Thunderbird Club

[Ringhammer]

I’m coming dangerously close to ordering these to go in my black VP.

Dominator Thunderbird bass pickup, 4 or 5 string, alnico 8, vintage tone

Then, the Novaks in that will go into the ‘03 white ‘bird, and the Lollars in that go into the ‘01 burst ‘bird, and the Gibsons reissues (the only chrome ones I have, all the rest are nickel), will go on the black ‘97 ‘bird.

I’m curious about the A8 magnets as well as the blade type magnets.

 

[Engle]

I just looked up "cute" in the dictionary and this band is pictured! (the Japanese own the concept)

Absolutely love this lot - they and their songs all seem completely bonkers!!!

I’m in love! The tone of the Thunderbird and Ampeg is wonderful. They are all so enthusiastic! KEXP rocks!

So much fun! I love music with that much joy in it

 

[JIO]

So much fun! I love music with that much joy in it

For sure!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Plus, IMO, the riff he was playing was too fast to really hear tonal differences.

AHEM…..he’s plucking the Bird closer to the neck as well….

 

[MCF]

KEXP is only about three miles from my house and about three miles the other way from my office. We are spoiled around here. We think it's normal.

You are fortunate. We have KCRW. Which is good, but addresses a much more diverse demographic. Some of which I don’t particularly care for. Some of it is great and has certainly broadened my taste. But I frequently stream KEXP when I’m in the car more than I listen to KCRW.

 

[MCF]

I am waiting for one of these comparisons where the player plays a scale and not much else. That's it. Then you can focus on what the bass sounds like instead of thinking about what the player is playing. There's still technique differences between players, but if the strings are the same, the player is the same and playing a scale, and it's run DI into the interface, then you might actually get some useful information about the sound.

Once I get recording dialed in, I’ll do some. With something simple like Time is Tight.

The Pbass tone on this, in a football stadium, is marvelous.

 

[WillyW]

From the Fender P-bass thread - just what you'd expect, T-bird is darker sounding.

I think they need the cymbals up a little louder, I could almost hear the bass.

 

[JIO]

TSC's did a recording studio 'tutorial' as the "talent" at a local collage (Chabot Collage - Hayward CA - east bay) today. 4 songs in 5 hrs by Paul (guitar), Phil (drums) and me (bass). Kirstin couldn't make it today. It initially took 2 hrs to mic the drums (!!!) with 16 mics! Once we got started, we did a few takes for a couple songs and only one for the other two. We picked 3 songs we're solid on and already recorded 'in house' at our rehearsal space - but worked for this situation. The songs were Dr No/Point Break (instrumental), Insane Asylum, Hang On To Yourself, and an original (no title yet) by Paul. That song we've barely played (not played naked...) but it went very smoothly, doing it in one take. We'll have two more sessions (next in 3 weeks) for vocals/overdubs etc. (drummer Phil doesn't need to attend) Our compensation is 4 "pro" recorded songs.

The recording studio was very nice, upgraded during Covid with top gear and well designed. I used their Ampeg fridge w/Mesa Subway 800 amp which was mic'd & d.i.'d... sounded as would be expected from such a rig.

Some pics -

16 mics for the drums... would 17 be better? (Phil sounded good)

Paul used his '72 Strat and d.i.'d a Fender Twin Reverb (?) in an isolation room. Paul always sounds good.

My post - brought my Bass IV as I haven't recorded with it yet. Only brought a tuner.

Sounded pretty huge through the Ampeg fridge/Mesa. One song finger style, the rest pick/palm-muting.

Control room - man in white shirt is the professor/instructor - Mike. They use Protools

They had a Moog Theremin in the house... either that or a mini-alien spacecraft.

They also had a few nice keyboards including a couple Moog units for Kirstin.

Nice audio wood baffling in the ceiling - I was told they spend over $1million in the upgrading.

 

[GBassNorth]

I think they need the cymbals up a little louder, I could almost hear the bass.

 

[Engle]

I’m coming dangerously close to ordering these to go in my black VP.

Dominator Thunderbird bass pickup, 4 or 5 string, alnico 8, vintage tone

Then, the Novaks in that will go into the ‘03 white ‘bird, and the Lollars in that go into the ‘01 burst ‘bird, and the Gibsons reissues (the only chrome ones I have, all the rest are nickel), will go on the black ‘97 ‘bird.

I’m curious about the A8 magnets as well as the blade type magnets.

I noticed Luthiers Mercantile sells magnets for Tbird pickups.

 

[Engle]

TSC's did a recording studio 'tutorial' as the "talent" at a local collage (Chabot Collage - Hayward CA - east bay) today. 4 songs in 5 hrs by Paul (guitar), Phil (drums) and me (bass). Kirstin couldn't make it today. It initially took 2 hrs to mic the drums (!!!) with 16 mics! Once we got started, we did a few takes for a couple songs and only one for the other two. We picked 3 songs we're solid on and already recorded 'in house' at our rehearsal space - but worked for this situation. The songs were Dr No/Point Break (instrumental), Insane Asylum, Hang On To Yourself, and an original (no title yet) by Paul. That song we've barely played (not played naked...) but it went very smoothly, doing it in one take. We'll have two more sessions (next in 3 weeks) for vocals/overdubs etc. (drummer Phil doesn't need to attend) Our compensation is 4 "pro" recorded songs.

The recording studio was very nice, upgraded during Covid with top gear and well designed. I used their Ampeg fridge w/Mesa Subway 800 amp which was mic'd & d.i.'d... sounded as would be expected from such a rig.

