Epiphone Thunderbird Pro-V Queries

[TomWIC]

Afternoon all

I'm currently looking for an Epiphone Thunderbird Pro-V to add to my Thunderbird gang, but simply cannot find one anywhere in this country, new or secondhand. I'm in talks with a gentleman on eBay about one he is selling but it's listed at a nearly new price, although the hard case is included for £400.

However, I can quite easily pick up a Thunderbird Pro-IV, either new or second hand, and for a lot less money.

My main problem is, I need the bass for drop tunings, mainly Drop A and Drop B. Now, I know the bridges are different to the usual three-point bridges, and are top loading much like the Hipshot Supertones, but does anyone know what size of B string I could possibly get through it? I'd want a .130 at the minimum. Then of course there's the nut issue, I'm aware I'd probably have to get a new nut made.

If I did go down the Pro-V route, I'm aware of the issues with some of the basses that were fitted with 4-string pickups resulting in a quiet B. Is there any way to tell by serial number or any other means as to what batches have the proper 5-string pickups in?

Lastly...if anyone has a Pro-V they want to sell me or know of anywhere other than eBay where I could grab one...that'd be grand

EDIT: After yet another thorough search on Google, I've managed to find a store that has a Pro-V in stock! Just waiting on photos to be emailed to me!

Edited December 12, 2013 by TomWIC

[Green Alsatian]

I had one of the early Pro-V models (prior to Epiphone moving the strap button to the base of the neck) and had difficulty fitting a 130 D'Addario in the bridge. The only way I could get it in there was to flatten it slightly with pliers and this deadened the string, naturally. A taper-wound set will fit it, but I didn't like the string nor its sound, so I ended up dropping the guage to a 125 and resetting the action.

I don't know if Epiphone changed the bridge, as it's a bit a silly design to be limited to certain guages. Ask the store if a 130 will fit it - you could order a set and have them fit, just to be certain.

[TomWIC]

Cheers, I'm off to the store today to try it out and potentially buy, so I'm going to make sure a .130 fits through the bridge comfortably. They've already tested the pickups for me and they seem to be the correct ones installed so equal volume on all strings.

It is an early model with the strap button on the side of the body, so I'll need to change that myself which I don't mind doing. Main concerns at this stage are the pickups and the bridge, but I'm looking forward to testing it out.

[Green Alsatian]

No probs. A couple of things to check are the volume of the B string and that the electronics are okay. The first one I bought had the 'weak B' problem, as Epiphone let out a batch which featured 4-string pickups on them. When I first tested it, I couldn't really hear much due to the Eddie Van Halen wannabe a few feet away. On taking it home, I noticed how much lower in volume it was and took it straight back and that the electronics were really noisy, even with just a little treble boost.

The replacement didn't have these problems and had the treble/bass controls in opposite positions (the first must have escaped QA!). Sadly, the string/bridge issue was.