Thunderbird Club

[PaleAngel_90]

Sounds like you got a keeper! Lookin out for number one!

Now you just need a second bird for backup when gigging (always take two basses to a gig, even if one never comes out of the case).

Then of course you’ll need one strung up in flats and another in tapes, so that’s bass numbers 3 and 4.

Don’t forget the all important issue of “stage presence”, so you’ll need a white bass for when you wear dark clothes and a dark bass for when you wear light colored clothes. That’s basses 5 and 6.

Then you’ll need a collector or some vintage bass that’s so valuable it never leaves home but is a monster in the studio. That’s bass number 7.

Don’t forget, no Tbird player would be complete without at least one Non Reverse in the line up, that’s bass number 8.

Then there’s the tonal nuance that can only be achieved with a single pickup Thunderbird II. That’s bass number 9.

To round out the line up you’ll need to get a beater, like a Goth that you can mod or alter to your liking. That’s 10 Tbirds and a good start.

Just let us know when you have at least $500 saved up and we’ll help you spend it.

Thanks, but no thanks. Lol. I'm planning on changing the pickguard, bridge and strings (to Rotos Flatwounds 77 Jazz) and except for the pickguard none of the other two are cheap. Maybe I'll get a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Precision Sunburst in the future, when I can afford it and have gotten my bird where I want it to be in regards to customizing it to my tastes.

 

[Stealth57]

What are you talking about? Soccer?

I know you don’t like fútbol. I was just poking fun with the 7 nil score.

 

[GonePlaid]

Another track from my "alter ego" project. I almost played it with the VP but ended up using my friend's 1977 Fender Jazz. Suited for the zeuhl-ish bass thing I was after. One friend helped out with the drums, other wrote the melody and played the solo synth.

Cool.

 

[PaleAngel_90]

I know you don’t like fútbol. I was just poking fun with the 7 nil score.

Oh okay, makes sense.

 

[Engle]

Another track from my "alter ego" project. I almost played it with the VP but ended up using my friend's 1977 Fender Jazz. Suited for the zeuhl-ish bass thing I was after. One friend helped out with the drums, other wrote the melody and played the solo synth.

Nicely done! It also evokes Yes for me as far as style.

 

[icefly]

Finally got it, next to my friend's Squier who hasn't come to pick it up yet.

Luthier gave a nice touch, using same paint on inlays; my touch: told him to add "Precision Bass since 1951" on his decal.

 

[dagrev]

I do have to say, that Jazz is stunning in looks. Even has my favorite bridge for a Jazz, and in my favorite jazz color scheme. Haven’t tried yours yet, but I have owned and still own a lot of Jazz basses and anymore, I just can’t get along with the Jazz pickups as readily as I do humbuckers or split P’s. I’ve tried dual Jazz pups thinking it would give me that humbucker sound I like, but on the one bass I have them I like them even less than Jazz single coils.

I've had four Js over the years and never liked them as much as a Pbass and certainly not a Thunderbird. Single coils never really hit the magic zone for me. That is until I put some SIT Dave Elffeson strings on the '62. For my tastes it's the best sound I've ever had our of a Jazz. Everything else has been OK to kind of good, but I love playing this bass now and look forward to it. I'm trying different strings on the '71 and the SIT Power Steels sound very good and may be the string. All that to say, possibly more string experiments may yield better results than you are currently experiencing. I honestly resigned myself to having two Js that were rare and cool, but just sounded OK. I got the Dave Elffeson's on a fluke for $14 and so glad I took a chance on them.

 

[dagrev]

The sweet J is Chuckies - being played in his house at the T-bird gathering earlier this year. Jeff & Chucky played a few of my basses when they 'dropped by' the following week.

I love all my basses with a number of differences - can't say one is 'better' than the other. I use a few consistently for specific applications (a few for TC's and my '66 J exclusively for BG)

View attachment 4883005View attachment 4883018

What's the orange bass to the far left? Looks like Fender's Sunset Orange (if transparent) and looks like P/J.

 

[dagrev]

Another track from my "alter ego" project. I almost played it with the VP but ended up using my friend's 1977 Fender Jazz. Suited for the zeuhl-ish bass thing I was after. One friend helped out with the drums, other wrote the melody and played the solo synth.

Nice playing. Reminds a little of a modern version of the Allman Bros Band and Yes, in a good way. I love instrumentals.

 

[dagrev]

 

[BklynKen]

I've had four Js over the years and never liked them as much as a Pbass and certainly not a Thunderbird. Single coils never really hit the magic zone for me. That is until I put some SIT Dave Elffeson strings on the '62. For my tastes it's the best sound I've ever had our of a Jazz. Everything else has been OK to kind of good, but I love playing this bass now and look forward to it. I'm trying different strings on the '71 and the SIT Power Steels sound very good and may be the string. All that to say, possibly more string experiments may yield better results than you are currently experiencing. I honestly resigned myself to having two Js that were rare and cool, but just sounded OK. I got the Dave Elffeson's on a fluke for $14 and so glad I took a chance on them.

That's so cool, Donnie. The David Ellefsons are basically Power Wounds, right? The nickel version of Power Steel.

 

[dagrev]

That's so cool, Donnie. The David Ellefsons are basically Power Wounds, right? The nickel version of Power Steel.

