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Thunderbird Club

#342,801
Count Bassie said:
Pretty cringe... 🫨😂
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I agree - but just an '80s version of what has always gone on in the "entertainment industry".., even today. Creating something "unique" to separate your "product" from the rest. It all comes down to marketing and promotion...
 
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#342,802
Miles_ONeal said:
Harness?!? What harness? PTP, baby! (But yeah, wire & soldering matter, though they don’t usually impact tone, just noise type & levels).
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Harness = electronics done correctly. (active or passive) Not to be understated.
 
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#342,803
Had a chance to test out my new to me, Gibson TB+ pickups, lots of hogging out a piece of ply i had installed in the original epi neck pickup cavity. & the size difference it's something between pickups.

1778922714996.png


Where i do assume the alnico 5 bar magnets are the blades for the 60's pickup on the right, the modern's ceramic magnet sits beneath the coils (which are less in width than the shell). Nonetheless, the modern cover is also a lil wide/long to accept the rings i had around the 60s. So out with the 60's/70's look, & back to the post 87-88 birds. Sound wise, the Modern TB+ are still clear enough for pick attack & grind, but they have more growl, where i'd categorize the 60's versions as piano like, with a grind/bite. My 60's RI pickups are 8.3-8.5k range, where the Modern TB + are 9.6-9.7k. Both have a very stark contrast to the former Epiphone Deep sixx pickups which were 12 & 17k (super dark, overall).

Anyway, while i'm happy with the modern TB+, & my Epi bird will have a new 3pc hard maple body built for it (with some slight tweaks), i'll test both sets, & decide when its built which, will reside in it for good. & with that, also means another Thunderbird build for me to use the other set. I'm 90% sure the new maple body build will sport the modern TB+, which leave the 60's RI to use in the full ground build.

You need both Vintage & Modern Thunderbirds under one roof, however my vintage build would perhaps bridge elements from both the 60's & 70's Birds. I'm sticking to the reverse shape overall on both, the vintage build will look more like the 70's versions & the pickups wired in series as they were in the 70's.

& i won't lie, once the moderns were in my bird, in my head that's the thunderbird tone i know most. The 60's sound great too, just different, & until i ever play a real vintage 60's bird, i'll be content with the vintage build i'll have overall to fill that void xD.
 
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#342,807
dagrev said:
Good demo of how location is massive. As much as the pup itself if not more so IMO. But it all comes down to preference. There's no right or wrong. Unless it's my bass, in which case the correctness is transcendent and unarguable! :D

Click to expand...

IOW, you don't know from day-to-day either.;)
 
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#342,811
ThaCoast said:
Had a chance to test out my new to me, Gibson TB+ pickups, lots of hogging out a piece of ply i had installed in the original epi neck pickup cavity. & the size difference it's something between pickups.

View attachment 7495536

Where i do assume the alnico 5 bar magnets are the blades for the 60's pickup on the right, the modern's ceramic magnet sits beneath the coils (which are less in width than the shell). Nonetheless, the modern cover is also a lil wide/long to accept the rings i had around the 60s. So out with the 60's/70's look, & back to the post 87-88 birds. Sound wise, the Modern TB+ are still clear enough for pick attack & grind, but they have more growl, where i'd categorize the 60's versions as piano like, with a grind/bite. My 60's RI pickups are 8.3-8.5k range, where the Modern TB + are 9.6-9.7k. Both have a very stark contrast to the former Epiphone Deep sixx pickups which were 12 & 17k (super dark, overall).

Anyway, while i'm happy with the modern TB+, & my Epi bird will have a new 3pc hard maple body built for it (with some slight tweaks), i'll test both sets, & decide when its built which, will reside in it for good. & with that, also means another Thunderbird build for me to use the other set. I'm 90% sure the new maple body build will sport the modern TB+, which leave the 60's RI to use in the full ground build.

You need both Vintage & Modern Thunderbirds under one roof, however my vintage build would perhaps bridge elements from both the 60's & 70's Birds. I'm sticking to the reverse shape overall on both, the vintage build will look more like the 70's versions & the pickups wired in series as they were in the 70's.

& i won't lie, once the moderns were in my bird, in my head that's the thunderbird tone i know most. The 60's sound great too, just different, & until i ever play a real vintage 60's bird, i'll be content with the vintage build i'll have overall to fill that void xD.
Click to expand...
I love the Tbird+ tone. Here’s an early one of Nikki
 
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#342,812
JIO said:
As much as I agree with the importance of pu placement 100% - pu type/brand, electronics, pu's position's - in that order. You can have the best pu position's w/a sub-standard harness and well.., it'll sound, ok. :bassist:
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It’s the sum of all the parts and proper setup to take best advantage of them. The difference that properly restoring my ‘77 to the series wiring scheme made really convinced me. My Epi Blackbird sounds great sans tone pots and a cap. My BaCH NR with the Gibson Reissue sounds so much better with the pickup rout tweaked to allow proper positioning and string height.
 
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#342,817
MCF said:
I was liking what I was hearing for the most part. But I thought my hearing went out when he had all four going. Way too much mud to my ears.
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Yes. Interesting but not tone wise with all four. I'm sure it sounded much different in person, but on the recording there was no point other than demonstration.
 
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#342,819
JIO said:
As much as I agree with the importance of pu placement 100% - pu type/brand, electronics, pu's position's - in that order. You can have the best pu position's w/a sub-standard harness and well.., it'll sound, ok. :bassist:
Click to expand...
Yes, it all adds up. Somethings more than others, but they all contribute and add up.
 
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#342,820
BuddhaFingas said:
So, just out of curiousity...

...anyone know if there is a world record for longest single full-thickness drop fill repair?

The previous record, I mean?

Found a bubble under the gold, pretty much the full length of the front lower "wing step."

Found it by it collapsing when the corner of the sanding block poked thru it.

Crunch.
View attachment 7495476

Crunch, crunch, crunch...
View attachment 7495477

Trying to fix it.

Cleaned it out. Dropping clear as a seal/base. Then will try to brush gold...

Just in the crease.
View attachment 7495480

Then more clear.

Luckily, the pickguard will cover 2/3 of it...

... and the other 3 creases are fine.


😭
Click to expand...
That makes it more like an authentic Gibson.
 
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