• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Thunderbird Club

I think I’m finally done with modding my Gibson Thunderbird. Backstory – the wife got it for my for our 10yr anniversary back in 2009 (wanted a Gibson Tbird for YEARS). Played it for a year stock but noticed (from the beginning) the humbuckers didn’t buck hum. Took it to a Gibson authorized luthier who did warranty pickup replacement work through Gibson and installed brand new Gibson Tbird humbuckers which ALSO didn’t buck the hum. Ok now I’m pissed. I yanked those out, sold them on Ebay and put soapbars (emg 35 sized ebay cheapies) in. That did the trick but then the mod bug got me. Changed the bridge for the Hipshot replacement, added a black/white/black pickguard then decided to take out the soapbars and put guitar humbucker sized P90s wired in series. Played it, recorded it like this for years but finally got sick of the major eq’ing I had to do for the P90s so now went back to soapbars (with exposed pole pieces, kind of slightly MusicMan sounding growl but all the tbird lows still), custom black pickup surrounds, put the original bridge back on, strung it up and noticed the bridge achors pulling out (YARGH!) so I pushed those back in, got a quick-release bridge and used it as a stop tail piece behind the 3-point to take all the forward pull of the 3-point bridge allowing it to act as bridge only (and not bridge/stop tail piece). Why do this?....because it’s mine and I’ll never part with it. I think it looks menacing, sounds effing great (fingerstyle only here – punk) and of course the playability is 2nd to none. The tone is still Tbird but with a shimmering top end to all notes (I’m guessing due to the large, exposed pole pieces). You’ll see the E and G string don’t align perfectly with the pole pieces but those pole pieces are so big and create such a big mag field that there’s absolutely no volume loss and the output across the fretboard is even. I run it – compressor > home-brew 3-band preamp > VT bass pedal > GK 1001RBII > Avatar B412. Sounds absolutely huge. If you want to hear what it sounds like with the P90s in series > sansamp RBI > power section of an old GK 1000 go to thebeatdolls.bandcamp.com and price it at 0.00 and download. LOVE the tbirds!
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    489.8 KB · Views: 80
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    420.8 KB · Views: 83
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    389.8 KB · Views: 80
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    580.5 KB · Views: 82
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    489.8 KB · Views: 75
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    489.8 KB · Views: 78
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    420.8 KB · Views: 78
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    389.8 KB · Views: 77
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    580.5 KB · Views: 80
which pickups are those?
had to do for the P90s so now went back to soapbars (with exposed pole pieces, kind of slightly MusicMan sounding growl but all the tbird lows still), custom black pickup surrounds, put the original bridge back on, strung it up and noticed the bridge achors pulling out (YARGH!) so I pushed those back in, got a quick-release bridge and used it as a stop tail piece behind the 3-point to take all the forward pull of the 3-point bridge allowing it to act as bridge only (and not bridge/stop tail piece). Why do this?....because it’s mine and I’ll never part with it. I think it looks menacing, sounds effing great (fingerstyle only here – punk) and of course the playability is 2nd to none. The tone is still Tbird but with a shimmering top end to all notes (I’m guessing due to the large, exposed pole pieces). You’ll see the E and G string don’t align perfectly with the pole pieces but those pole pieces are so big and create such a big mag field that there’s absolutely no volume loss and the output across the fretboard is even.
 
Beautiful bass! I womder what kind of price tag would be attached to something like that. Not encouraging, just wondering.

Thanks! My basses start at $1300, with case and US shipping. This one has all the options: blocks, raised center, ThunderBuckers and a 4 stage paint job. With shipping to Europe it was $2k.

I really really dont like Photobucket!

Why?
 
  • Like
Reactions: hillerup
Thanks! My basses start at $1300, with case and US shipping. This one has all the options: blocks, raised center, ThunderBuckers and a 4 stage paint job. With shipping to Europe it was $2k.

wow - those are really fair prices for such nice, quality instruments :thumbsup:
 
Well, I need to tweak the setup on the Silverbird a little more. It is more bassy than the Sunburst bird, which was not a good thing for the room we were playing last night as it is pretty boomy. I made some EQ adjustments and used a little compression on the amp and that helped. But I need to adjust the action. I thought I had it setup pretty good at the house but after playing t for an hour and comparing it to the setup on my Sunburst, the burst is much easier to play than the Silverbird. The Silverbird is not unplayable but it could be better. I'll work on it some more and if I can't get it right I'll let my tech guys take a stab at it.

