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Thunderbird Club

#300,705
Gaolee said:
For me it was feel. Sound was ok but i didnt give it much chance.

Maybe I am so used to modern Thunderbirds that it didn't work. But I play other things, too. Who knows. I flat didn't like the one I had. It is in a far better place now.
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My biggest problems with my VP: the neck is sticky; the neck’s a bit beefy near the body (as is my CP); needs more low end.
 
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#300,706
MCF said:
It’s not that it doesn’t cut it, it’s just not as comfortable for me. It could be because I don’t play it that much, the big headstock, and the long reach to tune it.
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I've mentioned this here before, but as I've owned my '64 II since 1978, (and my '63 II a few years before that), and it was my only bass then (what a concept!) - I came up with two things that made the bass 'at one' with me. One was shifting/riding the body to my right so my body was at the upper "horn" - north of the body bevel*. This brought the first position closer and made it more comfortable to access. Second (and related) was looping the lower strap on top of the body's long lower E-side bout. This grounded the body to my body and eliminated any hint of neck-dive. Combined - I now have a bass that feels 'at one' with me physically/ergonomically, is easy to access 1st position, and looks/sounds killer. Too much winning... :bassist:

*the downside to doing that for me is that I have a sensitive spot on my second lower-right rib from years of parking the bird there. As I play many basses (with useful upper horns...:rolleyes:) these days, that soreness/sensitivity has diminished... but I can still feel it, which is reassuring in an odd way.
 
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#300,710
Miles_ONeal said:
My biggest problems with my VP: the neck is sticky; the neck’s a bit beefy near the body (as is my CP); needs more low end.
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Flats or Boomers bring some bigness to VPs w/o the cost of definition. Or an Ampeg. I've never had that problem with VPs, though I can see where an amp that is thinner (than say Ampeg), could enhance the thinness.
 
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#300,711
Years ago on the Dudepit/LBO there was a guy who made leather Tbird straps. They were cut in a slight S pattern that naturally pulled the body to the right making the reach to the first fret shorter. They work great. I bought the last two that he had. He wasn't active on the forum at the time but Dave the site admin gave me his email address. Here's a picture:

FullSizeRender.jpeg
 
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#300,712
Miles_ONeal said:
My biggest problems with my VP: the neck is sticky; the neck’s a bit beefy near the body (as is my CP); needs more low end.
Click to expand...
Interesting - none of those are issues for me with my VP. Any neck with a shiny finish can get sticky at times.
And I never would have characterized it as lacking in low end. When recording, I always roll off the low end at some point below 100Hz anyway. I have a 68 EBO. Everything thing else has less low end :D
 
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#300,713
Chucky Stiletti said:
yeah, not impressed with the ones I tried……unnecessarily large….
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Miles_ONeal said:
My biggest problems with my VP: the neck is sticky; the neck’s a bit beefy near the body (as is my CP); needs more low end.
Click to expand...

I have to say the VP's headstock is too big, bigger than an original or a '76, needlessly. Not a deal breaker for me but I wish it were smaller, more in line with the real deal. Much as I felt the original VP's lacked in bass and lo-mids, the newer ones from China don't seem to be having that issue, after a change of strings to SIT Power Wound NIckel, these seem to work really well and I don't see any point to replacing the pickups with Gibson as I did one my White VP.
Still, I think they're a great first Thunderbird and a good choice for any show, especially if you're concerned about conditions, i.e. weather or security.

vFFrREL.jpg
 
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#300,718
5StringBlues said:
It's so nice to have a partner who is open to new things, as opposed to most of my ex-girlfriends who thought chicken alfredo was exotic.
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My wife, who grew up in England, has become a culinary adventurer. She can even handle spicy, not just salt and pepper.
 
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#300,719
Engle said:
Interesting - none of those are issues for me with my VP. Any neck with a shiny finish can get sticky at times.
And I never would have characterized it as lacking in low end. When recording, I always roll off the low end at some point below 100Hz anyway. I have a 68 EBO. Everything thing else has less low end :D
Click to expand...
I get rid of the sticky with a plumbers pad.
Works wonders.

71uWmBS5mwL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 
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