Thunderbird Club Pt.IV

[RedNeckBBQ]

That would be great. Here is my aging '67 Tbird.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

that is my dream bass guitar....i love the birds
i love the gibson thunderbird non reverse the most.
but they are hard to gett in holland
that green makes it realy great
I want It Now
haha

 

[cmassa]

that is my dream bass guitar....i love the birds
i love the gibson thunderbird non reverse the most.
but they are hard to gett in holland
that green makes it realy great
I want It Now
haha

Every time I get the nerve to get it refinished and look for a new bridge, the little voices come out that I would de-value it.
It's somewhere in the late 80's the finished started to turn yellow you can see patches of blue where it didn't. Perfect green for a metal/military band.

 

[TBird1958]

That would be great. Here is my aging '67 Tbird.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

That is a beautiful Thunderbird, thank you very much for sharing a picture with us - Welcome here you're # 257! Gibson's Pelham Blue really does turn green over time, often causing confusion with basses painted Inverness Green, your bass has aged in a most wonderful way!

The bridge can easily be replace with a fully intonateable one made by fellow TB'er ( Non Reverse player) Scott Dasson, as he says " Intonation without modification" a redesigned bridge for your vintage Thunderbird. PM him here, he is GodofThunder59.


Here's a pic of Scott's bridge alongside one of my basses, truly a his labor of love!

TBird1958 #1
Godof Thunder59 #2
Funkster#3
Gibenbackerbass #4
Sidd Laroy #5
Jazzbo58 #6
Tender Prey #7
Showdown #8
The Mojo Hobo #9
Doctorpunch #10
Stiles72 #11
Brenner182 #12
Baird6869 #13
Poorbassist15 #14
PWV #15
Mr Typhus #16
Tracii #17
Aditya #18
amimbari #19
knifedge #20
Nitrofix #21
Atoz #22
bassphreak #23
Seydlitz #24
bassclef112 #25
bassplayer8953 #26
D.M.N. #27
Edhunter #28
kruno maestro #29
Tombowlus #30
Kalik #31
winterburn69 #32
Walter Vega 33
Carlos 840 #34
Shadowtippy #35
Saltymonkey #36
lel95 #37
gaffster787 #38
mc2ny #39
Low Sound Love #40
BrianKrashpad #41
Deep Six #42
BenEd #43
Bassmachine2112 #44
ponkoponk #45
Heatheroo #46
darkside 88 #47
GCool#48
TedhHernstorm #49
Darbo #50
uncletupelo #51
Vaider #52
Rip Topaz #53
bmb73 #54
Badfish #55
Afireinside #56
Redstrand #57
reptyls #58
dabido #59
96tbird #60
whilke #61
JIO #63
thebrain #64
Rob Martinez #65
bazzandeson #66
PhR #67
Dr.Eagle #68
lowend1 #69 Mopar or no car!
Basvarken #70
s mcsleazy #71
Burruss #72
Matty H #73
moonshinegtrs #74
bass lord mutha #75
jumbodbassman #76
davidprice #77
A-Step-Towards #78