Unfortunately, like with most of our gigs, if my wife does not come out, there is nobody taking pictures :(

Maybe i'll look into changing the pickups in this one.
 
Hello) its my thunderbird 2006) i buy this bass new and use long time) can i get number?)

0cfd00fb361a.jpg




A big welcome to kirillstokes #519 - all the way from Moscow! Thunderbirds, loved worldwide!
Beautiful group of basses Sir, please be welcome here, post pics, videos and of course questions are encouraged.



TBird1958 #1
Godof Thunder59 #2
Funkster#3
Gibenbackerbass #4
Sidd Laroy #5
Jazzbo58 #6
Nocturnal #7
Showdown #8
The Mojo Hobo #9
Doctorpunch #10
Stiles72 #11
Brenner182 #12
Baird6869 #13
Poorbassist15 #14
PWV #15
Mr Typhus #16
Tracii #17
Aditya #18
amimbari #19
knifedge #20
Nitrofix #21
Atoz #22
bassphreak #23
Seydlitz #24
bassclef112 #25
bassplayer8953 #26
D.M.N. #27
Edhunter #28
kruno maestro #29
Tombowlus #30
Kalik #31
winterburn69 #32
Walter Vega 33
Carlos 840 #34
Shadowtippy #35
Saltymonkey #36
lel95 #37
gaffster787 #38
mc2ny #39
Low Sound Love #40
BrianKrashpad #41
Deep Six #42
BenEd #43
Bassmachine2112 #44
ponkoponk #45
Heatheroo #46
darkside 88 #47
GCool#48
TedhHernstorm #49
Darbo #50
uncletupelo #51
Vaider #52
Rip Topaz #53
bmb73 #54
Badfish #55
Afireinside #56
Redstrand #57
reptyls #58
dabido #59
96tbird #60
whilke #61
JIO #63
thebrain #64
Rob Martinez #65
bazzandeson #66
PhR #67
Dr.Eagle #68
lowend1 #69 Mopar or no car!
Basvarken #70
s mcsleazy #71
Burruss #72
Matty H #73
moonshinegtrs #74
bass lord mutha #75
jumbodbassman #76
davidprice #77
A-Step-Towards #78
birdman14 #79
Quadzilla #80
jbalou02 #81
johnk 10 #82
electrocoyote #83
ih8law #84
muzukman7 #85
3rdcurve #86
rdwil191 #87
BluesBear #88
JAF #89
Swin #90
TBirdie #91
bassplayerbob #92
trevorguns #93
Clammy #94
jammi_fool #95
Molochnik #96
Rocker47 #97
Shark1 #98
BlueTalon #99
Fab Superlative #100
Doragon #5150
ThumpsAlot #102
Doelle #103
AllyDetours #104
Southway #105
mav #106
tw63 #107
Casperrobo #108
Killa #109
roffe #110
SOB H.R.MC #111
icks #112
thepunisher #113
PatQ #114
Venom of God #115
Jirishman #116
Midas #117
GibsonBassCAZ #118
snowblinder #119
Tilli #120
3l3phantstomp #121
Thrust Meatnozl #122
gaudenti #123
Birdbrain #124
CBTB #125
greghol #126
DV6 #127
marlond #128
DWest1981 #129
Shinji #130
jaibeau #131
Warrioralex #132
jonesn4bass #133
Rono7003 #134
hillerup #135
Dadagoboi #136
MRDOOM #137
secretsound5 #138
trevorguns #139
J Sinister #140
Capitian Bob #141
guitarded #142
Fullback32 #143
Johnny78 #144
jelenko #145
Jools4001 #146
Porkbun #147
Lucas G #148
NOT #149
JtheB #150
Andii Syckz #151
sj bass #152
FrankenIbanez70 #153
Nosgoth #154
Artyom76 #155
D Bopp #156
CDRhom #157
Mark4 #158
thepest #159
TheCush #160
Pure eVal #161
iamthebassman #162
juankidiaz #163
