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Thunderbird Club

#12,942
Larry V said:
Just as pretty as mine. :)

IMO, that's priced a bit below what they're going for now a days. $1,500 USD seems to be about the going price. That one's on sale! Get it Michael! You never know when you'll see another. ;)
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No, not for me Larry...

I already have an Epi Pro-V, and 5'ers are definitely not for me. Most likely the Pro-V will never see any live action, and neither would a Studio V.

Having so much invested in a bass just for decoration wouldn't go down too well with the misses - Especially in lieu
of recent dentist and vet bills approaching $ 1.500... :(

Should I cash out that kind of money on a new bird, I would much rather do it on something I would really use - Like a Gibson Thunderbird VI in Classic White, Heritage Cherry, Vintage Sunburst or even a Blackbird... But that is all for another time... :)
 
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#12,943
TBird1958 said:
You'll have only a very little routing to do as the difference in size is minimal. I re routed my Epi for Gibson pickups and used simple hand tools, it took very little time.
Click to expand...

Not quite...

The Silverburst and TV Silver birds with the chrome "guitar style" humbuckers have much much smaller (shorter) pickup routings than the regular black plastic pickups have...
 
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#12,946
TBird1958 said:
You'll have only a very little routing to do as the difference in size is minimal. I re routed my Epi for Gibson pickups and used simple hand tools, it took very little time.
Click to expand...

Is there a chance the poly cracks during routing? I'd really want to put Gibsons or these chinese chromes into the blackbird.

Or maybe Carlo's friend's pickups. Routing would be the biggest problem. Not the routing itself, but getting used to the thought of doing something irreversible to one of my basses.
 
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#12,947
hillerup said:
Not quite...

The Silverburst and TV Silver birds with the chrome "guitar style" humbuckers have much much smaller (shorter) pickup routings than the regular black plastic pickups have...
Click to expand...

They are guitar pickups, at least according to Uwe on LBO. I thought the routs were the same regardless as the guitar sized pickups have a trim ring.
 
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#12,948
Off-Beat said:
...
Btw I got my first stand, because I damaged the rehearsal room's and took it home - found out it's damn convenient. I read that nitro finishes tend to react to the foam . Are there any nitro safe stands out there? Preferably non that grab the bass by the neckplate and let them sling - I'd 100% damage them.
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All my stands (and wall hooks and multi guitar floor racks) are Hercules brand. Not the cheapest choice out there but by far the best built and least reactive to nitro finishes. They have a stand for every occasion...
Hercules Guitar Stand GS455B
These are captive stands which eliminate he possibility of the bass being knocked off the stand. You have to lift the bass up vertically for the captive yoke to unlock then the bass is free to be removed.
 
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#12,949
hillerup said:
No, not for me Larry...

I already have an Epi Pro-V, and 5'ers are definitely not for me. Most likely the Pro-V will never see any live action, and neither would a Studio V.

Having so much invested in a bass just for decoration wouldn't go down too well with the misses - Especially in lieu
of recent dentist and vet bills approaching $ 1.500... :(

Should I cash out that kind of money on a new bird, I would much rather do it on something I would really use - Like a Gibson Thunderbird VI in Classic White, Heritage Cherry, Vintage Sunburst or even a Blackbird... But that is all for another time... :)
Click to expand...

Then why keep the 5'er Pro when you could sell it, get some cash & get another 4 string bird ;) That's what i'd do anyway :D
 
#12,952
Mosstone said:
Do you think those pups sound better than the stock Gibson pickups? I'm picking up a Classic IV Pro this weekend and with the exception of the bridge, I didn't think I'd want to do any other mods (a first for me), but now my CMS ("compulsive modder syndrome" ) is kicking in again.
Click to expand...
Totally different animal from modern Thunderbird pickups. These repro pickups (and vintage units) have a mid range growl, treble zing and inherent overdrive the modern Thunderbird pickups just can't reproduce. I have no love for the modern units the tone is thick and thuddy and I don't mean that in a good way.
 
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#12,953
godofthunder59 said:
Totally different animal from modern Thunderbird pickups. These repro pickups (and vintage units) have a mid range growl, treble zing and inherent overdrive the modern Thunderbird pickups just can't reproduce. I have no love for the modern units the tone is thick and thuddy and I don't mean that in a good way.
Click to expand...

You're going to make me order a pair for my Goth!!!

Could you give me the quick answer as to why I'd want a mixed pair, versus a matched pair of the 9.2K or the 8k's? What would I expect from the 8's verses the 9.2? Thanks.
 
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#12,954
godofthunder59 said:
Totally different animal from modern Thunderbird pickups. These repro pickups (and vintage units) have a mid range growl, treble zing and inherent overdrive the modern Thunderbird pickups just can't reproduce. I have no love for the modern units the tone is thick and thuddy and I don't mean that in a good way.
Click to expand...

I get a little confused about the Gibson TB pickups. When I pick up a Gibson T-Bird, it usually sounds muddy and awful (which is why I never cared for Thunderbirds before now), but the Classic IV sounds much more defined, growly and agressive to me. I don't know why there should be such a disparity in tone when the Classic IV and the Gibson birds use the same pups and are built nearly identical to each other.
 
#12,955
Larry V said:
You're going to make me order a pair for my Goth!!!

Could you give me the quick answer as to why I'd want a mixed pair, versus a matched pair of the 9.2K or the 8k's? What would I expect from the 8's verses the 9.2? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of going for a mixed pair of 8 for the neck and 9.2 for the bridge. My reason for this is this is what I seen Lull I believe does. Those are what I wan't but can't justify the price for an Epiphone.

This is the tone I hope to get close to. Though he did this on a 60s non reverse single pickup and all the other differences. Its the tone that got me interested in thunderbirds
 
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#12,956
Stinkoman20xx said:
I was thinking of going for a mixed pair of 8 for the neck and 9.2 for the bridge. My reason for this is this is what I seen Lull I believe does. Those are what I wan't but can't justify the price for an Epiphone.

This is the tone I hope to get close to. Though he did this on a 60s non reverse single pickup and all the other differences. Its the tone that got me interested in thunderbirds
Click to expand...


DAMN! You're the first person I've seen since the 90's bring this album up. I can't find it to buy anywhere in digital format. I lent the disc to a buddy and never got it back.
 
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#12,958
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#12,959
ThaCoast said:
Then why keep the 5'er Pro when you could sell it, get some cash & get another 4 string bird ;) That's what i'd do anyway :D
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Larry V said:
If you hadn't noticed... he's a bit of a collector.

I bet if he could get that Studio V for a better price it'd be in the collection as well.

What if it was $1,000 USD, Michael?
Click to expand...

Larry's absolutely right... I collect the Epi's and will probably slowly add more Gibsons to the collection than just the two I already got...

If I could get the Studio V for a better price, and also had the money available, it would be in the collection too. But considering I only paid $ 586 for my 2005 Ebony IV, there is no way in hell I'm paying that much money for a Studio V - On the other hand I gladly pay that kind of money for a Classic White IV or even more for a Gibson Gothic Thunderbird IV.
 
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