Thunderbird Club

[Gluvhand]

Excellent! Sexy little chunk of metal, isn't it?

I still don't understand what the notch is for that goes over the third bolt hole. It's it to avoid vibration?

I assumed that it sits over the insert and is notched to allow the bridge to sit flush to the body without having to remove the insert.

 

[Klondike]

So I was surfing the interweb and stumbled upon a very cool TBird style bass by Spectre.
Has anyone on here played one of these spectres?
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I habe its cousin the Spector Rex. Frigin awesome tone!

 

[rickwebb]

Excellent! Sexy little chunk of metal, isn't it?

I still don't understand what the notch is for that goes over the third bolt hole. It's it to avoid vibration?

Couldn't tell ya. But i plugged the White Bird into my Ampeg PF800/SVT-410HE setup for a few minutes, and it sounded fantastic.

 

[GBassNorth]

So I was surfing the interweb and stumbled upon a very cool TBird style bass by Spectre.
Has anyone on here played one of these spectres?
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Yep, I have one. Spector Rex5 Pro bass with Holoflash finish. Great bass, a little more hifi sounding than the Gibson or Epiphone Thunderbirds. It's a maple wing, maple neck through bass with EMG PUPs and an active 2 band preamp. If you want a five string Bird it's a great option. They can be easily had for around $600 used. I think Spector also makes a less expensive model (legend) that looks the same but might not be neck through and probably has different electronics.
Here's mine...

The colors constantly change depending on how the light hits it.

 

[Haji]

Wish I had one of those. The holo finish makes me happy. Need one for playing live. Since I'm only 6'6", I blend into the background and nobody sees me.

 

[Korladis]

Wish I had one of those. The holo finish makes me happy. Need one for playing live. Since I'm only 6'6", I blend into the background and nobody sees me.

"Only"?

 

[RedVee]

Wow - 1949 and Gibson? That is beyond cool. Like you, I have the infamous epi valve jr but I picked up the (used) head for around $100. As you well know, they are made to mod. I haven't done anything to mine but put in better tubes. It does provide that nice El84 crunch, when I run it through one of my cabs loaded with a 12" Eminence Red Fang (ALNICO). And 5 watts can make my ears ring if I am not careful. Like you, I have a lot of such toys but there are many worse diversions in life.

My Junior is a combo. I think I paid $75 for it. It was one of those "losing" eBay bids that didn't lose. Free shipping, as I recall. I got one for my son a while later for about the same price. The most expensive of the lot was the Sano-ette. It was $225 locally, if I remember right. It even has the original zip-cord and two prong plug. The cord still looks new and shiny, and the prongs on the plug don't look scuffed. I'm not sure it was ever used before I got it. It's a little cheesy as far as how it's built, but you can't have everything. There was no dust on it anywhere when I got it, and it can break up pretty nicely, too. It just doesn't crunch like the Junior. I'm kinda thinking I'll put a 12AY7 tube in the preamp spot instead of the 12AX7 one of these days. That should overdrive quicker, cause the EL84 to overdrive at lower volumes, and save my ears a little. Then there are electrical mods I want to try, but those are for when there's time.

It's endless. I need several clones just to have fun playing with all these projects and ideas, let alone do my day job.

There are mod sheets available for turning the Epi Jnr. into a bass amp, isn't there?

Anyone done that?

 

[Stevis]

I'm kinda thinking I'll put a 12AY7 tube in the preamp spot instead of the 12AX7 one of these days. That should overdrive quicker, cause the EL84 to overdrive at lower volumes, and save my ears a little. Then there are electrical mods I want to try, but those are for when there's time.

It's endless. I need several clones just to have fun playing with all these projects and ideas, let alone do my day job.

It sounds like you're going to have "the talk" with your understanding Mrs. to explain that all of these amp projects require your immediate attention. Of course, this will necessitate early retirement, as you also need to get "Electric GaoleeLand Studios" up and running in your basement. This will allow all of your Talkbass pals to descend upon Seattle and start recording our all Thunderbird rock opera.

