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Thunderbird Club

#264,741
It’s always nice to finish a Thunderbird project. I bought this ‘09 Epi Limited Edition Custom shop five years ago. I didn’t pay much for it. Maybe $250 with shipping? The bolt-on neck was removed to reduce the shipping cost. It has been a work in progress. I’m only slightly faster than Will @Gaolee getting projects completed.

It came to me missing the original black pickguard. A prior owner put a white one on it. The inserts were popping up and I had to glue both sides with Titebond. The neck pocket needed shimming to get my preferred low action.

But at its core, it’s a great Thunderbird. The neck is straight, the TR adjusts freely, and it has has perfect fretwork. It has the limited pickups found in only a few select runs of the Custom Shops. They are pretty special as George @GBassNorth found when he played my similar white one. The tuners are nice. The electronics are fine. The finish is in very good condition.

I wanted to revert it back to having a black pickguard. So I had Irv @Engle make one for it. With a chrome Thunderbird emblem. And a matching TR cover with a chrome Epi logo. Pictures don’t do Irv’s amazing work justice. But it pops in person.

So here she is. Chrome Dreams.

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#264,742
Miles_ONeal said:
A bit long, so fel free to jump to the end for a short summary.

Death watch for a loved one is a strange thing. On the one hand, you don’t want them to suffer. You want them free from pain and from a broken body or mind, and (if you believe in an afterlife) free to move on. At the same time, it seems ghoulish (or worse) to want them to die, to hurry up and go. And the more you love them, the harder that is to face.

In some cases (strokes, heavy sedations, major trauma, advanced aging, etc.) you look into their eyes and can’t see if anyone’s home. Or they don’t look like the eyes you remember. Or some other discontinuity, cognitive dissonance, hallucination, whatever. Are they really still there? Or is the body just carrying on, clueless that its inhabitant has left it to return to ashes and dust? Maybe you chance it and speak to them. Maybe you pour out your love, your pain, your anger, your questions. Maybe you don’t. Anything goes on death watch if no one’s watching - and sometimes regardless of who is.

On Tuesday, Dad just collapsed. He broke his femur, his pelvis, and had some spinal damage. They found heart problems and an aneurysm as well. At 95, these things are not surprising. At 95, no one’s really a candidate for major surgery - the anesthesia alone could kill you or damage the brain. And Dad had made it clear he didn’t want heroic measures to save him. So they sedated him. Occasionally he’d come out of that and recognize us, interact with as well as he could. The collapse may have been the result of a stroke, and he almost certainly had another by Wednesday afternoon.

Saturday night, after three days of death watch by family and friends, Dad died peacefully in his sleep. Sharon and I were there, along with Mom II and one of my siblings. After those who could come arrived and we had some time with him, the VA hospital staff (who have been truly wonderful) cleaned him up, and we all lined up for his Honor Walk. Someone read a short speech on behalf of the president and country honoring him for his service, then Taps was played as they took him by us on a gurney, covered with the flag representing the country he cherished.

Dad, you were a good father, husband, brother, son, friend, teacher, researcher, chemist, leader, and citizen. You were a true patriot, a survivor, a POW who deserved far more honor. We love you and miss you already. Don’t rest in peace. Have a blast. Those last three days before you passed were hard, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

(Dad had been declining for a couple of years. Both the last two times I visited, I told him goodbye in my heart and head, so everything since was bonus levels.)

TL;DR
Dad passed away the other night. Several of us were with him. I’m doing OK, AFAICT; ask me after I’m not busy supporting others through the process. Some are having a harder time, especially Mom II. Most of us have great support groups (and I include y’all in mine), and we have each other.
Click to expand...
Beautifully written. We are with you.
 
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#264,743
MCF said:
It’s always nice to finish a Thunderbird project. I bought this ‘09 Epi Limited Edition Custom shop five years ago. I didn’t pay much for it. Maybe $250 with shipping? The bolt-on neck was removed to reduce the shipping cost. It has been a work in progress. I’m only slightly faster than Will @Gaolee getting projects completed.

It came to me missing the original black pickguard. A prior owner put a white one on it. The inserts were popping up and I had to glue both sides with Titebond. The neck pocket needed shimming to get my preferred low action.

But at its core, it’s a great Thunderbird. The neck is straight, the TR adjusts freely, and it has has perfect fretwork. It has the limited pickups found in only a few select runs of the Custom Shops. They are pretty special as George @GBassNorth found when he played my similar white one. The tuners are nice. The electronics are fine. The finish is in very good condition.

I wanted to revert it back to having a black pickguard. So I had Irv @Engle make one for it. With a chrome Thunderbird emblem. And a matching TR cover with a chrome Epi logo. Pictures don’t do Irv’s amazing work justice. But it pops in person.

So here she is. Chrome Dreams.

View attachment 5222708 View attachment 5222709 View attachment 5222710
Click to expand...
That turned out nice! Always a pleasure to be able to help complete a bass:D
IIRC that was the first bass I plugged in at Chuck's place. I was surprised at how good it sounded. I'll definitely keep an eye out for those pickups.
 
