Thunderbird Club

[dukeorock]

Agreed you gotta be careful with the Embassy Pros. I bought one online when they first came out and it was a bit of a mess. Lots of fit/finish issues and really, I thought the sound was just ok. Alarmingly light! That’s not a bad thing, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the wood affected the tone. Returned it. A couple weeks later, one showed up at my local Sam Ash and it was even worse. Really bad fret sprout among other things. I could see if you found the right one how it could be a nice little bass on the cheap. My experience was just a bit off putting.

 

[GonePlaid]

Agreed you gotta be careful with the Embassy Pros. I bought one online when they first came out and it was a bit of a mess. Lots of fit/finish issues and really, I thought the sound was just ok. Alarmingly light! That’s not a bad thing, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the wood affected the tone. Returned it. A couple weeks later, one showed up at my local Sam Ash and it was even worse. Really bad fret sprout among other things. I could see if you found the right one how it could be a nice little bass on the cheap. My experience was just a bit off putting.

Supposedly the 2021s have corrected those issues. I've contacted all the b&m stores within 75 miles and no one has one I could try. GC said they could order me one(paid for)and if I didn't like it, I could return it. Maybe. But I trust 'my' sales tech @ SW to do right by me. We'll see. Kay, Sarah, Sarah. or sumpin' like that

 

[GonePlaid]

Hmm. Someone around here might like this. Ibanez Standard SR300E Bass Guitar - Pink Gold Metallic

 

[dagrev]

Agreed you gotta be careful with the Embassy Pros. I bought one online when they first came out and it was a bit of a mess. Lots of fit/finish issues and really, I thought the sound was just ok. Alarmingly light! That’s not a bad thing, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the wood affected the tone. Returned it. A couple weeks later, one showed up at my local Sam Ash and it was even worse. Really bad fret sprout among other things. I could see if you found the right one how it could be a nice little bass on the cheap. My experience was just a bit off putting.

I've recounted before my first encounter. I played one while in Nashville and asked my wife to hand me a VP to compare. She did and after taking the Embassy in 15 seconds she said, "that one (VP) is better than this (the Embassy)." Even she could tell without playing and going on the feel the VP was a much better made bass. I'm sure there are exceptions of course.

 

[dagrev]

Supposedly the 2021s have corrected those issues. I've contacted all the b&m stores within 75 miles and no one has one I could try. GC said they could order me one(paid for)and if I didn't like it, I could return it. Maybe. But I trust 'my' sales tech @ SW to do right by me. We'll see. Kay, Sarah, Sarah. or sumpin' like that

Doris Day was your SW rep? Cool.

 

[KaraQ]

Hmm. Someone around here might like this. Ibanez Standard SR300E Bass Guitar - Pink Gold Metallic

Love the color!


Not so much the shape

 

[Gaolee]

Hmm. Someone around here might like this. Ibanez Standard SR300E Bass Guitar - Pink Gold Metallic

Who did you have in mind? Nice color. Shame about the shape.

 

[GonePlaid]

Love the color!


Not so much the shape

Waitin' for @Gaolee to see it.

 

[GonePlaid]

Who did you have in mind? Nice color. Shame about the shape.

Ah, there you are.

 

[Gaolee]

But you speak truth!

I always speak truth. Just ask me. I will be happy to tell you.

 

[MCF]

Great collection, but what really caught my eye was the Cavalier plaques.

My mom's had Cavaliers for years! She usually has three, but the eldest passed on a few years ago leaving a sister & brother (from different litters, but same parents). The sister just passed a month ago, at 14. Her little brother, a Ruby, I brought home from the kennel with my folks — a nine-hour drive both ways — so on the return trip he really bonded with me. He loved to crawl under the covers as a pup, I thought I'd wake up one morning with a squashed puppy (fit in the palm of my hand, literally). He still loves to burrow under the covers.

So my Mom's been looking after "my" dog for a while now. Sadly, I think he will be the last Cavalier in the household.


BTW, I like the Tbird that's closest to the Cavaliers...

We have three. Here is where they spend a lot of time during my workday.

 

[GonePlaid]

Thems is some hard workin' doggos.

