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Thunderbird Club

#173,721
I’ve never found an Epi Thunderbird IV in sunburst that I wanted to keep. I’ve had at least 10 and sold them all.

I’ve also had 2 pros. NO and TB. I don’t like active pups so I sold them too.

I have my Metallic Red IV, white VP and white CP. I may spray my CP like Leon Wilkeson did his II, blue burst.

plus I’m getting a Pelham blue IV tomorrow evening.
 

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#173,724
TBird1958 said:
It's not even a contest sound wise, Greco leave the VP in the distant dust, that pick up, especially a II is beyond monstrous, so much more depth, bass, mids and highs, the inherent growly RAWR is simply amazing. That Greco is without doubt a greatly under appreciated, unknown Thunderbird, as I've said before, it's a Sonic Destroyer of entire planets! As far as the rest of the bass goes they're slightly different since the Greco is a set neck vs the VP's neck thru, the quality there is about equal, I like the VP's hardware better, Greco's seem to tarnish and I've seen plenty that appear very heavily pitted.
If I were to have to choose one over the other, the Greco wins every time, that bass just kills.

Now, don't go thinking that I dislike my VP, far from it, it's a fine bass in it's own right and I'm very happy to own one and maybe another in the future, one reason I own the many different Birds in my small collection is that I really enjoy the differences between them all, I don't want them all to be the same.

Greco love

View attachment 4236181

VP love

View attachment 4236182
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Thanks for the great comparison! Not really. Now I really, really want a Greco.;):D
 
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#173,728
Larry V said:
Hahaha... :roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

I went through this phase. I've owned 10 different Thunderbirds. I had 8 at one time. Now I'm down to 5... 4 Gibsons and a Classic Pro.

I'm down to the right number though I could be talked into selling my short scale TBird and maybe my Classic Pro... maybe. :cautious:
Click to expand...

I do have plans to get rid of one of the Thunderbirds - I've got two tobacco burst Classic IVs, with only minor difference between them (pickup placement, mostly), so the second will likely get a new home.
But it'll probably get replaced with another that has more difference to the others I have.
 
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#173,729
TBird1958 said:
It's not even a contest sound wise, Greco leave the VP in the distant dust, that pick up, especially a II is beyond monstrous, so much more depth, bass, mids and highs, the inherent growly RAWR is simply amazing. That Greco is without doubt a greatly under appreciated, unknown Thunderbird, as I've said before, it's a Sonic Destroyer of entire planets! As far as the rest of the bass goes they're slightly different since the Greco is a set neck vs the VP's neck thru, the quality there is about equal, I like the VP's hardware better, Greco's seem to tarnish and I've seen plenty that appear very heavily pitted.
If I were to have to choose one over the other, the Greco wins every time, that bass just kills.

Now, don't go thinking that I dislike my VP, far from it, it's a fine bass in it's own right and I'm very happy to own one and maybe another in the future, one reason I own the many different Birds in my small collection is that I really enjoy the differences between them all, I don't want them all to be the same.

Greco love

View attachment 4236181

VP love

View attachment 4236182
Click to expand...
Have you played Thunderbuckers? Curious how those sound compared to Grecos. I think @godofthunder59 has both?
 
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#173,730
KaraQ said:
I put the Nexus strings on tonight......


View attachment 4235805
View attachment 4235806
View attachment 4235807



...the E-string silk started to fray almost immediately :(



Sound-wise, they seem pretty similar to the nickel DRs, a bit less bright than the Black Beauties. Maybe a little more....textured, as well.

Think I'll give them a bit to settle, and maybe try them on the Blackbird, once I've finished the fretboard clean-up.
Click to expand...
If they sound good that's important, but I'm not a fan at all of the different silks on the same bass. It makes it look like you've installed one string from four completely different brands. Kinda the Punky Brewster of string selections.

