Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

Anybody notice this?(N/A) 2021 Gibson Thunderbird Non Reverse Bass Guitar Husk Pelham Blue | eBay
Or this? Gibson Non-Reverse Thunderbird | Reverb

The first is selling the best part! You could make that into whatever you wanted if the price was right and it had no issues. "Why?" is the big question.
The second seems a good deal, but the pics may help or make it worse looking. Glad I held out for the Burgundy.

 

[GonePlaid]

The first is selling the best part! You could make that into whatever you wanted.
The second seems a good deal, but the pics may help or make it worse looking. Glad I held out for the Burgundy.

Apparently, the seller stripped the hardware off a coupla 2021 'Birds. ???

 

[dagrev]

How do you like the feel of the neck as compared to your(IIRC)64? [asking for a friend]

Nothing like it. It's unlike any Thunderbird I've ever played. Think Pbass and that gets you there. Not uncomfortable, just not Thunderbird-like. I have and like bigger necks, but if I had a choice I'd almost always go with the 60s Thunderbird necks. Perfection to me. But I don't know what a 60s NR is like. Never even picked one up before.

 

[GonePlaid]

Nothing like it. It's unlike any Thunderbird I've ever played. Think Pbass and that gets you there. Not uncomfortable, just not Thunderbird-like. I have and like bigger necks, but if I had a choice I'd almost always go with the 60s Thunderbird necks. Perfection to me. But I don't know what a 60s NR is like. Never even picked one up before.

Ah. Somehow I thought you had a mid 60s 'Bird.
I've never held a P. Just looking at them, I know they'd kill my left hand. Looks kinda similar to my Epi NR 5er neck, which I didn't like at all.

 

[dagrev]

my fav rounds have been the EB extra slinky nickle, and I have found the SIT nickle in the same gauge to be virtually identical, and often cheaper.

out of character for me, but I recently got the 4003AC Rickenbacker and I’m very much liking the factory roundworms on it, but I’m not sure what material those strings are. (Looked it up… nickle)

and I still have the factory strings on my 4003w fretless

AND so far I have kept my second embassy base fretted and am enjoying the factory roundworms on it as well, but again I have no idea what the material is, and I have the set of factory strings still from the first embassy for backup if I need them in 20-30 years.

I don’t like to put roundworms that have fretwear spots onto a fretless, they gotta be fresh, but then never changed, ever, ever..

Haven't used Slinky's in years. Didn't care for them then. SITS.... Humm.

 

[dagrev]

Thunderbird Thursday! My three Vintage Pro Thunderbirds all together! View attachment 4665637

That says something from a ("The") NR guy!

 

[dagrev]

Ah. Somehow I thought you had a mid 60s 'Bird.
I've never held a P. Just looking at them, I know they'd kill my left hand. Looks kinda similar to my Epi NR 5er neck, which I didn't like at all.

Just the '64 Reverse. I've never even been in a store/knew a person who had a 60s NR that I could even look at up close. All Ps are not the same. Most are very comfortable. The new NR might even have something of a Ric feel towards the headstock, not up the neck. That's likely a more accurate comparison. It just has its own thing going on.

 

[dagrev]

Apparently, the seller stripped the hardware off a coupla 2021 'Birds. ???

Possibly, but "why" is the weird part. I'd want the body more than everything else and make it what I want. But not at that price. And I love the Burgundy and like the others.

 

[Thumper]

So are these the eBay pickups to buy?

Thunderbird Bass Pickup Set w/Rings and Screws | eBay

I still haven’t decided if I’m converting more than a couple of my birds to dummy bridge pickups or not.

my DC bird body ships any day now and I need a pickup for it.

I like them, have them in both of my favorite basses, and they kept the ProBuckers in my 3rd Epiphone. But IMO, the need to be wired VVT

 

[GonePlaid]

Just the '64 Reverse. I've never even been in a store/knew a person who had a 60s NR that I could even look at up close. All Ps are not the same. Most are very comfortable. The new NR might even have something of a Ric feel towards the headstock, not up the neck. That's likely a more accurate comparison. It just has its own thing going on.

So. I was [sorta] right. I gather there's quite a difference between the 64 neck(prolly like my 67)and the 2021. Money being tight, I don't wanna melt a CC to get a 2021 and wind up hating it.(none anywhere near me to try for 'feel')

 

[godofthunder59]

Hmph! Yer "roadie" shoulda put them on stands.

I probably have more invested in stands, cases and strap than most have invested in basses.

 

[dagrev]

So. I was [sorta] right. I gather there's quite a difference between the 64 neck(prolly like my 67)and the 2021. Money being tight, I don't wanna melt a CC to get a 2021 and wind up hating it.(none anywhere near me to try for 'feel')

I would say try to find one locally if at all possible. The neck is "chunkier" than I was imaging. I was thinking a little bigger than the original, but it's more than a little chunkier than the 60s. The VPs and my '76 are/feel a little bigger than the '64. The NR is clearly bigger than those. Sounds like complaining--it's not as I like it just fine. There's nothing wrong with it and it's great to play, just doesn't feel like a Thunderbird neck. The thing I notice it it "sticks out there" a little farther that Reverses. Likely normal for NRs given how they are made. I can't use/try my fav '64 string on it because they are not long enough (Infelds). In that respect it's like the '64 Epi.

 

[GonePlaid]

I would say try to find one locally if at all possible. The neck is "chunkier" than I was imaging. I was thinking a little bigger than the original, but it's more than a little chunkier than the 60s. The VPs and my '76 are/feel a little bigger than the '64. The NR is clearly bigger than those. Sounds like complaining--it's not as I like it just fine. There's nothing wrong with it and it's great to play, just doesn't feel like a Thunderbird neck. The thing I notice it it "sticks out there" a little farther that Reverses. Likely normal for NRs given how they are made. I can't use/try my fav '64 string on it because they are not long enough (Infelds). In that respect it's like the '64 Epi.

A local GC had one. Operative word, "had". I've tried googling and calling. No one within 200 miles.

 

[GonePlaid]

I probably have more invested in stands, cases and strap than most have invested in basses.

So Geddy couldn't make the trip?

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

TT….

 

[TBird1958]

I would say try to find one locally if at all possible. The neck is "chunkier" than I was imaging. I was thinking a little bigger than the original, but it's more than a little chunkier than the 60s. The VPs and my '76 are/feel a little bigger than the '64. The NR is clearly bigger than those. Sounds like complaining--it's not as I like it just fine. There's nothing wrong with it and it's great to play, just doesn't feel like a Thunderbird neck. The thing I notice it it "sticks out there" a little farther that Reverses. Likely normal for NRs given how they are made. I can't use/try my fav '64 string on it because they are not long enough (Infelds). In that respect it's like the '64 Epi.

My '64 has utterly spoiled me................... None of the others are bad, they're just not the '64 neck. Without a doubt it's the best neck I've ever played.

 

[JIO]

Todd is great. Always done his own thing. Could have been a very big artist since he apparently could knock out a pop gem in 15 minutes. Luckily he did that every now and then. Love his more experimental/proggy stuff too.

His '89 album "Nearly Human" is one of his best later albums but this performance surpasses the album version.

David Sanborns short lived music-centric TV show was great - luckily they are on YouTube.

It's Thursday, right?
View attachment 4665590
The red pedal is a Broughton Low+High Pass Filter. Seems to work very well.

First off, then on. Headphones should tell what it does better.
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I use a filter - on whenever I play. It's subtle, but makes a difference.

 

[JIO]

My '64 has utterly spoiled me................... None of the others are bad, they're just not the '64 neck. Without a doubt it's the best neck I've ever played.

yep

 

[WillyW]

Ah. Somehow I thought you had a mid 60s 'Bird.
I've never held a P. Just looking at them, I know they'd kill my left hand. Looks kinda similar to my Epi NR 5er neck, which I didn't like at all.

I'm mostly immune to neck size, but my 2 NR's are more Jazz-like than Pbass like. Probably the best neck I have ever used was the Tony Franklin Pbass, and it was smack dab in the middle of a jazz and pbass.

So smack dab in the middle is my final answer.

Just the '64 Reverse. I've never even been in a store/knew a person who had a 60s NR that I could even look at up close. All Ps are not the same. Most are very comfortable. The new NR might even have something of a Ric feel towards the headstock, not up the neck. That's likely a more accurate comparison. It just has its own thing going on.

Might be why I ike birds and Ric's

I like them, have them in both of my favorite basses, and they kept the ProBuckers in my 3rd Epiphone. But IMO, the need to be wired VVT

I think I'm heading toward single pickups, so they gotta be good, even considering volume only.

So. I was [sorta] right. I gather there's quite a difference between the 64 neck(prolly like my 67)and the 2021. Money being tight, I don't wanna melt a CC to get a 2021 and wind up hating it.(none anywhere near me to try for 'feel')

anytime you are in the neighborhood we got a Genz-Benz/Yorkville stack, a pot of beans on the fire, 2 NR's and a couch to sleep on.

 

[BklynKen]

Just the '64 Reverse. I've never even been in a store/knew a person who had a 60s NR that I could even look at up close. All Ps are not the same. Most are very comfortable. The new NR might even have something of a Ric feel towards the headstock, not up the neck. That's likely a more accurate comparison. It just has its own thing going on.

What is the neck like on your 1964 compared to your 2006?