The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Nocturnal on July 12, 2009, 10:12:12 AM
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http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=310&CollectionID=19
I actually like the look of these. All chromed out looks good with the finish IMO.I just wonder about the pickups. Are they leftover from the Epi LP Standards? Same as in the Elite series? Just the typical Epi Tbird pups in chrome covers? Not a bad looking bass for $300.
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It says 2 TB-Plus, same description as the standards. Unless you see something somewhere else to contradict that, I would say they are the regular Epi pickups in chrome (or chromed plastic) covers. For $300 I wouldn't expect more anyway.
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Thats what I was thinking.
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I'm not so sure. I think Epi only started calling the pups on the reg Epi Birds "TB-Plus" recently, whether in an effort to hang onto the tail of Gibson TB-Plus pups and their image or because they have made yet another change to the Epi pups I don't know. Gibson doesn't have a model anymore on which to put chrome TB-Plus pups after the deletion of the LP Standards and Money/Doublecut basses. But they must have quite a few pups in stock judging from how they have flooded ebay with these recently. Why not then use some of these pups on an Epi limited run?
Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part ... :rolleyes:
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I guess you will have to get one to find out for us!
;D
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Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part ... :rolleyes:
Thats what I'm afraid of too. Might still go for it, but kinda like the Epi Pro Tbird a little better.
John, you know Uwe doesn'tt buy for finishes. Oh wait....this is a "Special Run"! ;D
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And it has different pickups possibly?
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And it has different pickups possibly?
That's what we've been speculating about.
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funny thing is i think "silverburst" would be the only finish that looks better with black hardware.
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This topic seems so familiar...
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I totaly missed that thread! I knew we had talked about the silverbust but I missed the whole chrome part. The only pic's I had seen previously were the one's that had the white pickguard and black hardware. Didn't mean to skip over your thread Big D. You'll have to forgive me, I'm old and going blind (and a little mental). 8)
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I was just saying that it seemed familiar, the old thread was a few pages back so it does not matter.
I still stand by my statement that if I was still playing regularly, I would get one.
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I heard from Gibson that these won't make it over the pond, but once they show up in the States and one of you has played one I might be enticed ...
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Tsk, tsk, very possibly, Nokturnal/Andy just got himself into a rut ... :rolleyes: Watch this space ...
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Are you saying that at least one will make it across the pond?
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Uwe, did you get any word on your Epi Pro yet?
Did you order a 4 & 5 string?
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Those will be available in Germany and my shop is ordering both variants, I'll make up my mind when playing them. Ignoring the Studio V and the Epi Non Rev V, I don't have any TB fivers, but otoh wide necks look inherently crappy on a sleek TBird. Decisions, decisions ...
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Are you saying that at least one will make it across the pond?
I haff US völünteers, Herr Westheimer!
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I haff US völünteers, Herr Westheimer!
ëxcëssivë ümläüt üsäge :P
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I did place an inquiry with a dealer I've used for many years. No call back today. Impatience could lead to repainting a goth body in to-be-determined color.
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I don't think these are out yet. But they will certainly be out in the US first. I really like silverburst (even when it turns green over time), it's a shame how Gibson never used it on basses.
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If those are not TB's, a pair sits on Ebay for $119 which is a great deal and would just pop right in.
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I don't think these are out yet. But they will certainly be out in the US first. I really like silverburst (even when it turns green over time), it's a shame how Gibson never used it on basses.
Oh heck. Is that a good thing, or a case of silverburst > liverburst > sicklyburst ?
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Thomas, the guitarist/singer of my then band, was aghast when he found his once silverburst Paula all green in the case after a year of adultry - serves him right! - with a Hamer Prototype Phantom (that Andy Summers guitar). I immediately liked the discoloration, but he said: "I'm not playing no green guitar!" (A blatant lie as the Hamer was.) He years later on sold it to the lead guitarist (Thomas preferred rhythm though he had a nice lead style), who loved the sound and elicited a much more creamy tone from it too. Thomas was and is (it took decades until he realized it) a Telecaster man, the Paula was too phat for his rhythm style and his solo style is too percussive for the Paula to ever sing right.
