Thunderbird Club

[Dadagoboi]

With the success Epi is having with the VP, a VPII seems like a great, even obvious move to me. There’s a Cataldo on Carlo’s site, one pickup, one knob. That’s my kind of bass!

That's my personal MAX41 and it's a stack pot with both "knobs" the same diameter...but Kat's NR41 only has a volume pot with a one of a kind speed knob.

 

[Gaolee]

That IS the damned shake function, turned into a key and lying in wait, ready to annoy the fvck out of people who use either hand for the spacebar.

One more reason I don't use Apple anything.

It seems like a VP is the way to go if you don't want to take things apart. There's no reason to take apart a VP. A Pro IV gives plenty of reason to modify it, and so it all boils down to whatever triviani likes to do.

I intend to go the opposite direction of a II one of these days. I have a bolt on Epi and a Dimarzio One. That bass will end up with three pickups, wired VVV, no tone. Why? No reason.

 

[kat888]

I dunno. $250 leaves $350 for pickups. A set of Thunderbuckers goes for $360 according to their website. Chinabuckers are a whole lot cheaper and are still a huge improvement over whatever those are in a Pro IV.

Yeah, and then you have to enlarge the pickup cavities, get new pots as the existing pots are the wrong values, then you need to make the other parts match the shiny metal.

Not saying DON'T do it ... but a bit of work and cash will be required to get it fighting fit.

 

[theFixer]

... berserkers

'birdserkers

 

[Gaolee]

Yeah, and then you have to enlarge the pickup cavities, get new pots as the existing pots are the wrong values, then you need to make the other parts match the shiny metal.

Not saying DON'T do it ... but a bit of work and cash will be required to get it fighting fit.

Ah, now there you go being all practical and schnitz...

 

[dukeorock]

I dunno. $250 leaves $350 for pickups. A set of Thunderbuckers goes for $360 according to their website. Chinabuckers are a whole lot cheaper and are still a huge improvement over whatever those are in a Pro IV.

That’s a great point, especially if you like the look of the Pro IV. I think the finish is kinda neat and just different enough to be cool. I do find the knob layout to be kinda wonky looking though...the three straight across layout of a typical ‘Bird is very appealing to my eyeballs

Before the VP came out, had you told me I could get a great looking neckthrough for $250, then I’d need another $400 to make it stellar...that’s still very affordable for a now top shelf bass

 

[JJR58]

I'm just glad I got my Classic Pro dirt cheap to mod away at it.

 

[dukeorock]

That's my personal MAX41 and it's a stack pot with both "knobs" the same diameter...but Kat's NR41 only has a volume pot with a one of a kind speed knob.

View attachment 2837401

View attachment 2837402

I love both of those basses a whole lot! For mist of my life and on most of my basses, if I moved the tone knob back, it was on accident

 

[kat888]

That’s a great point, especially if you like the look of the Pro IV. I think the finish is kinda neat and just different enough to be cool. I do find the knob layout to be kinda wonky looking though...the three straight across layout of a typical ‘Bird is very appealing to my eyeballs

Before the VP came out, had you told me I could get a great looking neckthrough for $250, then I’d need another $400 to make it stellar...that’s still very affordable for a now top shelf bass

Yes the knob layout is a bit wonky. The top two are quite close together. When it was still a IV this layout worked.

 

[Gaolee]

Yes the knob layout is a bit wonky. The top two are quite close together. When it was still a IV this layout worked.

View attachment 2837420

It's the 'Bird of paradise, in the jungle! What are the unused holes plugged with? I assume they are plugged, considering your lack of interest in things like tone knobs. I might get rid of the tone knob on mine. Alumitones don't need a tone knob as much as they need careful string choices.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

That IS the damned shake function, turned into a key and lying in wait, ready to annoy the fvck out of people who use either hand for the spacebar.

Definitely not updating my phone!!

 

[JJR58]

I love both of those basses a whole lot! For mist of my life and on most of my basses, if I moved the tone knob back, it was on accident

REMOVE, the tone control. Out of the circuit. That's all, carry on soldiers.

 

[RedVee]

Thanks,
I’ve been reading the last 30 pages of the thread but sure it goes fast!

