Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

It was a planned GTG as Miles and his wife are travelling up the west coast, I had hoped Will could make it - he keeps a very busy work schedule aside from his home life - IRL he's a character! Rick was the wild card as he sent me a message on FB yesterday morning out of the clear blue, he was visiting family south of Seattle and asked if he could visit and see my Thunderbirds, pure coincidence. I think Sharon took some shots of Miles earlier......

Will and the Flamingo.

We did a little comparison between my '89 and Will's Lull pickups vs. EY Guitars...... Ear opening.

Will and my Lull.

Rick and I

Will and Rick

64 and I.....After 3 Manhattans

Thanks for posting the pics! Great to see humans instead of names.

 

[dagrev]

from last night….man that place was packed!…..don’t like taking my Birds there……clearly this lineup never practices……

Rockin' that Pbass!

 

[TBird1958]

Me being a Goob.

 

[TBird1958]

Over the shoulder............

 

[Engle]

It was a planned GTG as Miles and his wife are travelling up the west coast, I had hoped Will could make it - he keeps a very busy work schedule aside from his home life - IRL he's a character! Rick was the wild card as he sent me a message on FB yesterday morning out of the clear blue, he was visiting family south of Seattle and asked if he could visit and see my Thunderbirds, pure coincidence. I think Sharon took some shots of Miles earlier......

Will and the Flamingo.

We did a little comparison between my '89 and Will's Lull pickups vs. EY Guitars...... Ear opening.

Will and my Lull.

Rick and I

Will and Rick

64 and I.....After 3 Manhattans

Sorry I couldn’t make it!

 

[BklynKen]

It was a planned GTG as Miles and his wife are travelling up the west coast, I had hoped Will could make it - he keeps a very busy work schedule aside from his home life - IRL he's a character! Rick was the wild card as he sent me a message on FB yesterday morning out of the clear blue, he was visiting family south of Seattle and asked if he could visit and see my Thunderbirds, pure coincidence. I think Sharon took some shots of Miles earlier......

Will and the Flamingo.

We did a little comparison between my '89 and Will's Lull pickups vs. EY Guitars...... Ear opening.

Will and my Lull.

Rick and I

Will and Rick

64 and I.....After 3 Manhattans

After three Manhattans (I approve - love those), can you be sure Will didn't secretly swap out a Chinabucker for your '64's pickup?

Also, even though I don't know what exactly Rick's shirt is from, I love it.

 

[DJ Bebop]

It was a planned GTG as Miles and his wife are travelling up the west coast, I had hoped Will could make it - he keeps a very busy work schedule aside from his home life - IRL he's a character! Rick was the wild card as he sent me a message on FB yesterday morning out of the clear blue, he was visiting family south of Seattle and asked if he could visit and see my Thunderbirds, pure coincidence. I think Sharon took some shots of Miles earlier......

Will and the Flamingo.

We did a little comparison between my '89 and Will's Lull pickups vs. EY Guitars...... Ear opening.

Will and my Lull.

Rick and I

Will and Rick

64 and I.....After 3 Manhattans

The Manhattans look good on you

 

[GonePlaid]

Some flats end up more rough than others, even from the same manufacturer. I have a set of Pyramids that has some roughness to them and my last set really smooth. Rotos and my experience with LaBella DTFs you cold feel the windings more than I would prefer for flats. Fender's are really smooth, as are GHS Precision flats. You've been playing way longer than I and I'm sure this isn't news. If you think they are too rough, you might talk to the seller or even SIT. Might get a replacement set in a lower gauge if wanted or your money back from the seller.

Let me see what I have, and if there's anything you're interested in and want to trade for we can talk about it. I know I have a barely used (like tried on bass and took off after a time or two), set of Fender's in a lighter gauge--if they will be long enough for a NR. Just a thought.

Thanx. I haven't decided what-if anything-I'm gonna do.

 

[Gaolee]

Great pics, looks like everyone had a great time!
So, what’s the detailed conclusion on Lull vs Chinabuckers?
As you’re aware, I put EYs in my BlingBird as place holders until I decided what the best long term option would be. To me, they sound good, not quite as good as ProBuckers but similar, a bit brighter than standard modern Gibson pups, not as much oomph and bottom end as Goth pickups, not nearly as good as Greco pickups on the bottom or top end.

My takes is that EYs are not near as good as Lulls or the originals in Veronica's '64. Lulls are very similar to the '64.

The other part of the evening was comparing neck shapes and sizes. The Lull 'Bird has a 7enderish feeling neck. It isn't an aircraft carrier deck like my P, but it feels wider and flatter than a Gibson. The NR has a neck I liked very much. Must resist....

