Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

I always forget about Nusic Go Round. That’s a more realistic price for a Studio with the case.

The Stockton Store that I used to stop at when I drove up and down the valley all the time before the pandemic, has this interesting Custom Craft:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

That is a great price for that Custom Kraft which looks to be in VGC, especially because it comes with a HSC. Not sure if OHSC but it's a long bass that wouldn't fit any aftermarket HSC. I made a HSC for mine as a CK case would never come up for sale individually. It's a 34" scale and sounds great. If I didn't already own mine I'd be all over it.

The '60s Baldwin (Burns of London) Jazz Bass they are selling (again, w/OHSC) is also awesome - looks brand new! This is a legit place? All the asking prices are mostly the same which seems suspect. There are bogus/fake websites selling lots of instruments listed for the same (usually low) price and they are scams. They take pics off the internet and post them for sale.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Gaolee]

Some old pu's lose output over time. My '66 P is somewhere in the middle output-wise but like your Model One - what it lacks in comparable output, it more than makes up with quality of tone. Then there's low impedance pu's (EMG/Alembic) which are designed that way to complement active electronics.

It could be that the specific Model One has lost output. I don't have a way to compare it to a new one at the moment. I was going to put a Model One at the neck of a bolt-on Thunderbird but never got around to it. I have a Model One that I picked up for that purpose, but it's languishing in the parts drawer at the moment. I'm looking forward to being retired and having time to do all kinds of projects that I never get to along with everything else that soaks up free time. It's going to be another five years. That time will fly by, and then I'll (theoretically) be able to do some of these things. For now, I'm even thinking about how to put a Model One in a non-bolt-on Thunderbird. Maybe the fretless.

 

[RedVee]

It depends on what TB+ pickups you have. Gibson made them a whole lot of different ways over the years. I'm absolutely convinced that whatever it was Gibson was doing in 2001 caught some magic that didn't get spread around much to other years. I have a 2001, and it is the pixie dust bass. Several others here have played it, I I put the same strings on it as on the 1991 which has Thunderbuckers. 2001 pickups sound amazingly similar to Thunderbuckers, to the point that I'm not convinced you can tell them apart without looking. That's not strictly true of TB+ pickups from other years. I don't know what's in there and will probably never find out. Gibson sure isn't saying, and it's all potted in with epoxy or something like it. They are slightly noisier than some other humbuckers. Only slightly. That may be a hint at what's going on, or maybe not.

I don’t know any of that, but I like the sound of my 2011 TB+ equipped bird, but I’ve not had the opportunity to compare with the new pickups. Probably for the best!

I like the ones in my Goth, though I don’t know if they are standard or not (it was a refurb)

 

[TBird1958]

I get what you’re saying but with all the comparative dialogue on this blog about the subject, there was no way I wasn’t about to try an A/B comparison of both given that both had fresh rounds, same SVT and some seasoned musicians to play along with…….

There was a big difference after you switched from my Lull when I saw you at Damm.

 

[JIO]

It could be that the specific Model One has lost output. I don't have a way to compare it to a new one at the moment. I was going to put a Model One at the neck of a bolt-on Thunderbird but never got around to it. I have a Model One that I picked up for that purpose, but it's languishing in the parts drawer at the moment. I'm looking forward to being retired and having time to do all kinds of projects that I never get to along with everything else that soaks up free time. It's going to be another five years. That time will fly by, and then I'll (theoretically) be able to do some of these things. For now, I'm even thinking about how to put a Model One in a non-bolt-on Thunderbird. Maybe the fretless.

Modding does take time - some mods take less time but most eat up hours. Don't ask me how I know...

 

[RedVee]

Pretty big day today. Guinness Storehouse experience followed by Christ Church Cathedral. Probably an odd combination!

A young American guy thought I was English! The cheek!

Walked back to my hotel via Temple Bar, some good music in some of the places that I had a short listen too.
Plus my going through in the other direction to last time I found something:

 

[dagrev]

Pretty big day today. Guinness Storehouse experience followed by Christ Church Cathedral. Probably an odd combination!