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I thought silverburst was available on the Flying V bass.
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True. That is the one I could not think of!
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Interesting variation on the theme. Anyone know what it is?
(http://www.firstact.com/upload/images/artists/artist/armstong/artist_main_marmstrong.jpg)
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I think it's a First Act custom shop
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It is. http://www.firstact.com/Products/CustomGuitars/Gallery/Matt_Armstrong_DelgadaBass.aspx
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ICK :P The F holes kill it for me and I'm not in love with the headstock either - I could live with the headstock but not the F holes. The body is made of ash wonder what it sounds like?
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ICK :P The F holes kill it for me and I'm not in love with the headstock either - I could live with the headstock but not the F holes. The body is made of ash wonder what it sounds like?
Half-ashed? :)
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I have to live next to an ash tree, and anyone who has ever lived next to one involuntarily will know how much they "shed" everywhere... I spent half my year pulling the little blighters up...
Not my favourite wood... >:(
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my P bass is swamp ash .i love it so much! nice big grain
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Bryan... it's a VERY BIG TREE...
I could always cut a slice off of it whilst the owners are away... ;)
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We may have a problem with the supply of ash in N. America, thanks to the emerald ash borer. It's an accidentally imported Asian beetle and it has spread over the midwest, as far south as the Mason-Dixon line and up into Ontario and Quebec.
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i guess they must all be pretty big.my P is one piece.
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i guess they must all be pretty big. my P is one piece.
Lucky you. Pretty big, one piece P's are really the best.
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I have to live next to an ash tree, and anyone who has ever lived next to one involuntarily will know how much they "shed" everywhere... I spent half my year pulling the little blighters up...
Not my favourite wood... >:(
Our neighborhood is about 80% ash trees and the Emerald Ash borer has moved into town. We can send them your way?
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/03/ash-borer-invades-glen-ellyn.html
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They made a ltd run of silverburst SG Reissue Basses also.
(http://www.bass-guitar-museum.com/bass-12313-GIBSON-SG-BASS-SILVERBURST)
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True, I forgot those as well! :-[ Nice looking they were/are.
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I had forgotten about that special run too. IIRC they were only offered for a month or two in the US, maybe longer in Europe and Japan.
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I'm not sure they were even offered outside U.S.
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I'm on a mission for one of the pink ones.
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Got one and it's finished evenly for MIC. I'll report on the pups after rehearsal tomorrow night. Should like this one better over time vs. my original plan to refinish a Goth.
(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g170/jmcgliss/EpiTBIVSilverburst_07.jpg)
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Funny how Epiphone knows how to chrome plate parts (like the much loved by me 3 point) and Gibson does not........... ???
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I WANT ONE OF THESE!!
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...a few hours later...out of the box I lowered the bridge that could still come down a bit more, but I'll give the nut slots some attention first. All three pots feel solid and have a smooth range of adjustment. Moved the strap button to neck heel. The bridge pickup is cocked a bit so that warrants some attention. Through a small practice amp I found several good tone combinations from wide open to choked. The fun will be in grinding it out through a bridged 610 rig and my Eden 12's.
I have to come clean that this was a GC.com purchase. An independent dealer claimed this is a special Musician's Friend run, though the epiphone site shows more online dealers if you click their Buy It link. Check around and you may find other sources. UPS delivered it today in an unmolested box...good thing since there wasn't much packing to protect the inner box from an end drop.
The $299 price is on the high side for a MIC bass, but for a special run that I can play now instead of refinishing a used Goth or waiting for Bachbird Chapter II...it's a fun addition to the stable.
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I have a silverburst on it's way to me now. Should be here tomorrow. After a brief (is 6 month's brief?) visit with me and Chief Inspector Chromium, it will find it's way to Herr Uwe's vast Kollection. I feel like a kid a Christmas waiting for this to arrive!! It's nice of Uwe to give us the chance to try it out before forwarding it on to him. This will be much better than an instore tryout!
