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

[Cuzzie]

The metallic orange is a great colour in the flesh gloss or Matt 

Good plan on the neck dimensions - they keep a very close track of all their parts and inventory so should be right to match up.

Exciting times!!!

[krispn]

Tell Hölger you heard he was rumoured to introduce a colour called ‘September Sunset’ 

 

[Fastra]

So my 48 suggestion helped someone then..!

[mcnach]

7 hours ago, Fastra said:

So my 48 suggestion helped someone then..!

 

If by helping you mean making him poorer, yes, you helped a lot. Thanks... 

 

[mcnach]

8 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

The metallic orange is a great colour in the flesh gloss or Matt 

Good plan on the neck dimensions - they keep a very close track of all their parts and inventory so should be right to match up.

Exciting times!!!

 

That's what Teo at Guitar Guitar was telling me. I was commenting on how nice that neck on the red 48 in particular felt and he took note of the serial number and said that Sandberg would be able to check their records and get a pretty good match. 

Once I decided to order, I could have just done it in Edinburgh, but Teo had been really helpful so it was only fair that he got to make the sale. I go to Glasgow often so it won't be a problem to go there to pick it up when the time comes... around September, I was told.

So... if you go to Guitar Guitar in Glasgow, talk to that man.

Edited April 23, 2019 by mcnach

[Fastra]

13 hours ago, mcnach said:

 

If by helping you mean making him poorer, yes, you helped a lot. Thanks... 

 

haaa, er, yes, sorry....!!!
Can't wait to see your final choice though!

[mcnach]

On 24/04/2019 at 12:57, Fastra said:

haaa, er, yes, sorry....!!!
Can't wait to see your final choice though!

 

You'll have to wait until September for that.

But it's essentially this one below (metallic orange, very soft aged) with black rather than nickel hardware:

[ubit]

I've never ever been bothered about basses that had neck dive. Most of the time you have two hands on the thing anyway. I'm not one for clapping my hands and shouting "let me hear ya" either, so neck divey basses are not an issue. Sound and looks are what floats my boat. I can put up with anything if it sounds good and looks cool.

 

[mcnach]

4 hours ago, ubit said:

I've never ever been bothered about basses that had neck dive. Most of the time you have two hands on the thing anyway. I'm not one for clapping my hands and shouting "let me hear ya" either, so neck divey basses are not an issue. Sound and looks are what floats my boat. I can put up with anything if it sounds good and looks cool.

 

 

Life is too short to *put up with* an instrument that doesn't feel just right when there's so many out there to choose from. I'm not one for posing and shouting "look at me" either, so while looks are definitely a factor, they are subordinate to sound and feel, by a long way. 

[WHUFC BASS]

Had both Epiphone and Gibson Thunderbirds years ago. They look good but they're one trick ponies and they're an acquired taste ergonomically speaking. You're far better off with a Precision. Better sound and far more versatile.

[BassApprentice]

On 25/04/2019 at 20:22, mcnach said:

 

You'll have to wait until September for that.

But it's essentially this one below (metallic orange, very soft aged) with black rather than nickel hardware:

That looks great! 

 

I'm in Guitar Guitar fairly regularly and am always drawn to the Sandbergs. The P/MM combo is fantastic and if I can ever persuade them to do a custom one in Shell Pink they'll have a sure fire order.

[Cuzzie]

@mcnach back to T-Bird - I popped a telebird together.

Epi Nikki Sixx body needed repair, and had no neck, so I repaired it and added a tele neck which needed a shave and voila.

its not bad!

[mcnach]

9 hours ago, BassApprentice said:

That looks great! 

 

I'm in Guitar Guitar fairly regularly and am always drawn to the Sandbergs. The P/MM combo is fantastic and if I can ever persuade them to do a custom one in Shell Pink they'll have a sure fire order.

 

You can get them in any colour you like! 

It'll cost you £525 extra, but you can have that pink bass 

[mcnach]

4 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

@mcnach back to T-Bird - I popped a telebird together.

