Thunderbird Club

[tombowlus]

I like how you have holes around the edges of your Bird table to let the blood drain away ... oh, and you have some serious parallax issues with your camera dude, albeit it only seems to affect one side of the lens.

iPhone 6

 

[hillerup]

iPhone 6

I think kat888 was referring to the fanned frets of your D-bird...

 

[Larry V]

Also interestingly, he picked those axes because they looked cool!

Cool is just so subjective. Rics look the least cool to me of the major manufacturers. They look better in the hands of a British Invasion Era rock bassist than they do with a guy like Cliff Burton(RIP) or Lemmy(RIP). Puffy-shirted Brits and Rics... that's why I'd never own one.

very quietly...in his room...very far away from anywhere I am

(RANT ON)You and me, both! I have friends that think Geddy is a God and that Rush is the greatest rock band that ever graced us mere mortals with their music. I look at them(my friends not the band) incredulously and with a certain curiosity. Not enough for me to engage in a discussion or enough for me to give Rush another shot at me "getting use" to their sound because believe me, I've tried. Since hearing Tom Sawyer for the first time in 81-82(?) and wanting to hear more, only to be so utterly disappointed with everything else on Moving Pictures... and everything else they've put out since then. I literally cannot switch to another channel fast enough when they come on the radio. (RANT OFF)

My only question is if I should fire the babysitter. She's new and a college grad with experience working with special needs kids. But for 20$ an hour, she should have been watching his butt, not talking to my mom.

You hired the sitter for your son, not your mom. I wouldn't have paid her, she'd have gotten a lecture about what could have happened due to her inattentiveness and she'd never be called back.

Glad you had a good time with your old band mates and that your bass wasn't any worse for the "abuse" from your unattended son. You did say that you got something positive out of it with some quality time with your boy so that's a good thing. You didn't mention your son's age so that would important to know in how you initially reacted and if it was worth beating yourself up about.

_______________________________

I must be a bit grumpy today as there is a definite air of negativity in this post but I mean no harm. Peace and love, peace and love.

 

[hillerup]

Cool is just so subjective. Rics look the least cool to me of the major manufacturers. They look better in the hands of a British Invasion Era rock bassist than they do with a guy like Cliff Burton(RIP) or Lemmy(RIP). Puffy-shirted Brits and Rics... that's why I'd never own one.

Don't forget all the UK punk bands from the 70's and 80's - Ric's were their favourite bass of choice...

(RANT ON)You and me, both! I have friends that think Geddy is a God and that Rush is the greatest rock band that ever graced us mere mortals with their music. I look at them(my friends not the band) incredulously and with a certain curiosity. Not enough for me to engage in a discussion or enough for me to give Rush another shot at me "getting use" to their sound because believe me, I've tried. Since hearing Tom Sawyer for the first time in 81-82(?) and wanting to hear more, only to be so utterly disappointed with everything else on Moving Pictures... and everything else they've put out since then. I literally cannot switch to another channel fast enough when they come on the radio. (RANT OFF)

You and me, both.... As soon as I hear Geddy's voice I cannot turn the sound off fast enough...

You hired the sitter for your son, not your mom. I wouldn't have paid her, she'd have gotten a lecture about what could have happened due to her inattentiveness and she'd never be called back.

Glad you had a good time with your old band mates and that your bass wasn't any worse for the "abuse" from your unattended son. You did say that you got something positive out of it with some quality time with your boy so that's a good thing. You didn't mention your son's age so that would important to know in how you initially reacted and if it was worth beating yourself up about.

Very well said...

 

[TBird1958]

Woot! Snow day for me, that means I get to play the bass and work on model trains.

Aside from the cat eyeballing me as a possible source of food, it should be a good day, my adult childhood continues.

 

[GBassNorth]

Don't forget all the UK punk bands from the 70's and 80's - Ric's were their favourite bass of choice...




You and me, both.... As soon as I hear Geddy's voice I cannot turn the sound off fast enough...



Very well said...

And here I thought I was the lone voice in the wilderness when it comes to being a total non fan of Rush. I've tried but have never made it past two songs before I'm reaching for the off switch. No doubt there's tons of talent there but I just can't get past the vocals in that band, fingernails on a chalk board is more enjoyable to me!

 

[rodv66]

Cool is just so subjective. Rics look the least cool to me of the major manufacturers. They look better in the hands of a British Invasion Era rock bassist than they do with a guy like Cliff Burton(RIP) or Lemmy(RIP). Puffy-shirted Brits and Rics... that's why I'd never own one.



