Good Thunderbird tone pickups

[JimBeed]

Well i have looked high and low for what would be good for getting a thunderbirdish tone from a warmoth with the thunderbird shape.
I was wondering if any of you have any ideas what pickups would be the best for this build out of what warmoth does pickup routes for.
If its of help, my plan is a mahogany body, dragon burst front, gloss black back along with either the epiphone neck if it would fit (still waiting for answers)
or a Purpleheart on purpleheart V or Warmoth headstock  neck, with black binding and block inlays, graphtech xl black nut, 6150 or 6130 frets(whichever is a size up from my z bass).

Also if anyone has better suggestions for body wood or neck wood i will be glad to hear them, i know the proper thunderbirds are mahogany,
so i know i should probably ideally do a mahogany neck if they do them, but like the idea of the purpleheart with black/dragonburst.

 

[OzziePete]

Well i have looked high and low for what would be good for getting a thunderbirdish tone from a warmoth with the thunderbird shape.
I was wondering if any of you have any ideas what pickups would be the best for this build out of what warmoth does pickup routes for.
If its of help, my plan is a mahogany body, dragon burst front, gloss black back along with either the epiphone neck if it would fit (still waiting for answers)
or a Purpleheart on purpleheart V or Warmoth headstock  neck, with black binding and block inlays, graphtech xl black nut, 6150 or 6130 frets(whichever is a size up from my z bass).

Also if anyone has better suggestions for body wood or neck wood i will be glad to hear them, i know the proper thunderbirds are mahogany,
so i know i should probably ideally do a mahogany neck if they do them, but like the idea of the purpleheart with black/dragonburst.

Darkstar pickups?
http://www.warmoth.com/Bass/Options/BassPickupRouting.aspx
http://www.hammoneng.com/ordering1.htm

 

[JimBeed]

Hmmm, after having found two or three videos im very interested in going with two of them installed now, are they actives or passives? im guessing passives but wasnt sure from the website, Also one of the videos was alot of soloing on one, which i played denim and leather by  saxon ontop of it at the point where the bassist does a solo and i swear the two sounds were merged if not both the same.

If anyone wants to know why im interested in building a thunderbird when i already have an epiphone is that i learn quite a few saxon songs, and at the concert i went to a week or two ago they seemed to really come alive on the gibson thunderbird the bassist was using, As ive been meaning to try out the dragon burst, i thought i might build a thunderbird, but with options i wouldnt be able to get otherwise, although they are very nice with the almost natural finish they have anyways.

 

[OzziePete]

If you are asking about the Darkstars Solomon, they appear to be passive pickups, primarily designed to be replacement pickups for old Hagstrom/Guild pickups that are no longer made.

What got me thinking they'd provide a Thunderbird-ish tone (low thump etc. ) is that they sounded quite like that in a semi hollow bass......wondering how they'd sound loaded up in a Thunderbird configuration.

Also you'd wanna check out the DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan sites about what they have as Thunderbird pickup replacements. I think DiMarzio have one (T'bird replacemnet pickup ) that is quite heavy sounding (Model One).....

Also check out the Bartolini T4CBC pickup, it's a Thunderbird replacement... Bartolinis have a good reputation for being great sounding (though I haven't heard the T4CBC - only a P-Bass replacement I have had installed which was a massive improvement upon the stock Fender pickup), despite their crappy website and model numbering system!
Available from BestBassGear
http://www.bestbassgear.com/bartolini-t4-pickups.htm

 

[JimBeed]

Yes i was, thanks for the link to it, i had considered them for a brief moment earlier but then stopped, but now ive heard them im very interested in using them.
I believe ive seen the same video you are on about, unless you mean the soundclips, then i liked them too  :headbang1:

Yes i had looked at the bartolini replacements, however they are slightly off all the normal pick up routes that warmoth offer.
However as the darkstars have a 45 surcharge each anyways, getting them to do a custom route for the thunderbird replacements (if they would) isn't something that cant be easily added to my idea.
Yeah there website messed my head up too  :doh:

 

[drewfx]

I've heard that people are having a hard time getting Darkstars lately - or even getting in touch with the maker, so I'd make real sure you can get hold of them before getting a body routed for them.

 

[pabloman]

I've heard good things about the Deep Sixx pickups. Not sure where you can get them from.  :dontknow:

 

[JimBeed]

Ah right thanks for the warning drewfx, well im going to have to decide on a back up pickup to have done,
Do warmoth give custom pickup routes for an extra surcharge?
as im not worried about another $100 for the routing im guess it would be or bit more, i wouldnt mind getting the bartolini thunderbirds in it.