Thunderbird Club

[Haji]

Pretty, but way too steep for what it is.

400+ posts later to say "it ain't that special". That's Mike Lull money for a production line bass with no dogs and no pickguard. My Goff doesn't have a pick guard and it had a pro bridge. Worth a grand now, at least...right?

 

[kat888]

My understanding is that they're the same pickups. The bridge pickup sounds a lot cooler to me than the neck pickup on this bass, but I could be full of it

New strings, raise the pickups.

When I first had two EYGP pups in my Epi, I started out by adjusting the pup heights to 'balance' the output between the pair, cranking the bridge way up and dropping the neck right down (tbh this was not helped by me buying a pair of the higher output 'bridge' pups -- hotter = gooder).

That robbed the bass of all 'aggression' and what have you, it was 'balanced' and poilte -- more of a small slightly apologetic piano. So y'know, fvck balance! The bridge pup was cranked right up high until it sounded throaty and cross. Now the bass has a single Thunderbucker 66S sounding throatier and crosser -- like you cut in on a dozen New Yorkers at a sandwich counter.

 

[kat888]

All this has me back to my other think. Another Epi Classic pro, mod it. But still on the fence, gonna wait a bit, The redo of my current Epi has me quite happy, so no need for me to rush into anything.

But all that nickel..... Mind you, if the VP pups are not up to snuff, I can see one becoming a Thunderbird II in short order.

 

[JJR58]

New strings, raise the pickups.

When I first had two EYGP pups in my Epi, I started out by adjusting the pup heights to 'balance' the output between the pair, cranking the bridge way up and dropping the neck right down (tbh this was not helped by me buying a pair of the higher output 'bridge' pups -- hotter = gooder).

That robbed the bass of all 'aggression' and what have you, it was 'balanced' and poilte -- more of a small slightly apologetic piano. So y'know, fvck balance! The bridge pup was cranked right up high until it sounded throaty and cross. Now the bass has a single Thunderbucker 66S sounding throatier and crosser -- like you cut in on a dozen New Yorkers at a sandwich counter.

You'd be the only one that i know who could actually get away with, ("like you cut in on a dozen New Yorkers at a sandwich counter."), and with respect.

 

[BklynKen]

You'd be the only one that i know who could actually get away with, ("like you cut in on a dozen New Yorkers at a sandwich counter."), and with respect.

I beg to differ. LEMMY wouldn't get away with it.

 

[BklynKen]

Nice demo of the Darkglass Microtubes 500 amp. He uses various basses, but of note for this crowd is the Gibson Ripper, and it sounds great.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

No, I'm absolutely with you on that! When it came out, I played in constantly, just as I had done with The Warning and did with O:M. Still play today. Happily, they are still pulling songs from it for the setlist today since Todd took over vocals.

At that time when Thrash metal and Harcore ruled I was living right in between them and couldnt have been more content with just listening to those genres alone but a friend had Rage For Order given to him as a promotional copy and he didnt like it so he gave it to me and obviously at that time and that frame of mind I probably shouldnt have liked it either but ended up loving it. I became a Queensryche fan that summer and followed them for a good length afterwards.

 

[JJR58]

I beg to differ. LEMMY wouldn't get away with it.

Lemmy see about that, Kat, can you please come to NY, so we can settle this.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

New strings, raise the pickups.

When I first had two EYGP pups in my Epi, I started out by adjusting the pup heights to 'balance' the output between the pair, cranking the bridge way up and dropping the neck right down (tbh this was not helped by me buying a pair of the higher output 'bridge' pups -- hotter = gooder).

That robbed the bass of all 'aggression' and what have you, it was 'balanced' and poilte -- more of a small slightly apologetic piano. So y'know, fvck balance! The bridge pup was cranked right up high until it sounded throaty and cross. Now the bass has a single Thunderbucker 66S sounding throatier and crosser -- like you cut in on a dozen New Yorkers at a sandwich counter.

The second half of your reply is.......BRAVO!.......YEAH!.... ....Well done, perfectly and passionately explained.

 

[SturmUndDrang]

Nice demo of the Darkglass Microtubes 500 amp. He uses various basses, but of note for this crowd is the Gibson Ripper, and it sounds great.

Would sound even better if it wasn't going through the Darkglass which makes it sound like every other bass in the video.

 

[kat888]

Lemmy see about that, Kat, can you please come to NY, so we can settle this.

Actually the voice is more Bronx than anything is it not?

 

[Korladis]

It's returnable...still deciding. The setup is bad, so I'm tweaking it a bit. Also gotta try different strings.

Positives-
If you love super lightweight basses, this is certainly that. I'm not really sensitive about weight for the most part.

It looks pretty darn cool if you like that 60's vibe, which I do.

It's dirt cheap.

Negatives-

It feels a bit cheap to me. I was hoping to get in the sonic ballpark of a TBird and I lean toward the 'angry piano' sound. The bridge pickup gets kinda sorta there but the front pickup is kinda muddy and dull sounding, to me, at least. Might need to raise em up more. I've heard real 60's Embassy's that sound glorious to me, which made me pull the trigger in the first place.

If it grows on me, the price is cheap enough to justify better pickups, so that remains to be seen.

I'm not heartbroken or nothin. It's a super cheap bass

I know everyone on TB loves light basses, but because when I was growing up most cheap basses were super light, I have this weird physical/mental association of lightweight bass bodies with cheapness.

 

[BklynKen]

Would sound even better if it wasn't going through the Darkglass which makes it sound like every other bass in the video.

Well that would kinda defeat the purpose of a Darkglass demo.

 

[Gaolee]

Actually the voice is more Bronx than anything is it not?

Bronx doesn't sound anything like Brooklyn. New Zealand would confuse 'em all, but attitude translates just fine.

 

[kat888]

Bronx doesn't sound anything like Brooklyn. New Zealand would confuse 'em all, but attitude translates just fine.

My not having an NZ accent would confuse them more.

 

[Gaolee]

My not having an NZ accent would confuse them more.

You accent confuses me, and I have only heard it in print.

 

[Shannon]

Threads are no longer limited by pages or number of posts, I'll look forward to you posting some shots of your new lovely and giving you a club number as soon as it arrives, jump on in with us, be welcome here, we're a friendly group.

Ask, and ye shall recieve! Apologies for the dodgy camera work...

 

[Dadagoboi]

But all that nickel..... Mind you, if the VP pups are not up to snuff, I can see one becoming a Thunderbird II in short order.

There won't be any nickel on the new Epis, just cheap chrome. Most customers wouldn't appreciate the difference anyway.

 

[kat888]

There won't be any nickel on the new Epis, just cheap chrome. Most customers wouldn't appreciate the difference anyway.

The webpage says the hardware is nickel (fwiw). The photos look like nickel. We'll see eh?

 

[Korladis]

Well that would kinda defeat the purpose of a Darkglass demo.

Kinda my issue with DG stuff in general.