(RANT ON)You and me, both! I have friends that think Geddy is a God and that Rush is the greatest rock band that ever graced us mere mortals with their music. I look at them(my friends not the band) incredulously and with a certain curiosity. Not enough for me to engage in a discussion or enough for me to give Rush another shot at me "getting use" to their sound because believe me, I've tried. Since hearing Tom Sawyer for the first time in 81-82(?) and wanting to hear more, only to be so utterly disappointed with everything else on Moving Pictures... and everything else they've put out since then. I literally cannot switch to another channel fast enough when they come on the radio. (RANT OFF)



You hired the sitter for your son, not your mom. I wouldn't have paid her, she'd have gotten a lecture about what could have happened due to her inattentiveness and she'd never be called back.

Glad you had a good time with your old band mates and that your bass wasn't any worse for the "abuse" from your unattended son. You did say that you got something positive out of it with some quality time with your boy so that's a good thing. You didn't mention your son's age so that would important to know in how you initially reacted and if it was worth beating yourself up about.

_______________________________

I must be a bit grumpy today as there is a definite air of negativity in this post but I mean no harm. Peace and love, peace and love.

he's nine and on the spectrum. Socially appropriate expression of emotions and explaining emotions are his weak point. We have gone though hell to get him to a high functioning level and bass is the only thing from keeping me going crazy. My job situation is not good, my marriage has been affected by his issues and I wish that i could go play gigs without feeling guilty and a suck ass dad. I have dedicated the last 9 years to him, but I need something else in life besides being a parent of an autistic kid.

 

[tombowlus]

I think kat888 was referring to the fanned frets of your D-bird...

LOL! Duh!

 

[GBassNorth]

For those that replied to my very specific player string choice question, many thanks!
Very helpful and lots of food for thought.

I was surprised to hear so many suggestions for flats on a bird, not what I would have expected, a P bass - yes, a Bird - hmmmm. I've always been a rounds guy on everything except P basses, which I typically use for Motown stuff. Just not sure I'm ready to try flats on a TBird until I've exhausted my rounds options. If I go down the flat path I'll consider the GHS Brite Flats and Cobalt Flats.

I did give Cobalt rounds a try when they first came out but it was on a Fender Telecaster with dual mudbuckers. Absoutly hated them and ripped the strings off after five minutes of playing. On that bass they were completely mid and upper mid focused and exceptionally aggressive on the frets, nut and my fingers. I may have had a bad set or might not have given them enough time to settle in but they just weren't my cup of tea. I did keep the set and now use them as string files to fine tune the grooves on the nuts of my basses (yes, they even make quick work out of a brass nut).

The TI Power Bass suggestion is interesting. I have a light gauge set of those on an Alembic I own and really like them on that bass.

Have not tried Boomers so that might be an option. Have tried High Beams on other basses and thought they were ok.

Sunbeams are a real possibility. My recollection is they are a relatively warm and mellow sounding string with very little top end zing.

All that said, to narrow the field down a bit, does anyone have a clue which string (power bass, boomer, high beam or sunbeam) is a warmer smoother sounding string with minimal finger noise on slides and frets?

 

[TBird1958]

I'm all alone and snowed in with this dangerous animal today, if I were to fall asleep I know she'd attack and try to use me as a source of food!

It doesn't really snow here all that often (esp. compared to a lot of you guys!) so it's kind of fun, guess I have about 2-3 inches and I just don't feel like making the 22 mile trip to work just now - if it quits I may go in for a half day.

 

[Larry V]

he's nine and on the spectrum. Socially appropriate expression of emotions and explaining emotions are his weak point. We have gone though hell to get him to a high functioning level and bass is the only thing from keeping me going crazy. My job situation is not good, my marriage has been affected by his issues and I wish that i could go play gigs without feeling guilty and a suck ass dad. I have dedicated the last 9 years to him, but I need something else in life besides being a parent of an autistic kid.

As a father of three, 11b, 13g, & 15b, I'd say that coming down hard on him at 9 was probably a bit much when considering his disorder. All of my kids have better impulse control than to run with an idea like getting back at me for something they didn't like and that goes back to however young a child could be to come up with the idea for "revenge". They just have always known boundaries so I feel fortunate in that regard. Sorry life has been hard and I really hope all your hard work and effort pay you a meaningful dividend. Not knowing you personally it's hard to comment effectively but it certainly seems from your post that there are imbalances in your life. Not sure how effectively you're able to communicate with your wife and son but it would seem that a good sit down is in order. Best of luck.

