Thunderbird Club

[MCF]

No broken ones for me.

Huh. Oh. I think it was our buddy from Finland then.

 

[JJR58]

I seem to remember that too, but can’t recall any specifics or owner. But I guess this helps answer the original question. VP headstock breaks are so rare that none of us (who collectively see and use a lot of VPs) can’t recall even one specific instance where we know about a break and how it happened.

@PhR75 suffered a break, from a drop.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yep, sure does.

The Blueline was purchased by me and it had been converted to 6550’s at some time. I had my tech revert it back to 6146b and it worked as my live head for awhile. My tech showed me the inside of it and it had been all converted to orange drop caps, (the big cap cans were gone) and everything was glued down and it was rather a mess, and missing a shield plate, which could not be put in due to the orange drop caps. Without the shield plate, it created problems when patching channel one and two, which I like to do. Then, the guy I use let me know he wasn’t going to work on SVT’s anymore. He’s now in his 70’s and they are just too dammed heavy for him to work with. Since I also had (still have) a ‘73 SVT in unmolested condition, with all but one of the original (we think) tubes, all Sylvania power tubes that still passed his “cook and burn” test, I decided to off the Blueline while it was still working well. I sort of regret it, I only got like $1100 for it, but I believed/still believe that the market for old heavy amps will eventually dry up, and there will be way more old heavy SVT and other amps than people to buy them, and anyone that still uses them will already have one (or more). Especially locally, and shipping a heavy old SVT is mostly out of the question.

too bad about that Blueline….today there are so many companies making refurb kits, all it takes is the ability to follow instructions and some decent soldering skills…. going back the reliability topic, from my experience, the older the technology the more rugged they are…..remember playing an outdoor gig in Boulder Creek (90s ) with a single over 100 ft extension cord feeding the stage…..you could literally not see the “ON” pilot lamps on the tube 7enders but they were still chugging away regardless…..a class D amp would have plain said NO….ironically, that same amp on the bench would show no problem symptoms….​

 

[dagrev]

I don’t think we have a Mary Ann in this biker gang. Or a Mrs. Howell.

Don't look at me....
I just play Thunderbirds.

 

[GonePlaid]

Nikki doesn’t play a fiver. But a lot of SSPU songs are in drop D or tuned down a half step. I’ve thought about trying a five string, but so far haven’t. The extra thumb rest could be an advantage.

When I first got mine, that's pretty much how the B string was used except for an occasional Eb, D, Db, or C at the end of a tune. Drop tunings wouldn't work well for me 'cos I hafta read notation.

 

[dagrev]

I have both. All things being equal, they sound very similar, with a maple and ash EB being brighter than a mahogany Thunderbird. I wouldn't say my EB is too bright, just brighter. Strings have a lot to do with it. Put stainless rounds on both, and the EB will be quite bright. Put dead flats on both of them, and the EB will be plenty dark with the Thunderbird sounding like it swallowed its tongue.

The tapped version of the pickups is a bit thinner sounding, as you would expect. You can get closer to a Fender Jazz sound with the tapped coils, especially if the pickups are in an EB.

Thanks!

 

[MCF]

Don't look at me....
I just play Thunderbirds.
View attachment 5131267

Did Irv do your TR logo? Looks sweet.

 

[dagrev]

But no drinking on the bridge or we'll end up stranded on some crazy island.

 

[GBassNorth]

was thinking about you for Mrs Howell…

Sorry Marshall

I'm howling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You guys are killin me!

Body arrived yesterday, mocked up with bridge and pickup.
View attachment 5131264

Nice looking slab of mahogany there! What pickup will you be using? Did Rosser drill for the grounding wire under the bridge? Have you decided on a finish yet? If you need a custom pickguard @Engle does great work.

 

[Engle]

I thought someone had one get broken a while back? I don't remember who though, I'm lucky to remember today's Saturday.......

It's @PhR75

 

[davelowell2]

You guys are killin me!


Nice looking slab of mahogany there! What pickup will you be using? Did Rosser drill for the grounding wire under the bridge? Have you decided on a finish yet? If you need a custom pickguard @Engle does great work.

Dark Star! Yes, ground wire drilled. I’m going to use Danish oil. I may end up going that way for a guard, haven’t decided yet, or, it hasn’t been decided for me yet.

 

[MCF]

Dark Star! Yes, ground wire drilled. I’m going to use Danish oil. I may end up going that way for a guard, haven’t decided yet, or, it hasn’t been decided for me yet.

Would he have routed for a dark star if requested?

 

[davelowell2]

Would he have routed for a dark star if requested?

He said no. I chose filtertron because it’s smaller than I need, I can enlarge it.

 

[PhR75]

Yes, it happened to me. Not a sight for sore eyes:

 

[PhR75]

But I'll get it fixed, painted (yucca steel gray is my current plan for the color) and maybe even have the bridge pickup moved to the exact 60's position.
Meanwhile I just have to cope with these:

 

[GBassNorth]

Yes, it happened to me. Not a sight for sore eyes:
View attachment 5131388 View attachment 5131389

Hate to like that post! So how did it happen?

 

[PhR75]

Hate to like that post! So how did it happen?

The neck fell straight and fast to the hard floor.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

It's @PhR75

angled headstocks….
hate to say it but Leo had it right….

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Tempted. Very tempted. But I promised myself to get the BaCH pickup replaced and the TV Silver lower bout gouge repaired before I get another Thunderbird. And there’s the Master Effects Super 800 to get as well…

Oooo. I can bring my Super 800 Plus (GK 800RB-based preamp) if anyone wants to check it out! Don't need a flight case for that.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

The list was about $2400. Gibson closed and sold a warehouse in Nashville in 2015 in an attempt to generate some cash to stave off bankruptcy (Chapter 11 happened in 2018 anyway). Gibson arranged to liquidate the warehouse inventory through GC. During the second and third weeks of October, GC had amazing prices on Gibson Guitars and basses. That included some new Les Pauls and new ‘13, ‘14, and ‘15 Thunderbirds along with other guitars. See my receipt from 10/24/15. A day that is one of the happiest days of my music life.
View attachment 5130145

You could get a ‘15 for around $1200 or so during 2016 as some of them got flipped. But the prices went up and hovered around $1500 or thereabouts until 2020 when they became scarcer and started going for close to 2k or more. Yours at $1450 with only a mark on the headstock (mine has one from a ceiling fan) is a great deal. And it will be more collectible as the years go by.

The switches work like a light switch. Down is off, up is on. Both down is full humbucking mode.

I think you will really enjoy it. I know you like flats, but think about trying stainless rounds on it to bring out all the tone from those pickups.

Edit: The list was $2599.00.

Sure wish I had known about that back then. I hadn't found this club yet. But happy for y'all who got them!