Thunderbird Club

[5StringBlues]

I got a real paranoid after my bass disappeared for 3 days on a trip back to Houston from Baltimore. When I went to Costa Rica shortly thereafter, I told the promoter that he must furnish me with the 5 string bass. I get there and there is a stingray 5, cool. It had 1 flat round, 1 tape wound, and 3 rounds......

So, essentially a baseball bat with a maple neck designed as a musical instrument/blunt weapon. If I was going to fly with a bass and couldn't have a really stout baggage handler-proof case, I would take the Precision, since it's a club as much as a bass guitar.

 

[5StringBlues]

UGH. Hey Alexa, learn to speak Texan.

I got a real paranoid after my bass disappeared for 3 days on a trip back to Houston from Baltimore. When I went to Costa Rica shortly thereafter, I told the promoter that he must furnish me with the 5 string bass. I get there and there is a stingray 5, cool. It had 1 flat round, 1 tape wound, and 3 rounds......

 

[JJR58]

The only bass I own that I would consider trying to carry on would be my MIM Mustang in its gig bag. It’s maybe worth $600. It’s small and would fit pretty easily. I wouldn’t really be too upset if something happened to it. It’s a pleasant enough bass, but nothing special. It is pretty indestructible. Frankly, if I really wanted to take it on a plane, I would pop the neck, pack it in a checked suitcase, and avoid the hassle of messing with it as a carry on. Especially on a crowded Southwest bus.

No way am I going to take apart a bass to travel with.
And in a checked bag.
Hard pass.
I worked for 2 major U.S. carriers.
I know how they handle checked bags.

 

[JJR58]

I would rather walk than fly on Southwest. The whole cattle car thing can bite me.

Facts!!!

 

[saltymonkey]

This is a Pelican V800 double rifle case. Interior dims are 53" x 16" x 6". I knew that Bruce Johnson offers these as a case option with his scroll basses. I just had to dig a little to find the pics. The SKB cases I posted earlier are virtually the same thing. One's slightly shorter. One's slightly longer. The Pelican is actually a good deal cheaper though at $230.

 

[JJR58]

This is a Pelican V800 double rifle case. Interior dims are 53" x 16" x 6". I knew that Bruce Johnson offers these as a case option with his scroll basses. I just had to dig a little to find the pics. The SKB cases I posted earlier are virtually the same thing. One's slightly shorter. One's slightly longer. The Pelican is actually a good deal cheaper though at $230.

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Now that’s an affordable way into a good flight case.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

This is a Pelican V800 double rifle case. Interior dims are 53" x 16" x 6". I knew that Bruce Johnson offers these as a case option with his scroll basses. I just had to dig a little to find the pics. The SKB cases I posted earlier are virtually the same thing. One's slightly shorter. One's slightly longer. The Pelican is actually a good deal cheaper though at $230.

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oh Lord that bass!.....

 

[TBird1958]

This is a Pelican V800 double rifle case. Interior dims are 53" x 16" x 6". I knew that Bruce Johnson offers these as a case option with his scroll basses. I just had to dig a little to find the pics. The SKB cases I posted earlier are virtually the same thing. One's slightly shorter. One's slightly longer. The Pelican is actually a good deal cheaper though at $230.

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Fly out to Seattle with that bass this summer!

 

[MCF]

I would rather walk than fly on Southwest. The whole cattle car thing can bite me.

Pretty bad isn’t it. I flew them a lot when I had to go back and forth to Sacramento. It has been awhile. Only once since the Pandemic. And that was pretty awful.

No way am I going to take apart a bass to travel with.
And in a checked bag.
Hard pass.
I worked for 2 major U.S. carriers.
I know how they handle checked bags.

Yeah. But it’s just a MIM Mustang. Although mine is upgraded with USA Hipshots. I could put the $10.00 (if even that) stock set back on. It’s my travel bass anyway.

 

[MCF]

This is a Pelican V800 double rifle case. Interior dims are 53" x 16" x 6". I knew that Bruce Johnson offers these as a case option with his scroll basses. I just had to dig a little to find the pics. The SKB cases I posted earlier are virtually the same thing. One's slightly shorter. One's slightly longer. The Pelican is actually a good deal cheaper though at $230.

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You need to show off that bass. Bruce is a master.

 

[Engle]

I always do.
And even domestic flights say no.
But I’ll be investing in good flight cases regardless, not taking any chances.

Good thing you don't have 24 basses!

 

[MCF]

This is a Pelican V800 double rifle case. Interior dims are 53" x 16" x 6". I knew that Bruce Johnson offers these as a case option with his scroll basses. I just had to dig a little to find the pics. The SKB cases I posted earlier are virtually the same thing. One's slightly shorter. One's slightly longer. The Pelican is actually a good deal cheaper though at $230.

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Bruce and Jeremy are close to my homes. I’m going to have Jeremy do some work for me. It would be great if I could get one of those cases and get help cutting inserts for the reverse Thunderbird shape and the non-reverse thunderbird shape. I’ll have to remember to speak with them about it when I’m in the shop. I’m hoping to meet up with at least Jeremy in April.

 

[Stealth57]

Bruce and Jeremy are close to my homes. I’m going to have Jeremy do some work for me. It would be great if I could get one of those cases and get help cutting inserts for the reverse Thunderbird shape and the non-reverse thunderbird shape. I’ll have to remember to speak with them about it when I’m in the shop. I’m hoping to meet up with at least Jeremy in April.

One case with two inserts? Cost effective if not traveling with both together.

 

[MCF]

One case with two inserts? Cost effective if not traveling with both together.

Yeah. No need to try to travel with more than one bass as far as I’m concerned. I take three when we go to the beach for a week. But one is plenty if flying somewhere.

 

[saltymonkey]

Bruce and Jeremy are close to my homes. I’m going to have Jeremy do some work for me. It would be great if I could get one of those cases and get help cutting inserts for the reverse Thunderbird shape and the non-reverse thunderbird shape. I’ll have to remember to speak with them about it when I’m in the shop. I’m hoping to meet up with at least Jeremy in April.

Bruce said he made a masonite template of the shape of the bass and traced it onto the foam. I think he said he used an electric carving knife to cut out the shape.

 

[Gaolee]

oh Lord that bass!.....

Exactly. Case? What case?

 

[MCF]

Exactly. Case? What case?

Bruce is the scroll bass guy. His shop is in Fillmore. He has an arrangement with Jeremy who uses the shop for his work. I haven’t been by there yet. But George has. Per George, it’s a cool shop. The work the two of them post of their builds is first rate. We’re talking cutting out bodies, machining bridges, winding custom pickups, building necks, that sort of thing.

 

[Stealth57]

The folks at the EB/SG group had some great ideas. And @Aaron W Lowther has the same exact situation and an elegant solution. He flipped the bottom plate and didn’t really adjust string spacing.

 

[BklynKen]

The folks at the EB/SG group had some great ideas. And @Aaron W Lowther has the same exact situation and an elegant solution. He flipped the bottom plate and didn’t really adjust string spacing.

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But I thought the Hipshot saddles were still too wide for that neck, even at their narrowest setting.

 

[JJR58]

But I thought the Hipshot saddles were still too wide for that neck, even at their narrowest setting.

I’m confused as well.