Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I'm strangely drawn to the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V (5 String) in the natural oil finish.


Anyone tried one or own one? If so what's it like - including the feel of the oil finish?

I'm assuming it would fit my Ritter thunderbird gigbag - any reason why it might not?

Edited December 6, 2010 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[Mog]

Played the 4 string and it was VERY nice. Comfortable, fast neck, solid construction and great hardware. Cant comment on the 5 but I assume its up to the same standard. Tension is not going to be a problem thats for sure and I reckon the pups will have enough grunt to kick out a tight low B.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='Mog' post='1023888' date='Nov 14 2010, 08:18 PM']Played the 4 string and it was VERY nice. Comfortable, fast neck, solid construction and great hardware. Cant comment on the 5 but I assume its up to the same standard. Tension is not going to be a problem thats for sure and I reckon the pups will have enough grunt to kick out a tight low B.[/quote]
Cheers Mog. You're not helping me get rid of my GAS

[LiamPodmore]

Good basses but SOOOOOOOOOOO much neck dive. For the price they are good sounding and well constructed though, pricey cases too.

Liam

[BigRedX]

I wasn't particularly impressed with the one I tried. Not really enough like a Gibson Thunderbird in either feel or sound for me. It's essentially an average far-eastern cheap active bass that happens to be Thunderbird shaped. Didn't like the finish much (but then I prefer a proper lacquered finish) and IMO the natural look just isn't right for a Thunderbird.

As much as wanted to like it because it looked like being a cheap way of getting a 5-string Thunderbird, I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll probably not be happy with anything less than a Mike Lull T-Bass V...

Until then I'm sticking with my Overwater Original 5-stringer.

[rmshaw37]

i tried one in a shop in notts - sorry matey, but it was awesome! sounds unbelieveable for the price, i like the look, but having never played another thunderbird, i dont know if the neck dive was massive or not!

compared to more normal shaped basses the neck dive is what stopped me from buying it, i know there are mods you can do, but i cant see that bringing it to a point where it would be useable for me!

quite a wide nut width for 5 strings i usually play, but very comfortable none the less, tension on the b aint great, but dealable, and i have to agree its a fast neck!

i believe you can pick them up for about £350 - absolute fookin bargain, if you can deal with the shape!

apologies to the OP - hows your gas? lol

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='rmshaw37' post='1024252' date='Nov 15 2010, 07:47 AM']apologies to the OP - hows your gas? lol[/quote]
Worse now - ta!

The neck dive shouldn't a problem for me - Its easy enough to move the strap button like I did on my alpine white epibird which made it balance perfectly.


I like the thunderbird shape and I like a non-glossy finish on a neck, so it's going to be hard to resist.

Thomann.de have a B-stock one for under £300. Please someone buy it before I do!

[BigRedX]

I can't remember exactly what the heel was like on the Thunderbird Pro, but IIRC you'd have to put the strap button on the back rather than on the side like in your photo. Electronically and in construction it's a completely different instrument to the standard Epiphone Thunderbird (or the original and modern Gibsons) so don't expect it to sound like any of them.

If I'd been more impressed with the version I'd tried and that Thomann B-stock model was either of the other two finishes, I'd probably have bought it already!

[rmshaw37]

isnt it through neck?

[Delberthot]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='1024340' date='Nov 15 2010, 10:06 AM']Worse now - ta!

The neck dive shouldn't a problem for me - Its easy enough to move the strap button like I did on my alpine white epibird which made it balance perfectly.
[/quote]


Ha, exactly where I put the strap button on mine.

3 things I can think of: Its not going to sound like a thunderbird but neither does a Gibson cos the pickups are different to the originals, only a set of Mike Lulls will get you close, plus its active and no T-Bird has ever been active. The strap button is already on the back, probably as far forward as you can get it so you can't do the same mod that we've both done. The neck heel is curved so there isn't a flat surface to put it.

Also reading into them, a lot of users have complained about the frets being susceptible to premature wear.


And one last personal thing, I think the extra tuner on the bottom looks wrong, I wish they had been able to put all 5 on the top but that would've meant an extended headstock which would've made the balance even worse.



All annoying as I too had been thinking about getting one for a while.

Edited November 15, 2010 by Delberthot

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='rmshaw37' post='1024549' date='Nov 15 2010, 12:50 PM']isnt it through neck?[/quote]
Yes it is, I realise the strap button won't be able to go in the same place, but I expect there'll be an appropriate place to put it. I quite like the position of the button I added to my acoustic bass. Not expecting it to be much like my white one - I normally prefer a bolt on neck as most of my basses have needed a shim to set up to my taste. One of the neck-thrus I have has the saddles right down on the baseplate, but I'd probably be willing to take a punt on this if I sell a couple of my basses.

[Mog]

some of the newer stock ship with the strap button on the back of the neck heel. just like a sg. it helps with the neck dive a lot.

