Thunderbird Club

[KaraQ]

....... - I'll build a Superbird around it.

View attachment 4639447 View attachment 4639453

Will it end up (Richard) Petty Blue?

Some Spector goodness (yes I like coffee tables)…
Spector X Series USA Custom NS-4X Bass Guitar - Ale's Inferno - New / 022 | Reverb

That's pretty awesome!

Shame I don't have that kind of disposable income just laying around......





on a maybe? somewhat? related note, this is the latest video of the original (not-Thunderbird) bass with that color, and the bassist it's named after
(assuming the link process works, for a change )

 

[lildrgn]

Ok team, I am working on setting up my TB. I am trying to get the strings a little lower to the fretboard. The E is measuring at 2.25mm at the 12th fret and the G is measuring at nearly 2.75mm!

I have tried tightening the bridge screw at the G string, but it appears to already be all the way tightened. Moving the saddle wouldn't help, would it?

I've adjusted the truss rod and have pretty good relief at the 7th fret, feeler gauge is not hitting the bottom of the E.

Any suggestions for next steps?

 

[Engle]

May we have a full frontal Irv?

 

[JIO]

I noticed the same thing on eBay a number of years ago. Same bass, Japan location, four or five different sellers all at different prices. Was told it’s legit and that each different seller is basically acting as a broker or middle man in the sale. I found it very annoying having to scroll through a hundred bass auctions on eBay just to see 15 different basses. I now select the “North America” listing location on the left scroll bar and it blocks all the Japan sales. But your right, many of the more unique or higher optioned basses seem to be located in Japan as “buy it now” deals and if you take the time to look for the lowest price listing of that specific bass you can occasionally find some decent deals.

Case in point - just searched on eBay for “Thunderbird bass guitar” and got 200 matches. Then selected “North America Only” and it dropped down to about 30 matches.

I don't find such on Reverb - they possibly have a policy against it. I've heard that sometimes the 'broker' doesn't get to the bass/guitar before it's sold and has to refund the money, giving them a poor feedback rating. I always look at the feedback rating before considering a purchase and pass if it's much less that 100%. My feedback rating on eBay is 100% and has been since both buying & selling there many years ago. Any transaction of money for something (goods or services) can go both ways, but taking the proper precautions can minimize the chance of a bad transaction.

 

[Engle]

I really do try to keep it clean.
Besides, we'll have plenty of time for some gentle conversation.

I think it’s a 68. Most of finish wear was there when I bought it in 79.

 

[JIO]

Ok team, I am working on setting up my TB. I am trying to get the strings a little lower to the fretboard. The E is measuring at 2.25mm at the 12th fret and the G is measuring at nearly 2.75mm!

I have tried tightening the bridge screw at the G string, but it appears to already be all the way tightened. Moving the saddle wouldn't help, would it?

I've adjusted the truss rod and have pretty good relief at the 7th fret, feeler gauge is not hitting the bottom of the E.

Any suggestions for next steps?

The saddles will lower the string toward the butt-end and raise it toward the neck. But the first priority is getting intonation correct. Once intonation is correct, the bridge is where height adjustment lives. If it's flush with the poles - that's as low as it goes. To get a string a bit lower at that point would require filing the saddle. Also address how the nut is adjusted. If you press on the 3rd fret - the string should barely touch the 1st fret. If there is a space there - the nut can be filed so it touches the 1st fret, and as a result will lower the string. There's also neck bow and there is a formula for how that is adjusted. The combination of these 3 things is how to get the action how you want it.

 

[WillyW]

Ok team, I am working on setting up my TB. I am trying to get the strings a little lower to the fretboard. The E is measuring at 2.25mm at the 12th fret and the G is measuring at nearly 2.75mm!

I have tried tightening the bridge screw at the G string, but it appears to already be all the way tightened. Moving the saddle wouldn't help, would it?

I've adjusted the truss rod and have pretty good relief at the 7th fret, feeler gauge is not hitting the bottom of the E.

Any suggestions for next steps?

start with @JIO ’s advice

I need to make a video.

what bridge?

first take all your measuring devices, feeler gauges, slide rulers, and yardsticks and place them gently in the garbage can.

 

[JIO]

I think it’s a 68. Most of finish wear was there when I bought it in 79.

White plastic saddles. I had a '68 EB-3 and I can't remember but think it had them also. I wonder if anyone ever made bone or brass saddles for that bridge. Even ebony would work. Interestingly, the 1st mass produced electric bass (Fender Precision) had pressed fiber/bakelite/phenolic saddles.

 

[dagrev]

One questionable occurrence I see often on eBay is the same bass being sold by more than one Japan seller. Same pics, different asking prices. I never understood what that was about. Recently, I saw a bass I wanted and chose the cheaper one of two using the same pics being sold by two different biz's. I sent a PM to make sure the bass in the pics was the exact same bass and I was assured it was. There was a shot of the back of the maple hs showing a specific grain pattern so that was going to be how I could confirm it was the same once it arrived. I'd never bought a bass from Japan fearing high import fees and long delivery times. They always offer many basses that you don't see in the US and prices vary but some are reasonable. The one I bought was a Japanese market only - so it was never in stores here in the US.

