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Thunderbird Club

#302,081
Count Bassie said:
This is interesting. I might try something new in the bridge, for a little more life up in the top end.
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I’m finding that the bridge pickup in a two pickup configuration isn’t so much about adding the tone you hear when it is solo’ed to the tone of the instrument with both pickups on. I feel like it’s more about how it interacts with the neck pickup. I’m not necessarily a fan of a single (neck location) pickup bass, like a standard P. But I prefer the mid scoop effect of a two pickup like a P with a 2nd P (which all but one of my P’s are set up with), a T’bird IV, and a Jazz. I mostly always have the neck pickup on full with the bridge pickup just slightly dialed down to like 90-95% of full, to bring back some of the mids. Occasionally I’ll dial out the bridge pickup on one of my double P setups (or use my one un-altered P) to get that mid-focused bass sound.
 
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#302,082
Engle said:
Yes, Decolas. They have cylindrical alnico 5 magnets and can be tapped.View attachment 7020017
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I love the DeColas. I think they have the perfect amount of all around, sort of vintage, grind in full humbucker mode (taps off). Full tapped they are very clear and articulate. They are using this pickup untapped in the Gibson Rex Brown Tbird.
 
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#302,083
kyral210 said:
I’m falling out of love with my Thunderbird.

I built a PJ bass with an EMG Geezer butler pickup set. With the same strings on my Thunderbird and PJ, I prefer the PH by a mile. In comparison my bird sounds lifeless.

Please save me from selling my Tbird!
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Ok. I’ll bite. To each their own. I don’t know what Thunderbird you have or what pickups you’re using. Or what tone you like. Or what strings you’re using. Or the amp you play through. Or the type of music you play. Or if you run a preamp. If you don’t like your Thunderbird, then say goodbye.
 
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#302,087
I visited work today.........

N30t5mK.jpg
 
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#302,090
kyral210 said:
I’m falling out of love with my Thunderbird.

I built a PJ bass with an EMG Geezer butler pickup set. With the same strings on my Thunderbird and PJ, I prefer the PH by a mile. In comparison my bird sounds lifeless.

Please save me from selling my Tbird!
Click to expand...
As opposed to talking you out of offing the bird, I’d just note that it no longer appears to be your favorite sounding bass, so why not get rid of it and focus on what floats your boat. BUT, before you do that, ask yourself if you like the way your Tbird feels and looks.

If you like the way it feels in your hand while playing then why not invest a bit of money in getting it to sound as good as your PJ. There’s a ton of pickup options out there that will get you whatever sound you’re after. And the same company that makes your beloved Geezer Butler pickups (EMG) also makes PJ pups in humbucker housings. You might just be one pickup change away from having a modded Tbird that sounds as good as your modded PJ (I’ve done a bunch of that with fantastic results).

All that assumes you like the way the Tbird feels when playing it, if so, invest a little in the electronics (as you did with your PJ) and you might have the best of both worlds. If not, then off the offending bird, you might find an interested buyer in this club. Birds aren’t for everyone, just one more tool in the chest.

I personally love the way my birds fit my playing style, I also love the way many of them sound, but I’ve modded many of them to make them sound even better for specific tasks. I have passive and active birds, four and five string birds, fanned fret extended scale birds, drop tuning birds, EMG/Nordstrand/Bartolini/Epiphone/Gibson/EY/Dingwall/Greco and even Fender pickups in my Tbirds. They all sound a bit different but they all feel the about same.

One of my up coming projects will be to drop a set of Geezer Butler pickups in this Tbird. I bought it a year ago with that mod in mind and am just now getting enough of my other bird projects out of the way that I can start on it…
IMG_2153.png

I have no doubt it’ll sound as good or better than any PJ I own or have played. You have many options if you truly enjoy playing a bird.
 
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#302,091
MCF said:
Ok. I’ll bite. To each their own. I don’t know what Thunderbird you have or what pickups you’re using. Or what tone you like. Or what strings you’re using. Or the amp you play through. Or the type of music you play. Or if you run a preamp. If you don’t like your Thunderbird, then say goodbye.
Click to expand...

kyral210 said:
I’m falling out of love with my Thunderbird.

I built a PJ bass with an EMG Geezer butler pickup set. With the same strings on my Thunderbird and PJ, I prefer the PH by a mile. In comparison my bird sounds lifeless.

Please save me from selling my Tbird!
Click to expand...
Try new strings first.
Then pickups.
 
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#302,092
Count Bassie said:
I keep seeing Watermelon Man in your setlists. Maybe Irv's too?... I'm playing a one-off next weekend and the guitar player knows it, I used to. I think I'll pull it together for next Saturday.
It's good to be kept sharp.
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Cool, Watermelon Man is one of the easier jazz standards. One of those melodies that is familiar, even if you don't listen to jazz.
 
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#302,093
MCF said:
Ok. I’ll bite. To each their own. I don’t know what Thunderbird you have or what pickups you’re using. Or what tone you like. Or what strings you’re using. Or the amp you play through. Or the type of music you play. Or if you run a preamp. If you don’t like your Thunderbird, then say goodbye.
Click to expand...
You know all too well my struggles with the '06 and '21 NR. While more than frustrated for a good while, I kept at it and did get both to the point I love hearing them. All the variables you mentioned matter and interplay with one another. The '06 was sounding really good prior to the Ashdown ABM, but is even better now. Both it and the NR are in the "amazing" category and I love to hear them when I play. Persistence and willing to change some of the variables paid off big time. I used the NR yesterday and was just thrilled. Pure sonic satisfaction.
 
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#302,094
MCF said:
Ok. I’ll bite. To each their own. I don’t know what Thunderbird you have or what pickups you’re using. Or what tone you like. Or what strings you’re using. Or the amp you play through. Or the type of music you play. Or if you run a preamp. If you don’t like your Thunderbird, then say goodbye.
Click to expand...

kyral210 said:
I’m falling out of love with my Thunderbird.

I built a PJ bass with an EMG Geezer butler pickup set. With the same strings on my Thunderbird and PJ, I prefer the PH by a mile. In comparison my bird sounds lifeless.

Please save me from selling my Tbird!
Click to expand...
Try new strings first.
Then pickups.
Engle said:
Cool, Watermelon Man is one of the easier jazz standards. One of those melodies that is familiar, even if you don't listen to jazz.
Click to expand...
I got a little jazz ed at Berklee for a year, found some locals later on, when I moved to RI and we were doing some Miles jams and a surf version of Monk's "Straight No Chaser". Doused myself in Mahavishnu Orchestra and some 70s Herbie Hancock (w/ Paul Jackson on bass) around that time, but I've just always been kind of a punk rocker.
I remember Watermelon Man being more thematic than anything, kind of a jam inside a simple framework. Am I right?...
 
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#302,095
Count Bassie said:
Try new strings first.
Then pickups.

I got a little jazz ed at Berklee for a year, found some locals later on, when I moved to RI and we were doing some Miles jams and a surf version of Monk's "Straight No Chaser". Doused myself in Mahavishnu Orchestra and some 70s Herbie Hancock (w/ Paul Jackson on bass) around that time, but I've just always been kind of a punk rocker.
I remember Watermelon Man being more thematic than anything, kind of a jam inside a simple framework. Am I right?...
Click to expand...
Pretty much. Sounds like you know more about jazz than I do :D
I'm going to see if my trio will be into doing Chameleon, but on the turnaround using the shots that happen at the end of the keyboard solo. It's about 7 minutes in here:
 
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#302,100
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