neepheid

In my opinion there has never been a more precarious time for mid/high priced instruments. Overall quality at the bottom end of the price range has been steadily improving and the quality gap which the premium products used to command has never been narrower. Keeping it focused on the Thunderbird, the current Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro is more Thunderbird than the contemporary Gibson offering ever was. What is that more than doubling of the price getting you? A hard case (fair enough), Gibson on the TRC (which doesn't really carry that much cache in the bass world anyway as we're all well aware), two more layers in the neck laminate, a worse choice of colours, tired old TB+ pickups and arguably a worse bridge (in terms of functionality and operation). I can't see any way the Gibson Thunderbird is the degrees of better than the current Epiphone Vintage Pro commensurate with the price premium it commands. I'm not even sure if it is actually better. Gibson should be scared by this. Their premium products need to blow the cut price ones out of the water to justify the prices they're listed for and frankly speaking, I don't think they do. I don't think facsimile is a fair word - Epiphones are genuine, sanctioned Gibson products in their own right. If some other company started making Thunderbirds, I'd call them copies/facsimiles. I find the pickups interesting on the NR Thunderbird Gibson have brought out recently, if those chrome covers (which I really hope aren't hiding TB+ pickups) aren't a tacit admission that Epiphone have been getting it right with regard to the Thunderbird of late then I don't know what is. At time of writing, I am of the opinion that Gibson basses are not worth worth the price they are commanding - partly because I think they've gone stale and partly because of the excellent job Epiphone have been doing of late. I have 2 Epiphones currently, both bought from new. The Jack Casady, which I have felt the need to make no alterations/upgrades to, and an Embassy to which the only thing I've done to it is swap out the tuners - they were a bit crap admittedly. In terms of quality, build and playability, I can't fault either of them. Well put together, well finished, good fretwork, needed nothing more than very basic setup (action/intonation/relief) to play the way I like. I don't expect any volume produced bass regardless of how much it cost to be tailored to me right off the bat so I don't think that counts. Some people may have viewed me as a bit of a Gibson fanboi/apologist in the past but the je ne sais quoi allure of the brand was lost on me some time ago. I still have a soft spot for the old Gibsons, but I'd want my head examined if I bought a Gibson Thunderbird new today.

The neck through Epiphones* (the Vintage Pro/60s Thunderbird - the one with the separate bridge and tailpiece - in particular) are leagues ahead of the bolt on thing. The bolt on is cheap - it's half the price and the only part of the Thunderbird experience you're getting with it is the body shape. Nothing else about it is even remotely legit. The controls are also VVT - I'm really scraping the bottom of the barrel now for similarities There was the Classic Pro, which had the 3 point bridge and Gibson TB+ pickups (the same ones which were used on the Gibson T-bird at the time) - that was similar to the contemporary Gibson model but some might say even it has lost its way somewhat. * I'd rather ignore the active "Pro" model with the very obvious neck laminations - it's a generic active bass in a Thunderbird body. Still better than the bolt on, mind. TL:DR - get a Vintage Pro/60's and THEN decide if you like Thunderbirds.

If it's any consolation (and to bring some balance to your world) I have never knowingly listened to Jaco play. All I know without resorting to Google is he played a fretless Jazz which didn't start off being fretless (something about boat varnish?) and I think he died as a result of an altercation outside a licensed establishment. Also I dislike Jazz basses, I think they sound weedy (passive ones anyway) and I can't stand their big, goofy, ungainly, slightly melty body shape. Better? Hate spread a bit more equally now?

Thread revival! Guess what? My Redsub combo is still working. Over 9 years of service and counting. OK, it had a year and a half off, much like myself. Still being a boisterous little so-and-so in the rehearsal room as a 250W combo. I've been a lazy git and left it in the boot of the car many times in all climates and it's just not bothered. First post lockdown gigs happening next weekend - looking forward to pairing it up with the secondary cab again.

