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Thunderbird Club

#45,001
Swapped my big old 810 cab away today, traded with a dude who had my old SWR "club rig"- a Basic Black combo with a Basic 2-Way extension cab. Pair of 15s... and I'd previously had the combo modded so I could se a different head if I wanted. Mod is still good, and I'm looking now for a Basic 350 head. Got a line on one here in the classies... pix if it happens. My Little Birdie will sound nice in that funky little stack.

The 810, up and down the rustic stone-and-mortar steps to/from my house, was starting to bum me out- even though I love that sound it made.

Not really so 'Bird-ish a post, but I'm enthusiastic... more Bird mod stuff coming...
 
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#45,003
Count Bassie said:
Swapped my big old 810 cab away today, traded with a dude who had my old SWR "club rig"- a Basic Black combo with a Basic 2-Way extension cab. Pair of 15s... and I'd previously had the combo modded so I could se a different head if I wanted. Mod is still good, and I'm looking now for a Basic 350 head. Got a line on one here in the classies... pix if it happens. My Little Birdie will sound nice in that funky little stack.

The 810, up and down the rustic stone-and-mortar steps to/from my house, was starting to bum me out- even though I love that sound it made.

Not really so 'Bird-ish a post, but I'm enthusiastic... more Bird mod stuff coming...
Click to expand...
:hyper::hyper::hyper:
 
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#45,004
Count Bassie said:
Swapped my big old 810 cab away today, traded with a dude who had my old SWR "club rig"- a Basic Black combo with a Basic 2-Way extension cab. Pair of 15s... and I'd previously had the combo modded so I could se a different head if I wanted. Mod is still good, and I'm looking now for a Basic 350 head. Got a line on one here in the classies... pix if it happens. My Little Birdie will sound nice in that funky little stack.

The 810, up and down the rustic stone-and-mortar steps to/from my house, was starting to bum me out- even though I love that sound it made.

Not really so 'Bird-ish a post, but I'm enthusiastic... more Bird mod stuff coming...
Click to expand...

That house CB, beautiful.
 
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#45,006
ToddOfThunder said:
Sorry to chime in but did your pickups come with pickup rings? I had to route out my Epibird to install EMG's and could use some rings to cover the semi-hack job that I did. If your not looking for it you would never know it was done but I know.
Click to expand...

They did come with rings. I used vintage 70's pickup covers and rings. Loaded TB+ from a Les Paul bass/ Money bass (humbucker sized) into the covers. The rings definitely helped hide my sloppy routing.
I recently removed the 70's parts and replaced them with chrome covers/rings from Philadelphia Luthier Supply. The pics show how it looked with the 70's parts.

qY7SaRN.jpg

sAsmoP6.jpg
 
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#45,008
Nocturnal said:
They did come with rings. I used vintage 70's pickup covers and rings. Loaded TB+ from a Les Paul bass/ Money bass (humbucker sized) into the covers. The rings definitely helped hide my sloppy routing.
I recently removed the 70's parts and replaced them with chrome covers/rings from Philadelphia Luthier Supply. The pics show how it looked with the 70's parts.

View attachment 2765400
View attachment 2765401
Click to expand...

Nice, i also ordered my shiny bits from them as well.
 
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#45,009
Nocturnal said:
They did come with rings. I used vintage 70's pickup covers and rings. Loaded TB+ from a Les Paul bass/ Money bass (humbucker sized) into the covers. The rings definitely helped hide my sloppy routing.
I recently removed the 70's parts and replaced them with chrome covers/rings from Philadelphia Luthier Supply. The pics show how it looked with the 70's parts.

View attachment 2765400
View attachment 2765401
Click to expand...
WOW! It's Purdy!!!!!!I'm checking StewMac for some.
 
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#45,010
Nocturnal said:
They did come with rings. I used vintage 70's pickup covers and rings. Loaded TB+ from a Les Paul bass/ Money bass (humbucker sized) into the covers. The rings definitely helped hide my sloppy routing.
I recently removed the 70's parts and replaced them with chrome covers/rings from Philadelphia Luthier Supply. The pics show how it looked with the 70's parts.

