- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,906
- 142,341
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
- Start date
-
- Tags
- club thunderbird
Aye... a potent brew indeed!It's all that Chechen blood!
It's gotta be the Italian in you!Mixed with German, Armenian and Italian.
I'm Italian too
I've never had strings die on me like that, but I usually wash my hands with dish soap before I pickup a bass.
Well I think I'm back up to date!
Pedals? As a hobbyist I use a Zoom B2.1u as an amp emulator to my old SS amp or direct to a small panel when out. 2nd use is as a headphone amp.
About to add a used B3 to do the same tasks but taking advantage of the newer format and options.
That is gorgeous, @veebass .
A goodly gaggle of Gibson's now.
I just counted - ten Gibson basses.
Yes, but the ball ends are wrapped in silk, so all is ok.
What kind of action do you guys prefer on your T-Birds, tonewise? Do you go for a low action so you can get a really heavy grind when you dig in, or do you like the growl from high action?
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,612
- 222,129
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
For me generally low to medium action focusing on finesse on my J (2 pu bass) and for a more 'rock' bass format (basses w/1 pu) - higher action. That's still general as pu height, strings, amp settings etc also come into play.
I used to do that with my Epiphone and sometimes I actually dug in a but more than intended. Ended up wearing grooves into the black plastic pickup covers...whoopsAction low, pickups high
You're not alone.I used to do that with my Epiphone and sometimes I actually dug in a but more than intended. Ended up wearing grooves into the black plastic pickup covers...whoops
I used to find with high action on a Thunderbird, however, the tone would get really thick. Maybe it was a placebo effect of some kind, and I'm alone on this, but it just did. Part of me wants to go low with my bass, but I'll have to really play light with a pick then, and I'm not sure that's what my T-Bird likes
I pretty much dime my basses if possible. In other words, when the bass is held in the playing position I should be able to slip a dime under the E string and have it stay there with just the tension of the string holding it in position on top of the 12th fret. If I can get my action that low I then raise my pickups up as high as I can get them without the strings hitting them when I dig in hard. I don't bother trying to balance the volume of the two pups by raising or lowering the pickups, that's what Gibson gave us volume knobs for. My TBird (and Gibson in general) preference is for deep, dark, creamy smooth and somewhat thick and saturated (not to the point of farty over saturation) bass tone that blooms when played finger style. If I want crisp and clear with mostly fundamental tones for chord type work I'll use my Alembics or Spectors or Stingrays. If I want massive grind and grit with darn near built in distortion I'll use my Warwicks. If I want to be just like the other guys and go along to get along I'll use a Fender P or Jazz. YMMV
Built in distortion...reminded me of that Zon Billy Gould Signature bass which has a built in distortion circuit. Love to try me one of those...
I'll have my Thunderbird set up when it gets back probably. It hasn't been set up since I got it, since my priority hasn't been on my Japanese Mustang (BLASPHEMY HERE IN THE T-BIRD CLUB). Being 5' 6, I found the ergonomics of my Epiphone quite cumbersome, but I just love the tone. I just wish there were some heavy gauge stainless steel strings that were coated out there...I leave my bass out since don't have a case for it, and normal strings can go dead somewhat quickly, especially since I play everyday for a few hours. Got Elixrs on it at the minute which I love, but drop tuning just sounds flabby ):
How does action height affect tone? I thought it would just be the distance from string to pickup, and a fretted note is a fretted note.
Nah, I'd really like one of those lefty Jaguar basses from Japan.
Have you tried other brands' coated or equivalent strings? Something like this?La Bella Strings . Just saw D'Addario also has a coated string.
As my luck would have it, they seem non existent in the UK.
Probably should just get a set of DR DDT's and clean them after playing like I'm trying to get rid of evidence from a murder scene.
They'll ship them to you. Don't know what the cost of shipping would be though.
