Thunderbird Club

[TBird1958]

We like pics as proof of course good sir, but I'll save ya a spot - and please feel welcome here

 

[Reservoir Dog]

Fair enuff, I never even thought of playin a bird until reading this thread, then it was like what the hell , time for something different. Ive never even held one.

 

[jgould1124]

I'd like to be part of your Thunderbird Club, if that's cool..
I think I have a few Blackbirds that are kinda unique...

 

[jd56hawk]

Hey everyone , been playing 40 years and I just scored my first bird off ebay. Trans black epi pro IV . Ex condition with hardshell case for 300.00 plus shipping . I have 2 fenders, 2 spectors, a stingray, and my 79 ibanez musician, and I cant wait for my bird to arrive , should be here in time for my gig this saturday . I will get pics asap . Still giving out numbers ?

Pics when you get it!
I have the Pro IV in the natural finish. I put a set of flatwounds on it and…damn!

 

[wolfkeller]

Sweet...what's the story on this white beauty? And the iron crosses LEDs?

 

[wolfkeller]

I swear the white one is a tokai

 

[jgould1124]

Sweet...what's the story on this white beauty? And the iron crosses LEDs?

All 3 of them started out as standard Epi Blackbirds, but I modified each one... The white one was sanded down from it's original flat black and repainted with a flat white. It doesn't have a clear coat, so it is becoming "aged" looking as I play it more.
The "Mirrorbird" was a project bass. My guitar tech originally did the mirror finish on it. Then, we decided to do the LED's. There are about 15 different colors and it will scroll though them or flash or strobe depending. The lights are controlled by a remote and there is a 3amp RC car battery mounted in the body. Unfortunately, there is a slight hum that was intorduced, but the tech gave me ideas to solve that..

 

[wolfkeller]

the nut on the white one looks a lot narrower and the headstock looks longer than an epi. they are cool for sure, love DIY basses

 

[jgould1124]

Thanks, wolfkeller!! They're definitely all the same.
The differences in the pictures could be because of my lack of picture taking skills!!
But, glad you like them..
You can check out the evolution of the Mirrorbird on my facebook page.. facebook/jamesbgould

 

[wolfkeller]

I think that's cool, maybe I'll do one like that! Lefty so getting birds is a bitch. Trying to sell a Spector to buy a Gibson I found! Not much luck

 

[jgould1124]

Yeah.. I could see where that might be a problem..
When you get yours all done, you definitely have to post a picture too!!

 

[TBird1958]

Very nice basses Mr Gould! Welcome here, to the best club on TB.
If you can share anything else about the basses I know we'd all enjoy that. Love to see any show pics of them as well, tho I'd imagine them to be difficult to take a good shot of in low light.
I'd be interested to know how the mirror was done.

Mr Reservoir Dog, I've given you a pending number, please be welcome here too. Be sure to check out the beautiful modified Epi Pro Carlo put together on the previous page.

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jgould 1124 664
Reservoir Dog 472 - pending

 

[hillerup]

Very nice basses Mr Gould! Welcome here, to the best club on TB.
If you can share anything else about the basses I know we'd all enjoy that. Love to see any show pics of them as well, tho I'd imagine them to be difficult to take a good shot of in low light.
I'd be interested to know how the mirror was done.

+1...

And I'd be interested to know how the LED's was done...

 

[jgould1124]

Thanks, TBird1958.. I'm glad to be part of the group..You can see transformation to the Mirrorbird on my FB page (facebook/jamesbgould)
And, btw, all the cracks were made by hitting the mirror, that was precut and afixed to contact paper, with a 5lb sledgehammer.. The whole paper was then glued to the body.. Epoxy was applied to the entire face of the bass and sanded to fill in any crack (hopefully preventing me from getting cut!!) Guess we'll see after the first gig with it!!
As for the LED's, I did not do the work myself. But, from what I was told. It was about a 10' LED strip that was cut to size. The fingerboard was removed from the neck and routed to fit the strip through and lined up on each inlay. Two separate cavities were routed in the back of the body. One for the LED control circuit board and the second for the battery. It is a rechargeable 3amp battery, normally used for RC cars and the like.. Surprising, the weight is pretty much the same between all three..The batter still has the original factory charge and hasn't dimmed in over 5 hours..
Most importantly, despite all of the changes to the instrument, the overall tone hasn't changed that much.. It is a little "darker" sounding, but overall, not too bad. It is definitely more of a live bass than a recording one..

I will try and take more pix later tonight and maybe some video..Hopefully, I can figure out enough light to show the body and the LED's..
And, even though I'm new.. if it's not too much trouble.. Could I be either member #664 or 668?? I would like to be the neighbor of the beast!!

 

[hillerup]

Thanks, TBird1958.. I'm glad to be part of the group..You can see transformation to the Mirrorbird on my FB page (facebook/jamesbgould)
And, btw, all the cracks were made by hitting the mirror, that was precut and afixed to contact paper, with a 5lb sledgehammer.. The whole paper was then glued to the body.. Epoxy was applied to the entire face of the bass and sanded to fill in any crack (hopefully preventing me from getting cut!!) Guess we'll see after the first gig with it!!
As for the LED's, I did not do the work myself. But, from what I was told. It was about a 10' LED strip that was cut to size. The fingerboard was removed from the neck and routed to fit the strip through and lined up on each inlay. Two separate cavities were routed in the back of the body. One for the LED control circuit board and the second for the battery. It is a rechargeable 3amp battery, normally used for RC cars and the like.. Surprising, the weight is pretty much the same between all three..The batter still has the original factory charge and hasn't dimmed in over 5 hours..
Most importantly, despite all of the changes to the instrument, the overall tone hasn't changed that much.. It is a little "darker" sounding, but overall, not too bad. It is definitely more of a live bass than a recording one..

I will try and take more pix later tonight and maybe some video..Hopefully, I can figure out enough light to show the body and the LED's..
And, even though I'm new.. if it's not too much trouble.. Could I be either member #664 or 668?? I would like to be the neighbor of the beast!!

Saw the pictures of your different Blackbirds on your FB page - Love the look of the trashed up 'bird before it got the diamond studs on it and the Whitebird too!

 

[jgould1124]

Thanks, hillerup!!
I wish I had "in progress" pictures of the Whitebird.. I didn't think of taking any until I wanted to "trash" the other one..
And, I guess I just wanted to "dress up" the trash a little bit with the diamonds, though the more I play it, the more they fall off..
I'm not sure how long they'll be there, but they won't cover the entire edge for that long..I suppose that'll make it look even more "trashy!!"

 

[basscow]

So I'm kinda at a dilemma with my Epi Goth thunderbird. I love how thunderbirds look, and I do indeed love this bass, but I can't stand the way it sounds, and the neck is starting to bug me a little bit.

If Epiphone sized thunderbird pickups were more common, I'd just make it a fenderbird and call it good, but any pickup changes require routing, and I'm really limited on time and money right now...

What would you do? Sell the bass and get something with the tone and feel you're looking for, or modify it to get there?

 

[jgould1124]

Some more pictures.. And, I forgot to say, but it has LED side markers too..
I am working on a video to show it scrolling through all the colors..
Is the something I can post on here too??

 

[leftinkowloon]

@TBird1958 that's exactly how the mirror was done, considering I did it! I'm not sure who was saying something about the white one it is I fact an epi, I worked on it bunches of times before it was white. Just wait until the next thunderbird comes out, but it will be a full custom build by me.

 

[leftinkowloon]

Oh I did the LEDs as well.