Thunderbird Club

[MCF]

You’ve probably seen Never Say Never Again. It had Sean in it as Bond and Kim Bassinger as the Bond Girl (Domino). The name of the yacht that was the evil guys lair was the Disco Volante. The movie was a bit less polished than the previous SC bonds but IMHO an improvement over the Roger Moore Bonds. It’s a complete take off on the previously released Thunderball (also starring Sean as Bond) and had Tom Jones as the title track singer. NSNA had Liani Hall as the title track singer.

Bond Trivia question: which sanctioned Bond flicks had male singers on the title track?

Live or Let Die is One….

 

[GBassNorth]

So what are your favorites? As we play a number of them, I do have my favorites from a playing standpoint - Tomorrow never Dies, Diamonds are Forever, Skyfall, Nobody Does it Better, Man with the Golden Gun, Live & Let Die. I also like The World is Not Enough. We used to do a more rock version of it. I'm trying to get Cherie to revisit it more like the theatrical Garbage version. I really like Garbages' music vid of it.

Great question!
I’d probably have to answer that in three parts - vintage Bond, transition Bond and contemporary Bond.

Vintage Bond (pre Roger Moore era) - my favorite song is probably Gold Finger, it just captures the feeling of the movie and the era in which it was filmed so well.

Transition Bond (Roger Moore era) - I’d have to go with Live and Let Die. Probably the best of the Roger Moore era songs. Followed closely by Diamonds are Forever.

Contemporary Bond (post Roger Moore era) - this is the toughest one for me. I love The World is Not Enough and Skyfall songs equally well, but the World Is Not Enough video is tops.

My favorite James Bond actor is Daniel Craig followed very closely by Sean Connery. My least favorite was Timothy Dalton (or even worse if we’re counting him is David Niven). My favorite Bond Girl is really a tough one - Ursula Andress (as Honey Rider in Dr. No) or Diana Rigg (as Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in Her Majesty’s Secret Service) or Sophie Marceau (as Electra King in The World Is Not Enough, technically a villain but that’s not obvious until later in the movie, she starts out as a Bond girl, or at least posing as one).

 

[GBassNorth]

They might be bigger than .50 cal.
It makes it's stage debut next Friday!

You might be correct. That’s an American plane that’s most likely been strafed by a German fighter. Towards the end of the war a lot of the German fighters had increased the ammo size to better penetrate their targets, they switched to an MG 131 (or 13mm round) a 50 caliber round is about 12.7mm, so just slightly smaller. Prior to the upgrade the German planes mostly used an MG17 (7.92mm round), quite a bit smaller than the 50 caliber. On the other hand, if those are cannon kisses they’d be up around 20mm, but I doubt you’d see those in a strafing line like that.

 

[Stealth57]

You might be correct. That’s an American plane that’s most likely been strafed by a German fighter. Towards the end of the war a lot of the German fighters had increased the ammo size to better penetrate their targets, they switched to an MG 131 (or 13mm round) a 50 caliber round is about 12.7mm, so just slightly smaller. Prior to the upgrade the German planes mostly used an MG17 (7.92mm round), quite a bit smaller than the 50 caliber. On the other hand, if those are cannon kisses they’d be up around 20mm, but I doubt you’d see those in a strafing line like that.

The way I prefer a .50 cal.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Looking for some help/advice:

So I've noticed in band practice lately that the E string is so much louder than the rest, even with bass cut on the amp. (I just use the practice rooms amp. Can't remember the brand but it's just .... 'ok' to play through. Nothing special)

Do you think this is a pickup issue? Since everyone says Thunderbirds have really low-end loving pickups.

Or could this be because of the coating on the black strings I have fitted? (Black beauties)

As a side note, I always seem to have to really boost the low-mid setting on the amp to get it to ring through. Anything towards the bottom end of the A string seems much quieter.

Another user on a thread I made about this issue said he had to adjust the pickup so it's angled further away from the E string to balance out the volume? Do you think that could help in this instance?

Thanks in advance

That or raise the E string a bit if you have a height-adjustable bridge (the three point and two piece do not have that feature). In general, fatter strings will generate a bigger signal than skinny strings, everything else being equal (not that it is). I definitely have my pickups lowered on the low end strings. It's the same on every guitar I've owned, not just basses, and not just Thunderbirds. It may be more so on birds; I never compared heights that way.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

The last drink I had (and other things), was on Dec 28, 1983

I went from January 1976 until maybe 2012 without drinking. I occasionally drink now, but it's not really a common thing. I want to make sure it never becomes normal for me again,. because when it's normal for me (not talking about anyone else), it gets to be a habit, then an addiction. I can safely drink, but I can also feel the tug, however faint.