View attachment 2765400
View attachment 2765401
Click to expand...
HOLY [expletive deleted]!!! That is one sexy [expletive deleted]!!!drooldrooldrool
 
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#45,013
theFixer said:
HOLY [expletive deleted]!!! That is one sexy [expletive deleted]!!!drooldrooldrool
Click to expand...

Thanks! And this one has the fatter/wider Goth neck ;)

ToddOfThunder said:
The pick guard is awesome, the bridge is awesome and I
like the toggle where the jack's suppose to be!
Click to expand...

The toggle is a kill switch and yes, it is in the tone spot. The pickguard and truss rod cover are stainless steel.
 
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#45,014
Nocturnal said:
Thanks! I can't remember where but I thought there was someone selling pickup rings that would fit around an EMG type pickup. Are your pickups the typical EMG soapbar or the TBird shaped?
Click to expand...
Soap bar TBHZ's I called EMG today and they don't have them. They suggested Stew Mac or All Parts. It's not a big deal,just thought I would try to make it look better. I love the bass and don't care what it looks like, it freakin roars!
 
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#45,016
theFixer said:
If I had to choose between wiring in series, or having the blend pot... I take the blend pot fo sho'!
Click to expand...
Or wire in series with a pickup switch instead of the blend pot.

RedVee said:
Hmmm... Series hey.
A question though, on some 2 pickup basses I'm told having both pickups on full leads to a scooped sound.
If having the series 'on' gives the effect of both on full, does that present the scooped sound? Or, is the series switch 'on' the remedy to the scoop ?
Click to expand...
Series is basically the solution to this issue.

JJR58 said:
The tech at the shop said he could not add a series/parallel to my Epiphone. I'm cool with that. Had the tone control taken out of the circuit anyway.
Click to expand...
Get a second opinion. Should be no issue with stock pickups. With Thunderbuckers, like I have, it's a bit trickier... my tech had to do some weird wiring to make it work.

bylar13 said:
I thought that with the tone control all the way "on/up" it was effectively out of the circuit anyway? Am I correct in that thinking?
Also by removing the tone control what actually happens? Other than no longer having a tone control?
Click to expand...
No. It's still in the circuit.

And removing it means it's no longer there for you to mistakenly turn instead of the volume knob. And that you can replace it with something that's actually useful, like a pickup switch, blend control, series/parallel switch, or a killswitch.

Gaolee said:
I can see how modern TB pickups would be series/parallel capable. If I remember right, the ground isn't a wire - it's the sheathing around the lead, but when you think about the pickup's construction and materials, there's no metal cover for that to be grounded to. So, I don't see why you couldn't put a lead to the sheathing and go from there.
Click to expand...
My Epiphone has had the mod done both with the stock TB+ pickups and with Thunderbuckers. It's a much less involved process with stock pickups.

kat888 said:
Aint no 'big angry piano' with flats on it dude. I have probably already mentioned the occasion many years ago someone tried to sell me on the virtues of half-rounds, chief of which was they 'feel like a flat'. How on earth are you supposed to know where on the neck you are if you can’t feel the string windings?
Click to expand...
Indeed, I hate the way flats feel.

kat888 said:
Well, he'll need a brighter sound after putting on those flats.
Click to expand...
Why buy flats when you could just use dead rounds?

Dr_Feelgoood212 said:
What kinda tort wallpaper? I have some vintage FSO style, and maybe a little bit of Salami style if you need it.
Click to expand...
What's the difference?

Gaolee said:
Are you trying to cause fatalities, madness, or just blindness?
Click to expand...
I wish I'd been blind before seeing what that link led to.
 
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#45,019
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#45,020
Korladis said:
And removing it means it's no longer there for you to mistakenly turn instead of the volume knob. And that you can replace it with something that's actually useful, like a pickup switch, blend control, series/parallel switch, or a killswitch.

I wish I'd been blind before seeing what that link led to.
Click to expand...

When I get paws on the Vintage Pro, the plan is to leave the tone pot in place and disconnect the wiring.

... and sorry. I mean it.
 
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