SteveXFR

Im quite liking the look of the new Embassy bass. Looks like Thunderbird hardware and pickups in a different body

The only minor problem with the vintage pro is the headstock is so massive that it will only fit in the genuine epiphone hard case. I couldn't find a suitable soft case and none of the other thunderbird hard cases were long enough.

Definitely. It sounds excellent and the quality of finish was better than my MIM Fender Jazz. I got mine new for £450 but I haven't seen any that cheap since then.

I did buy it used. That could have been the problem. I tried a few tone prints and had the same problem with all of them.

Because they're really good! I'll assume the Thunderbird social media groups are a fairly typical group of owners. To buy any Thunderbird you have to really want yhat specific shape and sound. Most who want the Vintage Pro sound don't like the modern Gibson and a bicentennial will cost you a big old pile of cash.

I play a bit of both. I use the green Tortex 0.88mm picks. Pick and fingers give quite a different sound, for fast punk I can't get the attack with fingers but for a lot of stuff I prefer the softer attack of finger playing and find muting easier. Some people seem to think using a pick on bass is cheating or wrong but I just see it as another tool for a different sound. It was good enough for Lemmy, Chris Squier, Justin Chancellor and Paul McCartney so it's good enough for anyone.

I've got a Fur Coat and can't really get a useful tone using the octave and fuzz. The fuzz on its own is absolutely disgusting, a perfect doom metal tone but when I add the octave it sounds weak and thin. Has anyone managed to make it work with the octave?

I had a SpectraComp and didn't like it at all. It sucks volume so you can't switch between on and off unless you use a boost pedal with it to manage the volume difference. I got rid of mine and replaced it with a Boss LMB3 which is much better even though its a fairly basic limiter rather than a proper compressor.

Gibsons biggest mistake with the Thunderbird was making the Epiphone Vintage Pro so good. I think it sounds better and its a grand cheaper. I own a vintage pro and have played a 2020 Gibson and maybe I'm biased but I don't think the Gibson was a thousand pounds better. It just seemed to be slightly nicer finished.

Thanks. That makes sense. I play a lot of punk and hardcore so hitting the strings hard has always felt right but that was nowhere near this speed.

Is there an exercise that will help build endurance for playing very fast, long songs with a pick? I'm trying to learn some Slayer songs and Im getting about 3 minutes in and my right arm is dead. The songs are eighth notes at 220bpm, played with a pick and there's just no rest. Im doing all the work from the wrist, not the elbow. Is it just a case of keep at it and the endurance comes or are there exercises I can use to help.

I saw Sham69 a few years ago and they didn't have a single original member. It was like watching a covers band. I believe there used to be Wurzels tribute band with more original Wurzels than the actual Wurzels. I don't know if it's true but I heard that the Wurzels bassist mimes while the actual bassist is back stage playing. The one on stage just has the right look.

Well why did they give it such rediculous, cryptic name? Id have called it a loud light bulb inspector or something.

Jeff Matz of High On Fire does online 121 lessons.

Is there a way to test tube condition?

Thanks. I think my tubes are probably several years old and the amp doesn't sound as good as it should, especially when cranked up with lots of gain. Im not really chasing a tone but if there's a brand of tube which will give me a nicer, vintage tube gain sound then now is the opertunity to fit them. Its only the pre amp that has tubes, the power amp is solid state so I only need to buy two tubes.

I've got an old style Orange Terror amp and it's sounding a bit crappy so I'm thinking it's time for new tubes. There a lot of choices available, are there big differences between them?

That ones looking a lot nicer now. Im in the middle of rewiring it but this one is a lot nicer ergonomically and tonally. Maybe I'll find a cheap Peavey T40 one day to go with it.

Here it is BreadBin It feels tiny and light compared to my Thunderbird.

Thanks for the top tip

I'll take a couple tomorrow. I assume it's photos of the bass you'd like to see.

That's a good point, there is no serial number. Sometime around 2000 is close enough It's a really nice bass for what it cost. I might put on some EMG passive pickups sometime but the originals are good enough. I wouldn't describe them as weak, at least not compared to my old active Ibanez

It's certainly a nice bass. Mine is neck through, I think some were bolt on. I've managed to find out that they were only made for a few years but I can't find which few years although it seems to be 90's.

I've just bought myself a Peavey Zephyr C4. I know this model pre dates the Grind model but can't really find much info. Is it much different to the Grind? Is there a way to work out what year it is from the serial number?

Hi all. I'm new here and relatively new to the electric bass guitar. I've been playing a little over a year, mostly punk & metal, already playing with a band which has really pushed me on and taught me a lot. I currently have an Ibanez SR300 and Orange Terror Bass amp. I had a Fender Jazz but didn't get on with it too well. Obviously this isn't enough so I'm currently looking for a second bass, so I'll be looking in the classifieds here to see what I can find