Thunderbird Club

[TBird1958]

Can I join? I have an epi pro 4. I looks great but sounds pretty bad. I love the tbird body but I think the epi pro 4 classic would be a better bass because it doesn't come with the cheap active pickups.

No problem on joining the club Darchyboy, you are #451, Welcome here
As our members are suggesting you've got a lot of choices if you want to change out your pickups, Gibson TB plus should drop in as would quite a few others.




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Darchyboy #451
SonnyBassPlayer #452

 

[jd56hawk]

SonnyBassPlayer, I fixed the neck dive by adding lead weights to the bottom of my strap. Used to be a strap called Heads Up that had a pocket at the bottom end and assorted weights, but I guess they stopped making them.
By the way, looks like you've got a nice case for it, too. I wish case makers gave people the option of choosing red or blue or green or whatever instead of just gray or black. I mean, considering the price of good cases a choice would be nice.

 

[TBird1958]

Hello, here is my 2010 Epiphone Thunderbird

It's all stock, apart from the jack imput that came broken with it (sigh).

I always liked the sound but it's got a huge neck so it's not really the most comfortable bass I own; also, neckdive is astonishing on this one.
Still, I love playing it with overdrive and worn stainless steel rounds (as you can see it's got 2 different sets on, I kinda "recycle" them) and it really does its job well getting a grind mid-sangey sound.

Could I get a number, please?

Welcome SonnyBassPlayer, you're #452

 

[SonnyBassPlayer]

Welcome SonnyBassPlayer, you're #452

Thank you!

 

[Liam McMonigle]

Almost time for another Thread! I'm excited!!!

 

[TBird1958]

Nope, with the new format threads last forever

 

[Liam McMonigle]

Nope, with the new format threads last forever

I'm gutted!

 

[TBird1958]

I'm gutted!

Did you want to make the 1000th post, or maybe be Queen for a day?

 

[Justice]

Hello, here is my 2010 Epiphone Thunderbird

It's all stock, apart from the jack imput that came broken with it (sigh).

I always liked the sound but it's got a huge neck so it's not really the most comfortable bass I own; also, neckdive is astonishing on this one.
Still, I love playing it with overdrive and worn stainless steel rounds (as you can see it's got 2 different sets on, I kinda "recycle" them) and it really does its job well getting a grind mid-sangey sound.

Could I get a number, please?

Wow, that neck does look pretty thick. The neck on my 2012 Sunburst T-Bird is tiny like a Fender jazz. I need to dig out my Goth Bird and compare necks, I have not played it in a while but I do not remember it having a huge or tiny neck...

 

[BadBassDrummer]

Did you want to make the 1000th post, or maybe be Queen for a day?

I put on a dress and a wig once while I was still young and purty. Then some full moon happened and I transformed into a relative of Clint Eastwood's buddy Clyde.

 

[hillerup]

It seems a lot of Alpine White Classic Pro-IV's been posted lately, so I guess I better follow the trend

 

[Darchyboy]

What problems are you having with it?
Have you ever considered modifying it?
Maybe you can change the pickups and go passive with some Deep Sixx pickups or something similar and add a Stellartone Tonestyler for more tonal variation.
After all, the Pro IV looks great in the natural finish, the neck is incredibly smooth, and it has a better bridge.

It just sounds dull. Kind of hollow. I tried using it for one gig and I couldn't hear it at any volume. No balls. Actually, when the guitar player next to me blew his amp and they put him D.I., then it sounded okay. So it just seems to occupy a frequency range that guitars live in. Usually I play a Yamaha BB450 that sounds awesome. The Epiphone has become my couch bass that I fiddle with unplugged while I watch tv. It actually has another issue which is a badly rattling truss rod. So for now it is a future project bass. I like the idea of putting new pickups and passive controls.

 

[jd56hawk]

Sorry to hear that. When I play mine through my Ibanez Promethean at home I can only put the volume up to about two...I have to put it up to four to get the same volume from my Goth T-bird...flatwounds on the Pro IV, rounds on the Goth.
Just missed out on Deep Sixx pickups on ebay for my passive T-Bird...couldn't get my bid in and they sold for $39.99 minus s&h.

 

[Darchyboy]

Sorry to hear that. When I play mine through my Ibanez Promethean at home I can only put the volume up to about two...I have to put it up to four to get the same volume from my Goth T-bird...flatwounds on the Pro IV, rounds on the Goth.
Just missed out on Deep Sixx pickups on ebay for my passive T-Bird...couldn't get my bid in and they sold for $39.99 minus s&h.

Ha, yeah I was looking at those on eBay too!

 

[jd56hawk]

I have yet to have a bad ebay experience (bought an '87 Fiero there) but I was a little uncertain about an overseas seller.
I did buy some black domed control knobs with red resin heads for my Goth T-bird, though.

 

[hillerup]

It just sounds dull. Kind of hollow. I tried using it for one gig and I couldn't hear it at any volume. No balls. Actually, when the guitar player next to me blew his amp and they put him D.I., then it sounded okay. So it just seems to occupy a frequency range that guitars live in. Usually I play a Yamaha BB450 that sounds awesome. The Epiphone has become my couch bass that I fiddle with unplugged while I watch tv. It actually has another issue which is a badly rattling truss rod. So for now it is a future project bass. I like the idea of putting new pickups and passive controls.

In regards to the pickups, I would try the easy (cheapest) way first and turn the pickups passive, by removing the active circuitry and wire the existing pickups VTVT with 500kOhm pots - Alternatively do could wire it straight to the jack like the Blackbird, just to see if you like the sound of the pickups passive.

In regards to the rattling truss rod: Your bass is equipped with a double action truss rod (two-way)... If I remember correctly, in it's mid-position there's no pressure on the neck and you might hear the rattle of the truss rod - You should try tightning your rod a 1/8 or 1/4 turn and see if it goes away - You may need to repeat this...

 

[Furious_Man77]

After some thought and a bit a luck, I was wanting to get back into the five string arena when I found this preowned Mike Lull T5 ready to go. A few emails, a phone call and it was on the way cross country. Pretty much blind faith because I'd not had a chance to actually get my hands on one first, but when it showed up Saturday any doubt went away. I like my Gibson's, but it's hard to deny that Lull did a masterful job on the T-bass, especially for a Thunderbird inspired five string. The sound is tremendously balanced string to string, the neck feel is wide but not thick and the construction is solid. This particular one is a few years old and blessed with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard which is so vibrant when you see it in person. The only pitfall was a bit of neck dive; maybe on the T4 it's a non-issue but the T5 isn't quite there, understandably so with the bigger neck. However, I relocated the strap button (Schaller straplock) to the top neck bolt on the bass side and that 1.5 inch move mostly solved it. Only have a few days on it but it's been terrific fun and I'm looking forward to getting some recording done soon with it.

 

[TBird1958]

Mike's basses are really something special - That's a beauty! My T-4 has a Brazilian rosewood fret board as well, I actually got to choose which piece he used for my bass. Go out and play that bass loud!

 

[BadBassDrummer]

My Lull NRT is somewhere at the finishing shop and should be in hands in the next week or two. It is hard to wait.

 

[Liam McMonigle]

Did you want to make the 1000th post, or maybe be Queen for a day?

I've always been a queen!