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Thunderbird Club

#222,903
KaraQ said:
I've not used the Hipshot, but I like the Babicz a lot.
It comes with a spacer, which I didn't use on my Classic Pro, because string height worked out great.

Those bridges look nice, I've le

Imo, it's a great piece of engineering, I love the cam adjustment system, and the entire bridge has a really solid, stable feel to it.

However, I did remove that particular one, and put that bass back to a 3-point; it tuns out, that's what I prefer on (4-string) Thunderbirds.
Nothing against the bridge at all, if I had to replace a 3-point with something else, the Babicz is what I would use again.
For other, non-(4-string) Thunderbird basses.....I have plans to replace the bridges on a few of my other basses with Babicz units.



View attachment 4825125






:)
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KaraQ said:
I've not used the Hipshot, but I like the Babicz a lot.
It comes with a spacer, which I didn't use on my Classic Pro, because string height worked out great.

Imo, it's a great piece of engineering, I love the cam adjustment system, and the entire bridge has a really solid, stable feel to it.

However, I did remove that particular one, and put that bass back to a 3-point; it tuns out, that's what I prefer on (4-string) Thunderbirds.
Nothing against the bridge at all, if I had to replace a 3-point with something else, the Babicz is what I would use again.
For other, non-(4-string) Thunderbird basses.....I have plans to replace the bridges on a few of my other basses with Babicz units.



View attachment 4825125






:)
Click to expand...

I've learned to be ok with the 3 point bridge on my Classic Pro as well. The only grip that I have with it is the E string, it is too loose.
 
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#222,904
TBird1958 said:
I'm not dissing dogs, I've had some wonderful dogs - and yes, they are very loving creatures, no question about that either. For me now, a kitty is a better choice though, and while some can be a bit aloof, not all of them are, like Bob Young's mine is very attached to me and is quite affectionate and wants to be near a lot.

Bird tax.

SITs on this means I'm using it at tonight's rehearsal.

QyBGlq9.jpg
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I love that color.
 
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#222,905
poochiecheeks said:
Just when I thought playing a Tbird couldn't get any better.

I was curious about how BEAD tuning reacts with bolt on and neck through basses differently, since every one of my other basses are 4 strings and set up that way except the thunderbird. So I did some barnyard machining and retrofitted a brass nut with widened nut slots on mine, threw on some DR lo rider steel strings and dear god, the sound is enormous. Just incredible.
I've always thought that you needed a 35" scale with active pickups and a huge sounding preamp to get a good low B, but here it is sounding absolutely massive on a *passive* 34" scale mahogany bass with ceramic pickups. Really blows my mind.

I am still wondering about those "full contact" replacement bridges for the 3 point system, as I don't know if it's worth $100 for the hipshot or $150+ for the Babicz for marginal/no improvement, especially since the neck can't be shimmed if the new bridge sits higher than it used to, such as with a BAIII bridge. Has anyone replaced the bridge on their bass and thought it was a worthwhile investment?
Click to expand...

I put a Babicz on my ‘13 NR (set neck). I also have one that came stock on my ‘15 reverse (neck through). I’m a huge fan because the height and intonation have increased adjustability over the three point and the Hipshot. I also like the feeling of rock solid stability. I’m not sure they add much to the sustain or reasonance though.

I have a Hipshot on an Epi bolt-on Goth. I have had issues dialing in the action I like and had to have Hipshot send longer intonation screws. To be honest, replacing it with the three-point it came with is on my To-Do list.

YMMV.
 
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#222,906
TBird1958 said:
I'm not dissing dogs, I've had some wonderful dogs - and yes, they are very loving creatures, no question about that either. For me now, a kitty is a better choice though, and while some can be a bit aloof, not all of them are, like Bob Young's mine is very attached to me and is quite affectionate and wants to be near a lot.

Bird tax.

SITs on this means I'm using it at tonight's rehearsal.

QyBGlq9.jpg
Click to expand...

B1583C33-5B91-42AA-B255-9B647C2F8894.jpeg
 
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#222,908
TBird1958 said:
I'm not dissing dogs, I've had some wonderful dogs - and yes, they are very loving creatures, no question about that either. For me now, a kitty is a better choice though, and while some can be a bit aloof, not all of them are, like Bob Young's mine is very attached to me and is quite affectionate and wants to be near a lot.

Bird tax.

SITs on this means I'm using it at tonight's rehearsal.

QyBGlq9.jpg
Click to expand...
Rehearsal! Great news!
 
