Thunderbird Club

[Engle]

That's cool. Very unique sound. I always thought they looked like some kind of science fiction bong.
(I know everyone here will have to google that word for it's meaning.....

Can you ship a little of the talent in your family this way? I'll pay shipping. Just a little will help and you all seem to have plenty!

She got some good sounds out of it!

 

[Engle]

What craftsmanship. I love the unique sound of a Bassoon.

It is really nice!

 

[Engle]

@Basvarken
Hi Rob, was hoping you could help me in answering the question;
were the headstock front plates on 60’s NR white Birds both black or white? I see some of the custom colors had the front be that as well but I have also seen them black…
View attachment 5370327
saw a pic of Geddy Lee with a white NR with a black headstock, then again I’ve seen all white headstocks on 60’s NRs as well….were these refinished after a hs break? anything you could add would be great…..THX!

From Geddy’s book:

 

[Haji]

Hey y'all, anybody got any experience playing a Mike Lull PT5? @TBird1958 I'm looking at you...

Got an offer to trade for my Dark Ray 5 and I'm pretty tempted. I thoroughly enjoy the Dark Ray but Lull tbird pickups and such.... Anyways, Pickup spacing on the PT5 looks way different than my T5, so I'm curious how it affects the usable tones.

More opinions needed, but here's my two cents. That and $3.00 gets you a roller grill item at the gas station, but you get my opinion anyway. Mike Lull died in 2020. The Dark Ray will likely be in production for a while. I played a Lull T Bird once and it was spectacular. My brother, who has no use for that shape, owned a Lull TB 5 for quite a while. The craftsmanship and sound are awesome. I'd make that trade and eventually replace the Dark Ray if you really miss it. Meanwhile, the Lull is very likely going to increase in value.

 

[Rickplaysbass]

More opinions needed, but here's my two cents. That and $3.00 gets you a roller grill item at the gas station, but you get my opinion anyway. Mike Lull died in 2020. The Dark Ray will likely be in production for a while. I played a Lull T Bird once and it was spectacular. My brother, who has no use for that shape, owned a Lull TB 5 for quite a while. The craftsmanship and sound are awesome. I'd make that trade and eventually replace the Dark Ray if you really miss it. Meanwhile, the Lull is very likely going to increase in value.

I have a Lull T5 already. Not really asking if I should trade or not. More asking what the different pickup positions do to the sounds of the PT5 vs the T5.

 

[TBird1958]

Hey y'all, anybody got any experience playing a Mike Lull PT5? @TBird1958 I'm looking at you...

Got an offer to trade for my Dark Ray 5 and I'm pretty tempted. I thoroughly enjoy the Dark Ray but Lull tbird pickups and such.... Anyways, Pickup spacing on the PT5 looks way different than my T5, so I'm curious how it affects the usable tones.

More opinions needed, but here's my two cents. That and $3.00 gets you a roller grill item at the gas station, but you get my opinion anyway. Mike Lull died in 2020. The Dark Ray will likely be in production for a while. I played a Lull T Bird once and it was spectacular. My brother, who has no use for that shape, owned a Lull TB 5 for quite a while. The craftsmanship and sound are awesome. I'd make that trade and eventually replace the Dark Ray if you really miss it. Meanwhile, the Lull is very likely going to increase in value.

I haven't played a PT5 or a Dark Ray so I really can't speak of this with any experience, I would however completely agree with Haji's post, if Mike actually built the bass in question, it will only go up in value as time goes on.

 

[MCF]

Check/adjust relief
Adjust saddle/bridge height
Check/adjust intonation

Always do intonation last because string heights due to adjusting the truss rod and moving saddles or the bridge up and down will affect it.

And I usually have to reintonate at least a string or two once or twice a few weeks later as the strings stretch and settle in.

 

[dagrev]

read somewhere the large headstock is part of the TBird tone….
View attachment 5370292

Even the HS looks fantastic on that BaCH.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Just noticed this. Will have to watch it tonight. Hopefully some Thunderbird, Reverse and NR action will be caught.

Thanks! Right off the bat, seeing what appears to be the blueburst.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

From Geddy’s book:
View attachment 5370412

thx Irv! gotta get that book...

 

[MCF]

I'm so stoked, I'm going to see my personal bass God, Mel Schacher with Grand Funk in Las Vegas today. I see them at least once a year, and he always brings it, reminding me why he is still my all-time favorite.

Have fun Thump! They do a fun show.

EDIT: Even without Farner.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Guys, what is the good sequence for tuning and intonation after changing strings on TBird?

Which steps do you follow when it comes to bridge height and saddle intonation? Which you do first?

Look here at the setup links: https://www.talkbass.com/wiki/thunderbird-club-faqs-n-stuff/

 

[dagrev]

I'm so stoked, I'm going to see my personal bass God, Mel Schacher with Grand Funk in Las Vegas today. I see them at least once a year, and he always brings it, reminding me why he is still my all-time favorite.

Who?




Yeah, I'm just a tad envious. I love Mel and GF. He was a big influence. Knowing how bad I play he would not want to know that.

 

[Stealth57]

Who?

Yeah, I'm just a tad envious. I love Mel and GF. He was a big influence. Knowing how bad I play he would not want to know that.

Love playing this shuffle.

 

[dagrev]

thx Irv! gotta get that book...

It's worth the $$. Hours and hours... really days and days of reading.

 

[MCF]

Pure Salem Cardinal Bass Guitar | eBay

View attachment 5370345

That looks kind of cool. And looks easily modifiable if one wants to swap in Tbird humbuckers..

Fretboard, neck and body cleaned.
It seems silly, but I applied powdered graphite to the nut and saddles.

Next: your tips.
Thanks.

Spa days are fun!

 

[dagrev]

Love playing this shuffle.

I don't recall trying to play any of their songs that weren't fun. Not that I played just like Mel.

 

[dagrev]

A drummer friend sent this t me. The guy has some interesting vids.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Who?




Yeah, I'm just a tad envious. I love Mel and GF. He was a big influence. Knowing how bad I play he would not want to know that.

I'm Your Captain / Closer to Home was one of the first bass lines that really grabbed me, and one of the first songs I started playing bass with.

 

[MCF]

I'm Your Captain / Closer to Home was one of the first bass lines that really grabbed me, and one of the first songs I started playing bass with.

8th grade would not have been as much fun without the live album.