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

[mcnach]

Thunderbird...

I'm probably going to Guitar Guitar this weekend to see what these are like to play. They have a couple of Gibsons and Epiphones in stock... 

I really don't want to like them.

 

However... Tonestyler... whoa! Love it! 

This afternoon, the lovely @krispn delivered his Precision with Thunderbird pickup and Tonestyler module (see page 1) to me while I was at work. 

The bass is a lot prettier in person  and I loved it. It's got some kind of flats on, which I don't usually play, but it sounded really good, and the Tonestyler is a zero-gimmick tone control as far as I'm concerned, I'm converted.

I played with it by myself, every click made a distinct difference and I really liked a couple of positions around half way (they dial in the midrange 'just so') and another position just before its bassiest tone, where it retained definition but sounded fat fat fat. With a touch of light overdrive, the kind that you don't really hear as distorted, it was glorious.

Then I played it along to recorded music, including some of my own stuff from own of my bands. That's where the Tonestyler proved its worth. Or maybe it's just the combination of this bass+pickup+Tonestyler!!! Whatever, it was really good. The Tonestyler covers a wide range, from bright (as bright as flats get) to very dark an dense, and I could easily find a couple of spots that gave me some very distinct tones that I would probably switch between in a live situation. I imagine that with different basses the positions may vary, maybe you can get 3 different sounds using bright roundwound strings?

I like passive tone controls, I like to roll off the top end a bit, but often things get a little muddy after that. Here I retained very good definition and the midrange peak seems to move over a certain range which makes me think that it would allow me to find its sweet spot with different basses/pickups. It's not a "here! have 10 sounds!" but more like an improved version of a passive tone control, and on this bass, it *rawks*.

Tomorrow I'll get to try it with Urang Matang at rehearsal, with drummer, guitar, two vocals, keyboard, sax and trumpet, playing ska/reggae mostly with a bit of funk. Can't wait!!!

@krispn, you are a star!!! Thank you so much! Although... it seems that everytime you lend me something, I end up spending money. We shouldn't do this often

 

 

[mcnach]

Also... that Sandberg, I thought it was sexy. So I've been looking at this:

Ufff...

Recite mantra "I don't need it I don't need it I don't need it" (but I might leave the Sandberg configurator open casually so that my girlfriend can see it, in case she is looking for ideas for my birthday... :p)

[Cuzzie]

Tonestyler is the absolute nuts!

welcome the club

[Cuzzie]

And the Sandberg 48 is a great great bass to play

[mcnach]

47 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Tonestyler is the absolute nuts!

welcome the club

 

Thank you! 

I don't own one yet. Yet!  But I'll remedy that soon enough.

 

[mcnach]

47 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

And the Sandberg 48 is a great great bass to play

 

You are NOT helping...

The neck is still looong, just the way the design is, but I hope they'll balance better than Epiphones... I wish I could try one, just to make sure I hate them too

Now seriously, everything I heard about Sandberg's build quality makes me very interested, I'd be very willing to give it a try. I just don't know that I should get a Thunderbird style bass: I like the look and all but I really don't need another bass. It would look great for certain gigs but...

Oh God, I'm sounding far too sensible

 

[Cuzzie]

Build quality second to none and customer  service and care is amazing.

The 48 body is slightly smaller, but its badass and the balance is spot on, Just try one, you never know....

[Cuzzie]

@mcnachAnd just to +1 the tonestyler some more, I was getting the same thing you were getting around those settings.

I also had a very nice set of TI Flats, have used it with rounds, but for this bass and pick up I have, TI’s do the job perfectly 

[mcnach]

9 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

@mcnachAnd just to +1 the tonestyler some more, I was getting the same thing you were getting around those settings.

I also had a very nice set of TI Flats, have used it with rounds, but for this bass and pick up I have, TI’s do the job perfectly 

 

Interestingly, I ordered a set of TI flats on Saturday, which are for the bass that will most likely receive the Tonestyler... 

 

[lou24d53]

I like the look of the 48's too, although I've read the lack of a distinct cut away at the bottom horn makes playing pretty much anything in the upper register nigh on impossible...never tried one myself mind you...

I've been same as you McNach, last year being convincing myself I don't NEED to be thinking about trying out an Epiphone Vintage Pro Thunderbird that would fit perfectly in my Who covers band...thinking I'm winning that war though...

[lou24d53]

Does the Tonestyler work with passive basses?

Does it work 'instead' of a normal passive P tone control, with preset 'tones' defined?

I'll look later myself, just being lazy as its 7.30 and I'm about to head out the door...🙄

[krispn]

Hahaha @mcnach you been up all night playing that bass 😀

Yeah @lou24d53 The tone styler basically has a heap of capacitors which you ‘click’ through (mine has ten positions) from bypassed aka ‘tone wide open’ through to the equivalent off tone pot fully ‘closed’. 

Each ‘click’ across the range employs a different cap and as your sound gets less bright it’sremoving top end as well as shifting the mids so you get this gradual top end roll off as well as some nice voicing about the mid range happening. I know for this ‘PBird’ it really nails what I was looking for about 6 clicks back from the wide open position. There’s a ‘grindy’ mids thing which matches the bass/pick up nicely. It’s a cool device and while you may not use every ‘position’ on a gig there will be a couple of ‘voicing’s’ which will be your new sweet spot. That’s certainly been my experience. 

