Thunderbird Club

[MCF]

View attachment 5232787

Nah.... never mind.

She’s cute.

 

[Count Bassie]

She’s cute.

There's a good eye.

 

[Engle]

Since it’s been declared Fenderbird Friday I’ll post a progress shot of one of my current builds, called the ThunderCaster.

Recall that I only have about one Fender bass left that I haven’t mothballed because I don’t have anything else that sounds remotely like it, a 2012/13 two year run of Fender Telecaster Modern Player basses….
View attachment 5232487

Well, in my quest to have a flock of Tbirds that can cover just about any sound I decided to meld the two brands together by installing virtually every Fender Tele component (except the pickguard) onto a NR Tbird body. It required routing templates I don’t have, so I took it to @Freekmagnet (Jeremy) in Fillmore for neck pocket and pup routes and had him put a forearm rest and belly cut on it as well. Came out great…
View attachment 5232488

I just did a preliminary fit test and will have Jeremy deepen the neck pickup pocket a bit more (my bad, I gave him the bridge pup depth not knowing the neck pickup was different). Anyway, it all looks great and will go to the finisher (Pat Wilkins) soon. Here’s the rough fit test (a final fit test will be done prior to finishing)…
View attachment 5232489

And next to its soon to be mothballed brother…
View attachment 5232495

I’m still on the fence when it comes to the finish I’ll ask Pat Wilkins to do - looking for something that screams Fender (Surf Green, Three Tone Sunburst, Antigua, Butterscotch Blonde, MaryKay white, Red or Pink Paisley…) open to ideas if anyone has any, but the neck will not be refinished, it will remain vintage tint maple. Pickguard shape is set but color could be coordinated with the finish chosen.

Looks great! I'm a sucker for mahogany grain. Maybe a translucent finish?
Just a thought - If you have a router bit with a top bearing (and the right length), you wouldn't need a template to deepen the route.

 

[GBassNorth]

Looks great! I'm a sucker for mahogany grain. Maybe a translucent finish?
Just a thought - If you have a router bit with a top bearing (and the right length), you wouldn't need a template to deepen the route.

This one has such nice grain I’m hesitant to cover it with paint. The top bearing bit would probably be the way to go.

 

[BklynKen]

This one has such nice grain I’m hesitant to cover it with paint. The top bearing bit would probably be the way to go.

It does have a nice grain. I think it would look really nice with the dark red like the SGs. Nice touch with the pickguard, too.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

TTWS
View attachment 5231826

Sweet shot!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Hmmm, compound might get the Feds thinking Waco or Jonestown. Let’s stick with farm or ranch.

Just remember to bury the bus deeply enough the satellites won’t notice.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

do they make an 8x18 cab that's lightweight?

I think there’s a 9x18 that’s only 327 pounds.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

There are so many choices. It really depends on what you want your tone to be. And we all hear things a little differently.

Here’s a draft list of pickup options I’m working on that will eventually be posted as a Wiki that everyone can add other options to and their comments about what they have tried.


Pickups Options

Stonewall Store


Avedissian T Bird bass Soapbar


Bartolini 4-String Vintage Gibson - T4CBC - Bartolini Pickups & Electronics


Seymour Duncan Thunderbird Bass


Lull (not available separately).


Thunderbucker Ranch (no longer in production).


Lollar Thunderbird Bass Pickups


Mojo Thunderbird Bass | Mojo Pickups


Montreux Guitars http: www.montreuxguitars.com/us/datalist/selectGoods.php?code=8763


Gibson Vintage [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]


Gibson Modern (Tbird+) [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]


EY PU-21212-Thunderbird Bass Pickup Vintage Style for Gibson,Ch

and PU-21294-Thunderbird Bass for Original Epiphone,With Gibson

and PU-21250-Eric Custom Thundbird Bass Pickup,Bridge,for Gibson
and PU-21265-Eric Custom Alnico 5 Rod,Thundbird Bass Pickup,Neck

EMG Invalid Link Removed

and Invalid Link Removed

and Invalid Link Removed

and Invalid Link Removed

and Invalid Link Removed

and Invalid Link Removed

Gemini Degenerate thunderbird bass pickup, dual tones, hot jazz and humbucker

and https://www.geminipickups.co.uk/dominator-tb

and Devastator Thunderbird bass pickup, 4 or 5 string, alnico 8, modern tone


Rio Grande

Bridge Thunderbass Bridge


Neck Thunderbass Neck


Curtis Novak Thunderbird


Dunable [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]


TV Jones ThunderMag https://tvjones.com/thundermag/ and


TV Jones ThunderTron Thunder'Tron Bridge Pickup - Universal Mount


Aguilar G3 model Soapbar Pickups

So which is closest to whatever is in the Greco birds?

 

[RedVee]

So which is closest to whatever is in the Greco birds?

Good question.
I have no clue, but I’ve been interested in the reports on the Gibson Vintage.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Since it’s been declared Fenderbird Friday I’ll post a progress shot of one of my current builds, called the ThunderCaster.