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#264,744
MCF said:
It’s always nice to finish a Thunderbird project. I bought this ‘09 Epi Limited Edition Custom shop five years ago. I didn’t pay much for it. Maybe $250 with shipping? The bolt-on neck was removed to reduce the shipping cost. It has been a work in progress. I’m only slightly faster than Will @Gaolee getting projects completed.

It came to me missing the original black pickguard. A prior owner put a white one on it. The inserts were popping up and I had to glue both sides with Titebond. The neck pocket needed shimming to get my preferred low action.

But at its core, it’s a great Thunderbird. The neck is straight, the TR adjusts freely, and it has has perfect fretwork. It has the limited pickups found in only a few select runs of the Custom Shops. They are pretty special as George @GBassNorth found when he played my similar white one. The tuners are nice. The electronics are fine. The finish is in very good condition.

I wanted to revert it back to having a black pickguard. So I had Irv @Engle make one for it. With a chrome Thunderbird emblem. And a matching TR cover with a chrome Epi logo. Pictures don’t do Irv’s amazing work justice. But it pops in person.

So here she is. Chrome Dreams.

View attachment 5222708 View attachment 5222709 View attachment 5222710
Click to expand...
Are the pickup routes the same as for standard thunderbird pickups? Looks fantastic!
 
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#264,745
Engle said:
That turned out nice! Always a pleasure to be able to help complete a bass:D
IIRC that was the first bass I plugged in at Chuck's place. I was surprised at how good it sounded. I'll definitely keep an eye out for those pickups.
Click to expand...

Keep an eye out. They have balls. Nice and deep. But full range with stainless steel rounds. And attention to EQ.

So I have three with those pickups. This, the white one that George helped me get the grounding issue sorted out with, and the TV Silver one that Geo so kindly just did a finish repair to (all I gotta do is pick it up).

I really love my five Gibsons. But the Epi Custom Shop IVs are also fabulous Thunderbirds.
 
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#264,749
MCF said:
It’s always nice to finish a Thunderbird project. I bought this ‘09 Epi Limited Edition Custom shop five years ago. I didn’t pay much for it. Maybe $250 with shipping? The bolt-on neck was removed to reduce the shipping cost. It has been a work in progress. I’m only slightly faster than Will @Gaolee getting projects completed.

It came to me missing the original black pickguard. A prior owner put a white one on it. The inserts were popping up and I had to glue both sides with Titebond. The neck pocket needed shimming to get my preferred low action.

But at its core, it’s a great Thunderbird. The neck is straight, the TR adjusts freely, and it has has perfect fretwork. It has the limited pickups found in only a few select runs of the Custom Shops. They are pretty special as George @GBassNorth found when he played my similar white one. The tuners are nice. The electronics are fine. The finish is in very good condition.

I wanted to revert it back to having a black pickguard. So I had Irv @Engle make one for it. With a chrome Thunderbird emblem. And a matching TR cover with a chrome Epi logo. Pictures don’t do Irv’s amazing work justice. But it pops in person.

So here she is. Chrome Dreams.

View attachment 5222708 View attachment 5222709 View attachment 5222710
Click to expand...

Ohh please! I have a geetar project I started in 1999.... I did order the headstock decal, so I may complete it this century.....

IMG_3249 Copy.jpeg
 
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#264,752
MCF said:
It’s always nice to finish a Thunderbird project. I bought this ‘09 Epi Limited Edition Custom shop five years ago. I didn’t pay much for it. Maybe $250 with shipping? The bolt-on neck was removed to reduce the shipping cost. It has been a work in progress. I’m only slightly faster than Will @Gaolee getting projects completed.

It came to me missing the original black pickguard. A prior owner put a white one on it. The inserts were popping up and I had to glue both sides with Titebond. The neck pocket needed shimming to get my preferred low action.

But at its core, it’s a great Thunderbird. The neck is straight, the TR adjusts freely, and it has has perfect fretwork. It has the limited pickups found in only a few select runs of the Custom Shops. They are pretty special as George @GBassNorth found when he played my similar white one. The tuners are nice. The electronics are fine. The finish is in very good condition.

I wanted to revert it back to having a black pickguard. So I had Irv @Engle make one for it. With a chrome Thunderbird emblem. And a matching TR cover with a chrome Epi logo. Pictures don’t do Irv’s amazing work justice. But it pops in person.

So here she is. Chrome Dreams.

View attachment 5222708 View attachment 5222709 View attachment 5222710
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: :bassist:
 
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#264,753
Engle said:
They are standard guitar humbucker size.
Click to expand...

Just picked up my phone after digging my gold set out and holding them up against some guitar 'bucker surrounds and some pups in a 'Bird and yes indeed, that's exactly the size! So, prob gonna save these and my gold Supertone bridge towards a 'Birdie-build. Will pick up some gold mini clovers at some point.
 
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#264,756
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