The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Darrol on May 27, 2009, 10:09:12 AM
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So I just got an email from Epiphone that mentioned that they are starting a special run of guitars. The only bass is a special version of the Thunderbird that some of you chrome lovers may like. I am liking the silverburst finish that they gave it too. (http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=310&CollectionID=19) If I still played bass regularly I would consider getting one.
Doing a search, this sounds similar to the silverburst Epi that was mentioned a year ago.
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That really looks tempting.
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The usual suspects will be wetting their panties here. That bass even features TB Plus pups (the chrome guitar size variation as featured in the Epi Elitist TBs where they did commendable service), which is a remarkable upgrade for an Epi, especially as I was under the impression that Gibson very consciously kept its pups away from the Epi fare.
Man, I'm tempted already and I'm not even chrome obsessive.
Darron, when did you move to the Dark (guitar playing) Side of the Force?
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Some pics from a TBer, really nice bass
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/qrysgg.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/qpjreb.jpg)
I think it looks great, nice chrome pups, not sure if he added them after.
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Looks exactly the same as the chrome pick ups here:
http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=309&CollectionID=19
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Looks like the new stock model, don't think that is a mod at all and if it were an expensive one as the TB Plus chromies are wider and shorter than the reg Epi TB pups, he would have had to both fill and drill routes plus refin.
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Nice work Epi! That's a killer looking bass. Pretty much a factory Fenderbird with the bolt-on maple neck and TB pups.
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crikey
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Nice bass, but we can't be sure the pickups are TB Plus. On the Elitist they were specified as U.S.A pickups so they were probably TB Plus but on this new model there is no info about the origin.
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I wonder if they stayed with the 1.75" nut width, or went to the "proper" 1.5" like on the Epi Blackbird. That neck has always been the deal breaker for me.
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I wonder if they stayed with the 1.75" nut width, or went to the "proper" 1.5" like on the Epi Blackbird. That neck has always been the deal breaker for me.
Same. I'm almost willing to get this bugger, and then desperatly try to get an epi blackbird neck of the bay to put on it.
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Unless they are specified as USA pickups, I would assume they are not.
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It says TB Plus on the specs of the Epi site, so why should they be anything other than the real thing? And even if they were built in Asia to oiriginal specs, that wouldn't matter to me. Nor would I give my lifeblood that Gibson pups are actually made in the USA from scratch.
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Because with the Elitist they made a point of them being US made. It's a selling point that will appeal to some. So if they are the US made version, I can't imagine them failing to say so.
I agree that if they're made to TB Plus specs, it doesn't matter where they're made.
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The neck on those is the deal breaker for me too, it's just big for my small hands.
I have slim hope the Epi pro will be better..............A 5 string would be nice.
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I agree about the pickups, after all pickup making is not nuclear physics, just a magnet and some wire.
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This is the Epi TB that works for me!
(http://www.epiphone.com/images/305_01.jpg)
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The neck on those is the deal breaker for me too, it's just big for my small hands.
I have slim hope the Epi pro will be better..............A 5 string would be nice.
According to Epiphone.com, the Thunderbird Pro's nut width is 1.50" for the 4 string and 1.93" for the 5 string.
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The neck on those is the deal breaker for me too, it's just big for my small hands.
I have slim hope the Epi pro will be better..............A 5 string would be nice.
It's not simply the, er, umm, girth that bothers me - I have P-Basses that are big neckers - the Epi just feels uncomfortable compared to my '76, or my J-necks.
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It's not simply the, er, umm, girth that bothers me - I have P-Basses that are big neckers - the Epi just feels uncomfortable compared to my '76, or my J-necks.
Yes, that's it exactly!
At least the second one I bought got made into a useful (for me) bass, it just took a "J" neck to do it! ;D
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To me, it's all about the neck's back profile being comfortable. I've played some smaller necks that weren't comfortable at all.
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also where the neck is mounted for arm reach.
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Hence the quick end of the Epi Goth bass (that SG shape with the shark bite) after only one year. That bass was long scale, 24 fret and had full accessability up to the 24th fret (it was neck thru) plus a very long body due to the extended shark bite hind cutaways. I have no other basses where I have to stretch as far to reach the low F and that includes 35" scales with double octave neck. I think they deleted the bass when they realized that 90% of the bass playing world would not be able to play it confortably (I can, but I'm 189 cm and have long arms to boot).
I heard that the orang-utan who designed it was removed from that department. :mrgreen:
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Yeah, those things all matter. Even if it doesn't require a long reach, a neck can feel awkward and uncomfortable if the bass doesn't hang right.
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And when you've got an old shoulder injury (like having the socket broken), you feel like you've been run over by a truck the next morning after 3 sets. Even the BaCHBird is a bit of a daunting instrument to wield all night, so I plan to use it sparingly and in the right places.
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To me, it's all about the neck's back profile being comfortable. I've played some smaller necks that weren't comfortable at all.
+1!
