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Thunderbird Club

#15,301
The 2001 got out to play last night. I hadn't had a chance to really air it out until then and it lived up to expectations. Gibson must have changed the pickup construction sometime between 1991 and 2001, because the 2001 stock pickups sound huge and the stock 1991 pickups didn't sound nearly as good. The 1991's got replaced. The 2001's pickups are going to stay stock. I'll have to look to see if the covers can be replaced, otherwise it won't get chromed out. Can't have everything I guess.
 
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#15,302
Just noticed this one is on eBay in Australia and is advertised as a Gibson. Obviously, too dear for a refinished Gibson, unless it's a very old one- which clearly it is not.

Actually, I would need further convincing that this is a Gibson at all. The neck pickup position, pickup type, nut width (but admittedly hard to tell for sure in pics) and output jack on the front of the bass all seem to suggest an Epi of some type. Not sure what it is, but the position of the knobs relative to the bridge is strange too.

A shot of the back would help by clarifying whether bolt on or not.

What do you guys think this is?

$_57.jpg


http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gibson-Thund ... SwKfVXGWIc
 
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#15,304
Gaolee said:
The 2001 got out to play last night. I hadn't had a chance to really air it out until then and it lived up to expectations. Gibson must have changed the pickup construction sometime between 1991 and 2001, because the 2001 stock pickups sound huge and the stock 1991 pickups didn't sound nearly as good. The 1991's got replaced. The 2001's pickups are going to stay stock. I'll have to look to see if the covers can be replaced, otherwise it won't get chromed out. Can't have everything I guess.
Click to expand...

My 2001 ebony Bird sounds better than my other Birds IMHO. There is just something about that one that is "different", but in a good way. My Blackbird is a 2001 as well and it has a fantastic more aggressive sound than my other Birds, but the ebony version is still my favorite bass that I have ever owned........and I have owned a LOT.

And.....that re-fin posted above has all the indicators of being an Epi. The headstock, pickups, etc all scream Epi to my eyes.
 
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#15,308
Jah Wobble Fan said:
View attachment 850465 I stood in front of Nikki's cabinet at the Silversun Pickups gig in Ventura Ca last night and was highly impressed by her tones.
Click to expand...
I caught them in Sacto a few weeks ago. They were great. Nikki's tone on the Better Nature album blows me away. I know she uses EB rounds. What I can't figure out is how much she uses her pedals. When I saw her, it didn't look like she was on her board a lot. Anyway, I really like her playing.
 
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#15,309
MCF said:
I caught them in Sacto a few weeks ago. They were great. Nikki's tone on the Better Nature album blows me away. I know she uses EB rounds. What I can't figure out is how much she uses her pedals. When I saw her, it didn't look like she was on her board a lot. Anyway, I really like her playing.
Click to expand...

I wondered about her use of pedals, too, since there were indeed some by her feet, although I could not identify them from my vantage point, nor did she engage with them.
Thus my curiosity, because her tone tended to range between full and round to outright face ripping. In fact her attention seemed less on her gear and more on the wings of the stage.
My girl and I were pretty certain the band were supplementing with tapes, for the lead guitar sounds in particular. There were several Mac laptops right of stage and they were clearly issuing cues on occasion. All of which is to say, perhaps some of Nikki's tonal changes are automated at this point? I know that's how Edge does it with U2... Elves pressing pedals.

In any case, the bass notes were coming out as Nikki's hand worked the instrument, that much was real... And the Gibby sounded great, however it was processed.
 
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#15,311
Jah Wobble Fan said:
I wondered about her use of pedals, too, since there were indeed some by her feet, although I could not identify them from my vantage point, nor did she engage with them.
Thus my curiosity, because her tone tended to range between full and round to outright face ripping. In fact her attention seemed less on her gear and more on the wings of the stage.
My girl and I were pretty certain the band were supplementing with tapes, for the lead guitar sounds in particular. There were several Mac laptops right of stage and they were clearly issuing cues on occasion. All of which is to say, perhaps some of Nikki's tonal changes are automated at this point? I know that's how Edge does it with U2... Elves pressing pedals.

In any case, the bass notes were coming out as Nikki's hand worked the instrument, that much was real... And the Gibby sounded great, however it was processed.
Click to expand...

Sounds like it was automated from your description - At least that's how we do it in my band with Apple Mainstage.

I only have to deal with playing and switching back and forth between my bass and my guitar - The rest is all done with either MIDI triggering or our keyboard player adding effects when needed.
 
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#15,312
veebass said:
Just noticed this one is on eBay in Australia and is advertised as a Gibson. Obviously, too dear for a refinished Gibson, unless it's a very old one- which clearly it is not.

Actually, I would need further convincing that this is a Gibson at all. The neck pickup position, pickup type, nut width (but admittedly hard to tell for sure in pics) and output jack on the front of the bass all seem to suggest an Epi of some type. Not sure what it is, but the position of the knobs relative to the bridge is strange too.

A shot of the back would help by clarifying whether bolt on or not.

What do you guys think this is?

$_57.jpg


http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gibson-Thund ... SwKfVXGWIc
Click to expand...

There's is no doubt, that is no Gibson...

It has ALL the signs of an Epi bolt on, as everybody else already mentioned...
 
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#15,313


hillerup said:
Sounds like it was automated from your description - At least that's how we do it in my band with Apple Mainstage.

I only have to deal with playing and switching back and forth between my bass and my guitar - The rest is all done with either MIDI triggering or our keyboard player adding effects when needed.
Click to expand...

Thanks for explaining, it is all illuminating and fascinating as I was unaware just how pervasively computers are being used these days to supplement and enhance live bands. But I realized what was afoot with the opening band, Joywave, who I thought terrific but who were so enhanced that they didn't break into songs so much as creep in behind the backing tracks.

Compters enhance our recordings, our gigs and now our videos: check out the dope animated skate video for the aforementioned Joywave, above.
 
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