More to come...........
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You guys please take your time with it. If it is graced by gig sweat, I'll be honored. I currently have 12 Gibson Rev TBs, 3 Epis (4 with the coming silverburst) and one Orville. I can keep myself occupied with them!
Uwe
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I want that black pickguard for my T-bird!
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Can I ask about the nut width?
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My personal one? Left or right?
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The lowest one.
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The TBIV nut width is 42mm or 1-21/32".
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That - darn, my low nut is aching today :mrgreen: - is standard Epi TBird nut width (which many find too wide here, I don't find it uncomfortable at all though, just different to the narrower Gibson TB width), only the Epi Nikki Sixx Blackbird is narrower: 35 mm (which makes is even a little narrower than a Gibson TB nut would be, which is about 37 mm).
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The nut width is close to a 1.625" P-bass that slows me down in a good way. Bridge spacing is very comfortable. What I'm getting use to is the different stance when wearing the TB lower ("cover your nuts", as they say) and the longer reach. I'll have to study some of the 'birds in flight' photos to get that right. 8)
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Can I ask about the nut width?
My personal one? Left or right?
The lowest one.
Nice that guys get to :gay: without much help from me ;)
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You know how it is, Mark, one bad apple ...
(http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fM_EEk-jLZ4/2.jpg)
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I dedicate this to you Mark!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkGhQ3bW_pU
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This is a version for Uwe & his Charvel basses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0PIAfS1PcM
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The man only has one shirt.
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D'ya suppose he ever washes it?
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Well, at least he seems to shave occasionally ...
Most musicians John likes look rather unkempt if you ask me.
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D'ya suppose he ever washes it?
Wash what?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20PQBtyfNZY
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[tangential ramblings]
Wilco has always been one of those bands I've heard of, but never heard (or made the time to hear). I'm over here beat down with a flu at the moment, and was flipping thru cable last night in a Nyquil stuper. I stumbled across "Ashes of American Flags" playin' on the Sundance channel. Holy $#!t is that great band! That Watt clip above with Nels Cline gave me a flashback.
Here's another clip of them together that I enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRG-J-dBB2o
[/okay, back to wide nuts and charvels]
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I really like Wilco & Nels Cline. Great clip
Now they can be one.
Hope its not Swine Flu?
Get well soon Joe!
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[tangential ramblings]
Wilco has always been one of those bands I've heard of, but never heard (or made the time to hear). I'm over here beat down with a flu at the moment, and was flipping thru cable last night in a Nyquil stuper. I stumbled across "Ashes of American Flags" playin' on the Sundance channel. Holy $#!t is that great band! That Watt clip above with Nels Cline gave me a flashback.
I was watching some of that show last nite as well! I have a couple of cd's by them if you wanna check them out.
I have something in my dirty little hands that might make you feel a little better! ;D
Uwe's SilverBird has landed!! Haven't been able to really do anything other than inspect it so far, but it looks better in person than in the pic's IMO. I'll do a little messing around with it tonite to check it out. It will need some tweaking of the bridge at least (and maybe the neck). I'll post more later.
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All very exciting!
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Herr Moderator,
You should have let me christen that 'Bird.
I could redfine the term "mojo" ;)
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I was just wearing my Wilco t shirt last night. They're a good customer of mine. They just bought a pile of cases. I think they have at least one of every vintage amp ever built!
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Well, Uwe's SilverBird arrived on Tuesday and I've done a little playing around with it so I can do a short review as per ordered by The Kollector. I will be passing this off to Joe (Chromium) on Friday so he can give it a more detailed description.
Anyhooo, the Bird has arrived! How is it, you ask? Well I'm glad you asked! Right out of the box it looks better than the pictures anyone has posted online! The burst isn't exactly a soft fade from the black to the silver, but it looks nice. The chrome really looks nice with the finish IMO, as well as the black pickguard. I think the white guard would have looked wrong on here, and I think that all black hardware wouldn't looked right either. The chrome just sort of makes it "pop" as tv designers like to say. The witch hat knobs with the silver tops look nice as well.
