A question if I may: For my Fenderbird, where would be the best place to earth the bridge? It's one of Scott's @godofthunder59 Badbird II bridges. I guess my options are either drill from the top of a screw hole for the tail piece back to the control cavity or from the top of one of the bridge threaded inserts; both have their pros and cons some opinions would be very welcome
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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I really dig both songs, Michael. Having never heard them before I'm curious, are they originals or covers? Great playing and showmanship as well!
Are the gibson tb+ pickups neck and bridge different? I mean in resistance.
My epi tbird classic has a front/neck pu issue. And I may swap it for the bridge one. I only use the neck pu anyhow. Till I source another or make sure I can't fix it of course could just be a loose flyer lead to the coils I suppose (is flyer lead correct terminology?)
My epi tbird classic has a front/neck pu issue. And I may swap it for the bridge one. I only use the neck pu anyhow. Till I source another or make sure I can't fix it of course could just be a loose flyer lead to the coils I suppose (is flyer lead correct terminology?)
Could you set the groundwire when you set tin the threaded inserts? Put the wire between the insert and the wood it sets into...
Probably, it does but I might raise it up about a millimetre to allow better clearance for the string balls to go in without scratching the paint. I could certainly trap the wire between the tail piece and spacer
Yes that's quite easy to do and I think would be my preferred way as it would be 100% invisible but I worry about not being able to access it if there were problems further down the line if there was a little oxidation or whatever, maybe I'm being paranoid about it?
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
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. Gibson typically grounds to the stud insert, that's easy enough.
Thanks Scott, that's what I'll do then
- Mar 13, 2008
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To my knowledge they're the same, however there are at least four variations of TB Plus pickups that have been used since 1988, you may also have some slight differences just because they're mass production items.
In other bridge-related questions
There's a slight resistance (1.5 on 200Ω range = 1.5Ω - right?) between my strings/bridge and earth. Presumably this is because of the unconnected piezo assembly in the bridge. I don't need to worry about this do I?
There's a slight resistance (1.5 on 200Ω range = 1.5Ω - right?) between my strings/bridge and earth. Presumably this is because of the unconnected piezo assembly in the bridge. I don't need to worry about this do I?
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
I really dig both songs, Michael. Having never heard them before I'm curious, are they originals or covers? Great playing and showmanship as well!
Thanks, Larry.
Both songs are originals:
"Right Or Wrong" is a Neotek song and "Israel" is from my former band Birmingham 6, which we gave a serious overhaul and added the guitars to give it the Neotek sound...
I think they are the same (at least for relatively recent pre 2015 ones) as @TBird1958 says. Our Queen also points out there have been a number of incarnations of these pickups over the years.
When I pulled the TB+s out of my 08 Gibson TBird to install Chinabuckers, I measured the resistance of both the Gibson pickups and they were the same. I can't remember the reading now but could find it if it is needed.
Big Euro!! Cool stuff Mike! Dig it.
Black Beauties, w/ Ebony thumbrest (cut from old broken upright tailpiece).
Pardon the dish strainer.
Pardon the dish strainer.
Dish strainer?? So it's like "Are you playing with your guitars again?" - "No no no darling, I'm doing the washing up, look here's the dish strainer!"Pardon the dish strainer.
- Jun 30, 2010
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I know this is probably better suited in the strings thread, but being it is for my '64 T-bird I hope to get a more specific opinion sampling. For the last couple of cycles of strings I have used GHS Progressives, 45-105 med/long scale. I have used them over the years on a few of my basses and like them. However, on the E string they have gone to the tapered bridge-end exclusively which I do not like. (bridge end includes a 2" long single wire to the ball) It's better suited for string-thru which allows the full width of the string to sit on the bridge saddle, which I have on another bass. But on the T-bird the single wire sits on the saddle and lowers the profile/height of the string. On a bridge incorporating individual saddles with height adjustment it may not be a problem, but the (original) T-bird bridge design only has height adjustment at each end. (more general) To raise the E side also raises the A string height so it's hard to get nuanced set-up.
Anyway… what I'm requesting is a set of strings that aren't GHS but aren't too different than them that you would recommend. The Progressives for those who have never used them are 2/3's of the way up on the GHS 'mellow to bright' scale. Their 'Super Steels' and 'Contact Core Super Steels' are above them/brightest. (I don't want strings any brighter than the Progressives) I do like a few of the D'Addario strings which I'm favoring these days but there are a few other brands I've never tried. I appreciate your input but if this is better suited to the string thread - I'll move it there.
Anyway… what I'm requesting is a set of strings that aren't GHS but aren't too different than them that you would recommend. The Progressives for those who have never used them are 2/3's of the way up on the GHS 'mellow to bright' scale. Their 'Super Steels' and 'Contact Core Super Steels' are above them/brightest. (I don't want strings any brighter than the Progressives) I do like a few of the D'Addario strings which I'm favoring these days but there are a few other brands I've never tried. I appreciate your input but if this is better suited to the string thread - I'll move it there.
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I know you said aren't, but - since you've been a GHS user I assume you've tried the GHS Bass Boomers too? IME they don't stay too bright too long but once broken in have a nice punchy tone to them. I use them on my Classic IV and like the sound I get from them (punchy with the tone down, classic T-Bird growl with the tone turned up a bit), plus for me at least they seem to last. FWIW.
- Jun 30, 2010
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Thanks for this EdO - I have used them but on a different bass years ago and frankly didn't have an impression that stood out for me. But perhaps they sell individual strings from that set where the E doesn't have that taper so it's worth looking into. I mean, I like the Progressives otherwise - I even talked w/the GHS people on the phone when they first started to switch but once implemented it's the way it is now.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I have had good luck with DR Sunbeams. They may or may not compare directly to the GHS strings you like, but I have found them to be punchy, but not over bright. Another option is Ernie Ball Cobalt flats. They are flats, but they sound like broken in rounds more than anything else.
