Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

I've always loved trains - both models and the prototype since I was very young - My late father would take my brother and I to see the Great Northern when we lived in Eastern Washington state during the early '60s. As I grew older I too, built aircraft models but HO scale trains were what I really liked (they were the only thing that competed with my other youthful interests, women's clothes and playing the bass) because they looked so real. As I've grown older my interests and modeling abilities have grown and I really focus on trying to represent one very small portion of railroad located in central Utah during the 1970s, HO scale has become so sophisticated in terms of models available that such a tight modeling focus is possible. I also find that it's much easier on my wallet to do this because the added sophistication does come with a price. Over the past 12 years or so I've been a bit too consumed with The Nasty habits to do much more than build models of the rolling stock and locomotives - I really enjoy shooting pics of them outdoors on a couple of dioramas built just for that purpose. Over the past year I realized that I really needed to get started on some kind of layout to run all these models on so I've been hacking some benchwork together in half of the garage and laying some of the hidden trackage, nothing much to really see just yet.
Here's where I work, like Scott I call it the Hobby Shop, it's a mess I'm always working on a couple different things at once in a mad scientist kind of way.

Old Blue Subie with one of the dios on top early in morning, the water in the background is Puget Sound

Here's some models, the caboose is an older Japanese model made from brass that I painted and weathered to match period photos

This is a little over the top, I don't usually build up rolling stock from dimensional styrene but I managed to get a good set of plans and a wild hair up my ass. I have the plans on a light box and am using them to cut and position styrene sheet and strip stock to create the car side.

Getting there....

All done, weathered with some colored chalks and pencils to show a few years of oxidization.

Yes, it's a pleasant insanity

Ho-Lee-Crap! Those are absolutely amazing! The amount of time and precision those represent is incredible.

 

[TBird1958]

Just measured a set of spare tuners from one of my Goth's with my caliper and the widest point of the tuner is 0,53 inches...

Many Thanks Michael!

I've always thought there was more to you than a short skirt, a Thunderbird and a Scooby Doo. . . . !!
Facinating!

All the best.

Cheers.

Thank you

 

[TBird1958]

Ho-Lee-Crap! Those are absolutely amazing! The amount of time and precision those represent is incredible.

Pop on down for a visit Will \


We can yell at the TV while watching a Seahawks game

 

[Gaolee]

It's a plan - I'm a piker for not getting my schedule act together.

 

[Christine]

I'm well chuffed with the Gibson bass book, some interesting stuff in there and great photo's. I'm surprised at how many models that I had no idea existed. If you haven't ordered a copy then it's recommended

 

[Gaolee]

The EB came out last night. I hadn't played it for a while, and figured it needed some exercise. The difference between it and the 2015 Thunderbird is pretty dramatic. The mahogany Thunderbird thunders where the maple and ash EB snaps and barks. The difference is remarkable, even though the electronics are exactly the same. If Gibson made a maple/ash Thunderbird with a 2+2 headstock and those electronics, it might sell pretty well.

 

[Stevis]

The EB came out last night. I hadn't played it for a while, and figured it needed some exercise. The difference between it and the 2015 Thunderbird is pretty dramatic. The mahogany Thunderbird thunders where the maple and ash EB snaps and barks. The difference is remarkable, even though the electronics are exactly the same. If Gibson made a maple/ash Thunderbird with a 2+2 headstock and those electronics, it might sell pretty well.

What year is your EB? There is a 2013 up on Reverb for $900+.

I have the 2015 T-bird and am familiar with the thunder (rumble) of which you speak. What do you mean by "snap" and "bark," with regards to EB?

I am humbled by the number of well-rounded and talented people in this thread. From the musicianship, to talents of luthiers and other craftsman, I marvel at your skills and your ability to carve out time for your rock'n AND other pursuits/hobbies.

 

[Gaolee]

What year is your EB? There is a 2013 up on Reverb for $900+.

I have the 2015 T-bird and am familiar with the thunder (rumble) of which you speak. What do you mean by "snap" and "bark," with regards to EB?

I am humbled by the number of well-rounded and talented people in this thread. From the musicianship, to talents of luthiers and other craftsman, I marvel at your skills and your ability to carve out time for your rock'n AND other pursuits/hobbies.

You don't have to be humbled by anything I do, that's for sure!

