Thunderbird Club

[EdO.]

Hey y'all. Thought I should post this week's smokin' Craigslist deal, knew it would get more appreciation here that in the general forum (although I'll post it there as well). Found this ad yesterday, big ad listing a bunch of PA gear, lights, DJ stuff etc. Buried in the ad is listed a Epi T-Bird he says he bought new in 2009 and never played. Photos looked good so I called and set up a meet for earlier this afternoon. When I saw it in person I couldn't believe my eyes. This baby is literally brand new! Hadn't even been set up, not a scuff or scratch on it.

It's a Epiphone Classic T-Bird IV (bolt on neck, passive). Dude says he'd literally played it an hour tops and I believe it from the looks of it. Note on the photo of it in the case that it still has the plastic on the cases handle for crying out loud. By the serial number I think it's actually a 2007 model (SN# UC0701xxxx) but not sure on that point. My walk away with it price - $300 case included!

Rushed it home and whipped a quick setup on it. Neck adjustment, lowered the bridge to get the action down, had to reset intonation on the D and G strings. Plays light, fast, and easy, unbelievable!

All his other stuff is pretty reasonably priced too, big PA system with a couple 18" subs, QSC power amps, most of it basically brand new. Some pretty fancy looking DJ stuff that meant absolutely nothing to me. Says he tried to start up a DJ gig several years ago but it didn't take off. Considering he's based in a pretty small town about 80 miles south of Kansas City I can see why. I figure that's why he's selling it all at reasonable prices, his location is too far out of the main stream but just a half hour drive for me. I'm still stoked.

 

[Klondike]

Hey y'all View attachment 815238 View attachment 815239

Excellent find! They say the person does not select the bird, rather the bird chooses the person. By the sound of it this bird has chosen you . I keep Diaddarrio Chromes on mine and am always in live with the sound. Others have their personal preferences.

If you are wanting to join our own personal Queen will be around soon to admit you to her herrem.

Ih and welcome to "The BirdBrains"

 

[EdO.]

Already a member but thank you for the reply. Really wasn't looking for another bass (well I was kind of looking) but just couldn't pass this up

 

[Haji]

Once again, something outside of TBirds, but I think you guys appreciate such things. My friend Lacey Caroline, a country artist, is up for three WOBA awards. They're from a Nashville radio station that has been very supportive of yer career, and is a pretty cool deal. She's up for Best Fans, Top Interview and Top Dork (Apparently that's a prestigious thing). She's really talented and is one of my favorite people in the world, so I am asking The Club to crush the poll. Feel free to make use of the Incognito Window and vote Chicago-style. Thanks, all!
Link Removed

 

[kat888]

Evening all! I have an Epi Tbird Pro IV and while I love the plank, I'm slightly underwhelmed by the electronics - a bit polite and lacking aggression, aka BLAND.

I'm contemplating dropping in a pair of EMG TBCD/TBCS and rewiring with 2 x volume pot and 2 x passive tone pot. Would this help put a little bite in the instrument? Also, doing this would require woodwork would it not?

All advice welcomed, ta.

 

[Camaro69]

Evening all! I have an Epi Tbird Pro IV and while I love the plank, I'm slightly underwhelmed by the electronics - a bit polite and lacking aggression, aka BLAND.

I'm contemplating dropping in a pair of EMG TBCD/TBCS and rewiring with 2 x volume pot and 2 x passive tone pot. Would this help put a little bite in the instrument? Also, doing this would require woodwork would it not?

All advice welcomed, ta.

Kinda surprised that it is under-achieving. Most of the newer Tbirds are actually a tad bombastic.

Presuming the battery is fresh and the pickup height is correct?

 

[Count Bassie]

My Pro-IV has proven to be a really good-sounding bass- snarl if I want it, deep, woofy lows, punch like you read about. When I need more aggro I plug into a SansAmp VT pedal.

 

[Larry V]

Greetings,

Seeking a bonafide Lefty Gibson Thunderbird Bass FS/FT!!

Thanks,

Stephen

Calling, @wolfkeller!

Still selling your TBird IV lefty?

 

[kat888]

Kinda surprised that it is under-achieving. Most of the newer Thirds are actually a tad bombastic.

Presuming the battery is fresh and the pickup height is correct?

My Pro-IV has proven to be a really good-sounding bass- snarl if I want it, deep, woofy lows, punch like you read about. When I need more aggro I plug into a SansAmp VT pedal.

The pickups are about 3 or 4 mm away from the strings when you hold them down at the 20th fret. I out a new battery in in December and then another last week just to be sure.

With the Tbird eq flat and the PF500 eq flat I need to turn the gain up to 3 oclock to get the peak light to come on reliably (using the passive input) and I'm a bit heavy handed. I realise that's completely unscientific, but I don't have any metering kit these days. I would have expected a much hotter output - certainly my active piezo bass has a much higher output even though I've adjusted the onboard gain down to the minimum.

