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Thunderbird Club

#93,801
Jonathan C said:
I own an Epiphone T-Bird Vintage Pro, has anyone swapped out the tuners for ultralights? Looking for opinions or suggestions for the best direct fit without modification.
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TBird1958 said:
You might take a look at Res-O-Lites, I think they have something that will work. I personally have not looked into doing this, but I think one of our group here did.
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IIRC @godofthunder59 swapped out the tuners on his VP Bird. I don't know if he went with lighter tuners or just tuners closer to the vintage shaft design. There is another thread out there where a couple of folks swapped tuners. If I can find it I'll post the link. BTW Jonathan if you're not already a TBird club member here consider joining, lots of bird related tips and tricks as well as plenty of fun banter.

Edit: found the link to tuner into...
NBD Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro
Post 34 has pics and info
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
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#93,803
GBassNorth said:
IIRC @godofthunder59 swapped out the tuners on his VP Bird. I don't know if he went with lighter tuners or just tuners closer to the vintage shaft design. There is another thread out there where a couple of folks swapped tuners. If I can find it I'll post the link. BTW Jonathan if you're not already a TBird club member here consider joining, lots of bird related tips and tricks as well as plenty of fun banter.

Edit: found the link to tuner into...
NBD Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro
Post 34 has pics and info
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...
I fitted one or my NRs with GBR640s and am really happy with them. Definitely lighter on the headstock, smooth operation and look great..
Ld81WXxq6XuPH2_Srd6UP6bQTt8pKiw4K_c6IvsZWkN0nDuYeEIYqPeJpL8tlsZJ9fz8oC5vkGJCitA&owa=outlook.live.jpg
 
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#93,805
Engle said:
I also have a VP and someone here said Gotoh GB640 were a drop in fit:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
They look pretty nice, but I haven’t checked the measurements to see if the screw holes line up. (There are detailed drawings with dimensions in the link) Please report back if these work.

I’m probably going to go with hipshot ultralights because I use a detuner for a few tunes in my cover band. I don’t think there’s a detuner that matches the GB640.

Of course installing ultralights leaves screw holes showing... I know lacquer, but I have no idea what’s best for filling holes in a poly finish.
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They are a drop in fit afaik. More will depend on if it’s one of the original VP’s. Meaning, Epi changed out the tuners to a smaller base plate. So the only difference will be adding new holes. The old holes will be completely covered regardless with the resolites.
 
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#93,807
Engle said:
Of course installing ultralights leaves screw holes showing... I know lacquer, but I have no idea what’s best for filling holes in a poly finish.
Click to expand...
More plastic, of course. Bondo and some more poly would probably work pretty well. You would see the repair unless you spent way too much time working on it, but at least there wouldn't be a hole. Unless you don't care, which is how I solve problems like that.
 
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#93,811
JJR58 said:
They are a drop in fit afaik. More will depend on if it’s one of the original VP’s. Meaning, Epi changed out the tuners to a smaller base plate. So the only difference will be adding new holes. The old holes will be completely covered regardless with the resolites.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the replies! Mine is the earlier VP with the big Winkinson tuners. I think I'm going to try a set of the Resolite GB640`s
Can I get a number for Thunderbird club?
 
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#93,814
JJR58 said:
Looks like a mean beast man. I'm diggin it.
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Thanks.
It's a cool bass. It's got some pretty old DiMarzio p/j p'ups and an Artec 2-band pre. It's very funky, super-sleek feeling and ez to play. It is also the scene of a minor crime- it started life as a Hamer Cruisebass, the first edition. Looked exactly like- and from the same era as- the one in the Romantics' "Talking in Your Sleep" vid, 1983. The DiMarzios were stock, the preamp was a pre-Rog mod, which has been said to be sensible, since the all-Mahogany construction/DiMarzio marriage made for an overtly 'boxy', nasally kind of sound. Now it's got some "@$$", as we say. I've actually replaced it once since having it, with a similar 2-band Artec.
I modded the body by cutting away a lot of the upper horn, stripped the lacquer and took a pattern rasp and some sandpaper to it to bevel the upper edges, a-la EB-0, etc. The pickguard is my re-cut out of Luaun plywood and Epoxy, sanded thin and painted with red Rustoleum primer and Rustoleum black on top, roughed it up with steel wool.
I'm kinda sorry I did it to an old classic, really, but I love playing it... the artwork happened because it really had to at that point. I had to take it the rest of the way. Now it's itself.

I've taken a lot of grief for having done it. But what a player. Weighs next to nothing, sounds great, looks... unique, certainly! It's a decidedly in-your-face machine.
 
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#93,815
Count Bassie said:
Thanks.
It's a cool bass. It's got some pretty old DiMarzio p/j p'ups and an Artec 2-band pre. It's very funky, super-sleek feeling and ez to play. It is also the scene of a minor crime- it started life as a Hamer Cruisebass, the first edition. Looked exactly like- and from the same era as- the one in the Romantics' "Talkin in Tour Sleep" vid, an '83. The DiMarzios were stock, the preamp was a pre-Rog mod, which has been said to be sensible, since the all-Mahogany construction/DiMarzio marriage made for an overtly 'boxy', nasally kind of sound. Now it's got some "@$$", as we say.
I modded the body by cutting away a lot of the upper horn, stripped the lacquer and took a pattern rasp and some sandpaper to it to bevel the upper edges, a-la EB-0, etc. I'm kinda sorry I did it to an old classic, really, but I love playing it... the artwork happened because it really had to at that point. I had to take it the rest of the way. Now it's itself.

I've taken a lot of grief for having done it. But what a player. Weighs next to nothing, sounds great, looks... unique, certainly! It's a decidedly in-your-face machine.
Click to expand...

Minor crime huh? which Dimarzios's?
 
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#93,818
Jonathan C said:
Thanks for all the replies! Mine is the earlier VP with the big Winkinson tuners. I think I'm going to try a set of the Resolite GB640`s
Can I get a number for Thunderbird club?
Click to expand...

Jonathan, pics! We want to see this lovely Thunderbird, then #737 is all yours.
 
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#93,820
JJR58 said:
Nasty, Nice!!!!
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Yeah I think that'll move it up into Heavy Weaponry territory. I had a neck-thru Schecter I modded with a Model One and some knock-off J pup, it's all over Plan 9's "A Tonic of Puffer Fish" album. Nothing virtuoso on there from me really, but on some of the tunes the bass is just massive... I think I'm going to do that again.
 
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