I really can't figure them out. In one place it talked about custom gages that Dave used, but they are the normal SITs in that respect. There is a Steel version, but mine are NPS. It's been a while since I played the PWs, but am curious to compare at some point. And, there is a Fusion wound version as well. When I searched months ago, a seller had more info than SIT. Correct or making it up?

I would say these are bright for NPS and sound big.

 

[dagrev]

We have family over tomorrow and not sure when I will get to the interwebs, but wish everyone a great Thanksgiving. One of the many things I'm thankful for is this club and the members that make life a little bit more full, and dare I say a lot more interesting.

 

[GBassNorth]

Thanks! Great description too. I haven't really listened to the 'Dead that much but Yes I have. A lot.
The track's title might sound a little bit pompous but it's nicked from Black Sabbath (one of those extra titles they had in US/Canada releases, like "Bassically" or "The Straightener" or "The Haunting"). This one appears only on sheet music 'though, it's the name of the intro to my fav Black Sabbath song.

Think of the Grateful Dead as a Trippy version of the Allman Brothers Band. Long rambling free form jams that sometimes turn into a structured song, sometimes not, sometimes relaxing, sometimes frantic but always fitting for the drugs at hand. Prime example…

Now combine that with the perfect lock step high energy progressive rock style of the early Yes years (think Fragile album) and you have your band (at least on that one song). I love the style and the sound!

 

[Hondapunk]

Think of the Grateful Dead as a Trippy version of the Allman Brothers Band. Long rambling free form jams that sometimes turn into a structured song, sometimes not, sometimes relaxing, sometimes frantic but always fitting for the drugs at hand. Prime example…

Now combine that with the perfect lock step high energy progressive rock style of the early Yes years (think Fragile album) and you have your band. I love the style and the sound!

And here's a more familiar cover tune in the repertoire from the down and dirty Pig Pen days. Notice the all Gibson lineup, SG ,ES and EB . Mix in a bunch of stoned goofy dancing Canadians

 

[Hondapunk]

And here's a more familiar cover tune in the repertoire from the down and dirty Pig Pen days. Notice the all Gibson lineup, SG ,ES and EB . Mix in a bunch of stoned goofy dancing Canadians

 

[PhR75]

It's funny, everyone 'round here where I live have commented that the song "sounds like Camel". Especially the guitar harmony melody. I take that as a big compliment too. I aimed for the Magma/zeuhl -vibe (especially with the bass sound but some parts too), told the drummer to play "a lot, use the china" and since he is not very familiar with Christian Vander I think I mentioned 70's style Simon Phillips to him. As a reference only, he really has his own style and nailed the song with two takes.

The synth player who wrote that theme/melody is more of Wigwam/Pekka Pohjola guy, I'm not sure if he listens to Camel or Yes or ABB even. Definitely not Magma.

Anyway, it's great to see how something sounds or feels to other people. Especially if they're not saying "this sounds like crap!".

 

[PhR75]

Finally got it, next to my friend's Squier who hasn't come to pick it up yet.

Luthier gave a nice touch, using same paint on inlays; my touch: told him to add "Precision Bass since 1951" on his decal.

Would love to hear a soundclip!

 

[BklynKen]

I really can't figure them out. In one place it talked about custom gages that Dave used, but they are the normal SITs in that respect. There is a Steel version, but mine are NPS. It's been a while since I played the PWs, but am curious to compare at some point. And, there is a Fusion wound version as well. When I searched months ago, a seller had more info than SIT. Correct or making it up?

I would say these are bright for NPS and sound big.

Almost positive that those are just Power Wounds, which are nickel versions of Power Steel. The Fusion Wound are the RB. They just renamed then. Doing some rebranding I guess. It would make sense if they'd combine the Power Wound and Power Steel into just Power Wound Nickel and Stainless. The Power Steel packaging now looks out of place.

 

[GBassNorth]

I've had four Js over the years and never liked them as much as a Pbass and certainly not a Thunderbird. Single coils never really hit the magic zone for me. That is until I put some SIT Dave Elffeson strings on the '62. For my tastes it's the best sound I've ever had our of a Jazz. Everything else has been OK to kind of good, but I love playing this bass now and look forward to it. I'm trying different strings on the '71 and the SIT Power Steels sound very good and may be the string. All that to say, possibly more string experiments may yield better results than you are currently experiencing. I honestly resigned myself to having two Js that were rare and cool, but just sounded OK. I got the Dave Elffeson's on a fluke for $14 and so glad I took a chance on them.

Tried many different strings on my Jazz basses over the years in hopes of getting a sound I was really thrilled with. Just never happened. But then again I never tried SIT strings on any of my Jazz basses. Tried flats, nickel rounds, cobalts, stainless rounds, coated elixers, black beauties, black tapes and white tapes. I had a bunch of money in my Jazz basses and really really wanted them to work well for me, the magic just never materialized. Not knocking Jazz basses, mine were/are all well built decent players, they just never delivered the sound I was chasing.

Note: one exception, my Warwick Thumb BO5 with dual Jazz pickups is quite possibly one of the top three best sounding basses in my collection. But it sounds nothing like a traditional Fender Jazz, it’s more of a subsonic buzz saw.