Greco Thunderbird II on Ebag

[Bionic-Joe]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Greco-Thunderbird-Bass-77-/170973675008?pt=Guitar&hash=item27ced33e00

[TBird1958]

 I'm always glad I have one!
I think they're a pretty sweet bass for the $$$, mine just has to get painted into something more suitable for my stage persona 

[Stjofön Big]

How's the neck on these, compared to a 60's reversed?

[Basvarken]

The Greco Tbird that I have has a rather chunky neck. Nothing like the Gibson Tbird's slim neck...

[TBird1958]

 Yeah, the neck is definately a change of pace - I do prefer a Gibson. I think the ledger is more than balanced by the tone you get. 

[dadagoboi]

Yeah, the neck is definately a change of pace - I do prefer a Gibson. I think the ledger is more than balanced by the tone you get. 

Changing pickups is almost as easy changing clothes.  A bit more difficult to change your neck profile; human or bass.

[TBird1958]

 Agreed, but I have clothing "issues" 

I love the tone of a Greco TB II, if I could find an extra pup I'd likely put it in my Burny to angry it up a bit.
 

[dadagoboi]

Agreed, but I have clothing "issues"  

I love the tone of a Greco TB II, if I could find an extra pup I'd likely put it in my Burny to angry it up a bit.
 

Pretty sure they're the same as Orvilles.

[Denis]

And are those the same as the Japanese Epiphone Thunderbird pickups?

[TBird1958]

Pretty sure they're the same as Orvilles.

 I can't be definative because I really don't know too much about these, mine are very different from each other - maybe at some point they were same in each?

Greco, reminds one of an original '60s pup (except deeper) with it's sealed bottom.
 

Orville, this looks like a contemporary Gibson with it's twin coils and large magnet


 

[OldManC]

I had a Japan Epiphone, which is what the regular Orvilles were named at some point (different than the Orville by Gibson models). I also have a Greco II, and my guess is they're different pickups (at least the 70's models). Besides different looks, the 70's Greco sounds much more aggressive. More bite. My Greco II sounds more like a 60's NR than any other non 60's bird I've owned. A little more bite than my former '65 II (reverse), but still in that ballpark as well. My Japan Epiphone bird was a nice bass, but it sounded more docile by comparison.

If anyone can handle the chunkier neck (and slightly longer reach with the neck being set about 1" further out on the Greco), I highly recommend a 70's Greco II.


Greco


Epiphone Japan

[TBird1958]

 George, your Greco looks great! Far better shape than mine.

[Aussie Mark]

I've owned Grecos (II and IV) and an Orville (IV) - the pickups are definitely not the same.  The Greco pickups have thicker mids and have a higher output.  The Orville I owned had a Gibby neck profile and 1.5" width, while all the Grecos have a wider P bass width neck.  The Orville was a beautifully made bass, but the Grecos smoked it for tone and pure rock and roll badassness.

[dadagoboi]

My '89 Orville by Gibson's pups looked like Mark's.  Metal bottom soldered to the can.  I had Steve take one apart: twin coils with fatter wire and ceramic magnets which make them hotter than a 60s NR TBird. Close to a ThunderBucker MAX in output but a little harsher sounding.  Maxshrek owns the OBG now. 

Thunderbird pickups all have twin coils. Even bicentennials, they're just sideways.

[Bionic-Joe]

From my experience...the Orville By Gibsons and Greco's have the same pickups...The Orvilles are Epoxied on the bottom....What I like about Greco's is that the Body is exactly the same as a 60's Bird...while the others are shaped more like the 76 and later models...