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Thunderbird Club

#270,321
MCF said:
A very special Greco just got posted. And priced it accordingly. I so want it. But can’t now. Termite service next week so I’m going to be a bit strapped. Someone please buy this now. https://www.talkbass.com/threads/1978-greco-thunderbird-ii.1632499/
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That's three times as much as I paid for mine................

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#270,326
Last edited:
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#270,327
dagrev said:
I suspect just out of the pic. I think he was playing with them before Ed, how long I don't know. Please correct if you have better info.
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No, you're right, I knew Billy was roadie at first, but he definitely was a member before they started recording the first album, which was when Leon got cold feet and Ed came in.
 
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#270,329
Ringhammer said:
I have 2. Both went to my tech after purchase. One was good but, he said there was some trouble with the driver stage and it was only putting out 130W. The power tubes were good, but he swapped the 12AT7 driver tube out with a 12BH7 and that solved it. Gave a clean 170W output, and since then I put a good set of GE6550A’s in and now it’s sounds awesome. With the OBC115 it’s a great match for this head. Yes, it’s simple, and usually I have the bass down to about 9 o’clock, and mid at 12, treble at around 3, the rest I do from my board.

The other AD200B I bought was a Euro model, only able to run 220/230. Took to my tech, he rewired the PT(?) to run 120 only, and again found the a 12BH7 in place of the 12AT7 was the ticket to get that one running at its best. It’s got Sylvania/Phillips 6550’s and RCA 12AX7’s and 12BH7.

I have not tried either of these with my only 810 (late 80’s Ampeg), but when I can I have run an OBC115 and OBC210 together, with a Thunderbird and I love that setup, so much so that I don’t see using anything else live for the foreseeable future. It’s great with the 115, and awesome with both 115 and 210.
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The 12BH7 has a lower amplification factor but higher current through cathode and plate, the latter being key for a driver tube in most cases.
 
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#270,331
TBird1958 said:
I don't own those other basses you speak of, so I play all kinds of music on my Thunderbirds, and despite popular belief (like out in the GenPop of this site) I am able to get great tone and they are easy to play. I have always thought the notion that a bassist "must own" a certain bass for recording, or touring or even to be thought of as "legit" to be ridiculous.

One pickup or two is the question :)

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I concur. I've played everything from soft to hard rock to metal top country to jazz to emo to ambient to noise rock on Thunderbirds. Depending on model, you might need two Thunderbirds to cover the spectrum perfectly. You only *need* something else because (a) you want it, (b) it's deemed necessary for image for your band, gigs, etc., or (c) someone calling the shots insists on you playing something else, and for whatever reason it's worth it to you to do that. None of those are necessarily good or bad reasons, they're just the only reasons you'd need something else (IMO).
 
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#270,332
Iristone said:
Could be the new boss behind Gibson, or the pandemic shortage (which some might use as an excuse like CITES back then). Not that birch or olivewood is bad (birch is one of the best tonewood for drums), just feel not good getting cheated by the company, no?
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Everything I've seen online from them claims Thunderbirds are mahogany. If someone gets something else, that's actionable. I'd think Gibson's lawyers would have made that clear if anyone forgot...
 
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#270,335
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#270,336
Miles_ONeal said:
I concur. I've played everything from soft to hard rock to metal top country to jazz to emo to ambient to noise rock on Thunderbirds. Depending on model, you might need two Thunderbirds to cover the spectrum perfectly. You only *need* something else because (a) you want it, (b) it's deemed necessary for image for your band, gigs, etc., or (c) someone calling the shots insists on you playing something else, and for whatever reason it's worth it to you to do that. None of those are necessarily good or bad reasons, they're just the only reasons you'd need something else (IMO).
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Maybe because to a horn playing BL the 67NR looks "normal", I've never had anyone gripe about it. If someone said I hadda play a P to be in their band, I'd say "you buy it, I'll try to play it. Or you can let me play the bass I'm comfortable with".
 
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#270,340
I have a question for the folks with speaker connection experience. I’m used to the standard tabs on the back of the speaker where you solder the wires. But, the EVs I’m installing have a spring loaded tube. I’m concerned that this type of connector would come loose from the vibration of 2 15” speakers. Any suggestions? I could solder the wires on the backside where the wires go to the cone…

IMG_6946.jpeg
 
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