Anybody intrested (Thunderbird pickups)

Muzikman7 · November 27, 2009, 07:23:28 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Thunderbird-Bass-Guitar-Pickup-Set-Chrome_W0QQitemZ260514131246QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item3ca7da2d2e

Dave W · November 27, 2009, 07:32:17 PM

Those are Gibson TB-Plus pickups from the most recent LP Standard Bass series. They're not Thunderbird bass pickups.

But thanks for posting, somebody may still be interested.

drbassman · November 27, 2009, 07:37:31 PM

I bought a couple pair for some future projects.

Lightyear · November 27, 2009, 09:25:26 PM

The price seems right but how do we know that these are the real McCoy? Any thoughts? Doc what do yours look like?

Oh and, hey Tony, hope things are going well for you!

Pilgrim · November 28, 2009, 08:57:29 AM

How would those work in my EB-0 conversion to EB-3?

I know nothing about T-birds or their sound.

Dave W · November 28, 2009, 09:52:48 AM

Quote from: Lightyear on November 27, 2009, 09:25:26 PM
The price seems right but how do we know that these are the real McCoy?

IMO the unequal size cream colored rings are the giveaway.

Dave W · November 28, 2009, 09:56:08 AM

Quote from: Pilgrim on November 28, 2009, 08:57:29 AM
How would those work in my EB-0 conversion to EB-3?

I know nothing about T-birds or their sound.

Not a T-bird pickup, although the design is the same as the current issue T-birds. It's a medium output twin-blade humbucker from a Les Paul Standard and it's standard guitar humbucker size.

Pilgrim · November 28, 2009, 11:32:05 AM

Doesn't sound like a good option, then. Thanks.

uwe · November 28, 2009, 05:42:27 PM

I see no reason why these pups should not sound great on an EB, they work great on Epi Tbirds where they were used on the deleted Elitist series. I put them on my silverburst ltd edition Epi TB and the difference was night and day. Compared to regular soap bar size TB Plus pups, these babies sound even more assertive and have a real full bark to them. Placed right behind the neck they can provide mudbuckerish sublows with a lot more focus than a mudbucker could. If you can get over the chrome ...

TBird1958 · November 28, 2009, 05:50:17 PM

" If you can get over the chrome ... "

You can always just dip them in that liquid plastic coating stuff.................

Pilgrim · November 28, 2009, 10:45:18 PM

Quote from: uwe on November 28, 2009, 05:42:27 PM
I see no reason why these pups should not sound great on an EB, they work great on Epi Tbirds where they were used on the deleted Elitist series. I put them on my silverburst ltd edition Epi TB and the difference was night and day. Compared to regular soap bar size TB Plus pups, these babies sound even more assertive and have a real full bark to them. Placed right behind the neck they can provide mudbuckerish sublows with a lot more focus than a mudbucker could. If you can get over the chrome ...

That sounds more encouraging. The chrome pickup body is no issue - the standard EB pickups are all chrome anyway. I'd think a little black plastic paint would change the pickup trim ring color if needed. ALso, if they were used on the Elitist Tbird, replacement rings should be available.

If the pickups are blade-type, I'm also thinking they would they be less sensitive to string spacing....right? That would seem to lend them to an installation where the string spacing might not match the original application.

Comparing the measurements on the Ebay pickups with the neck pickup in the EB-0 shows me that if I installed them into the EB-0 there would be nearly a 1/4" gap between the trim ring on the neck pickup and the base of the neck. I suppose I could either have a wider custom trim ring made, or just paint the pickup cavity black and ignore the gap.

Thoughts?

Barklessdog · November 29, 2009, 10:59:56 AM

The braided wire is also another Gibson factor?

Pilgrim · November 29, 2009, 08:35:23 PM

I don't know. I'm not at all familiar with Gibson, which is why I'm having trouble deciding whether to pull the trigger on these pickups. I'm beginning to suspect it would make a pretty cool, unusual, short scale EB-3.

Whether these came off a T-bird or Les Paul, the instrument was pretty expensive and the replacement pickups are priced to match. I'm increasingly wondering if I should take a flyer on these. the pickups would only cost slightly more than I hve in the bass.

But once you route a hole for a bridge pickup in an EB-0, you're committed.

Dave W · November 29, 2009, 11:45:44 PM

At least you can use a standard guitar HB template for these.

uwe · November 30, 2009, 07:37:37 AM

Buy them, you won't be disappointed. If you are, I'll take them off your hands for the price and shipping you paid and add shipping to Germany. TB Plus pups are always handy to have around.

Uwe

PS: String spacing is no issue for these as long as you are not outside of the pup.