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Thunderbird Club

#293,661
Chucky Stiletti said:
all on BT…..pretty amazing..
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/ampeg-v-2-tone-compared-to-v-4-v-4b.1337271/
Click to expand...

Yes, and I forgot to mention that the channel two on this V2 has been modified to be the same a a V4B, I believe is some coupling(?) caps on the input that get changed. I think it’s a negligible and maybe not even noticeable change in tone, but leaving channel one alone, and changing channel two to be more like a V4B I think is cool. It’s a V2B with reverb! Not that bass has any use for reverb.

Definitely not loud enough for hard rock in my situation on its own, but 72Watts of all tube driving a hearty 4x8 on top of a 2x12 that will be run by a 100w tube head could prove to be enough, and maybe pushing both heads hard will provide some interesting results.
 
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#293,662
Ringhammer said:
Yes, and I forgot to mention that the channel two on this V2 has been modified to be the same a a V4B, I believe is some coupling(?) caps on the input that get changed. I think it’s a negligible and maybe not even noticeable change in tone, but leaving channel one alone, and changing channel two to be more like a V4B I think is cool. It’s a V2B with reverb! Not that bass has any use for reverb.

Definitely not loud enough for hard rock in my situation on its own, but 72Watts of all tube driving a hearty 4x8 on top of a 2x12 that will be run by a 100w tube head could prove to be enough, and maybe pushing both heads hard will provide some interesting results.
Click to expand...
Hmm. One of the presets on this thing is SVT w/810 cab and reverb. Just sayin'.
IMG_0061.jpg
 
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#293,664
dagrev said:
Three years ago I would have said it's crazy money. But now, it's very typical and can sell for that. Not to me, but they are in demand. Maybe as much now as ever. I'll sell you my '64 for a discounted friend rate of $15,000!:DIt's promised to someone if something happens to me.

About 20 yrs ago mine was appraised at $7,500. It was way too high in my opinion, but a lot more than the $600 or $650 I paid/have in it.

There is this one.... It's been there a couple months. I'm kind of surprised it's still there. If groceries, gas and everything else hadn't increased by over 20% in recent years, it would be gone.
Gruhn Guitars
Click to expand...

If not for putting in the Seymour Duncan Hawkbucker bridge pu (same location/size route as a IV + extra pot/hole/knob) mine would be worth more as I have everything original otherwise. Did the mod in '86 - it was my only bass then. Never regretted it - it's following me to the end of the coil.

Pic on my B-day from a few years ago - I did use it on my last B-day gig at Winters' on J1/'24 and will use it in a few weeks (June 22nd) there w/TSC.

upload_2024-6-1_12-1-37.jpeg
 
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#293,666
Engle said:
You could shim it, but you will probably need to get a bridge with narrower (or adjustable) string spacing.
Also check the depth of the pocket and if the bridge position will work for intonation.

I would take the neck off the Pbass and see how the Epi neck works on that body:D
Click to expand...
Great idea! I’ll check it out that way first. Thanks!
 
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#293,668
JIO said:
They all will be 34" scale but the neck-pocket will be different. Gibson heals are narrower than a Fender heal & squared-off, so you'll have to create an insert for the T-bird heal. Test intonation differences from nut to bridge-saddles to determine where the T-bird neck will have to be positioned.
Click to expand...
Ok I will check it out. Do you have a close up photo on how you did neck install? Thanks!
 
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#293,672
SubHuman said:
Ok I will check it out. Do you have a close up photo on how you did neck install? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Ok, my Teiscobird (2nd from left in post #293633) was made with a mid '60s Teisco Del Rey short-scale mahogany body, like the brown one next to it. The other four I made from scratch so all cavities & neck pockets were routed specifically for the 34" Epi T-bird necks.

I traced the neck heal (which actually is curved with a squared-off fb ramp) and did whatever I needed to do to the body neck-pocket to get it to fit. It appears I curved the lower wall and had to add (Bondo) on the G-side wall. I highly recommend a laser to get the neck positioned straight - center of nut to center of bridge, straight across all position markers. Because it was a short-scale bass, I positioned the bridge where I needed it, which was lower than where it was originally.

Shown in this pic is a trick I developed to find where to drill neck-screw holes on an already drilled neck heal; four same-size (as the holes) nails cut so they just stick out of the holes, and pressed against the neck pocket once aligned correctly. (with your laser) The nail peaks/points indent the wood and you then know where to drill your holes. Attaching a neck to a body is the most critical part of modding - it's gotta be spot-on. Another tip is making the body holes just a bit larger than your screws/bolts. This is for 'fudge-room' - which doesn't need to be much. (tilting the neck one way or the other side-to-side to align)

upload_2024-6-1_14-25-59.jpeg

I used recessed ferrules and wood-screws. I've also sunk steel mollies into the neck heal and used machine bolts for a dynamic neck-body coupling. The tighter the connection - the better the neck & body become one and it will resonate/sound better. There's a lot of conjecture about neck-thru or set-neck being superior to a bolt-on - but if a bolt-on is done correctly, they are all going to have a very similar unified resonance. And... a bolt-on can be repaired much more economically and efficiently. At least for Leo Fender in the late '40s - that was a top priority as he was getting direct feedback from professional guitarists (and later bass-players) and they needed to get their axes up and running ASAP if they had an issue that would have prevented them from playing a paying gig.
upload_2024-6-1_14-49-52.jpeg

