Thunderbird Club

[bobyoung53]

You and I like fairly low action so that comes into play too.

My 2018 LE Bird came stock with a Babicz, I like it.

 

[MCF]

who makes that???

North Guitars of Southern California. The builder is a great guy.

 

[Hondapunk]

Scathing 2 minute review. Anybody play one ?

 

[bobyoung53]

haha. My avatars are sometimes more of a vision board. I’m not really into cars but have had a chance to drive many nice ones through the years and the only apple of my eye—much like a Thunderbird—is a C1 Corvette, I can’t make my mind up between a ‘57 or ‘59. These rare cars happen to pop up in my life at interesting moments, so I like to play into the idea that I’m meant to have one someday. It also helps that the local (Monterey) annual car show keeps my dream alive

Check out the restomod that Kevin Hart bought in an auction a couple of years ago…

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gorgeous!

Beautiful but lose the wheels.

 

[MCF]

Come on down, you can jam on all the basses in the house, plenty to choose from.

Now that I’ve had the BlingBird for about a year I’m finding that I go about dialing it in almost completely opposite from all my other birds. On my other Tbirds I have a tendency to solo the neck pup with the tone at half up or less and maybe tweak in a bit of the bridge pickup if needed for clarity or for the mix.

However, on this bird I usually dial the bridge pickup tone to full bright and vol near max, then blend in the neck pickup volume with tone full off to thicken it up nicely and add heft, finally I use the middle pickup volume and tone to fine tune the overall sound and add mid range richness and punch to the mix. The finished product is an exceptionally rich, complex and full sounding tone, more high fidelity than I’ve ever achieved with a passive bass.

I’d love to hear somebody else with more talent and skill than I have play it.

Let me know if Geo plans to visit. I’m still trying to get back down really soon.

 

[AlexMG]

North Guitars of Southern California. The builder is a great guy.

Thanks! Is there a website? I’m getting all kinds of results.

 

[bobyoung53]

I’ve always thought that guy was years ahead of his time OR on serious drugs. Maybe even both.

That song has always cracked me up. I love those old novelty tunes, They're Coming to Take Me Away- Napoleon XIV, for example.

 

[BklynKen]

I’d be a nervous wreck with that tripod leg that close to the door and walkway. Other than that - Knock ‘em dead!

Thanks! And not as bad as you think. That's the back door that doesn't really get used.

 

[MCF]

will do, it’s a 2004 VS modified with gold hardware. I got it here on the classifieds but the pickups were microphonic so it’s at my tech getting some Lollars installed. Still it was in my hands at all times, and I’ve been missing it a ton each day. Will post a pic when I get it back.

Good choice on Lollars. I’m maybe going to put a set in the Pelham Blue CS LE IV. At least that’s what I want to do.

 

[bobyoung53]

Scathing 2 minute review. Anybody play one ?

They seem to be very polarizing amps, people either love them or hate them. A club out here has one as a house amp, the tone controls are not very intuitive and I had to start a thread here on how to use them. Once I learned how the thing impressed me but I would never buy one.

 

[MCF]

The Queen gave me an idea in another thread here, I think it's time we have an official theme, whaddya think?

The bird is the word!

Got my vote.

 

[GBassNorth]

haha. My avatars are sometimes more of a vision board. I’m not really into cars but have had a chance to drive many nice ones through the years and the only apple of my eye—much like a Thunderbird—is a C1 Corvette, I can’t make my mind up between a ‘57 or ‘59. These rare cars happen to pop up in my life at interesting moments, so I like to play into the idea that I’m meant to have one someday. It also helps that the local (Monterey) annual car show keeps my dream alive

Check out the restomod that Kevin Hart bought in an auction a couple of years ago…

Invalid Link Removed
gorgeous!

That’s breathtaking! If you get a ‘57 or ‘59 I’m movin in with you!

