Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

Nels playing his '59 Jazzmaster acquired from Watt - his most iconic guitar. Late '60s Fender Coronado Hollow-body bass too I roller-skated at rinks as a youth

 

[GonePlaid]

They’re no fun. When my brother was designing the original Volvo S80, he had to compromise everywhere. This was his original design:
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This is the compromise.
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Way too much bumper.

Still better than most of the "identi-cars".

 

[Hyper-sloth]

As I understand it, the current Epi(and Gibson?)"Mudbucker" is a TBird pup under a Mudbucker cover. I have an Epi EB-0 that I plan to replace its pup with a 30k wound aftermarket pup-maybe(it's my backup bass).

Oh good to know! I emailed Curtis Novak to see what he says, but I am leaning towards the T-Bird pup, bt I really love the Model 1...so who knows.?
Maybe it'll be a coin toss or what shows up used on the classifieds 1st LOL

 

[Miles_ONeal]

G-forces were applied (in a good way... inside!)

I only was a passenger on the back of my '93 Honda VFR 750 once piloted by my friend Joe who is a skilled motorcyclist. (long story) - I've never been so afraid on two wheels. On a related topic, the gf's I've had (in the past) as passengers on my motorcycles... there were those who clamped their legs hard against mine and those who remained relaxed, regardless of lane-splitting etc. I always felt it was a 'trust' thing...

Sometimes. Sometimes it's nothing to do with the pilot, just a fear of being on a motorcycle. I once carried a friend who totally trusted me, but he was terrified of being exposed, of leaning over, of falling off, of the feeling of speed even at 30mph, etc.

 

[Gaolee]

I never recall the GC here ever having a bass I wanted to get off the wall to play.

The one in Seattle had a used CP for dirt cheap. I almost bought it. That was quite a while ago. The kid who got it down for me more or less got it when I handed it back to him after playing a couple scales on it. He didn't put it back up. I think he decided to buy it. Maybe that is how it chose him.

 

[Gaolee]

Oh good to know! I emailed Curtis Novak to see what he says, but I am leaning towards the T-Bird pup, bt I really love the Model 1...so who knows.?
Maybe it'll be a coin toss or what shows up used on the classifieds 1st LOL

I am a huge fan of a Model 1 in mudbucker position.

 

[Gaolee]

Sometimes. Sometimes it's nothing to do with the pilot, just a fear of being on a motorcycle. I once carried a friend who totally trusted me, but he was terrified of being exposed, of leaning over, of falling off, of the feeling of speed even at 30mph, etc.

Some passengers are like a coat of paint. Others are like having a bowling ball flopping around behind you. I don't take passengers any more.

 

[Engle]

It's why we always bring our own mics... (even pre-Covid)

Last gig with Code Delta, our soundman said there was a problem with our singer's Beta 58. He wanted her to use his Beta 58, so they just swapped her mic grille onto his mic. The same grille also fits SM58s.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I guess, when were they popular, are they still popular? I couldn't name one of their songs either. And are his Thunderbirds modified in some cool, but acceptable way to the majority of us? Granted, like many here, I grew up on Rock, and Hard Rock. Being out of touch with current music, about 2 years ago, I had to ask my 50 year old brother what his top 10 favorite bands were, and what their best albums were. I got stuff like Hoobastank, Linkin Park, Stone Sour, and the like. I made copies of his CDs, and was very disappointed. Found a few good songs, nothing I'd like to learn. I'm thinking Gibson has the same issues.

They only have to be mildly popular, so long as they're photogenic, psycho, or something else that easily gets attention. All the brands have sold numerous guitars by picking someone who wasn't a megastar but still grabbed attention. Like @MCF suggested, someone like Nikki Monninger. They've played to huge crowds, have decent record sales, and Nikki is super cute, fun to watch when she plays, and has a "girl next door" vibe when interviewing. Her Birds aren't modified much, AFAIK, other than the cool pickguards but I suspect if Gibson or Epi sat down with her to find out what they could perfect or do different, they'd find something.
She's ten years younger than Rex, so they'd want a couple of younger players as well, but the point is, there are people they could choose to work with that they don't. And it doesn't matter if *you* like any specific music, if it's big then there's obviously a market. If they work across generations, they'll do a lot better - and so will Thunderbird players. There are bands I can't stand, but if their bassist played Thunderbirds and Gibson or Epi worked a deal, I'd happily consider the bass on its own merits.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

@GonePlaid
someone’s got you beat Mike…

 

[Miles_ONeal]

For those of you that use pedals of a pedalboard, do you find that there’s a bit of a pop or click when you use the pedals at the end(amp side) of your board?

