Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

That's the brand of one of my 2 (good) straps

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O2LT4F0/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_B7RDCMMXEA0P5WN1W9A6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I had one on my birthday gift list for my family before seeing these posts, just put another one on. They look great!

And their prices are very fair/good considering the quality.

 

[Stealth57]

Speaking of straps... nice strap!

View attachment 4645281

Good eyes. Just hanging out waiting to cut down the neck screw so I can install Dunlop Strap Loks. Turns out the screws sit lower in those buttons and that extra 1/8” might hit the back of the fb.

 

[PhR75]

For the life of me I can't understand the stigma of pick playing on a bass. I used to mostly play finger style until I joined Bond Girl where we played Bond songs that Carol Kaye recorded playing with a pick/palm-muting. Now I primarily play with a pick and use finger-style when appropriate for the song. At the end of the day, incorporating a pick has shaped my sound/style dynamically linked with the type of bass/pu's, the type of strings, and the kind of amp/speaker I use. I went from an ok pick player to being really good at it - and I don't play guitar. I never drop a pick (but I do have a back-up pick close at hand) and can cup the pick in my palm while switching to finger-style within a song. That small piece of plastic unlocks expression possibilities.

I think it's the old "you must be the worst guitar player because you got handed the bass guitar". For every "real bassists don't use a pick" wiseguys (they are usually guitarists for some reason...) I drop names like Anthony Jackson, Steve Swallow, Chris Squire, Andy West (Dixie Dregs), Helmut Hattler (Kraan) or indeed Carol Kaye and say "you'd better tell them too".

 

[Stealth57]

Very nice strap!
What brand?

Mine is Walker &Williams but slightly different than above.

 

[JIO]

I think it's the old "you must be the worst guitar player because you got handed the bass guitar". For every "real bassists don't use a pick" wiseguys (they are usually guitarists for some reason...) I drop names like Anthony Jackson, Steve Swallow, Chris Squire, Andy West (Dixie Dregs), Helmut Hattler (Kraan) or indeed Carol Kaye and say "you'd better tell them too".

...and this guy -

 

[PhR75]

...and this guy -

Indeed. Bobby is great. And then there's of course players like Bob Daisley who can do both (like Bobby) but prefers the pick.
My fav Zappa bassist Scott Thunes is a superb pick player. Or just a superb player. Nobody says Jaco was an excellent fingerstyle bassist.

 

[JIO]

Indeed. Bobby is great. And then there's of course players like Bob Daisley who can do both (like Bobby) but prefers the pick.
My fav Zappa bassist Scott Thunes is a superb pick player. Or just a superb player. Nobody says Jaco was an excellent fingerstyle bassist.

You nailed it -

 

[Thumper]

I'm starting to use a pick on a limited basis, used one regularly in the 80's. Working it on Knocking On Heaven's Door by GNR.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I've never, ever broken a string and play passive basses. Bringing one bass is simply one less thing to deal with. Just never considered a 'back-up' a need. Amps... now that's a different story, and I do bring a backup based on past experience.

sure?…….

 

[JIO]

Local surf-niks the Aqua Velvets bass-player playing a T-bird shaped object.

 

[JIO]

sure?…….
View attachment 4645397

I made an exception because I knew you were going to be there!

 

[bobyoung53]

Sounds like Tom Petty. I think he would have changed in the middle of songs if it wouldn't have looked odd. Hardly even could you tell there was a different tone. Possibly he heard something different that what listeners got. Bass player changes once, I think.

He had a huge guitar and bass collection, he was a bassist as well as a guitarist, I think he even started out on bass in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers early on. He played bass in Mudcrutch which preceded the Heartbreakers and then got back together again and played bass in The Traveling Wilburys.

 

[bobyoung53]

Speaking of all this Beatles stuff.
(Which I’ll always love them)
I read in some book waaaaay back that one recording technique used on Paul.
Was to place a speaker wired accordingly to act as a microphone.
How true this is?, I still haven’t been able to find where I read it.

It's true, I read it in Geoff Emerick's book, I forgot the song or even if he specified which one it was, he said they was a lot of experimentation going on all the time. They were looking for a bigger sound from his bass.

 

[bobyoung53]

I think of them as an Ignition Switch, (it's not for everyone) with the right strings you're suddenly playing a gigantic angry piano.......

I play both with fingers and with a pick and find playing T Birds with a pick very comfortable and they're easy to palm mute, I have been gravitating to the pick more and more in my old age anyway, I like the sound, the angry piano sound is a part of it too.

 

[bobyoung53]

https://walkerandwilliams.com

I've been using those for some years now, they're not real leather though and peel after a while or at least the ones I have did.

 

[bobyoung53]

...and this guy -

He's unbelievable, I got a trick from him in his last Bass Player column, using the side of the pick instead of the point.

 

[Stealth57]

Speaking of straps... nice strap!

View attachment 4645281

Finally got the strap loks installed. The strap was originally bought for an ESP LTD F knock off that was red with all black hardware. Sold it when I found the T-bird. There was no comparison but not sure the strap colors go well with the tobacco burst.

 

[KaraQ]

I originally used my W&W strap with Thunderbirds that hadn't yet had (or wasn't going to have) the forward strap button relocated to the neck heel/plate.

With the straplocks, I had to have one for each

Now, it primarily gets used on my Soundgears....

....and I've got an SBL strap for use with the Thunderbirds......

........I have been gravitating to the pick more and more in my old age anyway, I like the sound, the angry piano sound is a part of it too.

I'm a bit of the opposite, I've been (trying ) to learn to play better/more properly with finger-style.
Dunno if it's because of impending old-ness, but if I play for too long with a pick (either 1.14mm plastic or 3mm-ish felt), my thumb cramps a bit, and my hand goes a bit numb.
Sometimes.
Carpal tunnel issues don't help......

 

[GBassNorth]

https://walkerandwilliams.com

That's the brand of one of my 2 (good) straps
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O2LT4F0/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_B7RDCMMXEA0P5WN1W9A6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Mine is Walker &Williams but slightly different than above.
View attachment 4645378

Checked out the links - some great looking straps and very reasonable prices. Probably where I’ll go on my next strap purchase.

 

[Stealth57]

I originally used my W&W strap with Thunderbirds that hadn't yet had (or wasn't going to have) the forward strap button relocated to the neck heel/plate.

With the straplocks, I had to have one for each

Now, it primarily gets used on my Soundgears....

View attachment 4645486


....and I've got an SBL strap for use with the Thunderbirds......

View attachment 4645487








I'm a bit of the opposite, I've been (trying ) to learn to play better/more properly with finger-style.
Dunno if it's because of impending old-ness, but if I play for too long with a pick (either 1.14mm plastic or 3mm-ish felt), my thumb cramps a bit, and my hand goes a bit numb.
Sometimes.
Carpal tunnel issues don't help......

That’s the downside to that button location and a straplok. Top strap connection is backwards so dedicated to that style bass.