Thunderbird Club

[PillO]

@Larry V
yeah Larry! What are you thinking?!

Yeah, we have to keep @JJR58 out of jail.

 

[dagrev]

You can't help someone who refuses to help him/herself. It is heartbreaking that tough love/severing ties are the only options.

Sadly this is true and must be done when first steps of helping gained no traction. I knew this, but it is tough to do, especially for someone we know well. Often people need to hit bottom to realize there is a better way. My uncle (who was a "professional" drinker) worked with addicts of all kinds for decades often said, Sadly some people have to hit the gutter to appreciate sidewalk."

Fortunately Thunderbirds are not an addiction. Hence there are no groups for such addicts to meet and encourage each other. Never heard of such a thing because they don't exist. Not even online groups. None. That's so funny sounding and I suppose we would have believe to that if such a thing even existed people from all over the globe would be represented and have ten thousand pages of evidence of such a farcical idea.

 

[dagrev]

Coming from a group that only knows how to say "buy it, buy it..."

That's beside the point and not even true.

But did you see the Epi VP on Reverb?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

My '93 VFR750 originally had Dunlops on it when I bought it and I replaced them twice with the same set before switching to Michelin Power's, which I still use today on my 800 Interceptor. Use Michelin's (Power Road 25's) on my road-bike also. Once you trust what meets the road - you 'stick' with it.

Yup. I'd used some Michelins, Contis, and Goodyears as well, but the Dunlops felt better than any of the others. Didn't last quite as long, but close enough to be worth it.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Sadly this is true and must be done when first steps of helping gained no traction. I knew this, but it is tough to do, especially for someone we know well. Often people need to hit bottom to realize there is a better way. My uncle (who was a "professional" drinker) worked with addicts of all kinds for decades often said, Sadly some people have to hit the gutter to appreciate sidewalk."

It was certainly true of me in my hippie days. There was definitely some good stuff in there, but I was bonkers for drugs, which just made me more bonkers.

 

[Stealth57]

But did you see the Epi VP on Reverb?

Say, what? Be right back.

 

[dagrev]

You have backwards - You live too far from Chucky

Too expensive out West for me. You people ain't right!

 

[dagrev]

I like both. The Dunlops may be a bit brighter for a few weeks but then soften a touch and sound similar to the SITs. I like the mids from both. Both are smoother to the touch than Rotos with the Dunlops maybe just a touch smoother feeling. My local sells the Dunlops so I can always pick up a set when the whim for a string change strikes. But I’m going to order some SITs for the VP here soon.

Thanks, that does help.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Ahem!

Bless you

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

It is difficult, if not impossible, to compare the lists of poor choices that resulted in their locations being so far apart...

I still tell the story of my buddy and I driving the old station wagon to Boston and back just for an amp

 

[MCF]

Well, the verdict is in on the newly purchased Goth. She’s in virtually pristine shape and a keeper!

I don’t think the bridge screws have ever seen a screwdriver, the pickguard screws were in so tight I don’t think they had ever been molested either, the same with the truss cover screws - not a mark on them and in tight, the truss rod hex end doesn’t look like it’s ever had a wrench in it, the control cavity screws were equally tight and everything inside was completely original, not a mark or a scuff or a scrape anywhere on the bass. It’s a 2019 Chinese model and as best I can tell it was played very little if at all. Of course the tuners are sloppy (expected on the China Goth), the 8th fret was a bit high under the D string and the nut could be cut better.

Just completed a set up on it and was able to drop the bridge way down, adjust the truss rod, file the high fret and set the intonation. She now plays very nicely and has super low action 3/64” at the 12th fret on an open E. Not sure what Brand the strings are, they’re round wounds with red silk at the tuners and bridge (brass ball ends). They sound good but I’ll probably switch over (at least temporarily) to EBCFs.

This Goth will go under the knife (or router actually) to install two additional pickups for a four pickup configuration. Will be interesting to see if the additional pups bring anything to the table that my two pup Goth (which I love the sound of) doesn’t deliver. Both Goths will have the same strings and pot and cap values so it should be an interesting experiment. I will need to be careful of blowouts when routing, not a lot of meat between the pickups, slow and steady with shallow multiple passes should do the trick.
View attachment 4698500


If anybody has a black Hipshot Supertone bridge they want to sell, I’d be interested in a purchase.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

I saw discussions of tires, but I don’t feel like reading through it all before putting in my two pennies… anyways, I’m a huge fan of Continental tires. Have them as my “winter” (all seasons), summers, even on one or two of the classic cars.

 

[MCF]

I vividly remember people here on TalkBass slagging 70's 7enders and proclaiming that nothing would ever convince them to buy one because they were all heavy and they sucked. I am willing to bet that some of those people currently own a 70's 7ender.

Not me. I have no desire to own a 70s Fender. Now a Bicentennial Thunderbird, that’s different.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Not me. I have no desire to own a 70s Fender. Now a Bicentennial Thunderbird, that’s different.

I can attest to they’re badassedness.

 

[GBassNorth]

I cooked a set of Michelins on the track, and they gave no warning before they turned to wood. My bike has a set of Michelins on it now, and I felt an ugly slip coming to work a couple days ago. Time for new shoes. Not Michelins. Probably Pirellis or Dunlops.

I'm really, really happy with EBCFs on the Flamingo with Thunderbuckers. That combination can get nasty sounding, but it can back off and be polite, too. Neck pickup backed off just a little, bridge pickup backed off about 1/3, and the tone just off open is almost perfect.

For me it’s Hoosiers in a straight line, Pirellis on the track and for street performance. Had horrible luck with Goodyear (street, off road and track) and wasn’t impressed with Michelins on the track. I’d consider Michelins if I had a family sedan or a mini van, they seem to ride smooth and quiet on the road.

 

[MCF]

Mmnmmm, 14 pages to catch up on.
I'm slow going today.

I’ll finally be caught back up in a few pages. But with the rest of the week ahead, I’ll no doubt fall way behind again.

 

[Adriblues]

Good afternoon, I was playing today some funk vibes in the Thunderbird, cheers!

 

[MCF]

Stand in line

Finding a doc you trust is getting harder and harder these days. I also have an old Carvin combo I’m thinking he might be able to fix (the compressor compresses too much, even when it’s supposed to be off). I don’t mind getting in line and don’t need either one back immediately. I just like them and to me it’s worth it to fix them if that’s possible.

 

[KaraQ]

For me it’s Hoosiers in a straight line, Pirellis on the track and for street performance. Had horrible luck with Goodyear (street, off road and track) and wasn’t impressed with Michelins on the track. I’d consider Michelins if I had a family sedan or a mini van, they seem to ride smooth and quiet on the road.

I've never been a Goodyear fan, either.

Love me some Firestone/Bridgestone though

 

[MCF]

I loved mine for the longest time when I got it. But Once I ventured into other amps, I found the MB to be a rather sterile sounding machine.

It was their last gasp at competing in the bass amp space. I also have an old solid state 60 watt Hartke (b600 that I got for $120 when they discontinued them). I like it a lot for a practice amp and I can dial in some nice Tbird grind through it. But I thought the MB sounded better with the tube pre when I first got it. But now I think there is something amiss with it.