The finish seems nice and even, with a few minor flaws like you would expect from a Chinese made bass in this price range or like the Bach Birds finish. Nothing major to complain about tho. Hell, you can't get a perfect finish from Gibson so what am I complaining about? The finish on the neck feels a little odd to me, but not quite sure why. Maybe too slick? (My daughters Epi Dot Studio semiacoustic felt the same way)
The fret ends are all nice and smooth like they should be. Action is higher than Hell tho. Bridge will need to be lowered quite a bit for my taste (or anyone's taste I believe). Neck is wider than a Gibson, but not too fat or uncomfortable to me. If I keep my fretting hand in the proper position it's almost effortless to play. But I do prefer the narrower neck on the Gibson. I don't have large hands, but it's not hard to play this one. I think it will be a bit neck heavy with the usual Epi strap button location. I used a suede strap so it's neck didn't dive, it hung more or less level. I think with a slick strap you will have neck dive, but I think we all know how to remedy that at this point.
The only amp I have to try it on at the moment is a Crate BT25 (25 watts, 10in speaker) combo, so I plugged in with everything set flat, the knobs on the bass all set on 10. It sounds decent like that, but with my Hartke Bass Attack pedal set on the Bassman settings it sounded pretty good. The strings are too high above the pickups to really do the bass justice, but as is it sounds good to me. Plugging in my Gibson Bird (2001 model) with all settings the same, it shows that the pickups are not likley to be Gibson TB Plus. The Gibson speaks with much more authority, but it is also setup to my liking. I'm not good at describing tones, but you can tell the change between the bridge and neck pickup. Neck is fuller/bassier while the bridge is thinner/brighter. You can tell a change when you experiment with blending the pickups. Some have claimed in the past that some Epi T-birds pickups sounded identical whether you are using the bridge or neck soloed. That may be, but not in this case. When I turned the tone knob off, it sounded like crap to me. Everything sounded "wooly", and not in a good way. I'm not going to compare it to my LP Standard bass until I get to try it thru a real amp. This combo doesn't do the LP justice, so I don't think it's doing this bass (with it's current setup) justice.
Overall, I really like this bass. I think that with the proper setup and your favorite strings it will play great and sound good thru a decent amp, but sound great thru a good amp. The fit and finish are a good 9.5 out of 10. Playabliity out of the box, I'd say maybe a 7. Sound with the current setup I'd say 8. Overall a good first impression for me, but it would have been great if they took a little longer to set it up better at the factory. I was lucky to have placed the order thru Guitar Centers call center on a day when they were offering a 20% discount. So with the discount plus the added fee's the bass came out to just under $260 delivered. I think for the money it's a Hell of a deal! I may pick one up to convert to a sort of Fenderbird later on, but I'm still sort of torn between this and one of the T-bird Pro 4's.
I will try to post some pic's this evening, but I will ask Joe to do the same since he's a MUCH better photographer than I. More to come........
Uwe, if you don't mind I would like to remove the protective film from the pickguard. The heat from shipping has peeled it most of the way off, and it would look a little silly in the pictures. Your call of course because it's your bass. Thanks again for giving us the opportunity to work on this with you! I can't speak for Joe, but I'd prefer if you didn't run this under any black lights, if you know what I mean!!! ;)
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Yay! I get to babysit the new hatchling while Andy's out of town!
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/_41764944_vulture_416afpgetty.jpg)
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Do whatever you want with that bass as long as it doesn't involve body fluids!!!
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... and as I have two spare Gibson TB Plus Chrome guitar size humbuckers waiting for a home, I'll maybe upgrade this baby once it hits these shores.
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Do whatever you want with that bass as long as it doesn't involve body fluids!!!
OOPS!!
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... and as I have two spare Gibson TB Plus Chrome guitar size humbuckers waiting for a home, I'll maybe upgrade this baby once it hits these shores.
