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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
Cool...
Now, maybe some of you guys who have bought these chinabuckers can answer the following question:
I suppose the chinabuckers have rail magnets like the originals - But are they wide enough to accommodate the 5 string spacing of an Epiphone Pro-V?
I'm considering swapping out the original pickups for a pair of these on both my Pro-IV and Pro-V, as I would love to have a matching pair of Pro's and don't care much for their active electronics anyway...
Just wanted to throw up a pic of the swank new PG I got for my 'bird from our very own Larry V (thanks Larry!). I wasn't sure if I was going to like it better than the white one, but I do! And the wife says it looks classy...I told her this is what you call a 'tuxedo' bass.
The only other cosmetic thing I want to do is replace the black PG screws with gold ones.
Thanks for the shout out and I'm glad you're happy with the PG, Ed. 
You guys are really making me want to try out these chrome bird pickups! drool
But my venture into an all out 60's-70's bird look will be with a white epiphone classic pro in which all the black becomes all chrome (i'm going to look into the mini clovers by hipshot
)But i've always thought of just using the original pickups & destroying the black covers to use chrome ones. But i might change my mind when comes the day of actually modifying it (i love those gibson pickups!)
But my venture into an all out 60's-70's bird look will be with a white epiphone classic pro in which all the black becomes all chrome (i'm going to look into the mini clovers by hipshot
)But i've always thought of just using the original pickups & destroying the black covers to use chrome ones. But i might change my mind when comes the day of actually modifying it (i love those gibson pickups!)
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
My 1991 is the chrome 'Bird in my flock. It's currently got chrome clovers, a chrome Babicz, a pickup cover, and the bridge cover from my EB-2. That cover fits it perfectly, and the reproduction cover I got for the 'Bird fits the EB-2 better than the original. Go figure. It's not like I'm damaging the EB-2 by swapping covers, either, since it wasn't stock and pristine when I got it more than 30 years ago.
I was thinking about refinishing the 1991, but those pictures of a chromed out burst 'Bird have me rethinking a bit. It really looks great. This makes a visit to our Queen to view the range of possibilities even more important.
I was thinking about refinishing the 1991, but those pictures of a chromed out burst 'Bird have me rethinking a bit. It really looks great. This makes a visit to our Queen to view the range of possibilities even more important.
Good for you! If only I had the willpower to do this too...
It's quite literally will power. I have eaten nothing delicious since July and I'm pretty much off the beer. I have half of one after hockey with the fellas.
Congrats! That really is something... I was almost going to ask Trudeau to revoke your Canadian citizenship for the beer comment but then you saved yourself by mentioning that you're still playing hockey.
Haji
Supporting Member
It's a sad fact that many people running companies like Gibson aren't players and aren't in tune with what players want, so the obvious changes never get made and they lose a sale (or many) and create or feed an aftermarket industry that wouldn't be there if stuff was available from the factory.
One thing I'll always love about Taylor Guitars is how many players, including Bob Taylor, they have working there. I'm top of that, Bob is truly a man of integrity. I've known him for about 30 years, and he was a friend of my parents before that.
One thing I'll always love about Taylor Guitars is how many players, including Bob Taylor, they have working there. I'm top of that, Bob is truly a man of integrity. I've known him for about 30 years, and he was a friend of my parents before that.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I think Henry J. may play guitar. He sure doesn't know what musicians want, though. He's in his own little egocentric world. Gibson will survive him, just like it survived all kinds of other problems. 7ender survived bad management as well. It's a cycle. I have to admit that I don't expect to see Henry J. gone in my lifetime. He's one of those chronic problems that just won't go away.
left for work very good pickups) are the same as on the Thunderbird 2015
very good pickups) are the same as on the Thunderbird 2015
There is some financial pressure on Gibson at present but I think you are absolutely right. I also think a lot of parroted rubbish gets talked about bass guitars, but many Gibson decisions don't help or even make sense.
The monthly "Gibsons are rubbish threads" out in the general population got me thinking.
Even though I have 9 Gibson basses, I actually have more Fender basses, but I don't look at Fenders through rose coloured glasses. I have Fender basses from every decade Fender has made basses. Some of my best Fenders are from the much maligned CBS period, they suffer from none of the problems that common "wisdom" says they should- I have four and they are all beauties. The worst Fenders I have had were built during the 90s- a period that the drones don't seem to criticise. People go on endlessly about Gibson QC (and with some reason) but don't bat an eyelid at having to shim the neck on a new Fender or G&L.
The basic Fender design is cheap to produce with a disposable/ easily replaceable neck,. All my vintage Gibsons are better built basses than vintage Fenders. I have three relatively modern Gibsons- my chromed out TBird, an ES 335 and now the G3. They should all be junk according to the drones. They are all well built and well finished. They play beautifully. I have never had a Gibson bass with a neck problem- I wish I could say that for Fenders.
Thanks for all the nice comments about my chromed out TBird. I am very pleased with the results. I'll take a better pic of the body when I get a chance- it really does have a nice grain.
The G3 had a run with a band tonight but with a supplied backline at fairlly subdued volume levels. They are indeed a beast all of their own. I like it. My initial thoughts are that it reminds me of a Ric. The other band members all commented on how they could feel the bass- the drummer asked me if it was active. It gets a run with my band on the weekend through my rig at higher volume and I will know more then.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I completely agree about QC. I have not had a Gibson yet that had much in the way of problems. The EB had some odd design choices, but no QC issues. The frets are always level, they are always accurate. At this point I have five Thunderbirds and an EB-2. The EB will probably be coming back eventually, so that will make seven Gibsons or Epiphones. Two of the 'Birds are Epis. I think of them a little like MIA and MIM Fenders. They just have a different logo on the headstock when Gibsons are made somewhere else.
