I posted a photo (right above this one)
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
Do my eyes deceive me or does the Epiphone have a more of a 60's spacing with the pickups? Is it the bolt-on version?
Although I'm not totally conversant with all those details, I'll say first - yes, a bolt-on. And, the Epi fits that Gibson case exactly the same. The body is, to my eye, exactly the same size. I think you're asking if the neck connects at the same point? And, no there's a difference. I stared at the pickup locations and I can't see that the bridge PUP seems to be the same distance from the bridge and neck PUP to bridge PUP seems to be the same spacing. That difference of where the last fret of the neck is situated shows a different spacing to the neck PUP. Is that the 60s spacing you're asking about? I'm happy to learn something here. I also noticed the logo is different on the pick guards (location and size)
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it flies up on its own after a few drinks
So, whoever it was that asked, when I had my ThunderJazz built, I used Chinabuckers with CTS .500 Volume pots, and a CTS .250 tone pot and a .047 Orange Drop. I wouldn't change a thing after 2 years except I had to go with a wider neck (1.65 to 1.75). I just don't get on with a 1.5 width which is why I couldn't just go with a Thunderbird. I'll try and look under the hood of the ThunderP tomorrow at practice. There is a tone difference but it might just be the roasted mahogany body vs the alder.
Well it's not just you. I was thinking the same thing.
I'm too lazy to go measure again, but basically the 60s pickups are closer together, and the modern newfangled spacing is farther apart, with the neck pickup being closer to the neck. I think I have that right. Someone please correct if needed or clarify.
Disgusting. Absolutely, positively disgusting. I sure wish that junker was mine!
Do I need to be worried about my pickup spacing now too?
Well, like they say, "spacing does matter.
Thump, darn nice lookin bass!
It was probably me who asked the question. I’m building a 3 pup Tbird right now and decided to start out with Chinabuckers as basically a low cost place holder for potential custom wound pups if I like the 3 pup layout when done. I’m using stacked vol/tone pots in a ‘62 Jazz type configuration and decided to go with 1meg units to pass the maximum signal. Each stack requires a 250k resistor to eliminate cross feed from pot to pot, I suspect this will in turn trim the top end a bit. I also installed .047uf ceramic caps since they are usually a good starting point with humbuckers, I can go up or down from there as needed to alter the tone.
Important to note - the neck pup will be up nearly against the neck heel, so it should be fairly deep and undefined. The middle pup will be a hair south of where a modern bird neck pup is located so it might be able to add more definition to the overall tone. The bridge pup is a hair north of a modern bird bridge pup so hopefully it will be more useable in the blend.
Im currently running several weeks behind schedule on the build because of finish and routing challenges, but hope to be able to start posting progress pics in early Jan.
does it matter as much as tonewood and fretboard materials?
Way more. Even more than fret material.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,894
- 142,206
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- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Some Lull Birds........Spacing is different on all 3, the Tom Petterson model had two up against the neck.
Very interesting. So what is the spacing between the PUPS, are they equidistant? I do like my 3 PUP Dingwall, but wish everything was an inch North of where they are. The bridge PUP isn't useful (to me) soloed. If the other PUP being used is parallel and the bridge PUP is in series I do like it.
I've always wondered why each PUP doesn't have it's own tone control.
the Epi pickups are closer together.
And Thunderbirds move around on the pickguards over models and time. The Epi bird logo has long been more straight lines at the wingtips than the Gibson.
No. Leave the worrying to the pros. Otherwise their union will break your kneecaps. Or the Thunderbird headstocks’ kneecaps. Or both.
Ok, Greco, NR and Flamingo have bridge pickups about the same distance from the bridge.
Greco neck pickup is closest to the bridge, NR is the next closest, and Flamigo is the furthest of the three. TelExplorer is in the other room and I’m not getting up anytime soon, but I think, it’s bridge pickup is further from the bridge, and the spacing is somewhere close to the Flamingo.
Then somebunny put active jazz pickups in the blue one and bassackwards Pbass pickups in the purple one. The green one is an even bigger mess….
then we have the different body tonewoods and fretboard/fingerboard materials to consider
Greco neck pickup is closest to the bridge, NR is the next closest, and Flamigo is the furthest of the three. TelExplorer is in the other room and I’m not getting up anytime soon, but I think, it’s bridge pickup is further from the bridge, and the spacing is somewhere close to the Flamingo.
Then somebunny put active jazz pickups in the blue one and bassackwards Pbass pickups in the purple one. The green one is an even bigger mess….
then we have the different body tonewoods and fretboard/fingerboard materials to consider
No 'Bird, but I'm itching to get back south to finish up servicing the Acoustic and run my 'Birds through some combo of these amps.
