Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

I too have a 66 EB3, here seen beside my 68 EB0. The EB0 i sold some time ago, the EB3 I still use for gigging.
Your EB3 seems to have had the 69 bridge?

View attachment 3765773

Nice basses! Thank you for pointing that out - to tell you the truth I just recently have realized it wasn't new the year I bought it and someone else on tb said it was a '66. The tuners are also different, as you can see mine had the 'Y' type that became common on many basses after. I didn't know about these details back then and frankly never researched them after. So it probably is a '69 as you say. Long story short - I ordered an EB3L (with slotted hs) in brown through a friends shop connection and when I opened the case it was the ss in trans red. I considered not accepting it but didn't want to wait longer so I kept it. So whenever the first year of the L was sold is when I ordered it. (maybe right as it was coming out as I picked it from a Gibson catalog) Once I learned it was an earlier year, I thought it was probably due to the shop wanting to get rid of old stock and sent it to me hoping I'd accept it over the L. So if you can help confirm the date, I'd appreciate it because it would help set my years straight.

 

[dagrev]

OK, a few (hundred? thousand? trillion?) posts back, some of y'all were talking about wedges to angle your amps up when playing your THUNDERBIRDS. Clever boy that I am, I did not take note of product names, endorsements, etc. I see a number of products out there, but don't recall what you loved (or didn't).
So, for a smallish amp[1], what wedge[2] would you use under your amp when playing your THUNDERBIRD? I suppose, if you must, products for angling amps with other basses might be worth considering as well.

[1] For the sake of argument, assume this is a slightly used Fender Rumble 100 v3.
[2] Triangular prismic device. Small, folding stand. Etc.

I've use wood blocks to keep the cab on the floor at times. I've also used the two below. The short one was free with something I bought and I don't see a name.

None of this may be what you had in mind.... I used pics like this so you could see what they do and get some perspective.

This is adjustable.

This one will go a little higher if needed.

 

[dagrev]

Wow - I've never heard of anyone going to that extreme for authenticity. Sets them apart to say the least. Very cool - it's a special bass!

I know what you mean. That's what interested me. Most use somewhat modern materials spec'ed to make them sound like an old PU. With Klein trying to replicate the aged aspect and materials themselves, I see it as about as close to original as you could get. I've not heard anyone complain about their work. I really want another bass just to drop another of their PUs in! If they would only make Thunderbird PUs!

 

[JIO]

I built custom naugahyde covered wood platforms for a few of my cabs raising them 6" w/big rubber feet. They are light and the legs unscrew so easy to travel to gigs with.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I assume so. Not uncommon for Fenders at all for a late neck to end up on a early next year body. Or other such variations. The last dated component and SS# is the closest date to going out the door.

I suspected that was the case. Amps had pots and such from previous years.

 

[Mvf]

Nice basses! Thank you for pointing that out - to tell you the truth I just recently have realized it wasn't new the year I bought it and someone else on tb said it was a '66. The tuners are also different, as you can see mine had the 'Y' type that became common on many basses after. I didn't know about these details back then and frankly never researched them after. So it probably is a '69 as you say. Long story short - I ordered an EB3L (with slotted hs) in brown through a friends shop connection and when I opened the case it was the ss in trans red. I considered not accepting it but didn't want to wait longer so I kept it. So whenever the first year of the L was sold is when I ordered it. (maybe right as it was coming out as I picked it from a Gibson catalog) Once I learned it was an earlier year, I thought it was probably due to the shop wanting to get rid of old stock and sent it to me hoping I'd accept it over the L. So if you can help confirm the date, I'd appreciate it because it would help set my years straight.

Yep, I would say it is a 69Didn't first notice the tuners but those and the bridge confirms it. Gibson was using a lot of different tuners in those days... You can see that my 68 EB0 had the kind of tuners Kalamazoo basses used to have...

 

[Glenn Johnson]

You see I’d love to play like this. But I ain’t Macca.