What I meant is that it has a brighter, crisper sound. Trying to say what something sounds like with words doesn't work too well, but here it goes anyway. If you can imagine the difference between a sweet, ripe apple and a crisp, tart apple, then maybe that's it, only sound. The Thunderbird sounds more orange, where the EB sounds more toward light green or yellow. OK, time to stop before they come put me in a padded room...

The EB is a 2013. I got it by putting in a "losing" $500 bid on ebay a couple years ago. My brother, a devout 7ender Jazz player, really liked it and bought it from me. Then he relapsed back into being a 7ender guy, so I bought it back from him. It's not going anywhere now.

 

[Klondike]

I am finally caught up with you guys, almost 200 posts.

My project at work is taking the week off so I have been tying up some loose ends around the house. Just started a nes project at the house to. An area in my basment ti work on my basses amd some other light wood working stuff.

In the first picture is the walls with a water sealing paint (three good coats). The next picture is the wood for framing a couple walls to i cM make the place livable while I work/play. Havent decided in drywall or paneling. Foing to swap the light bulb for (probably) LED lighting and put in a good work bench with some cabenets and amp/bass storage. Have to run electrical outlets bit this should be a pretty straight forward and pretty simple job.

 

[TBird1958]

You don't have to be humbled by anything I do, that's for sure!

What I meant is that it has a brighter, crisper sound. Trying to say what something sounds like with words doesn't work too well, but here it goes anyway. If you can imagine the difference between a sweet, ripe apple and a crisp, tart apple, then maybe that's it, only sound. The Thunderbird sounds more orange, where the EB sounds more toward light green or yellow. OK, time to stop before they come put me in a padded room...

The EB is a 2013. I got it by putting in a "losing" $500 bid on ebay a couple years ago. My brother, a devout 7ender Jazz player, really liked it and bought it from me. Then he relapsed back into being a 7ender guy, so I bought it back from him. It's not going anywhere now.

You need to work on Fritz, we played his company xmas party and he told me back then that he was a 7ender - while in the company of 2 of my Gibsons! Nervy!

 

[PillO]

What I meant is that it has a brighter, crisper sound. Trying to say what something sounds like with words doesn't work too well, but here it goes anyway. If you can imagine the difference between a sweet, ripe apple and a crisp, tart apple, then maybe that's it, only sound. The Thunderbird sounds more orange, where the EB sounds more toward light green or yellow. OK, time to stop before they come put me in a padded room...

Synesthesia probably helps create vivid descriptions. But they may also be meaningless if not based on shared experience. There may be an upside to being a synesthete. But there are probably drawbacks too.

 

[wolfkeller]

Been pretty slammed with my band, I've been watching though! So, being that it's soooo impossible for me to find lefty birds I've built up a few P basses. I use to bw all about a modern tone (ibanez, Spector, ect) but I've lost interest. Still loving the bird song and the P tone. Maybe I'll find someone to build me a lefty body in the future.

 

[Christine]

The EB came out last night. I hadn't played it for a while, and figured it needed some exercise. The difference between it and the 2015 Thunderbird is pretty dramatic. The mahogany Thunderbird thunders where the maple and ash EB snaps and barks. The difference is remarkable, even though the electronics are exactly the same. If Gibson made a maple/ash Thunderbird with a 2+2 headstock and those electronics, it might sell pretty well.

A maple and ash Thunderbird, that sounds like a project there, perhaps @Dadagoboi could add one to his inventory? Have to have a set or through neck otherwise it's a Fenderbird.

It will be interesting to compare my new Fenderbird with the Epiphone, they will have identical electronic specs and strings

 

[Christine]

View attachment 994282 View attachment 994283 I am finally caught up with you guys, almost 200 posts.

My project at work is taking the week off so I have been tying up some loose ends around the house. Just started a nes project at the house to. An area in my basment ti work on my basses amd some other light wood working stuff.

In the first picture is the walls with a water sealing paint (three good coats). The next picture is the wood for framing a couple walls to i cM make the place livable while I work/play. Havent decided in drywall or paneling. Foing to swap the light bulb for (probably) LED lighting and put in a good work bench with some cabenets and amp/bass storage. Have to run electrical outlets bit this should be a pretty straight forward and pretty simple job.

Sounds brilliant, a basement is a great place for this, my workshop is across the garden around the back of the house so it's a miserable journey when it's cold or peeing down.

Go for plywood panelling, it's stronger for attaching stuff to, especially if there is a risk of damp, you could try putting 1" polystyrene insulation board and covering with a damp proof membrane (polyethylene sheet)

 

[Gaolee]

You need to work on Fritz, we played his company xmas party and he told me back then that he was a 7ender - while in the company of 2 of my Gibsons! Nervy!

