Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

@Basvarken , @godofthunder59 , @TBird1958 any idea how a partially built Bach could have made its way to the States?

There are no routes or holes on the front. The control cavity is routed, the machine head holes are drilled and the fingerboard is fretted. And it has the waterside decal on the raw wood.
Were some sold unfinished, with a decal included?

No clue - but with the hs decal applied on bare wood, it could have been considered. It would explain the nearly seamless joint - that wasn't just slapped together like that. Personally I wouldn't mind the knot being there, but maybe that's what stopped it from being continued.

 

[TBird1958]

@Basvarken , @godofthunder59 , @TBird1958 any idea how a partially built Bach could have made its way to the States?

There are no routes or holes on the front. The control cavity is routed, the machine head holes are drilled and the fingerboard is fretted. And it has the waterside decal on the raw wood.
Were some sold unfinished, with a decal included?

I think it is as Scott says, that towards the end they did offer a small number of blanks - IIRC Gibson rattled the Lawsuit Saber at them at some point, though they lost that battle in Europe and elsewhere.

 

[GBassNorth]

Yes that's a joint. I wouldnt think the matching was intentional.

I assumed the pencil marks were for the matching of the two planks, quite intentional if so, and done very nicely!

 

[Basvarken]

@Basvarken , @godofthunder59 , @TBird1958 any idea how a partially built Bach could have made its way to the States?

There are no routes or holes on the front. The control cavity is routed, the machine head holes are drilled and the fingerboard is fretted. And it has the waterside decal on the raw wood.
Were some sold unfinished, with a decal included?

Yes, BaCH made a small series of so-called barebones NR Thunderbirds. Exactly as you describe.
This was at the same time as the first or second series. Initially we figured the hardware and pickup would not be anything to write home about. And everybody was going to install their own pickup and/or hardware. So a few of the early adapters ordered a barebones version, which was only a fraction cheaper than the complete bass. But after the first BaCHbirds were delivered across the world, the bridge set and the Artec pickup turned out to be so good that nobody wanted the barebones models anymore. So BaCH never made a second series of the barebones version.

 

[GBassNorth]

Number three in a series of “What If” bass builds is now 100% complete!​

So what if Fender wanted to build a thunderbird, what could it look like, how would it be constructed? Here’s my take…

Fender Headstock is a must - let’s try a Tele with Fender logo and string tree just to be different


Fender Tuners and a Fender serial number are a must - let’s go with Tele cloverleaf’s and a MIC Tele maple/maple neck


Fender Neck plate of course - no set neck or neck through on Fenders watch, plus where else could we put the don’t trash me logo


Fender Pickups - gotta be humbuckers, Fender Wide Range Tele pickups are the bomb, up at the neck is Fender’s SOP surrounded by gobs of wretched celluloid tort over an iconic Fender Three Tone Sunburst finish (or Target Burst as some call it).


Bridge options - let’s go with a Fender high mass bridge with threaded barrels so we can precisely align those pole pieces and strings.
Throw in some knurled Tele knobs and for a bit of a change up let’s use a Fender Precision bass bridge cover


Strap locks - we don’t need no stinking strap locks, standard Fender spec will do

But wait a minute, I thought this was supposed to be a Thunderbird build! ​

Got that covered as well…​

And the coup de grâce - a special message from Fender to Gibson,
a backwards facing Tbird with the Fender “F” emboldened on its chest.

…and now we know what Fender might build if they were to build a Thunderbird!

She’s called the ThunderCaster for a good reason - earth shaking lows and massive levels of volume. A blast to play.
Here’s a shot of her next to her donor bass…


I’d like to acknowledge several key support persons that assisted with this build…
Fender - for making the phenomenal Telecaster Modern Player that ended up being the parts donor.
Jeremie - @Freekmagnet for expert pickup routing and body contour work
Irv - @Engle for superb pickguard and logo fabrication to my overly picky spec
Pat Wilkins - for beyond pro level body finishes, even when I specifically request an overly obnoxious 3TSB vs something more subtle
Rosser Guitars - eBay seller of mahogany NR blanks, great quality but desperately needs a low weight option

 

[Count Bassie]

Thanks guys, for some reason I decided to come into work today, probably because I had yesterday off.
Frank's taking me out for dinner here: Kent | Asadero Prime in WA
The EB-3 should show up tomorrow, a bit slow as UPS detoured it to Rhode Is. before sending it to Seattle.
A little more fun from yesterday, I suppose after I retire next year they're not going to let me prance around on the roof anymore.

