StevieD_FenderP2009

As you all may know, I've just bought the limited edition Epiphone Thunderbird white and chrome model bass. Yeah, that's right, the one fitted with the guitar humbuckers. It's safe to say I completely hate this bass right now and am seriously considering taking it back. It feels amazing to play and looks so damn cool but the tone from it is abysmal. I didn't realise before I bought it that the pick ups are wound purely for mids and no treble and that they come from the low end Epiphone Les Paul guitars. If you have seen me on here, you'd know that I love my tone to be moderate bass, low mids and really high treble so I can get a clanky clicky Steve Harris-esque tone. From this, I can't. So, the obvious step is to replace the pick ups but TAAADAAA hardly any one does reasonably priced humbucker sized bass pick ups that produce a lot of highs and not much mids. So that left me thinking what the f**k can I do... I've been searching around tonight and as I'm a huge Seymour Duncan fan, I've been looking through their stuff and I've been reading their "tone chart" ratings. As I'm looking for something that has a LOT of something like 8 on the treble, 5 on the bass and 3/4 on the mids, I've whittled it down to a couple of Seymour Duncan guitar humbuckers that fit this sort of range. I'll list their ratings as Treble/mids/bass with the output rating next to that. Livewire classic II humbucker - 9/4/5 high [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/141"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/141[/url] Jazz model humbucker - 9/3/5 moderate [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/56"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/56[/url] Custom Five - 8/3/6 high [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/25"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/25[/url] My main choice would be the "Livewire classic II" set as they've got the covers on them (which are available in chrome, white and black so I'd go for chrome to match the originals) but the only problem is, I'm worried that they would start to distort with bass strings going through them. Does any one know if guitar pick ups would distort if you put them on a bass or would it be just like putting normally bass pick ups on? Also, with my "active" basses, I like to use the Spector pre-amps in them so do you think it would work running the Seymour Duncan guitar pick-ups on a bass pre amp? This has really annoyed me, I was so looking forward to getting my Thunderbird and now I instantly hate it. I don't want to use it live or in the studio as the tone sucks! Help!

Thanks dude. I've put that one on my watch list so we'll see what happens. I've been searching around tonight and as I'm a huge Seymour Duncan fan, I've been looking through their stuff and I've been reading their "tone chart" ratings. As I'm looking for something that has a LOT of something like 8 on the treble, 5 on the bass and 3/4 on the mids, I've whittled it down to a couple of Seymour Duncan guitar humbuckers that fit this sort of range. I'll list their ratings as Treble/mids/bass with the output rating next to that. Livewire classic II humbucker - 9/4/5 high [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/141"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/141[/url] Jazz model humbucker - 9/3/5 moderate [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/56"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/56[/url] Custom Five - 8/3/6 high [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/25"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones/view/25[/url] My main choice would be the "Livewire classic II" set as they've got the covers on them (which are available in chrome, white and black so I'd go for chrome to match the originals) but the only problem is, I'm worried that they would start to distort with bass strings going through them. Does any one know if guitar pick ups would distort if you put them on a bass or would it be just like putting normally bass pick ups on? Also, with my "active" basses, I like to use the Spector pre-amps in them so do you think it would work running the Seymour Duncan guitar pick-ups on a bass pre amp? This has really annoyed me, I was so looking forward to getting my Thunderbird and now I instantly hate it. It feels so good to play and it looks so cool but I don't want to use it live or in the studio as the tone sucks! Help!

Says the schaller ones have " a punchy low-end and a forceful midrange" which is pretty much useless to me as I need something with a punchy low end, low mid range and lots of top end.

To be honest, I'm kinda wishing I hadn't bought it now. I plugged it in in the shop but you can't really go turning it up that much in a shop so I didn't really hear much of the tone from it. It just felt really good to play and was comfortable which is the reason I bought it. Johnston, what are those pickups that you've put a picture of on here?

Yeah i'm not going to fit a bridge cover over it when the badass is on there. I'll just leave it open and on view And thanks very much too

Well, I just went and plugged in my Thunderbird to my rig and even though I wasn't expecting a Precision Bass tone from it, I wasn't expecting it to sound so... how do I put this... sh*t! Honestly, the pick ups are terribly weak and have no top end punch to them. They're pretty much pure bass coming from them. It's almost like you've rolled off the tone pot and played it like that but here's the thing... I HAD THE TONE FULLY OPEN And yes, I did try rolling the tone pot off to see if it made a difference and it just made it even more bassier. Anyway, here's the dimensions of the pick up routes: 75mm by 42mm

Hey guys I picked up my T bird yesterday. It's a great bass. The neck plays like silk and it just feels really good to play. Haven't plugged it in to my rig yet but I'll do that later on today and upload a few sound files or something. Gotta say, the chrome pick ups look seriously cool on it too. I had the bass set up for me in the shop (free of charge may I add. They have added 1 year free set-ups for free on top of the bass which is awesome) in Drop C# (so I could bring it up to E flat too) so my samples will be played in those tunings. I'll also get the dimensions of the pick-up routes up at some point too

I've got to agree with the post about the Geddy Lee Jazz Bass. I played one the other day in London and although the strings on it were dead and it was quite battered, it sounded absolutely fantastic through the crappy Fender Rumble 15 amp that was in there. Japan seem to be making better Fenders than the Americans right now. But that's my opinion

Agreed. Lakland. They're amazing build quality and they sound fantastic

I'm picking up my new Alpine White T-Bird on saturday afternoon so on Sunday, I'll take the pick ups out, measure the routes and take pictures then put a post on here. Just so you know, I'm getting the chinese one with the chrome hardware and the guitar humbuckers. If I'm being totally honest, I'm not really too bothered about how good it sounds as I just wanted something different and when I tried it out the other day, my bands guitarist told me it really suited me so I've bought it. Plus, it felt nice to play (needs a set up but meh, I can do that easily).

