Thunderbird Club

[RedVee]

 

[JIO]

I only roll with the best.

you know it -

 

[JJR58]

Beautiful instrument. I'd love a fretless, but that wouldn't work for me. I'd sound like a deaf and drunk monkey playing that. Maybe not that good.

Does make me wonder who's selling your stuff....

I’ve got my Chechen brethren watching Chucks place while he’s gone.
You don’t know where they are.
But they got an eye on the place.

 

[dagrev]

I dont think so, it's good down at the nut, seems to get closer to the edge as you get closer to the bridge. Doesn't seem go be an issue, I threw some stiffer strings on it and stopped slipping off the board, just curious. Wondering if they put the wrong bridge on it. String spacing is the same as my fender meteora. (I have a mute that fits the 64 and the fender but not my classic pro) so it definitely has a different spacing than the other thunderbirds.

The strings on my Epi Vintage Pros look like your pics. I never noticed until sitting in my office looking at one on a stand. I never had an issue with the strings sliding off the edge. I use Med to Med-Lt strings, but don't play very hard. Hopefully the heavier strings will solve your problem.

 

[dagrev]

I’ve got my Chechen brethren watching Chucks place while he’s gone.
You don’t know where they are.
But they got an eye on the place.

Never mind. Sale canceled.....

 

[bylar13]

Good afternoon Thunderbird loving sisters and brothers. Taking a mental health break here at work and thought I would reach out for a bit of advice. I have found myself thinking about a black Rickenbacker I played a year or two ago at a shop in west Seattle. I was quite taken with it as it played and sounded wonderful. I have heard no end of stories of QC problems, unresponsive management, and difficult warranty issues, so am more than my usual cautious. The prospects of buying one, or even playing another locally are non existent, and a trip west of the mountains is not possible until late July! I have heard good things about Wildwood Guitars, and they have some Fireglo and Mapleglo models that look quite nice. I have looked at some Jetglo basses on the Sweetwater site. I am wondering if anyone here has any advice in this regard. Experiences, good or bad, with Ricks, and either of those vendors, or other venders would be greatly appreciated. I hope everyone is having a good week, and thankfully tomorrow is Friday!
Cheers.

I have an 88' 4003s and I really like it.

As @JJR58 mentioned, buying a used one can be hit or miss. I like the older models that have a much smaller neck profiles. I briefly had a 2015, 4003s and the neck was gigantic (to me).

I follow the Rickenbacker Club as well and the 2023 and newer Ric models have necks much like the older profiles, only 1 truss rod and a new bridge that is easier to adjust. They get very favorable reviews from folks and Wildwood is often mentioned as the best buying experience. Wildwood lists the weight of the bass, the neck profile measurements and post it all on the website so you have some idea of what the bass will be like before you buy.

Wildwood listing:
[This invalid link has been removed]

Picture, just because.

 

[Engle]

Anyone here with Apple Music?
Was just wondering, if I down load it on my iPad will I be able to access my playlists from my iPhone as well or is it just a one device app?

Yes as long as they use the same account.

 

[Engle]

Okay

I dont think so, it's good down at the nut, seems to get closer to the edge as you get closer to the bridge. Doesn't seem go be an issue, I threw some stiffer strings on it and stopped slipping off the board, just curious. Wondering if they put the wrong bridge on it. String spacing is the same as my fender meteora. (I have a mute that fits the 64 and the fender but not my classic pro) so it definitely has a different spacing than the other thunderbirds.

Sorry, I must have missed an earlier post. You had strings slipping off the edge of the fingerboard on a new Epi Tbird 64?

 

[JIO]

I’ve got my Chechen brethren watching Chucks place while he’s gone.
You don’t know where they are.
But they got an eye on the place.

I loved the movie "Brother From Another Planet" where he could remove an eyeball to surveil someplace and then come back and put it back in reviewing it like a video monitor.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

this one throws a couple of slick curveballs….fun to play

 

[MCF]

I have an 88' 4003s and I really like it.

As @JJR58 mentioned, buying a used one can be hit or miss. I like the older models that have a much smaller neck profiles. I briefly had a 2015, 4003s and the neck was gigantic (to me).

