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Thunderbird Club

#207,321
there’s a dude over here who refurbishes RR Merlins, so there’s always P-51s flying around…something else to look forward to in July……:hyper:
upload_2022-5-14_11-58-15.jpeg
 
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#207,323
JJR58 said:
As always, I can’t remember.
Is that Jazz a ‘74 AVRI?
Or the real deal?
Click to expand...
It's a '71 with the different pickup spacing. Supposedly custom order black from the original owner who worked at a music store and never played it much. Sold it to a friend who later sold it to me. I find Js comfortable to play, but I'm obviously not smart enough to get them sounding fantastic as some can. Mike Levine from Triumph was one. Massive sounding. As I recall he used some kind of pre and power amp setup. Currently it has SIT Power Steels and does sound really nice.
 
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#207,324
dagrev said:
It's a '71 with the different pickup spacing. Supposedly custom order black from the original owner who worked at a music store and never played it much. Sold it to a friend who later sold it to me. I find Js comfortable to play, but I'm obviously not smart enough to get them sounding fantastic as some can. Mike Levine from Triumph was one. Massive sounding. As I recall he used some kind of pre and power amp setup. Currently it has SIT Power Steels and does sound really nice.
Click to expand...

It’s a real beauty.
I’m still a sucker for an early 70’s J.
 
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#207,325
PhR75 said:
american-jazz-bass-guitarist-mike-henderson-performing-with-the-miles-picture-id1049299834


That is of course the mighty Michael Henderson playing with Miles in the seventies but what is the Acoustic head with more knobs? Maybe a guitar head counterpart to a 360 preamp?
It's probably for Reggie Lucas the guitarist, there was also other Acoustic cabs on stage at that time.
See also the stacking of the cabs. I bet everyone heard the bass at that venue....
Link Removed
Click to expand...

Did someone say Acoustic?







Busted out the newly picked up Acoustic 300 to run the 360 into my Sunn 2000s cab last night, first time running an all SS rig live in years. It sounded great, ran the T-bird for most of the set, switched to the Precision for Rush since we dropped it a whole step. The Thunderbirds and Acoustics pair really well together, there's just something that works in the low mids and low end with the Acoustics, big and full without and flub or rumble, and the T-bird takes full advantage of that.
 
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#207,327
D.M.N. said:
Did someone say Acoustic?







Busted out the newly picked up Acoustic 300 to run the 360 into my Sunn 2000s cab last night, first time running an all SS rig live in years. It sounded great, ran the T-bird for most of the set, switched to the Precision for Rush since we dropped it a whole step. The Thunderbirds and Acoustics pair really well together, there's just something that works in the low mids and low end with the Acoustics, big and full without and flub or rumble, and the T-bird takes full advantage of that.
Click to expand...

pretty banging Dude. :thumbsup:
 
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#207,329
Got a friend who wants to make a bass for me. His first attempt at building one from scratch. I'm thinking it's an opportunity to get a lottery bass. Always wanted a T-bird. Never did anything about it.

These days, a 5er would be the 1st choice. But the research I've done so far suggests that thunderbird pickups for 5 strings are a thing of the past. What I'd like to ask the T-bird afficianados is which 5 string pickups would give me the most thunderbird experience. Obviously there's no need to size match anything.

Plan b would be a BEADbird with standard bird pickups. But a 5er holds a certain appeal.

TIA for any suggestions or other advice or warnings anyone might be able to offer.
 
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#207,330
D.M.N. said:
Did someone say Acoustic?







Busted out the newly picked up Acoustic 300 to run the 360 into my Sunn 2000s cab last night, first time running an all SS rig live in years. It sounded great, ran the T-bird for most of the set, switched to the Precision for Rush since we dropped it a whole step. The Thunderbirds and Acoustics pair really well together, there's just something that works in the low mids and low end with the Acoustics, big and full without and flub or rumble, and the T-bird takes full advantage of that.
Click to expand...

