Thunderbird Club

[Engle]

It does look really good. From your recordings, your's sounded better than my Ric did. I attribute a good bit of that to the player. I think Will is going to be very happy.

It didn't sound quite right to my ears until I disconnected that extra cap.

 

[Stealth57]

Where do I get the T-bird that shoots lighting bolts out of the headstock?

 

[WillyW]

Where do I get the T-bird that shoots lighting bolts out of the headstock?

They do that when the headstock snaps off

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Where do I get the T-bird that shoots lighting bolts out of the headstock?

Yours doesn't?
<ZappaVoice>Is that a real Thunderbird ... or a Sears Thunderbird?</ZappaVoice>

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Yours doesn't?
<ZappaVoice>Is that a real Thunderbird ... or a Sears Thunderbird?</ZappaVoice>

Where else would the thunder come from?

 

[Gaolee]

Sounds like we need to do a GTG in your neck of the woods next year. How far are you from our Queen?

Not that far. Maybe a half hour drive. Maybe less. It depends a little on traffic.

 

[Gaolee]

Will is just north of downtown Seattle, I'm south maybe 14 miles by SeaTac if you're flying.

Happy Thursday, I'm hitting the road today!

You are already headed down to California for the GTG? Or Port Townsend for Labor Day gigs?

 

[Gaolee]

Ugh, don't remind me, I'm still waiting to get enough money to finish off my BaCH in Willow Mist Metallic...

That's a great looking color. I was thinking the fretless should be refinished in Rallye Green Metallic. Like this:

Or maybe a genuine (Ford) Thunderbird color. Somehow GM colors always are what I think about.

 

[Gaolee]

even though “The Chain” sounds better on burst basses?….
View attachment 5066837

It sounds pretty good on the Flamingo. So there's that.

 

[BklynKen]

Where do I get the T-bird that shoots lighting bolts out of the headstock?

Ask Ace Frehley.

 

[GBassNorth]

Where do I get the T-bird that shoots lighting bolts out of the headstock?

No lightening bolts from my ThunderCaster project, but it will shoot thunder out of its output jack. It’s still a work in progress but if I can finish it before the GTG I’ll bring it to Hollister. In preliminary testing it even shames a Greco on the bottom end.

 

[Gaolee]

I would have MJT do the finish - they use nitro and if you sent this pic/example, they would come very close to replicating it. Because I wanted to see an example of their relic'ing in person I had them do my J in Burgundy Mist Metallic and was very happy with the result. Cost was consistent with Pat Wilkins, but Pat doesn't do nitro or relic'ing and MJT specializes in both. You can request any level of relic'ing (from mild to heavy) and they send pic's for approval at every step. I requested a semi-mild relic'ing including checking and I added some of my own* after receiving it. (area near bridge pu) I do a number of other types of custom finishes (as you know) - but they do this look better. I can install the pu.

View attachment 5066862 View attachment 5066863

*referencing this Guy 's '64 J

View attachment 5066919

It's a J, but at least it's the proper color.

I just sent them a message about refinishing the fretless 'Bird. I think it would get played a whole lot more if it wasn't such a gloomy dark burst. See what they say, and then see how long it takes before I get my thumbs out.

Thanks for the recommendation. The guy who did the Flamingo seems to be out of business these days. I thought it turned out well and would have sent him the fretless as well, but now there is another option.

 

[Gaolee]

So you ride around in your truck with your clothes on the floor....

Well, do you expect any different kind of behavior from people here?

 

[JIO]

There does seem to be a bit of variability in the BaCH birds, maybe depending on which run you got. To be honest I rarely ever notice neck differences when playing different basses. About the only exception to that is when I was playing my new 2021 NR and reached over to the bass stand to pick up the BaCH (which I later sold to Marshall). I was actually shocked by the difference in neck thickness (front to back). The BaCH neck was substantially thinner and very fast and easy to get around on.

It’s an incredibly sleek neck but never felt “toothpicky” probably because the width was about the same as a standard Tbird. Never gigged it outside or transported it from house to venue, but in my temperature and humidity controlled house it was always good and stable. It was easy to get a low action on and the fretwork was all pretty nice. Just a pleasure to play.

My only reason for selling it was I was having a hard time getting used to only one pickup, and was constantly looking for something to rest my thumb on. I considered converting it to a dual pup bass but several club members here talked me out of carving into a relatively rare bass. It’s in a good home now where it will be appreciated for what it is.

I play many different 4-string necks (length, width, depth, profile, fretted & fret-less) but I do have favorites. My '63 & '64 II established that in 1974. It has what I would call a medium-depth profile and a narrow nut. (1.5", like a J) My Teiscobird's Goth neck is baseball-bat deep with a wider nut. The closest neck I found that was very similar to my II was a carbon-fiber Peavey B-Quad 24 fret neck, which was fretless. I hope to someday find and buy a fretted version - which I'd use for a killer 24 fret custom T-bird.

I love playing all the different necks which always inspire me differently when I play, but two of my recent favorites are my Coral Deluxe Bass, which has a 22 fret, flat D-profile and wide 1-3/4" nut, and my ESP/Grass Roots Bass IV with a 21 fret, 1.5" J nut and medium depth soft-V profile.

mid '90s Peavey B-Quad

 

[Gaolee]

Twinsies!
View attachment 5067022 View attachment 5067023

I gotta say, Irv's music room is pretty epic.

 

[Gaolee]

Thank you. Waiting on Will is, well, excruciating.

Guilty as charged.

 

[Gaolee]

I took a few pictures while I waited for him to come get it:
View attachment 5067099 View attachment 5067100 View attachment 5067101 View attachment 5067102 View attachment 5067103 View attachment 5067104 View attachment 5067105 View attachment 5067106

It isn't quite perfect, but it's really close. The case isn't even beat up much. I suspect it spent most of its life in a closet, in the case. It won't suffer that fate any more. Everything I own gets played.

 

[BklynKen]

 

[GBassNorth]

I play many different 4-string necks (length, width, depth, profile, fretted & fret-less) but I do have favorites. My '63 & '64 II established that in 1974. It has what I would call a medium-depth profile and a narrow nut. (1.5", like a J) My Teiscobird's Goth neck is baseball-bat deep with a wider nut. The closest neck I found that was very similar to my II was a carbon-fiber Peavey B-Quad 24 fret neck, which was fretless. I hope to someday find and buy a fretted version - which I'd use for a killer 24 fret custom T-bird.

I love playing all the different necks which always inspire me differently when I play, but two of my recent favorites are my Coral Deluxe Bass, which has a 22 fret, flat D-profile and wide 1-3/4" nut, and my ESP/Grass Roots Bass IV with a 21 fret, 1.5" J nut and medium depth soft-V profile.

mid '90s Peavey B-Quad
View attachment 5067504

View attachment 5067483

Looks nice!
I’ve often wondered, if you took a cross section of a carbon fiber neck is it hollow on the inside? Or is it solid resin?

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

It sounds pretty good on the Flamingo. So there's that.

yeah, but I don’t want the flamingo..