Thunderbird Club

[GBassNorth]

I suppose it would be something akin to those blurry romantic shots in old movies with Vaseline or whatever they used on the lense.

LOL - I hope they used a filter on the lens to soften or blur the photo.

 

[dagrev]

I've been using those for years. Mine came with a rubber piece that you were supposed to stretch over the top and connect to the other side to prevent the bass from falling. I never used it and the one I brought out is missing.

Yeah, one of mine is like that as well. Ill-conceived idea. What exactly is it going to do if it tilts over? If it tilts that much, it's all going over on the floor anyway. But will still be strapped in the stand, for what it's worth.

 

[dagrev]

LOL - I hope they used a filter on the lens to soften or blur the photo.

Sounds silly I know. I once read that was a trick they used to get that soft blur. I didn't read it on the interwebs so it has a ever so slightly higher probability to being correct. I concede I know nothing of photography or film making and could be impressionable--aka, wildly wrong!

 

[AlexMG]

@AlexMG
Welcome to the club!
Very nice! You don’t see gold hardware on the tobacco burst birds very often, looks great. Will the lollars be Gold as well?

Lollars will be gold to go along with the rest of the hardware including the tuners (see pic). I also got a couple of different sets of knobs with gold accents to see which look best. Previous owner added the gold tuners and bridge. Honestly, gold, black and brown— that’s my style 100%

 

[bobyoung53]

Yeah, one of mine is like that as well. Ill-conceived idea. What exactly is it going to do if it tilts over? If it tilts that much, it's all going over on the floor anyway. But will still be strapped in the stand, for what it's worth.

Exactly. In fact someone pushed one of mine over frontwards and it did stay in but halfway broke the headstock, I don't remember whether I had the rubber piece on or off.

 

[GBassNorth]

Lollars will be good to go along with the rest of the hardware including the tuners (see pic). I also got a couple of different sets of knobs with gold accents to see which look best. Previous owner added the gold tuners and bridge. Honestly, gold, blackand brown— that’s my style 100%
View attachment 4893994

I’m partial to gold hardware especially on black, white and brown color basses (my avatar as a case in point).

 

[Count Bassie]

Sounds silly I know. I once read that was a trick they used to get that soft blur. I didn't read it on the interwebs so it has a ever so slightly higher probability to being correct. I concede I know nothing of photography or film making and could be impressionable--aka, wildly wrong!

It's true. Old tech, lol. Some of those things can work better than digital models of them.

 

[AlexMG]

I’m partial to gold hardware especially on black, white and brown color basses (my avatar as a case in point).

That bass of yours is very sweet indeed, kinda what caught my attention was the gold on brown, which I like so much. Did you ever try to see what it would look like with this guard?

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[RedVee]

I get the birth year thing-did Corvette make a prototype in '45?

I’ll take a ‘62.

(Although I do prefer the single headlight look.)

 

[GBassNorth]

thank you thank you!

I’m honored to be in the company of kind people with such great taste.

the stock pickups sounded rockin’ but were humming/microphonic. I hope the Lollars keep the vibe of what I liked so much about the stock ones without the added noise. Looking forward to contributing more when I get it back and learn a thing or two to make it worth everyone’s time.

So far I’ve tried a bunch of strings on this one and the G2 Simmons model. Really liked the Gibson strings the Simmons one came with but enjoyed the Roto 66’s, optima golds, and Dunlop Super Brights most of all. Those Dunlops are super playable and most versatile but have a tad less dirty growl than the Gibson and Roto strings. Open to suggestions!

If you’re interested in trying flats I’d give the Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats a try. If rounds are more your style and you don’t mind a pricey set of strings the Optima Golds (gold plated strings) would sound and look killer on that bass (they also last about four times longer than nickel rounds).

For those of you with the Hercules stand with the yoke hanger, how compact can it fold up? Since the Thunderbird is so impractical for standing upright, I've been thinking of getting one of these to take to gigs if it can fold up enough. I usually just slide it into the Gator case. You can see it here with the lower bout slightly popping out of the case.

View attachment 4893904

The GS1000 Pro+ is the most compact stand I’ve found when it’s folded up. It also uses an auto captive yoke like Hercules does vs that rubber band thing that always gets lost. Works every bit as good as my Hercules stands, but is much more compact when folded. Unlike the Hercules, the yoke is on a hinge so it can flip up and lay flat when folded.
GS-1000 Pro+

 

[GBassNorth]

That bass of yours is very sweet indeed, kinda what caught my attention was the gold on brown, which I like so much. Did you ever try to see what it would look like with this guard?

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Great minds think alike. In fact I do have that pickguard on my tobacco burst 2015 Tbird and a gold and black pick guard on my anniversary bird. I chose not to put one on the BlingBird because I didn’t want to cover up the maple figuring in the wood.

