Thunderbird Club

[Bent77]

was gonna pull the bird out of winter hibernation this past weekend but temps fell back below freezing again so it remains: unstrung, truss rod loosened and the neck clamped into a back bow. Sigh......maybe next weekend. In the mean time I'll soldier on with the winter bass, a MIM Jazz

Do you own a snow bird? Why is it in hiding?

 

[KaraQ]

.... but buzzy above the 12 on the E string. Thinking of adjusting that E saddle but do I need to remove the string to get to that 90° screw?

You might try raising the E-string side of the bridge slightly, maybe 1/8 or 1/4 turn, see if that helps the buzz? I usually have to have the E side slightly higher than the A

 

[MCF]

That's how it looks on mine so far, front bolt higher than rear. I've adjusted the TR (really loose!) and the action is pretty good but buzzy above the 12 on the E string. Thinking of adjusting that E saddle but do I need to remove the string to get to that 90° screw?

If the relief on the TR is where you want it, loosen the strings. Raise the e side bolt 1/8th of a turn. Retune. Test and see if the buzz goes away. If it doesn’t, try it again with another 1/8th turn. Slow and steady wins the race.

 

[heatheroo1]

Do you own a snow bird? Why is it in hiding?

it hates the the cold/dry weather. The neck bows in spite of truss rod adjustment. I did a long post a few years ago about driving 300+ miles to Dan Erlewine's shop to have the broken trussrod repaired. Even after repair it wouldn't straighten. I subsequently had Chris Maul do a heat treatment on the neck, which fixed it, albeit temporarily. I have had him retreat it every spring the last couple years. This winter, I decided to just be proactive and unstring it and clamp it. The plan is that, once the weather warms and the indoor heat goes off, I tighten the trussrod, unclamp it, restring it and, hopefully, it will be ready to rock. I've been schlepping this bass around since 1977 so a little TLC is not too much for her to ask.

 

[Bent77]

Well that is one fussy bird

 

[GonePlaid]

12.

Here’s a pic of the three-point on my ‘21 non-reverse Tbird. Note that the front bolt is slightly higher than the two rear ones. This is my preferred setup. There are some exceptions; our queen has some with the front bolt lower than the rears. YMMV. I’m not a physicist, but I believe the higher front bolt reduces stress on the rear bolts that can lead to the inserts pulling up.
View attachment 4638050

So, I should take off the 1967 stock bridge and claw and install the three point I took offa my 2009 Epi EB-0 when I replaced it with a Hipshot?

 

[MCF]

Nah. That one will eventually get a chrome Babicz. Not a priority at the moment.

 

[Engle]

View attachment 4637485

Is this considered an unfinished neck? I've got Dunlop fretboard 65 ultimate lemon oil, and it says to not use on unfinished fretboards. If it is finished, what's a recommended way to clean this thing?

Sure it doesn’t say “Do not use on finished fretboards”? It’s fine on Rosewood.

I use 0000 steel wool and isopropyl alcohol to clean, let it dry, apply Dunlop 65 liberally, let it soak 10 minutes or so and wipe/buff with a clean cloth.

I used to use Hawes lemon oil, but I ran out and a friend gave me a bottle of the Dunlop 65. The Hawes was a little thinner, which I prefer.

 

[lildrgn]

Sure it doesn’t say “Do not use on finished fretboards”? It’s fine on Rosewood.

I use 0000 steel wool and isopropyl alcohol to clean, let it dry, apply Dunlop 65 liberally, let it soak 10 minutes or so and wipe/buff with a clean cloth.

I used to use Hawes lemon oil, but I ran out and a friend gave me a bottle of the Dunlop 65. The Hawes was a little thinner, which I prefer.

ha, it actually says "only use on unfinished fretboards." I either read it wrong or transposed when typing my post. I did use it and it was just fine.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

So, I should take off the 1967 stock bridge and claw and install the three point I took offa my 2009 Epi EB-0 when I replaced it with a Hipshot?

first dibs on the two piece!…

 

[Engle]

ha, it actually says "only use on unfinished fretboards." I either read it wrong or transposed when typing my post. I did use it and it was just fine.

