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Thunderbird Club

#1,762
Thanks, Mark! I used it for a guide when I did this ExplorerBird. Maybe it will look the same in 50 years...
P1050564_zps6336bb3f.jpg


P1050574_zps88bfbac8.jpg
 
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#1,765
It'll only let me hit the "like" button once, which is a shame - gorgeous!




Dadagoboi said:
Thanks, Mark! I used it for a guide when I did this ExplorerBird. Maybe it will look the same in 50 years...
P1050564_zps6336bb3f.jpg


P1050574_zps88bfbac8.jpg
Click to expand...
 
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#1,766
awilkie84 said:
Well we went Bass to DI to amp. Both basses with the same DI and same amp. The T-bird just didn't have the same rounded tone. Also, he was adjusting the house levels at the board in the FOH, so he tried tinkering with the tone to get it to a likable level. We just couldn't find something we were happy with.
Click to expand...

IMO, a Thunderbird doesn't have the same treble response as a Jazz bass. (I say Jazz bass because that is essentially how you were using your Jaguar). I have found that for my Thunderbirds, I have to run my eq almost the opposite of the way I run my Fenders. With my thunderbirds, I find the low and low mids full of humbucker mud. I usually cut low end to thin it out a bit, where I tend to boost low end with my Fenders. I also find thunderbirds (and humbuckers in general) to have a muted top end when compared to a single coil jazz pickup. So, I end up boosting top end with a thunderbird where I cut top end with a Fender. However, the biggest thing I do is to not try and get a Fender tone out of my Thunderbirds. That is sometimes a difficult step to take.

If that doesn't work for you, EMG makes several Thunderbird pickups that I have been curious about. Among other things, they put P and J pickups in a thunderbird shell. That appeals to me, but I have never tried them. If you can't eq a tone you like, this might be worth checking out.

Edit: I should have kept reading. You appear to already be looking at the EMG's.
 
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#1,767
wvbass said:
IMO, a Thunderbird doesn't have the same treble response as a Jazz bass. (I say Jazz bass because that is essentially how you were using your Jaguar). I have found that for my Thunderbirds, I have to run my eq almost the opposite of the way I run my Fenders. With my thunderbirds, I find the low and low mids full of humbucker mud. I usually cut low end to thin it out a bit, where I tend to boost low end with my Fenders. I also find thunderbirds (and humbuckers in general) to have a muted top end when compared to a single coil jazz pickup. So, I end up boosting top end with a thunderbird where I cut top end with a Fender. However, the biggest thing I do is to not try and get a Fender tone out of my Thunderbirds. That is sometimes a difficult step to take.

If that doesn't work for you, EMG makes several Thunderbird pickups that I have been curious about. Among other things, they put P and J pickups in a thunderbird shell. That appeals to me, but I have never tried them. If you can't eq a tone you like, this might be worth checking out.

Edit: I should have kept reading. You appear to already be looking at the EMG's.
Click to expand...
Well, the problem is that *I* can't EQ anything through a DI. :P That's all up to the sound guy (who I trust). I can eq anything through my amp, if I mess with it. :P
 
#1,768
mistergoats said:
Ideally, I'd like to do it without going down the active route. I'm looking more for cut than punch, but I can totally see where you're going with those. Curious to hear that.
Click to expand...

I was thinking, since you want to be able to cut the bottom end and also be able to add some treble - Maybe you could consider replacing the original VVT harnes with a Fender TBX circuit?

"The TBX tone control cuts either treble or bass instead of a normal tone pot, which cuts only treble. This is done with a dual-ganged pot, which is wired to work as a low-pass filter in one direction and a high-pass filter in the other. The center detent in the middle is provided for off or “flat” position."
 
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#1,769
hillerup said:
I was thinking, since you want to be able to cut the bottom end and also be able to add some treble - Maybe you could consider replacing the original VVT harnes with a Fender TBX circuit?

"The TBX tone control cuts either treble or bass instead of a normal tone pot, which cuts only treble. This is done with a dual-ganged pot, which is wired to work as a low-pass filter in one direction and a high-pass filter in the other. The center detent in the middle is provided for off or “flat” position."
Click to expand...
I have TBX controls on my late 80's Fender Jazz Bass Specials. Those things are very nice- almost "active" sounding...
 
