Robert Manning Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Just a shout out for anyone who may know. im not a gibson expert at all! but does anyone know where i can find official original gibo pickups for it? or good after market ones! Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 No idea about Gibson ones, but by all accounts the best aftermarket ones are from [url="http://www.mikelull.com/t%20bass%20parts.htm"]Mike Lull[/url]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 I hear good things about Mike Lull too, id love to get my hands on a bird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 T-Bass Pickup $289.00 each!!! huuuuuuuaa! two of those would cost almost as much as the bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 (edited) You could try ebay items: 130514356368 130514357150 They're saying USA only, but if you don't ask, you don't get and all that Additional - EMG have brought out a T-bird shaped pickup: [url="http://www.emgpickups.com/products/category/260/2"]http://www.emgpickups.com/products/category/260/2[/url] Pretty sure Bartolini do one as well - T4CBC Edited May 8, 2011 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1223914' date='May 8 2011, 09:26 AM']T-Bass Pickup $289.00 each!!! huuuuuuuaa! two of those would cost almost as much as the bass![/quote] You got a Gibson Thunderbird for around $600? Which one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1223996' date='May 8 2011, 11:34 AM']You got a Gibson Thunderbird for around $600? Which one?[/quote] Used! and roughly! ive been searching all over the net, SD do one... but i can seam to find anywhere to buy it! Thing is i want to keep the origina gibson sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 If by the original Gibson sound you mean a 1960s T-Bird then it's got to be either the Mike Lull pick ups or some actual 1960s Gibson ones (which will probably be around the same price). The pick ups in the current Gibson Thunderbirds are a different design and sound different. Also IIRC the pick ups in the 1976 RI were different again, but closer in sound to the originals compared with the current models. It would help if you told us which model of Thunderbird you have and which Thunderbird sound you are after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey1-8 Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 I'm sure I've read somewhere that Gibson reckon the Thunderbird pickups are indestructible, and that's why you can't buy a replacement set straight from Gibson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bankai Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 That is correct. Gibson do not sell replacements. I'm sure if you called their factory and asked they'd sell them but at a hefty price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Emailed gibson!, they say...NO! so... if anyone has upgrades there P'ups.. and have the stocks left over ill have to buy theres! ;P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1223973' date='May 8 2011, 11:09 AM']You could try ebay items: 130514356368 130514357150 They're saying USA only, but if you don't ask, you don't get and all that Additional - EMG have brought out a T-bird shaped pickup: [url="http://www.emgpickups.com/products/category/260/2"]http://www.emgpickups.com/products/category/260/2[/url] Pretty sure Bartolini do one as well - T4CBC[/quote] i saw those!, they dident want to post to UK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Those eBay pickups are the modern Thunderbird pickups. Are those the ones you want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1223898' date='May 8 2011, 08:58 AM']Just a shout out for anyone who may know. im not a gibson expert at all! but does anyone know where i can find official original gibo pickups for it? or good after market ones! Cheers![/quote] It's worth asking in the Gibson forum at [url="http://bassoutpost.com/index.php"]The Last Bass Outpost[/url] where there are many Gibson bass aficionados. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 There's also 250807357152 260771411942 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 260771411942 250807357152 Do you reckon there genuine gibson pickups? and thanks guys!, ive sighned up for that forum! waiting for my discussion forum the admin! thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' post='1228206' date='May 11 2011, 10:57 PM']Those eBay pickups are the modern Thunderbird pickups. Are those the ones you want?[/quote] my thunderbird is a 1996, so yeah i think that would be the newest ones? at the moment, is has a crappy SG style hb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1228427' date='May 12 2011, 08:54 AM']my thunderbird is a 1996, so yeah i think that would be the newest ones? at the moment, is has a crappy SG style hb![/quote] Is that the big sidewinder/mudbucker one? Might be interested in having them off you once you've managed to source replacements *likes crappy sounds* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Manning Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='Dave Vader' post='1228438' date='May 12 2011, 09:05 AM']Is that the big sidewinder/mudbucker one? Might be interested in having them off you once you've managed to source replacements *likes crappy sounds*[/quote] yeah thats right, only the one though, i'll send it your way when i manage to get hold of a normal TBpickup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1228441' date='May 12 2011, 09:12 AM']yeah thats right, only the one though, i'll send it your way when i manage to get hold of a normal TBpickup [/quote] One is better than none, let me know when you get sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1228424' date='May 12 2011, 08:51 AM']260771411942 250807357152 Do you reckon there genuine gibson pickups? and thanks guys!, ive sighned up for that forum! waiting for my discussion forum the admin! thanks guys![/quote] If they are genuine then they are most likely from a later non-Bartolini Les Paul bass. Thunderbirds have never had guitar humbucker sized pickups with plastic mounting rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1228424' date='May 12 2011, 08:51 AM']260771411942 250807357152 Do you reckon there genuine gibson pickups? and thanks guys!, ive sighned up for that forum! waiting for my discussion forum the admin! thanks guys![/quote] They may be Gibson pickups but they're not from a Thunderbird. Most likely a modern Les Paul Bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1228427' date='May 12 2011, 08:54 AM']my thunderbird is a 1996, so yeah i think that would be the newest ones? at the moment, is has a crappy SG style hb![/quote] Yes it would most likely have originally had the new style black pickups without mounting rings. If your plan is to restore the bass to it's original condition then these would be the ones you want. Are you sure that Gibson won't sell you them as spare parts? After all you have a genuine Gibson Thunderbird. Last time I looked it was possible to get replacement Gibson parts if you ordered through a Gibson dealer and supplied the serial number of your instrument as proof. However having said that I wouldn't be surprised if the Gibson pickups didn't turn out to be almost as expensive as the Lull ones. It also depends what sound you are after. The new Thunderbirds don't sound like the original 60s models, and if it's the classic 70s Thunderbird Rock sound you are after then you're going need something that sounds like the original Thunderbird pickup. ATM that means either original 60s Thunderbird pickups or the Lull replacements. Alternatively have you tried contacting someone like [url="http://www.wizardpickups.co.uk/index.asp"]Wizard[/url] to see if they will make a pair of suitable pickups for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Robert Manning' post='1223898' date='May 8 2011, 08:58 AM']Just a shout out for anyone who may know. im not a gibson expert at all! but does anyone know where i can find official original gibo pickups for it? or good after market ones! Cheers![/quote] [url="http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=5613.15"]http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=5613.15[/url] At $300 a pair they're not cheap, but I know the poster GodofThunder very well & he's an expert on Thunderbirds. If he says they're good then they're damn good. Edited May 20, 2011 by Big_Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 ahoy there,try Andy at wizard cause he can rewind your original ones or could make up whatever you want. Great guy to deal with and very reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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