Thunderbird Club

[Nocturnal]

Hi guys, I dont know wether this has been answered before and if so, my apologies.
My good friend has a Gibson 1964 Thunderbird and is looking to replace the stock pick ups!
He's choosing between EMG TBHZ or Mike Lull's custom thunderbird pickups.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

I would not go with EMG in a 64, but that is just me. Mike Lull, Thunderbucker Ranch, and Jason Lollar all make great replacement pickups for T-birds.

 

[GBassNorth]

Seller says this is merely a paint crack. Seller has good ratings. It looks to me like it would just be a paint crack. Any thoughts?

View attachment 3819867

Looks like it's probably just a paint crack. But the bigger question might be, what made the neck flex to the point that it cracked the paint? Unless the price was really good I'd personally pass on this one.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Hi guys, I dont know wether this has been answered before and if so, my apologies.
My good friend has a Gibson 1964 Thunderbird and is looking to replace the stock pick ups!
He's choosing between EMG TBHZ or Mike Lull's custom thunderbird pickups.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

if he wants to sell the originals (working or not) please PM me..

 

[BUCKSHOT]

I assume the pickups are not working? Both of them? Otherwise I can see no reason to replace them. I have a '64 as well (two if you consider the old Embassy), and only under the most extreme circumstances would I ever replace those magical pickups. I would do everything I could to first get them repaired or rewound. If everything else fails, then I would look for replacement but that would be the very last option. If the person just doesn't like the sound, I would really suggest not messing up a wonderful instrument and maybe buying one that sounds more to that person's liking. Taking apart a vintage instrument like that for no reason other than tonal objectives seems drastic and sacrilegious to me.

Assuming both are not repairable, the Lulls would certainly be the better of the two options as far as I'm concerned. I have no practical experience with them, but from what I have heard they are really nice. The EMGs wouldn't be on my list I wouldn't think. There are a few others that make pickups that are intended to approach that 64 vintage sound. Scott once told me that he really liked Thunderbuckers, and he knows what vintage Thunderbirds are supposed to sound like!

Hey Dagrev!! Thanks for the response! My friend said that since about a year ago, the stock pickups started sounding way different! He tried repairing them but for some reason the vintage sound never came back! Will tell him about the Lull and Thunderbucker puckups you recommended! Thanks again for the advice! Very much appreciated!

 

[BUCKSHOT]

I would not go with EMG in a 64, but that is just me. Mike Lull, Thunderbucker Ranch, and Jason Lollar all make great replacement pickups for T-birds.

Hey Nocturnal! Thanks for the advice! I wonder why no one seems to like the EMG TBHZ puckups! I have them in my Gibson Thunderbird and am very happy with the way they sound! Though not exactly replucating the '64 pickup sound, I think its close enough! Will tell my friend about your recommendatios on the Lull, Thunderbucker and Lollar pickups! Thanks again for your input! Much aporeciated!

 

[BUCKSHOT]

if he wants to sell the originals (working or not) please PM me..

Will let him know, Chucky Stiletti! Thanks!!

 

[Nocturnal]

Hey Nocturnal! Thanks for the advice! I wonder why no one seems to like the EMG TBHZ puckups! I have them in my Gibson Thunderbird and am very happy with the way they sound! Though not exactly replucating the '64 pickup sound, I think its close enough! Will tell my friend about your recommendatios on the Lull, Thunderbucker and Lollar pickups! Thanks again for your input! Much aporeciated!

It's not that I don't like them. I have tried a couple basses with them and think they are a good choice in the right bass. Just in my shallow mind a vintage Bird should have the correct looking parts.

 

[dagrev]

Hey Dagrev!! Thanks for the response! My friend said that since about a year ago, the stock pickups started sounding way different! He tried repairing them but for some reason the vintage sound never came back! Will tell him about the Lull and Thunderbucker puckups you recommended! Thanks again for the advice! Very much appreciated!

That's such a significant part of the bass, I would do some homework in find someone who can repair those pickups properly. I am by no means an expert, but I would do everything I could to get those pickups fixed. I don't know at what point a pickup can't be fixed, but I would certainly find out before I would replace them. That would be my very last option. I'm just weird that way. Since it's a vintage instrument, I would want it to be as vintage as possible.