birdman14 #79
Quadzilla #80
jbalou02 #81
johnk 10 #82
electrocoyote #83
ih8law #84
muzukman7 #85
3rdcurve #86
rdwil191 #87
BluesBear #88
JAF #89
Swin #90
TBirdie #91
bassplayerbob #92
trevorguns #93
Clammy #94
jammi_fool #95
Molochnik #96
Rocker47 #97
Shark1 #98
BlueTalon #99
Fab Superlative #100
Doragon #5150
ThumpsAlot #102
Doelle #103
AllyDetours #104
Southway #105
mav #106
tw63 #107
Casperrobo #108
Killa #109
roffe #110
SOB H.R.MC #111
icks #112
thepunisher #113
PatQ #114
Venom of God #115
Jirishman #116
Midas #117
GibsonBassCAZ #118
snowblinder #119
Tilli #120
3l3phantstomp #121
Thrust Meatnozl #122
gaudenti #123
Birdbrain #124
CBTB #125
greghol #126
DV6 #127
marlond #128
DWest1981 #129
Shinji #130
jaibeau #131
Warrioralex #132
jonesn4bass #133
Rono7003 #134
hillerup #135
Dadagoboi #136
MRDOOM #137
secretsound5 #138
trevorguns #139
J Sinister #140
Capitian Bob #141
guitarded #142
Fullback32 #143
Johnny78 #144
jelenko #145
Jools4001 #146
Porkbun #147
Lucas G #148
NOT #149
JtheB #150
Andii Syckz #151
sj bass #152
FrankenIbanez70 #153
Nosgoth #154
Artyom76 #155
D Bopp #156
CDRhom #157
Mark4 #158
thepest #159
TheCush #160
Pure eVal #161
iamthebassman #162
juankidiaz #163
Wilbur88 #164
WillMuderface #165
Evsm73 #166
JB66#167
brettsto #168
TheProphet #169
mikeowen17 #170
Pharaohamps #171
dial666 #172
faivy #173
HAVOK #174
Astroburn #175
aLLard #176
MissionTbird #177
Thebassman2011 #178
DaM13N # 179
LanOsb133 #180
Lowner #181
Frankiebass59 #182
Justice #183
tiger rich #184
spunkadizzle #185
quadrogong #186
Wolf C Red #187
guitarded #188
ledzep5296 #189
aussiebasshero #190
trackskinz#191
guns N rosesguy #192
Jamyi #193
Thunderbird90 #194
Cobra314 #195
Ric5 #196
ApocalypseDream #197
Gougedeye #198
okc-zee #199
NOLA Bass #200
AdamR #201
bassmaniac72 #202
pudge #203
BWileyTally #204
poomwah #205
chibfarm2001 #206
thisSNsucks #207
mr.mow #208
4005 #209
seansv #210
BassDoc51 #211
ben0099 #212
Trooper1911 #213
mordor #214
brotondo #215
HIaWATTha #216
Zerstorte Zelle #217
MrNecroVol #218
Freddy-G #219
Regininblood #220
ejaggers #221
gregoire1 #222
thundereagle #223
Geezer79 #224
cubanbass #225
Silverwolf1 #226
Mikaelbass #227
BruceBass3901 #228
Chris V #229
Mikaelbass #230
JayBassD #231
JMPeat #232
Phildogger #233
beebassdude #234
MrGotBass #235
2nd Wind #236
butter_fingers #237
Chumbly #238
roycroft 88 #239
finlover #240
recycled rocker #241
wolfmancharlie #242
balton4 #243
GregBummer #244
penguineman #245
TheOnlyJuan #246
nubs #247
Gringo Starr #248
PhR #249
georgestrings #250
cajunbass1985 #251
Wagz #252
armedmonkey #253
RedNeckBBQ #254
faviobarrio #255
PhantomApex #256
cmassa #257
vbass_2000 #258

