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Thunderbird Club

#211,666
dagrev said:
All three of these sound like....
View attachment 4728859
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What I'm finding interesting is the pickup locations. The Embassy and '64 have the same pickup locations. The VP has wider pickup spacing with the bridge pickup shoved closer to the bridge. The neck pickup looks to be about the same. It makes me wonder how consistent the locations were back when. I'm sure they are identical now, what with CNC woodworking machinery. In 1964, they may not have been nearly as consistent.
 
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#211,667
Update on the Thunderbuckers in the Flamingo. I have not messed with the bridge pickup to figure out why it's weak yet. I think it's just really low, but I don't use it for much more than balance anyway, so it's not an issue. The EBCFs have settled in now, and what seemed like a weak spot at Db on the G string is disappearing.
 
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#211,668
TBird1958 said:
Mine is a 2006, about 91K on it when I bought from my SIL, who took very good care of it. It showed no signs of needing the head gaskets changed at that point, but within a year it did. If they haven't be fixed I would flog the seller down at least 2K on price, it'll cost that much. Once done, they become pretty stout, at 155K now, the timing belt and front half shafts are about that I've done - those are more like running repair. They're really good for haul gear and when you move back to Washington you'' find it to be a great car for rain and it's unmatched in snow.

They LOVE Thunderbirds too!
cV9Eanc.jpg
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The two in the middle look like they're trying to high-five each other.
 
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#211,670
Gaolee said:
What I'm finding interesting is the pickup locations. The Embassy and '64 have the same pickup locations. The VP has wider pickup spacing with the bridge pickup shoved closer to the bridge. The neck pickup looks to be about the same. It makes me wonder how consistent the locations were back when. I'm sure they are identical now, what with CNC woodworking machinery. In 1964, they may not have been nearly as consistent.
Click to expand...
I'll have to measure one day and see how the '64 Epi and Thunderbird actually match up. Just looking they seem to be the same.

From GBassNorth
Measurement from 12th fret to the Centerline of each pickup
Gibson 1964 Tbird 10-7/8” and 14-3/8”
Epiphone VP 11” and 14-7/8”

1990 Greco IV 10-7/8” and 14-1/8” (note 33.5” scale)
Gibson 2013 Tbird 10-1/4” and 14-5/8”
BaCH II 10-5/8”
1977 Greco II 11” (note 33.5” scale)
Epiphone Goth 10-3/4” and 14-5/8”
Gibson 2015 Tbird 10-1/4” and 14-1/2”
Spector Rex5 Pro 12-3/8” and 15-3/8” (note 35” scale)
2019 Epiphone CP 10-1/4” and 14-1/2"
1988 Greco TB-70 10-7/8” and 14-3/8”
1960’s Gibson NR 10-11/16" and 14-3/16"
 
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#211,671
Gaolee said:
What I'm finding interesting is the pickup locations. The Embassy and '64 have the same pickup locations. The VP has wider pickup spacing with the bridge pickup shoved closer to the bridge. The neck pickup looks to be about the same. It makes me wonder how consistent the locations were back when. I'm sure they are identical now, what with CNC woodworking machinery. In 1964, they may not have been nearly as consistent.
Click to expand...

Remember also that the '64 has the bridge too far back (period correct of course), in VP that is corrected. With that in mind the VP's bridge pickup may look to be more further from the neck pickup than it is. It is closer to the bridge than the original, that is true.
Mostly I'm happy they got the neck pickup placement about right.
 
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#211,673
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#211,675
GonePlaid said:
Dang! You OK?
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Yep, all good!

GBassNorth said:
As bad as the whole situation is, at least you came out of it relatively unscathed and appear to be in good enough spirits to post here and start searching for a replacement vehicle. Could have been much much worse. Wishing you the best on any financial as well as medical recovery necessary. Keep rockin!


Don’t know anything about those necks, but that particular one looks to be in dire need of some fretboard oil.
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Certainly could have been far worse. Any landing you can walk away from! No injuries to me or my passenger, airbags didn't even deploy (though I think they probably should have...)