I'm not sold on the pickups in my VP. They are more similar to EYs than the other pickups. Blasphemy of course, but I may sell the VP.

That was a whole lot of fun.

 

[Butcherboy]

The stuff dreams are made of.

…just old basses…
… Perfection is not recommended…

 

[Gaolee]

Me being a Goob.

The Flamingo and Veronica's dress went well together. I was a little concerned that the Flamingo would find a way to sneak out and stay with her.

 

[MCF]

Question for the TB experts in the club - are the Eppi Tbird Goth pups the exact same as the Eppi Tbird IV pups?
Does anyone know the resistance rating on the Eppi Tbird IV pups?

They sounded pretty much the same to those in the Pelham Blue Epi IV with the same strings. My Goth has EBCFs on it now. I still need to spend time dialing in.

 

[MCF]

My takes is that EYs are not near as good as Lulls or the originals in Veronica's '64. Lulls are very similar to the '64.

The other part of the evening was comparing neck shapes and sizes. The Lull 'Bird has a 7enderish feeling neck. It isn't an aircraft carrier deck like my P, but it feels wider and flatter than a Gibson. The NR has a neck I liked very much. Must resist....

I'm not sold on the pickups in my VP. They are more similar to EYs than the other pickups. Blasphemy of course, but I may sell the VP.

That was a whole lot of fun.

Resistance is futile. Get a NR while they’re still available.

 

[icefly]

Maybe it's already been answered, but I didn't find the answer in the search tool: among latest models which one is closest to the Gibson Thunderbird of the 60's and 70's tone?

IV
Classic Pro
Vintage Pro
Other?

 

[TBird1958]

Maybe it's already been answered, but I didn't find the answer in the search tool: among latest models which one is closest to the Gibson Thunderbird of the 60's and 70's tone?

IV
Classic Pro
Vintage Pro
Other?

The Vintage Pro gets you closest to a '60s Thunderbird, I think Epiphone calls it a " '60s Thunderbird". Nothing else is like a '70s Bird.

 

[Gaolee]

If you take a Vintage Pro or '60s or whatever new name it has in the future and swap the pickups for Lulls or Thunderbuckers, that would do it.

I am still very happy with post-1988 reissue Thunderbirds. Veronica's '64 is the holy grail in a lot of ways, but the new ones feel very similar. With the right pickups, they sound similar as well.

The '64 is incredibly light. The Flamingo is a tank by comparison. Everything is.

Swap in the right pickups into any Thunderbird you choose and you can get pretty close to the same sound. Others may disagree. I am not sentimental at all.

 

[WillyW]

Resistance is futile. Get a NR while they’re still available.

I’m glad I got mine.

I wish I could get some news on the rEd GeNe SiMmOnS g2…. I’d hate to miss out completely.

I don’t think I like the black/silver enough to get one, unless it’s the only one that’s going to be released.

 

[JIO]

Some fun folks pics from our Seattle Thunderbird Club GTG.

Mr. Miles ONeal and his lovely wife, Sharon.

My husband, Frank on the left and Rick Wilson of Moonshine Guitars.

I failed to take a pic when Miles and Sharon were here in SF at lunch... but it did happen - I'd know them anywhere, that's them alright! Seriously though, it's great seeing the recent T-bird related get-togethers! Birds of a feather...

 

[dagrev]

Thanx. I haven't decided what-if anything-I'm gonna do.

No problem. Just let me know if you want me to look around to see what strings might be of interest and work for you. May be none at all.

 

[dagrev]

My takes is that EYs are not near as good as Lulls or the originals in Veronica's '64. Lulls are very similar to the '64.

The other part of the evening was comparing neck shapes and sizes. The Lull 'Bird has a 7enderish feeling neck. It isn't an aircraft carrier deck like my P, but it feels wider and flatter than a Gibson. The NR has a neck I liked very much. Must resist....

I'm not sold on the pickups in my VP. They are more similar to EYs than the other pickups. Blasphemy of course, but I may sell the VP.

That was a whole lot of fun.

Not blasphemy at all. You like what you like and have various tones in your head that you want basses to produce. No point wasting time with something that isn't making you smile while playing. I know for my purposes, every string didn't sound great on VPs--as much as I love them. The first few I tried on my first one were not thrilling me. Not bad, but no "Wow, that really sounds great" either. Shoot, every string on my '64 doesn't sound great. Some make it sound very uninteresting (which goes nicely with my playing).