Thunderbird Club

[Haji]

Hey guys! Got some photos from our gig last Thursday night. Here are some that showcase my 'bird in full flight.

Nice! And with the big ol' Whiskey logo in the back, too. That's cool!

 

[TBird1958]

This is courtesy of LBO......due at GC in December

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I'd say this the end of the Babciz bridge and the exposed pole pickups, don't know for sure as that may be a shot of an older Cherry one..........2015's may be very collectable!

 

[Dadagoboi]

Hey guys- here are my birds, Epi Pro 5 and Silverburst bolt-on! I put a Hipshot on the Silverburst its all good, my questions right now mainly concern the Pro 5.

I've been lurking these threads for a while and really appreciate all the knowledge. I primarily use 5 strings and I'm not a full time bird player but I love the look, vibe, and sound! I bought the Epi Pro 5 shortly after they first came out. I understood at the time there were issues with the 5 string pickups and the preamp was just so-so. I really loved the idea of an affordable 5 string bird and decided to try one out. When it arrived I was very impressed with the build quality and fit/finish. It suffered from the weak B string problem and I sent it to Epihone a couple times for warranty work. It came back sounding a little better but not perfect. My plan was to make it passive and upgrade it someday, so I decided to keep it. It's been in the closet for a few years and now it's time for Thunderbuckers, Hipshot cloverleafs, and a chrome bridge!

Can anyone confirm if the 5 string Thunderbuckers will drop right into the Epi 5 Pro; same demensions? Also do the 5 string Thunderbuckers actually cover the B string completely so there is no volume difference (weak B string)? If anyone has done similar mods to their Pro 5, please share any advice you have.

Thanks!!!


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You'll have to make the routes slightly larger but not much. ThunderBuckers will definitely solve your B string problem. They're the same pickups I use in Cataldo Fivers. Steve Soar and I spent a lot of time making sure they would do the job.

ThunderBuckers in a Pro IV and other assorted bling from ThunderBucker Ranch.

 

[JELLIS78]

Well all this talk of 2015 T'birds didn't help the GAS... Just ordered one to keep the Nikki Sixx redbird company! Should hopefully arrive tomorrow...

 

[Klondike]

http://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/131644451408

Paging Larry to the white courtesy phone!

 

[ThaCoast]

How 'bout calling somebody like Graphtech and having a custom nut cut? Shouldn't be very expensive.

Don't need to, would rather DIY. But i gotta deal with rebuilding the neck heel sides anyway. & i'm going to order the new fretboard & frets tonight & i'll have it within the next two weeks. Which is good, once i get that, i'll remove the fretboard from the neck, rebuild it's heel, glue the new fretboard on, cut the fret slots, install the frets & reshape the profile. I'm thinking of burning in the XII inlay in the 12th fret & using some epoxy as the inlay material (cause i can't get inlay blanks shipped to Canada).

 

[Klondike]

This has probably crossed other minds before but I realized something this morning.

GC missed a mega huge opportunity. They should have GC Learning Center(or whatever) that way they sell the instrument then sell you the school. Repeet costomers...

I know, simetimes it takes time for brilliance to strike. Kinda like lightning.

 

[vdub75]

You'll have to make the routes slightly larger but not much. ThunderBuckers will definitely solve your B string problem. They're the same pickups I use in Cataldo Fivers. Steve Soar and I spent a lot of time making sure they would do the job.

ThunderBuckers in a Pro IV and other assorted bling from ThunderBucker Ranch.

Carlo, will a modded Pro end up to be a better or a worse bass than a modded classic pro? Still lookin to make a Thunderbird 2 but the neck pocket on my bolt on split so the fenderbird Project is done... pro's go at least 100 bucks cheaper than the classics and I hate the 3point b*tch erm Bridge.

 

[Gaolee]

Hey guys! Got some photos from our gig last Thursday night. Here are some that showcase my 'bird in full flight.

You play it a lot like I do with the headstock high and the bridge low. I can't understand why everyone doesn't do that. If more people did that, there would be a whole lot more people playing Thunderbirds.

 

[Dadagoboi]

... pro's go at least 100 bucks cheaper than the classics and I hate the 3point b*tch erm Bridge.

There's your answer.

 

[vdub75]

There's your answer.

But is the body neck basis of the pro inferior to the classic pro?

 

[Gaolee]

But is the body neck basis of the pro inferior to the classic pro?

I don't think so.

 

[vdub75]

That sounds good to me ears :-D

 

[Larry V]

http://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/131644451408

Paging Larry to the white courtesy phone!

Sure is pretty! Thanks!

 

[wolfkeller]

Has anyone installed the EMG TB pickups in an epi? My Tokai has same shape and size as they do, I am going with TBP & TBJ. Looking at the dimensions they would be a bit bigger. I hate when they use decimal points, 1.75 rather than 1 3/4. I dnt know what 3.712 is on a ruler or 1.65 either.

 

[wolfkeller]

Has anyone installed the EMG TB pickups in an epi? My Tokai has same shape and size as they do, I am going with TBP & TBJ. Looking at the dimensions they would be a bit bigger. I hate when they use decimal points, 1.75 rather than 1 3/4. I dnt know what 3.712 is on a ruler or 1.65 either.

looks like the emgs are the same size as gibsons so if anyone installed them it wouild give me a good idea. Im sure ill need to open the holes some.

 

[mistergoats]

So I took only the White '06 to rehearsal last night and it is SO much more growly and mid-rangy than the Burst '12. It cut through the mix quite a bit sharper than the '12. It reminded me of playing the Burst '12 through the MTI early 80's SVT in the other jam room. It was surprisingly snappier. I'm guessing the painted neck and ebony vs. rosewood board has something to do with that. I love the tone. The other guys were kind of on the fence about it. Drummer liked the loud. Guitar players were a little "hey man, that's eating some of my frequency".

 

[Klondike]

The other guys were kind of on the fence about it. Drummer liked the loud. Guitar players were a little "hey man, that's eating some of my frequency".

This makes PERFECT sense!

 

[veebass]

82 Greco TB 900 Single Pickup on eBay.
Someone here may be interested, although this isn't cheap IMO.
Killer basses.

Used Greco 1982 TB Vintage from Japan | eBay

Here's a clip of one being used.

 

[Mikaelbass]

82 Greco TB 900 Single Pickup on eBay.
Someone here may be interested, although this isn't cheap IMO.
Killer basses.

Used Greco 1982 TB Vintage from Japan | eBay

Here's a clip of one being used.

I spent 1500 Aus dollars on mine, they are becoming more collectable. If I were to compare it to my Gibson the price becomes justified. The neck is great, straight taper like a rick with vintage style frets. Much closer to the 60's bird body style, and the stop bar definitely improves the 3 point design IMO. The tuners in mine aren't the best, very stiff and a little inaccurate BUT once in tune it doesn't seem to move at all. It feels sturdier to the Gibson but this is probably due to the thicker and hardened 40 year old finish and wider nut. But that single pickup is where the money is at. The Greco TB pickups are amazing. I currently have thunderbucker 66's in my Gibson but will put greco's in there today to compare, but with my TBII through the svt-VR berg610 there is no sound like it. Huge, full, angry across the board and very receptive to what your hands, fingers/pick are doing.

My babicz arrive today! Going to install that ASAP...the brushing a on my Gibson have raised a little, I believe the fix is t shirt over them and light hammer hits?