Chucky Stiletti said:
@TBird1958 @GBassNorth you guys are I believe, the few with both Grecos and VPs...quick comparison possible?:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Great question. Quick answer - for the same price or even a few hundred more go with the vintage Greco (pre 2000 Greco, the one with the Chrome or nickel pups and rings).

Both are fantastic basses and neither will dissapoint. The fit and finish, hardware and construction is better on the VP. The pups are better on the Greco (and that's saying a lot considering how good the pups are on the VP). Sound wise, the Greco pups have more content and volume at nearly every tone and volume setting. I'm running nickel Rounds on my VP and Ancient TI Jazz flats on my Greco, so the VP has a bit more grit and growl and the Greco is deeper and smoother, but I suspect that is purely a function of the strings.

I have played the two basses back to back with the tone set on each bass to come as close to matching as I could. With the VP tone at 2 and the Greco tone at 4 they are about equal in tone. However, the VP volume had to be set at 9 just to barely keep up with the Greco volume at 2. Set the Greco volume at 3 or higher and it completely walks all over the VP. I don't know if the Greco pups are hotter or what, but I can say there is infinitely more headroom in the Greco. I also have a '68 Fender P bass with a well worn set of flats on it, and it can't even keep up with the Greco.
 
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#173,731
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#173,734
TBird1958 said:
It's not even a contest sound wise, Greco leave the VP in the distant dust, that pick up, especially a II is beyond monstrous, so much more depth, bass, mids and highs, the inherent growly RAWR is simply amazing. That Greco is without doubt a greatly under appreciated, unknown Thunderbird, as I've said before, it's a Sonic Destroyer of entire planets! As far as the rest of the bass goes they're slightly different since the Greco is a set neck vs the VP's neck thru, the quality there is about equal, I like the VP's hardware better, Greco's seem to tarnish and I've seen plenty that appear very heavily pitted.
If I were to have to choose one over the other, the Greco wins every time, that bass just kills.

Now, don't go thinking that I dislike my VP, far from it, it's a fine bass in it's own right and I'm very happy to own one and maybe another in the future, one reason I own the many different Birds in my small collection is that I really enjoy the differences between them all, I don't want them all to be the same.

Greco love

View attachment 4236181

VP love

View attachment 4236182
Click to expand...
Thx V...the smile on the pic with the Greco says it all...asked because wanting a reverse for a while I was seriously considering the VP when the Greco came up...thrilled I went in that direction :thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
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#173,735
GBassNorth said:
If they sound good that's important, but I'm not a fan at all of the different silks on the same bass. It makes it look like you've installed one string from four completely different brands. Kinda the Punky Brewster of string selections.
Click to expand...

Not a fan of it either. Or of the multi-colored ball-ends Rotosound uses now. I like things to be matching or complementary as much as plausible....
 
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#173,737
Chucky Stiletti said:
heard that mentioned before and in all honesty, don’t know how numbers can help anyone in a live situation when you have to very quickly alter your tone or volume a skosh....I don’t even look at the knobs but rather fish for them by position and adjust strictly by ear....but that’s just me...
Click to expand...
Playing live, I will sometimes set up with volume on the bass at about 8 so I can add a little more volume when needed on the fly. It’s good to be able to see if I have that room or not.

When recording, I will sometimes make note of settings so I can replicate a tone if I change part of a track.
 
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#173,738
KaraQ said:
Not a fan of it either. Or of the multi-colored ball-ends Rotosound uses now. I like things to be matching or complementary as much as plausible....
Click to expand...
At the risk of displaying my ignorance and opening myself up to endless teasing about it, the totality of my fashion knowledge: you have to either match or contrast. Well that, and a watermelon is always the right choice.
 
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#173,739
BklynKen said:
You like the Lulls better than the Grecos?
Click to expand...

Output wise they're very similar, the Lull is louder, the Greco is a bit more growly. With both when I'm playing alone at home I have use the -10db pad on my amp and then up the volume, they pups are that hot.
 
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