Thunderbird Club

[theFixer]

Here you go, Fix!:

Epiphone Thunderbird Pro-V Bass

As you can see, the fretboard is a friggin' aircraft carrier! But the good thing is (if you want to go that way), that other than the neck width and the 5-string bridge the rest is pretty much identical to a Pro-IV - Pickups and electronics are the same and the headstock is the same size with the 5th tuner added on the treble size.

So, with a new 4 string nut and bridge and removed 5th tuner, you're basically where you want to be on a budget.
However, you may want to swap out the anaemic active pickups and electronics for a passive set of chrome Chinabuckers with matching pickup rings and while you're add it, you might just get that 4-string bridge in chrome and a set of affordable chrome tuners - EBay is your frind for this...

Although the Pro-V is out of production, they do shows up now and them at reasonable prices.

Neck-thru! NICE!!!

Have you ever seen a 4 string conversion done like that before?

 

[theFixer]

Not a bad plan at all.
What do you think Fix?

Time to start looking & learning. I'mma look around & see if I can find someone that has performed this operation before...

 

[theFixer]

This seems like a very fun project. If it were me, I'd need professional help with the nut, but the rest is very doable for a home tech. And as long as it's being modded, a guy wouldn't feel bad painting it Pelham Blue at some point down the road...

hillerup, great idea!

I'm not in the same boat as the Fix, I get along just fine with the EB and fingers crossed for the Vintage Pro - I'm just undecided on color

Yeah... I'd probly take the nut to a local neck guy to make sure it gets done right. No paint on a neck-thru model for me though

 

[JJR58]

Just stopped into SamAsh.
Here's what the sales person told me about the Vintage Pro. The guy was a manager and looked this up on the computer.
Only three main stores are getting one bass for in store sale, NYC, Florida and Hollywood , CA.
The rest will be online only. And if I understood correctly, only 6.
I think these are going to sell fast and be hard to get. I don't know what Sweetwaters deal is on how many they are getting. The guy who talked to me was really respectful, polite and cool.
I am going to try and secure a white one tomorrow or Tuesday. As always take what I say with a grain of salt. But this is the info I have.

 

[theFixer]

Just stopped into SamAsh.
Here's what the sales person told me about the Vintage Pro. The guy was a manager and looked this up on the computer.
Only three main stores are getting one bass for in store sale, NYC, Florida and Hollywood , CA.
The rest will be online only. And if I understood correctly, only 6.
I think these are going to sell fast and be hard to get. I don't know what Sweetwaters deal is on how many they are getting. The guy who talked to me was really respectful, polite and cool.
I am going to try and secure a white one tomorrow or Tuesday. As always take what I say with a grain of salt. But this is the info I have.

Seems I remember somebody saying something about that recently. Something about them creating a feeding frenzy, and then releasing no where near enough of them to satisfy the demand in order to keep the feeding frenzy alive...

Are you trying to lock down TWO of them J?

 

[JJR58]

Seems I remember somebody saying something about that recently. Something about them creating a feeding frenzy, and then releasing no where near enough of them to satisfy the demand in order to keep the feeding frenzy alive...

Are you trying to lock down TWO of them J?

Ha, no, I'll be happy with just one.
The guy I spoke with kinda said the same thing, and there is still when they actually arrive. It does say expected. But when they are really expected is still the big crap shoot.

 

[theFixer]

Ha, no, I'll be happy with just one.
The guy I spoke with kinda said the same thing, and there is still when they actually arrive. It does say expected. But when they are really expected is still the big crap shoot.

I see. I was just a little confused when you said you were gonna try to secure a white one, cuz I knew that you'd already pre-ordered one...

 

[BklynKen]

Yes, thanks. I had a high fever and chills that I guessed were the beginning stage of sepsis. Drove the 35 miles to the ER for confirmation. 125 bpm heart rate was the icing on the cake. They admitted me to the ICU immediately and the medical industrial complex took over. Lots of high powered broad spectrum antibiotics and some badass nurses did the trick. Heart rate and temperature were back to normal in 48 hrs. Then they moved me to the cheap seats for the next two days to make sure everything was OK.

Oh, man, they stuck you in the nosebleeds? ;-) Seriously, glad to hear you’re ok.

 

[theFixer]

Centerblock.

My ashdown is a mag 300 2x10 combo. Pretty good sounding for the price. Got it refurbished for 300€ from a shop.

My cat peed in it so I cleaned and resoldered the PCB. Although Agedhorse suggested it will die on me it still runs years later. Guess that's a sign of quality.

Sonically it's somewhere between modern and vintage. Can't really compare as I didn't have alot of amps in my hands.

Description says I should not run the preamp VU into the red, but that's happening at 11 o'clock already if I dig in. The pre actually produces a nice overdriven tone when pushed, but also smell of cooling paste. So I'll let the power stage do the heavy lifting as I don't want do destroy those transistors.

You're probly already aware, but I'll share an idea with you that @Dadagoboi shared with me. Since you have a solid center in the Woody, you might be able to shoe-horn a piece of dense foam rubber underneath the pup in order to raise it closer to the strings.

