Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

How close are you to the train station?
For future reference.

She’s building her new house inside one of the cars. Don’t tell anyone!

 

[JIO]

90% of everything on an electric bass since they first came out is a gimmick. For that matter, lots of people thought the first electric bass was a gimmick. Movable pickups are a cool idea but (a) not everyone gets it so you need to carefully develop a good marketing plan and tweak as you go, and (b) musicians are a weird mix of conservative and progressive in terms of their instruments. Are movable pickups for everyone? No. Would some of us happily pay for Thunderbirds (and other basses) with movable pickups? You bet. Would most of us find spots we were happy with and leave them? Probably. But those spots would be our choices, which would make some of us happy.

If nothing else, prototypes should have movable pickups. Then you let musicians from your target audience play with them and get their feedback[1] on the best pickup positions. Heck, make the pickups swappable and movable and get feedback[1] on which pickups as well.
[1] ooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO….

Another attempt to solve a problem that doesn't exist is producing a bass fb that converts from fretted to fretless. A few attempts have been made over the years with marginal success. I mean, I think it could be done and done correctly (which it hasn't so far), but at the end of the day... why? The simple solution is two basses, one fretted and the other fretless. You could even have the exact same model/brand/year etc so everything except the fb would be the same. Even a double neck fretless/fretted bass is silly. (and back-pain producing) However, a double-neck bass/guitar is actually a useful behemoth. I saw a power trio once where both guitarists had bass/guitar double-necks and would trade off playing one or the other. Sounded great and was very entertaining to watch them split duties, sometimes mid-song.

 

[JIO]

But how are they?

why... they're great! ...

 

[TBird1958]

How close are you to the train station?
For future reference.

For Amtrak there's a stop for some trains in Tukwila, WA which is south of Seattle, that's about 6-7 miles from my home in Des Moines. They also make stops in Tacoma, about 15 miles south of me and of course Seattle about 13 miles north of me.

 

[dagrev]

...If nothing else, prototypes should have movable pickups. Then you let musicians from your target audience play with them and get their feedback[1] on the best pickup positions. Heck, make the pickups swappable and movable and get feedback[1] on which pickups as well.
[1] ooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO….

In a sense, everything that doesn't catch on is a gimmick. It ceases to be gimmicky when it goes mainstream.

But to the above. No, no, no, Miles. You have this all wrong. Players should not be making decisions about what they want. That's the free market working and made Leo famous. It must be people who think they know better in an office making those decisions on behalf of the unwashed.

 

[dagrev]

Boy, howdy. Pretty sure I never tasted that, but heard enough stories.

Now is not a good time to start. If you ever see a bottle, just walk away slowly.

 

[DJ Bebop]

For Amtrak there's a stop for some trains in Tukwila, WA which is south of Seattle, that's about 6-7 miles from my home in Des Moines. They also make stops in Tacoma, about 15 miles south of me and of course Seattle about 13 miles north of me.

Thanks

Trying to line up my summer activities.

 

[dagrev]

Why not?

The look. It just looks better if they put it in the right place to begin with. But I would never say never.

 

[dagrev]

Yikes! I've told this story before here I think, but when I lived in Chicago in the '80s an impatient guy honked at the stopped car in front of him (in my neighborhood) and the driver got out, walked back to the car and shot the guy, got back in his car and drove away. Broad daylight.

Glad it wasn't you who honked!

 

[SubHuman]

Yikes! I've told this story before here I think, but when I lived in Chicago in the '80s an impatient guy honked at the stopped car in front of him (in my neighborhood) and the driver got out, walked back to the car and shot the guy, got back in his car and drove away. Broad daylight.

Dang that is crazy! Yes I have mellowed out in my Senior years…like a fine wine. Champipple!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Now is not a good time to start. If you ever see a bottle, just walk away slowly.

I don’t even see them. Auto-filtering?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Another attempt to solve a problem that doesn't exist is producing a bass fb that converts from fretted to fretless. A few attempts have been made over the years with marginal success. I mean, I think it could be done and done correctly (which it hasn't so far), but at the end of the day... why? The simple solution is two basses, one fretted and the other fretless. You could even have the exact same model/brand/year etc so everything except the fb would be the same. Even a double neck fretless/fretted bass is silly. (and back-pain producing) However, a double-neck bass/guitar is actually a useful behemoth. I saw a power trio once where both guitarists had bass/guitar double-necks and would trade off playing one or the other. Sounded great and was very entertaining to watch them split duties, sometimes mid-song.

Agreed. Would enjoy seeing that, even doing that.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

The look. It just looks better it they put it in the right place to begin with. But I would never say never.

But right place varies with players.

 

[Instagator]

I thought about you model builders as I was picking out basket fillers for both grandsons Easter baskets tomorrow.
Of course I had to try one out just for quality control and old times sake.

When I was a kid I used to buy these at the 5 and dime store for 10 cents…they are $6.75 each now. Oh well.
Give me credit..I did put it together by myself.

Happy Easter to everyone if you celebrate.
Cheers to the rest.

 

[Engle]

Please don’t be offended Irv. But you and are are a lot alike.

Well we do like a lot of the same stuff!

 

[Engle]

For the finger players here, do you tend to lead with your index or middle finger? I always lead with my middle. My bass teacher insisted that New Yorkers tend to do that (take a guess why) but most others lead with their index. Maybe he was kidding, but I'm curious.

Mostly middle.

 

[Engle]

An "embarrassment of riches" as the saying goes - somewhere around 30; some mine, some actively for sale (on Reverb), some that will eventually go on Reverb, and some in progress. At one time I only owned one bass - my '63 II (stollen in '78) and later my '64 II. (which I still have) I don't apologize as it's part of what I am and what I do. Most were acquired for little money as "fixer-uppers". The most I've paid for a bass was for my '66 P (10 years ago this month) with absolutely no regrets. (and nowhere near what any '66 Fender bass is going for today) It's never been a "hobby" for me - it's part of me as an artist (and musician), just focused on basses instead of canvas paintings/drawings/lithographs/collages. I always felt performing as a musician was more immediate/gradifying than being a visual artist and I'm glad to focus on it in my autumn years.

I have about 24 basses. I feel the same way about playing. It's performance art

 

[Engle]

Yikes! I've told this story before here I think, but when I lived in Chicago in the '80s an impatient guy honked at the stopped car in front of him (in my neighborhood) and the driver got out, walked back to the car and shot the guy, got back in his car and drove away. Broad daylight.

Wow! I've seen fisticuffs in that situation, but...

 

[dagrev]

But right place varies with players.

Sure enough, thus the "for me" (or something like that) in the initial post. But, the thunderbirds that are most sought after in history all have the same location in common and are much beloved. But I've beat that horse many times before and no need to do it again. They will get it right (for me) one day.

 

[SubHuman]

I thought about you model builders as I was picking out basket fillers for both grandsons Easter baskets tomorrow.
Of course I had to try one out just for quality control and old times sake.

When I was a kid I used to buy these at the 5 and dime store for 10 cents…they are $6.75 each now. Oh well.
Give me credit..I did put it together by myself.

Happy Easter to everyone if you celebrate.
Cheers to the rest.
View attachment 5402314

Oh wow $6.75! Dang that is crazy...like you said we paid a dime! Cool Easter toy! As a kid you had to buy 5 or more because when you taped the Black Cat firecracker to it and it flew into the sky it blew into a hundred pieces!