Epiphone Thunderbird - disuade me, please. TONESTYLER and SANDBERG CONTENT

[EliasMooseblaster]

12 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Yep

they do a tonestyler for 2 pick up basses, or you could use a single one on each pick up feasibly

*head explodes*

[lou24d53]

Are Tonestylers easy to install...?

I ask this as a forty-five year old who has the soldering skills akin to a three year old's play doh modelling skills...!

[Cuzzie]

Piece of pissy-wissy

[krispn]

@mcnash I had a 48 5 string and the pick ups are basically MM/P in the bridge and neck positions. The covers are the only for the look and they aren’t meant to be voiced moline a tbird. I felt the bass balanced really well and it looked cool as! I do still have a VM4 you can have a whack at tonight when you pop over. I’m happy for you to take it away for a few days to compare with your existing heard too as that’s always more 

[mcnach]

14 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

@mcnach if you do go down the custom route (this may not be the case BTW) be careful about a slightly bigger neck or more mass in the neck and the balance issue.

I had 2 G&L ASATs. One solid body with w big chunky old P bass style neck, one semi hollow with a super skinny neck. There are probably lots of variables, but the bigger necked one went to horizontal (not dive) a bit more readily that the skinny necked one. Having more body mass surely it should not be that way?!

I think it was the neck just pulling it slightly down.

Cant prove anything, but may be the case.

Is there a PMT/GAK/Guitar Guitar near you ? Pretty sure they stock Sandy’s

 

Good point about adding more wood to the neck on a design that's harder to balance to start with. IfI go that route, I'd definitely be having a chat first: if they cannot guarantee good balance I would not go with that option. It's not like I can't play Jazz necks, just that they're not my favourite... 

There's a Guitar Guitar very near me, but I don't know if they have 48s... I should find find out.

[mcnach]

14 hours ago, lou24d53 said:

One in the Glasgow store...

Sandberg Forty Eight

 

 

They have two in Glasgow, none in Edinburgh... looks like a trip this weekend!  Thank you!

At least they don't come in my favourite colours or fingerboard options, so my wallet is temporarily safe

[mcnach]

12 hours ago, krispn said:

@mcnash I had a 48 5 string and the pick ups are basically MM/P in the bridge and neck positions. The covers are the only for the look and they aren’t meant to be voiced moline a tbird. I felt the bass balanced really well and it looked cool as! I do still have a VM4 you can have a whack at tonight when you pop over. I’m happy for you to take it away for a few days to compare with your existing heard too as that’s always more 

 

I think I am going to have to block you.  

 

As we discussed earlier tonight, MM + P sounds perfect for me. I do like the Thunderbird sound, but I'm not crazy about it. I love big bridge humbuckers, and MM+P is just my favourite combination for a two pickup bass. Then there's the look. That 48 is sexy AF

[mcnach]

Tonestyler ordered.

And... I'm off to Glasgow to try a Sandberg 48, and maybe a Thunderbird too. 

[Cato]

Fiver says your baggage is around 9lbs heavier on the return journey.

[Cuzzie]

If we all chip in a fiver, he will defo afford it!

[LukeFRC]

4 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

If we all chip in a fiver, he will defo afford it!

don't encourage him

[Cuzzie]

Who me......😇🤪

[mcnach]

1 hour ago, Cato said:

Fiver says your baggage is around 9lbs heavier on the return journey.

 

Rosewood fingerboard makes it a safe trip... I'm a maple junkie. But I have been known to stray

 

edit: I may return after having placed an order 'though 😲

Edited April 20, 2019 by mcnach

[mcnach]

55 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Who me......😇🤪

 

You're a bad influence.

Right... see you guys in a few hours!

[krispn]

One of the best decisions you'll make for a tone tweak is that tonestyler! Congratulations!

 

[mcnach]

6 hours ago, krispn said:

One of the best decisions you'll make for a tone tweak is that tonestyler! Congratulations!

 

 

Thank you for letting me test drive one!

It's going to go into this:

 

I was going to put a John East U-Retro I've had in a box for ages, but I think this would be just the thing for it. It's a lovely bass to play (Originally a Squier Matt Freeman, that I converted to 'Jazz' and then to... this, that I call 'JJ' because I don't have a better name), and it's got a really cool sound, but it sounds better when I roll off the tone a bit, in any pickup configuration. It's wired just like a Jazz. Very prominent high midrange if you want it, but can be tamed down. I am putting a set of TI flats in there, and with the Tonestyler I hope it'll be fat, defined and creamy. Pickups (DiMarzio Area J) currently wired in parallel (they're humbuckers), but I might wire them in series to make them a bit fatter... choices, choices.

[Cuzzie]

Sweet

So we have to cough up any fivers?!

Edited April 20, 2019 by Cuzzie

[mcnach]

Well, I'm no longer a Sandberg virgin, having spent some (good) time with a couple of 48s in Glasgow's Guitar Guitar. The shop was pretty quiet, and the bass department downstairs was pretty cool... I saw a couple of Gibson Thunderbirds as soon as I got there, but nah, not for me, I didn't even try them.

The Sandbergs were both very similar, I really liked the neck on both, although the red one was marginally nicer. It may be a thinner neck than what I normally go for but there's meat in that neck. I loved it, it felt great.

Soundwise... the 2-band is adequate, nothing more to add. I was using a Mesa D800 with a couple of 112 Subway cabs, which is the closest to what I normally use that they had in the store. I loved the sounds they made. It was good to compare two, as they had slightly different setups and aged strings etc, so they give me a bit better idea of their 'sonic territory'. 

The bridge humbucker is *very* good. Really nice thick sound, full bodied... and the neck pickup is very very Precision-like. Just what I was hoping for based on what I could get on Youtube, but a bit better (the right amp helps, no doubt). Both had Delano pickups.

