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Thunderbird Club

#222,663
dagrev said:
Just stop Kara! :laugh:

I even searched for those cabs.... I love that classic look.

This is what I played (poorly) for years. Not mine, but the same version head and style of cab.
View attachment 4823251
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There is a Peavy Head just like this one in Portland Craigs list. Pretty cheap
 
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#222,666
GBassNorth said:
Thunderbird Thursday update…
View attachment 4822471

The BaCH II now has a “proper” Tbird pickup in it, a 760 ProBucker donated from the recent Embassy acquisition. In addition, it also has the upgraded Bridge and Claw from the Embassy. The VP transition was a success and she looks, plays and sounds wonderfully now.

Still not fond of the Chrome flats, so a string change is in order, but not sure what direction to take it just yet. Suggestions for strings that go well with the VP pups are always welcome.
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Roto Swing Bass 66s for Angry Piano. EBCF otherwise.
 
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#222,668
If anyone was ever in Houston, Tx. on a Wednesday night and wanted to let me check out their Thunderbird in a blues situation, I'd really dig it. I'll take you out for dinner, your choice of cuisine.

I promise not to beat on it and abuse it like I do my basses.



I may be glancing in the direction of Round Rock when I type this, @Miles_ONeal. :rolleyes:
 
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#222,670
Chucky Stiletti said:
LORD! where did you find that?! the stigma of the “dumb bass player:laugh:..classic..thought I was seeing things, no joke…that IV actually sounds pretty good with flats…:thumbsup:
thx for posting G!
Click to expand...

Thanks to @bobyoung53 from a concurrent thread -
 
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#222,671
Chucky Stiletti said:
LORD! where did you find that?! the stigma of the “dumb bass player:laugh:..classic..thought I was seeing things, no joke…that IV actually sounds pretty good with flats…:thumbsup:
thx for posting G!
Click to expand...

Very trebly -
 
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#222,673
dagrev said:
GHS regular Boomers, GHS Precision flats (great on the white VP--likely never coming off), currently the burst has some old SIT exposed cores and they sound great as well.

Looks great(er), by the way.
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Ok Donnie (and others)
I decided to go with flats on the VP equipped BaCH NR II and have narrowed it down to these two choices.
4A056648-AC59-480E-9644-E043CBB17196.jpeg 2C3971E8-B0B1-4EF3-9D1F-FF8E4D76A0E3.jpeg
…I don’t have experience with either one so any insight would be helpful (other club members feel free to chime in as well).

My tone goal is smooth creamy dark relatively old school for this bass (I already have Fender 7150 rounds on my other VP for a brighter tone and grind if needed). Playing will be strictly finger style, typically between the single pup and neck area. Music ranges from classic rock to smooth Jazz, swing and country.

Note - I’m trying not to duplicate the sound of any of my other Tbirds. So Cobalt flats, Optima Golds, La Bella black tapes, Fender 7150 rounds, Boomers, Roto Flats, SITs and D’Addario XLs and Black Daggers are out. I’m not fond of the chromes that are currently on it - too top end focused, fairly high tension.
 
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#222,675
BklynKen said:
Anyone familiar with the Ampeg BA112HP? It will be the amp du jour at an upcoming gig. Trying to find out how I can get a good tone out of it or a very flat one so I can use my GK 800RB preamp pedal in front of it. I am not a fan of the SVT tone, but I do love the B-15 I use at our practice space. I always hope for an FX loop in the amp du jour so I can use my own pre, but it seems this one doesn't have one.
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I have a 110 (no HP that I know of). Haven't used it since moving (2 yrs), but would think you would need to start out about 11:00 on bass, 2:00 mids (setting 3), and around 10-11 treble. The pre is no where like a SVT, but SVTs are not flat at 12:00, but I can't recall exactly what flat is on an SVT but close to the above. While the pre is different, the voicing is somewhat similar and this my help to get away from that Ampeg sound a little.
 
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#222,678
GBassNorth said:
Ok Donnie (and others)
I decided to go with flats on the VP equipped BaCH NR II and have narrowed it down to these two choices.
View attachment 4823410 View attachment 4823411
…I don’t have experience with either one so any insight would be helpful (other club members feel free to chime in as well).

My tone goal is smooth creamy dark relatively old school for this bass (I already have Fender 7150 rounds on my other VP for a brighter tone and grind if needed). Playing will be strictly finger style, typically between the single pup and neck area. Music ranges from classic rock to smooth Jazz, swing and country.

Note - I’m trying not to duplicate the sound of any of my other Tbirds. So Cobalt flats, Optima Golds, La Bella black tapes, Fender 7150 rounds, Boomers, Roto Flats, SITs and D’Addario XLs and Black Daggers are out. I’m not fond of the chromes that are currently on it - too top end focused, fairly high tension.
Click to expand...

on the fretted basses I’m most happy with, I have pyramid golds.

I’m not good at describing strings but I’d say 7enderish without the steel cable feel and a pound of buttery smoothness without any shaging walnuts….


A2693B62-BEC6-491F-87D3-1DF9E60EB2C2.jpeg
 
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#222,680
GBassNorth said:
Ok Donnie (and others)
I decided to go with flats on the VP equipped BaCH NR II and have narrowed it down to these two choices.
View attachment 4823410 View attachment 4823411
…I don’t have experience with either one so any insight would be helpful (other club members feel free to chime in as well).

My tone goal is smooth creamy dark relatively old school for this bass (I already have Fender 7150 rounds on my other VP for a brighter tone and grind if needed). Playing will be strictly finger style, typically between the single pup and neck area. Music ranges from classic rock to smooth Jazz, swing and country.

Note - I’m trying not to duplicate the sound of any of my other Tbirds. So Cobalt flats, Optima Golds, La Bella black tapes, Fender 7150 rounds, Boomers, Roto Flats, SITs and D’Addario XLs and Black Daggers are out. I’m not fond of the chromes that are currently on it - too top end focused, fairly high tension.
Click to expand...
Other than Pyramid Gold's, GHS is the thumpiest. Compared to DTFs they have more low mids and are more balanced across the freqs, whereas the DTFs might be perceived as deeper at times because they seem slightly scooped in some low freq. In my experience, the LaBellas would be closer (not alike by any means), to Fenders than the GHSs. I hear the GHSs being more even with no one freq jumping out and the DTFs as having lows, some mid/upper mids and pleasant highs. GHS has enough of everything to sound big and just have punch and not get lost. Both are great in certain applications and take time to settle in to the thick zone and the GHS E may sound different at first, having more old school thump when new. The others will follow with some play time. both are smooth, but of the sets I've had, GHS is more so. The "Perfectly Balanced Set" above is really smooth.

As others chime in, please feel free to disagree or correct with counter observations.
 
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