You know they make black Pitbulls for those who dispise chrome that would fit?
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I have a Pitbull in black - great pickup! Did wonders for this beast
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/ampeg/aeb1-d.jpg)
Consider this proof that my moniker does not reflect prejudice, merely bias 8)
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Sweet bass looks great with the Pitbull
I thought of you, Joe, when I saw this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjpVPFwBijM&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecscoutjapan%2Ecom%2Fen%2Findex%2Ephp%2Fpage%2F2%2F&feature=player_embedded
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I thought of you, Joe, when I saw this
Haha that's awesome!! My design lacks the whimsical squishy head ;D
(http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd331/12T0NE/ribbon/custom/pressure-ribbon-w-moog-stain2.jpg)
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Well, Andy dropped that silverburst Tbird with me before he left on vacation. I spent some time with it today, and thought I'd post a few thoughts, pics, and sounds.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/epi-tbird/DSCF0016.jpg)
I've never played one of the bolt-on Epis before. Its a nice bass! That chunky neck is actually starting to grow on me.
It arrived with very little done in the setup department, but I guess that's expected at this price (the nice setup job on those Bachs really surprised me). The strings were probably 3/4" off the fingerboard at the top fret, there was way too much relief in the neck, and it hadn't been intonated. One twist of the bridge studs (with the strings loose) caused them to raise right up out of the body. I've never had this happen before, but I know some of you have. I slid them out, built up the holes with a bit of CA glue, and pressed 'em back in when it dried - they seem to be holding steady now.
I had to set the bridge all the way down to get the action to a more playable height. I'd say it has medium action now, and the neck would probably need to be shimmed to get it any lower:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/epi-tbird/DSCF0006.jpg)
About a quarter turn on the truss rod got the relief in better shape. There are two frets (10th and 18th) that seem to be too low and cause the G string (only) to bottom out. It looks like the adjacent frets are seated well, so they might just need to be filed down & polished in those spots to fix this. I had a similar problem on that Elitist that I had, and that seemed to do the trick. I'll leave that be- don't want to get too crazy with Uwe's new bass :) I roughed the intonation in using my crappy little tuner, but that could benefit from a bit more attention too.
Anyway- despite having to wrestle with the setup a bit, its a great player. I don't think the pickups are TB+ (which I think is what everyone suspects anyway). They don't sound like it to me, and when I was fixing the bridge studs I pulled the bridge pickup for a quick peek:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/epi-tbird/DSCF0005.jpg)
The USA TB+ pickups in the Elitist looked different underneath (wish I had a pic), and they were sealed in epoxy.
I'm not very good at describing the sound either, other than to say it sounds more "Fenderish" and less "Tbirdish" to me (my point of reference being the 76, Elitist, and Andy's late-model TB IV). That's not a bad thing, just different.
I made a quick recording to demonstrate a couple of the sounds. I did some "bass karaoke"! I took a excerpts from two songs, and did some stuff in Cubase to wipe out the original bass part from the recording - so what you'll hear is me playing the Epi over the top of it.
In honor of the bass' soon-to-be homeland, I chose a chart-topping track from everyone's favorite krautrock band Kraan to demo the basic sound of the bass. ;D The neck pickup is on full, bridge pickup is rolled off just a bit, and the tone is wide open. The second part of the clip features fingerstyle playing over a Meters song. Andy mentioned that the sound of the bass with the tone rolled off gets really diffuse and wooly-sounding. Well I found that just using the bridge pickup with the tone rolled off all the way gives a nice, focused R&B/funk kind of tone - so that's what I did here.
http://www.hillscloud.com/music/epi-silverburst-test.mp3
Enjoy!
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Sounds great, very Fenderish, nice playing as well- got to love Kraan.
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Thanks for the helpful review. The tone/pup settings you mentioned worked well at rehearsal last week. I also like turning the bridge pickup off and using attack with a nail or a pick into the strings...with the tone either open or choked.