 

[TomStuart]

I think after you sold it, it turned up on Craigslist for sale again. Haven't seen it since then tho. But.........do you want to sell that Ampeg 412 in the picture?? I'm in the market for a cab and that would be a great one.

I wish I still had that too. I sold it to a guy in Tucson. It was a 412he. Im playing a 610 now.

 

[Stevis]

There are mod sheets available for turning the Epi Jnr. into a bass amp, isn't there?

Anyone done that?

I have not seen anything about bass mods for the epi valve jr. I have read where some folks just plug their bass into it, to record an overdriven bass tone. I have not tried that, however.

 

[ubernator]

There are mod sheets available for turning the Epi Jnr. into a bass amp, isn't there?

Anyone done that?

It is a quite simple mod:

1. insert instrument cable between output of bass or pedalboard, and input of valve Jr. Be sure the plugs are all the way in until they "click"

2. Insert proper speaker cable between the speaker out of the amp, and a proper bass cabinet. Be sure to use the output labeled with the corresponding impedance value that matches the impedance of the cabinet. Also be sure the cables are all the way in until they "click".

3. Play bass.

I have not seen anything about bass mods for the epi valve jr. I have read where some folks just plug their bass into it, to record an overdriven bass tone. I have not tried that, however.

Beat me to it. Try it! It doesn't even need to be cranked into overdrive. It has a nice tubey tone. I used it with my swr Goliath IIjr when I had a low volume rehearsal with electric drums. I was told to turn down, I couldn't even get loud enough to overdrive that day, but it still sounded cool. That cab was stolen. A few months ago I tried it with my rumble 112, which is now the only small cab I own. I think the swr was a tad more sensitive.

Someday I will mod mine, I plan on using a switch to do the " bright" mod which involves cutting out a resistor, but I want the ability to switch back and forth. Tone, gain (or master) and reverb are other things I would like to add. Probably the bitmo reverb, and maybe their other hotrod packages. Or just find an epiphone hot rod model.

I regret selling my old bugera v5, which was also a great low volume bass amp. I was making room and needed cash, and figured my vox vt40+ was more practical, and it is, to a point. Still not a class A tube amp... And my guitar cab ended up getting stolen so the valve Jr has sat mostly unused in the meantime.

 

[Stevis]

Beat me to it. Try it! It doesn't even need to be cranked into overdrive. It has a nice tubey tone. I used it with my swr Goliath IIjr when I had a low volume rehearsal with electric drums. I was told to turn down, I couldn't even get loud enough to overdrive that day, but it still sounded cool. That cab was stolen. A few months ago I tried it with my rumble 112, which is now the only small cab I own. I think the swr was a tad more sensitive.

Someday I will mod mine, I plan on using a switch to do the " bright" mod which involves cutting out a resistor, but I want the ability to switch back and forth. Tone, gain (or master) and reverb are other things I would like to add. Probably the bitmo reverb, and maybe their other hotrod packages. Or just find an epiphone hot rod model.

I regret selling my old bugera v5, which was also a great low volume bass amp. I was making room and needed cash, and figured my vox vt40+ was more practical, and it is, to a point. Still not a class A tube amp... And my guitar cab ended up getting stolen so the valve Jr has sat mostly unused in the meantime.

You're spot on about my needing to hook up my bass to the valve jr. I had my Homer Simpson "moment of clarity" immediately after I posted my recent response: "I've known about this option and I've never tried it before?"

 

[kat888]

If you need EQ options (with a Bird, shirley not), you can run through a Graphic EQ pedal.

 

[ubernator]

Mate, wrong thread. You'll be wanting the 'Which P bass is best for Lizards' thread...

Lizards prefer ibanez

 

[catcauphonic]

So I was surfing the interweb and stumbled upon a very cool TBird style bass by Spectre.
Has anyone on here played one of these spectres?
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I've got the similar USA Spector Forte-4X as my one and only, and we have been having a rather serious love affair since we met! She was a wallflower hanging at a BassNorthwest consignment sale. I asked if i could take her down on the floor and have a dance for a bit, and we hit it off BIG TIME! Told 'em I'd be back with enough $$$$ to whisk 'er away soon! Well .. i did, and the 2 of us rode off into the sunset and have been living together happily ever after ever since that wonderful fateful day!!

