Thunderbird Club

[GBassNorth]

Some '76 love.

Ok, that does it. I haven’t played a Bicentennial Bird yet and the curiosity is killing me. They are unique sidewinder pickups wired completely different from any other bird, so I gotta believe there’s some interesting tone options that might be difficult to get on other non bicentennial birds. I obviously can’t just go to the store to try one out so I’m reaching out to you guys for enlightenment.
@TBird1958 Tell me how it differs in sound and feel from your metal can equipped 2021 NR Gibby
@MCF tell me how it differs in sound and feel from your DeCola equipped 2015 Gibby
@Chucky Stiletti tell me how it differs in sound and feel from your TB+ equipped NR
Any other Bi players feel free to chime in with thoughts and observations.

There’s always a small handful of these on the market and all are continually going up in value, just looking for insight from actual users to see if I should consider jumping in the bicentennial pool while the price is where it’s at.

 

[Engle]

I have to start looking around. I've been to the DB during and had since rec's for a Vice, I think?
Do far only recommendation for an expensive must-have system, but for now I'll be using a SansAmp bddi into Hartke Kickback 12.

I have a K&K Bassmax on the Englehardt and a David Gage realist on the Corelli 1/2 size.
You'll may need a preamp - depends on the input impedance on the amp. Also I highly recommend a High Pass Filter. Fdeck (active on Talkbass) makes units that do both.
If you haven't discovered Gollihur music, check it out.

Gollihur Music

We are the family musical instrument shop dedicated to the upright bass.

gollihurmusic.com

 

[dagrev]

Here's the deal..........

You did climb up and steal that street sign, right? It belongs in your basement.

(This comment is solely for entertainment purposes only; no incitement to remove public signage in any way is implied in whole or in part.)

 

[Engle]

I have to start looking around. I've been to the DB forum and had some rec's for a Vic, I think?...
So far there's been only one recommendation for an expensive, must-have system, but for now I'll be using a SansAmp BDDI into my old Hartke Kickback 12.

Just remembered: I put a Vic's Single Wing on one of the local high school basses and it seemed identical to the K&K:

Vic's Pickups

Upright Bass Pickups. Low Cost. Lifetime Warranty.

www.uprightbasspickups.com

 

[dagrev]

Ok, that does it. I haven’t played a Bicentennial Bird yet and the curiosity is killing me. They are unique sidewinder pickups wired completely different from any other bird, so I gotta believe there’s some interesting tone options that might be difficult to get on other non bicentennial birds. I obviously can’t just go to the store to try one out so I’m reaching out to you guys for enlightenment.
@TBird1958 Tell me how it differs in sound and feel from your metal can equipped 2021 NR Gibby
@MCF tell me how it differs in sound and feel from your DeCola equipped 2015 Gibby
@Chucky Stiletti tell me how it differs in sound and feel from your TB+ equipped NR
Any other Bi players feel free to chime in with thoughts and observations.

There’s always a small handful of these on the market and all are continually going up in value, just looking for insight from actual users to see if I should consider jumping in the bicentennial pool while the price is where it’s at.

Mine sounds similar to the '64, but the '64 has more of everything you might say. More than I thought it was given some people's comments on hating them. I have never had the same strings on it as the '64. It currently has Roto 66s which are also on the '64 Embassy, (which has it's own, somewhat darker tone).
It does not sound anything like TB+ or the the 21 NR reissues. Very different animals. Way more like the '64 and more like the VPs, but with more spacial or 3D tone going on I would say. the '76 could be said to be slightly more refined/softer than the '64 or the VPs. That may be another way of thinking about the tone.

 

[GBassNorth]

Mine sounds similar to the '64, but the '64 has more of everything you might say. More than I thought it was given some people's comments on hating them. I have never had the same strings on it as the '64. It currently has Roto 66s which are also on the '64 Embassy, (which has it's own, somewhat darker tone).
It does not sound anything like TB+ or the the 21 NR reissues. Very different animals. Way more like the '64 and more like the VPs, but with more spacial or 3D tone going on I would say. the '76 could be said to be slightly more refined/softer than the '64 or the VPs. That may be another way of thinking about the tone.

View attachment 7323911

The VP comparison is very helpful. On the Tbird sound spectrum, I’d classify my VP as “Grit and Grind”. I’d classify my TB+ birds as “Smooth and Rich”. My Epiphone ‘64 (New replacement for the VP model) would fall into the “Creamy Grits” category. Sounds like the Bicentennial might be very near the Eppi ‘64 of Creamy Grits. @TBird1958 has both the Bi and a Blue Sparkle ‘64 and might be able to confirm if my assumption is valid.

 

[Stealth57]

The VP comparison is very helpful. On the Tbird sound spectrum, I’d classify my VP as “Grit and Grind”. I’d classify my TB+ birds as “Smooth and Rich”. My Epiphone ‘64 (New replacement for the VP model) would fall into the “Creamy Grits” category. Sounds like the Bicentennial might be very near the Eppi ‘64 of Creamy Grits. @TBird1958 has both the Bi and a Blue Sparkle ‘64 and might be able to confirm if my assumption is valid.

 

[TBird1958]

You did climb up and steal that street sign, right? It belongs in your basement.

(This comment is solely for entertainment purposes only; no incitement to remove public signage in any way is implied in whole or in part.)

In heels? I'm not that kind of girl!

 

[/\/\3phist0]

We've got one too.

