Thunderbird Club

[Christine]

Any good/great budget upgrades I can do to a standard Epiphone TBird IV? It's a great bass, but I want to make it even better.

Is it the Classic IV Pro you have (Through neck)?

If so there isn't a huge amount you can do, sort of a list for starters, others will chime in but it's a nice bass straight out of the box
Change the nut to a nice bone or brass one
Set it up
Chrome it up (can tell you how) and put in Hipshot HB6 LIC tuners
Bridge change (not for me unless to chrome as part of above)
Straplocks

 

[Haji]

Agreed.

From what our Queen has said though, the attention to detail in the work and delivering you a bass made to your liking and having it setup properly from Mike is where it's worth it.

They're handmade. Better in every possible way than a factory made bass. Fit and finish, not to mention sound, are incredible. They're expensive because it takes time to go all that detail work that factory basses don't even know is possible.

 

[hairypete1138]

After reading lots of thoughts here from the hive mind i’m Taking the plunge and trying flats for the first time in 25 years of playing bass.
Out of interest, has anyone used rotosound 77 50-110s on a vintage pro? I realise that I will most likely need to make some truss rod adjustments due to the increased string tension, but is there anything else I should be aware of?

 

[Gaolee]

After reading lots of thoughts here from the hive mind i’m Taking the plunge and trying flats for the first time in 25 years of playing bass.
Out of interest, has anyone used rotosound 77 50-110s on a vintage pro? I realise that I will most likely need to make some truss rod adjustments due to the increased string tension, but is there anything else I should be aware of?

Sounds like you are on it. EQ will be a bit different, and they will feel smooth. Because they are smooth. Thats about it.

 

[GBassNorth]

After reading lots of thoughts here from the hive mind i’m Taking the plunge and trying flats for the first time in 25 years of playing bass.
Out of interest, has anyone used rotosound 77 50-110s on a vintage pro? I realise that I will most likely need to make some truss rod adjustments due to the increased string tension, but is there anything else I should be aware of?

Should sound great. I have Cobalt flats on my VP right now as part of an experiment in sound options with this bass. The only string related issue you need to watch is the G string length required for an Eppi VP. I like three wraps on the post but some strings have come far short of that (IIRC my stock strings had a hair less than one wrap, the Cobalts have about 1.5 wraps, DR Silver Stars had 3 wraps). Also, with thick strings at the ball end you might have to crush the overwindings a bit with some pliers to get the ball end to fit in the claw tail piece. No big deal though.

 

[MrKeef]

Is it the Classic IV Pro you have (Through neck)?

If so there isn't a huge amount you can do, sort of a list for starters, others will chime in but it's a nice bass straight out of the box
Change the nut to a nice bone or brass one
Set it up
Chrome it up (can tell you how) and put in Hipshot HB6 LIC tuners
Bridge change (not for me unless to chrome as part of above)
Straplocks

Sadly it's just the base stock, bolt on neck with passive electronics. It still plays fantastically out of the box.

 

[JJR58]

Should sound great. I have Cobalt flats on my VP right now as part of an experiment in sound options with this bass. The only string related issue you need to watch is the G string length required for an Eppi VP. I like three wraps on the post but some strings have come far short of that (IIRC my stock strings had a hair less than one wrap, the Cobalts have about 1.5 wraps, DR Silver Stars had 3 wraps). Also, with thick strings at the ball end you might have to crush the overwindings a bit with some pliers to get the ball end to fit in the claw tail piece. No big deal though.

I found that same with the ball ends fitting the tailpiece, i filed the E and A on the claw on my white Bird. No issues now.

 

[GonePlaid]

I found that same with the ball ends fitting the tailpiece, i filed the E and A on the claw on my white Bird. No issues now.

Interesting. I've never had a problem w/ the ball ends on my 'Bird(there was another way I was gonna say that but it woulda caused some serious "Ehem"'s). When I first put on new strings I tune 'em F-Bb-Eb-Ab to "stretch" them. Couple of hours later they're just about right.

