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Thunderbird itch. Help


6feet7
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Jackson Kelly Bird V vs Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V or something else?

Help

I need to scratch a Thunderbird style itch (for not a lot of money (£300 - 500ish max unless there's something very special) or weight of bass either (nothing over 9 1/2lbs /4.3Kg and preferably a lot lighter). I've narrowed it down to these two. The reviews online appear great for both of them but then there are a couple where they say neither bass is not worth getting. Does anyone have any experience of both and who can help point me in the right direction? Or is there something else I should consider?

Thanks

Edited by 6feet7
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15 minutes ago, Thunderbird said:

The Jackson hands down especially if you pick up the David ellefson version with emg pickups much lighter than the epiphone too

Wonderful. Thanks. I've actually found a David Ellefson one with upgraded EMG's and Preamp. Looks like that's the one :)

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10 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

<cough> Mike Lull <cough cough>

 

If I could afford it, then definitely.  There's a gorgeous NRT5 that's been on here for ages. Unfortunately it's about £2K more than I've got to spend :( 

When that lottery win comes home though :)

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Just now, BigRedX said:

What exactly do you want from your Thunderbird?

Is it the sound you are after, in which case which one because the newer Gibsons have very little in common with the 60s originals, or do you just want something with a Thunderbird shape?

Shape. I've joined a rock/semi-metal covers band, so my standard looking Maruszczyk Jake V PJ or Godin A5 don't suit the image. If I still had some GUS's then I'd be fine, but they went years ago and I don't have the finances to go expensive here, so Mike Lulls and Gibsons are out of reach. I bought an upgraded pickup/pre-amp Jackson David Ellefson Kelly Bird V last night. Just waiting for it to come from France.

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6 minutes ago, 6feet7 said:

Shape. I've joined a rock/semi-metal covers band, so my standard looking Maruszczyk Jake V PJ or Godin A5 don't suit the image. If I still had some GUS's then I'd be fine, but they went years ago and I don't have the finances to go expensive here, so Mike Lulls and Gibsons are out of reach. I bought an upgraded pickup/pre-amp Jackson David Ellefson Kelly Bird V last night. Just waiting for it to come from France.

In that case anything you like the sound and feel of will do.

Am I right in thinking you are looking at a 5-string Thunderbird?

If so the options are options are considerably limited compared with the 4-string versions. The Epiphone is particularly nasty - I tried one when they first came out and hated it - also beware that some were fitted with the wrong pickups and consequently have very weak sounding B and G strings. Gibson have only made one model of Thunderbird with 5 strings and that's horrible too. I believe that Maruszczyk do a Thunderbird shaped bass so they might be worth looking at. Also if you want to go something with a slightly different shape, but still in the same ball-park have a look at the Spector Rex.

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1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

In that case anything you like the sound and feel of will do.

Am I right in thinking you are looking at a 5-string Thunderbird?

If so the options are options are considerably limited compared with the 4-string versions. The Epiphone is particularly nasty - I tried one when they first came out and hated it - also beware that some were fitted with the wrong pickups and consequently have very weak sounding B and G strings. Gibson have only made one model of Thunderbird with 5 strings and that's horrible too. I believe that Maruszczyk do a Thunderbird shaped bass so they might be worth looking at. Also if you want to go something with a slightly different shape, but still in the same ball-park have a look at the Spector Rex.

I'd have looked at all of those plus the Mike Lull NRT5 thats been on here for ages (which is really what I wanted - I love that bass). Just got no money to spend on stuff like that so it had to be either an Epi (which I know some of the early ones had 4 string pickups in 5 string covers) or the Jackson, and as I got the Jackson with upgraded bits (which also happens to weigh a lot less than the Epi) for no more than a standard one, thats what I got.

Edited by 6feet7
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4 hours ago, BigRedX said:

The Epiphone is particularly nasty - I tried one when they first came out and hated it...

I'd agree with this.  I went to try out a Epiphone Thunderbird after doing some research and was convinced it was the one for me; as soon as I picked it up, I hated it.  Very neck heavy - I was having to practically support the neck with my fretting hand which made playing difficult and it just felt very hard to play.  Tried out a Musicman Sub Ray which was my backup choice and loved it straight away - bought it there and then!  An absolute beast on the bottom end, but I've always thought it a bit weedy on the top end, but then I didn't go into bass to be playing past the 10th fret anyway... 😎

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10 hours ago, BigRedX said:

The Epiphone is particularly nasty - I tried one when they first came out and hated it.

If you're referring to the 1997 bolt on necked versions I'd agree with you, as the only thing Thunderbirdy about them is the body shape, the neck is un T-Birdy, more like a precision. However the Epiphone Classic Pro and Vintage Pro Thunderbird IV's are excellent Basses! Though both are now discontinued as Epiphone will apparently be releasing US builds in the not too distant.

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Look, I know this thread is all pretty much done and dusted, but I've been round the block where Thunderbirds are concerned.

My advice would always be don't rush and save for a secondhand Gibson.  New Gibson prices are crazy, so wait for a used one to come up; they will always come up, and save yourself £££.

Next option?  Don't buy an Epiphone.  Sure, you can put a Gibson truss rod cover on one, but you're not fooling anyone.  The Epiphones look like Gibsons, but the body geometry is off.

So, dear reader, I know what you're asking.  What would you do then, NJ?

I would probably go with a Spector 4X, one of the Korean ones.  I played one in New York a few years back and played another at one of the bass bashes more recently.  They're cheapish, look the part, sound nice; they're an interesting twist on an established body shape.  Weight aside, both were very nice basses, a country mile nicer than any Epiphone.  I'd spend a bit of time getting a decent set up and at a later date, pull the guts out and put a John East (or similar) pre-amp into it.  Feasibly, you could end up with a wonderful keeper for under 800 notes.

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23 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

 

I would probably go with a Spector 4X, one of the Korean ones.  

Problem is I play 5 strings. As and when I've the money (haha) it's either a Mike Lull NRT5 or a Maruszcyzk (they can do lightweight. Anything over about 8lbs is too much for me). Or its back to normal shaped basses (see the for sale section in a few weeks :), because a 56 year old, balding bloke playing metal down the Dog & Duck with a pointy looking thing down by his knees - no jokes here - does look a bit ridiculous (in my opinion, anyway).

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3 minutes ago, 6feet7 said:

Problem is I play 5 strings. As and when I've the money (haha) it's either a Mike Lull NRT5 or a Maruszcyzk (they can do lightweight. Anything over about 8lbs is too much for me). Or its back to normal shaped basses (see the for sale section in a few weeks :), because a 56 year old, balding bloke playing metal down the Dog & Duck with a pointy looking thing down by his knees - no jokes here - does look a bit ridiculous (in my opinion, anyway).

The Lulls aren't really going to save your back.  Believe me, I've got two.

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1 minute ago, NancyJohnson said:

The Lulls aren't really going to save your back.  Believe me, I've got two.

The NRT5 one for sale on here is about 8 1/2lbs (OK, my limit but not bad for a 5 string). My Maruzsczyk Jake PJV is just over 7lbs, so if they can do one around there I'd be even happier.

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