Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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 free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
- Start date
-
- Tags
- club thunderbird
Congrats!!! Mine just started Kindergarten Wednesday, having major baby feels in our house this week. It goes by so fast, make sure to spend as much time now as you can, it does pay off later.
- Jul 1, 2005
- 4,291
- 21,932
- 79
- Disclosures
- CataldoBasses: Designer/Builder ThunderBuckerPickups:Consultant
My dude is off to grade one in September. I swear he was a baby a few minutes ago.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,895
- 142,212
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Congratulations to you and your wife!
It's our first birth here at the Thunderbird club
It's our first birth here at the Thunderbird club
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,895
- 142,212
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
Congratulations to you and your wife!
It's our first birth here at the Thunderbird club
And I always thought this was our first...
Did they just take half of a precision pick up and put it on it?
Last edited:
Hello hello. Still haven't joined the club yet. Soon though. Question:
Do Thunderbirds make good downtuned basses?
I want to have a main bass for drop C (CGCF) tuning for one of my bands. My P Bass sounds kinda weird at that tuning even with thicker gauge strings.
I was hoping the Epiphone Thunderbird Classic IV would fit that role. Or the Pro
The band I need it for is kind of 90's alternative sounding. Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Tool
I want a TBIRD because reasons and I thought with a darker sound it might be a good one for this.
I want a good drop C bass and I want a Tbird. And I would like to (get ready) kill two "birds"with one stone. (Pause for laughter) or rather kill two stones with one "bird". Yeah.
Do Thunderbirds make good downtuned basses?
I want to have a main bass for drop C (CGCF) tuning for one of my bands. My P Bass sounds kinda weird at that tuning even with thicker gauge strings.
I was hoping the Epiphone Thunderbird Classic IV would fit that role. Or the Pro
The band I need it for is kind of 90's alternative sounding. Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Tool
I want a TBIRD because reasons and I thought with a darker sound it might be a good one for this.
I want a good drop C bass and I want a Tbird. And I would like to (get ready) kill two "birds"with one stone. (Pause for laughter) or rather kill two stones with one "bird". Yeah.
Haji
Supporting Member
My preference is for the Pro, but mine is a IV. Tuned Drop C and strung with Dunlop Heavy Core "Heavier" strings. Running that through an Ampeg SVT-3 Pro and a pair of Hartke 410 cabs. Yup, sounds amazing.
I have to drop down to CGCF for one song and Drop D for 4 or 5 songs with no issues at all.
One of my bands does a bunch of tunes in Drop D. That "E-Dropped-To-D" sounds fantastic.
My other band has just gone completely "Half-Step-Flat" due to the new singer. Once again, the Epi Classic Pros sound killer.
On the subject of children. My youngest is 22 and doing his Masters.
He also rocks because he plays guitar in the band (and lots of other reasons).
That's him behind the old bloke with the hair (me). Don't be fooled his hair is much longer than mine.
Oh and the drummer didn't make this photo-
He also rocks because he plays guitar in the band (and lots of other reasons).
That's him behind the old bloke with the hair (me). Don't be fooled his hair is much longer than mine.
Oh and the drummer didn't make this photo-
Last edited:
Well Grecobird made it debut with the band last night.
I am speechless. Well, not really.
I took along my favourite P Bass (my trusty 73) in case the Bird didn't work out live.
I have done many gigs with that P Bass and it really doesn't know how to sound bad. It is the reason a lot of my basses don't get as much gig time as they should- it is a really good P Bass.
The 73 P did not come out of the rack in the full 4 hour gig except to tune it.
These Greco TBs are unbelievable- incredibly solid and it's not all bottom end- plenty of good mids and top as well.. The Queen was correct- we don't miss a second guitarist AT ALL now. A perfect match with the GK rig.
We have played last night's venue quite a number of times over the last three years and regulars came up to us in breaks etc and said it was the best we have sounded. We always go down well there but they said we sounded different in a good way.