 

[GonePlaid]

Sadly it's just the base stock, bolt on neck with passive electronics. It still plays fantastically out of the box.

I have one bass w/ active electronics. I've considered changing it to passive pups(TBird type)mostly 'cause of having to change so many EQ settings going from bass to bass. I'm creature of habit(=lazy)

 

[JJR58]

Interesting. I've never had a problem w/ the ball ends on my 'Bird(there was another way I was gonna say that but it woulda caused some serious "Ehem"'s). When I first put on new strings I tune 'em F-Bb-Eb-Ab to "stretch" them. Couple of hours later they're just about right.

The Cobalt flats, at least the E and A anyway, were not sitting properly in the tailpiece. So file away i did. Only required just a slight bit.

 

[GonePlaid]

The Cobalt flats, at least the E and A anyway, were not sitting properly in the tailpiece. So file away i did. Only required just a slight bit.

Yeah. I've not tried those. I'm all D'Addario except the 5 string Epi Bird. If I try 'em I'll watch for that.

 

[Gaolee]

Sadly it's just the base stock, bolt on neck with passive electronics. It still plays fantastically out of the box.

Nothing sad about that. Those are excellent instruments, just different. I have one that gets used, even though I also have Gibsons, a 7enderbird, and the fretless 'Bird. My first 'Bird was a bolt-on. I let it go, and missed it. When one turned up at an absurd price and with the big ol' neck that I like, I bought it.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I found that same with the ball ends fitting the tailpiece, i filed the E and A on the claw on my white Bird. No issues now.

I'm seeing the same thing with the narrow tailpiece slot. The bass just doesn't hold tune right?
You just file? Won't the chrome come off? I was even thinking about buying strings without that cloth wrapper thingy.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

it seems to me that the MFD pickups from G&L are "exactly" (?) the same size as the stock Epi.

Pickup - L-series - four string

Pickup - M-series - four string

Yeah, that's what I think of when I see those..

 

[JJR58]

I'm seeing the same thing with the narrow tailpiece slot. The bass just doesn't hold tune right?
You just file? Won't the chrome come off? I was even thinking about buying strings without that cloth wrapper thingy.

No issue at all, use needle files, the round one. Works like a charm. I actually started with a flat one to widen the slot, then used the round one.
With or without cloth, if the string is thicker then the slot it won't seat properly. I didn't notice any change in anything coming off. But this is the BadBird tailpiece i worked on, can't speak for the Gibson one.
Just be careful not to go to far. I would seat the string every so often, once is was right, that's when i stopped the filing.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

No issue at all, use needle files, the round one. Works like a charm. I actually started with a flat one to widen the slot, then used the round one.
With or without cloth, if the string is thicker then the slot it won't seat properly. I didn't notice any change in anything coming off. But this is the BadBird tailpiece i worked on, can't speak for the Gibson one.
Just be careful not to go to far. I would seat the string every so often, once is was right, that's whee i stopped the filing.

I'll do that. Thanks

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Ampeg is now part of the Yamaha group? Crazy. Ideally they move production form China to Japan..

 

[GonePlaid]

Ampeg is now part of the Yamaha group? Crazy. Ideally they move production form China to Japan..

I'll drink to that! 'Course I'd drink to a palm tree

 

[GBassNorth]

The Cobalt flats, at least the E and A anyway, were not sitting properly in the tailpiece. So file away i did. Only required just a slight bit.

Had the same issue with my cobalt flats. Just crushed the overwrap a bit with some pliers and they fit right in. I chose not to file the tail piece on my VP because I was concerned what it would do to the Chrome finish. As for stretching, I just use the old method of tune to pitch then tug the string up away from the fretboard an inch or so a few times then retune, seems to hold tune just fine.
FYI @Chucky Stiletti

 

[Gaolee]

Ampeg is now part of the Yamaha group? Crazy. Ideally they move production form China to Japan..

I'm looking forward to the upcoming Ampeg sportbike line.