 

[BklynKen]

In case anyone is interested, Pickguard Heaven makes carbon fiber pickguards for Birds. They will make a custom one for you if the Gibson/Epi don't fit your bass. I have a carbon fiber guard and truss rod cover that was on my 2001 Gibson for a few years. looked really cool on the ebony finish. Not great shots, especially the last one since it is washed out in the AZ sun.

Damn, that looks fantastic on the black. I would totally consider that if I ever get a black one. If the 2018 LH materialize and cherry is an option, I'd likely go with that, though.

 

[Off-Beat]

Other than my Chickenbacker having too small of a pickup it also had a a bridge with ridiculously wide string spacing that helped the top string bypass any magnetic chances it had with the pickup. My Chickenbacker has no quality standards and are produced underground so what you buy is what you get with no warranty at all. Your bass being an Epiphone brand I would think this shouldnt and couldnt happen. Sorry Dude, tell us how it ends.

Will do. Maybe it's just me thinking I can eq the Woody like a Bird, because of the (mini) humbuckers. Also still not very familiar with the GK. I bonded with it, but the eq is way more potent than the Ashdown one.

You're probly already aware, but I'll share an idea with you that @Dadagoboi shared with me. Since you have a solid center in the Woody, you might be able to shoe-horn a piece of dense foam rubber underneath the pup in order to raise it closer to the strings.

Good idea. I still got some PUP foam somewhere.


Today our quasi drummer took me to a guy selling stuff from his long defunct store. Got an Ibanez OD pedal for 35€. Hope it's nice, but not too nice. If it blows the Aguilar out of the water I'd be somewhat baffled.

 

[TBird1958]

There's nothing quite like coming home to

S E A T T L E

Really a$$ dragging today.

 

[theFixer]

Will do. Maybe it's just me thinking I can eq the Woody like a Bird, because of the (mini) humbuckers. Also still not very familiar with the GK. I bonded with it, but the eq is way more potent than the Ashdown one.



Good idea. I still got some PUP foam somewhere.


Today our quasi drummer took me to a guy selling stuff from his long defunct store. Got an Ibanez OD pedal for 35€. Hope it's nice, but not too nice. If it blows the Aguilar out of the water I'd be somewhat baffled.

I have a GK MB210 combo, and you're right about the EQ. It's very "live"!

Stomp boxes are fun. Ya just never know what yer really gonna get. It might be a complete POS... but it might sound better than a $500 point-to-point hand wired boutique pedal! It all seems to hinge on how well each particular pedal gets along with your bass, your amp, your other fx, and even the cords & batteries you choose (depending on how precise you wanna get). Just listen with your ears & not your eyes. Nobody cares what name is on the box... it's all about what sounds best!

 

[theFixer]

There's nothing quite like coming home to

S E A T T L E

Really a$$ dragging today.

Now, hownaheck is it, that every pic you post shows us a bright beautiful sunny day, when the rest of the world is convinced it grey & rainy there all the time??? Is this some kind of cover up to keep the "imports" away???

 

[Off-Beat]

I have a GK MB210 combo, and you're right about the EQ. It's very "live"!

Stomp boxes are fun. Ya just never know what yer really gonna get. It might be a complete POS... but it might sound better than a $500 point-to-point hand wired boutique pedal! It all seems to hinge on how well each particular pedal gets along with your bass, your amp, your other fx, and even the cords & batteries you choose (depending on how precise you wanna get). Just listen with your ears & not your eyes. Nobody cares what name is on the box... it's all about what sounds best!

Tried it on the interface/stereo. Quite nice tonally totally different from the aguilar.

Now, hownaheck is it, that every pic you post shows us a bright beautiful sunny day, when the rest of the world is convinced it grey & rainy there all the time??? Is this some kind of cover up to keep the "imports" away???

There should be a lot imports regardless. Seattle seems like a city suitable for euros.

 

[LowEndOperative]

This could be a great idea and if executed properly could always revert back to a 5 if desired. Someone here at TB converted the 5er to a 12 string. I will look for the thread.

Found it. The process was not without its detractors or issues but it came out nice in the end.

12 (Twelve) String Thunderbird

Beyond excellence!

As for me, it's enough to relocate the strap buttons; no neck dive now. I covered the originals with black vinyl tape, as well as a ding on the side of the headstock. Gonna spring it on the unsuspecting trio in two weeks.

 

[Drestakil]

Fire the cat.

From a cannon?

 

[BklynKen]

From a cannon?

Catapult?

 

[bdgotoh]

Now, hownaheck is it, that every pic you post shows us a bright beautiful sunny day, when the rest of the world is convinced it grey & rainy there all the time??? Is this some kind of cover up to keep the "imports" away???

Yes, but it's definitely not working!!

 

[hillerup]

This could be a great idea and if executed properly could always revert back to a 5 if desired. Someone here at TB converted the 5er to a 12 string. I will look for the thread.

Found it. The process was not without its detractors or issues but it came out nice in the end.

12 (Twelve) String Thunderbird

Yeah, that was a pretty elaborate mod, including removing the fretboard and adding Carbon rods...

The 4-string is a pretty simply and fully reversible mod as I see it - Only needs changing the nut and bridge, and removing a tuner - No need to dowel the empty tuner hole.