Yeah, he's incorrigible that way. Old guys like him get set in their ways, y'know. Gotta teach him how to face the future and get out of the old rut, like us younger, more flexible people. Heck, I even own a Precision that gets a little use every now and then.

 

[Gaolee]

Synesthesia probably helps create vivid descriptions. But they may also be meaningless if not based on shared experience. There may be an upside to being a synesthete. But there are probably drawbacks too.

I don't think I'm a synesthete because I don't literally see or taste those things. Those are just the descriptions that seem right and make sense. I can't think of a drawback to being a real synesthete.

 

[Klondike]

Sounds brilliant, a basement is a great place for this, my workshop is across the garden around the back of the house so it's a miserable journey when it's cold or peeing down.

Go for plywood panelling, it's stronger for attaching stuff to, especially if there is a risk of damp, you could try putting 1" polystyrene insulation board and covering with a damp proof membrane (polyethylene sheet)

I might possibly do a tongue & groove wall, not sure yet.

And a friend mentioned sealing my concrete floor! Hadnt even thought anout that but he may be right.

 

[Gaolee]

Aw, shoot, I must be on a roll. I won't be going in to work tomorrow, and the singer got sick this evening, so no rehearsal for Parlour Snakes (names are tough - I hope we come up with another name someday.) So, here goes:

We built a music room and home office in our basement. I didn't do much of the physical work, which means the project actually got done. My wife helped me pick colors, hardware, and all that, which means it actually looks nice, too. I did a whole lot of prep work, peeling up old VCT flooring and then epoxy injecting cracks in the slab. There was nasty old masonite paneling, some kind of unfortunate acoustic ceiling on furring strips, and thin insulation with 2x4 furring strips on the walls. When that was gone, I epoxy injected all the cracks in the foundation walls. The house was built in 1906, which means there were plenty of cracks from settlement, earthquakes, and old age. Then I floated out the slab with self-leveling topping so that it was more or less even. The guys who do that kind of thing for a living then bolted the house to the foundation and framed new furred out walls. Since we live in an earthquake zone, there's now a plywood sheer wall, more or less, down the middle of the house that stabilizes a central support beam. It uses to rest on 6x6 posts that just sat there relying on gravity. Beats me how it lasted this long through all the earthquakes, but here it is and here I sit in the basement. It all got insulated and sheetrocked. The floor is cork, which doesn't much care about water, over polyethelene sheeting. All joints are taped. I hope there's no water down there, because it sure won't get out without a big problem. And then music moved in. More recently, I have been building acoustic panels with 2" compressed mineral wool board in fabric wrapped frames to tame the awful sound qualities of a sheetrock box that's got a less than 7 foot ceiling. That means our queen, whose majesty is not just virtual, would probably bump his head down here! Anyway, that's precedent for a good place for 'Birds in the basement. They seem to like it here, since they are nearly always in tune.

As far as ash bodies and maple necks, the 7ender I mentioned previously is a keeper, but it might have some competition soon. I got a neck and body from Lowe Custom guitars and will be building a Fenderbird with a P pickup. The neck is maple with rosewood, and I'm really happy with the way Lowe prepared it. The body is outstanding as well. What's taking me a while is getting another body prepped to build a Telebird that I want to assemble at the same time. Plus the end of the year routines and some other little trips down ribbon mic rabbit holes.

So, there you have it. Long posts like this are what happens when I don't have a rehearsal and don't have to get up well before the crack of dawn in the morning.

 

[Stevis]

Synesthesia probably helps create vivid descriptions. But they may also be meaningless if not based on shared experience. There may be an upside to being a synesthete. But there are probably drawbacks too.

In addition to all of the wood working and model building exploits here, we also have vocabulary building! I was completely unaware of the concept of synesthesia. I looked it up - totally fascinating stuff. Took the online test - definitely not a synesthete, along with a significant lack of common sense.

Given the above, I have never thought of bass tones relative to the taste of apples. What about beer? Would the 2015 T-bird's sound be akin to a stout and the EB more like a lager or IPA?

 

[RedVee]

Aw, shoot, I must be on a roll. I won't be going in to work tomorrow, and the singer got sick this evening, so no rehearsal for Parlour Snakes (names are tough - I hope we come up with another name someday.)

Parlour Snakes??? Better name than Trouser Snakes I guess.