is fine. I don’t own a Greco, but have tried quite a few. I really don’t recall being turned off at all by the necks on any of them. I have several Thunderbirds including Gibsons, Epis, and BaCHs. At this point my future purchases will probably only be a couple of special Gibsons.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Very nice basses! I like the color on the Epi, not seen one in a deep red like that before.
...

"Ember red" is a new color with the 64 rebranding.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

difficult to snap an objective comparative pic of two Birds but this one kinda highlights the overall shortness of a Greco IV up against a 70's IV..

 

[MCF]

Coward

Yep.

 

[Gaolee]

I was thinking this would be the case, yeah. But I’m not in a hurry, I could wait for one to appear!


I see! I did like the through neck. I thought they all had it, but I suppose not!

As for the Greco neck—wider’s okay (depending on how much), but would you say it’s any deeper/chunkier? I seem to be more sensitive to that than the width.

A Thunderbird will choose you at the proper time. You will know.

 

[TBird1958]

Very nice basses! I like the color on the Epi, not seen one in a deep red like that before.

Did the Greco only come in a one pickup version? I feel like I remember seeing one with two, but I could be wrong. Yours looks really nice as well!

The single pickup or II is the one to own, it is the Sonic Destroyer of entire worlds. The real Deal is on the left, it's another story.