 

[cmassa]

Thanks for the number! I will look into that bridge. The only mod
that was done was to have the bridge moved in '68 after realizing it was in the wrong place. Back then it was the only option. At 16 I was, ok fix it.

I am so glad some builders have re-discovered and engineered the 60's Humbucker for the Tbird. As the bass got older and I tried the newer black TB pickups it just wasn't the same. Should have bought a '76.

Anyway now we have been reborn and I plan to add a couple more TB with re-engineered '60's pickups. May even buy a set just to hold. lol..

 

[georgestrings]

I've got a question for the T-bird experts here: I'm thinking about moving the strap post at the heel of the neck on my newly aquired '06 Gibson to the position shown on this '76, and am wondering how it'll affect the way my bass hangs:

Here's where it is currently:

I don't have a neck dive problem with this bass, but don't care for the way the body wants to "fall away" from me with the original location... On the other hand, I don't want the headstock to move much farther away from me, if that makes any sense... It's a nice bass, and in excellent condition - so I don't take the matter of drilling extra holes into it very lightly... However, after gigging it for a couple of weeks, I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep it - and making it a little more stage friendly wouldn't hurt...

Anyways, has anyone here moved one of those strap posts, or played T-birds with the two different locations??? and if so, how did it effect the hang???

I wasn't a huge fan of these basses when I got mine, but scored it in a killer deal - although I have to admit, it's been growing on me... My guitards love it(both huge Gibson fans), and I've gotten alot of compliments on it at the last 2 gigs, so the fans and other area musos are diggin' it, too... So, I'm pretty sure it's a keeper...

- georgestrings

 

[vbass_2000]

I wonder if I might be allowed to join the club? I've been following the thread for quite some time and have admired the shared info and photos. Attached is a photo of my '89 T-Bird as well as my previous Gibson infatuation, an '81 VBass. Both bought brand new, both also have Bartolinis in the bridge position.

 

[VitalSigns]

I wonder if I might be allowed to join the club? I've been following the thread for quite some time and have admired the shared info and photos. Attached is a photo of my '89 T-Bird as well as my previous Gibson infatuation, an '81 VBass. Both bought brand new, both also have Bartolinis in the bridge position.

What's up with your license plates? It took me a second to notice them.

 

[TBird1958]

I've got a question for the T-bird experts here: I'm thinking about moving the strap post at the heel of the neck on my newly aquired '06 Gibson to the position shown on this '76, and am wondering how it'll affect the way my bass hangs:

Here's where it is currently:

I don't have a neck dive problem with this bass, but don't care for the way the body wants to "fall away" from me with the original location... On the other hand, I don't want the headstock to move much farther away from me, if that makes any sense... It's a nice bass, and in excellent condition - so I don't take the matter of drilling extra holes into it very lightly... However, after gigging it for a couple of weeks, I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep it - and making it a little more stage friendly wouldn't hurt...

Anyways, has anyone here moved one of those strap posts, or played T-birds with the two different locations??? and if so, how did it effect the hang???

I wasn't a huge fan of these basses when I got mine, but scored it in a killer deal - although I have to admit, it's been growing on me... My guitards love it(both huge Gibson fans), and I've gotten alot of compliments on it at the last 2 gigs, so the fans and other area musos are diggin' it, too... So, I'm pretty sure it's a keeper...

- georgestrings

2 of my '76 T Birds have 3 strap pins, the stock locations as your pic of the '76 shows plus at the heel - so it three, no big deal at all. Personally, I don't care for stock location on the '76 and if you do try it be sure to use a straplock of some kind as that pin on the upper 'bout will cause a weak strap end to slip out. I've never had one want to "fall away" on me but I do keep the bass at or slightly above my waist.




Ahhh.....here. just found this pic.

 

[TBird1958]

I wonder if I might be allowed to join the club? I've been following the thread for quite some time and have admired the shared info and photos. Attached is a photo of my '89 T-Bird as well as my previous Gibson infatuation, an '81 VBass. Both bought brand new, both also have Bartolinis in the bridge position.

Awesome!

Both are beautiful basses that warm a die hard Gibson fan's heart! I have a white '89 as well, when it was stock it looked much as yours does. Love the plates too!

Thank you for posting and I've added you to our club, #258 is all yours!

 

[4005]

2 of my '76 T Birds have 3 strap pins, the stock locations as your pic of the '76 shows plus at the heel - so it three, no big deal at all. Personally, I don't care for stock location on the '76 and if you do try it be sure to use a straplock of some kind as that pin on the upper 'bout will cause a weak strap end to slip out. I've never had one want to "fall away" on me but I do keep the bass at or slightly above my waist.




Ahhh.....here. just found this pic.

Mark is it a trick of the Eye or is your upper bout strap button closer to the neck then the Bass in the pic or for that matter my ’77?

 

[TBird1958]

Mark is it a trick of the Eye or is your upper bout strap button closer to the neck then the Bass in the pic or for that matter my ’77?

Probably a little of both! My shot is of my Greco Thunderbird II ( it was the only pic I had of the backside and both pin locations) the pin is slightly farther down the shoulder of the 'bout than a Gibson's

 

[4005]

Ahh ! Ok so Greco does it better then Gibson !!

 

[TBird1958]

Ahh ! Ok so Greco does it better then Gibson !!

Well.....FWIW I just tried that strap pin on the upper bout instead of the one at the heel - hang on to your headstock!
Changing the point of balance a few inches down and forward makes all the difference - strap at the heel and it's perfect.
With the exception of my Lull I use the neck heel location on my 'Birds.

