2018 Gibson basses. New basses, new topic :)

[66Atlas]

Because there is nothing inherently wrong with them (ignore the naysayers in this forum!), if you like a beefy bass sound that still gets heard look (and hear) no further. The Jim DeCola pups were more versatile and offered better transparency without ever sounding sterile (and I really love the TBird model equipped with them), but let's face it, nobody buys a TBird to sound versatile. It's a bass bought mainly for its visual appeal and its heritage, plus that not every Joes Blow plays one, and it's supposed to deliver a rock sound, period.

I actually preferred the sound of the TB+ to the DeCola, that and the musicman magnets looked out of place.  Although my wife says I'm just change averse.

[slinkp]

TB+ rules!
Instead of endlessly repeating myself I'll just endlessly link to myself: http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=10574.msg179928#msg179928

[4stringer77]

Those tracks do sound nice. Nothing wrong with the TB+ per say, It's just that the Epi vintage pro looks way cooler in comparison to the modernized bird. Guess I should be glad it's not giving me GAS for something I shouldn't be spending money on.

[Basvarken]

There are so many different TB+ humbuckers that I honestly couldn't say that TB+ rule in general.

Last weekend, a famous Dutch bass player and I compared a lot of Gibson bass guitars. Among the basses was an SG reissue black satin finish with the TB+ underneath the mudbucker and mini humbucker casing. This bass was by far the worst sounding instrument in the room. Not lively sounding at all. Not very musical. Just dull, without any autority whatsoever.
Especially in comparison to the 1976 EB3 which sounded impressive.

[Chris P.]

Taste? I liked my former SG Reissue much and much better than my former  76 EB3.

[Basvarken]

The difference was that big, that I almost can't believe it would be a matter of taste. I'm quite sure you would have agreed with Ivo, Willem and me. ;-)
Maybe the entire bass was a monday morning product?

[slinkp]

There are so many different TB+ humbuckers that I honestly couldn't say that TB+ rule in general.

Fair point, that!  It seems to be a name applied to a bunch of different pickups. I only have experience with the black plastic LPB1 circa '92, so I can only truly vouch for those.

I had assumed that Thunderbird black plastic pups are the same as mine, but it's been 15 years since mine was made ... and haven't we already had threads about how at some point there were split-coil pickups under the plastic?  I don't honestly know what's inside mine.  Is there any way to tell whether it's split-coil or humbucker without ruining damaging the pickup?

Either of the black plastic designs (and were there *only* two?) could physically fit inside a giant mudbucker cover (but what are the "polepiece" screws - cosmetic only?) ... but that SG bass minibucker obviously can't be the same design.

And I have always assumed that the ones in chrome covers must be somewhat different as well - different bobbins at least, to fit in the narrow width.
... plus whatever the metal cover does to the sound 

[Dave W]

TB+ is just the name Gibson has used for all its twin blade ceramic magnet bass humbuckers. They can't possibly all sound the same b/c they aren't the same. Different shaped coils will sound different, even if they're wound to the exact same specs. The TB+ in Thunderbirds is longer than the chrome covered guitar size TB+ in the LP basses (about 3 3/4 in. vs. 2 3/4 in.) while the TB+ in the SG Basses is about the same length as the Thunderbird TB+ but wider (about 1 7/8 in. vs. 1 1/2 in.). There may be differences in coil height too.

Also, the SG Bass version senses a wider portion of the string, not to mention the fact that it's placed up by the neck and it's on a short scale bass.

On top of that, there have been different versions of the TB+ on the Thunderbirds. I remember someone (Mark?) showing the underside of one with the blades in s split-coil arrangement instead of two full length coils.

[slinkp]

I remember someone (Mark?) showing the underside of one with the blades in s split-coil arrangement instead of two full length coils.

Yeah, that's what I was referring to!  Does anybody know whether the early-nineties passive LPB basses got the split-coil or full-humbucker variety?
I had always assumed mine were full humbucker because they sound more like that than how I'd expect a split-coil to sound (very fat in the mids and less open treble) but that doesn't prove anything, it's just a guess based on my preconceptions.

I'd be really curious to hear both side-by-side on same/similar bass with same player and same amp, but that's not an easy thing for most of us to arrange   I've only got the one Gibson here.

[neepheid]

Well, I will say nothing about the re-emergence of the RD until it appears, but what has surprised me the most is how handsome the EB (2018) looks in black, with black hardware.  I guess it was just waiting for the right colour combo - the stealth bass approach suits its modern lines very well, to my eyes at least.

I may even get one.  Considering how "meh" I was about the 2017 EB bass when it first came out, I'd call that an impressive turnaround.

[66Atlas]

I didnt even bother to look at the 2018 EB until now, You're right that Black on Black is the nicest looking one they've made.  I never would have considered the natural or sunburst one but the black is actually tempting.

[slinkp]

I kinda like the sunburst .  If I was in the market for a modern-looking shape with modern-sounding / versatile pickups this seems like it might be a pretty good value.

[uwe]

I didnt even bother to look at the 2018 EB until now, You're right that Black on Black is the nicest looking one they've made.  I never would have considered the natural or sunburst one but the black is actually tempting.

Not collecting for fins, I tend to agree!

[Dave W]

I've seen the natural and sunburst in person. The natural looked great to me but not the sunburst. Even though I've always liked the two tone Gibson yellow/brown burst in a traditional gloss finish, it didn't look good in matte. Just personal taste, of course.

The black ought to look great on the ash body.

[veebass]

TB+ is just the name Gibson has used for all its twin blade ceramic magnet bass humbuckers. They can't possibly all sound the same b/c they aren't the same. Different shaped coils will sound different, even if they're wound to the exact same specs. The TB+ in Thunderbirds is longer than the chrome covered guitar size TB+ in the LP basses (about 3 3/4 in. vs. 2 3/4 in.) while the TB+ in the SG Basses is about the same length as the Thunderbird TB+ but wider (about 1 7/8 in. vs. 1 1/2 in.). There may be differences in coil height too.

Also, the SG Bass version senses a wider portion of the string, not to mention the fact that it's placed up by the neck and it's on a short scale bass.

On top of that, there have been different versions of the TB+ on the Thunderbirds. I remember someone (Mark?) showing the underside of one with the blades in s split-coil arrangement instead of two full length coils.

Makes sense. I far prefer the ones in my Les Paul Basses and ES 335 Bass to the TBird ones.