That's terrible news, condolences to his family and friends.

It has taken me 12 or so years to acquiesce to using an overdrive pedal, so as neanderthal with an octagonal wheel I hear you. For what it's worth, the overdrive pedal that softened my previously dead set against effects opinion is the Bass Soul Food. I'm sure it's considered a toy to the effects specialists, but it was the first one I tried that didn't cost an arm and a leg and I could get a sound out of it I liked without too much faffing around. That said, I think you have to be happy with your blank canvas sound before you start adding effects - it isn't going to help you if you aren't happy with the sound that's going into the effect(s). I came from a position of liking my basic sound and wondering what else I could do with it. Joining a band which is instrumentally a trio added some impetus to this - sometimes the single guitar needs a bit of help to fill things out, give a lift in song choruses, that sort of thing.

I'm back in G&L land after some time out. Here's the CLF Research L-1000 I took possession of this week: Royal purple. Lovely finish, difficult to photograph

I'd agree with that assessment. Epiphones have got better and better over time, Gibson's output has stagnated IMO both in terms of quality and general lack of giving a fig.

Where was that? Nosey Aberdonian asking - feel free to PM if you prefer not to say publicly

As someone whose weapon of choice is a "500W" 1x10 combo with removable head I can confirm that it's only 500W with the addition of an 8 ohm cab (or popping the head out of the combo and providing your own way to present a 4 ohm impedance). I've found that 250W 1x10 is enough for the rehearsal room and I only add an additional cab for gigs.

It needs a muzzle. One time when I was soundchecking with one of these, the sound guy asked me if it was active OP: Welcome (back, if you've been here before) to the G&L club.

Everyone has their favourite flavour of angry fruit salad

Pickups wired out of phase perhaps? Swap the hot/ground of the bridge pickup and see if it helps.

They're not exactly high output to start with but if you want to check everything then I'd replace the battery snap if it's still using the original - I had to do this on my '79 model to cure weirdness. Also your '78 will have the double three way switches below the bridge and they sometimes get a bit messed up so they need a clean/checking the contacts. The '79 onwards model had two mini switches instead of one of the three way switches. See this page for some pics and info: https://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/RDartist_techinfo.php (thanks to Jules for collating all this). Can't help you with local info, but hopefully that's a start. Good luck.

Devoted fans? Fans?

I didn't start playing, let alone writing songs until I was 33, so I guess it must all be crap then. All hail the sad, delusional old fool, can't even call himself a has been because he never was, playing a ridiculous game of catch up he'll never win. Sometimes I do wonder how utterly awesome I would have been if I started playing on my teens. Mere competence is the best my dessicated brain can achieve, lest I forget my PIN number.

Can't make a /fornightly/ rehearsal? Next!

I've played in four bands (still in two) with the same drummer since 2008. Find a good 'un, retain at any cost. You can't have my drummer. The fact that we're hundreds of miles apart does not make me feel like I don't need to say it

If everyone is competent and does their own practice/learning properly inbetween rehearsals then once a month could work - but it does rely upon everyone doing their bit. I'm in two bands who do rehearse almost every week, it's partitioned into one covers band and one originals band so it takes up different spaces in my brain. Dunno if I could cope with being in more than two bands at a time - I would feel like I was spread a bit too thin.

Because it used to be mine? I'm hurt

I think it used to be mine also. If it is that one then I'm the reason it's got a battery box in it so you're welcome/I'm sorry

I know, I would have loved a batwing on the new one too, but I don't know if the longer top horn would have cancelled out the batwing and the full size tuners. I mocked it up for amusement's sake: Looks awesome, but I got a deal on mine that took the price below the point where I cared about the headstock any more, and I do appreciate how well balanced the new one is for being such a retro design. Wider neck is a plus for me, I don't get on too well with skinny necks.

Ooft, nice batwing, sir!

Bummer, I was sure that was the answer

That's a great shout.