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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
Alright, 2nd failure in the search for a decent but affordable gig bag that will hold a TBird. Just bought a double gig bag (holds two basses), was told that it should fit an Epi TBird, it arrived today and it doesn't. It's a World Tour Double Bass Gig Bag in case anyone ever runs across it and is curious.... So my fellow TBird owners, any suggestions/recommendations for a decent but affordable (roughly $50-$75 range, give or take...) gig bag that is TBird friendly?
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I bought the Rockbag from Warwick. It's huge and provides plenty of room for everything. It's been great. Exactly what I needed to get me in and out of the music school I go to without the hassle of the HSC because I use the backpack straps to free up my hands.
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I have decided with my future walnut 2014 t bird im gonna chrome it out.....
Those vintage birds just look so good.
I understand hipshot is the way to go for tuners and possibly bridge unless I go a different bridge design/build.
For pickups I was thinking lull's but pwoah 700 for a set is a bit much for me, unless there is a significant difference between them and say thunderbucker 66's. Which is where I am leaning, 66's seem to be the way to go if you just want to slam that vintage t-bird vibe onto a modern bird if I am not mistaken? I love how the new t-birds sound but I do think that a "blanket" could be taken off of the tone. I really like chicago music exchange's video of a 1977 t-bird.
Can't wait to get it all together!!!
Lull's vintage style T-bird pickups sound good----but aren't an exact tonal copy. More midrange focus and they don't grab quite as hard in the lows, on the initial attack.
Personally, I like Lollar's Vintage T-bird pickups. To me, they sound like a near exact tonal match. I have a set and completely love them.
Thunderbuckers do seem really good, however. and they do cost a bit less. I was about to buy some, until I found the Lollars. I did buy pickup rings from thunderbucker ranch!
Another option is the Duncan custom shop. There is an authorized dealer on Ebay (JMI Music) who occasionally has a set of their vintage T-bird pickups for sale for a really good price. Otherwise, you could order some.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,894
- 142,207
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
I went back and looked, thought you were already a member of our club, didn't see ya, shall I add you?
I just bought an Epi bag made SPECIFICALLY for the Classic and Pro Basses. We made sure the bag fit the Bird before I cashed out... And I paid around $45 for it.
Wow thanks for the info everyone!! The walnut bird isn't mine just yet!
Through trying to sell my rick, I have been offered a 2012 thunderbird in ebony with a baked maple fretboard. This interests me as it will cost me less, which I could put towards chrome parts/pickups. How does the baked maple differ? I'm really after the old
T-bird tone. And the natural colour is vet appealing. The ebony is in as new condition, but I won't be able to play it before I buy.
Through trying to sell my rick, I have been offered a 2012 thunderbird in ebony with a baked maple fretboard. This interests me as it will cost me less, which I could put towards chrome parts/pickups. How does the baked maple differ? I'm really after the old
T-bird tone. And the natural colour is vet appealing. The ebony is in as new condition, but I won't be able to play it before I buy.
Haji
Supporting Member
Id be all over that ebony, but that's just because I have an unnatural attraction to it. I haven't seen a Ric in a long time; they're rare in Nashville and the surrounding area apparently. Are those two comparable in money? I would think so, but I don't know with any certainty.
Because I can't catch a break, right after I get a case for TBurt, I find that doing a little truss rod tightening (apparently) caused some extra tension on the strings (I'm guessing) and started pulling the ferrules out of the body again, using a Supertone. I'm gonna try epoxying those silly things in. If that doesn't work, then I'm gonna figure out how to sink them in from the back side of the bass. Has nobody ever done that before? It seems so obvious it really makes me wonder why they're just pressed into the top rather than pulling the bridge to the body and locking them with the body between. Seems to me that'd do great things for sustain.
Because I can't catch a break, right after I get a case for TBurt, I find that doing a little truss rod tightening (apparently) caused some extra tension on the strings (I'm guessing) and started pulling the ferrules out of the body again, using a Supertone. I'm gonna try epoxying those silly things in. If that doesn't work, then I'm gonna figure out how to sink them in from the back side of the bass. Has nobody ever done that before? It seems so obvious it really makes me wonder why they're just pressed into the top rather than pulling the bridge to the body and locking them with the body between. Seems to me that'd do great things for sustain.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,894
- 142,207
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Hang onto the Rick! While I'm devoutly a Thunderbird player now, my first real bass was a '73 Rick 4001 that I bought as N.O.S. in '76, I kept it up until about 2007 when I sold it to help pay for a '76 Bird - I still have the 'Bird but I really, really miss that old Rick........
