Thunderbird Club

[BC Blackmur]

Finally had some time this weekend to change strings, clean and do a proper setup on my new (to me) Vintage Pro.
For all those interested, here are pictures of the pickups before:


Cleaned fb/body, polished frets and installed a fresh set of GHS Bass Boomers, medium gage 45-105 strings.
This cleaned up very well, pics of fretboard and body:


And full bass:


I raised the action a bit since it was minuscule and all strings buzzed on all frets. Not sure if the person that owned it before me had a light touch or if they liked the constant grind type of sound but that's not for me. Still buzzes a bit and if I tear into it, it will still have a nice grind to it.
I was inspired to check the setup on my Epi IV and found the action was way too high. Although I am an aggressive player and do like it high, this was pretty bad. Still learning about doing my own setups and when I replaced the bridge last year I took measurements and just put it back the way the original 3 point was set up. It was brand new from GC so I figure that it was intentionally set high from the factory.

I then did the same to the Epi IV, new GHS strings (same as the VP), cleaned again after a year of use, lowered the action until everything buzzed then raised it enough to give me something similar to the VP.

Yesterday I recorded a few videos using a song from my first EP from 2016. I used the stems from the guitar and drum tracks, then recorded each bass, the Epi IV and VP, just DI, full vol/tone. After I'm done with some editing I'll post a link to it. I'm combining them to have each bass playing in different parts of the song so it will be just one video. Should be a rather interesting comparison.

 

[GonePlaid]

Bummer he won't ship. He lives on the other side of town, but might be able to work something out to pick it up and ship it. Wouldn't be able to get over there until late in the weeks tho. PM me if you want to discuss.

Thanks. I'm gonna pass as I (A) don't wanna put you out, (2) Still won't know about shipping cost(I know it cost ~ $125, to ship my EpiBird 5er to AZ)*, and (III) I really don't need it. 'Preciate the offer.

*I don't even wanna know what it woulda cost to ship to OZ!

 

[BklynKen]

I raised the action a bit since it was minuscule and all strings buzzed on all frets. Not sure if the person that owned it before me had a light touch or if they liked the constant grind type of sound but that's not for me. Still buzzes a bit and if I tear into it, it will still have a nice grind to it.

I like super low action and find that I have to adjust the truss rod at least a couple of times a year because weather changes will cause fret buzz.

 

[GonePlaid]

You can try swaying. I appreciate all the advice and perspective. I'm open minded, but can still get locked in at times. I have some sets of DA EXLs that came on basses and I'm certainly not opposed to putting a set on to see how they work. Shoot, as cheap as they are, I hope they do. I also have a set of EC CFs. They sounded really good on the first VP. Don't really care for how they feel, but if they are the trick, I can easily get over that. I hesitated trying them thus far because the Gibson has something on the top end (upper mids I think), that sticks out and I can't pinpoint which frequency range it might be in, and was afraid the CFs wold make that worse, being a little bright. Kind of like the TIs I first tried. But now that I'm fooling with the tone knob and EQ I might be able to get either of those to work. I found the EB CFs kind of similar in tone to GHS Pressurewounds, which are made from Alloy52. I'm open to advice and correction, so sway away!

I think what I like best about the CF's is having the 'klank' available if I want it(rarely), but easily EQd out. With my sorta normal settings I get lotsa bottom, sufficient mids, and enuff highs if I happen to get anywhere near 12th fret(also rarely). I like my bass to sound like a bass, not a guitar an octave down.

 

[Nocturnal]

Thanks. I'm gonna pass as I (A) don't wanna put you out, (2) Still won't know about shipping cost(I know it cost ~ $125, to ship my EpiBird 5er to AZ)*, and (III) I really don't need it. 'Preciate the offer.

*I don't even wanna know what it woulda cost to ship to OZ!

Let me know if you change your mind. I would expect shipping to be $100 +/- since it is smaller than a Bird, but who knows with how things are right now. Shipping prices didn't seem to dive when gas prices did.

 

[GonePlaid]

Let me know if you change your mind. I would expect shipping to be $100 +/- since it is smaller than a Bird, but who knows with how things are right now. Shipping prices didn't seem to dive when gas prices did.

Nah, the shippers pocketed the extra profit. Which apparently was offset by shipping certain TBirds back and forth cross country. BTW, the EpiBird 5er was in its case, lotta bubble wrap, in a box(more bubble wrap).

 

[dagrev]

Finally had some time this weekend to change strings, clean and do a proper setup on my new (to me) Vintage Pro.
For all those interested, here are pictures of the pickups before:
View attachment 3867761 View attachment 3867765

Cleaned fb/body, polished frets and installed a fresh set of GHS Bass Boomers, medium gage 45-105 strings.
This cleaned up very well, pics of fretboard and body:
View attachment 3867767 View attachment 3867768

And full bass:
View attachment 3867769

I raised the action a bit since it was minuscule and all strings buzzed on all frets. Not sure if the person that owned it before me had a light touch or if they liked the constant grind type of sound but that's not for me. Still buzzes a bit and if I tear into it, it will still have a nice grind to it.
I was inspired to check the setup on my Epi IV and found the action was way too high. Although I am an aggressive player and do like it high, this was pretty bad. Still learning about doing my own setups and when I replaced the bridge last year I took measurements and just put it back the way the original 3 point was set up. It was brand new from GC so I figure that it was intentionally set high from the factory.

I then did the same to the Epi IV, new GHS strings (same as the VP), cleaned again after a year of use, lowered the action until everything buzzed then raised it enough to give me something similar to the VP.

