And/or run the strap at the bottom in front of the bass rather than behind.
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
It’s awesome! Sharon is is Alaska with our daughter and her three kids. I’m jealous but couldn’t go right now.
It’s what gets me into a flying cigar tube for 22 hours.
Thanks guys, yes we are very excited!
and Marshall hang in there, you never know. My Daughter & SIL 10th wedding anniversary is this 11th Jan. But they got careers and a house set up first. Bub may even arrive on their Anniversary. We have to wait and see.
and Marshall hang in there, you never know. My Daughter & SIL 10th wedding anniversary is this 11th Jan. But they got careers and a house set up first. Bub may even arrive on their Anniversary. We have to wait and see.
Thanks for the help all. Will try the Hipshot bridge then.
Any links or recommendations for a new strap button so I can place on the back? Want to cure neck dive.
Are Greco tuners easy to replace btw? Any drop in replacements?
New to the modding stuff. Pickups are not even and a little wonky. Worried about the truss rod too. Haven’t checked it yet.
Thought about returning it and investing in a real Gibson thunderbird if I start spending more on mods. I paid about a grand for the Greco used.
Any links or recommendations for a new strap button so I can place on the back? Want to cure neck dive.
Are Greco tuners easy to replace btw? Any drop in replacements?
New to the modding stuff. Pickups are not even and a little wonky. Worried about the truss rod too. Haven’t checked it yet.
Thought about returning it and investing in a real Gibson thunderbird if I start spending more on mods. I paid about a grand for the Greco used.
Question: does yours have neck dive? Or are you reacting to all the ‘experts’ that say that all Thunderbirds have neck dive?
you seem like someone has been in your ear with doom and gloom.
I suggest playing it before changing anything, you may not need a new bridge, strap pin location etc at all
Doom and gloom? Asking about an instrument mate. Yes in fact it does neck dive. Have to hold it up constantly. Just asking about a good strap button to use please.
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That is one cute kid Chucky
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,894
- 142,211
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Okay, it looks like July is going to be the month for the Seattle GTG, my goal is to be off from work 7/23-8/2 in total thinking we'd have most folks between 7/25-7/29. I'd figure we can plan some day activities as we figure who will be here and when. Lots to do, music stores to visit, Airplane museum, maybe a visit to Bill's to see some excellent '60-70 Pontiacs and BSA's. The Thunderbirds and amps will be in the basement, The Nasty Habits could come over and you guys can play along, using my basses and amps. I live near Sea-Tac so lots of places to stay nearby, lots of food too! Please feel free to PM me 
I had just put import Grover’s on mine, got them from Philadelphia luthier supply. The ones that are stock are more of a 7ender style with the large plates. Not my favorite, but Wilkinson makes affordable and very nice replacements.
Update on my greco project. The Carbon o lites arrived, but there's two issues: they take up a bigger real estate than the originals, the bushings are bigger than the original holes, and "A" tuner seems to overlap with the E and D strings, otherwise it would have been just widening the screw holes. it turns out the G tuner hole was drilled out farther than the rest.
I've weighed both tuners with my totally accurate luggage scale, and the original tuners are around 0.87 lbs, and the gotohs are around 0.46 lbs, probably not the most accurate due to hanging the scale off the box they came in, I think the bushings are what's throwing it out of whack.
On a more positive note, I moved the strap button to the left screw of the tailpiece as per this forum's suggestion, and it really does make a difference in how it hangs!
It's like a budget version of the dingwall recessed strap button on the d-birds, and it's hangs the strap in front for me!
I've also found a website where one can order bridge ashtray covers at guitarpartsfactory, I ordered a nickel one for my 'bird, hope it should fit. I also ordered a hipshot supertone that I hope will arrive, it's currently in status limbo...
I've weighed both tuners with my totally accurate luggage scale, and the original tuners are around 0.87 lbs, and the gotohs are around 0.46 lbs, probably not the most accurate due to hanging the scale off the box they came in, I think the bushings are what's throwing it out of whack.
On a more positive note, I moved the strap button to the left screw of the tailpiece as per this forum's suggestion, and it really does make a difference in how it hangs!
It's like a budget version of the dingwall recessed strap button on the d-birds, and it's hangs the strap in front for me!I've also found a website where one can order bridge ashtray covers at guitarpartsfactory, I ordered a nickel one for my 'bird, hope it should fit. I also ordered a hipshot supertone that I hope will arrive, it's currently in status limbo...
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- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,963
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,894
- 142,211
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
possibly, but it seems to be cutting close to where the screw holes are. I was going to take it to a repair guy in Toronto of the "Dave's world" kind, who I haven't visited in a while (I got other places I can go to, but I also got a guitar that needs the frets dressed, so why not both?), but I think slightly offsetting the E and D holes away could work. At the moment I don't have any real tools to widen them, all I did was remove a little bit of paint with sandpaper wrapped on a "1/2 bit, ha!
I like both Dunlop locking strap buttons (flush mount are fun) AND the Grover oversized buttons
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,963
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
The tuners are cool and all, but it looks like attempting to modify them to fit will ruin the tuner bases. There's a chance the original post-holes can be plugged and new (correctly spaced and sized) holes can be drilled for correct alignment of those tuners. If you're lucky the post collars will hide any trace of the original holes from the front. The tuner plates will more than conceal the work done from the back.
One other thing to consider is the string alignment to the posts. (keeping them parallel) Still possible but much drawing-board work to be done before plugging and drilling.
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