I don’t think it would hurt a finished fingerboard, but it wouldn’t soak in.

 

[PillO]

12.

Here’s a pic of the three-point on my ‘21 non-reverse Tbird. Note that the front bolt is slightly higher than the two rear ones. This is my preferred setup. There are some exceptions; our queen has some with the front bolt lower than the rears. YMMV. I’m not a physicist, but I believe the higher front bolt reduces stress on the rear bolts that can lead to the inserts pulling up.
View attachment 4638050

No need to be a physicist. You only need to have the mental defect of being able to do vector math to resolve the forces involved. Maybe that is all a physicist is, now that I think about it...

 

[Stealth57]

No need to be a physicist. You only need to have the mental defect of being able to do vector math to resolve the forces involved. Maybe that is all a physicist is, now that I think about it...

That would be a mechanical engineer. Don't make me break out my old statics (not statistics) book. If it requires dynamics, we are all in trouble.

 

[PillO]

That would be a mechanical engineer. Don't make me break out my old statics (not statistics) book. If it requires dynamics, we are all in trouble.

Isn't a mechanical engineer just a physicist who spent too much time drinking beer and as a result didn't get into grad school?

 

[Stealth57]

Isn't a mechanical engineer just a physicist who spent too much time drinking beer and as a result didn't get into grad school?

Could be. I have no problem dissing mechanical or industrial engineers since I'm not one. I always liked using the term iE, and letting them know the i stands for imaginary...math joke...and I'm not a math major either.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Could be. I have no problem dissing mechanical or industrial engineers since I'm not one. I always liked using the term iE, and letting them know the i stands for imaginary...math joke...and I'm not a math major either.

Ingeniero Diesel = Ingeniero DiceEl…...

 

[GBassNorth]

ha, it actually says "only use on unfinished fretboards." I either read it wrong or transposed when typing my post. I did use it and it was just fine.

Now it all makes more sense.
I was really scratching my head on why they would not recommend it on an unfinished board.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I have a Greco II Tbird and a Greco IV Tbird and they do in fact sound different but I chalk that up to mostly the different strings they wear. If there is a difference between an equally outfitted II and a IV it’s probably subtle. One bass that it could possibly make a very noticeable difference on would be the 2015 Tbird with the monster magnet pups, that’s the only bass I’ve ever owned where you can easily pull the strings completely out of intonation by raising the pups. So getting rid of one of those pups might actually change the overall movement of the vibrating strings.


Looks beautiful! Congrats on the new bird!


…and not just any old Gibson, but one with the same style of pickups that the 2015 Tbird uses.


I’ve always considered most rosewood fretboards as unfinished and therefore in need of occasional oiling to condition the board. I would have assumed the Dunlop 65 lemon oil would be ok to use on a rosewood board as long as you wipe it on and wipe it off. To be honest, I’ve never used that brand before, so if they say don’t (even though I can’t imagine why) then I wouldn’t, but I would find a fretboard conditioner that is compatible with unfinished wood, you’ll need to eventually condition that board.


^This!

I got turned on to clarinet bore oil by Bobby at Clark Music (defunct) in Atlanta. It's the bomb.

 

[KaraQ]

I got turned on to clarinet bore oil by Bobby at Clark Music (defunct) in Atlanta. It's the bomb.

That's what I use on the body wood of my Pro 5

 

[Miles_ONeal]

You've got your answers, but if you want more flexibility in individual saddle adjustments, check out the Hipshot or Babicz bridge. They're both direct drop-ins.

Plus their saddles don't fall out. At least the Hipshot Supertone saddles don't. I assume the Babicz saddles don't, but I've been happy enough with the Hipshot I haven't tried the Babicz.