 

[MCF]

Epi Silverburst for sale

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The Epi Custom Shop Limited Editions are wonderful Thunderbirds. Very well made. They’re getting hard to find as most are in forever homes now. That price without a case is at the high end of ballpark. If I didn’t already have the Silverburst, I would snap it up. And it has the original black Pickguard. Mine had a white one when I got it.

 

[BklynKen]

We have three. Here is where they spend a lot of time during my workday.
View attachment 4268647

What's going on here? Do they always come in sets?

 

[MCF]

Thunderbucker Pickup Issue:

Fellow Club members:

In 2015, I bought this bass (verbatim from the original TB ad):

“2013 Gibson non reverse thunderbird limited edition in Pelham blue, original case, customized:
1. Small ear hipshot ultralites full chrome
2. Dunlop strap lock pins
3. Babicz chrome bridge
4. Perfect pro shielding
5. Thunderbucker ranch pickups in chrome with framed, reversed engineering of 1976 pickups

The mods are all professional done”

The instrument plays well and I love the tone of the pickups.

BUT even though the PUs are ostensibly humbuckers, they’ve always hummed like single coils. Bridge, neck or both – hum! Rotate the instrument the right way, and the hum disappears, just like a Jazz Bass. All rooms (though some are worse than others).

My experienced luthier/tech -- he used to work for guitarist Ronnie Montrose -- said the ground and other connections were likely at fault, and I said, "OK, have at it."

He did his thing, but Nope, still hums.

Since I play in a pretty loud rock band, this usually isn't an issue, but still, I'd like to resolve it!

Does anyone have an idea of what is going on, and what to do to correct the issue?
Thanks,

-Joe in San Diego

Hi Joe,
I would contact Thunderbucker, sorry I can’t recall his name, and ask for advice. I don’t know him, but others say good things about him. @KaraQ is working on a similar issue right now on one of her Tbirds. Look at her recent posts.

 

[MCF]

Agreed you gotta be careful with the Embassy Pros. I bought one online when they first came out and it was a bit of a mess. Lots of fit/finish issues and really, I thought the sound was just ok. Alarmingly light! That’s not a bad thing, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the wood affected the tone. Returned it. A couple weeks later, one showed up at my local Sam Ash and it was even worse. Really bad fret sprout among other things. I could see if you found the right one how it could be a nice little bass on the cheap. My experience was just a bit off putting.

And there was a little problem initially with the bridges on some not being properly installed.

 

[Gaolee]

Haha.. Yup, my velvet painting of Elvis doing a wheelie riding a chopper on a moonlit beach is just off screen!

I need a painting of Elvis as Jesus on black velvet, but alas, my wife has better taste than I do. And, she vetoed the jackalope for similar reasons. Oh, well. She doesn't ask me to pare down the flock of Thunderbirds, so I'm ok with those limits on my misdirected enthusiasm.

 

[Gaolee]

It is a bigger bass. Certainly longer, neck slightly larger, bigger headstock and the body is a little thicker and slightly bigger in some ways if I recall correctly. I'd have to measure again to be sure on the body. The '64 is thinner for sure, and lighter.

Another take.
View attachment 4268559

View attachment 4268561

The '64 looks just a little more elegant somehow. If there wasn't a '64 next to the Epi for comparison, I'm pretty sure nobody would ever know the difference.

 

[Gaolee]

Trying both first is always better when possible. Best of luck!

Nah. Buying one when you can and the the other when you can add to the flock is better.

 

[Gaolee]

Yes, for at least a year now. They disappeared from the Epi site during last year’s NAMM show, and started drying up at dealers not long after- or in some cases before.

I came close to buying one when I found it on the wall at a GC. It was used, and I think they were asking something like $150 or so for it. It was missing the TRC and was a little grubby, but it was really well set up. I figured I could probably have got it for $100, but then I made the mistake of telling the guy who got it down from the wall what it was. His eyebrows went up, and he started playing it, and got a big grin on his face. I didn't need another Thunderbird, especially another 'burst one, and so I didn't take it home. I suspect the GC guy probably did take it home.