TBird1958 said:
Mine is a 2006, about 91K on it when I bought from my SIL, who took very good care of it. It showed no signs of needing the head gaskets changed at that point, but within a year it did. If they haven't be fixed I would flog the seller down at least 2K on price, it'll cost that much. Once done, they become pretty stout, at 155K now, the timing belt and front half shafts are about that I've done - those are more like running repair. They're really good for haul gear and when you move back to Washington you'' find it to be a great car for rain and it's unmatched in snow.

They LOVE Thunderbirds too!
cV9Eanc.jpg
Click to expand...

Yeah, the '05 I'm looking at is 95k, and the records are all good, no accidents, and taken care of, but head gasket hasn't been done, so I'll definitely try to haggle them down a bit. Exactly the reason I'm looking at them, folding down the back seats and there's a huge amount of space for cabinets and gear, and it is just about the most Washingtonian car you can own! And it'll definitely get ski-trip usage.
 
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#211,677
Chucky Stiletti said:
@GBassNorth
hey George, needing a nicer 5 string…..this came and I know you are well familiar with these…..
what do you think would be an attractive/fair price?…
thx in advance!:thumbsup::thumbsup:
View attachment 4728823
View attachment 4728824
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The Spector CRFM (Czech Republic Flamed Maple) bass is a phenomenally good instrument and even more so in five string and again even more so in dual humbucker. The low B is solid and articulate. However, they have one glaring issue (good, bad or indifferent) is that there is a predominant culture in the Spector world to screw with the onboard preamp. Just about every used one you find will have a non stock preamp in it. So how it sounds is a total crap shoot. It will sound great, but may not sound anything like the next one you try. Combine that with the fact that some of the preamp options are exceptionally hot and you may have a love it or hate it experience.

My advice, play it first ALONG with one of your other main basses thru the same amp with the same amp settings. I found that my Euro Spector was so hot I couldn’t use it in my SVT-VR back to back with any other bass I own without completely resetting the amp. Which meant I couldn’t use it as a main bass or backup on a gig very easily. Don’t get me wrong, it sounds phenomenal and may be one of my best sounding active basses. It has the non trim tone pump which is known to have a massive db boost. The later trim tone pump solved that issue. The Haz preamp or Haz Clone are fantastic upgrades that are very common in the Spector world, Aggie and Bart are a couple of other preamps frequently used but maybe less sought after. Have the seller send a pic of the control cavity, there are a few of us Spector owners here that can probably tell you what it has in it.

Not knowing exactly how it’s equipped or the exact condition it’s in makes it hard to pin down on price but something slightly North of $2000 wouldn’t be unheard of. A steal would be anything less than $1500.
 
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#211,678
GBassNorth said:
The Spector CRFM (Czech Republic Flamed Maple) bass is a phenomenally good instrument and even more so in five string and again even more so in dual humbucker. The low B is solid and articulate. However, they have one glaring issue (good, bad or indifferent) is that there is a predominant culture in the Spector world to screw with the onboard preamp. Just about every used one you find will have a non stock preamp in it. So how it sounds is a total crap shoot. It will sound great, but may not sound anything like the next one you try. Combine that with the fact that some of the preamp options are exceptionally hot and you may have a love it or hate it experience.

My advice, play it first ALONG with one of your other main basses thru the same amp with the same amp settings. I found that my Euro Spector was so hot I couldn’t use it in my SVT-VR back to back with any other bass I own without completely resetting the amp. Which meant I couldn’t use it as a main bass or backup on a gig very easily. Don’t get me wrong, it sounds phenomenal and may be one of my best sounding active basses. It has the non trim tone pump which is known to have a massive db boost. The later trim tone pump solved that issue. The Haz preamp or Haz Clone are fantastic upgrades that are very common in the Spector world, Aggie and Bart are a couple of other preamps frequently used but maybe less sought after. Have the seller send a pic of the control cavity, there are a few of us Spector owners here that can probably tell you what it has in it.

Not knowing exactly how it’s equipped or the exact condition it’s in makes it hard to pin down on price but something slightly North of $2000 wouldn’t be unheard of. A steal would be anything less than $1500.
Click to expand...
awesome, Thx George!
 
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