A slight disappointment

[sloppyjoetogo]

It just arrived. brand new in the box Epiphone thunderbird pro 5. I was drooling as i unpacked it. My Mesa Boogie bass 400 was warmed up and waiting. A quick tune up and plugged it in. The wiz from the pre-amp was so bad i had to unplug it. So here we go. Checked the cord to the amp and changed it. No difference. Changed the speaker cable to the 1000w david eden 4x10 cab and no difference. Whats next? $100 bench charge to tell me theres nothing wrong with it? I feel like throwing up.....

[AD30]

It just arrived. brand new in the box Epiphone thunderbird pro 5. I was drooling as i unpacked it. My Mesa Boogie bass 400 was warmed up and waiting. A quick tune up and plugged it in. The wiz from the pre-amp was so bad i had to unplug it. So here we go. Checked the cord to the amp and changed it. No difference. Changed the speaker cable to the 1000w david eden 4x10 cab and no difference. Whats next? $100 bench charge to tell me theres nothing wrong with it? I feel like throwing up.....

First problem...you bought an Epiphone instead of a Gibson, but you may want to try better pickups. Sometimes the clones give you a great look and feel but the electronics aren't up to snuff.

A.D.30 http://www.ad30.org

[Lmf]

Maybe the OP purchased what he could afford and not the higher priced Gibson. However, there is no reason that the OP can't determine the warranty coverage from the dealer and put it to use. If no warranty, then repair it so it can be played.

Sometimes the savings in purchasing a lesser guitar is important, but sometimes the lower cost means more repairs later. It's a trade-off, that's all! Higher//lower costs at the front end of the deal and sometimes higher cost at the end.

Best wishes,

Lloyd

[leatherfingers]

My Epiphone had a bad POT right out of the box, I changed both the tone and volumes out ( about $10 worth) and touched up the ground strap solder points , Viola my primary player for the last 15 years, Epiphone makes a great product there's just not the quality in the electronics that there is on a true Gibson. but then again , I am not a gear snob, there are people out there that even if it plays or sounds just like a Gibby , will tell you its ****, I like what gives me my sound and stays in tune

[smith1279]

I just ordered an Epiphone Thunderbird IV as a backup and for the tone variations it is noted for, so your post caused me some trepidation. Then I remembered the "Pro" has active electronics, where mine has passive, which is one of the reasons I love passive pickups. I've been playing about 45 years and active electronics have caused me your kind of problems in almost every "active" bass I've used. Recommendation: check the battery and change it if you're using the one that came with it.