I like the ‘57 model best in the C1 series, but only because it’s my birth year. I like the C2 model best for its racing heritage with ‘67 as my favorite year. I had two C3 models, a ‘71 and a ‘74 but my favorite year for the C3 would be ‘73 with the rubber nose and chrome tail look or the ‘69 for the high performance engine options. At the time of the C4 launch I really liked that model and almost bought one but I’m kinda glad I didn’t, I don’t think the look aged very well compared to previous models. The current offering is a super car by any standard except cost and has a definite Ferrari vibe, but I’d still take a ‘57 or ‘67 over it.

 

[MCF]

Scathing 2 minute review. Anybody play one ?

Wow. Pretty brutal. I know GC is the main dealer here so unless he bought the extended Warranty, he’s SOL. That’s one reason I use Sweetwater (they don’t carry Markbass). They give you a two year warranty on gear.

 

[MCF]

Thanks! Is there a website? I’m getting all kinds of results.

I replied to your post with tongue planted firmly in cheek. George is one of the Club members here. But maybe he should start doing builds for us…

 

[GBassNorth]

North Guitars of Southern California. The builder is a great guy.

LOL
Marshall, you’re too kind! And an equally great guy.
And for the record, there isn’t a single schmuck in this club, just tons of really cool players with really cool basses and really cool interests. That’s hard to say about any club with nearly 900 members in it. Must be something about the Tbird that draws out the best in people.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

The Queen gave me an idea in another thread here, I think it's time we have an official theme, whaddya think?

The bird is the word!

I think this sums up how some non-bird-owners see this club.

 

[AlexMG]

I replied to your post with tongue planted firmly in cheek. George is one of the Club members here. But maybe he should start doing builds for us…

I thought as much but wasn’t sure if it would violate a soliciting rule here on the forums to ask GBNorth directly

 

[Miles_ONeal]

For sure! Pretty glad I found about them now but had I played one earlier in life I may have laid down the guitar and become a bassist. I bought a cheap bass to record with over a decade ago and sold it shortly after, thought I didn’t care for it, silly me. Needed a bass this year and ended up getting a G2 Simmons in my hands and I was hooked. The sound kicked off my quest for P basses, Jazz basses and a couple of boutique ones but in the end the Thunderbirds give me everything I’m looking for.
I ended up getting a second one here on the classifieds and love it even more due to the neck being slimmer —a better fit for my hands. It also sounds quite different from the Simmons model. It’s in the shop now getting the microphonic pickups retrofitted and there hasn’t been a single day I haven’t missed it.
In the meantime, I’m trying to learn more about them here and through others collections/experiences as they’re the only bass that really make me curious of all the makes and models. I wish there was an in depth book or resource about Thunderbirds exclusively. If you happen to know, please point me in the right direction! Thanks!

I always knew if I played bass I'd start with a Thunderbird. I just wish someone had talked to me early on about playing bass instead of guitar.

 

[GBassNorth]

Let me know if Geo plans to visit. I’m still trying to get back down really soon.

Cool - a SoCal GTG! I’ll keep you posted. @JIO does come south occasionally for cycling events just south of Santa Barbara. I told him I’d meet him in Carpinteria for food and drinks when he’s in town, you’re welcome to join us. Better yet would be if he could make it another 30 minute drive from there to my house where we could all dig into some bass gear while we have food and drinks.

 

[JIO]

Good move on dealing with band conformity. Nothing worse than a heavy hitting drummer which compels the guitarist to turn up, followed by the bassist, keys and singer. The BL should drive the overall volume level and each player should be mindful of how they are supposed to sit in the mix on any given song.

I’ve been in more than one bar situation as an audience member where the music was so incredibly loud you flat out could not converse even when practically yelling to the person you’re sitting at the bar with. Just got up and left, never went back to those venues.

Dinner music settings are even more volume critical. In the majority of those settings (at least early in the evening when dinner is on the table) the band is supposed to be background or mood music. Later in the evening when it’s just drinks on the tables the volume can go up a bit to encourage dancing and drinking. A good BL will know when to turn up and when not to, and a good band will follow that lead.

Agree. Cherie (BG) and I (TSC's) as BL's are very happy campers right now in terms of volume.