Recall that I only have about one Fender bass left that I haven’t mothballed because I don’t have anything else that sounds remotely like it, a 2012/13 two year run of Fender Telecaster Modern Player basses….
View attachment 5232487

Well, in my quest to have a flock of Tbirds that can cover just about any sound I decided to meld the two brands together by installing virtually every Fender Tele component (except the pickguard) onto a NR Tbird body. It required routing templates I don’t have, so I took it to @Freekmagnet (Jeremy) in Fillmore for neck pocket and pup routes and had him put a forearm rest and belly cut on it as well. Came out great…
View attachment 5232488

I just did a preliminary fit test and will have Jeremy deepen the neck pickup pocket a bit more (my bad, I gave him the bridge pup depth not knowing the neck pickup was different). Anyway, it all looks great and will go to the finisher (Pat Wilkins) soon. Here’s the rough fit test (a final fit test will be done prior to finishing)…
View attachment 5232489

And next to its soon to be mothballed brother…
View attachment 5232495

I’m still on the fence when it comes to the finish I’ll ask Pat Wilkins to do - looking for something that screams Fender (Surf Green, Three Tone Sunburst, Antigua, Butterscotch Blonde, MaryKay white, Red or Pink Paisley…) open to ideas if anyone has any, but the neck will not be refinished, it will remain vintage tint maple. Pickguard shape is set but color could be coordinated with the finish chosen.

I’d love to see a mockup of a three tone sunburst. When done well, I love those on most instruments,

 

[GBassNorth]

It does have a nice grain. I think it would look really nice with the dark red like the SGs. Nice touch with the pickguard, too.

The SG trans red would look very nice. However, I’d really like this bass to look like it was built by Fender. It’ll have Fender stamped on the headstock, the tuners, the bridge, the pickups and I’m even working on a special Tbird logo with a Fender flair to it, so I’d like to stick to an iconic Fender finish if possible. If I want the grain to show I might go with one of these…

Vintage Cherry Burst

Three tone sunburst…

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I’d love to see a mockup of a three tone sunburst. When done well, I love those on most instruments,

With and without the PG.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

The SG trans red would look very nice. However, I’d really like this bass to look like it was built by Fender. It’ll have Fender stamped on the headstock, the tuners, the bridge, the pickups and I’m even working on a special Tbird logo with a Fender flair to it, so I’d like to stick to an iconic Fender finish if possible. If I want the grain to show I might go with one of these…

Vintage Cherry Burst
View attachment 5232876

Three tone sunburst…
View attachment 5232877

I love a good cherryburst, too.

 

[GBassNorth]

I’d love to see a mockup of a three tone sunburst. When done well, I love those on most instruments,

That’s the challenge - “when done right”. Probably 75% of the FSO 3TSB finishes I see are just kinda ok, but 25% of them look fantastic in a retro kind of way. I think Fender changed the 3TSB look over the years, I just need to find the year I like. It would look like that pic that I just posted above. Nice thick dark edge, bold wide red and vibrant orangish yellow center.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

There was rock on Sat.

@Engle Really digging that Digiflex cable you recommended.

View attachment 5228143

I was looking at the 20 ft NGG (dual right angle). Is that what you got? The connectors look huge, but I guess that’s no biggie. Are the cables supple and tangle-resistant?

 

[BklynKen]

I was looking at the 20 ft NGG (dual right angle). Is that what you got? The connectors look huge, but I guess that’s no biggie. Are the cables supple and tangle-resistant?

I got the 10', both right angles. I'm never further than 10' from my board, and the other (Whirlwind) from the board to the amp is 15'. I don't think the connectors are that big, plus they have a nice grip to them for pulling them out. I find the cable soft enough and don't feel it will get tangled.

 

[JIO]

I’m still on the fence when it comes to the finish I’ll ask Pat Wilkins to do - looking for something that screams Fender (Surf Green, Three Tone Sunburst, Antigua, Butterscotch Blonde, MaryKay white, Red or Pink Paisley…) open to ideas if anyone has any, but the neck will not be refinished, it will remain vintage tint maple. Pickguard shape is set but color could be coordinated with the finish chosen.

 

[RedVee]

The SG trans red would look very nice. However, I’d really like this bass to look like it was built by Fender. It’ll have Fender stamped on the headstock, the tuners, the bridge, the pickups and I’m even working on a special Tbird logo with a Fender flair to it, so I’d like to stick to an iconic Fender finish if possible. If I want the grain to show I might go with one of these…

Vintage Cherry Burst
View attachment 5232876

Three tone sunburst…
View attachment 5232877

Cherry!

I love a good cherryburst, too.

Yep

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

The SG trans red would look very nice. However, I’d really like this bass to look like it was built by Fender. It’ll have Fender stamped on the headstock, the tuners, the bridge, the pickups and I’m even working on a special Tbird logo with a Fender flair to it, so I’d like to stick to an iconic Fender finish if possible. If I want the grain to show I might go with one of these…

Vintage Cherry Burst
View attachment 5232876

Three tone sunburst…
View attachment 5232877

do you even need a pg on that red burst?….