 

[GBassNorth]

Gold of the Gods...

 

[GBassNorth]

That's such a significant part of the bass, I would do some homework in find someone who can repair those pickups properly. I am by no means an expert, but I would do everything I could to get those pickups fixed. I don't know at what point a pickup can't be fixed, but I would certainly find out before I would replace them. That would be my very last option. I'm just weird that way. We are such a vintage instrument I would want it to be as vintage as possible.

This is the only logical answer.
Save the EMGs for a modern bass build, but keep the vintage stuff as original as possible, even if you have to rebuild the pups.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

This is the only logical answer.
Save the EMGs for a modern bass build, but keep the vintage stuff as original as possible, even if you have to rebuild the pups.

what if he likes the bass but not the sound of the pups?...takes all kinds...

 

[GBassNorth]

what if he likes the bass but not the sound of the pups?...takes all kinds...

Yep, it does take all kinds. Can't tell another man what to do with his property, but I can sure call him a fool for doing it.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

You may go with DWLANG's offer, which would be great--but as the the crack: my '76 has one not quite that size in about the same location, but has likely been that way for years before I've had it. It has not changed in a few years that I've had the bass. Obviously it's hard to tell what's going on underneath, but it could just be stress where the wood was able to take the flex and the more brittle finish had no give and was not.

As any good Thunderbird owner, one should have an attorney on retainer since those headstocks can fly off without notice and inflict no telling what!

Alas, it's a VP, not a CP, and I've decided if I get another right now it will be a CP. With shipping, it's priced about $600 on Reverb. Might be open to an offer, I don't know.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

You may go with DWLANG's offer, which would be great--but as the the crack: my '76 has one not quite that size in about the same location, but has likely been that way for years before I've had it. It has not changed in a few years that I've had the bass. Obviously it's hard to tell what's going on underneath, but it could just be stress where the wood was able to take the flex and the more brittle finish had no give and was not.

As any good Thunderbird owner, one should have an attorney on retainer since those headstocks can fly off without notice and inflict no telling what!

And thanks!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I assume the pickups are not working? Both of them? Otherwise I can see no reason to replace them. I have a '64 as well (two if you consider the old Embassy), and only under the most extreme circumstances would I ever replace those magical pickups. I would do everything I could to first get them repaired or rewound. If everything else fails, then I would look for replacement but that would be the very last option. If the person just doesn't like the sound, I would really suggest not messing up a wonderful instrument and maybe buying one that sounds more to that person's liking. Taking apart a vintage instrument like that for no reason other than tonal objectives seems drastic and sacrilegious to me.

Assuming both are not repairable, the Lulls would certainly be the better of the two options as far as I'm concerned. I have no practical experience with them, but from what I have heard they are really nice. The EMGs wouldn't be on my list I wouldn't think. There are a few others that make pickups that are intended to approach that 64 vintage sound. Scott once told me that he really liked Thunderbuckers, and he knows what vintage Thunderbirds are supposed to sound like!

No, no, no. The stock pickups are crap. He should get the Lulls and I will take the old ones off his hands. I'll even pay shipping and not charge a disposal fee.

Saving the planet, one ancient magical pickup at a time.

 

[dagrev]

No, no, no. The stock pickups are crap. He should get the Lulls and I will take the old ones off his hands. I'll even pay shipping and not charge a disposal fee.

Saving the planet, one ancient magical pickup at a time.

Why didn't I think of that? Trade for some VP pickups!

 

[PillO]

I'll just leave this hear without comment.

 

[fasterpussycat]

Hey Dagrev!! Thanks for the response! My friend said that since about a year ago, the stock pickups started sounding way different! He tried repairing them but for some reason the vintage sound never came back! Will tell him about the Lull and Thunderbucker puckups you recommended! Thanks again for the advice! Very much appreciated!

If the pickups don't sound right it would be worth him contacting Thunderbucker Ranch or Lollar for advice.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I'll just leave this hear without comment.

Wait. I can actually hear bass. Is that legal? And that looks suspiciously like an NR on the wall, as well.
This was above average for a bass review. And I completely agree with the saddle thoughts.
Ugh. He needs some help with neck dive alleviation.

 

[fasterpussycat]

I'll just leave this hear without comment.

Ceramic pickups.