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Thunderbird Club

#10,763
Dadagoboi said:
Thanks, that's a great clip you did! I asked Steve to make me pickups when I started serious building. I named them ThunderBuckers. I've known Steve since 1972, great guitar player and an electrical engineer to boot. He built himself a Marshall 100 clone when he was around 20 and can fix just about anything except my Ampeg PF500:(. I get a kick every time a new set of ThunderBuckers arrives when I see the serial numbers. Over 350. I've used around 170 of them.

Your description was perfect. It's the harmonic content and clarity that distinguish them IMO. There's no substitute for AlNiCo magnets and 2 miles of thin copper wire.
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I only wish I could've talked him into a set of "666s." ;)
 
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#10,764
Freez said:
Bird watcher here, looking for some opinions from those who know before I buy. I would like to have a Bird that looks and sounds like the classic old Gibsons (Entwistle's birds being a good example), but I don't have the coin for an old Gibby. Would I be better served by:

1) getting an Epi Classic Pro and leaving it stock
2) picking up an inexpensive second hand bolt on Epi and upgrading with some nice pickups
3) try and score an Orville if I can find a deal in the classic pro price range?

Kicking myself for having a slow trigger finger; one of the online music stores was blowing out those TV Silver models for $175 last year; I saw the deal Saturday, went back Monday to place my order and they were sold out! I could have put some second hand Lollars or Thunderbuckers in there and had a great sounding T bird at reasonable cost. I am attracted to the Classic Pro because I like the neck through and narrower nut. Attracted to it, but not married to the idea, which is one thing I'd like your opinions on as well, from both the bolt on and neck through guys. So, in the spirit of the holiday, help me make a better Bird! What gets me a classic Thunderbird sound and look without going the vintage route?
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I had similar thoughts a few months ago. I wanted a neck-thru TB at reasonable price. After research, I bought the Epi Classic IV Pro, added the Epi case, hipshot bridge, DR flats, strap-locks and a good size strap. The quality and price are very good, the PUs sound great to me and it stays in tune with great sustain. The nut and tuners are not the very best but they work well for me and they can easily be upgraded if I ever feel the need. Definitely check out the Classic, it's likely what you are seeking.
 
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#10,765
A few things that came up but haven't been answered, or at least not so I saw at all.

Epi Pro IV, Epi Classic Pro, Gibson. The Pro IV is active and aside from the neck and body, it's not like the other two. The other two are similar. I have a Gibson now, but don't have a Classic Pro. From everything I can tell, they differ in some construction and finish details. Take your pick and decide whether a nitro finish and Gibson name are worth the price. I'm very shallow, so they are for me. The truth set me free!

The last one is the bolt-on Eipiphone. It's a completely different animal. It sounds somewhat like a Classic Pro or Gibson, just not quite as bright in my experience. The pickups aren't as powerful. The biggest differences are that the neck bolts on and is a log. Where the others have a thin, elegant neck, the bolt on is a club wielding, knuckle dragging beast. I don't have one now, but I'm on the prowl for a good one at a good price. I really like that enormous neck. The finish is thick poly that is probably impervious to everything short of a nuclear melt-down. It might survive that, too. It's really short on subtlety in all ways, but they sound fantastic strung up with DR Black Beauties.

The last thing that came up that hasn't been addressed is the idea of putting a Dimarzio Model One in a Thunderbird. That would probably sound fantastic, but it would also require some routing. It's the size of a '60s mudbucker or more recent SG style bass pickup. It's much bigger than a Thunderbird soapbar.
 
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#10,766
There was a member here a while back that had replaced both pickups on his bolt-neck Epi with Dimarzio Model 1 pickups. He really loved the sound from what I remember. Can't find the post or pics of it tho. I have a Model 1 laying around that I think about installing in my Burst Epi Bird. I just don't want to do the mod until I know that's the sound I want to have in that Bird. Might just bite the bullet tho and do the deed one day.
 
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#10,767
Those are great sounding pickups. They are nothing like Thunderbird pickups. They have a warm, woody thump, assuming that one would somewhat similar in a Thunderbird and an EB-2d. I probably wouldn't use one in the bridge position. Mine is either tired or underwound. You have to turn the amp up a bit relative to other pickups. That may be part of what makes it sound so good. For that reason, it's best in the neck position where you want a darker, thumpier sound. It won't do as well down by the bridge where you would be going for more of a snarl or bark.
 
#10,768
Nice to hear about the Model-1 thoughts, thanks for those! I put one in a neck-thru Schecter once and it worked out well... Not ready to bust out the router just yet though. I am kinda still intrigued by the classic T-Bird thing, so I'll wait until I get over it! I've found I'm just not a "classic", trad sort of guy concerning my axes.
 
#10,771
vegas532 said:
I only wish I could've talked him into a set of "666s." ;)
Click to expand...

That's what I wanted to name what became the 'MAX'. Hottest magnets and overwound as much as possible.
Larry V said:
That's sweet! And that young man makes that look way too easy. He's great!
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21 at the time, check out his other videos on Youtube.

 
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#10,774
Larry V said:
Was an amazing talent! So jealous... I cant play 8 measures of music without flubbing a note or two, three...

I started too late but I'm still trying and having fun.
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Bah, if you aren't making mistakes, you aren't living! The key to success is to count flubs during a show. The first to 100 is the winner!
 
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