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Thunderbird Club

#302,762
Engle said:
Anybody looking for a project?
This Epi Rex Brown Tbird has a detached headstock that could be repaired. Or it would make a good donor body:
www.ebay.com

Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Rex Brown Thunderbird Bass Guitar Ebony HUSK ONLY | eBay

INCLUDES THE PICTURED BROKEN HUSK ONLY.ANY OTHER PARTS OR ACCESSORIES.
www.ebay.com
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Depends on bidding. Hs could be re-united with work but it would only be worth it if it could be "won" cheap. As in - under $100, which is not likely. Removing a "neck-thru" neck is a major skilled job. I wouldn't attempt it.

I always find it funny to see the one glaringly major design flaw of a Thunderbird once again illustrated. Other than Jaco's J which was thrown over an amp to a roadie on the wrong side of the stage... that just isn't an issue for a Fender bass and never has been. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Leo Fender's contribution to musicians - he made instruments for working musicians, instruments that could be quickly repaired/fixed to get them back on stage the following night. This is when a working musician had only one bass.

At the luthiers shop the next morning..."I have a T-bird with a severed hs..." - "...and you have another bass to play while I repair it over the next month?"

Jaco's resurrected "Bass of Doom" repaired by Luthier's Kevin Kaufman and Jim Hamilton. Pictured: Kevin Kaufman w/Jaco picking up the repaired bass.
1726108567243.jpeg
 
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#302,764
Blazer said:
Remember how I bought a guitar that used to belong to the shop I went to the longest and five years after it closed its doors?
View attachment 7027913

Well, last week I replaced the black pickguard of that guitar with a white one.
View attachment 7027915
Which REALLY brought out its color, but I also noticed that that original pickguard was decked completely in shielding foil at the back.

But to my surprise, that also unlocked the instrument's hidden potential, I was gonna replace that Hot Rail pickup with a DiMarzio, since I found it to be a little bloodless. But without all that shielding, it sounds fat and creamy, I was blown away by how much a difference it made.
View attachment 7027912
Brought it out to rehearsal today and the others were going "New guitar? Oh wait that's your blue one." and then telling me that it's my best sounding guitar.

But I might replace its neck, since I'm not really into reverse hockeystick headstocks..
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Hey Blaze! You were in our thoughts at the GTG at the end of July when we went to the museum of Flight. It would be cool to to tour it with you and learn what you know about the history of planes.
 
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#302,766
MCF said:
Uh, I’m part Scottish. And I find that, well, weird.
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Sorry Marshall. I'm guessing only if seen through a "traditional" lens ... when I was competitively racing bikes (for over 25yrs) one needed to get back into street cloths after ones race. Everyone competing was either in a (public) parking lot or spread-out along a HW. No dedicated "changing rooms" and the Porta-Potty's, as much as they were a necessary - were gross. Some racers just 'let it all hang out' while changing but if you had any sense of decency you changed with discretion. A kilt (design) was a simple, effective solution and provided needed discretion when changing. And as much as I offered what looked like "traditional" patterns - I also offered whatever fun patterns I found at the fabric stores. At the end of the day it was only servicing a need.

After you mentioning this I'm actually glad I wasn't aware of any Scottish bias as I simply regarded it as a functional concept that provided a successful end result regardless of any implied tradition. (and with no implied or otherwise offense) I mean.., no-one pranced around in their 'kilt' playing bagpipes... it was only a 'device' implemented to simply transfer from racing to post-racing.
 
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#302,767
Chucky Stiletti said:
built by an artist extraordinaire….
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My biggest compliment is doing something for someone and hearing that it made their creative experience more rewarding. Thank you for trusting me to provide that service Chucky. Rock that bass to the limit -
 
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#302,773
MCF said:
Well, he was known to be a lothario. 250 years. Nothing has changed.

Actually, he was instrumental in obtaining the financing from the Dutch for the Revolution. The French were intermediaries. The Dutch, being who they were, would not deal with us directly. They were also financing Britain. It’s a complex trail of follow the money. Appease both sides and make a killing.
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Yes BF was a brilliant man.

The Dutch were like GM & Ford in WW2. Sell your trucks to both sides. :D

(But to be fair there wasn’t much choice in the matter.)
 
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#302,774
After much consideration, soul searching, mental and financial gymnastics and a consult with our Queen I pulled the trigger on this misfit toy of a '65 Thunderbird. It's to far gone to warrent a full restoration but it will make a hell of a 7enderbird😁😎
 

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#302,775
JIO said:
Sorry Marshall. I'm guessing only if seen through a "traditional" lens ... when I was competitively racing bikes (for over 25yrs) one needed to get back into street cloths after ones race. Everyone competing was either in a (public) parking lot or spread-out along a HW. No dedicated "changing rooms" and the Porta-Potty's, as much as they were a necessary - were gross. Some racers just 'let it all hang out' while changing but if you had any sense of decency you changed with discretion. A kilt (design) was a simple, effective solution and provided needed discretion when changing. And as much as I offered what looked like "traditional" patterns - I also offered whatever fun patterns I found at the fabric stores. At the end of the day it was only servicing a need.

After you mentioning this I'm actually glad I wasn't aware of any Scottish bias as I simply regarded it as a functional concept that provided a successful end result regardless of any implied tradition. (and with no implied or otherwise offense) I mean.., no-one pranced around in their 'kilt' playing bagpipes... it was only a 'device' implemented to simply transfer from racing to post-racing.
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I like it. Practical solution to avoid "showing off." My bio dad's family was originally Scottish, before moving to Ireland, Canada and then settling a part of Kentucky. Maybe that's why I like it--and always wanted to rick a kilt at least once. Maybe in private!

But this kind of thing concerns me.... But since I'm a bass player I can't dance so maybe worrying about nothing.
1726149157456.png
 
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#302,777
godofthunder59 said:
After much consideration, soul searching, mental and financial gymnastics and a consult with our Queen I pulled the trigger on this misfit toy of a '65 Thunderbird. It's to far gone to warrent a full restoration but it will make a hell of a 7enderbird😁😎
Click to expand...

That's going to be one very cool bass when it's done, congratulations, Scott!
 
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