Thunderbird Club

[Stealth57]

Looks like some wires are busting out through an unsuspecting cover...

Canadian wiring

 

[GBassNorth]

Looks like a fantastic cab. I always wanted to try one but never had the opportunity.

The PF 50T has always been on interest to me. Tube warmth, but without the size and weight of 100 or more watts. Someone here has one and speaks highly of it. Willy maybe?? The Genzler Magellen 350 seems interesting. Would likely be kind of transparent I would think. Heck, the Peavey Mini Max seems interesting as well. Then there is this. It has to sound good for a nice warm tone. I believe some guy out your way has one and he seems to do alright with it.
Ashdown ABM-300-EVO IV 300-watt Bass Head

I have to stop. There are just too many options that seem so interesting.

Oh, power amp and various pre pedals would be tempting as well.

Had an Ashdown 300 Evo combo a number of years ago, very nice sounding head. I was kinda leaning towards a Mesa Walkabout for about the same price. Not sure if the Mesa is fairly neutral sounding or if it has a baked in sound like the Ashdown I had (warm).

 

[MCF]

New Cab Day!
She sounds sweet with the Thunderfunk head. Unfortunately the Musicman HD150 head I was going to use with this cab is acting up so the next challenge will be to find a nice low watt tube head or maybe a warm sounding 300ish watt SS or hybrid head to go with the Epifani 212 cab.
View attachment 5285601

Maybe a drive up to Hollister after the holidays?

 

[MCF]

TSC sets are 1/2 originals and climbing. BG is all covers but Cherie is introducing a couple of things she's written lately. I make no bones about learning and performing our version of well written classic songs. Like this one that we're started rehearsing - always liked the song and Miss Jones.

Fun bassline!

 

[JIO]

That's great. Similar here, in 2 bands, with members ranging between 43 and 62, both are all originals. Neither band expects to be paid, we just want to get out and do it as much as possible, in the limited number of places there are to do it and support others that are doing it too. AND, despite the frustration that sometimes comes with it, I frequently thank the universe I have what I have (music related as well as all of it).

I have never been in a cover band. I am positive I would be a significantly better and more versatile player if I had the experience of having to learn dozens of songs and play 1-3 hour sets.

There's that (being versatile) but you have it right about being a better player. When I take on new non-original material, I listen to/study not only the bass-line, but also the song to learn how that bass-line is structured for that song, how it's played both melodically and rhythmically and the feel. At the other end I'll embellish or add my own voice to it to serve the way we play it - sometimes a lot and sometimes minimally, so it's never identically the same.

It's more a learning process for me and I've become a much better player over the years because of it. So much so that on our original songs - I have a library of approaches at my finger-tips based on the history of great songs and bass-players approach on those songs. Music has always been a continuum - continually evolving based on what came before. No such thing as totally "original" music.

 

[MCF]

I was never a Journey fan, but Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin always gets the crowd going.

I thought Look Into the Future was good. They lost me with the third album.

 

[MCF]

I gotta say I absolutely love your Super 800.

EH?

 

[JIO]

Fun bassline!

Yes it is Marshall - I just went over it earlier tonight before heading off to a Christmas party. I could play the chordal fretless intro but I only bring one bass to BG gigs so I developed a more rhythmic pick version that works well through a chorus pedal. Cherie has been introducing new songs that feature a distinctive bass-line (History Repeating/Buena) and I'm glad she is!

 

[MCF]

The last time we hauled a PA was 12/6/2014, never again.

Tease.

 

[JIO]

The last time we hauled a PA was 12/6/2014, never again.

We never need to bring a PA.

 

[JIO]

I would think Maurice Gibb has sold the most records of all of the players mentioned.

 

[JIO]

Had an Ashdown 300 Evo combo a number of years ago, very nice sounding head. I was kinda leaning towards a Mesa Walkabout for about the same price. Not sure if the Mesa is fairly neutral sounding or if it has a baked in sound like the Ashdown I had (warm).

Love my two Ashdown's -

 

[MCF]

New pickguard on the Orville. The bird is a little oversized. I think I'll change it to stock next time I cut some.
View attachment 5285909 View attachment 5285910

I'll be placing an order after the holidays. A couple more PG and TR covers.

 

[MCF]

So a question, maybe controversial,
Who is Australia's most successful bassist - not necessarily the best but successful. I'm talking Australians or from bands that started in Australia.
a) Bob Daisley
b) Maurice Gibb
c) Athol Guy (The Seekers)
d) Nick Seymour (Crowded House)
e) Anthony Field (The Wiggles)

I excluded Flea as his RHCP career is born in the USA.

BTW I don't have the answer, just interested in where this goes. AFAIK only one of the 5 used a Thunderbird.

Seymour is my favorite of the bunch. But if successful includes other endeavors besides music, I think it would be Guy.

 

[Basvarken]

What about Tal Wilkenfeld?
She has been making quite a name for herself.

 

[GonePlaid]

We never need to bring a PA.

And we always do. Different strokes for different...coasts.

 

[GonePlaid]

At our age(s)and level of experience, we rarely rehearse. We've played-and/or heard-the songs in our play list so many times with previous bands that when one of us brings in a "new(old)" tune we wanna do, we figure out the key and just play it. On the gig. We're able to simply look at each other and know where we're going in the tune. We use 'standard' repeat the last phrase 3 times endings(usually)and no one in the audience knows it's the first time we've played it(together)unless someone*says so on mic.

BTW, our rate of pay barely covers the gas to get to the gig and schlepping the equipment, which includes all amps and the PA. There isn't a single place we play that has any kind of 'backline' or PA system.

*the drummer has this habit of saying "that's the first time we've played that". I keep telling him not to say that unless we royally screw up(we don't). The audience doesn't need to know "what's behind the curtain".

Addendum: Bruce(one of our guitarists)suggested a song he wanted to do-"China Grove". I listened to it on YT and figured out the bass line, first in E(their key), then in D(we're getting older-gotta lower some of the keys). We played it that night after a very quick 'talkover' and now it's part of our song list(cos I can't spell repertoire*).





*no, I didn't 'look it up'

 

[20basspilots]

Just chiming in to share some of the mods that i've done on the $200-ish Thunderbird bass copy from a local Filipino brand that I also shared in the previous threads.

In a nutshell, I got to fix the frets, bridge, nut, got it set up properly as well. Now i've swapped out the pickups, added an Ibanez Custom Electronics 2-band active EQ, and coil splits.

Hopefully you guys don't find the musicman-style pickups on a tbird super weird!

 

[MCF]

Just chiming in to share some of the mods that i've done on the $200-ish Thunderbird bass copy from a local Filipino brand that I also shared in the previous threads.

In a nutshell, I got to fix the frets, bridge, nut, got it set up properly as well. Now i've swapped out the pickups, added an Ibanez Custom Electronics 2-band active EQ, and coil splits.

Hopefully you guys don't find the musicman-style pickups on a tbird super weird!

Nice job! What strings are you using?

My favorite Thunderbird is the Gibson '15 with the DiCola/EB tapped humbuckers. A variety of tones with SIT Powersteels.

 

[Camaro69]

Just chiming in to share some of the mods that i've done on the $200-ish Thunderbird bass copy from a local Filipino brand that I also shared in the previous threads.

In a nutshell, I got to fix the frets, bridge, nut, got it set up properly as well. Now i've swapped out the pickups, added an Ibanez Custom Electronics 2-band active EQ, and coil splits.

Hopefully you guys don't find the musicman-style pickups on a tbird super weird!

Ah no hate on a pickup variety! Having different voices that you like from the bass you want to play is what its all about