Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

Maybe it was called a pilot ? Dunno. I quite liked it though. A long time ago, in the years BT.

This is a Guild Pilot... a very popular bass then. Came in different pu configurations.

 

[JIO]

It's the wide upper part that I don't like. I bet that thing sounds good though, I could have bought a Starfire with D'Armond pickups on it when I got my first EB-3 about ten years ago, I wasn't real familiar with it so I passed, I kind of wish I had gotten it now though, those things sound good.

DarkStar pu's are among my favorites. The Guild RI's are narrow spacing (only) but affordably priced, whereas the Novak version (offering both narrow and Fender spacing) is pricier by double. I have not A/B'd them (having used both live/recorded) but they look and sound very similar if not the same.

Guild

Twin Novak's - he offers the slight Fender Jazz bass difference between the N & B pu's string spacing - that is where the asking price makes sense.

 

[WillyW]

I like reverse, non-reverse, and hybrid-non-reverse headstocks

 

[PhR75]

A modded Tele has been a fav/fascination since I saw these pics when I was about 12. That's why I love the headstock so much also:

 

[KaraQ]

Happy Thunderbird Thursday

 

[dagrev]

I was never a big ABBA fan but I always thought this was a great tune and still do.

I'm confident enough in my manhood that I'm not hindered from saying they had a few hits I really liked.

 

[dagrev]

I've always loved the sound of Zal's guitar in this. Great reverb. I think I even stole some licks from Boone the bassist.

OK, I'm going to start posting some ABBA or even Bread if you guys don't ease up with the Lovin' Spoonful.

 

[WillyW]

I may be climbing on rainbows...

 

[dagrev]

Y

It's sounded great. Your right on far as the gibson pickups. For some reason this bass has always sounded dark and muffled. The tone is disconnected and the strings are rotos. I run svt 4s into 810s with a sansamp for drive. I've always felt something was wrong.

It seems like all the modern Gibson pickups all have a darker tone compared to the original 60s or the Epi VPs. And then there's the neck pickup that's farther from the bridge and other pickup from the originals that adds to that issue. Even my new NR sounds darker than I would have thought. Steels sound more like new nickels. But my '64 Epi Embassy is darker than the '64 Thunderbird.

SIT Power Steels sound great on modern Gibsons. Mine now has LaBella black nylons that also sound great. I went with the black strings because they look great on it and sound good. Otherwise the SITs would be on it.

 

[GonePlaid]

View attachment 4715600 View attachment 4715602 View attachment 4715603 View attachment 4715604

Yeah. No.

 

[Hondapunk]

And now for something meaty

 

[GonePlaid]

I'm confident enough in my manhood that I'm not hindered from saying they had a few hits I really liked.

I sang in choir from ~age8 and played in sax sections within bands from ~12, which gave me an appreciation for harmonies, preferably 3-4 parts. Ignoring as much as possible the 80s/disco feel, ABBA's vocal blends were terrific. IMNSHO.

 

[GBassNorth]

Y

It's sounded great. Your right on far as the gibson pickups. For some reason this bass has always sounded dark and muffled. The tone is disconnected and the strings are rotos. I run svt 4s into 810s with a sansamp for drive. I've always felt something was wrong.

Before changing the pickups you might want to try removing the stock tone cap and installing a .022uf tone cap. It completely changed the voicing on my Goth bass (which was very dark and muddy) and opened it right up. For a couple a bucks and 5 minutes time what do you have to lose.

 

[BklynKen]

It's sounded great. Your right on far as the gibson pickups. For some reason this bass has always sounded dark and muffled. The tone is disconnected and the strings are rotos. I run svt 4s into 810s with a sansamp for drive. I've always felt something was wrong.

IMO the SVT sounds like the problem in this equation. They always sounded muddy and inarticulate to me. But if your 2013 sounds much better, all else being equal, maybe there's some difference in the pots or something in the 2018? I'd be surprised if the pickups themselves changed in those five years.

 

[GonePlaid]

Really don't like a 3+1. I can-and do-live with a 3+2.

This(actually 2+3):

 

[dagrev]

I sang in choir from ~age8 and played in sax sections within bands from ~12, which gave me an appreciation for harmonies, preferably 3-4 parts. Ignoring as much as possible the 80s/disco feel, ABBA's vocal blends were terrific. IMNSHO.

That's one of the things I like about them. Very pretty, even ethereal sounding harmonies at times. One of the reasons I like Bluegrass (but not all), Eagles, The Outlaws and CSN (no Y!).

 

[GonePlaid]

That's one of the things I like about them. Very pretty, even ethereal sounding harmonies at times. One of the reasons I like Bluegrass (but not all), Eagles, The Outlaws and CSN (no Y!).

"Y" not? BTW:

 

[Engle]

Y

It's sounded great. Your right on far as the gibson pickups. For some reason this bass has always sounded dark and muffled. The tone is disconnected and the strings are rotos. I run svt 4s into 810s with a sansamp for drive. I've always felt something was wrong.

How does it sound acoustically compared to your 2013?

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

This is a Guild Pilot... a very popular bass then. Came in different pu configurations.

View attachment 4715607

remember those….cool looking…. always liked Guild, like you said on an earlier post, built more like Gibsons and Gretsches…quality old school american craftsmanship….iirc, some famous rocker played one of those in a butterscotch finish…

 

[GonePlaid]

"Y" not? BTW:
View attachment 4715727

Also:
Me Young: Me Old: