Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

My experience is somewhat the same, I really didn’t have any trouble with anyone. I moved a lot so I changed schools almost as much as an army brat(but all in the SFBay), so I learned how to fly under the radar. I was also a long hair, that smoked pot sometimes, but kept good grades and stayed out of trouble. Not fitting into any “camp”. Basically was a musician to be, that didn’t take music classes in school.

Had a couple run-ins with bullies in grade-school, but both were resolved pretty quickly. Being tall helped. I played baseball and basketball in grade-school and CYO basketball the first couple of years in HS. (for fun) I was the tallest in my grade school but there were much taller guys in HS and they were much better players. Also ran cross-country one year. Never really was a jock or felt like one - I just liked being active in sports. I did it for fun and didn't take it too seriously. Mostly was the 'art star' of my year and played in a combo. We had an agent so we played most weekends. Long hair came later in art school, along with pot. I never bought it, just hung w/friends who had some. Never was a 'pot-head', just a casual partaker. Did LSD a couple times, and mushrooms, ('70s) but nothing much more. Never a druggy and didn't drink other than beer, & wine w/pasta. In retrospect I always had enough art & music interests/involvements to keep me from just hanging out/getting in trouble.

 

[JIO]

I mostly kid about Jazz Bass tone. It’s just the popular sound some players think they’re supposed to get from them that I don’t care for. But it’s their music and their tone so who am I to judge. I also don’t care for JBass ergos, especially sitting. P basses are more comfortable for me. I’ll just stop complaining and go play my Thunderbirds.

It's why we have so many options/choices!

 

[Engle]

the perfect tone that mostly nobody notices…

Ummm yeah. Not that it stops me from trying different strings, pickups, owning 20+ basses, and more amps/cabs than I need

 

[MCF]

Yersinia Pestis. Still carried by rats. But we stopped killing the cats that killed the rats.

Fleas the size of rats sucked on rats the size of cats
And ten thousand peoploids split into small tribes

 

[JIO]

Or for Prince, he was that weird.

Prince & the Golden Pretzel Revolution

 

[MCF]

Close but no cigar…
Welcome to the New Gibson Brands
…no bass pickup offerings
How hard would it have been to offer a ProBucker or a Tbird+ pickup, heck even a Gibson SG pickup might interest a few people.

I would be all over a ‘21NR neck pickup for a bass I’m hoping to get pretty soon.

 

[MCF]

His playing and tone with Joni Mitchell wasn't like that.
Even with Weather Report.

Correct. Although it was getting to that near the end of him playing with Joni. There’s a vid of them where she just gives “that look.”

 

[MCF]

Thunderbird Thursday: toys for the weekend edition.

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Looks like fun! Can’t wait to see the result.

 

[MCF]

I was going to make it a headless, (which would allow it to fit in my Les Paul Tribute gig bag) but my wife and daughter have convinced me it needs the hockey stick headstock.

With the headstock, it won’t even fit in my VP case

With a Canucks logo.

 

[Ringhammer]

Ummm yeah. Not that it stops me from trying different strings, pickups, owning 20+ basses, and more amps/cabs than I need

Exactly. While mostly no one notices the tone we search for and often get, “I” do, and when you get it, in the rehearsal space and especially live at any random venue, it’s pure bliss.

People mostly only notice our sound when it’s bad or missing….

 

[dieselman]

I took typing my Sophomore year in High School. Pretty easy class and always some good looking Girls willing to help. In my Senior year 68-69 they offered Co-Ed Home Ec. Definitely signed up for that. Very Fun Class and enjoyed being able to eat whatever came out good.

 

[GBassNorth]

I would be all over a ‘21NR neck pickup for a bass I’m hoping to get pretty soon.

As best I can tell, the new NR pickups sound very similar to the current black plastic Tbird+ pickups in modern thunderbirds, just in a metal housing. Finding a set of TB+ pups and putting them in cans might be cheaper and easier than finding a set of 21NR pups. Unless of course Gibson should decide to treat the bass community the same way they treat their guitar community, by offering after market pup purchases.

