Epiphone Vintage Pro mini review

[Dave W]

I really doubt their parts come from one source. A bridge manufacturer is not going to also be making electronic circuit components. There are probably dozens of places to buy unbranded parts and sell them as your own.

[Basvarken]

Which means you don't know, okay?
None of us here knows who makes the EY Parts pickups.
Nor do we know who makes the Epiphone Probucker 760.

[Dave W]

Right. And since I haven't tried either, I'm still taking Scott's word that they aren't identical.

[godofthunder]

    Cover tooling looks a little different and the rings are definitely different.

[tore00]

There is one on sale at ebay by Thomann, a very popular German store, that has some damage. The neck has some hair thick crack at the headstock. Do you think that may be a problem and the crack may develop? By the way my Gibson thunderbird has the same issue. Is there any way to prevent the crack to develop further?

https://www.ebay.it/itm/Epiphone-Thunderbird-Vintage-Pro-AW-Gebrauchtware/362291048692?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D7079e16a6ba448ceafe46d6eafcacee4%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D222831467384%26itm%3D362291048692&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A1983138c-4e2f-11e8-a84d-74dbd180b77f%7Cparentrq%3A21ebac591630a9cbab06b816fffe795e%7Ciid%3A1

[Dave W]

There is one on sale at ebay by Thomann, a very popular German store, that has some damage. The neck has some hair thick crack at the neck. Do you think that may be a problem and the crack may develop? By the way my Gibson thunderbird has the same issue. Is there any way to prevent the crack to develop further?

https://www.ebay.it/itm/Epiphone-Thunderbird-Vintage-Pro-AW-Gebrauchtware/362291048692?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D7079e16a6ba448ceafe46d6eafcacee4%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D222831467384%26itm%3D362291048692&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A1983138c-4e2f-11e8-a84d-74dbd180b77f%7Cparentrq%3A21ebac591630a9cbab06b816fffe795e%7Ciid%3A1

That seems to have significant damage, since it's listed as non-working. There's no sure way to prevent a crack from getting worse, it depends on what caused the crack.

[clankenstein]

Saved by the fact that they don't ship to New Zealand.

[veebass]

Just my musings on the pickups in the Epi Vintage Pro and the EY "Chinabuckers" and the Epi VP TBird in general.
I put Chinabuckers in my 08 Gibson TBird some time ago and I am very happy with them. I put a pair of 9.2K ones in from memory.
I imported a brand new Epi VP TBird from Japan about 3 months ago, because the Australian importer has been kaput for some time- they just won't admit it.
This may be the only VP in Oz.

I have been gigging the two TBirds together since then and I can hear a slight difference between them. I have never even touched a vintage TBird so I don't know how either compare to that but they are slightly different to each other.

They are very similar but the Gibson with the Chinabuckers is a little bit smoother sounding, while the Epi is a little bit more raucous. (Technical terms) I am not sure if that has anything to do with the different pickup positions or not. The Gibson's neck pickup is fair bit closer to the 12th fret than the Epi.
Epi VP- 12th to middle of neck pickup - 275 mm. 12th to middle of bridge pickup - 375 mm.
08 Gibson- 12th to middle of neck pickup - 260 mm. 12th to middle of bridge pickup - 370 mm.

Anyway here's some pics. I had some fun dressing the Epi up.

Chrome Schaller locks.
Gotoh CBR 640 Ultra Light Machines in Nickel (these are super nice!)
Thunderbucker Ranch custom made in Nickel. Thanks, Steve!
Custom "Gibson" script TRC- I kept the Epi one and will put it back on if I sell it.

BTW-
I think it is a great bass. The tuner change and the bridge cover helped the balance- which I now find quite acceptable.
One minor downfall- so long it doesn't fit properly into even a Gibson Tbird case (goes in at a slight angle). Long headstock and the neck is a "little further out of the body" than the Gibson.

This one was shipped from Osaka to me here in Australia just in a canvas Epiphone gigbag with a little cardboard around the headstock and then the whole thing wrapped in bubble wrap.
No breaks!

[Dave W]

That looks great in ebony.

[BTL]

That looks great in ebony.

It sure does!