Thunderbird Club

[PhR75]

I never realized he played a Jazz on the UK albums. Yes, they were unbelievable. The years all blend together after a while............

With Wetton's hard attacking style and sound it really doesn't sound that different from his P-bass. But with a closer listen there's a difference.

I wonder if he ever had to use the Jazz on stage with King Crimson? He played so hard he said in an interview that he occasionally broke strings. The hard playing came with a price, apparently, as he suffered from tendonitis later on and had to change his approach but my god he had a great sound in Crimson. The whole "Red" album especially and numerous live recordings. One of my favs is "Easy Money" from Zurich, 1973.
Hiwatt's, 4x12"s and that Vega folded horn cab.

 

[bobyoung53]

With Wetton's hard attacking style and sound it really doesn't sound that different from his P-bass. But with a closer listen there's a difference.

I wonder if he ever had to use the Jazz on stage with King Crimson? He played so hard he said in an interview that he occasionally broke strings. The hard playing came with a price, apparently, as he suffered from tendonitis later on and had to change his approach but my god he had a great sound in Crimson. The whole "Red" album especially and numerous live recordings. One of my favs is "Easy Money" from Zurich, 1973.
Hiwatt's, 4x12"s and that Vega folded horn cab.

His last few years he had to tape a pick to his fingers or thumb or something like that.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Thunderbird LOVE!

View attachment 4649533

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

He had a black early '70s Jazz Bass, just like Geddy's but with a black pickguard. It started to show up in King Crimson photos in the summer '74 shows as a back up to that white '61 Precision and was later usually on a stand when he played with Uriah Heep.
He still preferred the P-bass on stage (until he switched to Ibanez RS-800 for the last UK tour) but most or maybe all UK studio tracks were recorded with the Jazz. He also used it on the Jack-Knife session from '78 and also on both Uriah Heep albums he played on.

I've never seen live footage of him playing it but he used it on a couple of UK promo videos.
View attachment 4649782

I'm sure you saw UK in 1978 since that's the year they first gigged. And need I say I envy you a lot. Allan Holdsworth. Bill Bruford. Eddie Jobson. John Wetton. Phew.

i saw that tour, Sunrise Musical I believe, even met Holdsworth…then saw Bruford with Berlin on bass on the “Gradually” tour….if I recall, Lake also played a J with Crimson…

 

[PhR75]

i saw that tour, Sunrise Musical I believe, even met Holdsworth…then saw Bruford with Berlin on bass on the “Gradually” tour….if I recall, Lake also played a J with Crimson…

Yes, Lake used a Jazz and continued to use it with ELP too. Actually both first King Crimson touring bassists (Lake and Boz) used Jazz, then it was Wetton with the P-bass and then Levin with his Music Man's and Chapman Sticks.

Bruford was a pretty nimble band too to say the least. Dave Stewart's one of my fav keyboard players and Berlin's a monster.
BTW, did Bruford play with Brand X on that tour you saw?

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yes, Lake used a Jazz and continued to use it with ELP too. Actually both first King Crimson touring bassists (Lake and Boz) used Jazz, then it was Wetton with the P-bass and then Levin with his Music Man's and Chapman Sticks.

Bruford was a pretty nimble band too to say the least. Dave Stewart's one of my fav keyboard players and Berlin's a monster.
BTW, did Bruford play with Brand X on that tour you saw?

thought Lake had migrated to Gibson by Brain Salad Surgery?
can’t remember the Bruford lineup, he had done a drum clinic in Miami and then played with Berlin the next evening…. they played a bunch of stuff from this…… made want to learn Joe Frazier…

 

[RedVee]

Run Geoff, run and don't look back. These people in this cult won't give up till you submit. Resistance in futile.

Yes I know!
Unfortunately myfundsarelow (tm Mike) afflicts me. Rather, they are all pretty much allocated for a while.
Remember we have to pay a shitload more for things down here.
Maybe as a retirement present to myself.

