Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

My sympathies.

Thanks. Fortunately it's been years. Everywhere we've lived in Louisville we've had water problems--except the house with the landslide behind it--and dirt and trees up the hill ended up 6ft from the back of the house! (In the 70s it happened and knocked the house two down off it's foundation. Didn't know that when we bought the house. Would have been good to know.) It's a weird sensation to be standing up on the a hill and seeing upright trees slowly sliding by! Sold that house and took a $40k bath in the process. Just a few years away from paying the house off. The state bought the property next to us when had more hill in the back yard.

 

[dagrev]

You calling me fat?!

No, not at all. Just tall.

 

[dagrev]

I've mentioned b4 on other sites-and prolly here(CRS)that so many demos consist of the player showing off.That don't tell me about the gear, esp. if it's a lotta slapandpop-which I don't like or do. Here's a bizarre thought: play the same pattern with different settings. I'm auditioning the gear, not the player.

Amen! I love the non-bass guitar (amp, strings, etc.) demos where the guy plays some exotic bass to demo strings or an amp. That tells you nothing since you have no clue what the odd-ball bass that 14 people have normally sounds like. Also love bass demos where the person plays it like a guitar with almost all chords and harmonics. Yeah, that's exactly what bass players do 90% of the time. Didn't care for most VP demos I saw either. I don't want to know what a chainsaw sounds like. Got two in the garage and never use them musically.

 

[PillO]

No, not at all. Just tall.

Not saying you are wrong. Just checking that it is what you are doing.

 

[dagrev]

Hi all. Anyone seen the fix with sticky wheel weights for neck drive. Inside the electrical compartment on the epi thunderbird. Has anyone actually tryed it and had success or is it just another silly youtube vid. The weights will need to be plastic coated. Is there much room in the compartment?

What Mr. Stiletti said.
A good strap is all you need.

 

[PillO]

Amen! I love the non-bass guitar (amp, strings, etc.) demos where the guy plays some exotic bass to demo strings or an amp. That tells you nothing since you have no clue what the odd-ball bass that 14 people have normally sounds like. Also love bass demos where the person plays it like a guitar with almost all chords and harmonics. Yeah, that's exactly what bass players do 90% of the time. Didn't care for most VP demos I saw either. I don't want to know what a chainsaw sounds like. Got two in the garage and never use them musically.

Too few fully appreciate the musicality of a well played chainsaw.

 

[WillyW]

Does anyone have any gigbag suggestions?

I only found one on amazon, and it doesn’t give a brand name... kinda scary...

 

[TBird1958]

I just bought two Epiphone Vintage Pro iV basses. A white one with a head crack and a black one. Funnily the white bass with the fixed headcrack sounds much better than the other one. Therefore I could not resist to take it home. Could this be the same effect like with old Gibson's?
And the guy in the shop mentioned that the new TB's that are ordered will be 100 bucks cheaper due to a change in pick ups. Is there any information about this?

I have a '76 that has a headstock repair, it wasn't broken completely off though, if repaired correctly they can be stronger than the original, tone is a bit more subjective - but in my case the broken one does sound a little different that the unbroken - I attribute it more to inconsistencies in the pickups.
Can't say that our collective has heard anything at all about a change in the Vintage Pro's pickups - I'm skeptical at this point.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

View attachment 3735428

About the bridge pickup locations:
The bridge pickups are much closer to the bridge on the new models.
Have there been any more comments about this, or sound samples?

(Differences between neck pickups is smaller, based on this composite photo I posted a while back: Thunderbird Club)

 

[Midas]

NBD

 

[Engle]

Hi all. Anyone seen the fix with sticky wheel weights for neck drive. Inside the electrical compartment on the epi thunderbird. Has anyone actually tryed it and had success or is it just another silly youtube vid. The weights will need to be plastic coated. Is there much room in the compartment?

I think it’s a silly thing to do. Take away weight with ultralight tuners instead of adding weight.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

QUOTE="TBird1958, post: 23696591, member: 113044"]Can't say that our collective has heard anything at all about a change in the Vintage Pro's pickups - I'm skeptical at this point.[/QUOTE]

Public service announcement on related note:
ZZounds has Embassy Pro on sale for $299 with free shipping. Couldn't resist.
Photos (hopefully representative of the item I bought) still show the "ProBucker Vintage 760" pickups, and show *the bridge mounted in the correct location* (as you might know, a run were made with misplaced bridge and tailpiece). I'll let you know in a few days.

 

[MCF]

I have a '76 that has a headstock repair, it wasn't broken completely off though, if repaired correctly they can be stronger than the original, tone is a bit more subjective - but in my case the broken one does sound a little different that the unbroken - I attribute it more to inconsistencies in the pickups.
Can't say that our collective has heard anything at all about a change in the Vintage Pro's pickups - I'm skeptical at this point.

Yeah. Not sure why they would mess with the pickups unless there is some kind of supply issue.

 

[Midas]

I just found it worth mentioning because it was the head of the bass departement of "Musicstore" , one of the three biggest stores and online shops in Germany resp. Europe who spoke about the pick ups

 

[TBird1958]

NBD
View attachment 3735521

Happy to add you to the club if you like

 

[Beginner Craig]

What Mr. Stiletti said.
A good strap is all you need.

Yeah Ive read that in the past but when seated my strap is at the shortest and not taught. I was thinking on trying to get the bass to balance better rather than replying on the strap?

 

[Midas]

Of course I like Thank you very much Sir :-D

 

[LetItGrowTone]

I hope to address you in a few days, Your Majesty.

 

[fasterpussycat]

Yeah, the sounds they were getting from it didn't appeal to me at all. But lots of demos are that way. Same for the Damnation, but now I love it and use it differently than any demo I saw. I think they could easily get the same sounds from the demo from Darkglass pedals for a lot less money and board space. That sizzle is what I loved away from.

P Hunter playing it in front of a DG booth (at NAMM? you weren't there!). Sounded like a harsher version of one of the more 'extreme' DG pedals.

 

[gidbass]

So, I joined a new band (now in 2). This one, is going to start off as a Scorpions tribute band and then we will be sprinkling in other 80's "classic" metal. The likes of Iron Maiden (yay!), Judas Priest, Accept etc. I'm stoked as this is what I grew up listening to, and still listen to today. The guys seem really cool and can all play as well.

My other band is a bar cover band playing lighter rock/pop songs that folks can dance to, which I enjoy because we gig and I like the band, but I don't love the material.

Anyways, in my bar band, we are all IEM's and I never got to hear my VP through an amp in a band setting (only ambient FOH when gigging)...until last night.

I ran my VP through my Steve Harris Tech21 SH1 into an older Ampeg BA 115 with both pickups and tone dimed. I also ditched the flats on all my basses and run DR Lowrider SS now, including on my VP.

Wow...just...wow. I think I finally understand where the "Thunder" comes from in "Thunderbird" now...

Even with all the Thunder, it could cut through the mix like a knife when I wanted it too.

The singer/BL and one guitarist were excited, as they both like the Tbird and it helps with the Scorpions image, although I can't remember ever seeing Francis with anything but his red PBass with white pickguard. The other guitarist was indifferent until we started playing, and then at break asked me about the bass and was impressed by the sound (and look!).

If you are a fan of the TBird look/shape, this is the bass to buy! You won't be disappointed.

Just thought I'd share.