# NBD - Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro bass



## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

Got a call this afternoon saying that my Ebony Thunderbird Vintage Pro has arrived and is ready to be picked up. I was shocked, I figured it was another 1-2 months away from arriving.

Going to go and get it on Sunday. BTW, I had my guitar tech look it over to see if he could identify any issues, he came back to say that he was amazed with the quality of it and that I will definitely want it.

Photos on Sunday.

TD


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Dish, ya bastid.... also whadja pay?


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

Granny, I'm picking it up tomorrow afternoon at the L&M Markham store if you want to check it out you can meet me there.

TD


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Go Epiphone!


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Been waiting for one of these to land. I don't need another bass though. I said, I don't need another bass though. I definitely do no need another bass, but thanks.

I'll probably buy the first one I see.


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## Fox Rox (Aug 9, 2009)

That looks awesome! I am going to have to check one of those out.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

I have read many good reviews over Talkbass about those! 
Congrats and enjoy!


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Thornton Davis said:


> Granny, I'm picking it up tomorrow afternoon at the L&M Markham store if you want to check it out you can meet me there.
> 
> TD


Thanks for the offer, but children. A thorough report will satisfy me (without giving me as much GAS as seeing one IRL).


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

Granny Gremlin said:


> Thanks for the offer, but children. A thorough report will satisfy me (without giving me as much GAS as seeing one IRL).


I don't have the children problem anymore, now their adults with their own problems. I'll let you know what I think of the TBird after I've given it a good going over.

TD


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

Ebony Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro

TD


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I had asked Tom at L&M south about them about a month ago, and he ordered a white one on spec based on my request. I happened to be in there today and inquired after it, turned out it was fresh off the truck and in the back unboxed.

Uhhh, NBD. Pics to follow.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Thar she blows!

Of note:
The headstock is huge, fully 3” longer bass than the regular Epi, and would not fit in a stock TBird case.
A little neck heavy for sure, I use a wide suede backed strap so not that big a deal.
Looong reach, sitting down with it I literally cannot reach the G tuner and I’m 6’ tall with a decent wingspan. Standing and playing not an issue however.
Narrow nut but decent meaty profile, easy for me to get comfortable with.

Setup perfect out of the box, and decent sounding strings. I’ll take it to band practice tomorrow and see how I feel about it after.


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## Guest (Nov 3, 2017)

Sure is pretty @keto, just a thought though .. maybe start a fresh thread?


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## GUInessTARS (Dec 28, 2007)

oooooh, 
sweet basses,
must resist.....


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

So sexy in white.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Granny Gremlin said:


> So sexy in white.


Right? As I said, L&M brought it in on spec - I wasn’t obligated to buy - but they did go with my recommendation of white. I won.


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## Ronbeast (Nov 11, 2008)

What are the prices on these at L&M? I wasn’t huge on the look in the stock photos, but they look great in real life.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

$850? Dunno, thereabouts. I traded a couple of things and only paid attention to the difference.

I did end up taking a fret crowning file to it, and changing strings, and doing a minor adjustment at the bridge. And found 4 very soft turning//assumed stripped screws. 3 are non-critical, 1 pickguard, 1 bridge pup surround, 1 tuner back, but the neck heel strap button I should probably fill.


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

$850.00 at L&M was what I paid for mine. Finding a case to fit these might be a problem. The standard Yorkville TB Case is too short. Hopefully Yorkville can source a correct length case from Epiphone.

TD


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

Finally got around to installing the hand rest covers on my Thunderbird Vintage Pro. Yup, I'm old school and I'm really lovin' this bass.










TD


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

laristotle said:


> Sure is pretty @keto, just a thought though .. maybe start a fresh thread?


NAw; pile it on - never too much TBird pron for a single thread.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

That Bass caught my attention a while back. It's on the hit list if a take the plunge. Would have to seel some stuff first though, like my current ESP Viper 54.

Nice Axe's guys.

@Thornton Davis , just curious what those hand rest covers do to the overall tone of the Bass?


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

@Thornton Davis , just curious what those hand rest covers do to the overall tone of the Bass?[/QUOTE]

I'm old school when back in the day guitar manufacturers were selling their basses with covers on them, ie: Fender, Gibson and Rickenbacker to mention a few and that's just the way it was. Because of that, almost every bass I bought back then would have had them on and most players back then rarely removed them. I became use to playing "around" the covers until I finally decided to take them off in the 80's just like everyone else did and manufacturers stopped selling their basses with covers.

With the covers on my basses I've found what I refer too as "sweet spots" for my right hand to pluck the strings to get different tones that I really like. The covers on my T-Bird keep me to 2 of those spots, playing up the neck for a fatter tone and towards the bridge pickup for more aggressive edgier tone.

I've had my T-Bird Vintage Pro 2.5 months now and I don't mind telling you that these are great basses which is something that I never thought that I'd ever say that about an Epi instrument.

TD


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

I find bridge covers to be a great place to anchor your hand for pick playing - that's why I sourced one to put back on my LP Triumph (originally had one but not when I got it). and the pickup cover a great thumb anchor for fingerstyle. 

Tone wise I don't think it makes a huge difference, generally speaking, but that might also depend on the pickup.


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## Sugar (Jan 22, 2012)

Still digging the thunderbird? How’s the playability?


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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)

I'd be a goner if they ever made a short scale version of that .


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

Sugar said:


> Still digging the thunderbird? How’s the playability?


Absolutely and its playability is great.

TD


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## Sugar (Jan 22, 2012)

Hope you’re playing some Cheap Trick and Who on it.


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