Thunderbird Club

[MCF]

TBH, it's one reason I never went to see "The Doors". Had the chance at the famous Miami 'show'. Didn't care for them.
Interestingly, the community concert band I'm in is playing a Doors medley at our next concert(next Tuesday).

I liked them well enough, but am too young by about three years to have had the chance to see them.

Interesting note. After Morrison died, the record label offed all the albums as cutouts. There were boxes of them at the Music Plus store in Santa Ana. IIRC, they were $1.99 in 1977. Funny thing is, I didn’t buy any. I was content with the “Greatest Hits” compilation.

 

[Engle]

What will they go in, the Epi IV? I really like the Epi IV pickups. I have them in the Epi PB Custom Shop, the RED Custom Shop and the GOTH. Easy to get great Thunderbird tone from them with the right amp/effects tweaks.

The PB bird won’t be touched. Too rare. And it plays and sounds great. The red Custom Shop and the Goth are up for pickup mods for something different. Lollars for sure in one of them.

And I swear that I won’t buy another Thunderbird until I’m dome modding what I have. At least that’s the story I tell my wife…..

The other day my wife asked me if I had an unmodified bass? .....um...only one I can think of is my Aria Pro II SB600.

 

[MCF]

A second VP.

If you’re going to do that, I could use the VP pickups.

 

[Engle]

There are many Thunderbird pickups available. I listed them in a post a long time ago. Others have too. I’m too lazy to look. But There are Bart’s some from Europe, and the pedestrian EMG’s along with others.

IMO, you don’t gain much by trying to upgrade TBird+ pickups. Adjust EQ and use a dirt pedal/ or different preamp if you are chasing a specific tone. And that works with the standard Epi IV pickups too.

Some of us like to tinker. And that is where it gets fun. But in reality, you can get pretty much everything you need out of stock pickups and EQ tweaks. I’ve learned a lot from messing with the humble Artec pickup in my BaCH. It has a ton of different tones depending on the setting in the two channels of the Mesa Tt800.

It depends on how you're using it as well. Last Saturday I played my VP at a St Patrick's day thing in a church. It can get pretty snarly with Cobalt flats. For most of the set I rolled the tone almost all the way down and played by the neck.

 

[bobyoung53]

I liked them well enough, but am too young by about three years to have had the chance to see them.

Interesting note. After Morrison died, the record label offed all the albums as cutouts. There were boxes of them at the Music Plus store in Santa Ana. IIRC, they were $1.99 in 1977. Funny thing is, I didn’t buy any. I was content with the “Greatest Hits” compilation.

Deep in the disco doldrums of 1977, he had only died 5 years before, they've had resurgences here and there.

 

[Motoboy]

I bought this laat week, but I'm an Ibanez guy. I guess that doesn't count.

Rehearsing tomorrow so we'll see if my axe and amp even fit!

 

[Formula73]

I bought this laat week, but I'm an Ibanez guy. I guess that doesn't count.

Rehearsing tomorrow so we'll see if my axe and amp even fit!

View attachment 5009479

I never understood why those weren't more popular. By and large, they still FLY (wokka wokka) under the radar.

 

[Formula73]

If you’re going to do that, I could use the VP pickups.

If he passes, I'm interested.

 

[JIO]

My favorite tune with just Manzarek piano bass is "When The Music's Over".

Living in the center of the US (Omaha, Nebr) in the late '60s, the Doors for me were "urban LA" - their music was its sound. I'm sure that depending on where you lived you could have a different impression, but that's what I felt. I had all their LP's and we play "The Spy - In the House of Love" in both of my bands today. They were unique blues-based stylists who are woven into the fabric of that dynamic time/era.

 

[Gaolee]

The other day my wife asked me if I had an unmodified bass? .....um...only one I can think of is my Aria Pro II SB600.

Hmmm... None of 'em I will be keeping. They are all a little different somehow, whether it's pickups, the bridge, tuners, an x-tender, or something. Most of them have several changes, mostly because I can, not because they needed it.

 

[Gaolee]

I bought this laat week, but I'm an Ibanez guy. I guess that doesn't count.

Rehearsing tomorrow so we'll see if my axe and amp even fit!

View attachment 5009479

Well, this is the Thunderbird club, so...

 

[KaraQ]

The other day my wife asked me if I had an unmodified bass? .....um...only one I can think of is my Aria Pro II SB600.

Hmmm... None of 'em I will be keeping. They are all a little different somehow, whether it's pickups, the bridge, tuners, an x-tender, or something. Most of them have several changes, mostly because I can, not because they needed it.

I've got two, ATM, that are 100% non-modified; a convincing argument could be made for two, maybe three others...... hmmm, so I guess that would be about half? of the total, surprisingly

 

[icefly]

Have a nice friday Tbirders.



Squier Vintage Modified arrived yesterday; traveled 300km from the interior of state, to my capital.
I bought it to stay a while, soon I will resell it; has nice Duncan design pickups.

 

[Thumper]

Curious, has anyone ever weighed a stock Epiphone 3 point bridge? Or Gibson if they are similar?

 

[icefly]

Fun fact: as the seller lives 300 km away, we deal via cellphone conversation.
He said that regularly a relative comes to capital and then he could send the bass for him. I said when you have a date scheduled for this (next trip), let me know.

2 weeks passed and no contacts from him.
I sent a message: "so buddy? any date available?".
His reply: "Hey, I thought you had given up on the business, you didn't call me anymore".



I'm practically a magnet for situations like these.
That kind of thing is typical of saying "it only happens to me".

 

[BklynKen]

Fun fact: as the seller lives 300 km away, we deal via cellphone conversation.
He said that regularly a relative comes to capital and then he could send the bass for him. I said when you have a date scheduled for this (next trip), let me know.

2 weeks passed and no contacts from him.
I sent a message: "so buddy? any date available?".
His reply: "Hey, I thought you had given up on the business, you didn't call me anymore".

Que cidade?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Musicians Friend has some Thunderbird deals (used & opened box) including a faded PB with case for (IIRC) $1,699 and an open box red NR for $1,9??.

 

[icefly]

Que cidade?

Me = São Luis, MA, Brazil
Bass = Buriti, same state and country, some 200 miles, 320km, 6 driving hours from me




Yeah, I live on an island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, practically under the Equator line; heat, humidity and saltpeter are my companions and bass guitars too.

 

[BklynKen]

Me = São Luis, MA, Brazil
Bass = Buriti, same state and country, some 200 miles, 320km, 6 driving hours from me




Yeah, I live on an island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, practically under the Equator line; heat, humidity and saltpeter are my companions and bass guitars too.

Nice. Furthest north I got was Brasilia.

 

[KaraQ]

Curious, has anyone ever weighed a stock Epiphone 3 point bridge? Or Gibson if they are similar?

Pretty sure I have, at least once, but I can't seem to find the info.....if I get home from work at a reasonable time in the morning, I'll pull one off & weigh it for you.....