Thanks. The PB Epi IV that’s on the way will get either those, Lulls or Thunderbuckers. Christmas present to self. Will likely do the Babicz chrome, but am not ruling out the HS.Lollars.
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Thanks. The PB Epi IV that’s on the way will get either those, Lulls or Thunderbuckers. Christmas present to self. Will likely do the Babicz chrome, but am not ruling out the HS.Lollars.
Thanks. The PB Epi IV that’s on the way will get either those, Lulls or Thunderbuckers. Christmas present to self. Will likely do the Babicz chrome, but am not ruling out the HS.
Hey, look....Lol... For me it's the tendency to be a little haphazard when I'm in "Just Go" mode. Over, into, or down it goes... when I'm present of mind all is well, but I know I've gotta pay attention!
Try Hipshot for clovers. Yours is a new one (meaning post - 1989). As I recall, there were two different kinds of tuners used. The early ones, up until about 2000, had a set screw off to the side. You do need to drill for those. The posts seemed to be a little smaller, too. Later ones have a drop in Hipshot replacement. You have to make sure the clovers are the slightly smaller ones Hipshot makes specifically for reissue (post 1989) Thunderbirds.I read that they should be epoxy-coated, aren't they?
However, I haven't unmounted them yet.
I've already found the covers, while tuners and bridge aren't a problem.
But clover tuners require new holes, I must be sure that I won't sell the Bird prior to drill them![]()
Not sure about the Eppi IV pups but the Eppi Goth pups were a completely different size from my Gibby pups. Some Thunderbuckers would look and sound awesome in that bird. Can't wait to see it.Thanks. The PB Epi IV that’s on the way will get either those, Lulls or Thunderbuckers. Christmas present to self. Will likely do the Babicz chrome, but am not ruling out the HS.
the T-Buckers are narrower just like the 60's models....on a reverse it's not an issue rings won't fix...on an NR the ring works for the bridge pup but the neck pup leaves a gap in the PG...some folks put a ring there as well but it takes from the stock look...a new PG is needed if you don't want the gap or to use a ring..Not sure about the Eppi IV pups but the Eppi Goth pups were a completely different size from my Gibby pups. Some Thunderbuckers would look and sound awesome in that bird. Can't wait to see it.
Try Hipshot for clovers. Yours is a new one (meaning post - 1989). As I recall, there were two different kinds of tuners used. The early ones, up until about 2000, had a set screw off to the side. You do need to drill for those. The posts seemed to be a little smaller, too. Later ones have a drop in Hipshot replacement. You have to make sure the clovers are the slightly smaller ones Hipshot makes specifically for reissue (post 1989) Thunderbirds.
As far as the epoxy potting, I'll defer to those who have peeled the pickups. I didn't peel the stock pickups on my '91 when chroming it out because the pickups were epoxied into the covers. There are others who have successfully removed those covers using a variety of cutters. I may yet see what happens when you peel the epoxy potted version, just because I can, not because it needs to be done. Take a look at yours and see what they look like underneath. If they look like the ones I have, then I'll peel 'em and let you know. They will be different because yours is recent and mine is pushing 30 years old, but that never stopped any of us from attempting anything.

Same here. I've said this many times, but I find the way my Thunderbird hangs when standing pulls the first fret in closer than most other basses I've played.Ha, I'm pretty tiny (esp compared to Americans) and don't find them reachy at all.
That's interesting looking. It's much bigger than the pickups that came out of the '91. The potting looks similar though. I may take sharp tools to those covers over the weekend just to find out what's underneath. Curiosity kills lots of things.
Speaking of, the cat hung with me while I changed the tuners on the Eagle.Curiosity kills lots of things.
Thanks for posting, they look a little different from some of the previous post '88 pick ups.
That's interesting looking. It's much bigger than the pickups that came out of the '91. The potting looks similar though. I may take sharp tools to those covers over the weekend just to find out what's underneath. Curiosity kills lots of things.
View attachment 3530809 New to Talkbass, but not the club. In 2004, I finally decided to pull the trigger on a new Thunderbird while I still had the money. Back then, I wasn’t comfortable spending a lot of money online. I called every music store in metro Atlanta and no luck. No one had one. I began calling stores farther and farther away. After about a week, I was calling stores in Alabama and Tennessee. Late one Saturday morning, I called a store in Knoxville, TN and they said they had one on the wall. A few hours later I was driving back to the Atlanta area with this one.
One side screw? There's only one set screw but the important thing is where it is relative to the centerline drawn through the line of the tuning pegs. The ones that came with the '91 were offset from a line drawn through the center of the peg holes. The '01 and '15 have the set screws lined up with a line drawn through all the peg centers. I hope that makes sense. As I recall, the tuning peg diameter that works is 3/8 inch. You can't get the Thunderbird size clovers with the licensed version HB-6. I put the more expensive version of 3/8 inch HB-6 ultralights with Thunderbird sized clovers on the '91 when chroming it out. I could do the same on the '01 and '15. The difference is that they would, or should, drop right into the newer ones without any drilling. You still have to drill for the covers and if you install pickup rings if you are going to mount them with screws.You're welcome, I'm happy to contribute
That thing got me surprised, I gotta admit.
I took a look at Hipshot clover tuners, I saw that there's a smaller clover and a larger one - both with 3-4 different inch. dimensions. Don't know what do they refer to.
My bird has the standard mini Grovers with one side screw.
Note to self: Try to avoid scheduling NBD delivery on the same day as garbage day...
A lot of disappointment so far listening to those garbage trucks go by...

Depending on the size of the pickup covers, Carlo has pickup rings that don't require drilling; they stay on with adhesive.One side screw? There's only one set screw but the important thing is where it is relative to the centerline drawn through the line of the tuning pegs. The ones that came with the '91 were offset from a line drawn through the center of the peg holes. The '01 and '15 have the set screws lined up with a line drawn through all the peg centers. I hope that makes sense. As I recall, the tuning peg diameter that works is 3/8 inch. You can't get the Thunderbird size clovers with the licensed version HB-6. I put the more expensive version of 3/8 inch HB-6 ultralights with Thunderbird sized clovers on the '91 when chroming it out. I could do the same on the '01 and '15. The difference is that they would, or should, drop right into the newer ones without any drilling. You still have to drill for the covers and if you install pickup rings if you are going to mount them with screws.
We are here to enable, y'know.