Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

I will say i prefer The HawkBuckers over my Lollars.

Wow! That's a great recommendation. Among many things, I'd love to do a bass with the SD HBers.

 

[JJR58]

Wow! That's great recommendation. Among many things, I'd love to do a bass with the SD HBers.

Proof for me is the one in my Precision.
I'd love a set for my burst bird.

 

[Engle]

My R&B band practice got cancelled yesterday, so I had a rock jam at my place. Good time to play the VP!
When the singer called “God is a Bullet” we decided to watch a bit of the video to refresh our memories:

 

[bobyoung53]

Those weak of heart may want to look away, but my '68 Custom Kraft 34" scale (EADG) hollow-body (with extended string-stop floating bridge) is very long. As long as my '64 T-bird. I got the longest string I could find at the time, and they were still too short. So I pealed back the silk winding and never looked back. Plays great, sounds great, and never had an issue playing it live and in the recording studio. Not "ideal" looking (but disclosing that the silk wrap is a purely cosmetic addition) - functionally, removing it had no effect on the strings ability to produce the required (and quality) sound/tone.

View attachment 4867043
...pic taken right after I got it and before I installed the red-silk flat-wound strings - I'll have to take a current pic of both.
View attachment 4867044

I love that Custom Craft bass, aren't there are extra long scale strings you could get for that?

 

[bobyoung53]

Yep, that top one! The blackbird.

Hate the inlays and pickguard logo, but love everything else about it.

Can you imagine$799 for a USA thunderbird.

I think it has a hand grip on the bottom for heavy metal posing

I think the top one is an Epi though.

 

[bobyoung53]

Change the pickguard and not bad.

Inlays aren't great though

Yes, it has a beautiful finish, I don't like the inlays or the pickguard either either but that finish is really beautiful.

 

[lidl e]

I think the top one is an Epi though.

Ah.

Here's the real deal

 

[bobyoung53]

Ah.

Here's the real deal

View attachment 4867238

Yup, it's got the switch. That would drive me nuts.

 

[lidl e]

Yup, it's got the switch. That would drive me nuts.

I kind of like the idea.

What I don't understand is that handle behind the bridge. What do you possibly need that for besides posing.

 

[bobyoung53]

I kind of like the idea.

What I don't understand is that handle behind the bridge. What do you possibly need that for besides posing.

That picture is so dark I can't see it but I remember it now, don't ask me what it's for. I'd actually like an off/on switch if they left the vol./tone controls but I like to blend pickups, not always run them wide open.

 

[lidl e]

That picture is so dark I can't see it but I remember it now, don't ask me what it's for. I'd actually like an off/on switch if they left the vol./tone controls but I like to blend pickups, not always run them wide open.

Yeah, it's there if you zoom in.

It doesn't even seem like good placement. I know he plays a lot of root notes, but you still need a free hand to play them

 

[dagrev]

I kind of like the idea.

What I don't understand is that handle behind the bridge. What do you possibly need that for besides posing.

It's a pinky loop. Seems he uses it so he can run around and his hand is hooked in place with his pinky finger so his hand always where it needs to be.

 

[lidl e]

It's a pinky loop. Seems he uses it so he can run around and his hand is hooked in place with his pinky finger so his hand always where it needs to be.

Ah!!! 20 year old mystery solved.

I forgot he's a pick player. I guess it makes sense, but looks like it could grt aore

 

[bobyoung53]

grt aore

Gaelic?

 

[Stealth57]

It's a pinky loop. Seems he uses it so he can run around and his hand is hooked in place with his pinky finger so his hand always where it needs to be.

For me it would be a pinky snapper. I'm sure I'd forget to remove my finger when moving the bass.

 

[bobyoung53]

It's a pinky loop. Seems he uses it so he can run around and his hand is hooked in place with his pinky finger so his hand always where it needs to be.

I wouldn't want to trip with my little finger stuck through a handle like that, owwwww!!!!

 

[bobyoung53]

For me it would be a pinky snapper. I'm sure I'd forget to remove my finger when moving the bass.

Exactly, great minds think alike.

 

[Stealth57]

Exactly, great minds think alike.

Claro que si...

 

[lidl e]

Gaelic?

Get sore!

I don't speak Irish, but my wife and son are fluent!

 

[TBird1958]

Nikki would often anchor his picking hand with what he called the "Opti-Grab" ( taken from the Steve Martin movie "The Jerk") both of his Sig Thunderbirds had them - also good for routing you cable out.
As one that plays with a pick near the bridge I understand, though my preference is to have a bridge cover to lay my pinkie across.

Pinkie on the bridge!