Thunderbird Club

[Iristone]

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...

That guy sued Gibson but was lost. No way can you battle a corporate legislation team, let alone one like Gibson. Now Epiphone puts this in bold on their website and webshop:

Make no mistake, birch is a great tonewood and olive is basically a type of Asian mahogany, but the corporate autocracy is starting to look like RIC...

 

[Lammchop93]

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…

View attachment 5280456

my reeves 1x15 cabinet was like this and never had an issue. I had that thing loud too…

 

[JIO]

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".

Lucky that never has been an issue for either one of us.

 

[Iristone]

Back to topic: I use my Thunderbird where one would expect to use a P bass. I mostly use the neck pickup soloed or both pickups to the max. Sometimes I roll back a pickup slightly to reduce the mid scoop and treble load-down. The bass has very prominent mids even in scoop mode!

 

[dagrev]

SERIOUS QUESTION
In what context is a thunderbird best suited for, and which should you choose a precision or jazz bass?

I've yet to find something a Thunderbird can't do, and do well. Rock, country, contemporary church music, hymns. Now that I think of it, I've even played some classical music (a Christmas song and a hymn or two that have been set to something classical--not that I played them well). Some Christmas songs are a pain to play for me. As to the second part, I only play a P or Jbass when I just want to play one. I no longer play one for the particular tone I think will be better, but just because I want to.

 

[BklynKen]

Back to topic: I use my Thunderbird where one would expect to use a P bass. I mostly use the neck pickup soloed or both pickups to the max. Sometimes I roll back a pickup slightly to reduce the mid scoop and treble load-down. The bass has very prominent mids even in scoop mode!

My, and others', sweet spot is neck on full and bridge rolled off.

 

[D.M.N.]

Figure I'll throw this out there: If anyone has a pickup cover laying around that they don't use/need, DM me! It's damn near impossible to replace the one that was "liberated" while I was in studio, and I really need to have one back on my bass, for both aesthetics and playing functionality (resting on it for playing with a pick).

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

this guy…..

 

[Stealth57]

this guy…..

He’s almost as good as Chucky.

 

[MCF]

this guy…..

Honk!

 

[RedVee]

I've yet to find something a Thunderbird can't do, and do well. Rock, country, contemporary church music, hymns. Now that I think of it, I've even played some classical music (a Christmas song and a hymn or two that have been set to something classical--not that I played them well). Some Christmas songs are a pain to play for me. As to the second part, I only play a P or Jbass when I just want to play one. I no longer play one for the particular tone I think will be better, but just because I want to.

yes, I’ve played a charity Christmas Carols on my Epi Goth Thunderbird, no comments except “hey that’s nice”

My, and others', sweet spot is neck on full and bridge rolled off.

Yep

 

[5StringBlues]

did an EV speaker swap in the early 80s and installed the same speaker in another amp a few years later, no problems. those spring connectors bite down pretty hard as l recall.

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…

View attachment 5280456

 

[kyral210]

Figure I'll throw this out there: If anyone has a pickup cover laying around that they don't use/need, DM me! It's damn near impossible to replace the one that was "liberated" while I was in studio, and I really need to have one back on my bass, for both aesthetics and playing functionality (resting on it for playing with a pick).

Me too. I want one for aesthetics. It just looks badass!

 

[Blazer]

I'm putting together this guitar and I need you guys' input on what bridge to put on there.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure you can see what the intention is with this one, she's a rip-snorting punk rock monster.

So, wrap around bridge or Tune-o-matic and stop bar?

 

[Blazer]

I've yet to find something a Thunderbird can't do, and do well. Rock, country, contemporary church music, hymns. Now that I think of it, I've even played some classical music (a Christmas song and a hymn or two that have been set to something classical--not that I played them well). Some Christmas songs are a pain to play for me. As to the second part, I only play a P or Jbass when I just want to play one. I no longer play one for the particular tone I think will be better, but just because I want to.

Okay, not a thunderbird per se, but to rock an RD with THIS song is just epic...

 

[MCF]

I'm putting together this guitar and I need you guys' input on what bridge to put on there.
View attachment 5280631

View attachment 5280632
Yeah, I'm pretty sure you can see what the intention is with this one, she's a rip-snorting punk rock monster.

So, wrap around bridge or Tune-o-matic and stop bar?

Tune-o-Matic.

 

[ThaCoast]

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…

View attachment 5280456

Both of my SWR Goliath II 410's speakers are like that with push tabs, & never had an issue. I've pushed them hard enough in studio recording & all is well. The only thing i do to those cabs, is rotate the speakers once a year (those original PAS speakers are somewhat notorious for un-aligning their voice coil ever slight. enough to cause an issue down the line). So i've been doing that since, & since i love those speakers & cabinet in general, i do the rotation (takes em 4 years to make a complete rotation on themselves xD)

 

[Gaolee]

I'm putting together this guitar and I need you guys' input on what bridge to put on there.
View attachment 5280631

View attachment 5280632
Yeah, I'm pretty sure you can see what the intention is with this one, she's a rip-snorting punk rock monster.

So, wrap around bridge or Tune-o-matic and stop bar?

Bigsby! Because they are so massively mechanical looking. Plus, punk needs to be a little out of tune. With a Bigsby, that is almost inevitable.

 

[Gaolee]

Both of my SWR Goliath II 410's speakers are like that with push tabs, & never had an issue. I've pushed them hard enough in studio recording & all is well. The only thing i do to those cabs, is rotate the speakers once a year (those original PAS speakers are somewhat notorious for un-aligning their voice coil ever slight. enough to cause an issue down the line). So i've been doing that since, & since i love those speakers & cabinet in general, i do the rotation (takes em 4 years to make a complete rotation on themselves xD)

I never heard of rotating speakers. I also didn't know the voice coils could spin, even glacially. This place is full of unexpected educational content.

 

[Gaolee]

yes, I’ve played a charity Christmas Carols on my Epi Goth Thunderbird, no comments except “hey that’s nice”


Yep

So far, the usual reaction is something like Wow, a Thunderbird! You play a Thunderbird! It is some odd form of immediate credibility or a badge of weirdness or something. Until I show up with one, most people have never seen one.