Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

Big Hipshot fan as well. I usually equip all my basses with an xtender, with some of them getting bridges as well, either the KickAss or the SuperTone. I've yet to used their other tuners though.

Here's an example of Hipshot converting an '80s Ibanez tuner into an xtender. Sadly no more.

 

[bobyoung53]

That's so great!

But also great is what YT followed it with for me- the Dick Cavett show that aired the day after Woodstock, with Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, and Crosby&Stills. I found it interesting that JA played it straight even though the guitars clearly were not plugged in. So often they mocked the faux live performance by doing things that would clearly screw up the guitar playability (a rubber octopus through the strings, etc.) It could have been because they were exhausted and fried, having just come from Woodstock, but I like to think they respected Dick for the stage he gave rock musicians in a time so many looked down on them.[1][2] This appears to be a recording from a TV, which begs the question of how the "We Can be Together" lyrics got past the censors. JA had a contract that let them do whatever they wanted lyrically and musically from RCA's standpoint (or so I have read), but network censors wouldn't care. Anyway, this is a great show.

If I could go back and see any one concert I missed, it would be Woodstock. Mud, rain, roaches and all. 8^)

[1] EDIT: I don't see instrument cables, but these are not the album versions. What's going on?
[2] EDIT: In the extended jam, I can see instrument cables. So that explains it!

JA one of my all time favorite bands. I missed it too and every friend I had in the world went and I got sick of hearing about it , lots of mud anyway. I also hitched to California and go there the same weekend as Altimont and didn't know about it which is probably a good thing. That sounds live to me and I can see the cables. Jack's bass sounds great as usual.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Who knows. A 360 cabinet is a powered folded horn cabinet with an 18. A 301 is basically the same only unpowered. A 406 has a couple front firing 15s. A 408 has two front firing 15s and two 15s firing at each other in a slot between the front firing drivers. An 811 is a PA speaker with four front firing 15s. An 812 cabinet is a midrange horn with six piezo drivers if I remember right.

Confused? The head and power amp designations don't make any more sense.

hadn’t heard of the 408…..did it have the integrated power amp? sounds like a beast….

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yamaha makes quality instruments, and motorcycles too! 2023 is the 25th anniversary of the YZF-RI. Can you say, consistently awesome for 25 years?

View attachment 4982496

like Seneca used to say….”there’s no error in chaos”….

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yes, that rat hair only looks "good" (if one is so inclined), brand new. Starts looking nasty after that. Personally not a fan of that on anything. Likely doesn't even look good on rats.

dunno….cats seem to really like scratching that stuff…

 

[TBird1958]

dunno….cats seem to really like scratching that stuff…

Mine certainly does!

 

[PhR75]

I think Neil Murray used the 408 cab during the early 80's. He also had the Moog Synamp added to the system a bit later when he played with Gary Moore in 1982 and '83. The Synamp was related to the Lab Series as those were designed partly by Moog.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[GonePlaid]

That's so great!

But also great is what YT followed it with for me- the Dick Cavett show that aired the day after Woodstock, with Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, and Crosby&Stills. I found it interesting that JA played it straight even though the guitars clearly were not plugged in. So often they mocked the faux live performance by doing things that would clearly screw up the guitar playability (a rubber octopus through the strings, etc.) It could have been because they were exhausted and fried, having just come from Woodstock, but I like to think they respected Dick for the stage he gave rock musicians in a time so many looked down on them.[1][2] This appears to be a recording from a TV, which begs the question of how the "We Can be Together" lyrics got past the censors. JA had a contract that let them do whatever they wanted lyrically and musically from RCA's standpoint (or so I have read), but network censors wouldn't care. Anyway, this is a great show.

If I could go back and see any one concert I missed, it would be Woodstock. Mud, rain, roaches and all. 8^)

[1] EDIT: I don't see instrument cables, but these are not the album versions. What's going on?
[2] EDIT: In the extended jam, I can see instrument cables. So that explains it!