I follow the Rickenbacker Club as well and the 2023 and newer Ric models have necks much like the older profiles, only 1 truss rod and a new bridge that is easier to adjust. They get very favorable reviews from folks and Wildwood is often mentioned as the best buying experience. Wildwood lists the weight of the bass, the neck profile measurements and post it all on the website so you have some idea of what the bass will be like before you buy.

Wildwood listing:
[This invalid link has been removed]

Picture, just because.

View attachment 5472023

Yeah. Maybe time to revisit the idea of owning a Ric in the next couple of years.

 

[SubHuman]

Old pic of old 'Bird for TT:
View attachment 5471612

I didn’t know you could grow one in a garden! Ha!

Looks ripe to pick!
All kidding aside…love your bass

 

[dagrev]

this one throws a couple of slick curveballs….fun to play

Love the mellow groove. Cool song. I like unexpected changes/progressions, or just chords when they don't seem overly thought out. ("Let's come up with something odd because we can," as opposed to when the unexpected just seems natural, but still not anticipated at all.) Always thought the Allman Bros were great at that. That may not make a bit of sense.....

 

[dagrev]

Yeah. Maybe time to revisit the idea of owning a Ric in the next couple of years.

If you sell that old black BaCH you'll have more funds.....


Don't consider it. I seriously do not need to buy a bass any time soon.

 

[Stealth57]

After being the first to play my Foundation, Chuck said it would be better with VBT vs VVT. George warned me about the difference between a pan pot and a true blend pot (no volume drop at detent) and provided some links. I was able to find a true blend pot (Bourns PDB182-GTRB2-254MN) but there is some debate on the proper wiring. Here are two examples (top from SD that was on the Bourns site, bottom is from Best Bass). Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Ringhammer]

I have a bunch of VBT, and I have used the SD diagram. For blend I have always used the MN250K. I have always heard about some negatives to doing this, but in my applications I think it works.

I went down the path of not grounding (maybe that’s the 2nd diagram you have there), but I found, when I would blend out the bridge pickup, and then tap on the poles, a little signal was getting through. With the SD diagram, when I put the blend 100% one way or the other, there is no sound at all coming from the pickup that is dialed out.

 

[Stealth57]

I have a bunch of VBT, and I have used the SD diagram. For blend I have always used the MN250K. I have always heard about some negatives to doing this, but in my applications I think it works.

I went down the path of not grounding (maybe that’s the 2nd diagram you have there), but I found, when I would blend out the bridge pickup, and then tap on the poles, a little signal was getting through. With the SD diagram, when I put the blend 100% one way or the other, there is no sound at all coming from the pickup that is dialed out.

Grounding seems to be the biggest difference between the two. I also saw elsewhere someone saying no jumping across the blend pot worked better. Not sure how that would work at all.

 

[MCF]

If you sell that old black BaCH you'll have more funds.....


Don't consider it. I seriously do not need to buy a bass any time soon.

I always wanted a Ric. I auditioned several five or six years ago. Couldn’t find one that felt right. Nothing will happen soon. But with the changes they’ve made, I’ll probably try again at some point down the line.

Dream on about my BaCH buddy.

 

[MCF]

After being the first to play my Foundation, Chuck said it would be better with VBT vs VVT. George warned me about the difference between a pan pot and a true blend pot (no volume drop at detent) and provided some links. I was able to find a true blend pot (Bourns PDB182-GTRB2-254MN) but there is some debate on the proper wiring. Here are two examples (top from SD that was on the Bourns site, bottom is from Best Bass). Thoughts or suggestions?

View attachment 5472117 View attachment 5472118

Per the manual, when both volume knobs are dimed, the circuit is in humbucking mode, essentially turning the pickups into a single humbucker. How will the mod effect this?

 

[JJR58]

I always wanted a Ric. I auditioned several five or six years ago. Couldn’t find one that felt right. Nothing will happen soon. But with the changes they’ve made, I’ll probably try again at some point down the line.

Dream on about my BaCH buddy.

Had this neck not been twisted, I’d still have it.