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Thunderbird Club

#207,361
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
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Michael Henderson rules. The period with him in the band is my favorite Miles. (and I love all of Miles' periods!) There's some awesome vids on YouTube from that period. He was an R&B player in Chicago when he got the call from Miles and went on to do a smooth soul hit (singing lead) after Miles went into hibernation post '75.

 
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#207,362
bobyoung53 said:
Yes, I have computer buzz at home too but this is not buzz, it's hum, turning the volumes up at home increases the buzz but stops the hum, and there's no computer anywhere near where the amp is at the club, just pure 60 cycle hum. I don't think the hum is caused by anything external.
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Sorry, I was not suggesting a computer could be your issue. Just an anecdote to point out there may be some external issue you haven't thought of (and highlighting my own problem identification, but not solving issues).

Pictures of the electronics of the bass may be instructive to some here in solving the issue.
 
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#207,363
bobyoung53 said:
Yes, I have computer buzz at home too but this is not buzz, it's hum, turning the volumes up at home increases the buzz but stops the hum, and there's no computer anywhere near where the amp is at the club, just pure 60 cycle hum. I don't think the hum is caused by anything external.
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An alternative you may not have considered...

Retune so that B = 60hz (just a little flat) and claim that someone else is droning a B...

;):D
 
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#207,365
PillO said:
Sorry, I was not suggesting a computer could be your issue. Just an anecdote to point out there may be some external issue you haven't thought of (and highlighting my own problem identification, but not solving issues).

Pictures of the electronics of the bass may be instructive to some here in solving the issue.
Click to expand...

I know but I think the fact that turning both volumes to full makes the buzz louder but stops the hum points to something internal.
 
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#207,368
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.
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This would probably be good:
For Sale - Thunderbucker Ranch '63N 5 String Thunderbird Pickup EMG 40 Size
 
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#207,369
bobyoung53 said:
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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No ground is a frightening concept to me. 220V single phase? Yikes! I can’t think of why the Thunderbird would do that. It’s pretty standard VVT with humbuckers.
 
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#207,371
Engle said:
No ground is a frightening concept to me. 220V single phase? Yikes! I can’t think of why the Thunderbird would do that. It’s pretty standard VVT with humbuckers.
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Yeah, I don't like it either but I've never really gotten zapped, a few tingles here and there with a mic but with no ground you pick up more buzz but this hum is weird. I'm just starting to research the schematic.
 
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#207,373
PillO said:
I have a buzzing issue with amps only at home. I have worked out that it is actually the proximity of a computer CPU to the amps etc. It is fixable easily by moving the computer, but momentum has not yet allowed that correction to be applied...
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I’ve had similar proximity related buzz issues - but that was mostly at concerts when I was in the audience. ;)
 
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#207,375
Chucky Stiletti said:
is it an SVT?
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Nope, it's a Markbass on the gig, an early Jeff Berlin model. At home it's a Ampeg SS B-15T with a polarity switch which works with buzz but doesn't stop the hum but reversing the plug eliminates it. The wiring inside the bass looks good, everything is grounded and it's contiguous, I'm beginning to think the pickups are picking up 60 cycle hum. I haven't checked it with the SVT, I'll do that later today.
 
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#207,378
bobyoung53 said:
View attachment 4691648
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Is that factory wired? If so, it's not the wiring. But shielding the cavity will help. And star-grounding that shielded cavity to the (shielded) pu cavities to the jack ground. And if the control cavity cover isn't (silver) taped or painted on its underside - that too.
 
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#207,379
Chucky Stiletti said:
is it an SVT?
Click to expand...


OK, just checked it, both Ampegs only hum when the plug is in backwards with both volumes down, like the old days before three prong outlets with the polarity switch set backwards The Markbass hums no matter which way I plug it in if the volumes are both down but none of the basses hum through it with the volume(s) on full. I'm thinking it's picking up 60 cycle hum and needs to be shielded. The grounding in the bass checks out. None of my other basses do this.
 
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#207,380
JIO said:
Is that factory wired? If so, it's not the wiring. But shielding the cavity will help. And star-grounding that shielded cavity to the (shielded) pu cavities to the jack ground. And if the control cavity cover isn't (silver) taped or painted on its underside - that too.
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Yes, factory wired, today was the first time I ever opened the cavity. It's not shielded at all, I may have to try that. Funny none of my other basses hum though with both of their volumes partially down. I think the main problem is no grounds out here. What is "star-grounding"?
 
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