Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

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.

I get along fine with baseball bat necks. I would probably like a Greco just fine. The El Degas Rickenfaker has a big, round neck, and I like it a lot. What I don't like nearly as much is road-kill flat necks like an awful lot of modern bass guitars, especially 7enders. My Precision has a wide, flat neck. I get along with it fine, but it's not my first choice. I really like the small frets on the Precision. My idea of the perfect neck would be a reasonably deep soft-V, with small frets and a bit wider than a Thunderbird neck. That will never happen. For the time being, Gibson reissue Thunderbirds are close enough to perfect to keep me happy.

I like the 2013 EB as well. It's got a neck that's closer to a modern 7ender than my usual preference. Proof of something. Maybe having CroMagnon hands that think everything is a club.

 

[dagrev]

Wait a minute. Are you saying my amps are fat?

Yeah, but nothing personal.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

bummer about Greg Kihn(75)….opened for him at the Newport Jazz and Blues club many years ago….,
we’ll prolly play this one tonight…..fun tune….

 

[Nocturnal]

Years ago on the Dudepit/LBO there was a guy who made leather Tbird straps. They were 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:

View attachment 7007011

I forgot about those straps. People seemed to like them if I remember correctly.

 

[Tommygun_ted]

New thunderbird day! Scooped up this 2013 Epiphone pro IV today. These basses came out at a time when money was pretty tight, and I've been gassing for one for years. This one has a bit of mojo (it was obviously a player, not a case princess) but it set up nicely and it sounds monstrous. Now I just need the vintage pro and I'll have the whole pro line.

 

[TBird1958]

bummer about Greg Kihn(75)….opened for him at the Newport Jazz and Blues club many years ago….,
we’ll prolly play this one tonight…..fun tune….

My fave song of his for certain, I wish we played it, we do "The Breakup Song" which is pretty good too.

 

[TBird1958]

New thunderbird day! Scooped up this 2013 Epiphone pro IV today. These basses came out at a time when money was pretty tight, and I've been gassing for one for years. This one has a bit of mojo (it was obviously a player, not a case princess) but it set up nicely and it sounds monstrous. Now I just need the vintage pro and I'll have the whole pro line.

Nice score there, I think those have a lot of possibilities for modifications too, especially if you want to do something towards the "modern" side.

 

[Tommygun_ted]

Nice score there, I think those have a lot of possibilities for modifications too, especially if you want to do something towards the "modern" side.

I was originally planning to get some Lollar pickups for my classic pro and throw the modern gibson pups into this one, but I'm pretty happy with the way the active epiphone pickups sound

 

[MCF]

Thursday Cheers!

I’m starting to conceal

Years ago on the Dudepit/LBO there was a guy who made leather Tbird straps. They were 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:

View attachment 7007011

interesting. Never heard about them. It looks like a good idea.

 

[MCF]

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

I really need to play with my settings for that bass. I find the low end is thin, even through the Ampeg.

 

[MCF]

bummer about Greg Kihn(75)….opened for him at the Newport Jazz and Blues club many years ago….,
we’ll prolly play this one tonight…..fun tune….

I saw them every time they hit SoCal back in the day. A great live band. Their version of Telstar is epic. You need to play this with Becca. She would kill it.


Edit: and you could even do backing vocs Chuck!

 

[dagrev]

bummer about Greg Kihn(75)….opened for him at the Newport Jazz and Blues club many years ago….,
we’ll prolly play this one tonight…..fun tune….

Hate to hear that.
Always liked that song.

 

[MCF]

I was originally planning to get some Lollar pickups for my classic pro and throw the modern gibson pups into this one, but I'm pretty happy with the way the active epiphone pickups sound

I guess I missed your post? Anyway, congratulations!

 

[MCF]

Hate to hear that.
Always liked that song.

Amazing band. NoCal’s best in the late seventies, early eighties.

 

[MCF]

My fave song of his for certain, I wish we played it, we do "The Breakup Song" which is pretty good too.

Pretty good? The Nasty Habits rock it! My favorite that you all played that day.

 

[MCF]

Rabbit hole time.

This one is tough.

 

[JIO]

FRIDAY NIGHT

To me, this is a zen-like approach to providing bass in an ensemble. I strive to reach this level of critical support to this beautiful arrangement by Scott Walker. Can't call it a "bassline" - more of a 'feel-line' - listen to it in a private, quiet moment with headphones. You're welcome!



Scott Walker just checks all of my boxes - one of the most amazing talents that most people are unaware of.

...and on the same recording (Scott 4) - the killer bass attributed to Herbie Flowers. Scott played guitar/keys/drums & bass, but started his early career as a dedicated bass-player/singer.



Love the look of this - Scott was a guitar/key/bass player but starting his career playing bass. Here he is in the mid-'60s with The Walker Brothers.

 

[MCF]

This should be on every cover band’s set list. I’ve seen Jonathon Richman play it. And the Boss. But He knocked it out of the park.

 

[Nocturnal]

I really need to play with my settings for that bass. I find the low end is thin, even through the Ampeg.

I've always thought that my 2017 VP could be a bit thin on the low end as well. Dialing the tone back a bit seems to help to a degree, but I am bad about leaving the tone wide open at all times.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

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.

I am, of course running flats of the EBC variety on all my basses. My other birds (Epi IV, CP, 2xGreco) all produce more low end. Maybe my VP has the pre-Erskine/Stark-treatment Steve Rogers variety of pickups.