I called and asked if I could see it before it go to you. It's going back out your way tomorrow.
(Ok, I see I'm a day late... Very nice! ...I meant the bass this time! )

 

[dagrev]

It's not getting a natural finish with this knot on the frontView attachment 7021791

A really dark translucent might work if you didn't really want paint.

 

[dagrev]

Now I'm envisioning you smoking it, a great cloud of mahogany smoke around your head.

That's a ....

 

[dagrev]

Number three in a series of “What If” bass builds is now 100% complete!​

So what if Fender wanted to build a thunderbird, what could it look like, how would it be constructed? Here’s my take…

Fender Headstock is a must - let’s try a Tele with Fender logo and string tree just to be different
View attachment 7021905

Fender Tuners and a Fender serial number are a must - let’s go with Tele cloverleaf’s and a MIC Tele maple/maple neck
View attachment 7021906

Fender Neck plate of course - no set neck or neck through on Fenders watch, plus where else could we put the don’t trash me logo
View attachment 7021907

Fender Pickups - gotta be humbuckers, Fender Wide Range Tele pickups are the bomb, up at the neck is Fender’s SOP surrounded by gobs of wretched celluloid tort over an iconic Fender Three Tone Sunburst finish (or Target Burst as some call it).
View attachment 7021908

Bridge options - let’s go with a Fender high mass bridge with threaded barrels so we can precisely align those pole pieces and strings.
Throw in some knurled Tele knobs and for a bit of a change up let’s use a Fender Precision bass bridge cover
View attachment 7021909

Strap locks - we don’t need no stinking strap locks, standard Fender spec will do
View attachment 7021910

But wait a minute, I thought this was supposed to be a Thunderbird build! ​

Got that covered as well…​

View attachment 7021911
View attachment 7021912

And the coup de grâce - a special message from Fender to Gibson,
a backwards facing Tbird with the Fender “F” emboldened on its chest.
View attachment 7021913


…and now we know what Fender might build if they were to build a Thunderbird!

She’s called the ThunderCaster for a good reason - earth shaking lows and massive levels of volume. A blast to play.
Here’s a shot of her next to her donor bass…
View attachment 7021915

I’d like to acknowledge several key support persons that assisted with this build…
Fender - for making the phenomenal Telecaster Modern Player that ended up being the parts donor.
Jayson - @Freekmagnet for expert pickup routing and body contour work
Irv - @Engle for superb pickguard and logo fabrication to my overly picky spec
Pat Wilkins - for beyond pro level body finishes, even when I specifically request an overly obnoxious 3TSB vs something more subtle
Rosser Guitars - eBay seller of mahogany NR blanks, great quality but desperately needs a low weight option

What kind of world do we live in now? "Toto, we're not in Kansas any more."

Turned out great. Nicely done by all involved.

 

[Engle]

Yes, BaCH made a small series of so-called barebones NR Thunderbirds. Exactly as you describe.
This was at the same time as the first or second series. Initially we figured the hardware and pickup would not be anything to write home about. And everybody was going to install their own pickup and/or hardware. So a few of the early adapters ordered a barebones version, which was only a fraction cheaper than the complete bass. But after the first BaCHbirds were delivered across the world, the bridge set and the Artec pickup turned out to be so good that nobody wanted the barebones models anymore. So BaCH never made a second series of the barebones version.

Thank Rob, that makes sense.