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#222,910
bobyoung53 said:
I'm glad to see that Grady is still doing well, Gata will see the vet next week, she has a cyst or something on the back of one of her front legs, the vet drained it but it came back which is what she thought. She's been on antibiotics and steroids but it filled up again anyway, we'll see.
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Thanks. He's gradually getting slower and slower, but nothing major has happened for a while. Being 14 and a big dog, every day is a bonus day, or could be the day. But I try not to think about that part.
I'm glad Gata seems to be stable. Drainable cysts tend to be less problematic, at least with dogs, so I hope the same is true in Gata's case.
 
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#222,911
Count Bassie said:
I remember him! Hell yeah, and he was gone almost as soon as he got known here. Damn shagging shame...
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Wrote songs for a lot of people in his 20 odd years in the US. I guess he would be most known there for Children of the Sun?

Yep, he came back to Australia and played around the place as a bit of a respected elder. Then died suddenly. I was super shocked.
Another Jimmy Barnes story is that he had his own heart issues and was being wheeled into the hospital here, and while he was going in he heard that Billy Thorpe had died from a heart attack, I think in the same hospital.
 
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#222,913
TBird1958 said:
I'm not dissing dogs, I've had some wonderful dogs - and yes, they are very loving creatures, no question about that either. For me now, a kitty is a better choice though, and while some can be a bit aloof, not all of them are, like Bob Young's mine is very attached to me and is quite affectionate and wants to be near a lot.

Bird tax.

SITs on this means I'm using it at tonight's rehearsal.

QyBGlq9.jpg
Click to expand...
Oh I know. I was just yankin' your Thunderbird. I've never been around cats that much and when I have they have been distant. However, when my wife still lived on the farm a small black and white cat showed up. He wasn't like and didn't want to be one of the wild cats that lived around the barns. This one loved to be around you and would run up to you if it saw you around. It was cute and so happy to see most of us--which made it even more cute. It would love to get on your shoulders and cuddle around your neck. There was no not loving that cat. And recently I saw a small black cat in the front yard headed into the woods. I went out to see if it would come to me. I confess I kind of hoped it needed and wanted a good home. I've not seen it since...
 
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#222,915
RedVee said:
They made me think about some comments about Billy Thorpe (my first favourite rock star in his long hair Sunbury era) in one of Jimmy Barnes books. This article has similar.

————
I tried to see every show that Billy did when he came through Adelaide. As a 16-year-old I even managed to get into a couple of his gigs at the wildest pub in Australia, the Largs Pier Hotel. There was a bouncer on the door they called “The Beast”, who could tell I was a music fan, and he let me in. He was too busy throwing big ugly tattooed blokes through plate glass windows to bother about some kid. I would go right to the front of the stage and watch Billy’s every move. Watching and learning.

I noticed at one of these gigs that there seemed to be too many amplifiers for the room. If they were all working there would have been no back wall left on the pub, so I asked one of Billy’s roadies about it. He told me that there were one or two amps that Billy needed and the rest were just there for show. It was smoke and mirrors to keep the punters guessing.

I’ve seen it a million times since but Billy was the first. He was a trailblazer. He kicked the door down so kids like me could charge on through and make the music we liked.

This was a man who got arrested for swearing at a gig and responded by writing a song called You Can’t Go Around Saying shag On Stage Anymore. Of course he then sang it at every gig and got himself arrested in righteous towns all over the country. Kids loved him and parents feared him.
—————
an excerpt from this article Jimmy Barnes: I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for Billy Thorpe | Jimmy Barnes | The Guardian
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That's funny!

I know a number of players do have more than one head or cab, but are there as backup. That makes good sense. I can't recall an amp dying while playing, but I never played every other night where stuff was thrown in and out of places. Not that it would have hurt that old Peavey Mk III!
 
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#222,917
RexxRokket said:
I've learned to be ok with the 3 point bridge on my Classic Pro as well. The only grip that I have with it is the E string, it is too loose.
Click to expand...

Too loose? I'm curious for details? :unsure:

I have two Thunderbirds that have the 3-point tuned to D-standard (admittedly, one has Roto 77s.....), and one in E-standard with a Hipshot drop-tuner (set to D), and I don't have any issues with loose strings?
 
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#222,919
RedVee said:
Wrote songs for a lot of people in his 20 odd years in the US. I guess he would be most known there for Children of the Sun?

Yep, he came back to Australia and played around the place as a bit of a respected elder. Then died suddenly. I was super shocked.
Another Jimmy Barnes story is that he had his own heart issues and was being wheeled into the hospital here, and while he was going in he heard that Billy Thorpe had died from a heart attack, I think in the same hospital.
Click to expand...
Children of the Sun got a lot of airplay here. Louisville anyway.
 
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