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Thunderbird Club

#275,423
MCF said:
Only if you play the flats I suppose. I don’t. But I get pretty good mileage out of the power steels.
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I change mine out every three to four months. Once the current set dies off I think I'll throw on the set of black box Dunlops to check out. One strike against them is that they're 45-105, not available in 50-105.
 
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#275,424
SubHuman said:
Not sure if you know (or care!) about SIT’s history but it started in a tiny guitar repair shop in a little town I grew up in.
Virgil Lay started Lay’s Guitar Shop in Kenmore, Ohio, in 1962. His store has been serving amateur and professional musicians nationwide ever since ( it’s still open by old employees). I was just there last Summer.
Virgil worked on instruments for such players as Jack Bruce, Phil Keaggy, Joe Walsh and bands such as Bad Company, The Outlaws and The Black Keys. Jimmy Page‘s Les Paul #1 had its neck shaved in his shop.
I took many instruments there when I was younger for set up and knew Virgil and loved hearing about the Rockers and Country stars and their guitars.
Lay founded the Stay-In-Tune String Company (or SIT Strings as it’s known today) in 1980. Lay grew frustrated when newly strung guitars would go out of tune, so he began applying adhesives to the twists in the strings to stop them from stretching. The strings became known as “Stay In Tune” strings, or S.I.T. Strings. The strings were originally made in Lay's basement in Kenmore.
My brother used some of the 1st SIT strings on his ‘64 SG. They hadn’t started making Bass strings until a few years later.
He had a gentle southern accent and he loved to share stories.
Here he is with Les Paul’s “Log” guitar!
View attachment 5323557
SIT is now in a large commercial building but it all started in a tiny guitar repair shop.
Click to expand...
Great info Sub! I started using SIT guitar strings when Nashville Straights went out of business. I didn’t start using them on basses until our buddy Ken started singing their praises.
 
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#275,425
Engle said:
If I ran the zoo, the Epi Thunderbirds would be available in colors, have trapezoid inlays and bridge covers.
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I'm VP on the board of directors and you have my full backing.
(OK, it's not actually Epi/Gibson's Board, but as a non-member of the Board of Directors, my vote is yes.)

Those things are such great ideas. I don't understand why they in some way haven't been tried. Talk about making Epi a more high-end looking bass. As we've lamented before, I can't fathom why Gibson hasn't had some inlays at least from time to time. Could be if Epi gets too much attention it could very well cut into the Gibson market.
 
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#275,426
dagrev said:
I'm VP on the board of directors and you have my full backing.
(OK, it's not actually Epi/Gibson's Board, but as a non-member of the Board of Directors, my vote is yes.)

Those things are such great ideas. I don't understand why they in some way haven't been tried. Talk about making Epi a more high-end looking bass. As we've lamented before, I can't fathom why Gibson hasn't had some inlays at least from time to time. Could be if Epi gets too much attention it could very well cut into the Gibson market.
Click to expand...

Gibson has used trapezoid inlays before and they do standout compared to the dots.

upload_2024-1-20_14-18-28.jpeg


I agree a few little things to make a good bass more dressed up. Like adding flair to a sports car. It doesn’t take much.

My ‘71 has Gibson engraved in the pickup covers and metal pointers on the vol/tone controls too.
upload_2024-1-20_14-20-41.jpeg
upload_2024-1-20_14-20-41.jpeg
 
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#275,427
MCF said:
Great info Sub! I started using SIT guitar strings when Nashville Straights went out of business. I didn’t start using them on basses until our buddy Ken started singing their praises.
Click to expand...
I get more mileage because I have too many Thunderbirds and rotate them. Although the ‘15 gets a new set yearly when it gets a Spa Day with fretboard cleaning, complete polish, etc. Usually around Spring Daylight Savings Time. Have I mentioned lately how much I love the ‘15?
IMG_3483.jpeg
 
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#275,433
JIO said:
The cover spacers are a good idea. I have the ones off my '64 if you need reference. For various thicknesses, you could just stack them - they are 1/16" thick.
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The cool thing about the 3D printer is it is very easy to change the thickness in the CAD software and print it again.
If it’s not too much trouble, please send me a pic with them sitting on a ruler.
 
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#275,434
SubHuman said:
Not sure if you know (or care!) about SIT’s history but it started in a tiny guitar repair shop in a little town I grew up in.
Virgil Lay started Lay’s Guitar Shop in Kenmore, Ohio, in 1962. His store has been serving amateur and professional musicians nationwide ever since ( it’s still open by old employees). I was just there last Summer.
Virgil worked on instruments for such players as Jack Bruce, Phil Keaggy, Joe Walsh and bands such as Bad Company, The Outlaws and The Black Keys. Jimmy Page‘s Les Paul #1 had its neck shaved in his shop.
I took many instruments there when I was younger for set up and knew Virgil and loved hearing about the Rockers and Country stars and their guitars.
Lay founded the Stay-In-Tune String Company (or SIT Strings as it’s known today) in 1980. Lay grew frustrated when newly strung guitars would go out of tune, so he began applying adhesives to the twists in the strings to stop them from stretching. The strings became known as “Stay In Tune” strings, or S.I.T. Strings. The strings were originally made in Lay's basement in Kenmore.
My brother used some of the 1st SIT strings on his ‘64 SG. They hadn’t started making Bass strings until a few years later.
He had a gentle southern accent and he loved to share stories.
Here he is with Les Paul’s “Log” guitar!
View attachment 5323557
SIT is now in a large commercial building but it all started in a tiny guitar repair shop.
Click to expand...

Great info!! I am originally from that area (Born in Canton, lived in Hartville) until I was 14. When I buy SIT strings I think of it as supporting a "local" business, even tho I haven't been a local there in decades. :D Like others in the Tbird club, I tried their strings at Ken's recommendation.
 
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#275,435
MCF said:
I get more mileage because I have too many Thunderbirds and rotate them. Although the ‘15 gets a new set yearly when it gets a Spa Day with fretboard cleaning, complete polish, etc. Usually around Spring Daylight Savings Time. Have I mentioned lately how much I love the ‘15?
View attachment 5323811
Click to expand...
Are those split coils factory or did you do the Mod? Really nice, unique Bird!
 
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#275,438
MCF said:
I get more mileage because I have too many Thunderbirds and rotate them. Although the ‘15 gets a new set yearly when it gets a Spa Day with fretboard cleaning, complete polish, etc. Usually around Spring Daylight Savings Time. Have I mentioned lately how much I love the ‘15?
View attachment 5323811
Click to expand...
heck! that’s a lucky bass!!….
 
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