 

[BklynKen]

The GS1000 Pro+ is the most compact stand I’ve found when it’s folded up. It also uses a auto captive yoke like Hercules does vs that rubber band thing that always gets lost. Works every bit as good as my Hercules stands, but is much more compact when folded. Unlike the Hercules, the yoke is on a hinge so it can flip up and lay flat when folded.
GS-1000 Pro+

Oooh, thanks. I'll definitely consider this one. When you have a chance, would you mind measuring the length of it when folded?

Hercules now also has a version with the yoke that folds down. But yours probably folds smaller.

 

[JIO]

My late Sunday night Dec 4th 2022 listening 'pick' - enjoy

 

[Stealth57]

Great minds think alike. In fact I do have that pickguard on my tobacco burst 2015 Tbird and a gold and black pick guard on my anniversary bird. I chose not to put one on the BlingBird because I didn’t want to cover up the maple figuring in the wood.
View attachment 4894014

Or a Tobacco Burst 2018.

 

[AlexMG]

Great minds think alike. In fact I do have that pickguard on my tobacco burst 2015 Tbird and a gold and black pick guard on my anniversary bird. I chose not to put one on the BlingBird because I didn’t want to cover up the maple figuring in the wood.
View attachment 4894014

I understand, but even with that figuring the guard is just like a ‘hint’ of lingerie you know it’s hiding something beautiful, lol.
How do you like the 2015? Is that the one with the switches? I almost picked one up and regret kinda missing out.

 

[GBassNorth]

Oooh, thanks. I'll definitely consider this one. When you have a chance, would you mind measuring the length of it when folded?

Hercules now also has a version with the yoke that folds down. But yours probably folds smaller.

Here’s the GS1000 Pro+ all folded up as small as it will go next to a Hercules all folded up as small as it will go…

the GS is about 3” x 5” x 21” long all folded up and weighs about 2/3 as much as the Hercules. Both stands work equally well, but the GS is more transport friendly.

 

[GBassNorth]

I understand, but even with that figuring the guard is just like a ‘hint’ of lingerie you know it’s hiding something beautiful, lol.
How do you like the 2015? Is that the one with the switches? I almost picked one up and regret kinda missing out.

Yes it’s the model with the coil switches. I’ve had it for several years now, and to be honest I’ve been hot and cold on it. It’s a wonderfully balanced bass and flawless in every aspect except for one item. From day one I’ve been chasing an odd chorus type off tone issue that I thought was coming from the pickups.

The pickups have massive magnets in them which are so incredibly strong they actually pull the strings out of tune and intonation if you aren’t careful. I had tried about a dozen different string types on it trying to solve the problem until just a couple of days ago. I installed a set of Cobalt Flats on it and after bringing everything to pitch and setting the intonation I did what I normally do in my setups but had forgotten to do on this bass - I set the witness points. Since I’ve done that all chorus, off intonation or ghost harmonics have disappeared.

Now it sounds awesome and I’m finally getting a chance to really enjoy it.

 

[Stealth57]

Yes it’s the model with the coil switches. I’ve had it for several years now, and to be honest I’ve been hot and cold on it. It’s a wonderfully balanced bass and flawless in every aspect except for one item. From day one I’ve been chasing an odd chorus type off tone issue that I thought was coming from the pickups.

The pickups have massive magnets in them which are so incredibly strong they actually pull the strings out of tune and intonation if you aren’t careful. I had tried about a dozen different string types on it trying to solve the problem until just a couple of days ago. I installed a set of Cobalt Flats on it and after bringing everything to pitch and setting the intonation I did what I normally do in my setups but had forgotten to do on this bass - I set the witness points. Since I’ve done that all chorus, off intonation or ghost harmonics have disappeared.

Now it sounds awesome and I’m finally getting a chance to really enjoy it.

Marshall has one and is usually chained to his wrist.

 

[GBassNorth]

Marshall has one and is usually chained to his wrist.

I might have to do the same.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

me too, but I probably wouldn’t have listened… isn’t that attitude just right for a badass Tbird slinger?

anyway, I can get the greatest range of killer tones from the Thunderbird where others seem more like one trick ponies, granted I am really new at bass. Still, I get my most convincing James Jamerson tone with the Simmons TBird and some foam. Funk, rock, it sits better than anything else I’ve tried for my use. I can even cop this tone perfectly from some Spanish rock I grew up listening to:



Hope others enjoy the bass line!

i think it would have depended who told me and how, but yeah.

I haven’t found a sound I want that a bird can’t do.

Cool song. It - especially the bass line - has an 80s vibe.