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Thunderbird Club

#241,261
Thumper said:
I've been prepping for tonight's gig, but have spent a little time with this beauty to give some preliminary impressions................

............... Much nicer than any of my 3 Embassies (ProBuckers VBT), better overall tone with solid mids, nice highs, and sufficient lows. Even nice growl fingerstyle thanks in part to my SushiBox Slampegg. Gotoh Resolites could get this close to 8.5 lbs.

No real negatives at all, it really reminds me of my '76, with even more response to the tone control. FOR ME, because we cover '60s to 2010 music, I will change the tone cap to a .047uf so I can get a smoother, darker tone with the tone rolled off to get closer to that 60s-70s flats sound, since I don't play flats. But other than that, no changes other than possibly a P neck if prolonged playing causes fretting hand issues. I look forward to gigging with it.
Click to expand...

Glad you're enjoying it! :thumbsup:

Thumper said:
......I was shocked at how huge the headstock is! I couldn't even put it on my wall of basses, it either hit the bass above it or the ceiling......
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The headstock is the primary reason, possibly only reason, why the VPs won't fit in regular Thunderbird cases.....

Thumper said:
......, this is a well crafted bass, with good Quality Control, no apparent flaws any where, and under 9 lbs, so comfortable to play seated, I haven't played it standing yet. The hardware is of very good quality......
Click to expand...

I've always thought it was quite well-made, especially the fretwork, given the price point.


Thumper said:
.....
Tone? Very nice with what I think are stock strings (Kara?).....
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Yes, those are the stock strings.
I tried several others on it, but preferred the sound of the stockers, so I decided to just leave them until they were shot and/or could no longer stay in tune :)




I don't remember right off which cap came in the Vintage Pros, I want to say it's the .047, but my memory is often :thumbsdown: , so best to check......
 
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#241,263
MCF said:
Very nice! And if they’re available where you are, might I suggest trying SIT strings. I use them on my two guitars (a cheap Squier Strat and a 70’s Aria acoustic). As the name suggests, I find that they they “Stay In Tune.”
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion but I'll stick with D'Addario XL's as I'm so used to how they feel.

Anyway, today saw the return of a bass I owned 25 years ago.
Rick bas.jpg

It's a Tokai which I bought as a husk and modded to my liking. It has Dimarzio pickups and a Leo Quann Badass bridge. The guy who bought it from me back then reached out and asked "Want it back?"

Does McDonalds sell hamburgers?

It needs a good set up, the strings which are on there were the same ones I sold it with. And I'll probably put some more appropriate pickups and hardware on there.
 
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#241,279
Thumper said:
I hope to keep it intact, but skinny necks and flat radius is so hard on my fretting hand that if it wasn't for 7ender vintage profile P necks, I would have had to quit playing a year ago. Besides, my Luthier is extremely reasonably priced, and this neck is currently not being used:
Click to expand...
Good luck with it. I do hope you can find a satisfactory solution that doesn’t involve cutting out the neck in a neck through Thunderbird.
But your bass at the end of the day, and it’s an Epiphone not a ‘64 Gibson…. But still.
 
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#241,280
Thumper said:
I've been prepping for tonight's gig, but have spent a little time with this beauty to give some preliminary impressions. First, I was shocked at how huge the headstock is! I couldn't even put it on my wall of basses, it either hit the bass above it or the ceiling. 2nd, this is a well crafted bass, with good Quality Control, no apparent flaws any where, and under 9 lbs, so comfortable to play seated, I haven't played it standing yet. The hardware is of very good quality. Tone? Very nice with what I think are stock strings (Kara?). Much nicer than any of my 3 Embassies (ProBuckers VBT), better overall tone with solid mids, nice highs, and sufficient lows. Even nice growl fingerstyle thanks in part to my SushiBox Slampegg. Gotoh Resolites could get this close to 8.5 lbs.

No real negatives at all, it really reminds me of my '76, with even more response to the tone control. FOR ME, because we cover '60s to 2010 music, I will change the tone cap to a .047uf so I can get a smoother, darker tone with the tone rolled off to get closer to that 60s-70s flats sound, since I don't play flats. But other than that, no changes other than possibly a P neck if prolonged playing causes fretting hand issues. I look forward to gigging with it.
Click to expand...

.047uf is my cap of choice
 
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