Anyway, no additional import fees and the bass arrived in nine days (very fast despite the current supply-chain issues) and it was the exact bass in the pics. (sigh of relief) I later learned they (multiple sellers of the same bass) are not really businesses. It’s just a guy that reposts something a store lists online and when the listing sells, they scurry over to the shop to try and get it before it sells. The higher price covers their jr railpass and bubble wrap expenses. They are just trying to make some money by acting as a broker and shipping service because some of those shops are not multilingual and do not want to ship international and do not have websites set up for that purpose.

So not a scam, but initially questionable.

I've noticed that as well. Thought it very odd and figured something a little shady was going on.

 

[Engle]

The saddles will lower the string toward the butt-end and raise it toward the neck. But the first priority is getting intonation correct. Once intonation is correct, the bridge is where height adjustment lives. If it's flush with the poles - that's as low as it goes. To get a string a bit lower at that point would require filing the saddle. Also address how the nut is adjusted. If you press on the 3rd fret - the string should barely touch the 1st fret. If there is a space there - the nut can be filed so it touches the 1st fret, and as a result will lower the string. There's also neck bow and there is a formula for how that is adjusted. The combination of these 3 things is how to get the action how you want it.

Good point about the nut. If the slots are too high, it doesn’t matter how low the bridge is, it’s going to be hard to play.

I believe intonation should be the last thing you adjust. If you change the action, you change the amount of compensation required.

 

[JIO]

start with @JIO ’s advice

I need to make a video.

what bridge?

first take all your measuring devices, feeler gauges, slide rulers, and yardsticks and place them gently in the garbage can.

I use picks (singularly and stacked) as 'feeler gauges'. Luckily considering my playing style, I don't go for super low action. So I can always get the action acceptable without getting excessively fussy. I was assuming he has a standard 3-post Gibson/Epi bridge.

 

[dagrev]

I noticed the same thing on eBay a number of years ago. Same bass, Japan location, four or five different sellers all at different prices. Was told it’s legit and that each different seller is basically acting as a broker or middle man in the sale. I found it very annoying having to scroll through a hundred bass auctions on eBay just to see 15 different basses. I now select the “North America” listing location on the left scroll bar and it blocks all the Japan sales. But your right, many of the more unique or higher optioned basses seem to be located in Japan as “buy it now” deals and if you take the time to look for the lowest price listing of that specific bass you can occasionally find some decent deals.

Case in point - just searched on eBay for “Thunderbird bass guitar” and got 200 matches. Then selected “North America Only” and it dropped down to about 30 matches.

Wow! Who knew only 15% of Thunderbirds for sale were in the US on ebay!

 

[dagrev]

May we have a full frontal Irv?

What? . Is it safe to look yet?

 

[Engle]

White plastic saddles. I had a '68 EB-3 and I can't remember but think it had them also. I wonder if anyone ever made bone or brass saddles for that bridge. Even ebony would work. Interestingly, the 1st mass produced electric bass (Fender Precision) had pressed fiber/bakelite/phenolic saddles.

View attachment 4639823

I could fabricate saddles, but I don’t know that it would make much of a difference. If a saddle ever breaks, I’ll fab some up.
The Hipshot 2 point bridge fits, but looks wrong on that bass IMO.

 

[icefly]

check out the Hipshot or Babicz bridge

They are plug and play?
I mean, you just swap the original 3 point bridge for Hipshot or Babicz, or need something else?

 

[dagrev]

From your feet, I didn't expect you to look like that. You really do glitter well.

 

[JIO]

Good point about the nut. If the slots are too high, it doesn’t matter how low the bridge is, it’s going to be hard to play.

I believe intonation should be the last thing you adjust. If you change the action, you change the amount of compensation required.

After first playing it (feel test), I've done adjustments in various order and always re-check each as it nears being dialed in. There's always something to address, including a bit of fret-buzz leveling.

 

[JIO]

They are plug and play?
I mean, you just swap the original 3 point bridge for Hipshot or Babicz, or need something else?

No, they will still need to be adjusted.

 

[KaraQ]

They are plug and play?
I mean, you just swap the original 3 point bridge for Hipshot or Babicz, or need something else?

Not sure about the Hipshot, but the Babicz comes with three replacement bolts, and just screws into the original inserts.
Or, they have their own inserts available separately (pretty inexpensively), if you want to have Gibson-style flush-mount inserts.

 

[dagrev]

White plastic saddles. I had a '68 EB-3 and I can't remember but think it had them also. I wonder if anyone ever made bone or brass saddles for that bridge. Even ebony would work. Interestingly, the 1st mass produced electric bass (Fender Precision) had pressed fiber/bakelite/phenolic saddles.

View attachment 4639823

I'm sure there was a reason, but that always puzzled me. Many have disintegrated. Fortunately by '55 they were metal.