The original ss bridge was just under the B-pu - the 34" scale bridge positioning as you can see is much lower on the body.
upload_2024-6-1_15-25-20.jpeg

Where the ss bridge was is where I located the Guild RI Darkstar pu -
upload_2024-6-1_15-27-9.jpeg

I later shifted the control knobs away from where I end up playing which unintentionally lead to turning the V control down mid-song live.
upload_2024-6-1_15-32-12.jpeg

A still playing it from our vid for our "Tiny Desk - 2024" entry -
upload_2024-6-1_15-35-26.jpeg
 
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#293,673
JIO said:
If not for putting in the Seymour Duncan Hawkbucker bridge pu (same location/size route as a IV + extra pot/hole/knob) mine would be worth more as I have everything original otherwise. Did the mod in '86 - it was my only bass then. Never regretted it - it's following me to the end of the coil.

Pic on my B-day from a few years ago - I did use it on my last B-day gig at Winters' on J1/'24 and will use it in a few weeks (June 22nd) there w/TSC.

View attachment 5466393
Click to expand...
Want me to hold it for you? :bassist:
 
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#293,674
Engle said:
As Geo said you're also putting a square heel in a rounded pocket.
There are ways to deal with all these factors, but it is easier to put a Fender neck on a Tbird.
Click to expand...
Yes I have a perfectly good T Bird neck with tuners and TRC.
JIO said:
Ok, my Teiscobird (2nd from left in post #293633) was made with a mid '60s Teisco Del Rey short-scale mahogany body, like the brown one next to it. The other four I made from scratch so all cavities & neck pockets were routed specifically for the 34" Epi T-bird necks.

I traced the neck heal (which actually is curved with a squared-off fb ramp) and did whatever I needed to do to the body neck-pocket to get it to fit. It appears I curved the lower wall and had to add (Bondo) on the G-side wall. I highly recommend a laser to get the neck positioned straight - center of nut to center of bridge, straight across all position markers. Because it was a short-scale bass, I positioned the bridge where I needed it, which was lower than where it was originally.

Shown in this pic is a trick I developed to find where to drill neck-screw holes on an already drilled neck heal; four same-size (as the holes) nails cut so they just stick out of the holes, and pressed against the neck pocket once aligned correctly. (with your laser) The nail peaks/points indent the wood and you then know where to drill your holes. Attaching a neck to a body is the most critical part of modding - it's gotta be spot-on. Another tip is making the body holes just a bit larger than your screws/bolts. This is for 'fudge-room' - which doesn't need to be much. (tilting the neck one way or the other side-to-side to align)

View attachment 5466477
I used recessed ferrules and wood-screws. I've also sunk steel mollies into the neck heal and used machine bolts for a dynamic neck-body coupling. The tighter the connection - the better the neck & body become one and it will resonate/sound better. There's a lot of conjecture about neck-thru or set-neck being superior to a bolt-on - but if a bolt-on is done correctly, they are all going to have a very similar unified resonance. And... a bolt-on can be repaired much more economically and efficiently. At least for Leo Fender in the late '40s - that was a top priority as he was getting direct feedback from professional guitarists (and later bass-players) and they needed to get their axes up and running ASAP if they had an issue that would have prevented them from playing a paying gig.
View attachment 5466506
The original ss bridge was just under the B-pu - the 34" scale bridge positioning as you can see is much lower on the body.
View attachment 5466536
Where the ss bridge was is where I located the Guild RI Darkstar pu -
View attachment 5466538
I later shifted the control knobs away from where I end up playing which unintentionally lead to turning the V control down mid-song live.
View attachment 5466546
A still playing it from our vid for our "Tiny Desk - 2024" entry -
View attachment 5466549
Click to expand...
Wow you do nice work like many here too! Thanks...I was hoping "plug 'n play" Ha!
Thanks for that detailed build info! I'm kicking around some ideas.
 
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#293,675
NOLA Bass said:
It's not just California. I live
Click to expand...
JIO said:
They all will be 34" scale but the neck-pocket will be different. Gibson heals are narrower than a Fender heal & squared-off, so you'll have to create an insert for the T-bird heal. Test intonation differences from nut to bridge-saddles to determine where the T-bird neck will have to be positioned.
Click to expand...
I’m thinking Irv could do that?
 
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#293,678
NOLA Bass said:
It's not just California. I live in New Orleans, and Louisiana has an insurance crisis. Almost no companies want to write anymore. We had our one go out of business after Hurricane Ida (took months to get our money back as we'd paid in full for a discount), had to go on the Louisiana Fair Plan (which is super $$ and sucks even worse if you make a claim), and then got a new policy when someone else would write. We are not paying over $10,000 a year. Our policy was half that when we bought this house 8 years ago. Car insurance is also nightmarishly high. We had to switch from Geico to Progressive, when our Geico policy doubled. I asked how when they had accident forgiveness (which we got a letter saying we'd reached) right before my wife had an accident. They blamed it on our changing driving habits. My wife works 5 minutes from house, and I changed from Real Estate to teaching, meaning I drive way less. It's all a damn scam.
Click to expand...
I m doing fire clearing this weekend. But I hope I remember to PM you re this. If anyone else would be interested in further discussion, we can do a private conversation about this. I’ve been an attorney in the industry since 1986 and would be happy to answer questions.
 
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