[mcnach]

56 minutes ago, lou24d53 said:

I like the look of the 48's too, although I've read the lack of a distinct cut away at the bottom horn makes playing pretty much anything in the upper register nigh on impossible...never tried one myself mind you...

I've been same as you McNach, last year being convincing myself I don't NEED to be thinking about trying out an Epiphone Vintage Pro Thunderbird that would fit perfectly in my Who covers band...thinking I'm winning that war though...

 

Yes, reaching into the very high registers is not easy, but then I I very very very rarely go there and only for effect, which I can achieve going elsewhere: a 17 fret bass would do me just fine

I actually like the sound of the Sandberg more than the Thunderbirds (from videos, which is... not really a good comparison but that's all I've got), and custom order means I should be able to get a slightly wider neck, presumably (39mm at the nut is a bit narrow for my liking... 41-42 would be more like it. It doesn't sound like much but it's very noticeable)

 

[Cuzzie]

Yep my bass is entirely passive and has the Tonestyler.

I would have it wide open, about 4-5 clicks in or full rolled off as people described. Because it clicks it’s very easy to find your ‘place’.

No the 48 is not that bad at the Dusty end -  of course it’s no double cutaway Danelectro long horn, but it does just fine in that regard.

@mcnach you will love the TI flats, there is a great brightness to them still and the depth of a roundwound, phenomenal string

[mcnach]

1 hour ago, lou24d53 said:

Does the Tonestyler work with passive basses?

Does it work 'instead' of a normal passive P tone control, with preset 'tones' defined?

I'll look later myself, just being lazy as its 7.30 and I'm about to head out the door...🙄

 

Yup, that's pretty much what it is. Think of it as a tone control with 'clicks' along the way. It does a bit what a passive tone control does, but it seems to also shift the midrange peak as you go along and it retains definition better, that's how I'd describe it, I don't know... It's definitely a more useful take on a passive tone control.

[Cuzzie]

@mcnach shame you are not near me or you could have had a play with a couple of Sandberg necks - I have the MarloweDK which is 37mm at the nut, a custom TT which is about 40mm and slightly thicker which you may have liked, and the ‘standard’ is in the middle.

All very playable 

[mcnach]

18 minutes ago, krispn said:

Hahaha @mcnach you been up all night playing that bass 😀

Yeah @lou24d53 The tone styler basically has a heap of capacitors which you ‘click’ through (mine has ten positions) from bypassed aka ‘tone wide open’ through to the equivalent off tone pot fully ‘closed’. 

Each ‘click’ across the range employs a different cap and as your sound gets less bright it’sremoving top end as well as shifting the mids so you get this gradual top end roll off as well as some nice voicing about the mid range happening. I know for this ‘PBird’ it really nails what I was looking for about 6 clicks back from the wide open position. There’s a ‘grindy’ mids thing which matches the bass/pick up nicely. It’s a cool device and while you may not use every ‘position’ on a gig there will be a couple of ‘voicing’s’ which will be your new sweet spot. That’s certainly been my experience. 

 

Much better explanation than mine

And... not all night, but I didn't go to bed until around 2am... I *love* that bass. I need to return it to you fast, before I get too attached

 

[Cuzzie]

I think the tonestyler can be described as instant tone karma

And aye, @krispn popped together something special 

Edited April 16, 2019 by Cuzzie

[mcnach]

2 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

@mcnach shame you are not near me or you could have had a play with a couple of Sandberg necks - I have the MarloweDK which is 37mm at the nut, a custom TT which is about 40mm and slightly thicker which you may have liked, and the ‘standard’ is in the middle.

All very playable 

 

That would have been fantastic, thank you for the offer anyway  

I'm going to be not too far from Bass Direct in about 6 weeks, and they currently have a 48... If they still have it I could try to visit the store and try it, to get a better impression. Danger danger!

[Cuzzie]

@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

[lou24d53]

One in the Glasgow store...

Sandberg Forty Eight

 

[Cuzzie]

Now you are as bad as krispn 

Naughty Naughty....

[EliasMooseblaster]

10 hours ago, mcnach said:

I like passive tone controls, I like to roll off the top end a bit, but often things get a little muddy after that. Here I retained very good definition and the midrange peak seems to move over a certain range which makes me think that it would allow me to find its sweet spot with different basses/pickups. It's not a "here! have 10 sounds!" but more like an improved version of a passive tone control, and on this bass, it *rawks*.

...and don't forget, on a 'bird you'll have a second pickup to throw into the mix and try those different Tonestyler positions with. THINK OF THE COMBINATIONS.

[Cuzzie]

Yep

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

[Shaggy]

http://www.stellartone.com/index.asp

Tonestylers are the absolute dogs danglies; I have one in my bitsa P - rolled back a bit gives me the Bernard Edwards tone I could never quite get with anything else: thick punchy growly mids with no mud.

cooincidentally to this thread was thinking of putting one in my Warmoth custom T'bird, with a blend control