 

[godofthunder59]

Love that Nonreverse Bird!

That would be great. Here is my aging '67 Tbird.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[georgestrings]

Well.....FWIW I just tried that strap pin on the upper bout instead of the one at the heel - hang on to your headstock!
Changing the point of balance a few inches down and forward makes all the difference - strap at the heel and it's perfect.
With the exception of my Lull I use the neck heel location on my 'Birds.

This is why I was asking the question - I don't want to put an additional hole in my bass, only to find out that it doesn't work any better than the original locations... If it will work out, I don't have a problem making that commitment...


- georgestrings

 

[georgestrings]

Love that Nonreverse Bird!

Agreed - very, very nice!!!


- georgestrings

 

[georgestrings]

2 of my '76 T Birds have 3 strap pins, the stock locations as your pic of the '76 shows plus at the heel - so it three, no big deal at all. Personally, I don't care for stock location on the '76 and if you do try it be sure to use a straplock of some kind as that pin on the upper 'bout will cause a weak strap end to slip out. I've never had one want to "fall away" on me but I do keep the bass at or slightly above my waist.




Ahhh.....here. just found this pic.

Thanks for the input, btw - I appreciate it... FWIW, I tend to play with my basses fairly low - always well below the waist(what can I say, I'm a rock bassist, haha)... Also, I wouldn't dream of playing standing up without straplocks - I'm a very active player, and probably wouldn't make it thru one song without straplocks...


- georgestrings

 

[RedNeckBBQ]

Thanks for the input, btw - I appreciate it... FWIW, I tend to play with my basses fairly low - always well below the waist(what can I say, I'm a rock bassist, haha)... Also, I wouldn't dream of playing standing up without straplocks - I'm a very active player, and probably wouldn't make it thru one song without straplocks...


- georgestrings

yeah anoter one that has there bass low...
my bass just below my belt buckle.
with out straplock thats a no go

 

[godofthunder59]

Don't know how I missed this! Thanks for the kind words Mark I have new bridges on the way. One rather famous user

That is a beautiful Thunderbird, thank you very much for sharing a picture with us - Welcome here you're # 257! Gibson's Pelham Blue really does turn green over time, often causing confusion with basses painted Inverness Green, your bass has aged in a most wonderful way!

The bridge can easily be replace with a fully intonateable one made by fellow TB'er ( Non Reverse player) Scott Dasson, as he says " Intonation without modification" a redesigned bridge for your vintage Thunderbird. PM him here, he is GodofThunder59.


Here's a pic of Scott's bridge alongside one of my basses, truly a his labor of love!