The baked maple will have a bit of snap to it, not a bad thing at all.
The baked maple will have a bit of snap to it, not a bad thing at all.
I've already got three!!! I can lose one....
The question of...black or walnut. Natural just looks more gibsony..
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
It's hard to tell you what colour you should go for - it's all a matter of taste, right?
The new 2014 are way too pricey IMHO, and are the exact same bass as the one they've been making since they started production again sometime in the 80's...
Since you already have three Rics, I would go for the black T-bird - it's cheaper and in mint condition and you'll have plenty left for the chrome conversion, which won't be cheap if you're going for the proper parts.
I personally went for a 2nd hand black 2005, which wasn't exactly in pristine condition but without major dings and the right price.
Ended up buying the 50th anniversary in gold brand new as well after the price dump.
All in all I ended up getting both birds for more or less the same price as I would have had to pay for a brand new 2014 in walnut - and they are both wonderful basses!
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I have a rosewood board on my T-bird, a baked maple board on my G3 and a maple board on my Jazz. The baked maple is by far my fave board. It's punchy and snappy without being overly bright like the regular maple board on my jazz (egregiously bright to the point I swapped out the tone cap to darken the electronics). The rosewood board on my T-bird is perfectly suited for its output; nice and dark and sultry.
TL;DR - the baked maple board, IMHO, splits the difference between rosewood and straight maple.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,894
- 142,207
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Pants and Goats..........
Dare I ask about the name change
Of course! As our Queen, I must keep you up to date on these things. I use mistergoats as my online name for everything else. When I signed up, I just used a funny name my guitar player called me one time. My last name is pronounced "GOAT-EE-YAY", it's French, and I was born and raised over here on the west coast of Canada, where we don't speak a lot of French, so I have been called "Goats" for many, many years. And you know, I'm formal, so I should be referred to as a "mister".
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,894
- 142,207
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Of course! As our Queen, I must keep you up to date on these things. I use mistergoats as my online name for everything else. When I signed up, I just used a funny name my guitar player called me one time. My last name is pronounced "GOAT-EE-YAY", it's French, and I was born and raised over here on the west coast of Canada, where we don't speak a lot of French, so I have been called "Goats" for many, many years. And you know, I'm formal, so I should be referred to as a "mister".
I keep forgetting you're just a little north of me...........I haven't been to Vancouver in awhile - beautiful city!
SO I put a deposit down today on a walnut bird...... I wasnt going to but I got some of the best service I have EVER experienced in Australia.
The sales clerk was no stranger to me or my guitarist when I went in, he knows what we do and when we want to we will put down a wad of cash on some great piece of gear. But he is never pushy, doesnt even try to sell me anything, just hangs out and talks about guitars/basses and their respective companies.
I inquired about thunderbirds and he told me the warehouse has 4 walnuts in stock. We start chatting about them, the pricing etc and I bring up gibsons QC and how one bass can be the king of low end and the next can be a bit of a turd. He agreed and said that he will order one in, and if I don't like it, he will do a complete set up. And if I STILL dont like it, he will send it back and bring in one of the other 3 until I find the right one for me..wow..
The RRP for 2014 thunderbirds in australia is....$3300, he instantly put that price down to $2400 and said upon recieving the bass and checking it all etc we could negotiate further on price. So in a week or two there will be a tbird waiting in my local store for inspection!!
Now just for that damn rickenbacker to sell.
The sales clerk was no stranger to me or my guitarist when I went in, he knows what we do and when we want to we will put down a wad of cash on some great piece of gear. But he is never pushy, doesnt even try to sell me anything, just hangs out and talks about guitars/basses and their respective companies.
I inquired about thunderbirds and he told me the warehouse has 4 walnuts in stock. We start chatting about them, the pricing etc and I bring up gibsons QC and how one bass can be the king of low end and the next can be a bit of a turd. He agreed and said that he will order one in, and if I don't like it, he will do a complete set up. And if I STILL dont like it, he will send it back and bring in one of the other 3 until I find the right one for me..wow..
The RRP for 2014 thunderbirds in australia is....$3300, he instantly put that price down to $2400 and said upon recieving the bass and checking it all etc we could negotiate further on price. So in a week or two there will be a tbird waiting in my local store for inspection!!
Now just for that damn rickenbacker to sell.
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
Wow! That is GOOD customer service...
So what happened to the one you're holding in the picture - Did they sell that one?
