Thunderbird Club

[kat888]

He said bush!

What you call 'hiking', New Zealanders call 'tramping' and Australians call 'bush-walking'.

 

[PillO]

I would encourage you to spend some time with a variety of 'birds in your hands (keep in mind that one in the hand, is worth two in the bush).

I think the proverb is - A Thunderbird in hand makes it worth buying two more

 

[theFixer]

I think the proverb is - A Thunderbird in hand makes it worth buying two more

Huh... I thought it had sup'm to do with some sort of exchange rate in Australia

 

[kat888]

Huh... I thought it had sup'm to do with some sort of exchange rate in Australia

Hah! To me, anything outside of the City of Sydney/South Sydney is 'the bush'.

 

[theFixer]

Hah! To me, anything outside of the City of Sydney/South Sydney is 'the bush'.

I think that's kinda how the rest of the world sees it too!

 

[hairypete1138]

I am a fan of neck through - not just `birds but all things. Next choice is set neck (don't think there are any `birds in that category except the studio V).

Outside of the Gibson family, my Tokai TB48 is set-neck and it’s a beauty - sounds and plays like a more thuggish classic pro with a chunky old neck

 

[PianoOfDoom]

First... the "Thunderbirdiest pickups out there", are these:
Link Removed

Second... I would encourage you to spend some time with a variety of 'birds in your hands (keep in mind that one in the hand, is worth two in the bush). I had an Epi Goth 'bird that had an absolutely stellar rock & roll snarl. There are a number of things I would consider changing... but those pups were not on the list! The only reason I don't still have it, is because I traded for a Korean Epi with a larger neck. Once I rewired & repotted it... even THAT has really nice sounding pups. They could be "better"...but I am quite pleased with the way they hit my ears. The point I'm trying to make is this; Don't just assume that yer gonna need to put $400.00 worth of pups in a $300.00 bass, to get it to sound good. That being said... I would encourage you to get the neck-thru model. It's simply a better bass.

Yeah, I'll probably just get the Classic then. Sounds like the other Epis tend to be hit or miss like MIM Fenders.

Thunderbuckers look cool. Do they drop right in without any modification?

 

[RedVee]

Please forgive the additional Thundernoob questions, but let's play a little game of would you rather:

Would you rather buy:

-A cheap used bolt-on Epi TBird and deck it out with Lollars or whatever the most Thunderbirdiest aftermarket pickups are out there (by the way, is there a consensus here for the greatest drop-in replacements for the Epis?)

-A Classic IV and use the stock pickups

I'm trying to wrap my head around the options and find a nice sweet spot for starting out with one. I don't mind spending more later on a Gibson after I spend time with the design, but Id like to minimize the investment upfront as much as possible without sabotaging the experience.

Yes I’ve been trying to work it out for a while...

Current plan v1.96:

Giving up on the Vintage Pro as the Gibson/Epiphone distributor in Oz has gone belly up. Looking for a used Classic Pro and a.n.other; unless:
1. A Pro IV comes up at a price that I can justify using it as a mod platform. I’m thinking the electrics will be replaced. I guess I’d try it for a little while first. Then a.n.other tbc .
2. Who knows? Lol

Can anyone tell me how the neck on the Classic compares to the PRO IV? Are they the same profile, thickness etc, or is the PRO IV particularly slim? Paging @hillerup!

Good question. Yes enquiring minds want to know
I just assumed they’d be the same.

What you call 'hiking', New Zealanders call 'tramping' and Australians call 'bush-walking'.

I love a good bush-walk.

 

[JJR58]

Yeah, I'll probably just get the Classic then. Sounds like the other Epis tend to be hit or miss like MIM Fenders.

Thunderbuckers look cool. Do they drop right in without any modification?

Really, try to got SA tomorrow, and check out the Classic Pro. They may even come down on the price a bit.

 

[PianoOfDoom]

Really, try to got SA tomorrow, and check out the Classic Pro. They may even come down on the price a bit.

Yeah, I got my first MIM P there and they knocked off $100 without too much haggling.

 

[PianoOfDoom]

One thing to bear in mind with the bolt-ons, the neck end strap button is in the *wrong* place contributing to a phenomenon known in the general population as 'neck dive' -- it's actually 'Thunderbird balance'.

In all seriousness, this is ameliorated by moving the strap button to the *correct* neck heel position -- either drilling out the strap(lock) button and running one of the neck screws through it, or drilling a fifth hole for the button.

Thanks for the tip. I've read about the dreaded neck dive. How is it on the Classic? My Road Worn P dives a bit, so it's not the end of the world.

 

[JJR58]

Thanks for the tip. I've read about the dreaded neck dive. How is it on the Classic? My Road Worn P dives a bit, so it's not the end of the world.

Dive schmive, a proper strap will take care any, so called dive.

 

[hairypete1138]

Thanks for the tip. I've read about the dreaded neck dive. How is it on the Classic? My Road Worn P dives a bit, so it's not the end of the world.

I use a Levy’s 4” nylon strap on my classic pro and it hardly moves at all

 

[kat888]

Yes I’ve been trying to work it out for a while...

Current plan v1.96:

Giving up on the Vintage Pro as the Gibson/Epiphone distributor in Oz has gone belly up. Looking for a used Classic Pro and a.n.other; unless:

Good question. Yes enquiring minds want to know
I just assumed they’d be the same.

I love a good bush-walk.

1. The VPs will turn up eventually. Just have to be patient.

2. Yeah, the same. Assumed they'd be the same. But there's no reason they should/would be.

3. If you want some excitement, there's a 500m-ish path between Clyde and Granville stations (next to the AusPost sorting facility. The path crosses a creek which has a massive flying fox camp in the trees. There are also prominant snake warning signs all over it....

 

[theFixer]

Yeah, I'll probably just get the Classic then. Sounds like the other Epis tend to be hit or miss like MIM Fenders.

Thunderbuckers look cool. Do they drop right in without any modification?

@kat888 ThunderBuckers are a "drop-in" replacement, are they not?

 

[kat888]

@kat888 ThunderBuckers are a "drop-in" replacement, are they not?

They weren't on the Epi PRO IV - very slight enlargement of the pickup routs was required to accomodate the Chinabuckers, which are the same width and height as Thunderbuckers.

 

[theFixer]

They weren't on the Epi PRO IV - very slight enlargement of the pickup routs was required to accomodate the Chinabuckers, which are the same width and height as Thunderbuckers.

@BlackMaple was talking about putting them in a Classic... which normally comes stock with Gibby pups does it not?

 

[JJR58]

@BlackMaple was talking about putting them in a Classic... which normally comes stock with Gibby pups does it not?

I know the Lollars dropped right in. So i would presume the Thunderbuckers would.

 

[Gaolee]

I agree about having both pickups full on. I too like the neck pickup, but I add a tiny bit of bridge as well.

That is what I do as well.

 

[Gaolee]

Thanks for the tip. I've read about the dreaded neck dive. How is it on the Classic? My Road Worn P dives a bit, so it's not the end of the world.

My P is a RW as well. It balances differently from a 'Bird, that is for sure. The bolt on did dive pretty bad until I moved the button.