The T-Bird Pro has active pickups with a 2-band EQ. I don't hate the Pro's Pickup/Preamp setup, but I'm wondering if there's any way to switch off the active circuit...
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
Haji
Supporting Member
The pickups on these are active only, so they won't work without a preamp. Plus, I don't think there's much of a pickup cavity, so you're kinda limited as far as pup exchanges.
Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty happy with the tone of the EMGs, it just sometimes seems like overkill when you have EQ's from 3, 4 or more sources (amp EQ, DI/preamp box, pedals) and have to dial all that in along with the very responsive onboard bass EQ. That being said, it's nice to have options, but I generally keep everything the same... tone controls at center indent (give or take with the bass knob, of course
), and the pickup blend set at about 80% - 20% bridge/neck.
Green-type-of-tube...
Proper modulation!
I haven't heard that tune in a while, thanks!
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
The Pro-IV has an active EQ on board and has a 5-ply neck-through (specs says 7-ply but only 5 goes the entire neck-through - the remaining 2 are on the headstock)
The Classic Pro is built like the Gibson with a 9-ply neck-through (specs on Epi website says 7-ply, but are incorrect) and has the US Gibson Thunderbird pickups.
They are both great basses, but personally I dislike having to deal with batteries and think the Pro has a more modern sterile sound compared to the passive sound of the Classic Pro - But I guess that's all a matter of personal preference.
I've got the Pro-V, which was kinda a mistake, as I found out I'm not a 5-string guy - Just can't conform to the sound of a B-string and the aircraft carrier neck...
But I'll keep it for a trade...
As far as I've read, it's only the EQ circuitry which is active - the pickups themselves are not...
So you should be able to just exchange the circuitry with a passive one - This should help removing the noise from the active circuitry. I might try this one day to see it it makes me feel differently about the Pro-V, and maybe even do a string change to EADGC or something entirely different.
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hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
....and I forgot to mention:
I think the headstock of The 5-string Pro-V looks wrong with the 5th tuner on the lower side of the headstock...
Converting the Pro-V to an 8-string might be a future possibility, but I don't currently have the tools for this.
I think the headstock of The 5-string Pro-V looks wrong with the 5th tuner on the lower side of the headstock...
Converting the Pro-V to an 8-string might be a future possibility, but I don't currently have the tools for this.
Haji
Supporting Member
C'mon. Pliers, a screwdriver, and a 20" wood saw. All you need. Get to work!
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
C'mon. Pliers, a screwdriver, and a 20" wood saw. All you need. Get to work!
Might just try going passive first - I'm not too comfortable drilling extra tuner holes in the headstock yet...
Also that would certainly ruin it for a trade...
- Mar 13, 2008
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- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
I remember that too Andy, he wasn't thrilled with it after lobotomizing it into a passive bass. Whatever it had, it lost.
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
Maybe, maybe not...
I don't think the active Pro has anything it can loose, though - The active circuitry sound like s*** in my ears: way too boomy when emphasizing the bass and a lot of hiss when emphasizing the treble...
I was thinking of de-soldering the active harness and solder up a passive harness and just do an A-B test between the two with some jumper cables, before making it final...
If that doesn't work it will either go or get some new pickups, although I'd rather wait with that until I get a Pro-IV...
Haji
Supporting Member
Well, you know the answer we all believe in: its always "Hell yeah! Get another!"
We're predictable, and we're enablers.
We're predictable, and we're enablers.
Thanx for all the replies, everybody.Well, you know the answer we all believe in: its always "Hell yeah! Get another!"
We're predictable, and we're enablers.
I love this thing! Epiphone Classic Thunderbird IV Pro. Compared to the Gibson TB, I could not justify an extra grand for basically "just" a different truss rod cover. I will get the white one too!
My favorite setting is neck PU on 10, bridge PU on 5 and tone on 100%
My favorite setting is neck PU on 10, bridge PU on 5 and tone on 100%
I had a Fender TBX Tone control installed on my Classic Bird. It doesn't quite give that Geddy Lee treble effect, but it really does tighten up the lows.
I thought the fraze was "staying out of Treble".I hate treble.
Thanks guys for all your input on the differences between the Pro IV and the Classic Pro IV. As I really like the time I have now, I think I will stay away from the Pro IV for a little while. If I find a classic Pro and the price is in the dirt, the gloves are off. So to speak.