Though I have a dastardly thought that eventually the families of the local 60’s TBirds owners will want to clear the decks and I’ll be able to get one, R or NR. With my luck though, by then my family will probably be doing the same. (Joke) (I hope).
TBH I don’t even know if any 60s TBirds made it to here, but I figure there must be some because we have plenty of other 50s & 60s stuff.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yes I know!
Unfortunately myfundsarelow (tm Mike) afflicts me. Rather, they are all pretty much allocated for a while.
Remember we have to pay a poopieload more for things down here.
Maybe as a retirement present to myself.

Though I have a dastardly thought that eventually the families of the local 60’s TBirds owners will want to clear the decks and I’ll be able to get one, R or NR. With my luck though, by then my family will probably be doing the same. (Joke) (I hope).
TBH I don’t even know if any 60s TBirds made it to here, but I figure there must be some because we have plenty of other 50s & 60s stuff.

would imagine William's NR II had to at some point?...

 

[D.M.N.]

Has anyone purchased a pickguard from Pickguardian for their bird? Will he hot stamp the bird logo on it? I need to have a new guard made for my BaCH, and was planning on sending him a template, but wanna make sure he does the bird first.

 

[dagrev]

Try some Rotos, they sound great with them (almost everything does actually ), they're nice basses to palm mute too. I think most 70's Jazzes had that pickup spacing, even my TF which is a recreation of Tony's 70's fretless P bass has 70's J spacing on the J pickup. It's a hallmark of 70's J basses.

I tried Rotos first and then the SITs, which I like better on it. It had GHS Precision flats for several years and they sounded great as well.

 

[MCF]

Hate to hear that. Odd for Sweetwater. Seriously need to let your rep know that. I know it's not a $3k LP, but they still need to look at things before shipping.

Sounds like they sent you a return. Someone there messed up. It should have been returned to Epiphone.

 

[dagrev]

Taken in a hotel in Mass last summer.

View attachment 4649749

Looks great! Almost as good as the one I'm getting.

 

[MCF]

Run Geoff, run and don't look back. These people in this cult won't give up till you submit. Resistance in futile.

 

[dagrev]

Yes I know!
Unfortunately myfundsarelow (tm Mike) afflicts me. Rather, they are all pretty much allocated for a while.
Remember we have to pay a poopieload more for things down here.
Maybe as a retirement present to myself.

Though I have a dastardly thought that eventually the families of the local 60’s TBirds owners will want to clear the decks and I’ll be able to get one, R or NR. With my luck though, by then my family will probably be doing the same. (Joke) (I hope).
TBH I don’t even know if any 60s TBirds made it to here, but I figure there must be some because we have plenty of other 50s & 60s stuff.

Stay strong. They will wear you down.

I'd like t have a 60s NR and always have, but at this stage in the game I'm not paying that king of money for one. I've even stooped so low as trying to get Mike to think he might be my dad and that my "sister" isn't interested in that old NR.... Yeah, he wasn't buying it. Even Father's Day cards didn't help. Not that I wanted anything to happen to "Dad" anytime soon.

 

[MCF]

Pic from the shop I'm getting the NR from. Have to be good dudes.

View attachment 4649609

Oh my. ACC and Thunderbird heaven.

 

[dagrev]

Great choice!

 

[dagrev]

Oh my. ACC and Thunderbird heaven.

I know. Definitely worth visiting if ever in north NJ.

 

[MCF]

huh?! what NR? what did I miss?….love the backdrop….
View attachment 4649620View attachment 4649621

You been asleep? We pushed him over the edge and he’s getting a ‘21 Burgandy NR!!!

 

[dagrev]

You been asleep? We pushed him over the edge and he’s getting a ‘21 Burgandy NR!!!

Accurate description of what happened. But I'm happy with all the gentle shoving.

Looks like it will be here Saturday! Should be able to get it in action Sunday.

 

[dieselman]

Some of these professional enablers here (and you know who you are), finally got me to bite. It was exactly the color I was looking for. It's new from a shop that seems to have bought out a store that was a Gibson dealer/seller. I liked that they moved the pots to being inline. Owner is a Thunderbird fan and thought it looked weird the way Gibson had them.

View attachment 4649645 Love that Color. I had one pre ordered through Sweetwater that I had to cancel. Someday!

View attachment 4649646