[GT40Graham]

I bought a Thunderbird ProIV a few months ago and the strap button was factory-fitted at the bottom of the neck so no neck-dive!

[rodl2005]

[quote name='GT40Graham' post='1024988' date='Nov 15 2010, 06:41 PM']I bought a Thunderbird ProIV a few months ago and the strap button was factory-fitted at the bottom of the neck so no neck-dive![/quote]


& What do U think of yours????

[GT40Graham]

[quote name='rodl2005' post='1025477' date='Nov 16 2010, 07:45 AM']& What do U think of yours???? [/quote]

As with most Epiphones it's superb value for money, the quality of the finish is excellent although the set-up was a bit off and I still haven't managed to get the action as low as I'd like.

[BigRedX]

I would recommend trying before you buy if possible. The fret ends were too sharp for my tastes on the example I played.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I've ordered one! Used the dosh from the sale of my alpine white epi t-bird which I sold with the hardcase & D-tuner, so I raised more than enough.

I kept the Ritter thunderbird gigbag, so it was inevitable I suppose. When the missus finds out I'm going to be in so much trouble, but I'm not frightened of her!







[size=1]...well maybe a little [/size]

[Mog]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='1037734' date='Nov 26 2010, 01:21 PM']I've ordered one! Used the dosh from the sale of my alpine white epi t-bird which I sold with the hardcase & D-tuner, so I raised more than enough.

I kept the Ritter thunderbird gigbag, so it was inevitable I suppose. When the missus finds out I'm going to be in so much trouble, but I'm not frightened of her!







[size=1]...well maybe a little [/size][/quote]


just ordered one my self (proIV). might be returned soo enough.....

[bassmachine2112]

hiho,I would have bought the d tuner off you,by the way I have an epiphone case and it fits like a glove even though the guys in the shop said it doesn,t fit.
Muppets,obviously they never tried as the case was still in plastic.
Dawsons music by the way-really skilled staff,why don,t they have proper musicians staffing the shop-this goes for a lot of them.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

The problem I had with the hard case wasn't that it wouldn't fit the five string, but that it was too big for my car. When I first got the bass I took it in the case to one rehearsal & one gig, but it didn't fit in the back across the seats, so I had to fold the seats down. It was handy when we hired a van for a gig at London Zoo, but after that it went into the loft and stayed there - the Ritter padded gigbag was much better.

[bassmachine2112]

gotta agree it doesn,t fit my car either,case is the size of an aircraft carrier oh I forgot we don,t have these anymore.Big boat then.
I would have got a gibson one but they don,t do an active with a neck that doesn,t break and a decent bridge,oops here we go the gibson boys will be after ma hide now.
For the money they are decent value and epiphone have addressed some issues to bring the bird concept kicking and squeelin into the 21st century so hats off to epiphone and the trans black finish is nifty.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

My Pro-V (natural Oil finish) arrived on Saturday - I've had to keep it hidden from the missus, so I've only had a chance to put my Thomastiks on & set it up this morning. She's just come home for lunch so I've had to whip t back into the gigbag right now - now i know how blokes having an affair feel keeping a secret from the missus. Its a lovely bass - one of the latest ones, rather than the front strap button being on the top wing it's where the neckplate would be if it wasn't a thru neck - balances very well on a strap. I love the neck - its not as deep as my peavey 5 string (my only frame of reference for 5ers), wider and quite flat on the back - very comfy to play. the stock strings were typical stock strings - rough zingy roundwounds, but its much classier with a set of TI JF345s now. The dual action truss rod enabled me to put just the right amount of relief in the neck, something that can be a problem if the strings are low tension. I initially was a bit concerned that the B string lacked some of the the punch & focus of the other strings, but raising the pickups on the bass side after setting the bridge saddle heights has worked wonders and the B sings out loud & clear now. A lot of bass for £305 from Thomann & I had some dosh left over from the sale of my alpine white epi T-bird 4 to buy some other toys.

[ezbass]

Having to hide it from the Mrs means no photos of course Get the camera when she goes out again! What other toys did you get then?

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='ezbass' post='1049291' date='Dec 6 2010, 02:14 PM']Having to hide it from the Mrs means no photos of course Get the camera when she goes out again! What other toys did you get then?[/quote]
My Ritter t-bird gigbag is the perfect hiding place as I always kept the white t-bird in it next to my desk & you can't tell whether anything's in it without opening it or giving it a squeeze I'll pick my time to unveil it.

I also got an endpin stand & tripod stand adaptor for my NS-design CR5M upright, plus a set of Panoehoe polyurethane strings to try out on the Ashbory, a set of Thomastik JF345s & some planet waves string cleaner solution to make TIs last even longer.

[ezbass]

You could always use the "you've seen this one before, I've had it for ages" ploy. A friend of mine who has something the region of 35 assorted basses and the odd guitar had some identical basses so this ploy worked well. What gave the game away eventually for him was when his kids tried to play hide and seek and couldn't get under any of the beds in the house for hidden instruments.