Mine does need more work just to get down to a medium action, and string experimentation. I wonder if driving the studs all the way in bottomed out on the body, pushing the ferrules up? I wonder if some extra drilling is called for?
The neck p'up on mine is not level within the surround so that will take some shimming I guess. Raising the pups did wake up the bass, so the search begins for the right balance of action and p'up height.
I may be using rope to figure out how long a strap is needed for comfor and that "cover your nuts" stance. Playing this bass for three hours did a number on my left shoulder, so as much fun as it is to play, the limit may be 2-3 songs (or vicodin) per set. ;)
Reaction this far from two bands: all positive for striking looks and sound.
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Thanks guys.
I wonder if driving the studs all the way in bottomed out on the body, pushing the ferrules up? I wonder if some extra drilling is called for?
Actually, they lifted out immediately on the first turn of the studs - so it didn't appear that the holes were too shallow or anything. I think the holes were just a bit too wide to hold the ferrules securely.
Forgot to mention it, but the ground on the treble side stud was really iffy too. The ground wire comes in the side of the hole, and is supposed to make contact with the ferrule - but only the insulation was coming into contact with the metal. Fixed that too.
I may be using rope to figure out how long a strap is needed for comfor and that "cover your nuts" stance. Playing this bass for three hours did a number on my left shoulder, so as much fun as it is to play, the limit may be 2-3 songs (or vicodin) per set. ;)
I use one of those Levi padded 3.5" straps, and that's been pretty comfortable. I'm playing 4-5 hour gigs with the 76 (weighs about the same as this Epi), and that strap really helps the ol' shoulder! I have the strap lock button on the neck heel too, and that helps with the distribution of weight. Might try this with your Epi if its hurting your shoulder. If this one were mine, I'd relocate the strap button in a flash.
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Hey, I'm gonna get that Epi Greybird good as new! Custom shop set-up. ; - )
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As Joe's pic shows the Epi's bridge mounting studs have a lip on them that's at least 1/8" tall, replacing them with Gibson ones which actually countersink into the body will allow you to drop the action alot........... ;D
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Hey, I'm gonna get that Epi Greybird good as new! Custom shop set-up. ; - )
Well I got it dialed-in from about a:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/2985681749_14a7250a18.jpg)
...to a:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/Scary20Bird.jpg)
A couple more tweaks from a pro... and watch out, Fabio!
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Joe, I moved the strap button on the first day, but my 3.5" strap could use an extension for experimentation and rock pose purposes. Lowered the bridge more today to within 1/8" of flush; that's it for now. Haven't had to touch the truss rod, but may dress the nut, or replace it if it's soft plastic (where are my bi-focals?). The good news it's fun to play, but average enough I won't be overcome with GAS to acquire vintage tube amps or something. :rolleyes:
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That a real nice sound on those recordings, nothing mindblowing or jaw-dropping, just a very good, allround useable sound. Which is what I guess a good budget instrument like the Epi should do.
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Indeed, nice sound. The stickers on the bridge pickup looks like those Artec uses, maybe they are blade-type guitar humbuckers with chrome covers?
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Can't wait to try it out once more when I get home! Unfortunately I still have several days of beach time ahead of me! ;D ;D ;D I'm sure it plays much better since you've tweaked it. That action was a little high for me!
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Well, it has safely arrived. The fin looks wonderful and it plays well (two frets indeed need bumping/dressing). But the pups are a major disappointment - definitely not Gibson TB Plus. In fact they are lamer than the regular plastic cover Epi fare, middish affairs without either ooomph or zzzing. So off to my luthier the Silverburst Baby has gone, together with two nice TB Plus chrome humbuckers I got off ebay a while ago. Will report further after the transplant!!!
Andy, thanks again for getting the bass for me, they will indeed not be available in Germany.
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Happy to do it Uwe! I enjoyed messing around with it without having spent my own money! I agree with the pickup transplant. I would do the same thing if I bought one of the Silverbursts.
Thanks again for the truss rod wrench!