Wilbur88 #164
WillMuderface #165
Evsm73 #166
JB66#167
brettsto #168
TheProphet #169
mikeowen17 #170
Pharaohamps #171
dial666 #172
faivy #173
HAVOK #174
Astroburn #175
aLLard #176
MissionTbird #177
Thebassman2011 #178
DaM13N # 179
LanOsb133 #180
Lowner #181
Frankiebass59 #182
Justice #183
tiger rich #184
spunkadizzle #185
quadrogong #186
Wolf C Red #187
guitarded #188
ledzep5296 #189
aussiebasshero #190
trackskinz#191
guns N rosesguy #192
Jamyi #193
Thunderbird90 #194
Cobra314 #195
Ric5 #196
ApocalypseDream #197
Gougedeye #198
okc-zee #199
NOLA Bass #200
AdamR #201
bassmaniac72 #202
pudge #203
BWileyTally #204
poomwah #205
chibfarm2001 #206
thisSNsucks #207
mr.mow #208
4005 #209
seansv #210
BassDoc51 #211
ben0099 #212
Trooper1911 #213
mordor #214
brotondo #215
HIaWATTha #216
Zerstorte Zelle #217
MrNecroVol #218
Freddy-G #219
Regininblood #220
ejaggers #221
gregoire1 #222
thundereagle #223
Geezer79 #224
cubanbass #225
Silverwolf1 #226
Mikaelbass #227
BruceBass3901 #228
Chris V #229
Mikaelbass #230
JayBassD #231
JMPeat #232
Phildogger #233
beebassdude #234
MrGotBass #235
2nd Wind #236
butter_fingers #237
Chumbly #238
roycroft 88 #239
finlover #240
recycled rocker #241
wolfmancharlie #242
balton4 #243
GregBummer #244
penguineman #245
TheOnlyJuan #246
nubs #247
Gringo Starr #248
PhR #249
georgestrings #250
cajunbass1985 #251
Wagz #252
armedmonkey #253
RedNeckBBQ #254
faviobarrio #255
PhantomApex #256
cmassa #257
vbass_2000 #258
MrMcHaggis #259
Linchpin72 #260
whitee96 #261
edpal #262
Ibanez Bassist #263
21petro #264
CiceroProfundo #265
Willncarolina #266
theweirdoid #267
Gaolee #268
TheLarch #269
Castagnier #270
diskovolos #271
fordkisskrazy #272
woodski #273
chipter #274
Unclejackrock #275
Bass173 #276
tbird99 #277
tore00 #278
lepreconbass13 #279
Junk420 #280
Tx Basser #281
epirokker #282
sugarsand #283
thebbconspiracy #284
Dionioann #285
LumberjackTBird #286
MikeyB5 #287
Thunders #288
anonparrot #289
darren1970 #290
Egbert89 #291
seBASStien #292
Figas #293
Vikerlane #294
ps10black #295
eldo #296
GGirl #297
FenderLove #298
quite_angry #299
hover #300
bdkthunder #301
MoSlevin #302
Gbass75 #303
rocknroll mouse #304
hillerup #305
GBassNorth #306
KPJ #307
fjadams #308
Nino D #309
Ecko #310
Peepaleep #311
DethByDoom #312
wvbass #313
rockscott #314
CDHawkins #315
scourge #316
Astreaux #317
pedrodelawasp #318
66Atlas #319
YOU LAND #320
Hilton Marsh #321
lfbassguy #322
Wolfpack #323
jayceofbass #324
ZombieSpacebat #325
Rotwang#326
Instagator#327
NWOBHM Kid # 328
Puisher 911 #329
Gunner 77 # 330
shadven #331
Guiness20 #332
dukey donkey #333
Bassco #334
chnapz #335
marq1965 #336
1stnamebassist #337
Electric Wizard #338
Ces art #339
liquorsbass #340
MarkusBass #341
BigH #342
Tonyxtiger #343
jnumme #344
BklynKen #345 - First Gibson lefty!
