Thunderbird Club

[MCF]

I like the looks of your Origin pedal. The Ampeg pre looks nice as well.
View attachment 5118698View attachment 5118698

There are threads asking how to get the Ampeg tone with various other amps and pres. Most recently asking about using a Tonehammer, of all things. By all accounts, the Ampeg pre is very good. My philosophy is get the right tool for what you’re after to start with and quit messing about.

 

[MCF]

So Nikki was at Ringo’s birthday party. Photos were on social media. How cool is that?

And speaking of Nikki, I really like her Tbird in this single they just released.

 

[dagrev]

It’s funny. I’ve spoken with her a few times, but never asked for an autograph or pic. She is so nice.

Far better than an autograph. A sig may be nice for an icon-type person, but chatting with someone is far more memorable. I chatted with Do Diddley once at a Holiday Inn and got his autograph. I value the experience talking with him far more. I've mentioned it before, but it was before his concert (which was fantastic), and he was standing outside getting some air. I saw him and stopped the car and got out and talked with him a while. It was funny because people kept thinking he was a security guard and were asking him where to park or go for staying at the Holiday Inn. He seemed unfazed and unbothered. I kept thinking, "Don't you people know this guy Is Rock history?" As I said, the show was fantastic. The old guy was smoking.

 

[dagrev]

There are threads asking how to get the Ampeg tone with various other amps and pres. Most recently asking about using a Tonehammer, of all things. By all accounts, the Ampeg pre is very good. My philosophy is get the right tool for what you’re after to start with and quit messing about.

Agree!

 

[JIO]

Far better than an autograph. A sig may be nice for an icon-type person, but chatting with someone is far more memorable. I chatted with Do Diddley once at a Holiday Inn and got his autograph. I value the experience talking with him far more. I've mentioned it before, but it was before his concert (which was fantastic), and he was standing outside getting some air. I saw him and stopped the car and got out and talked with him a while. It was funny because people kept thinking he was a security guard and were asking him where to park or go for staying at the Holiday Inn. He seemed unfazed and unbothered. I kept thinking, "Don't you people know this guy Is Rock history?" As I said, the show was fantastic. The old guy was smoking.

I have gotten a couple autographs, one from Elvin Jones on an LP and one from Nels Cline on a CD cover. That's about it. I've met Michael Manning a few times through mutual friends and have seen him live but never got his autograph. I did get Mike Watt to sign my display-clone of his stollen "Baby Bass" for CJ at Winters' Tavern.

 

[KB5]

Speaking of autographs. This arrived a few days ago.

 

[KB5]

Gilded-bird in progress Thursday -

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Did you do a complete strip before the primer?

 

[JIO]

Did you do a complete strip before the primer?

No, no need. I dulled the gloss and cleaned it with naphtha. Like having a double base-coat and keeps the surface smooth. If I want the final look to have distressing that reveals wood, then I start with wood. It would be too abrasive to get down to wood through the factory finish. (unless I was going for a 'heavy relic' finish)

After gilding, I will use a gilding-specific clear-coat to seal the gilding before further manipulations. Once that is all done, another (thin) clear-coat and then it will be send to Pay Wilkins to work his final-finish magic on it which includes gold dusting and gloss poly clear-coat.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I’m a bit jealous; it’s been decades since I used an O-scope. ‘96 or ‘97.

just got a better tektronixl….only paid 100 bucks for the keithley I successfully used for years…

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

What exactly do you do 'tuning' it up?

I usually clean the pots, check the tube, check voltages, clean the jacks, tighten loose screws and measure power, bandwidth and general functionality at 8 and 4 Ohms….

 

[D.M.N.]

I own one. Cool piece of kit for sure.
View attachment 5118134

Yep, that's the same one as I purchased, black face version. Do you use the distortion mod? I'm figuring for recording I'll have one clean signal thru a DI, and a dirty signal thru the Ashly with distortion mod.

 

[GBassNorth]

Hurry, get it before it’s gone!!!
Orville Thunderbird Vintage Sunburst Mohagany Electric Bass Guitar | eBay
…NOT.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Hurry, get it before it’s gone!!!
Orville Thunderbird Vintage Sunburst Mohagany Electric Bass Guitar | eBay
…NOT.

USD 962.00? heard those basses kinda suck in stock condition….

 

[GonePlaid]

Hurry, get it before it’s gone!!!
Orville Thunderbird Vintage Sunburst Mohagany Electric Bass Guitar | eBay
…NOT.

IDK. Pretty reasonable for MOHAGany.
And on another note:

 

[TBird1958]

USD 962.00? heard those basses kinda suck in stock condition….

Better pickups make a big difference, otherwise the build quality is some of the best out there.

 

[Ringhammer]

There are threads asking how to get the Ampeg tone with various other amps and pres. Most recently asking about using a Tonehammer, of all things. By all accounts, the Ampeg pre is very good. My philosophy is get the right tool for what you’re after to start with and quit messing about.

I decided to try that pedal after I had the Orange and discovered that the tone of the Orange, while a very good tone, is sort of generic, or maybe transparent is a better word for it. While the head is a nice, reasonably lightweight and very powerful all tube head, the bass/mid/treble controls are not very “active”. Minor changes make virtually no difference and major changes only seem to have a little effect. Overall it’s a good sounding rig on its own, but with that pedal, I feel like I’m more into my Ampeg comfort zone. Not to mention the tone controls are at my feet. I leave the tone controls on the Orange at roughly 12 o’clock and do the rest at the pedal.

Why not just use an SVT and cab? I have all that too, but these cabs sound great and are lighter and easier to transport, and the head is lighter and more manageable. And it looks cool!

 

[Engle]

Speaking of autographs. This arrived a few days ago.

Nice!

 

[GBassNorth]

USD 962.00? heard those basses kinda suck in stock condition….

Says “US $137,500” I assume it’s an error.
I’ve heard the pups are underwhelming, the build is good and the weight is high.

 

[BklynKen]

Says “US $137,500” I assume it’s an error.
I’ve heard the pups are underwhelming, the build is good and the weight is high.

Orville Thunderbird Vintage Sunburst Used Electric Bass | eBay

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[MCF]

I decided to try that pedal after I had the Orange and discovered that the tone of the Orange, while a very good tone, is sort of generic, or maybe transparent is a better word for it. While the head is a nice, reasonably lightweight and very powerful all tube head, the bass/mid/treble controls are not very “active”. Minor changes make virtually no difference and major changes only seem to have a little effect. Overall it’s a good sounding rig on its own, but with that pedal, I feel like I’m more into my Ampeg comfort zone. Not to mention the tone controls are at my feet. I leave the tone controls on the Orange at roughly 12 o’clock and do the rest at the pedal.

Why not just use an SVT and cab? I have all that too, but these cabs sound great and are lighter and easier to transport, and the head is lighter and more manageable. And it looks cool!

Excellent. That’s what I mean. If you want a certain tone, and have a great amp to begin with, get the appropriate pre amp like the Ampeg for Ampeg tone, Master Effects Super 800 to get the GK tone, etc.