That it’s not active baffles me, wasn’t that the whole point of the Gibbie Rex Brown Sig? I thought that bass an interesting concept.
The non-matching hardware is probably on purpose, perhaps Rex likes it that way. Can’t fathom any other reason.
I bet his Gibson model is selling better than Gene's. I wonder how Gene feels about that.
Like when your hair and bush don't match.... ;D
NR = New Release?
Non-Reverse
Interesting, Scott. I look forward to your review. The Epiphone web site says ProBucker 760.
I thought you went out of your way not to have any, Amerikaner? Are we letting up in personal hygiene matters?
As the old consoling German saying goeth:
And even as the mountain top's glaciers gleam ...
'Tis still springtime down in the valley ...(https://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/image/724057.x1000.png)
Maybe the folks at Epiphone/Gibson don't even know the bicentennial T-bird had completely different pickups than the sixties Tbird.
And they're not the only ones.
In november 2023 I got a phone call from a German pickup maker who had taken up the plan to make a Thunderbird pickup. He wanted to know where he could obtain pickup covers. You'd expect a pickup maker/electronics specialist would have done some research on what he was going to imitate. But he had no clue whatsoever. Hadn't even noticed the different screw pattern on the covers. Let alone that he knew the bicentennial humbuckers are sidewinder pickups.
And also Thunderbird players don't always know the difference. Two customers of mine have been playing a 1978 Thunderbird for years, but had no idea the sixties Thunderbird had completely different pickups until I told them they did.
I guess we are a bunch of trainspotters over here at the Outpost ;-)
No worries, I don’t have a single Pantera CD. When they became big, I couldn’t follow that music anymore. Worst of all Judas Priest then fell under their spell too and began to sound just like them on the two albums they did while Halford took his 10-year-vacation. And to top it off, Halford’s solo ensemble Fight also copied the Pantera sound.
I know that they were hugely influential + that the late Dimebag Darrell has become a metal guitar icon, but their brand of brutish and heavy-handed metal never did anything for me. I like my music with some elegance and swing.
No worries, I don’t have a single Pantera CD. When they became big, I couldn’t follow that music anymore.
I know that they were hugely influential + that the late Dimebag Darrell has become a metal guitar icon, but their brand of brutish and heavy-handed metal never did anything for me. I like my music with some elegance and swing.
I got to mess with one a bit last night. Made in China not Indonesia like the 60s Tbirds. While not for me I think pretty favorably of it. https://youtu.be/o3aDfiqgwxU?si=dHebqZVq0TeJ8LON
I find it hard to believe there may be people out there who don't love the metal song "Why Are You Closed?"
https://youtu.be/7YPiUtAde2o
I've been tracking China vs Indonesia Epiphone build quality for a while now through the inventory coming into the store. I have to say that I am very impressed with what is coming out of Epiphone's China plant, as I understand it Epiphone owns the China plant while in Indonesia the work is contracted. The new MIC Jack Casadys are great. I'll be honest though a lot of customers see the made in China stinker and won't touch 'em.
so they're definitely not bicentennial sidewinders at allNo they are not, Sorry about that bit of misinformation. Definitely Probucker 760s.
This is where I got the '76 pickup info. Read the last sentence. Rex discussing his new bass. He seems a bit confused. :rolleyes:
"“Sometimes, it’s not about the price, but the quality, and Epiphone has some of the coolest bass designs ever made, IMO,” says Rex Brown. “I’ve had Thunderbird’s as long as I can remember! There is nothing cooler looking than a TBird… All my favorite bass players growing up have played them!! From Tom Hamilton to Pete Way, these fckr’s Rule, you fool…” Rex adds, “I worked really hard with the Epiphone guys, to design something that has never been done before! The pick-ups were made by Richard Aker, who has been with Gibson for 40+ years. We put the same thumpers that were in the ‘76 Anniversary T-Birds, passive & deadly!”"
Like this sketch that I drew a while ago.
Brooks SG (Silver & Gold)
(https://www.brooksbassguitars.com/uploads/1/3/3/7/13376708/brooks-silver-and-gold-34_orig.jpg)
It started with the idea to use gold coloured frets (a special sort of brass actually) for the 3rd, 5th, 7th etc positions instead of the traditional markers.
But then I figured what if I took that idea a bit further with all metal parts of the bass.