HofnerVox #346
blackest frank #347
prafeston #348
snaverb #349
DrPFunk #350
Moonshine #351
mournblade #352
CreepyJack #353
Bluzman90 #354
N10 #355
WaboRat72 #356
undead menace #357
BlacknWhite #358
Snakeman1066 #359
brokencode #360
The Seabass16 #361
Thunderdrool #362
rick4001s #363
echoSE7EN #364
solderjunkie #365
DougieB #366
untamedhellion #367
TabaccoRipper #368
LAST C #369
Basssssist #370
Arial Bender #371
ptleftybass #372
JackThe Ripper #373
Sigmundklaus #374
RadioRob #375
Liam McMonigle #376 Prince Liam
Karlos69 #377
JonDark #378
bassgod0dmw #379
TomStuart #380
Electric Delta #381
Mastermold #382
scars #383
monkeybass68 #384
exiii #385
HengistPod #386
jason the fox #387
Tamoume #388
jakelly #389
MicG #390
rogerinoly #391
mcarp555 #392
BlkHeli #393
mattj1stc #394
Roadstar #395
Satyrnine #396
Spiffmeister #397
Tim68 #398
tomshepp #399
THE DANiMAL #400
Andy Sivyer #401
Ender_rpm #402
Count Vitriol #403
bassistjoe93 #404
Project7Bass #405
Furious_Man77 #406
j.kernodle #407
Glass Onion #408
EpiRipper #409
msact #410
BirdThunder #411
pfox14 #412
jdb72 #413
SlingBass4 #444
GemJam #414
Faky77 #415
Purplefowler #416
starmann #417
mr pablo #418
GabeXLeouz #419
Rutger56 #420
bass geetarist #421
Bassic Playing #422
dorknowitski #423
jastacey #424
Terracite #425
MoparMonster #426
HypersoulRocks #427
germanson13 #428
Larry V #429
REMBO #430
WalMark #431
BassPlummet #432
Fletz #433
HockeyDawg #434
lowendblues #435
James P #436
gunkle #437
jd56hawk #438
blocka #439
Earapeach1965 #440
TwyreZ #441
Bullitt5135 #442
JimSalomao #443
jassthebass #445
Rooster009 #446
kodiakblair #447
bahia0019 #448
awilkie84 #449
marko57 #450
Darchyboy #451
SonnyBassPlayer #452
Tbone76 #453
KF2B #454
RandomBox#455
BadBassDrummer #456
Cliffclone #457
yahtzee1280 #458
OldPlucker #459
Haji #460
ugobo #461
mistergoats #462 Formerly Geoffypants!
rickwebb #463
dannoman #464
Diddi #465
Butchboy #466
basscow #467
Graykong #468
Gilsdorf #469
mattbass6945 #470
Josh Thatguy #666
jgould 1124 664
TNF #471
Reservoir Dog #472
Chauncy - #473
GIBrat51 #474
giocalypse #475
veebass #476
Bamabird #477
Sneezy #478
Galvez11 #479
mule47 #480
Rexalot #481
Rob L #482
Righteous Thunderer #483
stingray68 #484
gafbass02 #485
vdub76 #486
heatoise #487
Winfred #488
Mike A #489
depalm #490
hopsbb #491
ubnomnar #492
denki109 #493
Ronbeast #494
Klondike #495
Trebeless #496
Jay_Dub #497
imdkoz #498
mz888 #499
The Bear GT500
probassace2 #501
L.L. Elwood #502
JELLIS78 #503
mrnylon #504
ProperModulation #505
BassicDesire #506
Twangster 101 #507
Mark Cult #508
Nowyn #509
the_stoot64 #510
Bass master Burt man #511
Deaky #512
Bassmike62 #513
DocGeorge #514
Acoustic356 #515
aceytrixx #516
Greg Potts #517
friendlybass #518
kirillstokes #519
DinoRock #520
 
Last edited: