Thunderbird pickup dilemma

finlover · August 12, 2012, 10:25:31 AM

Okay, this is so silly but it's eating away at me and I need some advice. I love everything about my LE Cherry Thunderbird except the way the pickups look! Those plain flat black blobs of plastic look so cheap compared to the rest of the bass. Thing is that they sound awesome--HUGE with nice even string response.

Being a lover of all things vintage I'm a sucker for a chromed out T-bird, especially those shiny pickup covers and trim rings. The surprising thing is that the black hardware looks really good against the cherry finish. Plus the black seems to tame the odd looks of the 3-point (which set up beautifully for me), and I like the way the black tuners don't break up the lines of the headstock.

So the obvious fix is to retrofit new covers and trim rings to the factory pickups, which seems a little scary considering the potential for damaging them. Or do I order new Thunderbuckers or Lollars? At $600 a pair, I have a hard time justifying the Lulls although I'm sure they're amazing. Like I said, I'm happy with my sound--but is it just because I don't know what I'm missing with the aftermarket p/us?

Also, should I go with black chrome to match the other hardware or bite the bullet and go for chrome everything? (I already know what you're going to say, TBird1958

). Real Gibson chrome 3 points don't seem to turn up very often and I'm not wild about the oversized looks of the Hipshot. Or would it look too weird if only the pickups were chrome (they would match the centers of the knobs)? Or should I just get over it and learn to live with the TB Pluses as they are?

Now do you see what kind of nonsense rattles around in this brain of mine? There are people in the world with actual problems--SHEESH!

Nocturnal · August 12, 2012, 10:46:30 AM

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Thunderbird-Pickupcover-Chrome-German-Silver-no-Plastic-/310415704313?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item484637c0f9

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Thunderbird-Pickup-Ring-Chrome-/160847983272?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item25734972a8

Nice looking bass! I like the black against the red finish. ^These covers and rings will work for your current pickups but you will need to remove the black casing. Others have done that on this forum and would be able to fill you in on the process. I know someone used these for a situation like yours and needed to do some sanding on the pickups to fit them inside the covers, but I don't remember them saying it was a lot of work. If you like the looks of the black, the sellers have offered them in black as well. You could always send a message asking for those. I bought a pair like the one's in the links. Well made, look nice, shipped fast, and they gave me gummi bears!!

The store listing says the seller is away until Aug. 19th but you could easily have a set of these by the end of the month if you ordered them.

planetgaffnet · August 12, 2012, 10:48:44 AM

I wouldn't change a thing on that. It all looks good.
P

finlover · August 12, 2012, 11:00:57 AM

Quote from: Nokturnal on August 12, 2012, 10:46:30 AM
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Thunderbird-Pickupcover-Chrome-German-Silver-no-Plastic-/310415704313?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item484637c0f9

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Thunderbird-Pickup-Ring-Chrome-/160847983272?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item25734972a8

Nice looking bass! I like the black against the red finish. ^These covers and rings will work for your current pickups but you will need to remove the black casing. Others have done that on this forum and would be able to fill you in on the process. I know someone used these for a situation like yours and needed to do some sanding on the pickups to fit them inside the covers, but I don't remember them saying it was a lot of work. If you like the looks of the black, the sellers have offered them in black as well. You could always send a message asking for those. I bought a pair like the one's in the links. Well made, look nice, shipped fast, and they gave me gummi bears!! The store listing says the seller is away until Aug. 19th but you could easily have a set of these by the end of the month if you ordered them.

Thanks a million, Nokturnal! I sent the seller a message but probably won't hear back for another week or so. Replacing the covers is certainly the most cost effective way to go (besides leaving it alone of course). So in your opinion should I go with black or nickel covers and rings assuming I'm keeping the rest of the hardware?

finlover · August 12, 2012, 11:03:27 AM

Quote from: planetgaffnet on August 12, 2012, 10:48:44 AM
I wouldn't change a thing on that. It all looks good.
P

Thanks, P! That's probably the most sensible thing to do...

Stjofön Big · August 12, 2012, 11:52:38 AM

Why not get two pup rings from the Bay, black if possible, or paint them, black? The bass looks nicer with pup rings, I think.

Nocturnal · August 12, 2012, 12:15:36 PM

I think the finish on this bass lends itself to black hardware and I like black harware so I wouldn't change it. I'm sure the bass would look great with all chrome hardware, but a mix of black and chrome might not look as good imo. Glad I don't need to make this decision.

ramone57 · August 12, 2012, 12:42:14 PM

too bad you can't get shiny black covers, that would look sweet, especially if you added rings.

OldManC · August 12, 2012, 01:11:14 PM

This is coming from another chrome lover... I think black hardware looks great on that bird. If it were mine I'd first get a couple pickup black pickup rings and lay them over the pickups to see how they looked. That might give it more of a vintage vibe. If course, if you're set on the chrome makeover you won't get much of a fight here.

But that's a beautiful bird even as is.

shadowcastaz · August 12, 2012, 01:18:47 PM

http://www.fretsonthenet.com/Pickups_Info_Parts/pickup%20rings%20page.htm

I got some black ones several years ago from this guy . Nice stuff

Iome · August 12, 2012, 01:43:32 PM

Look no further (scroll down): http://www.crazyparts.de/042708a0500bf9d09/042708a02c108c622/index.php

This is the guy on 3bay's store nokturnal linked too. You've got chrome, nickel, gold and black metallic covers and rings.

TBird1958 · August 12, 2012, 02:01:03 PM

Being a card carrying chrome clan member

First I'd remember that your saying that you like how the stock pups sound, I think that's most important here, and with that in mind my best advice is to not change anything on that bass. Much as I like chrome, the black hardware and cherry finish certainly look nice - yes, I said that.
My own personal expierience with replacing metal pup covers over the stock Gibson ones is that it's pretty easy to do, but also that it does change their tone somewhat, adding a bit of metallic clank in the case of my Gibsons - and in the case of my Burny the opposite happened, they lost a bit of their high end after I put Lull covers on them.
If you really want to do it my thought would be to chase down a Gibson 3 point first - needed a new one and got it thru Mike Lull because he's authorize to do factory repairs by Gibson. It wasn't easy because Gibson doesn't want to sell parts, but it can be done. Mike's covers require peeling the plastic from the pickup, which is easy enough with a pair of Xuron cutters - about minutes of work, no filing or re drilling needed when using Gibson pickups. No doubt that the separate covers from the Thunderbucker Ranch would work in the same fashon. Personally I'd never put a Hipshot bridge on a T Bird, yes it's well designed but the aesthetics leave me

The clovers tuners are a fun addition, as when they are positioned in - line they will not pass each other.

Take it off baby!

TBird1958 · August 12, 2012, 02:04:41 PM

Quote from: Iome on August 12, 2012, 01:43:32 PM
Look no further (scroll down): http://www.crazyparts.de/042708a0500bf9d09/042708a02c108c622/index.php

This is the guy on 3bay's store nokturnal linked too. You've got chrome, nickel, gold and black metallic covers and rings.

Corner radius is wrong on these, so to make them fit requires filing all four on the pick up.......No thanks. Probably ok for an Epi tho.

finlover · August 12, 2012, 04:19:09 PM

Quote from: OldManC on August 12, 2012, 01:11:14 PM
This is coming from another chrome lover... I think black hardware looks great on that bird. If it were mine I'd first get a couple pickup black pickup rings and lay them over the pickups to see how they looked. That might give it more of a vintage vibe. If course, if you're set on the chrome makeover you won't get much of a fight here. But that's a beautiful bird even as is.

Thanks a lot, OldManC! I've always thought of black hardware as kind of dated, but somehow it works on this one. I think you're right about the rings--they could make all the difference!

finlover · August 12, 2012, 04:22:03 PM

Quote from: Nokturnal on August 12, 2012, 12:15:36 PM
I think the finish on this bass lends itself to black hardware and I like black harware so I wouldn't change it. I'm sure the bass would look great with all chrome hardware, but a mix of black and chrome might not look as good imo. Glad I don't need to make this decision.

Yeah, there's probably a good reason why you never see a mix of black and chrome hardware. As much as I love chrome I think I'll stick with all black. Uwe should be very pleased with me!