Billy-Bo

 

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Here's a clip:  Both tracks were recorded on the Marshall/Metro JTM45, June 2008.

 


 


Model: Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird "Billy-Bo"

Mfr Date:  June 2006

Color:  Firebird Red

Pickups: TV Jones Power'Tron (neck) & Power'Tron Plus (bridge)

See Gretsch's Page here.

Mods: 

  • 6/30/2008 - Returned this piece.  I found a white streak in the finish where the binding was "over-masked".  As in, they put a piece of masking tape over the binding that was too wide, so when they sprayed the first color layer, there was wood that didn't get color.  It was small and barely noticeable.  But 1) Once I saw it, my eye was drawn to it every time I looked at it, and 2) a guitar in this price range should not have any issues.  So I returned it and I'm now patiently (sort of) waiting on a new unit.

  • 7/11/08 - Received replacement unit.  It has a tiny, tiny little mark in the same place as the other one, but it's way too small to make a fuss about. 

  • 1/4/09 - Replaced the stock Gretsch ABR-1 Style bridge.  The retaining wire on this bridge vibrated a lot especially with playing on the lower strings.  Did some research and decided to replace the bridge with a TonePros AVR-II bridge because the retaining wire on that one is apparently decorative only.  Note that there is a difference in size and center-to-center distance on the posts.  I had to actually drill out the holes by about 20 thousandths to get it to fit.  I also used the factory posts because they're bigger than the ones that came with the TonePros bridge, so the smaller ones wouldn't have worked in the base of the bridge.

  • 2/28/10 - At some point, I added a treble bleed circuit to the master volume pot.  I took this out.  Felt that the tone was a little thin as the volume came down.

  • 3/24/11 - Replaced the stock neck pickup with a TV Jones Classic.  Removed the push/pull pot from the Master Tone position and reinstalled the stock pot.  Added a 140k resistor to the treble bleed circuit on the neck volume per TV Jones' recommended circuit drawing.


 

 

     

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This page was last updated 03/24/11