Thunderbirds are an addiction as well, but constructive rather than destructive. At least so far.

 

[Stealth57]

That or raise the E string a bit if you have a height-adjustable bridge (the three point and two piece do not have that feature). In general, fatter strings will generate a bigger signal than skinny strings, everything else being equal (not that it is). I definitely have my pickups lowered on the low end strings. It's the same on every guitar I've owned, not just basses, and not just Thunderbirds. It may be more so on birds; I never compared heights that way.

I did that on my IV with tapes. Just no way with those strings to balance the E and G, particularly above the 12th fret. Don’t have that issue with flats on the CP or VP.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

My ear was constantly on an AM radio when I was a kid and I actually liked them, always thought this was a great tune (and great cover): Disclosure: I was a trumpet player when I was young.

As a trombone player, I also loved Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass(still like them). I had a HA song book and worked hard to learn stuff, but most of it was beyond my ability - or at least dedication to practice. Some complex stuff.

They might be bigger than .50 cal.
It makes it's stage debut next Friday!

Hard to tell, but maybe 25mm (1 inch)?

 

[icefly]

Going home, inside an standard PB/JB bag.

 

[FATT P4NDA]

It could be strings, pickup adjustment or string height. I would start with strings if everything else seems to not obviously be out. I've got one Thunderbird ('21 Non-Reverse), that depending on the strings, the E can be noticeably more prominent than the others. It was a couple sets I tried early on, but different strings fixed that. It was noticeable enough I had to think about playing the E lighter so it didn't sound like I turned up a little. Bolt on necks and then glued (set) necks seem to have this tendency more than neck-through. Which Thunderbird are you using? Does your setup look "normal"?

It's the standard epi bird (not the pro) and yeah it looks very "normal"

 

[FATT P4NDA]

It's the standard epi bird (not the pro) and yeah it looks very "normal"

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

The James Bond song that should have been, but never was........




I'm an unashamed fan of Duran Duran's early stuff and "View to a Kill" is my fave - Perfect cheesy video to go along with it.

love that song and video! something about the 15th…..
“Bon…Simon LeBon….”.
dig her stuff too….nice bass playing on this…

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

The way I prefer a .50 cal.

View attachment 5057239

hey… bring my glass back!..

 

[JIO]

The James Bond song that should have been, but never was........




I'm an unashamed fan of Duran Duran's early stuff and "View to a Kill" is my fave - Perfect cheesy video to go along with it.

When I first joined BG, we tried to learn "View to a Kill" but it never got off the ground.

Here's a Bond theme that never was - too bad because it would be my favorite.

 

[Stealth57]

hey… bring my glass back!..

I’m guessing you want it filled again with:

 

[bobyoung53]

I went from January 1976 until maybe 2012 without drinking. I occasionally drink now, but it's not really a common thing. I want to make sure it never becomes normal for me again,. because when it's normal for me (not talking about anyone else), it gets to be a habit, then an addiction. I can safely drink, but I can also feel the tug, however faint.

Thunderbirds are an addiction as well, but constructive rather than destructive. At least so far.

For me one is too many and a thousand not enough. I proved that to myself too many times.

 

[JJR58]

I went from January 1976 until maybe 2012 without drinking. I occasionally drink now, but it's not really a common thing. I want to make sure it never becomes normal for me again,. because when it's normal for me (not talking about anyone else), it gets to be a habit, then an addiction. I can safely drink, but I can also feel the tug, however faint.

Thunderbirds are an addiction as well, but constructive rather than destructive. At least so far.

Hollister is now the new underground headquarters.
Central HQ has always been Seattle.

 

[JIO]

I always try to buy nitro, I do have some poly basses though, my '96 poly Jazz is white but still looks new.

All my custom basses are poly - by Pat Wilkins. I don't cater to the poly vs nitro debate as todays poly is every bit as good or better than lacquer. The mystique for me is only about a '50s-'60s vintage bass and how it's amber'd/aged, worn and shrunk over time. Otherwise - (thin) poly rules. (and please spare me the "nitro finishes sounds better than poly" claptrap)

 

[JIO]

T-bird GTG attire -

 

[Miles_ONeal]

For me one is too many and a thousand not enough. I proved that to myself too many times.

The wise man knows his limits.