Bought an inexpensive Yamaha TBRX17 also have an Epiphone.
The sound that I get on the Yamaha is so smoothe compare to the Epihone. Both was set up by the same shop, but I find the epihone’s tone and playing to be just awful. Any one with the same experience? any playing suggestion?
Thanks.
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I didn’t have a problem with the feel of my Gibson-style basses, but I think their pickup arrangement is best suited to being overdriven or part of a small-piece band like Cream
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Epiphones are generally really hit or miss for quality. I have actually never tried one that I liked, all were substandard in some way. Yamaha’s kind of the opposite, known for producing quality instruments even at the entry level. So that’s probably what you are seeing.
There are good Epiphones out there, but even the ones often touted as “great” (i.e. the Les Pauls) are hit or miss. I played a remarkably crappy Epi Les Paul in the store once that was so bad you could feel the fret sprout through the bindings.
The Gibson standard pickup combination - double humbucker - is just fine. I love double-bucks. But the pups themselves may be garbage, I mean, it’s an Epiphone. Upgrading them might be an option.
generally miss, to be honest …
same, and the first I played was maybe in 1994 or 1995. absolutly no one had been acceptable.
100% agree
I’m not so sure, really. sounds more like a myth to me.
yeah, pickups are usually really terrible on Epiphone’s. It won’t solve everything, but changing the pickups will still make the instrument better, for sure.
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This is your ears telling you what you like and don’t like about what you are hearing from your basses. No two brands/models sound the same, they all have their own character.
Welcome to the rabbit hole where you hunt for your tone.
Modding basses and changing pickups and other bits change tone.
I do this a lot.
You can buy basses based on how they sound as is if you are not into modding them of course.
I do this a lot too, lol.
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Hmmmm. I was thinking about buying an Epiphone Thunderbird so this has raised doubts which I’m actually grateful for.
If I were to grab a cheap one and upgrade pickups, electronics etc would that make it better or should I look elsewhere? Possibly Tokai for example
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Tokai builds high-quality stuff. Or, at least, they used to. It’s been a while since I’ve run across a Tokai.
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They’re still producing guitars and basses @MikeC .
Quality depends on who you talk to but generally opinions seem positive
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