Macca actually played bass, drums, lead guitar, piano and backup vocals on that song. Not bad at all.

 

[dagrev]

I suspected that was the case. Amps had pots and such from previous years.

On a Gibson Thunderbird...if you have a neck a different year than the body......

 

[JIO]

Yep, I would say it is a 69Didn't first notice the tuners but those and the bridge confirms it. Gibson was using a lot of different tuners in those days... You can see that my 68 EB0 had the kind of tuners Kalamazoo basses used to have...

Ok - thanks for that. I just looked it up and the L was first sold in 1970, which is when I bought my ('69) as a jr in hs. So it was barely NOS but I feel my theory is more or less confirmed - they were clearing out old stock. I also saw many pics of '69s showing the same bridge as mine with and w/o the mute which mine had. I guess like many basses with mutes - a lot of players removed them.

You can see traces of where the mute was in this example.

 

[Beginner Craig]

Hipshot Xtender Tuner! Any used/fitted one of these to their bird. Used to drop the tuning to D on the E string. Are they anygood?

Are they compatible of a Epi T-Bird?
Thanks

 

[JIO]

Hipshot Xtender Tuner! Any used/fitted one of these to their bird. Used to drop the tuning to D on the E string. Are they anygood?

Are they compatible of a Epi T-Bird?
Thanks

Hipshot sells that same tuner as a unit (eBay etc) and most unique tuners can be converted to their machine.

 

[Border]

I built custom naugahyde covered wood platforms for a few of my cabs raising them 6" w/big rubber feet. They are light and the legs unscrew so easy to travel to gigs with.

View attachment 3766006

I like that covered stand you built! It looks much better than the cheap Dollys from Harbor Freight I have my heavy old Fender Amp perched on.

 

[Thumper]

Does anyone know what drop tuner fits Embassy's?

 

[Instagator]

Does anyone know what drop tuner fits Embassy's?

GB 7 Hipshot

 

[GBassNorth]

All this EB posting on the TBird thread has me drooling. My Short scale 2008 Gibson SG Supreme basses are some of my favorite players and log in as much time as my Thunderbirds.

The burning vintage EB question I have - which EB years or models are best for extreme earth shaking cab destroying bottom end?

And to bring us back on topic - has anyone ever put a vintage EB mudbucker in a TBird up at the neck?

 

[Instagator]

Hipshot Xtender Tuner! Any used/fitted one of these to their bird. Used to drop the tuning to D on the E string. Are they anygood?

Are they compatible of a Epi T-Bird?
Thanks

I use them on mine..they work great
BT-3 fits the first generation of Epi Vintage Pro with the wider Wilkinson tuners and BT -2 for the current Vintags Pro

 

[JIO]

I like that covered stand you built! It looks much better than the cheap Dollys from Harbor Freight I have my heavy old Fender Amp perched on.

Thanks - I had a length of that orange sparkle vinyl that I used for something and figured why not! It visually sticks out so I can't forget it packing up after a set. Many times in clubs there's a stack of black bags/gear in a dark corner and things can disappear. I have others in black vinyl which blends in with the cabs.

 

[Beginner Craig]

I use them on mine..they work great
BT-3 fits the first generation of Epi Vintage Pro with the wider Wilkinson tuners and BT -2 for the current Vintags Pro

So BT-3 fits classic pro as that was first generation? Is that the same as the blackbird?

 

[Beginner Craig]

I use them on mine..they work great
BT-3 fits the first generation of Epi Vintage Pro with the wider Wilkinson tuners and BT -2 for the current Vintags Pro

Also string gauge do you use on the E string 110?

 

[tom_t]

I use them on mine..they work great
BT-3 fits the first generation of Epi Vintage Pro with the wider Wilkinson tuners and BT -2 for the current Vintags Pro

I was not aware there were some differences in Epi Vintage Pro like these tuner machines for instance.
Are there more?