Thunderbird Club

[PhR75]

R.I.P. UFO/Babe Ruth/Cozy Powell's Hammer/Paice Ashton Lord/Whitesnake etc. guitarist/singer/songwriter Bernie Marsden.

This was the first "proper" Whitesnake track I ever heard (I don't care for their post '82 stuff) and what a great guitar solo from Bernie. Not to mention the groove of Ian Paice and Neil Murray. Love how the bass is up in the mix.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I have to give a huge "thank you" here to our fellow TBer' Frank @FRoss6788 he, and his wife came out to see the band last night. Your support was greatly appreciated, and nice to chat with you about Santa Cruz, it's a small world sometimes as I think you are familiar with all of @Chucky Stiletti hangouts.

A few more shots......

It was a bit chilly as we got started, my fingers were cold and stiff and I struggled to play well, needed a coat for the first 7-8 songs....

Get some fingerless gloves. They help a lot.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Well, if I can get a set of Thunderbuckers, I'm not. Coulda, woulda, shoulda when they were still available. Same with Lulls. I'm learning my lessons. And I don't want to be spending when I retire. I'll just want to play Thunderbirds and visit you all.

Same.

 

[MCF]

Yesterday I showed to a friend of mine; he likes this kind of vintage stuff.
Today, a few hours ago, sent me photo and message: bought it!

Enablers unite!

 

[Gaolee]

So here's my thing Will. I'm not all that enamored with the idea of actually ever owning a 60's NR. Not for what they cost or the baggage that they come with like broken necks, uncertainly over how original they are, etc. I've got the '13 NR, the marvelous '21 NR, and the BaCH 2nd/3rd gen II. The BaCH will be getting the recently released Gibson vintage pickup that I ordered Tuesday and which is supposed to be here next Wednesday. I have a SVT rig and my Mesa rig with plenty of vintage tone options. I can't imagine ever being able to really appreciate the difference for the cost. Three NR Thunderbirds, total investment less than $4k.

I would like a Bicentennial reverse though, especially after playing Erik's at the GTG. Such a great playing and sounding Thunderbird.

I meant the 2015 with neck damage. It might be a refin candidate. A 2015 in a non-burst finish would be great.

 

[Gaolee]

Pickups changed out and a re-setup and ready for a sound test. Bridge pickup still in the VP position. Moving to the '64 position is a bigger project.

View attachment 5169463
P.S. Will's sweat must be related to the ET drool in the Alien movies

Only on that one. Nothing else ends up like that.

 

[Stealth57]

Only on that one. Nothing else ends up like that.

Did you replace the nut? Looks like a bone nut and wasn't glued in (not that it should be).

 

[MCF]

I meant the 2015 with neck damage. It might be a refin candidate. A 2015 in a non-burst finish would be great.

Oh. A 2015 in Pelham Blue would be awesome. But I'm not paying 2k for one to then have Wilkins charge me close to half that to repair and refin. But still, it is tempting…

I love my '15. Best bass I own and will ever own.

 

[godofthunder59]

This bass is still around? Parts etc. look original and I've considered buying it but can't bring myself to part with 4k for a refin with a neck repair.

Pickguard isn't original and the neck repair looks like some kind of metal plate is lurking under paint and bondo.

 

[MCF]

Peavy fans:

There is this post from a NoCal TB'er. Sounds like a promising old school Peavy rig. @KaraQ, @Stealth57 or someone else could find this to be a good find.
What to do with old Peavey stack?

 

[RedVee]

FYI on the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Tbird pickups. They say they are not as wide as Probuckers, but they are exactly the same size.

View attachment 5169250

Do they mean thickness maybe?

 

[Stealth57]

Do they mean thickness maybe?

Width. The thickness was listed as 1/2", same as the Probucker. Maybe they measured before soldering on the can.

 

[Stealth57]

Peavy fans:

There is this post from a NoCal TB'er. Sounds like a promising old school Peavy rig. @KaraQ, @Stealth57 or someone else could find this to be a good find.
What to do with old Peavey stack?

His avatar says Silicon Valley. 30-45 minutes from me. Not sure I need another big rig, but would be easy to pick up with my truck.

 

[RedVee]

At our last church, we had a pool of 15-18 people to make each Sunday's team from. No Mikes, no Jims, etc. Three Daniels and two Jamies. Sometimes two Daniels and both Jamies on stage at once.

You only allow Biblically named persons in the band.

though at one stage our choir had a Marie, a Maria, a Mary and a Marietta in it, at once.
Now we have added a Salome.

 

[Ringhammer]

Any P bass bodies and/or necks laying around that need a new home?

I have a 1975 P-bass neck, maple, new frets, board refinished (not back of neck or headstock). Looking for $1100

 

[JIO]

like this……

My fave "Hey Joe" ...

 

[JIO]

Even Johnny Rivers did a version in '68 - pretty cool actually... kind of reminds me of same period Quicksilver Messenger Service a bit.

 

[dagrev]

Guitar Grease is the way to go on the large open gears and it can be done in place if used sparingly (it's pretty thick waxy stuff, not runny like normal grease). Be sure to wipe up the excess after it's worked in.

TriFlow can be used on the enclosed areas where you can't really get the grease in. But I'd only do that as a last resort and I'd definitely take the tuners off the bass to do it (Don't do what Dan does in the video below). Essentially, you don't want any oil of any type to come in contact with raw wood on a guitar. The inside of the peg head holes and the screw holes are all raw wood. Any oil in there can soak into the wood and make it punky or soft as well as surfacing under the finish causing blisters or flaking.

Thanks George!

 

[dagrev]

We have a brother who has been chosen by the mighty Thunderbird. I was wanting any history on the '81 G&L I recently bought and asked the seller what he knew. He only had the bass a few months and didn't know anything about it but directed me to the person he got it from, who had it a few years. I contacted him and he didn't know any history other than where he bought it from. (I contacted them and they didn't understand what I meant when asking about any previous history on the bass they might know. After a second more "simple" wording they didn't know or care to ask another person in the store.). Anyway, the guy noticed a pic of my Thunderbird and asked about it. I shared about getting it and it's history with me. I also shared about my vintage basses and asked if he liked or had any Thunderbirds. He said he has recently really been into Thunderbirds. Has '64 reverse and NR (I don't know the year). We chatted a number of times this week and shared a few stories. He also happens to be Chris Stapelton's longtime bass player, J.T. Cure (both from Kentucky, BTW!). Grammy winner and listed as bass player of the year three times that I noticed. I was telling him about Scott's bridges and he already had two installed.

I knew who he was when I contacted him from the guy I got the bass from and honestly didn't think I would get a reply. I just want to say that he was not only kind enough to reply, but took time to chat a number of times and said he enjoyed hearing about my basses and chatting and even said to keep in touch. Who does that? That level of genuine kindness of amazing. Just to take time to reply and chat with me is amazing. He may be interested in my black '71 Jbass, so it would be great for it to go to a good home. It was so refreshing and privilege to cross paths with someone like J.T., and now own a bass he had for a while. Just a classy guy with a good sense of humor.

First Thunderbird!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

You have to wear the special glasses, of course

T-ray vision glasses.