 

[Engle]

Number three in a series of “What If” bass builds is now 100% complete!​

So what if Fender wanted to build a thunderbird, what could it look like, how would it be constructed? Here’s my take…

Fender Headstock is a must - let’s try a Tele with Fender logo and string tree just to be different
View attachment 7021905

Fender Tuners and a Fender serial number are a must - let’s go with Tele cloverleaf’s and a MIC Tele maple/maple neck
View attachment 7021906

Fender Neck plate of course - no set neck or neck through on Fenders watch, plus where else could we put the don’t trash me logo
View attachment 7021907

Fender Pickups - gotta be humbuckers, Fender Wide Range Tele pickups are the bomb, up at the neck is Fender’s SOP surrounded by gobs of wretched celluloid tort over an iconic Fender Three Tone Sunburst finish (or Target Burst as some call it).
View attachment 7021908

Bridge options - let’s go with a Fender high mass bridge with threaded barrels so we can precisely align those pole pieces and strings.
Throw in some knurled Tele knobs and for a bit of a change up let’s use a Fender Precision bass bridge cover
View attachment 7021909

Strap locks - we don’t need no stinking strap locks, standard Fender spec will do
View attachment 7021910

But wait a minute, I thought this was supposed to be a Thunderbird build! ​

Got that covered as well…​

View attachment 7021911
View attachment 7021912

And the coup de grâce - a special message from Fender to Gibson,
a backwards facing Tbird with the Fender “F” emboldened on its chest.
View attachment 7021913


…and now we know what Fender might build if they were to build a Thunderbird!

She’s called the ThunderCaster for a good reason - earth shaking lows and massive levels of volume. A blast to play.
Here’s a shot of her next to her donor bass…
View attachment 7021915

I’d like to acknowledge several key support persons that assisted with this build…
Fender - for making the phenomenal Telecaster Modern Player that ended up being the parts donor.
Jayson - @Freekmagnet for expert pickup routing and body contour work
Irv - @Engle for superb pickguard and logo fabrication to my overly picky spec
Pat Wilkins - for beyond pro level body finishes, even when I specifically request an overly obnoxious 3TSB vs something more subtle
Rosser Guitars - eBay seller of mahogany NR blanks, great quality but desperately needs a low weight option

That came out really nice!

 

[PhR75]

Quick question about the wires in DeCola pickup:
For the series wiring which go together and which one is hot and which one is ground?
One would assume red is hot but better not (for me) to assume anything...
I know about the wiring options but I wanna first try the series wiring. If they work then I'll have my friend work for the more complicated options.

 

[Engle]

Now I'm envisioning you smoking it, a great cloud of mahogany smoke around your head.

I knew as soon as I typed the word joint...someone's brain would go there.

 

[Engle]

I assumed the pencil marks were for the matching of the two planks, quite intentional if so, and done very nicely!

It looks like a rough sketch of a pickguard, pickup location, and 34" from the nut.

 

[Engle]

Quick question about the wires in DeCola pickup:
For the series wiring which go together and which one is hot and which one is ground?
One would assume red is hot but better not (for me) to assume anything...
I know about the wiring options but I wanna first try the series wiring. If they work then I'll have my friend work for the more complicated options.

On both mine, red and black are soldered together and protected with heatshrink, leaving green and white. I would call green ground and white hot.

 

[Engle]

A really dark translucent might work if you didn't really want paint.

I have enough woodgrain and burst basses. I'm going for this look or possibly a bit darker:

 

[TBird1958]

Number three in a series of “What If” bass builds is now 100% complete!​

So what if Fender wanted to build a thunderbird, what could it look like, how would it be constructed? Here’s my take…

Fender Headstock is a must - let’s try a Tele with Fender logo and string tree just to be different
View attachment 7021905

Fender Tuners and a Fender serial number are a must - let’s go with Tele cloverleaf’s and a MIC Tele maple/maple neck
View attachment 7021906

Fender Neck plate of course - no set neck or neck through on Fenders watch, plus where else could we put the don’t trash me logo
View attachment 7021907

Fender Pickups - gotta be humbuckers, Fender Wide Range Tele pickups are the bomb, up at the neck is Fender’s SOP surrounded by gobs of wretched celluloid tort over an iconic Fender Three Tone Sunburst finish (or Target Burst as some call it).
View attachment 7021908

Bridge options - let’s go with a Fender high mass bridge with threaded barrels so we can precisely align those pole pieces and strings.
Throw in some knurled Tele knobs and for a bit of a change up let’s use a Fender Precision bass bridge cover
View attachment 7021909

Strap locks - we don’t need no stinking strap locks, standard Fender spec will do
View attachment 7021910

But wait a minute, I thought this was supposed to be a Thunderbird build! ​

Got that covered as well…​

View attachment 7021911
View attachment 7021912

And the coup de grâce - a special message from Fender to Gibson,
a backwards facing Tbird with the Fender “F” emboldened on its chest.
View attachment 7021913


…and now we know what Fender might build if they were to build a Thunderbird!