Neck profile and dimensions, sounds... That was great. 

Now, the not so great.

Balance: not perfect. With that design I was not hoping for perfection, but at the same time I was hoping to be wrong. The neck does pull down a bit, on both instruments. But I have to say, it was very minor compared to what I was expecting and it's something I can live with easily.

The worst part is how long the neck feels. It's the ONE thing making me pause and think about it. I played both for a fair bit, standing up, trying to imagine how I'd feel playing it for a whole gig... can't be sure.

I don't know. I'll have to sleep on it... Teo at the store was great, he got my details and is going to figure out what it'll be to place an order for the bass configured the way I want it, with the same neck profile as the red one, and we'll see... He thought they could get the bass in 3-4 months only, which I was surprised about. Hmmm.

It sounds so good, 'though, and it's a great looking bass. But... I'm not sure... I'd hate to stop using it once the honeymoon period is over just because the neck feels a bit too long. Hmmm.

Of course, now I'm thinking if I don't get this I would probably want some kind of VM Sandberg... I should walk away from this forum.

 

 

[mcnach]

12 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Sweet

So we have to cough up any fivers?!

 

 !!!

As long as you don't expect me to dance for them... 

[Cuzzie]

Dance boy dance!!!!

As long as it’s like Jamie Lee in True Lies!

 

 

[LukeFRC]

11 minutes ago, mcnach said:

Well, I'm no longer a Sandberg virgin, having spent some (good) time with a couple of 48s in Glasgow's Guitar Guitar. The shop was pretty quiet, and the bass department downstairs was pretty cool... I saw a couple of Gibson Thunderbirds as soon as I got there, but nah, not for me, I didn't even try them.

The Sandbergs were both very similar, I really liked the neck on both, although the red one was marginally nicer. It may be a thinner neck than what I normally go for but there's meat in that neck. I loved it, it felt great.

Soundwise... the 2-band is adequate, nothing more to add. I was using a Mesa D800 with a couple of 112 Subway cabs, which is the closest to what I normally use that they had in the store. I loved the sounds they made. It was good to compare two, as they had slightly different setups and aged strings etc, so they give me a bit better idea of their 'sonic territory'. 

The bridge humbucker is *very* good. Really nice thick sound, full bodied... and the neck pickup is very very Precision-like. Just what I was hoping for based on what I could get on Youtube, but a bit better (the right amp helps, no doubt). Both had Delano pickups.

Neck profile and dimensions, sounds... That was great. 

Now, the not so great.

Balance: not perfect. With that design I was not hoping for perfection, but at the same time I was hoping to be wrong. The neck does pull down a bit, on both instruments. But I have to say, it was very minor compared to what I was expecting and it's something I can live with easily.

The worst part is how long the neck feels. It's the ONE thing making me pause and think about it. I played both for a fair bit, standing up, trying to imagine how I'd feel playing it for a whole gig... can't be sure.

I don't know. I'll have to sleep on it... Teo at the store was great, he got my details and is going to figure out what it'll be to place an order for the bass configured the way I want it, with the same neck profile as the red one, and we'll see... He thought they could get the bass in 3-4 months only, which I was surprised about. Hmmm.

It sounds so good, 'though, and it's a great looking bass. But... I'm not sure... I'd hate to stop using it once the honeymoon period is over just because the neck feels a bit too long. Hmmm.

Of course, now I'm thinking if I don't get this I would probably want some kind of VM Sandberg... I should walk away from this forum.

 

 

I ask this out of interest... have you tried any of the new revised Stingray they released last year? 

Last time I was in a guitar shop it was quiet and PMT have their policy of no prices on anything so I just pointed at things... the Fender stuff was 'meh' until it got to the £4k custom shop P which was nice. The Sandberg J/MM I tried was as nice as the custom shop P by my book... but a little jack of all trades and really really master of none (which was possibly just that model and specific guitar) - then tried the brand new Stingray and it blew them all out the water - such a nice instrument...

... hang on, this is Basschat, and that above might be construed as trying to suggest someone doesn't buy a new bass... sorry... go and order it! 

[mcnach]

35 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

I ask this out of interest... have you tried any of the new revised Stingray they released last year? 

Last time I was in a guitar shop it was quiet and PMT have their policy of no prices on anything so I just pointed at things... the Fender stuff was 'meh' until it got to the £4k custom shop P which was nice. The Sandberg J/MM I tried was as nice as the custom shop P by my book... but a little jack of all trades and really really master of none (which was possibly just that model and specific guitar) - then tried the brand new Stingray and it blew them all out the water - such a nice instrument...

... hang on, this is Basschat, and that above might be construed as trying to suggest someone doesn't buy a new bass... sorry... go and order it! 

 

No, I haven't tried one. I don't like the position of the second pickup, and I don't think I'd want to buy another single pickup Stingray (the one I've got is my #1... there's other lovely basses out there that I like to play, but that's the one: feel, sound, lacquered neck...)

P + bridge humbucker is what I'd like...

[mcnach]

 

 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by mcnach

[Cuzzie]

In order I take it

[mcnach]

43 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

In order I take it

 

Finalising details... by the order will be official within days, yes.

My first choice was a non-aged high gloss solid colour, but I didn't like the colour enough to pay the £525 they wanted for a 'custom colour'. So I'm going with metallic orange. Just checking out a couple of minor details before signing the document.

Teo at Guitar Guitar in Glasgow has been very helpful, ensuring Sandberg is aware of the specific 48 bass I liked the neck of to make sure my VM has the same kind of profile (both 48s they had were slightly different).

This also means I'll take the opportunity to do a clear-out of a few instruments I rarely use these days... at least 3, maybe 4: "fewer but nicer instruments" is what I want.