Thunderbird Club

[GonePlaid]

Another from my kid:

 

[fasterpussycat]

apologies...It is the regular Thunderbird IV with 3 nobs, '18 model made in China.

TEST? Oh man....sad to hear it is the multiple choice type and not the rubber glove one..

Well ... if it were me, I'd ensure I had a fresh set of rounds on, the tone was all the way up, and the neck pickup cranked up danger close to the strings (I'd also remove the bridge pickup and put it a cardboard box in the cupboard but that's another story).

Try, for the purposes of testing, rolling the bridge pickup volume back a little, because when both pups are on full you get a slight cancellation effect.

PS. We're send @JJR58 over with the rubber gloves and the soldering iron later, don't worry, you won't miss out on anything.

 

[GBassNorth]

Sure hope it’s a ‘15. I love mine.

I've got my fingers crossed, but had to laugh my butt off today.

I got an email confirmation from GC this morning saying the item I purchased (a "2015 Gibson Thunderbird") has been shipped. So, being the trusting individual that I am I logged into the GC used gear website and looked to see if the specific store had taken the old ad down. They did!

However, it looks like they promptly replaced the old ad with a new much more accurate ad (well, at least the brand is correct this time). I'm now debating on buying their ultra rare 2018 Gibson Thunderbird made in 2015... might be the only one in existence....

Zoom in and you'll see the tell tale 2015 pup, bridge and coil tap switches.
...sometimes you just can't fix stupid!

 

[Toybreaker]

Well ... if it were me, I'd ensure I had a fresh set of rounds on, the tone was all the way up, and the neck pickup cranked up danger close to the strings (I'd also remove the bridge pickup and put it a cardboard box in the cupboard but that's another story).

Fresh rounds 2 days ago, very little change but it is better.
Bridge PU in the cupboard...this some new trick? I'll try anything at this point.

@JJR58 - address in PM...I'm ready for the test

 

[Gaolee]

Hey! Be nice.

Nah. I can't be nice to pre-Platonic Sophists.

 

[fasterpussycat]

Fresh rounds 2 days ago, very little change but it is better.

If you have fresh strings, the next thing is raising the pickups.

 

[Gaolee]

Fresh rounds 2 days ago, very little change but it is better.
Bridge PU in the cupboard...this some new trick? I'll try anything at this point.

@JJR58 - address in PM...I'm ready for the test

She's allergic to bridge pickups. That is why she suggests putting them in the cupboard. For what it is worth, Thunderbirds, especially the bolt on variety, have a darker, bluer sound than some others. You aren't going to get the kind of nasal trebley sound you get from a Jazz bass or some active bass guitars unless you EQ the amp in an unnatural way. You can swap pickups to change the sound, but by the time you do that you may as well spend about the same money on a used Classic Pro or more on a used Vintage Pro. Then you would have two. And then more, because they breed.

 

[Stevorebob]

A lot of things are illegal. What's more important to me is if they're immoral and I decide that.

In this case I'm with @Gaolee.

It’s moral to sell something you don’t own? To commit fraud? Really? Shame.

 

[GBassNorth]

Wow this is an insanely long thread. Stoked to see all the TB love.
I recent bought a new Epiphone TB pro. Love the feel but having a hell of a time getting any mid/high tone out of it. First thought was trash strings even though only a couple months old and hardly played, that helped a tiny bit. Adjusted the picks to be closer to the strings, no real change in tone. I am guessing its the pickups that are so crazy dull. Does this make sense or should I look elsewhere? For comparison I am also playing a Squire skull 4 string and an Ibanez SR405(active so not expecting anything close).

The Eppi pro is all about mids, low mids and bottom end. Not a terribly bright sparkling tone machine. Cobalt round or Stainless round strings would help. Raising the pups up to nearly the strings would help and rolling down the neck pup and increasing the bridge pup while playing nearer the bridge with a pic would also make a big difference.

Our club leader rightly noted earlier in the thread, the Thunderbird is a high performance engine and a plectrum is the ignition key. I personally play finger style because I suck with a pic but the few pic attempts I've made really completely changed the nature of the beast to something much less laid back and much more agressive. Give it and the things mentioned above a try and your life will brighten up.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

apologies...It is the regular Thunderbird IV with 3 nobs, '18 model made in China.

TEST? Oh man....sad to hear it is the multiple choice type and not the rubber glove one..

Some people ghet lucky and get the rubber glove multiple choice test.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

apologies...It is the regular Thunderbird IV with 3 nobs, '18 model made in China.

TEST? Oh man....sad to hear it is the multiple choice type and not the rubber glove one..