Yesterday I recorded a few videos using a song from my first EP from 2016. I used the stems from the guitar and drum tracks, then recorded each bass, the Epi IV and VP, just DI, full vol/tone. After I'm done with some editing I'll post a link to it. I'm combining them to have each bass playing in different parts of the song so it will be just one video. Should be a rather interesting comparison.

Gorgeous! Not you, the bass.

Very interested in your vids. Can't wait to hear the difference. A thanks, in advance!

 

[dagrev]

I like super low action and find that I have to adjust the truss rod at least a couple of times a year because weather changes will cause fret buzz.

That makes two of us. I don't get really high action. I received a fender hot Rod from a fellow TBer once and the action was unbelievably high. I should have measured it. I don't know how anybody could possibly play a bass like that. By the time I got the string pushed down to the fret, that part of the song was over with. Most of my basses don't require biannual adjustments. Just a couple with thin necks. My '71 J is the worst offender.

 

[dagrev]

I think what I like best about the CF's is having the 'klank' available if I want it(rarely), but easily EQd out. With my sorta normal settings I get lotsa bottom, sufficient mids, and enuff highs if I happen to get anywhere near 12th fret(also rarely). I like my bass to sound like a bass, not a guitar an octave down.

I hear ya there.

 

[BC Blackmur]

Gorgeous! Not you, the bass.

Very interested in your vids. Can't wait to hear the difference. A thanks, in advance!

Yeah, no one calls me that but my wife Especially now that I haven't had a haircut in 9 months thanks to the current situation. Was going to get my Spring cleanup cut just as the lockdowns started.
She likes it though, so that's all that matters.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

If I play one of these, will my neck do what this guy's is doing? That would be an unexpected bonus.

If you play those bass lines.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Nah, the shippers pocketed the extra profit. Which apparently was offset by shipping certain TBirds back and forth cross country. BTW, the EpiBird 5er was in its case, lotta bubble wrap, in a box(more bubble wrap).

I don't play way up the neck all the time, but I do get there. Otherwise, yeah. The CFs are amazing. I know the Roto wounds were developed with the OX (for his Thunderbirds?) but it feels and sounds to me like the CFs were. That's unlikely, but what a combo.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Yeah, no one calls me that but my wife Especially now that I haven't had a haircut in 9 months thanks to the current situation. Was going to get my Spring cleanup cut just as the lockdowns started.
She likes it though, so that's all that matters.

I think we just found BC's nickname.

Gorgeous.

Even holding something besides a THUNDERBIRD in his avatar.

 

[JJR58]

Gaudy.

But it sure do look good.

I like gaudy and garish.

 

[TBird1958]

There's more chrome on the Bird than the Subie.

 

[MCF]

I knew you'd find something you liked! Sucks it was so hard. I'd send those back to SW.

Yeah, I’ll deal with it tomorrow.

I'm so glad you are pleased with the tone! Also glad after all my hype you didn't say, "This thing sucks!" Awfully close to the 60s tone--W/O dropping some serious money, even for replacement PUs. And I've mentioned before that most of the strings I have tried sounded really good, even Fender flats, but some were in the amazing category. Don't be afraid to try some more string options to see which one matches the best with the bass and your tonal objectives.

My crush Nikki Monninger plays Slinkys and I love her tone. I can get close at times, so they’re a reliable, comfortable choice. But they don’t last all that long. Always looking for something better....

 

[MCF]

There's more chrome on the Bird than the Subie.

View attachment 3868003

And it’s metal too! The little chrome on my Subie is plastic...

 

[TBird1958]

And it’s metal too! The little chrome on my Subie is plastic...

I play mine...........hard.

 

[GBassNorth]

Today was the day I wanted to get the VP dialed in. I decided those DA Pro Steels were dead, or garbage, or both. I had a fresh set of 45 - 105 Nickels I added to a SW order some weeks ago on a whim, just to check the brand out. So I figured I’d put them on.....
so A taper point sits on the fret. Really? I’d never come across strings that tapered like that on the fretboard.
View attachment 3867493
As far as I’m concerned, they’re worthless.

Actually what you have there is a very special bass string set. The tapering over the frets is an intended design feature mostly used by instructors while teaching bass students the importance of timing. The Taper acts as a "speed bump" during slides and forces the student to slow down and move with the rhythm.

I think what I like best about the CF's is having the 'klank' available if I want it(rarely), but easily EQd out. With my sorta normal settings I get lotsa bottom, sufficient mids, and enuff highs if I happen to get anywhere near 12th fret(also rarely). I like my bass to sound like a bass, not a guitar an octave down.

I hear ya there.

Ditto! If I want highs I'll find something to smoke.

Which brings me to another Greco observation that might or might not be of value to @dagrev as you struggle to get the right sound out of your Gibby bird.

On all my Gibson TBirds (maybe true with Eppi as well but I don't recall for sure) the volume knob takes on a second personality when turned to 9 or higher. It essentially overrides the tone knob setting and goes bright. My new Greco bird doesn't do that. The volume knob just increases/decreases volume without any noticeable impact on tone.

For that very reason I rarely turn any of my Gibby birds up past 8 on volume, tone knob is usually at 5 or less. If I go 9 or higher on volume it really doesn't matter much what my tone is set at, it's gonna get a lot brighter, specifically in the high mids.

If you haven't already tried it, turn your volume down to 8 max, set your tone where you like it and see if that setting gets you where you want to be. If it does but your volume is too low, consider raising your pups a bit if possible.

 

[GBassNorth]

I play mine...........hard.


View attachment 3868028

....so do I, but only when no one is looking.