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Thunderbird pickup replacement (MOJO pickups)


police squad
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So, good people of the forum, on Wednesday I shall be collecting a Gibson Thunderbird.
I am thinking about replacement vintage pickups for it

Does anyone have any experience of the 'Mojo' pickups?
[url="https://www.mojopickups.co.uk/product/thunderbird-bass/"]https://www.mojopickups.co.uk/product/thunderbird-bass/[/url]

any other suggestions welcome.

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Not seen those before. The recent stock TBird pickups are much darker sounding than the old vintage ones, so replacing them is a popular mod; the only ones I was aware of are Thunderbuckers, Mike Lulls, Seymour Duncans, and these cheap ones:

http://www.eyguitarmusic.com/Thunderbird-Bass-Pickup-Vintage-Style-for-GibsonChromeNickel_p_2287.html

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[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1494853527' post='3298996']
Not seen those before. The recent stock TBird pickups are much darker sounding than the old vintage ones, so replacing them is a popular mod; the only ones I was aware of are Thunderbuckers, Mike Lulls, Seymour Duncans, and these cheap ones:

http://www.eyguitarmusic.com/Thunderbird-Bass-Pickup-Vintage-Style-for-GibsonChromeNickel_p_2287.html
[/quote]

I think these are the ones the guys over at LBO got moist over recently.

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Possibly a step further than you might be thinking, but I found that the nickel covers and rings I got online would accommodate a lot of different soapbar-type pups: I've got Dingwalls under mine...

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[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1494870344' post='3299213']


I think these are the ones the guys over at LBO got moist over recently.
[/quote]

LBO?

I have a set here, hoping to fit them into a 5 string Warwick Rockbass Streamer, since everything about that bass is perfect apart from the weak pups! They are quite long for 4 string pickups and the wick's string spacing is quite narrow so they should fit perfectly.

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[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1494870344' post='3299213']
I think these are the ones the guys over at LBO got moist over recently.
[/quote]

what output would I go for, 8K or 9.2K

Nickel or chrome?

What's the finish on the white TB Nancy Johnson? It's black isn't it?

At those prices, they've got to be worth a go?

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[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1494961882' post='3300043']
Personally I'd go for Nickel- hipshot do some mini clovers for modern T-birds, and I got a nickel three pointer for about £35.

I'll keep an eye on this thread as I might upgrade the pickups in your old T-bird too, Police Squad! ;)
[/quote]

Have you used it much?

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The Mojo's are great pickups, I've got them fitted to one of my Thunderbirds. I've also got a set of the Eyguitarparts pickups in the link above fitted to one of my Epiphone Thunderbirds. They are good and great value for money but lacking in power compared to the Mojo's although this maybe due to me asking Marc at Mojo to wind the pickups I bought slightly hotter!

I've just had a set of Mike Lull's fitted and so far they seem bright and clear but maybe a bit too modern sounding but some of that might be the new strings. I'd be struggling to justify the price of them if I'm honest

I'd say my current favourites are the Thunderbucker 66s. They seem to have a warmer, more vintage sound and tone to me than all the other but YMMV

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I've stuck an order in with EY. Cheap enough, we'll see.
I may also try the Mojo ones. I'll do a few gigs with the EYs first.

I have gigged my Tbird twice now. 2nd gig was better as I set it up better for my playing style. The Gibson pickups dont sound too bad but they lack a little sparkle.
I had the preamp clipping nicely on the 2nd gig and it was quite entertaining (for me anyway)

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  • 3 weeks later...

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1494853527' post='3298996']
Not seen those before. The recent stock TBird pickups are much darker sounding than the old vintage ones, so replacing them is a popular mod;
[/quote]

Out of interest, what do you regard as "recent" and "vintage"? Was there a point where Gibson changed their pickup specs in the T-bird?

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[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1496934964' post='3314830']
Out of interest, what do you regard as "recent" and "vintage"? Was there a point where Gibson changed their pickup specs in the T-bird?
[/quote]

Thunderbirds have been produced in three periods; vintage would best be applied to the 60s run (1963-69), the Bicentennial run (1976-79) and the current (or last) run (1987-2016).

Bear in mind that the original Thunderbird pickups were units leftover from lapsteel production. The 70s pickups, I don't know, could be new or old...you wouldn't put it past a company like Gibson to uncover a box of old lapsteel pickups and produce a load of Bicentennial basses rather than throw them in a skip, but I just don't know.

The last run dispensed with the chrome and went with plastic casings. The final production year saw the introduction of the EB series pickups.

Edited by NancyJohnson
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Does anyone know if you can successfully get the plastic cover off the Epi T'Bird pickups? I think they really don't do the bass any justice and uncovered pups would look so much better, I can't afford the chrome or nickel replacements as they are more expesive that the guitar was. I will however, get a set of chrome toppe knobs as again the black ones look like crap.

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[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1496931989' post='3314802']
I'm really enjoying the sound of the stock pick ups on my 2012 Gibson T bird, can't imagine changing them.
[/quote]

The black plastic pickups do sound good, they have plenty of bottom end but they are muddy when compared to the originals or the replacements such as Mojo, EY, Mike Lull or Thunderbucker

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[quote name='The_Rodster' timestamp='1497038636' post='3315552']
The black plastic pickups do sound good, they have plenty of bottom end but they are muddy when compared to the originals or the replacements such as Mojo, EY, Mike Lull or Thunderbucker
[/quote]

Give me a few months and I might agree, right now I am enjoying the tonal improvement over th standard Jazz or Precision I've been using, especially when tuned down a couple of steps.

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