 

[Count Bassie]

I'm all alone and snowed in with this dangerous animal today, if I were to fall asleep I know she'd attack and try to use me as a source of food!

It doesn't really snow here all that often (esp. compared to a lot of you guys!) so it's kind of fun, guess I have about 2-3 inches and I just don't feel like making the 22 mile trip to work just now - if it quits I may go in for a half day.

Lol, well you probably deserve it! Not the animal- the day off!!

 

[RexxRokket]

Rock on!

 

[ubernator]

he's nine and on the spectrum. Socially appropriate expression of emotions and explaining emotions are his weak point. We have gone though hell to get him to a high functioning level and bass is the only thing from keeping me going crazy. My job situation is not good, my marriage has been affected by his issues and I wish that i could go play gigs without feeling guilty and a suck ass dad. I have dedicated the last 9 years to him, but I need something else in life besides being a parent of an autistic kid.

Perhaps consider joining the movement of people who are trying to spread awareness about the sudden spike in autism and its likely connection to certain vaccines and their additives, as well as other substances in the food we eat and even in the environment, that were put there by corporations with one bottom line, profit, and a strong lobby to ensure they can still make the most profit regardless of the collateral damage caused. I am not saying join the ranks of the anti-vaxxer movement, since vaccines are not all bad, but some of them are bad, and need to be reformulated.

But the fact that he just made "adjustments" that were reversible, rather than carve "F YOU DAD" in the finish, crank the truss rod till it broke, or worse yet beak the headstock off, shows me your son is a genius, and not evil in any way, just mischievous. Why not get him some hearing protection and take him to a practice or two, involve him a little more, let him be your helper, even your bass tech. Autism is a gift as much as it is a curse, but most of these gifts remain unwrapped because most can't get past the frustration, or they take advice from the wrong doctors. (Psychotropics will cause more harm than good)

The gift/curse thing applies to pretty much all things the system calls "mental illness", but I won't be going into that. I will say this though, they/we really need a professor Xavier, Yoda, Morpheus etc... Rather than the system in place that marginalizes, labels, and controlls/suppresses the gifted by fooling everyone into beliving that our geniuses and shamans are in fact, flawed.

 

[redstrand]

Rics are subjective, so are T40's...took a dozen different Rics before I found the one(thankfully I got to demo them). Took 4 tries for T40, bought and sold them and it took the heaviest to be the one. You never know

 

[kat888]

I think kat888 was referring to the fanned frets of your D-bird...

New sig:

kat888 - funny in Denmark

@tombowlus, that noise you hear? It's the sound of my lame joke falling flat on its guts.

Beautiful looking instrument btw.

 

[Christine]

It was almost a mistake, tough luck. Can we settle it on a tennis court?

You dirty dishonest SOB, you should be effin ashamed of yourself, you...you MISQUOTER YOU!!!!

 

[kat888]

I'm all alone and snowed in with this dangerous animal today, if I were to fall asleep I know she'd attack and try to use me as a source of food!

It doesn't really snow here all that often (esp. compared to a lot of you guys!) so it's kind of fun, guess I have about 2-3 inches and I just don't feel like making the 22 mile trip to work just now - if it quits I may go in for a half day.

It's the sea air. Think we had 2 snow lying on the ground events when I was a kid - the cats would creep around in it and just as they were used to it it would disappear and they'd creep around on the ground. Speaking from more recent experience, 3 months of snow gets old very quickly.

If your cat eats you, that's part of the cycle of nature - you die so that others may live. It's a beautiful thing.

 

[RedVee]

And here I thought I was the lone voice in the wilderness when it comes to being a total non fan of Rush. I've tried but have never made it past two songs before I'm reaching for the off switch. No doubt there's tons of talent there but I just can't get past the vocals in that band, fingernails on a chalk board is more enjoyable to me!

^ Last time I tried them I thought "gee they'd be a good band if they had a singer".

Which doesn't usually worry me too much (& I'm sure he sings much better than I), I just find Rush vocals a little off putting.

 

[ubernator]

1981 called, and wants its cliche "rush are great musicians but I can't stand the vocals" back.

If you are going to criticize rush, you have to pick another reason, the geddys voice thing is sooooool overplayed. We were sick of hearing it over and over again from the naysayers back in 1991. It is 2017 now.

Besides, geddy hasn't sang crazy high like that in decades, for those paying attention. Unfortunately, even many rush fans stopped paying attention after the mid 80s synth period.