Thunderbird Club

[bylar13]

Position the body off your hip...

Well I took this advice and lowered the starp and am using my hip. Works a treat. Thanks for the help and insight.

 

[Drestakil]

Thank you sir. Not sure about the grass skirt(wouldn't be a sight anyone would want to see), but Thunderbirds do rule.

At least you get to wear a grass skirt.

 

[TBird1958]

Sad to read we lose a famous one of our own today as Overend Watts passed away.

RIP Thunderbird Brother.

 

[kat888]

Well I took this advice and lowered the starp and am using my hip. Works a treat. Thanks for the help and insight.

Happy you managed to sort it out.

There was a statement a while back, not sure if was on TalkBass or elsewhere, that people with low-slung instruments are 'ridiculous'. As if we care. We are all different shapes and sizes, and we do what we have to do to get the instrument into a comfortable playing position.

 

[Gaolee]

Looks like we are well on our way to surrounding Lemmy.

Sad to read we lose a famous one of our own today as Overend Watts passed away.

RIP Thunderbird Brother.

He was too young to go, not quite 70.

 

[Gaolee]

Happy you managed to sort it out.

There was a statement a while back, not sure if was on TalkBass or elsewhere, that people with low-slung instruments are 'ridiculous'. As if we care. We are all different shapes and sizes, and we do what we have to do to get the instrument into a comfortable playing position.

It has been said on TB more than once. And it's absurd of course. Playing a Gibson bass as though it's a 7ender will never work. I have always used much longer straps for Gibsons, and it works perfectly. The long strap allows both hands to be happy. I don't keep the bass as horizontal as you do, assuming that's you in the photo. That's most of the time. When I do let it down more or less flat, the long strap still works just fine. A long strap doesn't work with the Precision. It worked pretty well when I had a Ric, oddly enough.

 

[Count Bassie]

Happy you managed to sort it out.

There was a statement a while back, not sure if was on TalkBass or elsewhere, that people with low-slung instruments are 'ridiculous'. As if we care. We are all different shapes and sizes, and we do what we have to do to get the instrument into a comfortable playing position.

We also do what we do because it's what we want to do.

And so goes another stock item, fresh from the Cargo Shorts Depot. Lol, no offense to my cronies here, just couldn't resist a good stereotype-carrying slighting!

 

[Gaolee]

Alright well I just placed an order through Guitar Center for a new Classic iv pro. They gave me an 8% off coupon and if it doesn't work out I could very easily drive to Portland to return it. They were really the only ones who carried that particular bass and were able to give me the weight of the instrument so I went with them.

I appreciate all the advice and help, so thanks for that! Now comes the wait.

If it adopts you, you will know pretty much right away. Thunderbirds are like that. They choose you, and then you are a Thunderbird person.

 

[Count Bassie]

Sad to read we lose a famous one of our own today as Overend Watts passed away.

RIP Thunderbird Brother.

Hats off, glasses up. And to the stars we go...

 

[Stevis]

Thank you sir. Not sure about the grass skirt(wouldn't be a sight anyone would want to see), but Thunderbirds do rule.

Welcome to the club. Having grown up in Minnesota, I think that this is the perfect time of year for you to wear that grass skirt!

 

[Nocturnal]

Those controls look way too crammed in .

Agreed. Very crowded looking.

 

[Klondike]

If it adopts you, you will know pretty much right away. Thunderbirds are like that. They choose you, and then you are a Thunderbird person.

Then you are a birdbrain

 

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

Hey TBird1958.......My ole Black 76 TBird has jumped from its perch and is soaring again. I've had it since new. So after all this time howz about a number.

Rezdog

 

[willsellout]

If it adopts you, you will know pretty much right away. Thunderbirds are like that. They choose you, and then you are a Thunderbird person.

Well I look forward to receiving it and giving a good once over and setup rocking it. I really hope this is bass adopts me. I need a rock bass since the Ric didn't work out.

 

[EdO.]

Quote - "My ole Black 76 TBird has jumped from its perch and is soaring again. I've had it since new. So after all this time howz about a number."

Dude. Rules are rules. Gotta post a photo...

 

[RedVee]

Happy you managed to sort it out.

There was a statement a while back, not sure if was on TalkBass or elsewhere, that people with low-slung instruments are 'ridiculous'. As if we care. We are all different shapes and sizes, and we do what we have to do to get the instrument into a comfortable playing position.

I'm sure I am ridiculous, not stopping though - I'm having a ball.

 

[kat888]

It has been said on TB more than once. And it's absurd of course. Playing a Gibson bass as though it's a 7ender will never work. I have always used much longer straps for Gibsons, and it works perfectly. The long strap allows both hands to be happy. I don't keep the bass as horizontal as you do, assuming that's you in the photo. That's most of the time. When I do let it down more or less flat, the long strap still works just fine. A long strap doesn't work with the Precision. It worked pretty well when I had a Ric, oddly enough.

Hah! That's Kim Gordon. I have mine more angled.

 

[hillerup]

Most people move the strap button to behind the neck heel if it isn't already there. I may be wrong but I feel that moving it to the "vintage location" moves the neck further out, at least for my playing style. You could always add a strap lock to the vintage location and experiment between the two to determine which you prefer. It's always nice to have options

Congrats on the new bass!!

I have Schaller strap buttons on both positions on all my 'birds - Except my 50th Anniversary, as I don't want to drill an extra hole on the upper bout.

 

[hillerup]

Yes, of course, silly me it's a set neck.

Anyone know if the new embassy is set neck or bolt on?

Since the above question is a bit off topic, I'll end on topic:

Saw a used bird at a shop recently, made me smile and think of TB Tbird club for some reason:


View attachment 1035682

"Oh no! It's a DEVO hat"!

 

[willsellout]

I was playing around with my J bass trying to see how low I could get it and play comfortable. Just trying to figure out how people play the T-birds and how it might feel. It was hanging well below my belt line, angled up at a 45 degree angle or so. I also shifted it back towards my hip and things just started to flow. The rock and roll that is. I think the T-bird will work out, especially if the neck is what I think it is. It also helps that if it's a match, I can make it play about as good as a bass four times it's price through some fretwork and setup. Im really hoping the fretwork is solid though and I don't have to go through and level and crown frets. If it works though, I will put much love and much work into the bass and turn it into a beast.

Does anyone have any input as to whether these need to be shielded? If they don't tend to be noisy, that would be great. If they do, I can shield it relatively easily.