Thunderbird Club

[Roger W]

thx Roger, didn’t even know they existed….PHR75 posted a very good clip of a passive Ray as well ….regret having gotten of it? beautiful blonde finish….

Yes, I do regret it. It was probably the best production bass/guitar I’ve owned. The 3 knobs are volume, a rotary pickup mode selector, and passive tone (treble cut). Because I usually finger pluck close to the neck, the ramp wasn’t as useful to me as it would be for folks who play more in the middle area. I liked the built in mutes as well.

 

[Stealth57]

This guy is headed to the Pacific Northwest. He loves rain and mud. He’ll fit right in.

 

[MCF]

After V posted about changing the pots in her Orville from 250K to 500K, I decided to do the same.
And then I thought I’d like to do some pickup comparisons.
And what would make that easier would be to use Phoenix connectors. So I installed one on each pot. This gives me screw terminals to connect the pickups and the tone cap.
I’m not averse to soldering at all, (trained as an electronics tech) but I don’t like soldering braided shields onto pots repeatedly.
And the pots cases don’t need a ground soldered onto them. They are grounded by contact with the cavity shield. I star wired all grounds to one lug.
View attachment 5308572 View attachment 5308573 View attachment 5308574

That is some slick work Irv.

 

[MCF]

Could it be that Martin Turner added a bridge pickup to that bass? Or was it only on loan from Overend Watts?
He preferred to use only the neck pickup anyway but for a while his T-Bird was wired in stereo and had a fourth knob.

But that Midnight Special T-Bird II can't be the same since it's stripped (natural wasn't an original T-bird color until '76, right?).

I’m a huge Turner and WA fan!

Wishbone Ash came into my world when I was in 8th grade. The guy at the local record shop was spinning Pilgrimage one day when I walked in. It had just come out . I had to have it. And that was the beginning of my Martin Turner fandom. Martin played a Ric on the album, but got Overend’s T-bird not long after that. And the T-bird became my aspirational bass.

Here are links to an interview that explains some of Martin’s history and his birds.
Martin Turner Interview: Introduction, playing the bass >> FlyGuitars
Martin Turner Interview: The Gibson Thunderbird >> FlyGuitars
Martin Turner Interview: Wishbone Ash, 1969-1974 >> FlyGuitars
Martin Turner Interview: Wishbone Ash, 1975-1980 >> FlyGuitars
[URL="https://www.flyguitars.com/interviews/martinturner5.php"]Martin Turner Interview: Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash >> FlyGuitars[/URL]

This live version of this song exhibits what became the classic Turner T-bird tone:

 

[MCF]

Hard to say. In the old Fly Guitars article I believe he only mentions the IV, so not sure where the II fits in. The sunburst IV has a white headstock, and in the article he mentions it was in shambles, had been shattered, so I think maybe the IV was refinished to sunburst after repairs? Maybe it was a II originally, was put back together in natural, and then had the bridge pickup added and was refinished to sunburst with a white headstock? Hard to say as he doesn't mention the pickup being added, just the Thunderbird pickups being rewired to have stereo out.

Well, beat me to it!

 

[MCF]

Bass player MIA... (on camera)

And I’m still trying to learn that bass part. McVie is so great.

 

[MCF]

So it was a 012?

You guys know what I meant…..

 

[MCF]

Plus, there is the Basement of Bad Ideas and Blasphemy a bit north of downtown. Not that I have the same flock of birds to play with. I will make a point of hauling the Grexa reissue 360 down to V's place one of the days, just so it can disturb the neighbors. The 1968 original stays in the basement.

Like I said, I’m inviting myself to see it while I’m there…

 

[MCF]

Wicked sound it out of that Bird! He plays a lot of what would usually be guitar parts.

If you like Yes, and listen to Relayer, you can notice Squier doing that. I think he was listening to Turner…

 

[MCF]

For sure - I met a guy from the UK in the early '80s and he said Roxy was huge there. (when I was first starting to listen to them) People talk about the New York Dolls as being pace-setters but I think Roxy broke ground first or at least were much more interesting.

The Dolls were pretty influential IMO. Different though. The Dolls more so for punk, Roxy for New Wave.

 

[icefly]

https://youtube.com/shorts/-Tho5qvd4BE

Not a TBird, just Epiphone related

 

[GonePlaid]

https://youtube.com/shorts/-Tho5qvd4BE

Not a TBird, just Epiphone related

 

[Engle]

I think if I would just simplify I would be fine with just my Boss OC-2 for bass.

I need to sit down with the POG 2 and see what it can truly do.

I want to do the two pice band thing to avoid dealing with people, but I also loathe dealing with electronicles.

I can relate to both sentiments. We only have so much time to actually play the instrument.

 

[Engle]

That is some slick work Irv.

Thanks Marshall. It will also make it very easy to do a comparison of one pickup vs two. I just need to change a jumper to completely take the bridge pickup and its volume pot out of the circuit.

 

[MCF]

Thanks Marshall. It will also make it very easy to do a comparison of one pickup vs two. I just need to change a jumper to completely take the bridge pickup and its volume pot out of the circuit.

We have some skillful wiring gurus here. I am learning things. George got me started with some basics. I’m shopping for a soldering setup. Using the connectors is a cool way to go with pots.

I need a refresher with the multimeter and such. I have a bit of a hum issue in the Studio; it’s not horrible but needs to be addressed.

 

[dagrev]

When I went to a Guitar Center in Dallas a few months ago, I ended up helping other customers, explaining basses. Then I realized ***? I don't work here!

Please stay in your lane!


Actually, I have no doubt the people you helped thought GC was now hiring some great people.

As along as you didn't call any of them "Boss."

 

[dagrev]

15 yearsish ago I spent a day visiting music shops with two excellent, serious teenage guitar players. Both had saved money and wanted to upgrade to better guitars. After looking a bit, one of them asked for a cord to plug into an amp and see how a guitar sounded. The older of the two workers (who seemed to be the owner) started yelling at D that it wasn’t Guitar Center, etc. He’d been obsequious to me. When he finished his tirade, I pointed out that I was putting the lovely burst Gibson Flying V back on the wall that I had been walking to the counter to purchase, and we left. I haven’t set foot in the shop since.

Bad story...good response.

 

[dagrev]

it was still there 5 years ago.

we’ve lost some local shops but Austin’s still supporting local stores. My problem is that GC is the only place with much stock anywhere nearby. So for some things, they’re it - especially if I need things in a hurry. But at least it’s staffed my musicians who generally care.

On thing I like about Reverb is buying items from small shops that have an online presence and give some money to a family owned business. Virtually all of my strings come from places like that.

 

[dagrev]

I'm surprised I haven't been typing goofier comments than that!

Stay in your lane there too, Irv. I have just about perfected typing as if drunk (or illiterate) when not! I've got that all covered and need no help.

 

[Lammchop93]

I love buying from small shops when I can. One of my favorite local shops here in town announced they are closing at the end of the month. They have a couple nice Reverend basses and a Genzler cab for a great price, but I've been saving for a Tbird or a Rickenbacker...