Some pics -

16 mics for the drums... would 17 be better? (Phil sounded good)
View attachment 5224093
Paul used his '72 Strat and d.i.'d a Fender Twin Reverb (?) in an isolation room. Paul always sounds good.
View attachment 5224094
My post - brought my Bass IV as I haven't recorded with it yet. Only brought a tuner.
View attachment 5224095
Sounded pretty huge through the Ampeg fridge/Mesa. One song finger style, the rest pick/palm-muting.
View attachment 5224097
Control room - man in white shirt is the professor/instructor - Mike. They use Pr0Tools
View attachment 5224101
They had a Moog Theremin in the house... either that or a mini-alien spacecraft.
View attachment 5224102
They also had a few nice keyboards including a couple Moog units for Kirstin.
View attachment 5224106

View attachment 5224107

View attachment 5224108
Nice audio wood baffling in the ceiling - I was told they spend over $1million in the upgrading.
View attachment 5224104

That’s really cool! And a lot of mics to deal with on the kit!

 

[MCF]

TSC's did a recording studio 'tutorial' as the "talent" at a local collage (Chabot Collage - Hayward CA - east bay) today. 4 songs in 5 hrs by Paul (guitar), Phil (drums) and me (bass). Kirstin couldn't make it today. It initially took 2 hrs to mic the drums (!!!) with 16 mics! Once we got started, we did a few takes for a couple songs and only one for the other two. We picked 3 songs we're solid on and already recorded 'in house' at our rehearsal space - but worked for this situation. The songs were Dr No/Point Break (instrumental), Insane Asylum, Hang On To Yourself, and an original (no title yet) by Paul. That song we've barely played (not played naked...) but it went very smoothly, doing it in one take. We'll have two more sessions (next in 3 weeks) for vocals/overdubs etc. (drummer Phil doesn't need to attend) Our compensation is 4 "pro" recorded songs.

The recording studio was very nice, upgraded during Covid with top gear and well designed. I used their Ampeg fridge w/Mesa Subway 800 amp which was mic'd & d.i.'d... sounded as would be expected from such a rig.

Some pics -

16 mics for the drums... would 17 be better? (Phil sounded good)
View attachment 5224093
Paul used his '72 Strat and d.i.'d a Fender Twin Reverb (?) in an isolation room. Paul always sounds good.
View attachment 5224094
My post - brought my Bass IV as I haven't recorded with it yet. Only brought a tuner.
View attachment 5224095
Sounded pretty huge through the Ampeg fridge/Mesa. One song finger style, the rest pick/palm-muting.
View attachment 5224097
Control room - man in white shirt is the professor/instructor - Mike. They use Pr0Tools
View attachment 5224101
They had a Moog Theremin in the house... either that or a mini-alien spacecraft.
View attachment 5224102
They also had a few nice keyboards including a couple Moog units for Kirstin.
View attachment 5224106

View attachment 5224107

View attachment 5224108
Nice audio wood baffling in the ceiling - I was told they spend over $1million in the upgrading.
View attachment 5224104

Please post clips ASAP!

 

[JIO]

That’s really cool! And a lot of mics to deal with on the kit!

It was taxing to hang for two hrs while dialing the drums... but I just figured it was a "learning situation" for the students and as an ex-art professor... I know it's all part of the process of learning. It also made me appreciate "the man" we record with (Robert @ Get Reel Productions SF) as he makes a day of recording fun and awesome. In a similar 5 hrs with him, we have 4 tracks, vocals and all overdubs... the diff between PRO and aspiring "pro".

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

It was taxing to hang for two hrs while dialing the drums... but I just figured it was a "learning situation" for the students and as an ex-art professor... I know it's all part of the process of learning. It also made me appreciate "the man" we record with (Robert @ Get Reel Productions SF) as he makes a day of recording fun and awesome. In a similar 5 hrs with him, we have 4 tracks, vocals and all overdubs... the diff between PRO and aspiring "pro".

I usually don’t stick around, it’s draining (to me) and can make me “stale”….just text me when ready…

 

[TBird1958]

yessir…….
View attachment 5223891

This is the one that's coming to live in Seattle, yes?

 

[JIO]

I usually don’t stick around, it’s draining (to me) and can make me “stale”….just text me when ready…

Yes, I've already determined that a "summery" of the experience in retrospect to the instructor will include - "have the drummer show-up at noon, and we'll be there at 1:30pm to set up and be ready to play at 2pm". Would have gotten the same done w/o the waiting. Another nod to our Robert who we record with - (very nice sounding) drums are his and are in place and dialed when we get there. Very little 'lag' time before getting down to biz.

 

[JIO]

Please post clips ASAP!

I will Marshall - just listened to our tracks and so far we have a good foundation for what's to come. Recording is a process and each layer gets more exciting.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yes, I've already determined that a "summery" of the experience in retrospect to the instructor will include - "have the drummer show-up at noon, and we'll be there at 1:30pm to set up and be ready to play at 2pm". Would have gotten the same done w/o the waiting. Another nod to our Robert who we record with - (very nice sounding) drums are his and are in place and dialed when we get there. Very little 'lag' time before getting down to biz.

and if the engineer has an appreciative, curious audience they tend show off a little bit and milk it…. so..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

This is the one that's coming to live in Seattle, yes?

you keep sayin’…..

 

[JIO]

and if the engineer has an appreciative, curious audience they tend show off a little bit and milk it…. so..

The instructor/professor (Mike) was a showman in that respect. When I taught art, I never felt the need to use that tact.., I relied on my sincerity of intent to delivery my message. Some students "got it" ... most struggled with it, which was also ok as long as they continued to be inquisitive. Everyone has the capacity to "get it" at varying levels as long as you help guide them to the realization. Your have to have a lot of patience to be an instructor, but relying on your realized/known experience is always your North Star.