Had a solid 4" custom strap made, and later upgraded the pre to the US9v for that ultimate Spector growl.

I have a picture somewhere of the beautiful @TBird1958 fondling it at the Seattle TB-GTG in 2015! That was hawt

 

[GBassNorth]

I've got the similar USA Spector Forte-4X as my one and only, and we have been having a rather serious love affair since we met! She was a wallflower hanging at a BassNorthwest consignment sale. I asked if i could take her down on the floor and have a dance for a bit, and we hit it off BIG TIME! Told 'em I'd be back with enough $$$$ to whisk 'er away soon! Well .. i did, and the 2 of us rode off into the sunset and have been living together happily ever after ever since that wonderful fateful day!!

View attachment 1081902

Had a solid 4" custom strap made, and later upgraded the pre to the US9v for that ultimate Spector growl.

I have a picture somewhere of the beautiful @TBird1958 fondling it at the Seattle TB-GTG in 2015! That was hawt

Cat - love everything about that picture! Yours is still my favorite Forte X and that strap completes the picture. I'd love to hear a sound clip of the US9 (similar to the haz pre?) in that bass. I've thought about that upgrade also, but I hate to mess with perfection unless it's worth it.

 

[TBird1958]

I've got the similar USA Spector Forte-4X as my one and only, and we have been having a rather serious love affair since we met! She was a wallflower hanging at a BassNorthwest consignment sale. I asked if i could take her down on the floor and have a dance for a bit, and we hit it off BIG TIME! Told 'em I'd be back with enough $$$$ to whisk 'er away soon! Well .. i did, and the 2 of us rode off into the sunset and have been living together happily ever after ever since that wonderful fateful day!!

View attachment 1081902

Had a solid 4" custom strap made, and later upgraded the pre to the US9v for that ultimate Spector growl.

I have a picture somewhere of the beautiful @TBird1958 fondling it at the Seattle TB-GTG in 2015! That was hawt

Thanks Louis!

I'm really looking forward to the Seattle GTG this year, happy I can make it! There will be Thunderbirds present!

 

[Gaolee]

It sounds like you're going to have "the talk" with your understanding Mrs. to explain that all of these amp projects require your immediate attention. Of course, this will necessitate early retirement, as you also need to get "Electric GaoleeLand Studios" up and running in your basement. This will allow all of your Talkbass pals to descend upon Seattle and start recording our all Thunderbird rock opera.

(Wheels in head start turning even faster...)

This sounds like a fine plan! Except that the studio is already kinda sorta up and running - it's the Basement of Bad Ideas.

 

[catcauphonic]

Cat - love everything about that picture! Yours is still my favorite Forte X and that strap completes the picture. I'd love to hear a sound clip of the US9 (similar to the haz pre?) in that bass. I've thought about that upgrade also, but I hate to mess with perfection unless it's worth it.

I hear ya about messing with something already so good. This one came stock with the Aguilar OBP-2 ... which was just a little too boomy for me. This US9v is just the polite way of saying the HAZ (I understand that there was a bit of an acrimonious split between Stuart & the folks at Haz ... so the Spector Club peeps have been referring it as the US9v.) Soundwise after the switch, the nuances were more subtle than i expected, but it really tamed that boom and gave all the strings a nice and more even output.

I'm not sure how i could record some sounds other than to my phone, but it was definitely ultimately worth it to me. It's nice and clean if you use a light touch, and it growls like a pi$$ed off bear if you really dig in!

Which pre comes in that Rex of yours?

Thanks Louis!

I'm really looking forward to the Seattle GTG this year, happy I can make it! There will be Thunderbirds present!

Yes! Bringing the Thunders

 

[BklynKen]

I do unix sysadmin at work and just got a new server. I called it thunderbird.