The QC carping is like the neck dive carping. I have one Fender, a Precision, and I like it very much for what it does. However, it's got one place it likes to be and it has a bit of neck dive. Not much, but it is there. A good Gibson will hang a lot of different ways. They don't neck dive at all. The only one that did was the low end Epiphone, and that was solved by moving one strap button.
It's the crazy zigs and zags that seem to be a major cause of confusion and negative feelings about Gibson bass guitars. The perception that Gibson doesn't care about bass players doesn't help at all. It may also be factual, based on some of the things Gibson has done.
As far as new models, I don't think Fender is much better about coming up with anything actually new for bass players. They occasionally have a round of things they do, like Gibson does, but those tend to disappear pretty fast. They sell Precisions and Jazz basses. Gibson sells Thunderbirds and SG style basses. The company that really hasn't changed much is Rickenbacker, and the Rickenbacker hater club seems to be even bigger and louder than the Gibson haters. I guess fanboys will be fanboys. I play Gibsons most of the time because they feel right and sound right for what I do and what I like. That's the end of it. Poking the Fender people on occasion is fun, just to do it. So is poking the tort people. It's all fun until somebody's virtual eye gets poked.
The QC carping is like the neck dive carping. I have one Fender, a Precision, and I like it very much for what it does. However, it's got one place it likes to be and it has a bit of neck dive. Not much, but it is there. A good Gibson will hang a lot of different ways. They don't neck dive at all. The only one that did was the low end Epiphone, and that was solved by moving one strap button.
It's the crazy zigs and zags that seem to be a major cause of confusion and negative feelings about Gibson bass guitars. The perception that Gibson doesn't care about bass players doesn't help at all. It may also be factual, based on some of the things Gibson has done.
As far as new models, I don't think Fender is much better about coming up with anything actually new for bass players. They occasionally have a round of things they do, like Gibson does, but those tend to disappear pretty fast. They sell Precisions and Jazz basses. Gibson sells Thunderbirds and SG style basses. The company that really hasn't changed much is Rickenbacker, and the Rickenbacker hater club seems to be even bigger and louder than the Gibson haters. I guess fanboys will be fanboys. I play Gibsons most of the time because they feel right and sound right for what I do and what I like. That's the end of it. Poking the Fender people on occasion is fun, just to do it. So is poking the tort people. It's all fun until somebody's virtual eye gets poked.
I own 5 Epiphone branded guitars/basses & have 3 fender style. I've been around gibson/epiphone for most of my early life since my dad used to own a les paul triumph bass, a ripper, the gibson blackbird & some epiphone juniors (back when they weren't all that great according to him). But i started out with a squier pbass cause of deedee ramone. I'm always a fender guy at heart & i'll go to a shop & browse the various guitars & basses comparing them all to MIM MIA & squiers seeing which is better. I've honestly never picked up a gibson guitar without either being: this needs a lot done for it to play good, it's too light, etc. I'm not bashing gibson persay because i do love the early designs such as the ripper & the thunderbird eb-2 etc. & like you, i prefer the CBS era of Fender because they look like they're built to last forever. From the old punk bands i see using pbasses, they seem to handle the bashing very surprisingly (aside from Simonons famed London Calling bass!).
I guess what i'm saying is: i'll look for vintage gear, but i'll never be tempted to buy a new gibson branded instrument simply because i don't want something based on brand. I want something that speaks in the way it sounds, how it feels. I let my tone mind be the judge if it passes, i'd get it.
Well for the 2013 model year, Gibson gave me EXACTLY what I wanted: a left-handed Thunderbird. So I can't be that pissed. Sure took long enough. And no clue if they'll ever do it again, but damn I love mine and appreciate it every time I play.
Yeah... I think a lot of people are just so used to the issues that come with Fenders that they don't even notice them, they only notice when a bass has entirely different issues and so therefore think it's bad, even if it doesn't suffer from any of the issues they're used to on Fenders.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
7enders are a machined industrial product. Gibsons are typically more complicated from a production standpoint. I'm not sure how you would build a Thunderbird without expending a lot more hand labor than is necessary to build a P-Bass. In order to hit a price point. I'm not arguing that one is better or worse, since a modern CNC built product will be more consistent and far more precise than any hand made product. A slab bass, like a Thunderbird or Precision, is less dependent on fit and finish to get whatever tone you are after. That's more a matter of specific parts, not so much whether it was hand made or slapped together on a conveyor belt by robots. The fact that 7ender got a jump on the market, and essentially defined the bass guitar as an instrument early on, means that all else is judged against the ergos and feel of a Precision. Thunderbirds and other Gibsons are different, and because they are different, those who expect a bass guitar to be a 7ender will be disappointed. That's fine. It means there will be used ones for me at reduced prices because they 'neck dive' or have some undefined QC issue I don't notice or care about if I do notice.
I think about these things too much. Time to play instead.
I think about these things too much. Time to play instead.
I like 7enders. I like Rics. I just like Thunderbirds more. They are more bottom heavy with growly mids and I think they elevate the powerfulness of the whole band. So many songs start off with guitar and then when that bird kicks I it's like,.... holy hell, now that is a BASS guitar !!!
I have to laugh, Thunderbird guys trolling each other out in general population.
Must be a slow night, no Gibby hate threads
Must be a slow night, no Gibby hate threads
