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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
I tried the Epi Classic IV PRO, but i think that the pickups are placed in a different position rather than the Gibson version. To me, it had less growl and more edge.
As for the necks, I must say that I never had too mch problems with Gibson's measures - 12" radius, '60s or '50s profile.
To my ears, in the video linked the Tbird stands out immediately behind the P bass
@Dadagoboi helped me out with that issue when he suggested that I raise the pickups as much as possible. It made a LOT of difference! I'll make the same suggestion to you when you get your 'birdI tried the Epi Classic IV PRO, but i think that the pickups are placed in a different position rather than the Gibson version. To me, it had less growl and more edge.
As for the necks, I must say that I never had too mch problems with Gibson's measures - 12" radius, '60s or '50s profile.
To my ears, in the video linked the Tbird stands out immediately behind the P bass
Ignore playability. Look at the workmanship. You can see that the finish does not reach the neck nor the pickups. The back is painted black so that you can't see the neck join - it can't be neck through, as it is a basswood body and maple neck (assuming that either of those is true). Given just that, I can't believe that it would play well and I would be worried about it falling apart. A fool and his money...
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
Not to mention that they have copies or "renditions" of a lot of major manufacturers models there! At $200 - $300 with free shipping from China, I'm guessing that you'd be completely disappointed if you tried to use it for anything other than holding your guitar stand down!
Yeah, I had the TBird and P Bass nearly tied on a lot of the demos, the Stingray sounded great on Slap (which is something I never do) and the Warwick sounded very good in a couple of segments but I found the Jazz to be lacking in the bottom end and overly nasal sounding while the Ric was just plain horrible, no balls at all on that one. Every bass player should have at least one TBird in their rotation, there's many times when it's just the only bass that will pull off the right sound. Then there's the whole TBird look, it's just such an iconic nonconformist shape, in much the same way the Gibson Les Paul is in the Guitar world. Get one, you won't regret it.I tried the Epi Classic IV PRO, but i think that the pickups are placed in a different position rather than the Gibson version. To me, it had less growl and more edge.
As for the necks, I must say that I never had too mch problems with Gibson's measures - 12" radius, '60s or '50s profile.
To my ears, in the video linked the Tbird stands out immediately behind the P bass
You guys might be surprised at the quality. Maybe not that one, but I've gotten dirt cheap "crap" and made it a great bass. But, being left that's my lot in life, you guys can get epis cheap all day so no need to go that route. AND with the CITES thing, probably gna be a prob there.
Re pickup positioning ... I measured the distance from the nut to the (neck) pup the other day.
The front edge of the Epi pup was 6mm further away from the nut (one quarter of one of your Yankee-dan-doodle inches). By my reckoning, that's 'statistically insignificant' but I'm willing to be corrected and/or admonished. It would be interesting to know the distances on different models of Gibson and Epi Birds.
The front edge of the Epi pup was 6mm further away from the nut (one quarter of one of your Yankee-dan-doodle inches). By my reckoning, that's 'statistically insignificant' but I'm willing to be corrected and/or admonished. It would be interesting to know the distances on different models of Gibson and Epi Birds.
Interesting that Hammonds have been mentioned, I'm currently working to rescue a Hammond & Leslie. I don't know the Hammond model, I assume B3 and guessing it may be from the 70s.
The Church I attend had this unit donated years ago but it's just been taking up space on the Choir riser since then. The widow that donated it said her husband used to play it out and about in a band, so it must be semi portable. When the locals tried it they couldn't get it working so they just threw a sheet over it and forgot about it.
Anyway I was called into a conversation where someone was saying the PP wanted it gone and they may just chuck it. I stopped them and started some wheels moving in my head.
My cousin plays keys and is one of those people that can just play anything really, and has played organs before. Her partner is a guitarist and has collected a couple of old guitar amps and fixed them up, he is a technics' ? Teacher so has a heap of tools. I asked them if they wanted a project and it is on. PP says I can have it for nothing if I just take it.
So in a couple of weeks I grab it and drive it up to the cousin. They'll restore it and I hope love it,
The Church I attend had this unit donated years ago but it's just been taking up space on the Choir riser since then. The widow that donated it said her husband used to play it out and about in a band, so it must be semi portable. When the locals tried it they couldn't get it working so they just threw a sheet over it and forgot about it.
Anyway I was called into a conversation where someone was saying the PP wanted it gone and they may just chuck it. I stopped them and started some wheels moving in my head.