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#1,770
Nocturnal said:
Hey man! I really have no idea how many Gibson claims were made. The 1000 sounds familiar for some reason, but I can't remember where I would have heard it. Gibson usually says on their website if it's a limited run of say 400 like in the Guitar of the Week program from a few years back. But in this case they only referred to it as a "Limited Edition" so that could mean they were only producing them in 2013, which makes sense given the anniversary of the model. I don't know why they didn't do some kind of special inlay on the fretboard like they are doing for the 120th anniversary. Would have been an easy thing to do.

I think which model you buy depends on what you are using it for ultimately. If you want the gold as more of a collectable than a player, then that is the way to go. But if you want a Bird for gigging and taking abuse, then I would go with the ebony one. Having to choose between which Bird to buy is a great dilemma to have :woot:
Click to expand...

So I went on a little roadtrip yesterday to have a look at the used ebony bird... 8 hours and 450 miles later I got home with this:

0008.jpg


It's a 2005 Gibson Thunderbird!!! My first Gibby, and probably not the last... Wife was NOT amused that I needed another T-Bird and says it's the last one I get to buy for the next 5 years... :D

It's a player's bass with dings here and there and has been neglected for a while, since the owner hasn't used it for some time.
It is in need of some TLC: a thorough clean up (plenty of gunk and grime on the fretboard), new strings, a full set-up, truss-rod adjustment and maybe a new output jack - Otherwise looking good with no major dings and looking and sounding good.

Original owner (not seller) paid $ 2846 for it brand new in 2007 (very expensive!), and seller was asking $ 912 for it, which is more or less half the current retail price in danish music stores. But since the case handle was missing and it has a scratchy output jack I got the seller down to $ 730, which more than paid for my travel expenses. :)

A few slightly relic'd pictures for Prince Liam:

0005.jpg
0006.jpg
0007.jpg


Anyone knows where I can get a new handle for the case, instead of this solution?:

0003.jpg
 
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#1,771
Speaking of family photos;

Since my couch didn't have room for more T-Birds:

Birds.gif


I had to start over to get the remainder of the family on photo as well:

0009.gif


Left to right:

Epi Goth (a spare bought cheaply 2nd hand for future modification)
Epi Pro-V
Gibson 2005
Epi Limited Edition in TV Silver
 
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#1,773
hillerup said:
Speaking of family photos;

Since my couch didn't have room for more T-Birds:

Birds.gif


I had to start over to get the remainder of the family on photo as well:

0009.gif


Left to right:

Epi Goth (a spare bought cheaply 2nd hand for future modification)
Epi Pro-V
Gibson 2005
Epi Limited Edition in TV Silver
Click to expand...

Dude,..... 8 Birds!? you need to listen to your wife!..... or not!
 
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#1,775
hillerup said:
Speaking of family photos;

Since my couch didn't have room for more T-Birds:

Birds.gif


I had to start over to get the remainder of the family on photo as well:

0009.gif


Left to right:

Epi Goth (a spare bought cheaply 2nd hand for future modification)
Epi Pro-V
Gibson 2005
Epi Limited Edition in TV Silver
Click to expand...




Congratulations on your new family member Michael!
They're all beautiful basses - I've said it before, lovely home too.
 
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#1,776
hillerup said:
I was thinking, since you want to be able to cut the bottom end and also be able to add some treble - Maybe you could consider replacing the original VVT harnes with a Fender TBX circuit?

"The TBX tone control cuts either treble or bass instead of a normal tone pot, which cuts only treble. This is done with a dual-ganged pot, which is wired to work as a low-pass filter in one direction and a high-pass filter in the other. The center detent in the middle is provided for off or “flat” position."
Click to expand...
So, it's a balance pot with 2 different value caps on it?
 
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#1,778
hillerup said:
I was thinking, since you want to be able to cut the bottom end and also be able to add some treble - Maybe you could consider replacing the original VVT harnes with a Fender TBX circuit?

"The TBX tone control cuts either treble or bass instead of a normal tone pot, which cuts only treble. This is done with a dual-ganged pot, which is wired to work as a low-pass filter in one direction and a high-pass filter in the other. The center detent in the middle is provided for off or “flat” position."
Click to expand...

Hey, that's a great idea. Thanks.
 
#1,780

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