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Thunderbird Club

#21,385
Gaolee said:
That is how I am about J-basses. They can sound good, but mostly they don't. I cannot think of any reason I would ever want one. I had a Ric and played it most of the time for a year or so. It sounded good and felt good, but it just wasn't a Thunderbird.
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+1 on the jazz basses. I've played a good number of them but never felt comfortable with one compared to the Pbass. Although there was only my friend's old knock off jazz bass that had a nice fat neck & killer tone. The only one that felt right. As for Rics, i'm happy with my "replica" :). Sounds better than the real deal (although the pickups are very different - mine has more meat around the bones than i could ever have with a ric)
 
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#21,386
ThaCoast said:
Well, i seem to have answered my own question (on my part as of now based on aesthetics & ease of work). & Option B gets my vote.

View attachment 1004099
Not only does it look great on a thunderbird, but also it allows me to route - again - the bottom portion of the first failed split p route. & this config allows me to have a different split p layout & tone possiblity. As for the bridge pickup, because i deem it too close to the reverse pickup, itll move down by 1/8"-1/4". Just enough for perfect tone, still not overly bright & no excess pickup where i actually pick :)

Insights are still welcome!!!
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Andii,

Were I making a single pickup Thunderbird I'd use one of the better vintage reproductions over the P bass pickup, wire it V T, you won't be disappointed!
 
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#21,388
TBird1958 said:
Andii,

Were I making a single pickup Thunderbird I'd use one of the better vintage reproductions over the P bass pickup, wire it V T, you won't be disappointed!
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True, but since mine is 3 pickup goodness & more in realm of Nikki's Spector basses, i thought this was more appropriate :D (& i love the P bass pickup - a lot: I've got 4 basses equipped with one, 5 including this thunderbird).

Later on, i might want to build (or modify) a 70's thunderbird to replicate what my Father's first bird. Either building from scratch, or snatching up either an elitist or a Classic Pro in white & swapping the hardware. The elitist would be cool since it's got the large headstock.
 
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#21,390
upload_2016-12-7_22-23-25.png


Pickups galore!! I just got done cutting & filling the jazz set nubs (top for the bridge pickup, bottom for the neck pickup). Now it looks like one massive humbucker, i'm stoked to hear it all together. & the reverse P is growing on me in this build. I wouldn't do it on a pbass build, it just flows with the offset thunderbird shape. that's all for tonight, i did start shaping the neck & it's feeling pretty good. Not as chunky as i thought i'd have it, but still very nice - falls somewhere between my white pbass jazz neck & the epiphone bird :D. This might be the most overkill bass i'll build for myself in terms of pickups. even if it doesn't look overkill whatsoever hahahaha
 
#21,392
Bent77 said:
I've only ever owned one pedal.

I make up for that by buying more basses
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Even though my main tone is just the amp, I have owned and currently use quite a few pedals for various parts. Including a tuner, my board has six pedals.

ThaCoast said:
+1 on the jazz basses. I've played a good number of them but never felt comfortable with one compared to the Pbass. Although there was only my friend's old knock off jazz bass that had a nice fat neck & killer tone. The only one that felt right. As for Rics, i'm happy with my "replica" :). Sounds better than the real deal (although the pickups are very different - mine has more meat around the bones than i could ever have with a ric)
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I prefer the Rickenbacker's sounds, though the T-bird is much better than it was before the modifications. It was too muddy with the stock pickups, compared to the 4003S. The Thunderbuckers were a huge improvement. They sound a lot closer now.

Edit: heh, as I typed this I just realized that their cases are right next to each other.
 
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#21,395
kat888 said:
Right then Tbird floggin' hooligans, who all uses a backup and what is it? I need to be talked out of my VT Bass DI gas.

[update] should read 'backup for their amp'
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Hahaha, I run a Heritage SVT and as a back up,VT Di! That or the programable sansamp but I always prefer the VT as it sounds much more like an SVT. I have both in rackmount but needed $. I keep the pedal, just in case.
 
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#21,398
wolfkeller said:
Hahaha, I run a Heritage SVT and as a back up,VT Di! That or the programable sansamp but I always prefer the VT as it sounds much more like an SVT. I have both in rackmount but needed $. I keep the pedal, just in case.
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kat888 said:
Tried to talk myself out of the VT Bass DI, but decided on balance that the OD sound was probably less sucky than other similar devices and the price difference was negligible.
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I was a little interested in these, but couldn't work which was which! Then add in the Ampeg SCR thingy and it went into the 'too hard basket' and I'm sticking with the zoom b2.1 for a while longer.
 
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