Let’s go with the latter and say supply chain problems eased up so they’re available now.
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
- Start date
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- club thunderbird
When the Epi Vintage Pro came out I kept getting thisclose to hitting the "add to cart" button, but one thing or another always held me back (though I know they're great quality). A couple months ago I found a black one at a good price and almost did it again, until it hit me that my poor, white '76 has been waiting over 20 years for me to restore it (restomod really, to various 60s specs), so I found a local guy and started that process instead. It'll have Scott's Badbird bridge and tailpiece (and his thumb rest if I decide to use a pick guard with a black bird), and Thunderbucker '66 pickups. I have a few other Gibson related projects in the pipeline as well, so I'm hoping to have more to share over the next year.
Looking forward to seeing them!
If the new Gibby NR Inverness Green bird looks anything like the color of this Inverness green SG it's gonna be a sharp looking bass...
I've been tinkering with the settings on the Triple Shot today, running different T-birds through it. 
Found settings I like really well, think I'll leave it here for a bit, before doing more experimenting
(please do your best to ignore that I've been lazy-ish & haven't secured any of the pedals to the board yet...
)
Found settings I like really well, think I'll leave it here for a bit, before doing more experimenting
(please do your best to ignore that I've been lazy-ish & haven't secured any of the pedals to the board yet...
)
Why didn't you guys say something. I've got a drawer full of those.
Now I know who to contact since you two are cornering the market on those babies!
I was just going to comment on that pedal board being about the sloppiest Velcro job I've seen, not the attention to fine detail that I've come to expect from you. Then I saw your foot note, all makes sense now!I've been tinkering with the settings on the Triple Shot today, running different T-birds through it.
Found settings I like really well, think I'll leave it here for a bit, before doing more experimenting
View attachment 4138784
(please do your best to ignore that I've been lazy-ish & haven't secured any of the pedals to the board yet...
BTW - how are you liking the sound of your white custom build vs the white VP? Any words of wisdom for others that might want to build vs buy a VP?
Hard to like this...sorry, and best of luck on the jeep hunt! I've worked at a Ford dealership for 28 years and I'm here to say...all brands suck...at something, but they all do the same thing...get us from point A to point B...kinda like basses...they all do the same thing, but we like some better than othersWell crap! Here I am looking at that beautiful NR thinking I might just pull the trigger. My mechanic calls (because my truck broke the other day), I figured he would say it is a broken fuel pump, NOPE! I own a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with 260,000 miles and now I have to buy a replacement because the motor is toastLooking at options but realistically Im looking for a new(to me) ride. No NR for me this year
THUNDERBIRD
Yeah, I was meaning to get the velcro done, but I got involved with the new strings on the VP, then working with the Triple Shot....I really should just wait 'til the last pedal shows up, I guess (footswitch for the Peavey).
Long-winded-ness? ensues below...
As far as comparing the CP & the VP...they're pretty similar, in some ways. The VP is a bit lighter (mostly because of the bridge, imo), and sounds a bit brighter.
Putting the brass nut on the CP brought their sound a bit closer, and if I changed out the tone pot on the CP for the standard 500k, might not be a huge difference, sound-wise.
Physically, the body's the same, save for the larger headstock on the VP, so playability is essentially the same.
I do think the Schaller tuners on the CP operate a bit more smoothly than the Wilkinsons on the VP.
The balance is totally different between the two. The CP, with its smaller headstock, lighter tuners, and heavier bridge, is definitely weighted towards the rear; the VP is mostly neutral, maybe just very (very) slightly headstock heavy.
And the bridge....not a gigantic fan of the two piece. It looks cool & vintage correct, works fine, but has some limitations. Those DR reds I just put on - the 105 E-string is pretty much the largest that will fit in the claw, without mods (or tapered strings, I guess?). Tried the 125 B-string that came in the set, just for the funs, wasn't happening.
Adjustability is somewhat challenging/limited, imo the 3-point is better in that regard.
Those of you that have one know that the Babicz is heavy, has tons of adjustability, and is designed so those adjustments can be made easily. And you can put larger strings on very easily - I had a 130 Roto 77 one the CP for a while, fit beautifully with no mods needed to the saddle or the...string retaining area?
I do like both bridges, for different reasons. But if Babicz started making their two-piece replacements for bass also, I'd strongly consider the swap.
But my opinions on bridges may be suspect, since I actually like the three-point...
I think, if someone likes to tinker, like me, and have the CP or similar already, or can get it cheap, the researching, shopping for, buying, & doing the mods is fun, and you can tweak the bass to suit yourself.
But it's not as cost effective as just buying a VP, so if you don't actively want to do/like doing mods, I'd say buy the VP, and have a great sounding & playing bass
Hopefully all that over long expository exposition comes close to answering what you asked?
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I can't figure out why anybody would bother to do that. It looks fine to me. But then I don't much care what the logo says so long as it looks good. Easy to say for a person who owns five Gibsons, there of them Thunderbirds.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
Aaaand another 'Bird just got a little farther away. Roof repair and the van transmission got stuck in park. There's a way to override the interlock for the van, but what a nuisance! It's a Fix Or Repair Daily. I can't complain too much, though. This is the first problem it has had since I got it more than two years ago, and it's now eleven years old.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,587
- 221,942
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I can't figure out why anybody would bother to do that. It looks fine to me. But then I don't much care what the logo says so long as it looks good. Easy to say for a person who owns five Gibsons, there of them Thunderbirds.