The staff said they couldn't believe we weren't above the 104 dB limit when they checked our level, They said we sounded louder than we really were.
I also really enjoyed the sustain this thing has- made chopped off endings really good fun. Also got a bit of controlled feedback going at times. Fun!
Great night all round- the place was full (250- 300) and the floor was packed all night- first song to last song. It was one of those night that make it worthwhile. With the departure of the second guitarist/ keys player we have been looking for a fuller sound. We got it. Also we had to buy a PA- the guy who left owned the the PA. I have been learning to drive our "new old" PA- Yammy EMX512sc with 2 X Yammy 15 FOH plus Peavey Sub with Behringer Active foldback monitors- since that guy left. Last night it all came together. OMG the night flies when you are playing and doing the sound!
I am speechless. Well, not really.
I took along my favourite P Bass (my trusty 73) in case the Bird didn't work out live.
I have done many gigs with that P Bass and it really doesn't know how to sound bad. It is the reason a lot of my basses don't get as much gig time as they should- it is a really good P Bass.
The 73 P did not come out of the rack in the full 4 hour gig except to tune it.
These Greco TBs are unbelievable- incredibly solid and it's not all bottom end- plenty of good mids and top as well.. The Queen was correct- we don't miss a second guitarist AT ALL now. A perfect match with the GK rig.
We have played last night's venue quite a number of times over the last three years and regulars came up to us in breaks etc and said it was the best we have sounded. We always go down well there but they said we sounded different in a good way.
The staff said they couldn't believe we weren't above the 104 dB limit when they checked our level, They said we sounded louder than we really were.
I also really enjoyed the sustain this thing has- made chopped off endings really good fun. Also got a bit of controlled feedback going at times. Fun!
Great night all round- the place was full (250- 300) and the floor was packed all night- first song to last song. It was one of those night that make it worthwhile. With the departure of the second guitarist/ keys player we have been looking for a fuller sound. We got it. Also we had to buy a PA- the guy who left owned the the PA. I have been learning to drive our "new old" PA- Yammy EMX512sc with 2 X Yammy 15 FOH plus Peavey Sub with Behringer Active foldback monitors- since that guy left. Last night it all came together. OMG the night flies when you are playing and doing the sound!
Last edited:
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,895
- 142,212
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Awesome! I'm so glad you like that Greco!
They have a RAWR to them.
I dearly love mine - am going to put some of Scott's new hardware on mine - Watch this space!
They have a RAWR to them.
I dearly love mine - am going to put some of Scott's new hardware on mine - Watch this space!
Can't wait to see how you dress yours up!
Yes Grecobird is quite different to my Gibson Thunderbird IV. It actually reminds me of a humbucker Telecaster bass in a funny way but with more everything.
I must keep an eye out for a Greco TB IV.
I forgot to mention- the tuners on this thing are amazing- I tune with a Petersen Stroborack- so pretty accurate.
It did not move at all, all night
Last edited:
Haji
Supporting Member
Sounds like a case of "they don't make 'em like that anymore". I've got a set of new tuners on order with the local shop because the ones that came stock on my Epi are pretty craptastic. Two of 'em are ok, the other two feel like the gears inside are burred or were machined really poorly. They're pretty crunchy. I don't mind too much; I got a steal of a deal on that bass.
- Jul 1, 2005
- 4,291
- 21,932
- 79
- Disclosures
- CataldoBasses: Designer/Builder ThunderBuckerPickups:Consultant
Greco and "Orville By Gibson" Thunderbirds use Gotoh Made in Japan tuners, big base plate vintage Gibson Kluson style for the Orville, small plates for the Greco. They also use the same pickup(s) with very hot ceramic magnets. Orville by Gibson quality is excellent. I'm the former owner of this one.
Since it's an '89 the pickups were black powdercoated when it arrived. I stripped them with paint remover in a rattlecan and polished the nickel silver cans to glorious shineosity. Pup rings are from ThunderBucker Ranch. OBGs are definitely a high quality 'Bird IMO!
