Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
- Start date
-
- Tags
- club thunderbird
The Epi T-bird case should protect the bass more than the gigbag, no?
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,965
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I use that one (Gator) - it's form-fitted but minimal so I added two fitted foam sheets. Brought my '64 II in it to the T-bird get-together earlier this year at Chuckies, but it only "traveled" from my car to his house. I've used it for my Saundersbird & Gojira Fenderbirds more. You have to go out of your way to break a Fender neck.
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,965
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
The Gator case is lighter but more rugged in my opinion. It is a perfect fit for a IV but will not fit a CP or VP. Don’t know the model number or price as it came with the IV, which I bought used.
Bottom line is, the thunderbird headstock design with its tilt and truss rod route and two rod cover screw holes all in the same area with no volute is inherently a weaker design than the more robust Fender flat headstock. It’s perfectly adequate for its intended purpose but makes a lousy battering ram.
If you think you’ll be transporting your bird in places that it could get beat up and battered I’d recommend a hard case. If it’s just you carrying your bird to bass practice or a gig in your car where you do the load in and load out and you have a stand to put it on once you get inside, then a well made gig bag and a bit a caution on your part should be just fine. A hard case can be a PITA in public transportation situations and may get banged around even more than a bag, so even there a bag may be a better idea, as long as you are cautious about it and always have control of it.
A hard case is good for moving people out of your way on the metro...but not really a metro to worry about in las Islas Canarias.
Which one would protect the bass more? Which would last longer?
Yet... They're planning on building one from the capital of the island I live in to the south part of the island (the more tourist-focused part)
Above ground or tunnel? That volcanic rock would be fun to dig through
.
I think both would offer equal protection. My preference for the Gator is based on it being lighter, 4 latches vs 3, and the vinyl being tougher. I have both. The Epi case came with my CP. Either would be a good choice for a hard case. I guess it could come down to availability and price. The only other comment is the CP shape is slightly different than the IV. So, the CP won't fit the Gator case and the IV has a little bit of gap in the Epi case.
While we’re talking bags and hard cases - a funny but tragic story…
On one of my business trips to Japan I had some time to kill so went out and about looking for a guitar store to see if I could score a good deal on a bass of some kind. One of the stores I was in had a couple of Alembic Darling basses that looked pretty sweet. Big sign in the window said “No Touch” the sales persons were the only ones allowed to take a bass off the wall. You could hold it and look at it, but it was stretch wrapped, so you couldn’t play it unless they cut the wrapping off. There were basses and guitars every where in the store, to the point of actually being over crowded.
I had heard they are heavy basses and wanted to see for myself, so I asked the rep to take one down for me. Yep it was easily over 12 pounds, wayyy to much for my liking. I told him I wasn’t interested, but his barter and let’s do a deal personality took over. He dropped the price by 25%, I still wasn’t interested (@50% off I might have been). So I told him no. Then he started offering to throw in stuff for free, tuner, cables, string, cleaning supplies… I still wasn’t interested. So I told him I was there on business and had no way to get it home to the States safely and didn’t want to pay shipping fees. He quickly ran to the back room and came out with a metal flight case.
This case was built like a tank and probably weighed 25 pounds empty. Spring loaded handle, cam latches, huge metal corner bumpers, corrugated panels, locks, keys, thick thick foam interior that could be custom cut to match the bass and a silk bag to put the bass in. Certainly a very nice case, probably retailed well over $500 and he was going to throw it in for free. I still wasn’t interested and told him I had to leave. He wasn’t happy about the no sale and kinda stormed back to the back room with the metal case. On the way, he smashed the corner of the case into the face of a $20,000 PRS dragon guitar, knocking it off the rack and snapping the headstock. I figured I better leave quick before he blamed me!
Life Lesson - owning an indestructible metal moose of a bass case to safely house your precious gear only works when the precious gear is inside of it, until then anything and everything that is less robust than the case (including your precious bass) is at risk of catastrophic destruction if the two connect.
On one of my business trips to Japan I had some time to kill so went out and about looking for a guitar store to see if I could score a good deal on a bass of some kind. One of the stores I was in had a couple of Alembic Darling basses that looked pretty sweet. Big sign in the window said “No Touch” the sales persons were the only ones allowed to take a bass off the wall. You could hold it and look at it, but it was stretch wrapped, so you couldn’t play it unless they cut the wrapping off. There were basses and guitars every where in the store, to the point of actually being over crowded.
I had heard they are heavy basses and wanted to see for myself, so I asked the rep to take one down for me. Yep it was easily over 12 pounds, wayyy to much for my liking. I told him I wasn’t interested, but his barter and let’s do a deal personality took over. He dropped the price by 25%, I still wasn’t interested (@50% off I might have been). So I told him no. Then he started offering to throw in stuff for free, tuner, cables, string, cleaning supplies… I still wasn’t interested. So I told him I was there on business and had no way to get it home to the States safely and didn’t want to pay shipping fees. He quickly ran to the back room and came out with a metal flight case.
This case was built like a tank and probably weighed 25 pounds empty. Spring loaded handle, cam latches, huge metal corner bumpers, corrugated panels, locks, keys, thick thick foam interior that could be custom cut to match the bass and a silk bag to put the bass in. Certainly a very nice case, probably retailed well over $500 and he was going to throw it in for free. I still wasn’t interested and told him I had to leave. He wasn’t happy about the no sale and kinda stormed back to the back room with the metal case. On the way, he smashed the corner of the case into the face of a $20,000 PRS dragon guitar, knocking it off the rack and snapping the headstock. I figured I better leave quick before he blamed me!
Life Lesson - owning an indestructible metal moose of a bass case to safely house your precious gear only works when the precious gear is inside of it, until then anything and everything that is less robust than the case (including your precious bass) is at risk of catastrophic destruction if the two connect.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,965
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
SMF was a short-lived on & off & on power trio with two brothers, Mark & Johnny. We rocked, but they were a couple of odd ducks. They live on a hill above the ocean, which eventually will erode into the ocean as property near them already has. But it was pretty cool to be rockin' out with a hang-glider occasionally drifting by the window. Actual sunset over the ocean - no colour manipulation. The coolest space I've ever rehearsed in.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,965
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
OMG - that guy had a very bad day...
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,965
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Wonder which one was the drummer
Mark gave meaning to the phrase; "odd man out", unless you were referring to brother Johnny.
We're still friends, I sold Johnny my SWR rig that I used there - haven't seen them since Covid.