I have a several years older version (2012? Can check when I get back.) I love it. Plays great, sounds great. One day I'd love to find a beater old Gibbie, but I'm happy with this one.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I've got my fingers crossed, but had to laugh my butt off today.

I got an email confirmation from GC this morning saying the item I purchased (a "2015 Gibson Thunderbird") has been shipped. So, being the trusting individual that I am I logged into the GC used gear website and looked to see if the specific store had taken the old ad down. They did!

However, it looks like they promptly replaced the old ad with a new much more accurate ad (well, at least the brand is correct this time). I'm now debating on buying their ultra rare 2018 Gibson Thunderbird made in 2015... might be the only one in existence....
View attachment 3354146
Zoom in and you'll see the tell tale 2015 pup, bridge and coil tap switches.
...sometimes you just can't fix stupid!

Soon as I leave the country, GC Austin posts all the good stuff.

 

[PillO]

You just proved that I am not even a schitthouse lawyer. I figured what he was doing was like financial arbitrage or short selling. Warning - don't ask me for legal advice!

Under common law (don't ask me about Napoleonic code) fraud is deception for the purpose of depriving the victim(s) of good(s)/service(s)/right(s). I don't think that offering for sale a bass that you know you can buy clears that hurdle; especially since the MO had not been cashed. I don't know the specific legal test, but I don't think you could find a crown attorney/district attorney who would prosecute the specific case under discussion. I am not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV but I have stayed in a Holiday Inn.

 

[PillO]

I've got my fingers crossed, but had to laugh my butt off today.

I got an email confirmation from GC this morning saying the item I purchased (a "2015 Gibson Thunderbird") has been shipped. So, being the trusting individual that I am I logged into the GC used gear website and looked to see if the specific store had taken the old ad down. They did!

However, it looks like they promptly replaced the old ad with a new much more accurate ad (well, at least the brand is correct this time). I'm now debating on buying their ultra rare 2018 Gibson Thunderbird made in 2015... might be the only one in existence....
View attachment 3354146
Zoom in and you'll see the tell tale 2015 pup, bridge and coil tap switches.
...sometimes you just can't fix stupid!

@GBassNorth - fixing Guitar Center one purchase at a time...

 

[PillO]

She's allergic to bridge pickups. That is why she suggests putting them in the cupboard. For what it is worth, Thunderbirds, especially the bolt on variety, have a darker, bluer sound than some others. You aren't going to get the kind of nasal trebley sound you get from a Jazz bass or some active bass guitars unless you EQ the amp in an unnatural way. You can swap pickups to change the sound, but by the time you do that you may as well spend about the same money on a used Classic Pro or more on a used Vintage Pro. Then you would have two. And then more, because they breed.

More Thunderbirds is gooder.

 

[Dadagoboi]

It’s moral to sell something you don’t own? To commit fraud? Really? Shame.

Describing examples of it being done 'legally' every day wouldn't be worth the effort. Shame on you for your naivete.

 

[PillO]

Not a terribly bright sparkling tone machine.

Hey, I resemble that comment!

 

[PillO]

The Eppi pro is all about mids, low mids and bottom end. Not a terribly bright sparkling tone machine. Cobalt round or Stainless round strings would help. Raising the pups up to nearly the strings would help and rolling down the neck pup and increasing the bridge pup while playing nearer the bridge with a pic would also make a big difference.

Our club leader rightly noted earlier in the thread, the Thunderbird is a high performance engine and a plectrum is the ignition key. I personally play finger style because I suck with a pic but the few pic attempts I've made really completely changed the nature of the beast to something much less laid back and much more agressive. Give it and the things mentioned above a try and your life will brighten up.

Low mids are the meat in the musical sandwich.

 

[Dadagoboi]

So, live that's a good description of how I play, at home upstairs in the practice room I play a lot of finger style, especially when learning/trying new stuff for the band. The Hellborg Sigs really do look like piano strings, they're nicely finished but are a very different tactile than say Ken Smiths. Callous fingertips are a requirement (If you play flats, beware!), and the sound great when you're playing over the neck pickup with, or without the bridge. There's a really strong underlying fundamental note, not like any other strings I've tried - I like them a lot!

The wire wrap is coarse.

These are Ken Smith Rockmasters on my Lull for comparison, I did have a set of those D'Addario nickel rounds on one of my '76s, I didn't like them, but that's just me.

Maybe I should try them on my Status Graphite Hellborg Siggy.

36 volt on board preamp. Jonas seems an extreme sort .

 

[ToddOfThunder]

Low mids are the meat in the musical sandwich.

+1