If so, any tricks to mitigate it?

All four brand new pedals on the amp end of the board give a good pop when I step on ‘em. This is at my studio. I have changed the power supply, tried in two different amps.

A true-bypass pedal is likely to click, regardless of power, etc. Some other pedals do it as well, depending on circuit design.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Are we talking airports? If not, I'm even way less up on shorthand than I thought.

SJC - Solidstate Jaybird Coder
AUS - Anechoic Unsoldering Seagulls

or maybe we're talking the San Jose to Austin flights, I forget which.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

OK, that makes sense, but it was in a reply to one of my posts so I was unsure.

Those flights were called Nerd Birds because they flew a bunch of nerds between two tech nests.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I have used two different PS’s, an iSpot 1700mA with chained connectors, and now a multiple outlet brick style. I have plugged into three different amps. These are all new pedals and patch cables. The patch cable are the Ernie Ball flat ribbon style. This only seems to be an issue at my one rehearsal space.

OK, that's really weird.

 

[Thumper]

They only have to be mildly popular, so long as they're photogenic, psycho, or something else that easily gets attention. All the brands have sold numerous guitars by picking someone who wasn't a megastar but still grabbed attention. Like @MCF suggested, someone like Nikki Monninger. They've played to huge crowds, have decent record sales, and Nikki is super cute, fun to watch when she plays, and has a "girl next door" vibe when interviewing. Her Birds aren't modified much, AFAIK, other than the cool pickguards but I suspect if Gibson or Epi sat down with her to find out what they could perfect or do different, they'd find something.
She's ten years younger than Rex, so they'd want a couple of younger players as well, but the point is, there are people they could choose to work with that they don't. And it doesn't matter if *you* like any specific music, if it's big then there's obviously a market. If they work across generations, they'll do a lot better - and so will Thunderbird players. There are bands I can't stand, but if their bassist played Thunderbirds and Gibson or Epi worked a deal, I'd happily consider the bass on its own merits.

Perfect take. Kinda what I was getting at. And no, I'm not implying I was the target demographic, that ship sailed around 1990 when I quit listening to terrestrial radio.

 

[JJR58]

A true-bypass pedal is likely to click, regardless of power, etc. Some other pedals do it as well, depending on circuit design.

The Super 800 I recently got is a soft touch, true bypass and no click or anything when engaged or disengaged.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Some passengers are like a coat of paint. Others are like having a bowling ball flopping around behind you. I don't take passengers any more.

I found that kids and teens (with parental permission, of course) were more likely to listen and do what I said and therefore be good passengers and enjoy the ride. Adults were all over the map. That one guy was rigid, tried to stay vertical regardless of what the bike was doing, and was afraid to hold on to me at first because it might "look and feel gay. If it weren't for the sissy bar he'd have fallen off, but braking (no matter how gently) he kept bumping into me.
The last time I had a motorcycle, I'd definitely gotten pickier about who rode with me.

 

[RedVee]

OK, that makes sense, but it was in a reply to one of my posts so I was unsure.

Don’t worry Donnie, I was clueless on this one also.
I’m thinking… Singapore dollars? Nah that can’t be right!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

The Super 800 I recently got is a soft touch, true bypass and no click or anything when engaged or disengaged.

Yeah, my Super 800 Plus is perfect in that way (among many).

 

[JJR58]

I found that kids and teens (with parental permission, of course) were more likely to listen and do what I said and therefore be good passengers and enjoy the ride. Adults were all over the map. That one guy was rigid, tried to stay vertical regardless of what the bike was doing, and was afraid to hold on to me at first because it might "look and feel gay. If it weren't for the sissy bar he'd have fallen off, but braking (no matter how gently) he kept bumping into me.
The last time I had a motorcycle, I'd definitely gotten pickier about who rode with me.

I never had anybody on the back of my bike when I use to ride.
Was hard to trust if they really knew how to be a passenger.