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Thanks for the assessment of the pickups. I have to agree the tones are useful if you like mids but not what drives the love here. Major adjustments so far: filed the nut slots, lowered the bridge, adjusted pickup height, moved strap button. It plays much better now, with stronger G and D strings and a subtle essence of grind.
Acoustically it sounds better after the setup, so it's the electronics that are skewed. At rehearsals I've been favoring the neck pickup on full with the bridge pickup almost off and tone wide open. Tried a few songs with both pickups up - workable but not desirable - so a change of strings would help.
Does it sound like it will be easier to bump this in he direction of a grind machine, or a flatwound thumper?
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The factory strings were (nearly) dead so I put fresh Rotos on mine, that helped a little with the zing. Real presence should come from the TB Plus implant. Leaving the stock pups, my guess is that it is easier to turn this into a thumper, perhaps with D'Addario Chromes which have more bass and presence than mids thus complementing the emphasis of the Epi pups on the mids.
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Thank you good sir for the recommendations. I will need to change pups then since I need an edgier bass as counterpoint to a Dark Star'd P with DR Black Beauties.
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You're putting chrome pups on a bass?!?! ???
My world has turned upside down!
I could have sent you some black plastic ones!
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My tastes are - like yours - varied! Just like the old saying goes, variety is the vice of life ...
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"variety is the vice of life ..."
WORDS TO CONDUCT ONESELF BY :gay:
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My luthier has had a look at the Silverburst chrome pups. They're friggin' guitar pups, six poles and all! He said they are the exact same pups Epi uses for its regular budget guitars (he worked for years in a shop with strong epi sales). Now using guitar pups on basses is nothing new and results can be good, but wouldn't you think that in 2009 Epi has the resources to develop and offer a real bass pup?!!!
Can't wait to hear it with real TB Plus.
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Forget the TB Plus, have him drop a couple of 6-pole RIC toasters in there.
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Forget the TB Plus, have him drop a couple of 6-pole RIC toasters in there.
He wants a bass, not a banjo Dave ;)
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Lol! Whenever the Italians had got themselves into another rut, you could trust Rommel to come to the rescue!
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Uwe will want a banjo, mandolin and harp guitar when he sees the effect they have on women, as proven here by Eddie Peabody (designer of the RIC Banjoline). Especially the last girl with the banjo. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mJ_51z6Cxw
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Nuthin' gets me goin' more than a banjo ;D
Guitar players always get the girls...............If he'd picked up a bass last they'd have all gone back to the pianist.
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Compelling evidence how strings and wimmen are just a natural combo.
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Well, watch him work the neck of the banjo.......... You can tell he's got a certain "talent" ;D
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Well, watch him work the neck of the banjo.......... You can tell he's got a certain "talent" ;D
That's the same damn thing that occurred to me as I watched that video. I guess great (sick) minds do think alike!
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Sick minds or not, if that vid reminds you of something, your technique needs honing, gentlemen!
Moving on to even stiffer news: I picked up Silverburst at my luthier and look and behold! The wonders of the TB Plus are manifold. What used to be a middish squeal, now is a warm mild growl with ample bass and a nice shine of presence. If it weren't for the more focused response of this bolt-on fellow in the upper registers were a real TBird is all sustainy, the Epi could be mistaken for the real thing. And, yes, those pups are indeed six pole geetar gadgets, Epi has quite some nerve to refer to them as "Epi TB Plus" pups!!! They read 12.000 something, any of you parttime guitards interetested in having them for free?
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At over 12K they would probably be more of a shredder type guitar pickup. I'd have to buy new outfits to go with 'em. ;)
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hey i'd be int those pups.i'd put 'em in the Mustang.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x120/yrofrat/3k23m93p11f812a1478cs92205a95cf5114.jpg)
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Oh great. If one can't trust what's under the covers of "TB Plus" pups, how does one identify the correct replacement pickups? Did your luthier install the guts inside the chrome covers or discard them?
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Oh great. If one can't trust what's under the covers of "TB Plus" pups, how does one identify the correct replacement pickups? Did your luthier install the guts inside the chrome covers or discard them?