My cousin plays keys and is one of those people that can just play anything really, and has played organs before. Her partner is a guitarist and has collected a couple of old guitar amps and fixed them up, he is a technics' ? Teacher so has a heap of tools. I asked them if they wanted a project and it is on. PP says I can have it for nothing if I just take it.
So in a couple of weeks I grab it and drive it up to the cousin. They'll restore it and I hope love it,
I've also noticed, and willing to be corrected as well, that 2013 Epi's, (and I can't say specific to that year only), cause I just don't know.
But, it does appear that the neck pickup is a tad close to the bridge pick up as compared to other years.
Talking neck through versions and not bolt ins.
A B3 for free?
It's going to be a bear to move, the guitar player from the last band I was in traded a '59 Les Paul Special for the B3 and accompanying Leslie.
But they are truly special, yeah, you'll love it.
Hi Guys,
I always loved the Tbird shape and "coolness". When they came out, I almost bought and Epiphone Classic IV Tbird (abandones idea due to delivery problems from Epiphone to my dealer).
Sorry if I ask once again those questions (1742 pages are way too much to be read at 100%), but...
I'm a Precision Bass player, definately, but I'm looking for something different...
I'm a little hesitant between The Thunderbird and the Rickenbacker 4003, which I played only once, long time ago.
I generally prefer fat necks.
How does the Tbird sound with fingers? I remember a kind of "sweet spot" between the two pickups: round but clear tone, not muddy.
Don't know if it's too much to be asked, but...could it stand out in a '70s R&B/Funk/Reggae contest? Fingerstyle..like Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang, James Brown, Bob Marley & The Wailers, to give an idea
The really short answer is...there's nothing a Thunderbird can't do and do well.
The exception would be super bright piccolo bass tone. But who knows--it might with enough amp adjusting.
Ok Kat - my Anniversary TBird is exactly 26-3/8" from neck side of nut to neck side of the neck pickup. That's exactly 67 of your who gives a flyin whatever units.
In my experience with builds I've done in the past pickup location starts to play a noticible difference once you get about one full pup width from your starting point on the neck pup. The bridge pup location seemed to be much more sensitive to location shift but even then I doubt a quarter of a Yankee-Dan-doodle inch would be noticible on a TBird, maybe an Alembic or some other bass where the bridge pup is right up near the bridge but not a Bird.
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Make no mistake... there is nothing remotely "portable" about a Hammond B3! They're made of solid wood (as opposed to particle board, plywood, or plastics), and there's a lot of old tech inside. You know what old tech means? It means it's HEAVY! (compare a vintage SVT head to a new GK head if you need an illustration) Remember the other day when I said that haulin' around an Acoustic 361 cab was a labor of love? Well... a Hammond B3 makes that 361 cab look like child's play! Bring friends, and be loaded for bear! It's an incredible opportunity though! I hope you'll post some before & after photos!
Mmm I don't like 3 band SRs, to me they just sound too metallic and scooped. They sound like a badly equalized bass
+1 on the Warwick. I don't like the Thumb itself, but in some fragments -as you said- it gets it. Nu Metal approved, imho.
The JB is plain horrible, like the 4001. One on each sade of the "horrible spectrum" - JB hollow and edgy, 4001 flat and muddy (dead strings?).
The Tbird is woody and growly, which is exactly what I do expect from that bass
I'll try some Birds, these weeks coming..
Ok Kat - my Anniversary TBird is exactly 26-3/8" from neck side of nut to neck side of the neck pickup. That's exactly 67 of you're who gives a flyin whatever units.
In my experience with builds I've done in the past pickup location starts to play a noticible difference once you get about one full pup width from your starting point on the neck pup. The bridge pup location seemed to be much more sensitive to location shift but even then I doubt a quarter of a Yankee-Dan-doodle inch would be noticible on a TBird, maybe an Alembic or some other bass where the bridge pup is right up near the bridge but not a Bird.
+1 on the sensitivity of the bridge pup.
If that can be transposed from guitars to basses without any problem, there's something about the neck position (a "sweet spot") that makes a gret difference between 22-frets (Gibson) guitars to 24-frets ones
Mmm I don't like 3 band SRs, to me they just sound too metallic and scooped. They sound like a badly equalized bass
I keep roundwounds on my SR300 and found it helps. I also usually play it through my big muff Which helps even more.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,894
- 142,211
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
