The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs => Topic started by: shadowcastaz on January 01, 2011, 05:59:40 PM

Title: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: shadowcastaz on January 01, 2011, 05:59:40 PM
 I just got this
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/shadowcastaz/thunder_ptron_icon.gif)
..for this.When I get around to it. :mrgreen:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/shadowcastaz/x100.jpg)
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: drbassman on January 01, 2011, 09:34:00 PM
Good choice!  Love those thundertrons.  Cool looking cover.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: jumbodbassman on January 02, 2011, 09:26:50 AM
is it same pup with different cover or something new
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Denis on January 02, 2011, 09:45:57 AM
I just got this
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d138/shadowcastaz/thunder_ptron_icon.gif)

How close dimensionally is it to a T-bird pickup?
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: dadagoboi on January 02, 2011, 11:10:39 AM
Looks like the standard Thundertron w/o cover.  You buy it used Shadow?

http://www.tvjones.com/pickups/thundertron.html
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: drbassman on January 02, 2011, 12:58:40 PM
I believe all of the bass TV pups are the same innards, just different covers for different looks/applications.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: jumbodbassman on January 03, 2011, 01:07:59 PM
i wonder if that would fit my sick ripper.....
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: drbassman on January 03, 2011, 01:10:39 PM
i wonder if that would fit my sick ripper.....

The dimesions are listed on the web site.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: shadowcastaz on January 04, 2011, 07:41:51 AM
Sorry guys I has haulin my mother in law to her sisters & visiting my mom.
I bought it new from the website. Sniffed around & liked the P90 look so I bit. Nice product & it fits.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Pilgrim on January 04, 2011, 12:07:00 PM
I believe all of the bass TV pups are the same innards, just different covers for different looks/applications.

No kiddin'? Filtertron and Thundertron same-same inside?
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: drbassman on January 04, 2011, 12:31:26 PM
No kiddin'? Filtertron and Thundertron same-same inside?

I was under the impression that FilterTrons where the guitar pickups.  Did I misread his web site?  Nope.  I went back and looked and all of the bass pups and they all appear to be ThunderTrons, just different covers/housings.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Pilgrim on January 04, 2011, 08:20:03 PM
Interesting.  I bought Filtertron bass pickups this past year - I know they don't have pole pieces visible..  However, I've never found them on the TV Jones resale website either.  I bought mine on Ebay.

There's a current Ebay auction running for them: http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Gretsch-BASS-Filtertron-Pickup-CHROME-/290511216310?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item43a3d15eb6

Also, the Broadkaster 6119B on the Gretsch website is listed as having Filtertron bass pickups:
http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/index.php?partno=2416000892 ...but it's the only one of five basses shown on the Gretsch website as having Filtertrons.  All the rest have Thundertrons.

I'm not sure what the deal is.  Seems like Gretsch must be making some Filtertron pickups available, but TV Jones doesn't show them on their website.  
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Dave W on January 04, 2011, 09:14:03 PM
You're getting confused here. Filtertron is a Gretsch brand name. TV Jones makes Filtertron-style guitar pickups but nothing under that name.

The eBay auction is for a Gretsch brand pickup, not a TV Jones pickup. It's possible that TV Jones designed it for Gretsch, but he didn't manufacture it. He doesn't manufacture any pickups that sell for $50.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: drbassman on January 05, 2011, 05:58:20 AM
You're getting confused here. Filtertron is a Gretsch brand name. TV Jones makes Filtertron-style guitar pickups but nothing under that name.

The eBay auction is for a Gretsch brand pickup, not a TV Jones pickup. It's possible that TV Jones designed it for Gretsch, but he didn't manufacture it. He doesn't manufacture any pickups that sell for $50.

Dave said it better than I did.  FilterTrons are the GRETSCH guitar pickups, TV makes a replacement/upgrade for them.  If it's a Gretsch pup, it's probably (although I don't know for sure) made in Japan where the guitars are manufactured and not a TV product.  I bought some of the cheaper ones off eBay as well figuring they were foreign made.  Any Gretsch with a TV pup is labelled as such.  If it doesn't say TV on it, it's not a TV. 

ADDITION:  All FilterTrons are Gretsch-made pups and they make both guitar AND bass models.  That's what I was trying to say!!!! ThunderTrons are exclusive to TV Jones.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Dave W on January 05, 2011, 08:52:24 AM
It's easy to get confused, since some Gretsch models (guitars and basses) come with TV Jones pickups as standard, others with Gretsch pickups. Then there's the Electromatic Junior Jet with a "TV Jones designed" pickup, but he doesn't manufacture it.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: drbassman on January 05, 2011, 11:30:44 AM
It's easy to get confused, since some Gretsch models (guitars and basses) come with TV Jones pickups as standard, others with Gretsch pickups. Then there's the Electromatic Junior Jet with a "TV Jones designed" pickup, but he doesn't manufacture it.

I should be able to keep it straight!  My ThunderJet and White Falcon have TV Jones ThunderTrons and my 6072 has Gretsch FilterTrons.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Pilgrim on January 05, 2011, 08:14:07 PM
Thanks for the clarification.  Makes sense as explained.  And that TV Jones pickup in the 2202 Jr Jet is one darn fine, hot pickup...regardless of who makes it.

So, Hon. Dr. Bassman, what do you think of the Filtertrons in the 6072??
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: drbassman on January 06, 2011, 05:30:28 AM
Thanks for the clarification.  Makes sense as explained.  And that TV Jones pickup in the 2202 Jr Jet is one darn fine, hot pickup...regardless of who makes it.

So, Hon. Dr. Bassman, what do you think of the Filtertrons in the 6072??

I think they sound pretty darn good.  They are deep and bassy, which is why I bought two of them off eBay for my BillyBo.  How could you go wrong for $50 each?  They don't sound quite as clear and defined as a ThunderTron, which is their appeal.  They are a tighter sounding pup to me, but thumpy and bassy works for me too!!!
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Dave W on January 06, 2011, 04:38:56 PM
Wait, which one are you describing as tighter?
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: drbassman on January 06, 2011, 05:10:17 PM
Wait, which one are you describing as tighter?

Sorry, wasn't clear again!  The TV pups are tighter to my ears.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Kevin_bluebass on January 07, 2011, 05:01:43 PM
These TV Jones pups have always looked great.
Now I'm tempted to get some even though I dont have a good candidate to put them in!

This tread has me GASing to build a Fendebird to put either Supertrons or Thundertrons in!
Which pups would be best for a modern T-Bird pup sound?
I'm thinkin the Supers Since theyre higher output...
But even though they're rail type pups they are still for guitar...
What do you guys think?
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Pilgrim on January 07, 2011, 05:05:06 PM
So far, to my ear the Thundertrons have a somewhat dark sound, but with the roundwound strings they have plenty of "zing".  I kinda like using bass pickups on basses.  You might review the comments about Filtertrons above....they're available on Ebay for about $50, but the Thundertrons are around $125 on the TV Jones site, depending on which mount you choose.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: Kevin_bluebass on January 07, 2011, 05:47:55 PM
Awesome! Thanks for the help!

I wanna get english mount Thunders... With Gibson rings :mrgreen:
Those would give any bass "that" look.
Title: Re: TV Jones Soapbar
Post by: drbassman on January 07, 2011, 06:42:45 PM
I don't think you can go wrong with the ThunderTrons.  I love all of my basses that have them.  Naturally, they sound a bit different in each one due to wood, strings and construction.  But they are good in just about anything!