No, he used chrome Gibson TB Plus pups which are epoxied (and hopefully not guitar pups inside ...). You're safe with buying anything that says "Gibson TB Plus", be it soapbar, chromeling or mockmudbucker. But Epi I think have only taken on the description. They are even referring to their old style soap bars that used to grace all their basses and still ferature on, say, the regular Epi TBird as "TB Plus". And while "TB Plus" says nothing about it being not a guitar pup, it certainly insunuates that via the use of TB (Thunderbird) rather than FB (Firebird). I find that a trifle tricky. :-\
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hey i'd be int those pups.i'd put 'em in the Mustang.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x120/yrofrat/3k23m93p11f812a1478cs92205a95cf5114.jpg)
Hey, you sliding Brooklyn rodent, mail me your postal address and the pups are on their way to you. No guarantee that they will fit your mustang though.
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Had the souped up (Gibson TB Plus pup equipped) Silverburst Bird at a rehearsal and, man, it doth sound commanding! More ooomph and presence bite than my B&CH Non Rev with its Artec pup which is no slouch.
Sometimes, it is worrying to disconcerting how much the Epi stuff improves once it has Gibson pups. Selling the Silverburst with real TB Plus pups would probably hike its street price by a mere 50 bucks, but it would be a so much better bass! Makes you wonder whether they use the cheaper pups not so much for pricing reasons but to keep a large enough acoustic quality gap between a Gibson and an Epi TBird. Certainly, if you are not playing much in the upper register (where the Epi's bolt-on construction can't compete with a set neck or neck-thru TBird as regards sustain even though it has better upper register access - 17-19th frets can be reached with ease), then you are not going to miss playing a Gibson rather than an Epi for all practical purposes. Some people might even prefer the plus on attack the bolt-on neck has in the upper register though I will forever prefer the mellow sustain of a neck-thru TBird.
The installation of the Gibson TB Plus pups on the Silverburst Epi has also solved the riddle of whether the Epi Elitist TBirds had real TB Plus pups or not. They did, my Elitist sounds surprisingly similar to the now modded Silverburst, the Silverburst is just a bit more aggressive, no doubt due to the maple neck.
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That sounds good!
slightly offtopic: I'm planning of install a pair of those artec pups that bach uses on my epi tbird, some time in the future. I'll keep ya posted when that 'll happen.
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And another 'stay tuned' message...I scored a pair of Gibson pups for the silverburst TB IV. Just waiting for a quiet day at home to install them. Uwe's review is encouraging.
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You vill nöt be disappöinted!!!
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Here's a quick update on the pickup replacement. The Gibson TB Plus pups measured in at 9.8K. Thanks Uwe, for your assistance identifying a replacement set.
One delay involved ordering flat pickup rings since the Epi rings had a ramp angle better suited for an archtop LP. Now the pickups actually lay parallel to the strings (better kharma already). Soldering in the control cavity was secure but gloppy so I cleaned that up a bit. I also discovered the input jack was being held by one thread, so that required clearancing the hole from inside to let the jack threads spring forth for a better grip. First impressions thru a small practice amp sound promising across the tonal range. I'll take it to band practice tomorrow for a proper workout.
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You will see the light tomorrow!
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Forget the TB Plus, have him drop a couple of 6-pole RIC toasters in there.
Got 'em on all 3 of my Rics. They sound great, with a vintage-y, warm, snarly, fat low end. All toasters are the same 6 pole "guitar" pups. ;D
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand????? (tapping foot) How did it sound?
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand????? (tapping foot) How did it sound?
Sorry...I slept in after a contended night with the silver mistress. :mrgreen:
The TB Plus pups sound less electronic with more warmth and a groovy harmonic oscillation. I do play in upper positions where the tone is improved even more over the stock skinny plates. I'll be playing this bass with the tone choked down and open wide - good tone and power in either case. This is a welcome break from building 'F'-based basses (with a few minor surprises). Thanks much for the guidance, Uwe.
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All is good then, great!