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Thunderbird Club

#324,721
1754280074274.png
 
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#324,725
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#324,727
Ringhammer said:
So I have one of the Gibson 2013 EB basses, and I could never get it setup well enough to really like it, always with the annoying zingy-buzz with newish rounds, even with high action.

Took out the DeColas (with the super strong magnetic pull) and put in a set of TB+ that I had from my ‘97 ‘bird (actually just the bridge, the neck was done when I bought the bass, so the neck TB+ is a new Gibson “Modern”).

Now this is a fantastic player without the zingy fret buzz.

I have finally determined that I can’t have pickups with strong “pull”, it just creates a kind of fret buzz I hate. All of the aftermarket/boutique vintage style T-Bird pickups I have don’t have a strong pull, and the only set I tried that did, the Dunable D-Birds, caused this same grief my ‘99 ‘bird. Once I switched out those for the Gemini UK Devastators, problem gone.

This same issue is presenting itself on my Greco, but I have to keep those in it, because they do sound pretty sweet. The only solution is to bury the pickups really far from the strings. Which creates an interesting sound itself.
Click to expand...
My 2015 Tbird with the DeCola pups gave me more fits on set up than any other bass I’ve ever owned. Until I got that bass I had never seen or heard of a pickup with magnets so strong that at normal heights would pull your strings out of tune or cause fret buzz. I finally figured it out but that darn bass requires a completely different set up routine than any other bass I’ve ever owned.

First bury the pickups down into the body as deep as they’ll go. Then set your tuning relief and action. Set your intonation. Set the witness points at the tuners, nut and bridge. Check one last time for action and intonation. THEN slowly raise both pickups equal amounts until you just start to get fret buzz or loss of tuning. Then lower each pickup back down about 1/16”. Check for tuning and intonation again to make sure it’s back in tune and then drop the neck pickup down even further as needed to match volume levels with the bridge pickup.

I’ve never had to play those games with any other bass, including my 2013 EB5 with DeCola pickups. When I laid a magnetic gauss sheet on the 2015 bird pickup area it was interesting to see how the pickups were magnetizing the strings and the field was extending beyond the pup poles (the strings never even show on any other bass). As @Gaolee often notes - these magnets could pick up a VW Bug.
IMG_2931.jpeg
 
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#324,729
20250804_153139.jpg


I played circa 35 shows plus all the rehearsals from mid-June to the 2nd of August at the outdoor theater in my hometown. All with this bass.
If I should (and thankfully I don't have to) keep just one I think this Franken-P would get the honors. 5-string Decola pickups are the latest addition and they do sound the best of all the pickup combos it has had during the last 15 or so years I have had it. Double-reverse-P, MM & reverse-P, ceramic T-Bird pickups and now these.
All Parts Tele neck, no-idea-but-supposedly-'75-ash-F-body, Schaller tuners, custom made anodized pickguard with a swimming pool underneath, Decola pickups, two volume pots, two outputs and a stereo/mono switch.
I might add a single coil switches to both pickups so I can emulate Chris Squire's old Telecaster bass in a stereo mode...
 
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#324,731
Ringhammer said:
So I have one of the Gibson 2013 EB basses, and I could never get it setup well enough to really like it, always with the annoying zingy-buzz with newish rounds, even with high action.

Took out the DeColas (with the super strong magnetic pull) and put in a set of TB+ that I had from my ‘97 ‘bird (actually just the bridge, the neck was done when I bought the bass, so the neck TB+ is a new Gibson “Modern”).

Now this is a fantastic player without the zingy fret buzz.

I have finally determined that I can’t have pickups with strong “pull”, it just creates a kind of fret buzz I hate. All of the aftermarket/boutique vintage style T-Bird pickups I have don’t have a strong pull, and the only set I tried that did, the Dunable D-Birds, caused this same grief my ‘99 ‘bird. Once I switched out those for the Gemini UK Devastators, problem gone.

This same issue is presenting itself on my Greco, but I have to keep those in it, because they do sound pretty sweet. The only solution is to bury the pickups really far from the strings. Which creates an interesting sound itself.
Click to expand...
Just lower the pickups. The solution you discovered. It works on my EB and '15 Thunderbird.
 
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#324,732
Ringhammer said:
I took it out and put a Genuine Gibson Vintage Re-issue in. I have EBCF 110-55 short scale set and tuned to D-standard and it plays perfectly, even in drop C.

View attachment 7291045




Now that I have the TB+’s in the 2013 EB, I’m happy with it. The action is so low now and no buzz whatsoever. But it needs a paint job, it’s a pretty ugly (to me) cream white/yellow. This is when it still had the DeColas:

View attachment 7291046

I am thinking of maybe an ultra dark red, or green like I did the Greco. Or maybe an ultra dark blue…
Click to expand...
My EB is burst. I have been thinking about a refin. Just thinking for now.
 
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#324,733
PhR75 said:
View attachment 7291264

I played circa 35 shows plus all the rehearsals from mid-June to the 2nd of August at the outdoor theater in my hometown. All with this bass.
If I should (and thankfully I don't have to) keep just one I think this Franken-P would get the honors. 5-string Decola pickups are the latest addition and they do sound the best of all the pickup combos it has had during the last 15 or so years I have had it. Double-reverse-P, MM & reverse-P, ceramic T-Bird pickups and now these.
All Parts Tele neck, no-idea-but-supposedly-'75-ash-F-body, Schaller tuners, custom made anodized pickguard with a swimming pool underneath, Decola pickups, two volume pots, two outputs and a stereo/mono switch.
I might add a single coil switches to both pickups so I can emulate Chris Squire's old Telecaster bass in a stereo mode...
Click to expand...
And that right there is the proper way to install DeCola pickups! Poles straddling the strings vs strings on top of poles. There’s enough magnetic field in these pups to easily impact with string movement even when not centered. Looks great too.
 
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#324,735
GonePlaid said:
My first 'real' bass amp was a '63 Bassman piggyback(~45W>2x12). It gave me the tone I want(ed). I've had other rigs: SVT/810, the Kasino(200W>2x15), Ampeg 112 comb, :meh: , P______MAX110. None gave me the 7enderish tone I prefer. That's why I now have/use 7ender Rumbles.[also the fact they're light]
Tweetchie zone.
Click to expand...
I think it is amusing that an early blackface Bassman was also my first “real” amp that gave way to a 200 watt Kasino with 215 to get the needed volume. I sorta wish I still had both, just for for the nostalgia.
 
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#324,737
Gaolee said:
Just lower the pickups. The solution you discovered. It works on my EB and '15 Thunderbird.
Click to expand...

I’m not that excited about the DeColas anyway, and since I have stripped each of my Gibsons ‘birds of their TB+ pickups, it’s kinda nice to have a set in something.

And as much as I’m interested in the 916 Thunderbird pickups, I couldn’t really get a definitive answer as to whether those will also have a strong pull or not. Maybe there is more way to get the answer. I just use a small screwdriver and judge how strong the pull of any given pickup is by feel, so.
 
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