Epi Thunderbird Classic-IV Pro now on their site ...

[uwe]

 

[vates]

Keine Lebensraum, Ich weise!   

...and we know what they usually do when they're short on Lebensraum...

[uwe]

That was in hindsight not a very good idea at all to go there! Or maybe it was, because it eventiually triggered the downfall of the Third Reich. The Russians taught us a thing or two.   The surrender of the 6. Armee at Stalingrad just had it's 70th anniversary. It is often forgotten that one year and half years into the (unwarranted) attack on Russia, the Russians not only turned the conflict there around, but WW II as such. I still have high respect for the blood toll the Red Army took. Unimaginable in any Western democracy.

[vates]

okay, I'll post a picture from their more glorious days then





_{upd: however Zorndorf may be a not so good example as well}

[uwe]

Note to self: Get along with your neighbors.  I believe Germany learned that lesson well, but it took us some time!

[Denis]

Last year at a gun show I talked to one of the vendors, a German whose uncle was in the SS on the Eastern Front, maybe Stalingrad. He was in an MG-42 crew and said that during one battle the Russian bodies piled up so high in front of their gun that they couldn't see over them. The Russians just kept throwing troops at the German positions, wave after wave. It's no wonder the casualties were so high.

Anyway, back on bass topic. I tried one of these new Epi Birds out at GC. It was a terrific sounding bass as it was and considering the price, a deal in every way, beautifully finished, felt good, etc. Definitely worth the money!

[4stringer77]

I'm having visions of one of these basses converted to a single pickup T-bird II with a new paint job and chrome. Wonder what spot the neck pickup is in, 60's or modern? Think filling in the bridge pickup route would ruin the sound?

[uwe]

No, it wouldn't.

[Dave W]

I don't think it would either, though I can't imagine putting that much work into a $500 bass. YMMV.

[4stringer77]

My local GC would give me a $100 coupon and get it to me for 4 bills. I e-mailed my friend Bill Whitsett in Lowell, MA to see what he thinks. If I decide to give the project a green light, I'll keep y'all updated.

[uwe]

I think the TB Pro is an excellent platform for all sorts of pimping. As was/is the Epi Explorer Bass which with Gibson pups (and upgraded hardware) sounds better than last year's Gibson Explorer Bass (which was by no means a bad release, but that Epi mock-korina has a unique sound the Gibson's maho can't match)

[gearHed289]

I think the TB Pro is an excellent platform for al sorts of pimping. As was/is the Epi Explorer Bass which with Gibson pups (and upgraded hardware) sounds better than last year's Gibson Explorer Bass (which was by no means a bad release, but that Epi mock-korina has a unique sound the Gibson's maho can't match)

Interesting. I've become very disinterested in my Explorer. Planning to put it up for sale when they disappear from Musicians Friend. It's just "blah" sounding, and the neck sits in a different position than I'm used to. By that I mean, where my muscle memory tells me I'm at the 7th fret, I'm actually at the 9th, etc.

[TBird1958]

Interesting. I've become very disinterested in my Explorer. Planning to put it up for sale when they disappear from Musicians Friend. It's just "blah" sounding, and the neck sits in a different position than I'm used to. By that I mean, where my muscle memory tells me I'm at the 7th fret, I'm actually at the 9th, etc.

Hmmmmm................ 
I may be interested when you decide Tom, will have to check the wallet first since I'm supporting my "starving artist" Miss Peacock. 

[uwe]

Interesting. I've become very disinterested in my Explorer. Planning to put it up for sale when they disappear from Musicians Friend. It's just "blah" sounding, and the neck sits in a different position than I'm used to. By that I mean, where my muscle memory tells me I'm at the 7th fret, I'm actually at the 9th, etc.

That's too bad.   Does the fact that is has a high E - unusual for most Gibson basses, but much appreciated by yours truly - disorient you? And what do you mean with "blah" sounding? Yes the TB Plus is closer to the neck than on a TBird (but probably not much, because the board is two frets longer it just looks that way), so the Explorer sounds a little darker, but it's not a whole different world to someone liking a TBird or (passive) long scale LP Bass sound? The 2012 Explorers are certainly a great improvement over the mid-eighties ones which were loveless and lackluster affairs.

That said, my pimped Epi, while offering the same amount of bass (its front pup is right snug against the 22 fret neck), does offer more presence, which I believe is down to the wood (the added spalted maple top might add a little zing too) and that the metal encased TB Plus guitar size humbuckers for some reason always sound sharper than the teflon soapbars.

[gearHed289]

The number of frets isn't the issue, it's just where they "sit" as the bass hangs on me. The neck sticks out further from the balancing point of the strap pin than I'm used to if that makes sense. Totally subjective, but it's a slight annoyance. The physical positioning of the neck pup is bothersome too. I like a pickup either right against the neck, or a nice big gap between the end of the fingerboard and the pickup. The tone - I don't know, it just doesn't have the cutting crunch of my LP, Fenderbird, or the Bach I had. Also, tweaking volume levels and the tone control doesn't do a whole lot compared to my others. The PROS are - it looks absolutely killer, it's light weight, and perfectly balanced. I need to try a set of my usual strings and see what happens. It's still got the stock ones on it.