[quote name='chriswilliams666' post='1325110' date='Aug 3 2011, 12:27 AM']Here's my rig how it's setup at rehearsal. Normally the Rack and the Amp are behind our cabs with the gutiarists amps etc. Furman Power>Korg DTR-1000>Shure U4S Wireless>Yamaha SPX90-ii plugged into the Gallien Krueger 2001rb Head into two GK 410RBH cabs. [/quote] Bastard...

My rig. By no means finished as you can probably tell. 20u Rhino shock mounted flight case. Current set up (with everything placed where I want it to be): AKG WMS Pro 40 wireless kit Aphex Aural Exciter Trace Elliot GP12 AH250SMX Behringer T1952 stereo tube compressor Korg DTR2000 rack tuner Things that will be getting added over the next few months: 1: Samson PB10 Pro power conditioner (1u) 2: Sony E-100 SRP 31 band graphic equaliser (1u) 3: Custom made switching system (2u) 4: Vented blank panel (1u, to allow input cable to run through to the Trace head) 5: 2x C-Audio SR707 power amplifiers (3u each) 6: Lockable rack drawer (2u, for strings, tools, etc) Then in the back there will be 2 3u fan mounts to pump cold air in to the rig. It's all very excessive I know but I like my equipment and it keeps me happy I also want to eventually swap out my wireless kit for either a Sennheiser EW152 G2 wireless kit or Line 6 G90 wireless kit.

Strings direct. Do it. They made me a set of 50-70-90-110 roundwounds and they were fantastic. I don't think it's any more expensive than a usual set either

Hey dude Yeah I just actually saw the thread you are on about. To be honest, I thought they were guitar pick ups when I tried it. I haven't got the bass home yet as I'll be picking it up on saturday. That's really cool of you to post the dimensions of the pick ups and hopefully this will be a big help. I'm not worried about having new pickups rings made (as it means I could get more chrome fitted haha) When I do get it home, i'll take one of the pickups out and check over the dimensions of the pick up routes to see if it's the same as the dimensions of the Thunderbucker Ranch website. I never know, it may even sound good with the stock pick ups through my rig (but after reading some of the things in the previous thread, I really doubt that) I'll give you an update once the bass is picked up and I'll upload a sound sample/video on to here.

Bassman - I'd rather not change my cabs to be honest. I'm just looking at things to do for now. I'm constantly changing and chasing a tone. Never satisfied. Wayne - Dude, that's actually a very good idea. Something I may look in to at some point too

I noticed the pick ups were a bit weak when I tried it out in the shop. Didn't seem to have much of a top end to them. Erm, I've seen a lot of people fit the Seymour Duncan SSB-4 pick ups to thunderbirds but I really don't think they'll fit by the looks of this and the only humbucker that SD seem to do is the Rickenbacker set. I'm not too fussed about changing the pick ups. I'm just wondering what the stock ones are and whether they can be replaced

Hey guys I've just laid a deposit down on a new bass (treated myself with my first proper pay cheque in god knows how long haha) and the bass is an Epiphone Thunderbird ltd edition in Alpine White with all chrome hardware and these weird pick ups. I would say they're humbuckers but I really don't know. Here's a picture of the bass (only difference is the finish, as I mentioned, my new one is alpine white where as this link goes to a silverburst one. Exactly the same hardware though) The reason I am asking about these pick ups is because I'm wondering whether or not I can replace them with any Seymour Duncan pick ups and if so, which ones? Cheers guys Stevie

Thats a good suggestion. I might have a go at that. It'll get it done quicker than it will with the current work rate on it haha

Yeah I did look in to the Furman PL Plus E but it was quite a bit more expensive than the Samson PB Pro so i'm going to go for the Samson if I do get one. It's got 10 outputs, a standard UK plug and a USB socket on there as well as the digital voltage display and the 2 pull out light bars. The samson is like, £120 on thomann too

Hmm, everyone seems to be against the idea of getting one and I'm starting to agree with one. I'm not going to lie, one of the selling points to me for buying a power conditioner/distributor is that they have the 2 big lights that come out of the front and they have the digital display which means SO MANY MORE LIGHTS (my rig is just going to be covered in unnecessary lights). Another one of the good things (this one applies to the Samson PB-10 Pro) it has a USB slot on the back which is perfect for charging my iPhone off of too haha I mean, I'm even buying a set of Xigmatek fans for cooling down my rig. I could of saved a coule of quid on fans that don't light up but these do... so I am getting them.

Hey guys. Sorry I've not posted an update. Basically, this bass has just gone completely on the back burner. Only thing it needs done to it is the squares need tidying up then all the hardware attached (which is all laying in a box in my room). I haven't personally got the patience to sit there and get rid of all the little over runs of white paint from the white squares so I am on the look out for someone who would be interested in doing that for me. Then it will be lacquered and put together again. I totally agree that it's a shame as it's a 1987 and when I used it to do some recordings, it sounded amazing. But alas, I bit off more than I could chew with this paint job. Hopefully now I've got money coming in I'll be able to find someone to sort it out for me. Again, sorry guys! Stevie

Hi there I'm thinking of (well, not thinking of, going to) buy a power conditioner for my rack set up but the one I want is only available at the moment in america so I was wondering if it would be alright if I was to take the american plug socket off of it and replace it with an english plug. Would this be safe or would it damage the unit? Cheers

Im so lost right now. It's probably best if I just go for a crossover as it seems the easier option. If anyone has an Orange 410OBC and knows how they are wired/what components are in them, it would be a great help as I loved the tone I got from one of those