If you decide you want custom, this place is where I had the pickguard & trc done for my Classic Pro:
Home | Pickguard Planet
If you send one for a template, they should be able to make exact copies (no logo, of course)
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
If you decide you want custom, this place is where I had the pickguard & trc done for my Classic Pro:
Home | Pickguard Planet
If you send one for a template, they should be able to make exact copies (no logo, of course)
I recently bought an Epi Vintage Pro and absolutely love it!
After a couple of decades without a TB I'm happy to be back.
Has anyone tried to put vintage correct machine heads on one of these Epi's?
I really like the sound of the pickups, but I also wonder what a set of 70s pickups would sound like...
Gibson Thunderbird bass original 70s pickups | eBay
BEAUTIFUL BIRD....
not a bad price for those pickups...keep in mind these are sidewinders, not built like standard humbuckers (T-Bird or otherwise) in that the orientation of the pole pieces is parallel, not perpendicular to the strings. that makes for what seems like a lower gain pickup with beautiful tonal character that requires higher gain settings on the amp...I used a set on a 2013 NR with excellent results....
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,915
- 142,439
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
I love my '76's and as Chucky says. the pickups are their own very different design not repeated after production stopped in '76 (with the exception of some custom shop models made in the mid '80s), I find that they really don't sound great until you get some volume and a big amp behind them. They produce a surprising amount of sub harmonic and EQ is important, an SS amp with a good tone control section is your friend.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
You have had one lesson? What is a lesson? Asking for a friend...You're very kind. In fairness I likely don't do too bad for having one one lesson. But I do have the keep the basses locked up or they try to escape....
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
That is a really good question. I don't know the answer. Explorers came out in the late '50s and the first Thunderbirds came out in 1963. Explorers had about a five year head start, so you would think maybe there would be more of them and that they would be more popular. As a practical matter, I don't think they are so different. It is a mystery to me.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
Not only is bass the bedrock of music, bass is responsible for making sure the human species continues to reproduce. Bass moves butts which causes hormones to rise which causes procreation. As bass players, we shoulder that awesome responsibility with finesse and grace.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
Speak for yourself. I was using an ACC 320/408 stack as my practice amp for a while. Since it got traded away, I use the 1968 ACC 360 stack. It has a volume know and sounds phenomenal at less than seismic volumes. Everything is relative.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I still schlep around the Grexa reissue 360 for gigs. It has wheels, so no problems. My kid is 30 and isn't a roadie any more. Actually, he never was. I was his roadie. Talk about doing it wrong!
Congrats on the VP, excellent basses!
I've heard it said here in the club that the Eppi VP is closer in sound to a 1960's TBird than a '76 TBird. That comment comes from a few VP owners here that have (or had) both a '60s and a Bicentennial model.
As for vintage looking tuners, IIRC these are the ones that fit the VP...
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If you're not already a member of the club here you're welcome to join! Outside of gigging on stage, it's the best place to be if you have a TBird.
PS - here's an older thread from when the VP was first released and some observations from early adopters. Some interesting comments about the VP vs vintage birds...
NBD Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro
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Getting the VP sound but on a bit of a budget is why I'm 'thinking about'(or 'fantasizing'-see George Carlin's take on that term)buying an Epi Embassy Pro.Congrats on the VP, excellent basses!
I've heard it said here in the club that the Eppi VP is closer in sound to a 1960's TBird than a '76 TBird. That comment comes from a few VP owners here that have (or had) both a '60s and a Bicentennial model.
If you're not already a member of the club here you're welcome to join! Outside of gigging on stage, it's the best place to be if you have a TBird.
Congrats! And welcome!
The SansAmp Bass Fly Rig at my first jam since early last summer (we tried with masks, finally bailed)... DI goes out the SansAmp, then signal goes on to the amplifier. Now my amplifier is just for room/stage monitoring. The SansAmp taps the signal on the way to the amplifier for what is probably the best recording tone I've ever gotten.
Angst is over, "happy place" found.
Angst is over, "happy place" found.
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Those may not the idea strings for you/that bass, but give them some time. I've found that some new strings are a little uneven tone-wise at first but will level out with some playing. May not be the right match, but just didn't want you to give up too soon. Boomers are a little too aggressive for me when new, but smooth out to a big punchy tone with some playing.
Congratulations! VPs are great values. Sound really, really close to the 60s version (I have both). I liked the VP so much I bought a second! Great basses. I personally wouldn't change the PUs. I have a 76, but the VP PUs are a little better sounding. Not that the 70s are not good. Some hate them. I find them different kind of tame version of Thunderbird PUs.
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Mine consisted of a fretboard drawn on a small note page with a few notes on each string. And BOOM! I became Geddy Lee!
I do keep that note in my old Pbass case as a reminder of my humble beginnings.
- Nov 27, 2003
- 2,017
- 5,418
- 50
- Disclosures
- Rogue luthier employed at Knooren Handcrafted bass guitars
So what have I been doing today?
Well I had this idea of recording a cover of Primus' "Jerry was a race car driver" but with Dutch Lyrics about stagecoach travel, something which I have done quite a few times and thus am very familiar with.
I played everything myself here but had to make some concessions with Les Claypool's bass line which is very complex and because I don't have a fretless to my disposal did the slides with a glass bottle on my bass. The bass in question being my four string self made Musicman alike bass.
Anyway I hope you guys can dig it.
Well I had this idea of recording a cover of Primus' "Jerry was a race car driver" but with Dutch Lyrics about stagecoach travel, something which I have done quite a few times and thus am very familiar with.
I played everything myself here but had to make some concessions with Les Claypool's bass line which is very complex and because I don't have a fretless to my disposal did the slides with a glass bottle on my bass. The bass in question being my four string self made Musicman alike bass.
Anyway I hope you guys can dig it.
Robert Cray Tribute Band ?