My options right now, on a limited budget and without trying the basses first:

-Epiphone Pro, active circuit. Good condition. About $250, from a guy.
-90s MIJ Epiphone, used condition. About $500, from a shop.
- Wait for the new Vintage Pro to arrive. $600 around here.

(Answer cannot be “all”, wife notices big boxes )

I’m thinking similar though with a used Classic Pro as the middle option. Oh, and the prices being way higher in Australia.

If you go Pro IV (active) get it for a price that you can make work with future mods. They look and feel lovely and seem to be a good mod platform. IMO.
Classic Pro. I decided these are ‘the cats pyjamas’. But they have gone scarce around here and those that are selling seem to want ‘new’ money.
Also note that it seems the neck profile is a bit different between Pro IV & Classic Pro.

Then the Vintage Pro reviews started rolling in...

 

[RedVee]

With the success Epi is having with the VP, a VPII seems like a great, even obvious move to me. There’s a Cataldo on Carlo’s site, one pickup, one knob. That’s my kind of bass!

Yes, that is Hot!

 

[RedVee]

Saw Joe Bonamassa two days ago. His uber-talented bass player, Michael Rhodes rocked a Thunderbird for a good portion of the show. The Thunderbird is an aptly titled bass. Dang it sounded beautiful.

New thread opportunity “Most aptly named Bass model” ???

I vote Thunderbird!

 

[RedVee]

It's the 'Bird of paradise, in the jungle! What are the unused holes plugged with? I assume they are plugged, considering your lack of interest in things like tone knobs. I might get rid of the tone knob on mine. Alumitones don't need a tone knob as much as they need careful string choices.

Hey Goalee, I think you mentioned the Alumitones previously as being piezo like (the quote dropped out of my multi quote ?).
Would they be suitable on a semi hollow style bass ?
(No plans just pondering)

 

[kat888]

It's the 'Bird of paradise, in the jungle! What are the unused holes plugged with? I assume they are plugged, considering your lack of interest in things like tone knobs. I might get rid of the tone knob on mine. Alumitones don't need a tone knob as much as they need careful string choices.

They are black nylon domehead bolts and only suitable thing I could find in the largest hardware shop in the country. Autoparts was probably where I should have been looking.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

They are black nylon domehead bolts and only suitable thing I could find in the largest hardware shop in the country. Autoparts was probably where I should have been looking.

What size were the holes?

 

[Nocturnal]

Thanks,
I’ve been reading the last 30 pages of the thread but sure it goes fast!

My options right now, on a limited budget and without trying the basses first:

-Epiphone Pro, active circuit. Good condition. About $250, from a guy.
-90s MIJ Epiphone, used condition. About $500, from a shop.
- Wait for the new Vintage Pro to arrive. $600 around here.

(Answer cannot be “all”, wife notices big boxes )

View attachment 2837368 View attachment 2837369

I would have no problem buying the Epi Japan Thunderbird for $500, and I would absolutely do that over buying the Pro and replacing the guts. The Epi Japan is more than likely set neck rather than neck-thru like the Pro and the new VP. If you are after a neck-thru I would go for the VP. All in what you want tho. I think you can win with all 3, just less of a "win" for the active Pro IMO.

One more reason I don't use Apple anything.

It seems like a VP is the way to go if you don't want to take things apart. There's no reason to take apart a VP. A Pro IV gives plenty of reason to modify it, and so it all boils down to whatever triviani likes to do.

I intend to go the opposite direction of a II one of these days. I have a bolt on Epi and a Dimarzio One. That bass will end up with three pickups, wired VVV, no tone. Why? No reason.

A 3 pickup Epi Bird huh? I picked this up several years ago for a friend of my daughters. Had my then tech make it 3 vol and no tone, plus put a killswitch in the original output jack hole and move the input to the end (Just like God intended. Haha) like on a Gibson. It honestly didn't have a lot of definition between the pickups but if you messed with the volumes you would get some sounds out of it. The girl that was buying it was very happy with the end product.

A Dimarzio Model One would be a great addition IMO.

 

[kat888]

What size were the holes?

Er, slightly smaller than a standard CTS shaft. The two holes for the new pots needed to be enlarged slightly -- used a drill bit as a rasp and gently did it. I was extremely BAD and cyano-acrylated the two nylon pieces into the unused holes. When the bridge pickup was removed, I fixed that blanking piece with nail polish in case I should ever need to remove it.