I was at the "Atlanta Pot Feast", er, "Pop Festival" in '69. Lotta the same performers. Stage at one end of an oval banked racetrack. Hotter than the hinges. Lived on PepsiTM and garlic pickles for 3 days, slept-some-in my '63 Volvo PV 544.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I think Neil Murray used the 408 cab during the early 80's. He also had the Moog Synamp added to the system a bit later when he played with Gary Moore in 1982 and '83. The Synamp was related to the Lab Series as those were designed partly by Moog.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I remember that top pic from Guitar Player magazine.. Aria advert if I recall…

 

[GBassNorth]

I’m really pumped!
Just got done with a temporary proof of concept wiring job for the VP NR WiP (that Epiphone won’t build). To be true to the VP design I used the same pickups, pot and cap values as the Eppi. I also used the vintage neck pup location but chose to use the modern bridge pup location to thicken up that pup a bit. But the real unknown was the control layout I designed. It’s a dedicated vol/tone stack for each pickup (like my BlingBird build) except this one now goes through a master volume control.

It works phenomenally good and is exactly what the VP needed to get to the next level. I played it back to back with my stock VP for a couple of hours and found the NR WiP has a much broader tonal palette than the Eppi VP (thanks to the dedicated tone control for each pickup). The addition of a master volume makes working with a two volume bass a breeze.

The Wenge/Wenge neck (which required quite a bit of fret leveling, crowning and sprout work) seems to add a good degree of clarity to the sound and really boosts the low and high mids for an awesome punch with presence effect, no mush in this one. Overall it’s every bit as deep as the VP, but even more aggressive and yet a cleaner sound.

Some progress pics:
Slapped together for a sound check…

A shot of the very tight control cavity, preliminary wiring test…

Next steps - take it all apart, fill in the fender bridge holes and ground wire route in the body; trace out a custom pickguard template; finish dressing the frets near the heel; ship the body off to either Pat Wilkins or another finisher for a metallic gold mist poly finish (is that the same as shoreline gold???); contact Irv to make a custom cream or parchment pickguard from the template.

 

[GonePlaid]

I’m really pumped!
Just got done with a temporary proof of concept wiring job for the VP NR WiP (that Epiphone won’t build). To be true to the VP design I used the same pickups, pot and cap values as the Eppi. I also used the vintage neck pup location but chose to use the modern bridge pup location to thicken up that pup a bit. But the real unknown was the control layout I designed. It’s a dedicated vol/tone stack for each pickup (like my BlingBird build) except this one now goes through a master volume control.

It works phenomenally good and is exactly what the VP needed to get to the next level. I played it back to back with my stock VP for a couple of hours and found the NR WiP has a much broader tonal palette than the Eppi VP (thanks to the dedicated tone control for each pickup). The addition of a master volume makes working with a two volume bass a breeze.

The Wenge/Wenge neck (which required quite a bit of fret leveling, crowning and sprout work) seems to add a good degree of clarity to the sound and really boosts the low and high mids for an awesome punch with presence effect, no mush in this one. Overall it’s every bit as deep as the VP, but even more aggressive and yet a cleaner sound.

Some progress pics:
Slapped together for a sound check…
View attachment 4983311

A shot of the very tight control cavity, preliminary wiring test…
View attachment 4983312

Next steps - take it all apart, fill in the fender bridge holes and ground wire route in the body; trace out a custom pickguard template; finish dressing the frets near the heel; ship the body off to either Pat Wilkins or another finisher for a metallic gold mist poly finish (is that the same as shoreline gold???); contact Irv to make a custom cream or parchment pickguard from the template.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I was at the "Atlanta Pot Feast", er, "Pop Festival" in '69. Lotta the same performers. Stage at one end of an oval banked racetrack. Hotter than the hinges. Lived on PepsiTM and garlic pickles for 3 days, slept-some-in my '63 Volvo PV 544.

I entered 9th grade in the fall of 69. No way my parents were going to let me go to any of those things: I was only 13 most of the year!

 

[GBassNorth]

Found this helpful guide…

 

[RedVee]

Next steps - take it all apart, fill in the fender bridge holes and ground wire route in the body; trace out a custom pickguard template; finish dressing the frets near the heel; ship the body off to either Pat Wilkins or another finisher for a metallic gold mist poly finish (is that the same as shoreline gold???); contact Irv to make a custom cream or parchment pickguard from the template.