I had a Warmoth 8 string neck for a while and it was the most uncomfortable neck I ever owned. The width was identical to a P bass, but the back was very fat. I've got long fingers, but it still was a pain to play. Whereas I played a '57 P bass reissue and the neck was awesome.
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Seems that I'm the only one who actually likes the Epi Tbird neck!
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I'm with you, I think it's ok. Obviously, it seems to separate the men from the boys, but we'll keep quiet about that.
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I'm with you, I think it's ok. Obviously, it seems to separate the men from the boys, but we'll keep quiet about that.
What's the German equivalent of giving someone the "raspberry"?
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I'm with you, I think it's ok. Obviously, it seems to separate the men from the boys, but we'll keep quiet about that.
Hey now!
I'm a very proud sissy with my non-Epi 'Birds!
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What's the German equivalent of giving someone the "raspberry"?
I think :P :P :P :P :P is universal.
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I think :P :P :P :P :P is universal.
Thank you.
:P :P :P :P :P :P
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I'm with you, I think it's ok. Obviously, it seems to separate the men from the boys, but we'll keep quiet about that.
;)
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We hurt their feelings. Girls are like that.
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We hurt their feelings. Girls are like that.
Well this one is, yes.......... ;)
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Buy yourself something pretty, please!
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Buy yourself something pretty, please!
Jawohl, Herr Moderator.
Das kann ich machen..............
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Flawless German, mistress of many tongues. :rimshot:
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;D
You know just what to say..........unlike that Doug guy!
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Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I played my first Thunderbird today! It was the Epiphone silverburst at Guitar Center. I normally don't play stuff in there, but the store was kind of quiet, plus someone had been trying out a bass through an SVT stack and left the cable sitting there, so I thought I would give it a go. Unfortunately the E string was completely dead even though the others sounded bright, but I still thought it sounded good - pretty comfortable to play, sitting down at least. I also tried the Goth version, but the strings on that were completely gone and it didn't sound nearly as good. Tempted to go back with a strap and see how it plays standing up. No, wait, don't need any more basses, don't need any more basses... :vader:
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I suggest trying an Epi Pro IV before pulling the trigger. The through neck, upgraded pups, electronics and bridge of the Pro are definitely worth the extra $$ IMO. Trans black is a great color and the brass nut says, "We give a S@%t."
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I got to briefly intercept one of these silverburst Epis. It was a nice player. The bolt-neck Epis have a much chunkier neck profile, but I kinda like variety in necks - so I get along well with them. Nokturnal has a Goth (maho body) that I quite like too. The latter has the more aggressive, slightly overwound-sounding Epi TB pickups. The silverburst struck me as more of a jazz bass sound, with its mild-mannered guitar pickups (six polepiece PAF-clones visible underneath). A good serviceable sound, just not the Tbird sound I'm used to.
If you can stand the Thunderbird ergonomics (I think they are comfortable, but they're not to everyone's taste), I agree with dadagoboi- check out some of the other variations too. I haven't played that neck-thru Epi yet. The Gibson has a sleek, slender neck profile and given your love for Rics you'd probably enjoy the complex, bell-like mids. You might not get to try without buying first, but the mahog set-neck Japanese Epis/Orvilles/Elitists are BEAUTIFUL and sound slightly different in their own ways too - but still very "Tbird". I love the thin bodies and Gibson-profile necks on these. You can tell they modeled them closely after the 70s RIs:
76 on left, Epi Elitist on right:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/thunderbird/DSCF0004.jpg)
Back to the silverburst- I tried making a recording of the one that I played here: http://www.hillscloud.com/music/epi-silverburst-test.mp3 (http://www.hillscloud.com/music/epi-silverburst-test.mp3). I wiped the bass from a Kraan and Meters track, and played along (pick and fingerstyle, respectively). Bass karaoke. Not a great recording, but might give some idea of the sound with fresh strings a half-ass setup (it arrived with no attention paid to the setup).
There is a thread here with more discussion of that model too, if it helps: http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=2604.0 (http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=2604.0)
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The neck on my Epi Pro IV is in between my Orville and '65 TBird in thickness at the first fret. The '65 being the thickest. They're all about the same width. Musician's Friend (owned by Guitar Center) ships free and has a no questions return policy with free shipping.
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Thanks for the responses guys. I didn't see that longer thread, though I think I remember it when it was originally posted. I don't think I'm going to get one - it was momentary GAS fed by a relatively low price and decent sound in the store. The Pro IV does look interesting, as do the Japanese ones, but I think that maybe I don't need to get involved in Thunderbird-land - could turn into an obsession!
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I wouldn't call my T-Bird thing an obsession. I just won't be happy until I have the same amount in my collection as Mark does ;D
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I wouldn't call my T-Bird thing an obsession. I just won't be happy until I have the same amount in my collection as Mark does ;D
I have to admit that I've had Blackbird GAS for a while, and have been trying to help Andy find one so that he can buy it and let me try it out (I mean, look at the avatar ferchrisakes!)... and so I'm doing my part to help him with this issue of Tbird quantity. It's the least I can do...
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You are a true friend Joe ;D