View attachment 7323883

Yep!

 

[dagrev]

The VP comparison is very helpful. On the Tbird sound spectrum, I’d classify my VP as “Grit and Grind”. I’d classify my TB+ birds as “Smooth and Rich”. My Epiphone ‘64 (New replacement for the VP model) would fall into the “Creamy Grits” category. Sounds like the Bicentennial might be very near the Eppi ‘64 of Creamy Grits. @TBird1958 has both the Bi and a Blue Sparkle ‘64 and might be able to confirm if my assumption is valid.

That said, the VP is brighter and more aggressive. The '76 is more subdued. Good bass, but softer mids and highs, depending on other factors like strings and rigs. Maybe it's better to say the '76 is closer to VPs than it is the '21NR or anything with TB+ pickups.

 

[dagrev]

In heels? I'm not that kind of girl!

I suppose that would be a bit awkward.
And the splinters.....

 

[TBird1958]

Ok, that does it. I haven’t played a Bicentennial Bird yet and the curiosity is killing me. They are unique sidewinder pickups wired completely different from any other bird, so I gotta believe there’s some interesting tone options that might be difficult to get on other non bicentennial birds. I obviously can’t just go to the store to try one out so I’m reaching out to you guys for enlightenment.
@TBird1958 Tell me how it differs in sound and feel from your metal can equipped 2021 NR Gibby
@MCF tell me how it differs in sound and feel from your DeCola equipped 2015 Gibby
@Chucky Stiletti tell me how it differs in sound and feel from your TB+ equipped NR
Any other Bi players feel free to chime in with thoughts and observations.

There’s always a small handful of these on the market and all are continually going up in value, just looking for insight from actual users to see if I should consider jumping in the bicentennial pool while the price is where it’s at.

My two '76s sound similar but different from each other and not at all like any of my other Birds, for my use with the band I just found that they have their own "thing" going on. The woodwork and hardware are fine, there's little to no pitch to the neck so you van have great action with a 3 point and fundamentally they're good players, fast, slim neck a nicely proportioned headstock ( Not a boat paddle!) .
I've found the pickups on my purple one to be the ones I like the best of my two, in the early years of the band I used it along with my GK setup and got tone I liked a lot when I used a pick, I did EQ the bass freqs down as they pups want to make lots of it! I guess it's best to say that I like mine, they just really do have a voice that's different - and I love that about them

I've always thought they sound best through a big amp that's working a bit, this live and pretty raw and I'm not shy about hitting the strings pretty hard, plenty of grind that you can hear during the guitar solo. This is a '77.




The Green one is a little better mannered.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Always a badass girl...

Those naughyt, naughty, bad ass girls...

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Yep!
View attachment 7323934

We have one. I've wanted to bike to it with a Thunderbird in a gig bag to take a photo but have yet to find a safe route.

 

[Engle]

The VP comparison is very helpful. On the Tbird sound spectrum, I’d classify my VP as “Grit and Grind”. I’d classify my TB+ birds as “Smooth and Rich”. My Epiphone ‘64 (New replacement for the VP model) would fall into the “Creamy Grits” category. Sounds like the Bicentennial might be very near the Eppi ‘64 of Creamy Grits. @TBird1958 has both the Bi and a Blue Sparkle ‘64 and might be able to confirm if my assumption is valid.

From what I've read about 70's Tbird pickups, they weren't necessarily consistent in tone. Actually now that I think about it I've read that about all eras of Tbird pickups

 

[TBird1958]

From what I've read about 70's Tbird pickups, they weren't necessarily consistent in tone. Actually now that I think about it I've read that about all eras of Tbird pickups

I recall Carlo mentioning that Gibson used a timer to wind pickups, which would account for a lot, I went through two to get a decent replacement for my green '76, the first one I found was hopelessly weak.

 

[GBassNorth]

My two '76s sound similar but different from each other and not at all like any of my other Birds, for my use with the band I just found that they have their own "thing" going on. The woodwork and hardware are fine, there's little to no pitch to the neck so you van have great action with a 3 point and fundamentally they're good players, fast, slim neck a nicely proportioned headstock ( Not a boat paddle!) .
I've found the pickups on my purple one to be the ones I like the best of my two, in the early years of the band I used it along with my GK setup and got tone I liked a lot when I used a pick, I did EQ the bass freqs down as they pups want to make lots of it! I guess it's best to say that I like mine, they just really do have a voice that's different - and I love that about them

I've always thought they sound best through a big amp that's working a bit, this live and pretty raw and I'm not shy about hitting the strings pretty hard, plenty of grind that you can hear during the guitar solo. This is a '77.




The Green one is a little better mannered.

Both sound samples are excellent. The second one with finger playing is pretty much what I hoped it would be - thick but well defined mid lows for a nice punch.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I recall Carlo mentioning that Gibson used a timer to wind pickups, which would account for a lot.

Eep!

 

[GBassNorth]

From what I've read about 70's Tbird pickups, they weren't necessarily consistent in tone. Actually now that I think about it I've read that about all eras of Tbird pickups

LOL - so correct. It’s kinda like asking, does a dog make a good pet? There’s only a thousand different variables to consider before answering that question.

 

[Engle]

I recall Carlo mentioning that Gibson used a timer to wind pickups, which would account for a lot, I went through two to get a decent replacement for my green '76, the first one I found was hopelessly weak.

Magnets can also weaken over time depending on conditions.