Outstanding, and I am glad you liked it. It is a magic combination. The power section of a 361 Power Plus cabinet is a little different from a 300 power amp, which is essentially the power section from a 370 head.

For whatever reason, when I happen to be looking for this or that, an old ACC version of whatever it is pops up. Usually absurdly obscure. When I put together an outside ready PA, a couple 811/812 speakers turned up. Those are huge, heavy, absurd, and of course, irresistible to me. And cheap. They were anyway. Beats me what I could sell 'em for now. Probably not much. Then a 400 power amp turned up. It was also dirt cheap. It is not one, but two ACC 370 power sections mounted in a chassis. If you ever need to be heard on the moon, I can help you do that with ancient Acoustic gear. It takes an appliance hand truck to move at all. So, it doesn't get used much.
 
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#207,331
factory presets said:
Got a friend who wants to make a bass for me. His first attempt at building one from scratch. I'm thinking it's an opportunity to get a lottery bass. Always wanted a T-bird. Never did anything about it.

These days, a 5er would be the 1st choice. But the research I've done so far suggests that thunderbird pickups for 5 strings are a thing of the past. What I'd like to ask the T-bird afficianados is which 5 string pickups would give me the most thunderbird experience. Obviously there's no need to size match anything.

Plan b would be a BEADbird with standard bird pickups. But a 5er holds a certain appeal.

TIA for any suggestions or other advice or warnings anyone might be able to offer.
Click to expand...
Check with Mike Lull and Thunderbucker Ranch. They may make pickups for Thunderbird 5ers. And welcome to our wonderful world.
 
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#207,332
factory presets said:
Got a friend who wants to make a bass for me. His first attempt at building one from scratch. I'm thinking it's an opportunity to get a lottery bass. Always wanted a T-bird. Never did anything about it.

These days, a 5er would be the 1st choice. But the research I've done so far suggests that thunderbird pickups for 5 strings are a thing of the past. What I'd like to ask the T-bird afficianados is which 5 string pickups would give me the most thunderbird experience. Obviously there's no need to size match anything.

Plan b would be a BEADbird with standard bird pickups. But a 5er holds a certain appeal.

TIA for any suggestions or other advice or warnings anyone might be able to offer.
Click to expand...
Lull used to make a 5 string Tbird pickup, but I don’t know if they’re still making Tbird pickups. Not cheap but supposedly one of the best sounding after markets out there. I also think Josh Parkin might have a five string Tbird option.
 
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#207,333
Gaolee said:
Outstanding, and I am glad you liked it. It is a magic combination. The power section of a 361 Power Plus cabinet is a little different from a 300 power amp, which is essentially the power section from a 370 head.

For whatever reason, when I happen to be looking for this or that, an old ACC version of whatever it is pops up. Usually absurdly obscure. When I put together an outside ready PA, a couple 811/812 speakers turned up. Those are huge, heavy, absurd, and of course, irresistible to me. And cheap. They were anyway. Beats me what I could sell 'em for now. Probably not much. Then a 400 power amp turned up. It was also dirt cheap. It is not one, but two ACC 370 power sections mounted in a chassis. If you ever need to be heard on the moon, I can help you do that with ancient Acoustic gear. It takes an appliance hand truck to move at all. So, it doesn't get used much.
Click to expand...
Is that what Hotblack Desiato's Disaster Area was using?
 
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#207,340
Anyone here good with Thunderbird wiring? I'm getting 60 cycle hum when I have both volumes below full with the T-Bird in an amp I use at a weekly gig. The power out here is 220 with one hot wire and a neutral, no grounds. I'm doing a weekly gig with a Markbass rig and have brought four basses there, and the T-Bird is the only one that hums and if I turn the neck volume on full with the bridge volume lower it stops, didn't think to try the opposite. I tried reversing the plug and it didn't change. It also happened at home with an Ampeg amp but reversing the plug with that stopped the hum and also made other basses run with less buzz. Are these wired differently than most basses or do I have a problem with this like an open ground? I also realize that I am probably the only person here who has to use an amp without it being grounded.
 
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