Just throwin' it out there. If it were in the Epi VP price range I'd get one and try it, but not for nearly 2k...
Perfect! And thanks so much. Lots of great inside information in that post.Yeah, I was meaning to get the velcro done, but I got involved with the new strings on the VP, then working with the Triple Shot....I really should just wait 'til the last pedal shows up, I guess (footswitch for the Peavey).
Long-winded-ness? ensues below...
As far as comparing the CP & the VP...they're pretty similar, in some ways. The VP is a bit lighter (mostly because of the bridge, imo), and sounds a bit brighter.
Putting the brass nut on the CP brought their sound a bit closer, and if I changed out the tone pot on the CP for the standard 500k, might not be a huge difference, sound-wise.
Physically, the body's the same, save for the larger headstock on the VP, so playability is essentially the same.
I do think the Schaller tuners on the CP operate a bit more smoothly than the Wilkinsons on the VP.
The balance is totally different between the two. The CP, with its smaller headstock, lighter tuners, and heavier bridge, is definitely weighted towards the rear; the VP is mostly neutral, maybe just very (very) slightly headstock heavy.
And the bridge....not a gigantic fan of the two piece. It looks cool & vintage correct, works fine, but has some limitations. Those DR reds I just put on - the 105 E-string is pretty much the largest that will fit in the claw, without mods (or tapered strings, I guess?). Tried the 125 B-string that came in the set, just for the funs, wasn't happening.
Adjustability is somewhat challenging/limited, imo the 3-point is better in that regard.
Those of you that have one know that the Babicz is heavy, has tons of adjustability, and is designed so those adjustments can be made easily. And you can put larger strings on very easily - I had a 130 Roto 77 one the CP for a while, fit beautifully with no mods needed to the saddle or the...string retaining area?
I do like both bridges, for different reasons. But if Babicz started making their two-piece replacements for bass also, I'd strongly consider the swap.
But my opinions on bridges may be suspect, since I actually like the three-point...
I think, if someone likes to tinker, like me, and have the CP or similar already, or can get it cheap, the researching, shopping for, buying, & doing the mods is fun, and you can tweak the bass to suit yourself.
But it's not as cost effective as just buying a VP, so if you don't actively want to do/like doing mods, I'd say buy the VP, and have a great sounding & playing bass
Hopefully all that over long expository exposition comes close to answering what you asked?
I too have found that extensively modding a TBird bass rarely ends up being cheaper than buying a mint used one. The real advantage is you end up with what you think you want vs settling for what's out there, plus it's great experience and a real confidence builder for DIY repairs and mods on other basses down the road.
I'm kinda in the same place as you are on bridges. I have the Hipshot (Goth), the Babicz (2015 Bird), the two piece (VP), the stock Three point (Gibby/Eppi), and the modified Three point two piece (Greco).
I find the stock Three point to be a functionally adequate bridge that can be set up and dialed in very quickly but looks kind of utilitarian. The two piece VP is as quick to set up and IMHO looks much sleeker and retro but it does have intonation and string size limitations the others don't have. The Hipshot gives the TBird a unique look and really fits the Goth theme and center block very well. However, all my other birds have a slightly smaller center block that make the Hipshot a poor fit. Functionally I found it a bit quicker to dial in than the Babicz (not quite as quick as the three point) but also found it to be even more prone to pulling out the body studs than the stock Three point (I ended up Fenderizing my Hipshot to make it stay in place). The Babicz is an engineering marvel of a bridge and a very unique design. IMHO it looks a bit clunky and massive on the sleek TBird body, but in a cool Doc Martin clodhopper kind of way. The modified two piece three point of the Greco kinda solves the vintage look issue but creates a new problem. Because of the claw tailpiece the Greco Three point bridge does not have string tension to hold it in place, just downward force string pressure, so it can and does slip backwards a bit over time effecting intonation.
Bottom line - the three point works just fine for me and I wouldn't bother flipping it out for any other bridge, if I want a vintage look I'll just follow the Greco lead and drop in a claw tail then cover the offensive looking Three point with a bridge cover.
(...And you thought you had a wordy response, got ya beat there).
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,587
- 221,942
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
(replaced) Grover tuners work well (aesthetically) with a bird. Like Dimarzio pu's and BA bridges they were popular in the '70s/'80s.
Those tuners are original. The whole run had them. I loved that bass but couldn't afford to keep it at the time. It went to a good home.
That means a lot, coming from a self-professed shallow person.I can't figure out why anybody would bother to do that. It looks fine to me. But then I don't much care what the logo says so long as it looks good. Easy to say for a person who owns five Gibsons, there of them Thunderbirds.
Who'd you order through?
IMO, the bridge was the worst part of the VP I owned.
Thunderbirds....
Interesting how the angle of observation affects perceived headstock size...
Red, white, & chrome:
View attachment 4138270
View attachment 4138271
(sigh) Those are so gorgeous.
What specifically do you like about those strings (besides their hot looks)?