Found this helpful guide…
View attachment 4983328

Yep, afaik in 59 Olds Gold Mist was the same as Pontiacs Shoreline Gold. Caddy & (maybe) Buick had different names again.

I think Gibson for the Firebird mostly used 59 Olds names and Fender mainly used Cadillac names.

 

[Instagator]

I’m really pumped!
Just got done with a temporary proof of concept wiring job for the VP NR WiP (that Epiphone won’t build). To be true to the VP design I used the same pickups, pot and cap values as the Eppi. I also used the vintage neck pup location but chose to use the modern bridge pup location to thicken up that pup a bit. But the real unknown was the control layout I designed. It’s a dedicated vol/tone stack for each pickup (like my BlingBird build) except this one now goes through a master volume control.

It works phenomenally good and is exactly what the VP needed to get to the next level. I played it back to back with my stock VP for a couple of hours and found the NR WiP has a much broader tonal palette than the Eppi VP (thanks to the dedicated tone control for each pickup). The addition of a master volume makes working with a two volume bass a breeze.

The Wenge/Wenge neck (which required quite a bit of fret leveling, crowning and sprout work) seems to add a good degree of clarity to the sound and really boosts the low and high mids for an awesome punch with presence effect, no mush in this one. Overall it’s every bit as deep as the VP, but even more aggressive and yet a cleaner sound.

Some progress pics:
Slapped together for a sound check…
View attachment 4983311

A shot of the very tight control cavity, preliminary wiring test…
View attachment 4983312

Next steps - take it all apart, fill in the fender bridge holes and ground wire route in the body; trace out a custom pickguard template; finish dressing the frets near the heel; ship the body off to either Pat Wilkins or another finisher for a metallic gold mist poly finish (is that the same as shoreline gold???); contact Irv to make a custom cream or parchment pickguard from the template.

Frigging Awesome!

 

[Bassmike62]

Better yet, just run it through the...

That bass lick into the 1st verse is heavenly perfect !!

 

[MCF]

I love that scene.

 

[dagrev]

I’m really pumped!
Just got done with a temporary proof of concept wiring job for the VP NR WiP (that Epiphone won’t build). To be true to the VP design I used the same pickups, pot and cap values as the Eppi. I also used the vintage neck pup location but chose to use the modern bridge pup location to thicken up that pup a bit. But the real unknown was the control layout I designed. It’s a dedicated vol/tone stack for each pickup (like my BlingBird build) except this one now goes through a master volume control.

It works phenomenally good and is exactly what the VP needed to get to the next level. I played it back to back with my stock VP for a couple of hours and found the NR WiP has a much broader tonal palette than the Eppi VP (thanks to the dedicated tone control for each pickup). The addition of a master volume makes working with a two volume bass a breeze.

The Wenge/Wenge neck (which required quite a bit of fret leveling, crowning and sprout work) seems to add a good degree of clarity to the sound and really boosts the low and high mids for an awesome punch with presence effect, no mush in this one. Overall it’s every bit as deep as the VP, but even more aggressive and yet a cleaner sound.

Some progress pics:
Slapped together for a sound check…
View attachment 4983311

A shot of the very tight control cavity, preliminary wiring test…
View attachment 4983312

Next steps - take it all apart, fill in the fender bridge holes and ground wire route in the body; trace out a custom pickguard template; finish dressing the frets near the heel; ship the body off to either Pat Wilkins or another finisher for a metallic gold mist poly finish (is that the same as shoreline gold???); contact Irv to make a custom cream or parchment pickguard from the template.

This is going to be great!

Be sure and email this to Gibson/Epi. They seem to be thin in the ideas department--until there a blem and the customize it. I'm not on facebook/Twitter or I would post the finished product there just to let them know there's a lot of room to explore.

 

[dagrev]

Going to have to stop listening to Spotify for a while. I'm really tired of the endless ads for "K-Y Date Night"...and their coupon at Walgreens....

 

[dagrev]

I entered 9th grade in the fall of 69. No way my parents were going to let me go to any of those things: I was only 13 most of the year!

Yeah, I was 8, and Mom said I couldn't go. Something about people there being a bad influence.