Epi Nikki Sixx body needed repair, and had no neck, so I repaired it and added a tele neck which needed a shave and voila.

its not bad!

 

That is SERIOUSLY sexy... Black and maple, and that shape, very nice!

[Cuzzie]

The body was about £60 on eBay - neck I had hanging around but not expensive (you need a square heel).

Needed to drop a couple mm’s off each side and the scale length was just right.

Job done - if a bird neck became available I can swap in having not altered the pocket. 

You could easily do the same!

[thegummy]

11 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

@mcnach back to T-Bird - I popped a telebird together.

Epi Nikki Sixx body needed repair, and had no neck, so I repaired it and added a tele neck which needed a shave and voila.

Got any photos of the Tele neck with the hair still on it?

Edited May 23, 2019 by thegummy

[Cuzzie]

@thegummy just for you.....

[mcnach]

11 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

The body was about £60 on eBay - neck I had hanging around but not expensive (you need a square heel).

Needed to drop a couple mm’s off each side and the scale length was just right.

Job done - if a bird neck became available I can swap in having not altered the pocket. 

You could easily do the same!

 

I would just look at it, and occasionally play it a few minutes at home and that's it. I love the looks but it's definitely not the right design for me, comfort-wise.

[Muzz]

16 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

@mcnach back to T-Bird - I popped a telebird together.

Epi Nikki Sixx body needed repair, and had no neck, so I repaired it and added a tele neck which needed a shave and voila.

its not bad!

Love it...and positively upper-fret friendly in comparison to mine 🙂

[JohnDaBass]

11 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

 

Job done - if a bird neck became available I can swap in having not altered the pocket. 

Nah, leave it with the Tele neck it looks handsome. If you're planning to spend anymore on it upgrade the PUPs & pots.

Lovely job well done I'm really envious!

[Muzz]

Just a thought - if you wanted to tidy up the gaps around the pickups, I bought my covers and rings from here: https://www.crazyparts.de/mounting-rings/pickuprings/index.php

Black with chrome pickup covers and rings? Ooooo.... 😀

[Cuzzie]

Thanks for that - when you look closely it’s a little scruffy (i’ll Try to get pictures of shame later!) the repair only needed was the central piece which is stuck on only needed to be removed and the him strips either side of the pick up cracked hence you see the bare bits which I sanded to try to make an even space, it meant I then clamped the centre part in 3 bits.

Chiseling the neck away maybe there is a mm extra removed, so it’s not a ‘neat’ job, but next time I need to do it I know what to do.

Its really good fun.

I’ll take it out with the guys in the next few days to see how it sounds, but definitely you have to use the switch to favour the neck pick up, bridge is a little weedy.

I may change the electronics, but......it’s a cheapo and I can give it a bit more welly with me Tech21 DP3X pedal.

i find it actually hangs pretty well on the strap, low slung obviously and balances nicely.

Hipshot tuners - they were 14mm and the holes were 17mm - I just wound strips of duck tape to make the right size - job done!

[Cuzzie]

@Muzz cheers for that - it crossed my mind for a surround, or even a sharpie to colour it in!

I’ll see how she plays with the guys as to how much I will bother - but most of all - it looks badass

[Cuzzie]

And if anyone else does this - those 3 point bridges are a nightmare!

the insets for the screws are just push ins like ikea furniture. 

Unscrewed, bridge off, screw back in and use a claw hammer to pop them out. The top bit was then chipped off and re-glued, and screw insets re-inserted - but the connection is weak - as you tension the strings the bridge pops up.

Always glue them back in (I used gorilla glue) and make sure the front screw is higher than the back 2 so the bridge is nose up to prevent it popping.

Probably teaching you to suck eggs, but just my frustrating experience.

Also if filing a nut, a leatherman will only do the E and A string, get a decent file for the D and G or it takes ages!

[mcnach]

what do you mean it's only been a month?

The wait... is so hard...