Thunderbird Club

[TBird1958]

Tuesday, wishing it was Thursday.

 

[Engle]

As someone who has removed the TB+ pickups in all of my ‘95-‘03 ‘birds, I can see this being something I’d like to have, at least for the bridge pickup. I currently use P90 pickup screws that I got from Philadelphia Luthier, which also have the advantage of having a small screw head that is smooth, so my fingers don’t get torn up while playing, since I frequently anchor my thumb on the edge f the bridge pickup. However, on a couple of them, the screws at just barely long enough and I feel like one day the screw holes in the wood will not grip the short length of screw that is actually in the wood.

It's good to be able to adjust the pickups all the way up without worrying about the screws coming out.
I think they would also help when installing chrome pickups in an Epi IV, but I need to make them stronger before sending them out to anyone.
Got some more suitable 4-40 inserts on order for my next version. I'll make a larger space and epoxy them in.

 

[Engle]

92TACOS for the win!

I have a 09 Taco!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Transistor Tues….

 

[Engle]

That makes sense. Then there is the "don't use anything with citric acid as it actually dries out the wood" group. It makes it confusing because that also makes some sense. Possibly other components in such a mix make up or mitigate the drying. Assuming it's even that much of a problem.

I will say it seems the EB Wonder Wipes do get absorbed, at least to some extent from watching how it dissipates. Some places stay damp longer than others. I don't discount it might just be a perception.

I used Hawes Lemon oil for years, but now I have a bottle of Dunlop. It's a bit thicker, but works just as well.
I've never noticed a fingerboard drying out from it over 40 years of working on guitars and basses.

 

[dagrev]

Transistor Tues….
View attachment 5405223

Looks like a real mess to me. I hope you know what you're getting into.

 

[dagrev]

I used Hawes Lemon oil for years, but now I have a bottle of Dunlop. It's a bit thicker, but works just as well.
I've never noticed a fingerboard drying out from it over 40 years of working on guitars and basses.

My dad used it a lot when refurbishing old mechanical clocks. I have used Lemon oil on various things over the years as well. Likely even fretboards at some point. I'm not sure how one would know it's drying the wood out. Seems that would require some kind of control based analysis from a lab or view under a microscope. Otherwise it it cold be nothing more than a belief, though it seems to make some sense. Whatever I'm doing, I've never had a FB crack. I have received some basses I bought that clearly needed some hydration, but even they were structurally fine.

 

[Gaolee]

View attachment 5404542

Don't mess with Rosie.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Tuesday, wishing it was Thursday.

"Mmm, Betty PPAAGGEE!"

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Looks like a real mess to me. I hope you know what you're getting into.

posted for the benefit of your comment D….a good morning laugh goes a long way…

 

[Gaolee]

Very cool cats, both of them (Bruce and Jeremy) are regulars on TB as well, so very approachable. Bruce’s shop is a builders dream as far as equipment and size goes. Every mechanized tool that you can think of for wood or metal working. And it seems that whatever tool or jig or fixture he can’t buy he just simply makes and freely shares with others in the luthier corner.


Interesting mod, keep us posted on how you like it.


Great advice and very interesting video. Thx!


IIRC 9 volt


Glad to see the neck put to such good use. As for the G&L I had, it was an early 2000’s tribute five string. Looks beautiful in trans blue and was flawless in fit and finish. The passive sound was to die for, but that active output just massively hammered every preamp I owned. Not sure if that was pickups set too high (I never changed the factory setting) or if there was something wrong with the onboard preamp. Kinda turned me off of G&L for years, but I keep reading such rave reviews my GAS is starting to build.


My 2000 Tribute five string had just one vol knob IIRC.


The labor and materials for a battery change on my 2014 Porsche Cayenne was nearly $1200 at the dealership IIRC. Fortunately it only needs to be done once in a blue moon.

I don't know what a battery for a 2010 Transit Connect costs. It was dead when I bought it, but charged up OK. Since then, no problems. That was about six years ago. I don't know how old it was when I got the van, either. Motorcycle batteries don't last quite that long, but if you ride regularly and keep them charged, they do pretty well. Five years or more isn't unheard of.

 

[Gaolee]

Ken spoke highly of it some years ago. I tried to order it, but it wasn’t available at the time. I continue to use the Music Nomad Frine polish for frets and their F1 fret oil on the board. It takes time to do the full polish and condition, but I have no complaints about the result.

Clean? Polish? A bass guitar? Hmmm... What a concept.

 

[Gaolee]

Ok vanity plates for the corvette…


The plates I will get are limited to 6 characters…. Can’t use a dash or a space… lame… I could get a plate that allows 8 characters if needed but it’s not as cool.

It’s a red 1992 C4 LT-1 Corvette…..

under 6 characters

92LT1
LTWON
LTWUN
CHEBBY
YURMUM
WILLYW
DUBYAH

7 characters

C4VETTE
LTVETTE
92TACOS

8 characters
LT1VETTE
C4RVETTE

can’t think of anymore right now

NOFRETS

[edit] I sure am slow this morning. Several others have already come up with this one.

 

[Gaolee]

nah - she rocks that Guild nicely

She does indeed. But she needs a Thunderbird, too.

 

[MCF]

that was a couple days and 10,000 pages ago. I can’t remember back that far.

It was a poor attempt at humor at your expense. For that I apologize. It doesn’t merit repeating.

 

[JJR58]

Clean? Polish? A bass guitar? Hmmm... What a concept.

I try to try.........

 

[WillyW]

Ok vanity plates for the corvette…


The plates I will get are limited to 6 characters…. Can’t use a dash or a space… lame… I could get a plate that allows 8 characters if needed but it’s not as cool.

It’s a red 1992 C4 LT-1 Corvette…..

under 6 characters

92LT1
LTWON
LTWUN
CHEBBY
YURMUM
WILLYW
DUBYAH

7 characters

C4VETTE
LTVETTE
92TACOS

8 characters
LT1VETTE
C4RVETTE

can’t think of anymore right now

YES!!!

I did find out that the 61 Rambler plate is approved!!!!! "3TR33"


AND MY TOP 3 choices for the vette are not taken.....!!!!!!

 

[WillyW]

It was a poor attempt at humor at your expense. For that I apologize. It doesn’t merit repeating.

I though all we did here was poor attempts at humor....

 

[JIO]

Interesting and good to know. I didn't look into it, but wonder if it is something like Tru Oil that EB recommends for their unfinished necks?

I've not tried that F1 that Marshall talks about either, but intend to get some.

Cleaning and polishing frets can make them look fantastic. Depending on the composition. Some will just be a nicer shade of dull. But when they look shiny, it makes me play better.




Not really. I haven't found that secret yet.

It's pretty easy if you get a Stew Mac fret-dressing kit. You get a few different metal fb guards (for thin, med or jumbo frets) and polishing pads. I only got the guards and a fret eraser. (looks just like an eraser for smoothing/polishing the surface after filing/steel-wooling. After your initial steel-wool polishing you only need to occasionally use the eraser. I do it whenever I notice the frets look dull. They sell a set but I only have one for polishing. If I want really shiny I use Nevr-Dull for the last step.

 

[Gaolee]

I though all we did here was poor attempts at humor....

I thought we were always Very Serious around here. Must have read the sign on the door wrong.