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Thunderbird Club

#273,521
GBassNorth said:
I hear ya. $300 for a round trip plus a nice sturdy custom flight case for about $600 and maybe a bit of insurance for another hundred and all the sudden you’re bumping $1000 for one round trip. Guess we need to have next years GTG in Germany at your new place. :D
Click to expand...

OTOH, aren't flight cases needed to get the basses to Germany?
 
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#273,522
Hondapunk said:
Back in the day they would let you carry on your bass and store it (stand it ) in the garment compartment. Granted that was 40 years ago.
Click to expand...

I did some research, and you may be able to do that on some flights with some airlines. But there's no guarantee, AFAICT. Many flights, if there's a garment compartment available, it seems to be barely big enough for first class use.
 
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#273,526
JJR58 said:
Back in the day, those days no longer exist, especially for an electric bass.
Click to expand...
True , true . This was when Pan Am and TWA were a thing lol . I flew standby from SFO to LaGuardia for $99 ( Ibanez in hand ) on Pan Am . They called me to the counter to tell me Coach was full and wouId I mind being stuck in first class for $99 . I feigned disappointment and said , well I guess so .
 
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#273,527
dagrev said:
If you send it here, since it may not cost as much to Cal, and I can confirm how it sounds and plays for everyone and save you some $$$. Just a thought....:smug:
Click to expand...

Thoughtful, but if he's sending it anywhere - it would be Seattle :laugh:
 
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#273,531
I posted this in the main page, but someone suggested asking here...

I'm considering picking up an Epi Tbird to scratch that itch...I dont think I'll ever NOT want a bird, and Gibsons might be too expensive for how much I would likely use it.

Anyway, I'm eyeing the Vintage Pro, there's one in my area...I'm wondering though if anyone has changed out that Tune-o-matic bridge and Claw tailpiece? It's the same one on the Embassy as well. I'm sure it works ok, but Ive had issues with similar bridges before, and I have a feeling at some point I'll want it gone (also, I may want to swap to gold hardware and style it like the Gibson Rex Brown).

If anyone has swapped I'd love to know what you used. Or maybe someone has the measurements? I was looking at this Hipshot as a possibility:

4 String D Style Bass Bridge

But I don't know if it will fit obviously, without buying the bass and measuring.
 
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#273,532
GBassNorth said:
I hear ya. $300 for a round trip plus a nice sturdy custom flight case for about $600 and maybe a bit of insurance for another hundred and all the sudden you’re bumping $1000 for one round trip. Guess we need to have next years GTG in Germany at your new place. :D
Click to expand...
I haven't pulled the trigger to do it yet. I'm slow, surprise. But, I think there's a less expensive way to do it. A Pelican case made for rifles would probably work just fine, provided that the foam was configured right. It would be a bit of a DIY project, especially if you want the pretty pink liner like Gibson has. Pink isn't necessary, but something to keep the foam from getting scrambled is important, since it's pick and pull foam that has to be stabilized. Someday, I'll make a case like that, just to do it. Chances of me flying with a Thunderbird are pretty much zero. But you never can say never.
 
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#273,533
Gaolee said:
I haven't pulled the trigger to do it yet. I'm slow, surprise. But, I think there's a less expensive way to do it. A Pelican case made for rifles would probably work just fine, provided that the foam was configured right. It would be a bit of a DIY project, especially if you want the pretty pink liner like Gibson has. Pink isn't necessary, but something to keep the foam from getting scrambled is important, since it's pick and pull foam that has to be stabilized. Someday, I'll make a case like that, just to do it. Chances of me flying with a Thunderbird are pretty much zero. But you never can say never.
Click to expand...

Agreed on the Pelican cases.
They’re great and don’t cost a fortune.
 
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#273,534
kln_bc said:
I posted this in the main page, but someone suggested asking here...

I'm considering picking up an Epi Tbird to scratch that itch...I dont think I'll ever NOT want a bird, and Gibsons might be too expensive for how much I would likely use it.

Anyway, I'm eyeing the Vintage Pro, there's one in my area...I'm wondering though if anyone has changed out that Tune-o-matic bridge and Claw tailpiece? It's the same one on the Embassy as well. I'm sure it works ok, but Ive had issues with similar bridges before, and I have a feeling at some point I'll want it gone (also, I may want to swap to gold hardware and style it like the Gibson Rex Brown).

If anyone has swapped I'd love to know what you used. Or maybe someone has the measurements? I was looking at this Hipshot as a possibility:

4 String D Style Bass Bridge

But I don't know if it will fit obviously, without buying the bass and measuring.
Click to expand...
If you want to swap out the bridge and go with gold hardware, then looking for a Classic Pro might be a better option. Those are essentially a Gibson built in Asia and finished with poly instead of nitro. The stock hardware is black, and the pickups are the same ones Gibson puts in Gibson Thunderbirds. Vintage Pros have a different pickup that some of us really like, and others of us don't like as much. Only your ears will tell you whether that matters to you.

The good thing is that if you find a Classic Pro, it will probably cost less than a Vintage Pro. I have seen them go for really cheap at Guitar Center when they didn't know what they had.
 
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#273,535
JJR58 said:
Agreed on the Pelican cases.
They’re great and don’t cost a fortune.
Click to expand...
Plus, I'm pretty sure you can get one the right size in tan instead of black. So it is kinda along the way to being the same color as a Gibson case. Not really, but closer than black. Unless you want a black case. Then it's easy.
 
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#273,536
Gaolee said:
If you want to swap out the bridge and go with gold hardware, then looking for a Classic Pro might be a better option. Those are essentially a Gibson built in Asia and finished with poly instead of nitro. The stock hardware is black, and the pickups are the same ones Gibson puts in Gibson Thunderbirds. Vintage Pros have a different pickup that some of us really like, and others of us don't like as much. Only your ears will tell you whether that matters to you.

The good thing is that if you find a Classic Pro, it will probably cost less than a Vintage Pro. I have seen them go for really cheap at Guitar Center when they didn't know what they had.
Click to expand...

It’s why I did all that modding to my CP.
Original cost for the bass alone was 150.00.
Even with what I have into the mods, still all together came in under a grand.
It’s why I didn’t add the 2 piece.
That would not have been worth the money. But all in all, as the bass is now.
It slams as is.
 
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