TBird1958 #1
Godof Thunder59 #2
Funkster#3
Gibenbackerbass #4
Sidd Laroy #5
Jazzbo58 #6
Tender Prey #7
Showdown #8
The Mojo Hobo #9
Doctorpunch #10
Stiles72 #11
Brenner182 #12
Baird6869 #13
Poorbassist15 #14
PWV #15
Mr Typhus #16
Tracii #17
Aditya #18
amimbari #19
knifedge #20
Nitrofix #21
Atoz #22
bassphreak #23
Seydlitz #24
bassclef112 #25
bassplayer8953 #26
D.M.N. #27
Edhunter #28
kruno maestro #29
Tombowlus #30
Kalik #31
winterburn69 #32
Walter Vega 33
Carlos 840 #34
Shadowtippy #35
Saltymonkey #36
lel95 #37
gaffster787 #38
mc2ny #39
Low Sound Love #40
BrianKrashpad #41
Deep Six #42
BenEd #43
Bassmachine2112 #44
ponkoponk #45
Heatheroo #46
darkside 88 #47
GCool#48
TedhHernstorm #49
Darbo #50
uncletupelo #51
Vaider #52
Rip Topaz #53
bmb73 #54
Badfish #55
Afireinside #56
Redstrand #57
reptyls #58
dabido #59
96tbird #60
whilke #61
JIO #63
thebrain #64
Rob Martinez #65
bazzandeson #66
PhR #67
Dr.Eagle #68
lowend1 #69 Mopar or no car!
Basvarken #70
s mcsleazy #71
Burruss #72
Matty H #73
moonshinegtrs #74
bass lord mutha #75
jumbodbassman #76
davidprice #77
A-Step-Towards #78
birdman14 #79
Quadzilla #80
jbalou02 #81
johnk 10 #82
electrocoyote #83
ih8law #84
muzukman7 #85
3rdcurve #86
rdwil191 #87
BluesBear #88
JAF #89
Swin #90
TBirdie #91
bassplayerbob #92
trevorguns #93
Clammy #94
jammi_fool #95
Molochnik #96
Rocker47 #97
Shark1 #98
BlueTalon #99
Fab Superlative #100
Doragon #5150
ThumpsAlot #102
Doelle #103
AllyDetours #104
Southway #105
mav #106
tw63 #107
Casperrobo #108
Killa #109
roffe #110
SOB H.R.MC #111
icks #112
thepunisher #113
PatQ #114
Venom of God #115
Jirishman #116
Midas #117
GibsonBassCAZ #118
snowblinder #119
Tilli #120
3l3phantstomp #121
Thrust Meatnozl #122
gaudenti #123
Birdbrain #124
CBTB #125
greghol #126
DV6 #127
marlond #128
DWest1981 #129
Shinji #130
jaibeau #131
Warrioralex #132
jonesn4bass #133
Rono7003 #134
hillerup #135
Dadagoboi #136
MRDOOM #137
secretsound5 #138
trevorguns #139
J Sinister #140
Capitian Bob #141
guitarded #142
Fullback32 #143
Johnny78 #144
jelenko #145
Jools4001 #146
Porkbun #147
Lucas G #148
NOT #149
JtheB #150
Andii Syckz #151
sj bass #152
FrankenIbanez70 #153
Nosgoth #154
Artyom76 #155
D Bopp #156
CDRhom #157
Mark4 #158
thepest #159
TheCush #160
Pure eVal #161
iamthebassman #162
juankidiaz #163
Wilbur88 #164
WillMuderface #165
Evsm73 #166
JB66#167
brettsto #168
TheProphet #169
mikeowen17 #170
Pharaohamps #171
dial666 #172
faivy #173
HAVOK #174
Astroburn #175
aLLard #176
MissionTbird #177
Thebassman2011 #178
DaM13N # 179
LanOsb133 #180
Lowner #181
Frankiebass59 #182
Justice #183
tiger rich #184
spunkadizzle #185
quadrogong #186
Wolf C Red #187
guitarded #188
ledzep5296 #189
aussiebasshero #190
trackskinz#191
guns N rosesguy #192
Jamyi #193
Thunderbird90 #194
Cobra314 #195
Ric5 #196
ApocalypseDream #197
Gougedeye #198
okc-zee #199
NOLA Bass #200
AdamR #201
bassmaniac72 #202
pudge #203
BWileyTally #204
poomwah #205
chibfarm2001 #206
thisSNsucks #207
mr.mow #208
4005 #209
seansv #210
BassDoc51 #211
ben0099 #212
Trooper1911 #213
mordor #214
brotondo #215
HIaWATTha #216
Zerstorte Zelle #217
MrNecroVol #218
Freddy-G #219
Regininblood #220
ejaggers #221
gregoire1 #222
thundereagle #223
Geezer79 #224
cubanbass #225
Silverwolf1 #226
Mikaelbass #227
BruceBass3901 #228
Chris V #229
Mikaelbass #230
JayBassD #231
JMPeat #232
Phildogger #233
beebassdude #234
MrGotBass #235
2nd Wind #236
butter_fingers #237
Chumbly #238
roycroft 88 #239
finlover #240
recycled rocker #241
wolfmancharlie #242
balton4 #243
GregBummer #244
penguineman #245
TheOnlyJuan #246
nubs #247
Gringo Starr #248
PhR #249
georgestrings #250
cajunbass1985 #251
Wagz #252
armedmonkey #253
RedNeckBBQ #254
faviobarrio #255
PhantomApex #256
cmassa #257
vbass_2000 #258

 

[TBird1958]

My Black '76 with the unused pin in the stock position on the upper 'bout and relocated at the center of the heel.