She’s called the ThunderCaster for a good reason - earth shaking lows and massive levels of volume. A blast to play.
Here’s a shot of her next to her donor bass…
View attachment 7021915

I’d like to acknowledge several key support persons that assisted with this build…
Fender - for making the phenomenal Telecaster Modern Player that ended up being the parts donor.
Jayson - @Freekmagnet for expert pickup routing and body contour work
Irv - @Engle for superb pickguard and logo fabrication to my overly picky spec
Pat Wilkins - for beyond pro level body finishes, even when I specifically request an overly obnoxious 3TSB vs something more subtle
Rosser Guitars - eBay seller of mahogany NR blanks, great quality but desperately needs a low weight option

Pretty cool, George, it came out great!

 

[TBird1958]

I have enough woodgrain and burst basses. I'm going for this look or possibly a bit darker:
View attachment 7022060

The bridge and pickup covers really set it off - See, Chuck

 

[MCF]

@Basvarken , @godofthunder59 , @TBird1958 any idea how a partially built Bach could have made its way to the States?

There are no routes or holes on the front. The control cavity is routed, the machine head holes are drilled and the fingerboard is fretted. And it has the waterside decal on the raw wood.
Were some sold unfinished, with a decal included?

I came across a reference to someone posting on BassChat I think it was to someone being able to order a NR body only from BaCH in 2013.

 

[Gaolee]

Number three in a series of “What If” bass builds is now 100% complete!​

So what if Fender wanted to build a thunderbird, what could it look like, how would it be constructed? Here’s my take…

Fender Headstock is a must - let’s try a Tele with Fender logo and string tree just to be different
View attachment 7021905

Fender Tuners and a Fender serial number are a must - let’s go with Tele cloverleaf’s and a MIC Tele maple/maple neck
View attachment 7021906

Fender Neck plate of course - no set neck or neck through on Fenders watch, plus where else could we put the don’t trash me logo
View attachment 7021907

Fender Pickups - gotta be humbuckers, Fender Wide Range Tele pickups are the bomb, up at the neck is Fender’s SOP surrounded by gobs of wretched celluloid tort over an iconic Fender Three Tone Sunburst finish (or Target Burst as some call it).
View attachment 7021908

Bridge options - let’s go with a Fender high mass bridge with threaded barrels so we can precisely align those pole pieces and strings.
Throw in some knurled Tele knobs and for a bit of a change up let’s use a Fender Precision bass bridge cover
View attachment 7021909

Strap locks - we don’t need no stinking strap locks, standard Fender spec will do
View attachment 7021910

But wait a minute, I thought this was supposed to be a Thunderbird build! ​

Got that covered as well…​

View attachment 7021911
View attachment 7021912

And the coup de grâce - a special message from Fender to Gibson,
a backwards facing Tbird with the Fender “F” emboldened on its chest.
View attachment 7021913


…and now we know what Fender might build if they were to build a Thunderbird!

She’s called the ThunderCaster for a good reason - earth shaking lows and massive levels of volume. A blast to play.
Here’s a shot of her next to her donor bass…
View attachment 7021915

I’d like to acknowledge several key support persons that assisted with this build…
Fender - for making the phenomenal Telecaster Modern Player that ended up being the parts donor.
Jayson - @Freekmagnet for expert pickup routing and body contour work
Irv - @Engle for superb pickguard and logo fabrication to my overly picky spec
Pat Wilkins - for beyond pro level body finishes, even when I specifically request an overly obnoxious 3TSB vs something more subtle
Rosser Guitars - eBay seller of mahogany NR blanks, great quality but desperately needs a low weight option

It isn't lurid 3T porno-burst. What's the world coming to?