As an alternative, I constantly hear from our Queen and others that Lull pups are the best, but they aren’t cheap. If you have a bass in mind that only needs one pup it certainly drives the upgrade cost down to more reasonable levels.

 

[TBird1958]

As best I can tell, the new NR pickups sound very similar to the current black plastic Tbird+ pickups in modern thunderbirds, just in a metal housing. Finding a set of TB+ pups and putting them in cans might be cheaper and easier than finding a set of 21NR pups. Unless of course Gibson should decide to treat the bass community the same way they treat their guitar community, by offering after market pup purchases.

As an alternative, I constantly hear from our Queen and others that Lull pups are the best, but they aren’t cheap. If you have a bass in mind that only needs one pup it certainly drives the upgrade cost down to more reasonable levels.

I don't think the new NR pickups sound like TB Plus so much, comparing my '06 Studio and the 2021 NR is like Apples and Oranges to me.
Lull pickups are expensive, it seemed most everybody that played my '89 at the California GTG liked them a lot, I do know that they are available, you'd likely just have to call the shop directly to buy them. They are on my FB and regularly post shots of their PT series basses ( 7ender based designs) which utilize their Thunderbird pickup.

 

[GBassNorth]

I don't think the new NR pickups sound like TB Plus so much, comparing my '06 Studio and the 2021 NR is like Apples and Oranges to me.
Lull pickups are expensive, it seemed most everybody that played my '89 at the California GTG liked them a lot, I do know that they are available, you'd likely just have to call the shop directly to buy them. They are on my FB and regularly post shots of their PT series basses ( 7ender based designs) which utilize their Thunderbird pickup.

Never played a Tbird Studio so can’t comment on that. But back to back, my 2013 anniversary bird with warm rounds sounds in the same ballpark as my 21 NR with bright flats. I suppose if they both had the same strings I might hear more of a difference.

 

[JIO]

“Farmers” was not a group anywhere I ever lived, or at least in any school I went to. It’s a big country we live in, lol.

 

[TBird1958]

Never played a Tbird Studio so can’t comment on that. But back to back, my 2013 anniversary bird with warm rounds sounds in the same ballpark as my 21 NR with bright flats. I suppose if they both had the same strings I might hear more of a difference.

Structurally they are the same bass, the neck on a Studio and the 2021 are almost identical as well, through my rig there's quite a noticeable difference. I have SIT Power Steels on the Studio they seem to bring a nice authoritative roar out of the TB Plus - no complaints from me!

 

[MCF]

I was gifted the M-Audio Midi keyboard but had to buy a few things to use & transport it. The Yamaha FB-01 (recommended by a friend) has lots of fun banks. Looking forward to learning how to use/play it.
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I’m resisting the urge to get a keyboard now for the Basement of Great Times. (I think I’m more of an optimist than Will is)! But I’ll wait a couple years. One of the requirements is emulating the Farfisa sound. Will this rig do that? This is how it looks now. There’s a huge old table in the corner from a prior owner that’s become a great spot to work on basses. It could become a recording desk. We’ll see. There will be new carpet, paint, bass wall rack. And a walled off area could become the guitar work area.

 

[TBird1958]

You really need to play that bass in your band, otherwise you'll never get to hear it the way it's supposed to sound.

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I will at some point, but my new bandmates are a bit exuberant during rehearsal and they don't realize how expensive or fragile that bass is, so for now it stays upstairs ( Not like I don't have a bass or two to play).
I have been meaning to post a shot of the finished basement, Frank did a great job! It's a bit "sharp" right now now, but its really a nice room to make music and model trains in - potential GTG site ( and sleeping area for Jeff ) too!

 

[JIO]

love this - in the Dead Can Dance vein...

 

[MCF]

Sat should be fun….. mountain folk craving live music at the only saloon left out of over 80 drinking holes in the (ex)logging town of Boulder Creek…..
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Chucky,

Save one of those for me. I’ll frame it and put on the wall of the music room.