The Tbird was super cheap. Someone had dropped it in the shop and two of the control knobs are a bit dinged up, but this doesn't worry me as I set and forget anyway.

 

[ThaCoast]

Scarf joint cut, planned & glued! Thunderbird neck might be done a little later due to only acquiring the truss rod & fretboard further down the line, but as i'm using the same components as the RD neck build, i'll have everything marked out & routed for the tigerbird. It'll be my number one bass i'm sure of it.

 

[wolfkeller]

Calling, @wolfkeller!

Still selling your TBird IV lefty?

Nope, I sold that way back to fund things I won't be afraid to have on stage! Cool bass but almost too nice for me.

 

[Mike.C.]

Birdspotting! Channel I get that used to be called Palladia, now called (sadly) MTV Live. Lynyrd Skynyrd.

 

[Snakeman1066]

So I recently scored a Epi Classic...the strap button is located on the back of the body where a neck plate would be on a bolt on. As i play it in my normal position it has a tendency to pitch forward on to its face. Anybody else encounter this? and if so how are you mitigating this?

 

[EdO.]

Same issue with the one I just bought. In addition to my new one I also have a Pro V 5 string that is neck through, fixed that one with a Steinberger strap hook (photos posted a couple pages back - EDIT they're on page 712). See my posts somewhere back in this thread a few pages, works like a charm for a neck through Pro model.

But this one I just got is bolt on so there is that neck plate where the heel of the neck is on the Pro V. I've seen photos posted of folks taking out the upper forward neck bolt and adding a strap knob there, more where it's located on the Gibson Birds. Tried to do that with this one but there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that bolt will go through any of the strap knobs or strap locks I have on hand, even if I were to drill it out. Would sure be interested in how folks have done that.

I think I may be able to add a Steiney strap hook mounted flat just above the neck plate, I have one on order hoping it gets here this week. Once I get that I'll evaluate whether or not that is an option and post my results. If anyone can shed some light on mounting a strap knob using a neck bolt it would be sincerely appreciated.

 

[Showdown]

So I recently scored a Epi Classic...the strap button is located on the back of the body where a neck plate would be on a bolt on. As i play it in my normal position it has a tendency to pitch forward on to its face. Anybody else encounter this? and if so how are you mitigating this?

My right arm rests on the body while I play so it hasn't been a problem for me.

 

[hillerup]

So I recently scored a Epi Classic...the strap button is located on the back of the body where a neck plate would be on a bolt on. As i play it in my normal position it has a tendency to pitch forward on to its face. Anybody else encounter this? and if so how are you mitigating this?

Nice collection of basses!

In regards to the bass tilting forward when using the strap button at the heel:

That's just what they do... Most of us live with it - others either move the bottom strap button further up the upper wing, or wrap their strap over the upper wing.

 

[hillerup]

Same issue with the one I just bought. In addition to my new one I also have a Pro V 5 string that is neck through, fixed that one with a Steinberger strap hook (photos posted a couple pages back - EDIT they're on page 712). See my posts somewhere back in this thread a few pages, works like a charm for a neck through Pro model.

But this one I just got is bolt on so there is that neck plate where the heel of the neck is on the Pro V. I've seen photos posted of folks taking out the upper forward neck bolt and adding a strap knob there, more where it's located on the Gibson Birds. Tried to do that with this one but there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that bolt will go through any of the strap knobs or strap locks I have on hand, even if I were to drill it out. Would sure be interested in how folks have done that.

I think I may be able to add a Steiney strap hook mounted flat just above the neck plate, I have one on order hoping it gets here this week. Once I get that I'll evaluate whether or not that is an option and post my results. If anyone can shed some light on mounting a strap knob using a neck bolt it would be sincerely appreciated.

If it hasn't already a strap button mounted on the neck plate (as on the newer models) - I just drill through the neck plate between the two forward neck screws and place the button there instead. Otherwise you will have to find a neck screw which is longer to accommodate the added length of the strap button, and also might have to drill a larger hole in the strap button as well, which is too much hassle for me. Also, the older Epi's with the black/chrome neck plates use neck screws which are thicker than ordinary neck screws and have very large heads which won't fit into a straplock button.

 

[Mike A]

I moved the rear strab button up to keep the top from tilting away.

 

[Larry V]

Hey guys, I have a bargain for someone looking for what I'm selling.

This pickguard was purchased on eBay and returned in "like new" condition because the purchaser did not realize that their Gibson Studio Thunderbird had a different shaped pickguard than a Gibson Thunderbird IV. It was an honest mistake on his part and I allowed him to return it.

It has a dull silver/pewter TBird emblem.

$30 and it's yours. It's $39 on eBay right now. Originally $44.

 

[Mike A]

Wish it would fit my G&L-bird!