A young American guy thought I was English! The cheek!

Walked back to my hotel via Temple Bar, some good music in some of the places that I had a short listen too.
Plus my going through in the other direction to last time I found something:

View attachment 7033817

Maybe the order was correct if you lingered a little too long at the Guinness Storehouse. Possibly a little reflection and maybe repentance was called for after that. All depends on how many times you went through the sample line.

With a puzzled look you should have told the young American you were Irish.

 

[TBird1958]

Some cool spendy Thunderbirds!

This one's in the video for Rip and Tear

BC RICH THUNDERBIRD BASS GUITAR - KELLY NICKELS of LA GUNS - RIP and TEAR VIDEO | eBay

I literally was a 18 or 19 year old kid when I did. I will include the photos of that with the bass. Check out the video on youtube. It should be up there. Condition wise, she has a few dings and dents, but nothing to really speak of.

www.ebay.com

Hair Metal!
GMP THUNDERBIRD BASS GUITAR - JERRY DIXON of WARRANT - OWNED BY and STAGE USED | eBay

GMP THUNDERBIRD BASS GUITAR - KELLY NICKELS of LA GUNS - OWNED BY and STAGE USED | eBay

There is a photo of Kelly with the bass in the last two photos. I only have them in digital form. Condition wise, she has a few dings and dents, but nothing to really speak of that I didn't show in the photographs.

www.ebay.com

 

[JIO]

Pretty big day today. Guinness Storehouse experience followed by Christ Church Cathedral. Probably an odd combination!

A young American guy thought I was English! The cheek!

Walked back to my hotel via Temple Bar, some good music in some of the places that I had a short listen too.
Plus my going through in the other direction to last time I found something:

View attachment 7033817

In Chicago, close to every church is a bar. Apparently way back when, if a bar opened there had to be a church built nearby. At least that was the local folklore when I lived there in the '80s.

 

[Stealth57]

In Chicago, close to every church is a bar. Apparently way back when, if a bar opened there had to be a church built nearby. At least that was the local folklore when I lived there in the '80s.

The Spanish town where my family is from has the bar across the street from the church. Maybe 100 feet.

 

[RedVee]

Maybe the order was correct if you lingered a little too long at the Guinness Storehouse. Possibly a little reflection and maybe repentance was called for after that. All depends on how many times you went through the sample line.

With a puzzled look you should have told the young American you were Irish.

Yes, I took an option which gave me an extra pint… with a bonus.


I have a fairly substantial grip on that pint!

The Cathedral was interesting, there has been a Church in that location for many years, they gave access into the Crypt in which they had exposed the Viking era foundations for the first Church on the spot.



Good ol’ Sitric Silkenbeard!
Sounds like a character from The Last Kingdom

 

[Blazer]

Dutch rock band Diesel scored a hit in the USA in the early eighties with their song "Sausolito summer nights" making them one of the very few Dutch acts to achieve such a feat.
The others were Golden Earring with "Radar Love" and "Twilight zone"
George Baker with "Little Green bag" and "Una Paloma blanca"
Focus with "Hocus Pocus"
Shocking Blue with "Venus"

But what's less known is that the band scored a couple more hits in that decade, among them was this ditty called "Samantha" which honestly sounds like something Billy Joel could have written. But the reason why I'm bringing this up: There's a very tasty Thunderbird in the music video.

 

[Gaolee]

I'm coming to the conclusion that the magic of the pixie dust 2001 is in the pickups. Gibson used a number of different designs for pickups over the years, with no rhyme or reason that any of us can discern. There's no telling who made the pickups for Gibson, if Gibson didn't make them internally. I don't see why they wouldn't make them internally, but if they did, why would the design change? It doesn't make a lot of sense. All that said, there's a 2001 on Reverb in New Jersey if anybody has cash burning a hole in a pocket and wants to test my theory.

https://reverb.com/item/83458925-gibson-thunderbird-2001-sunburst

 

[dagrev]

Yes, I took an option which gave me an extra pint… with a bonus.

View attachment 7033891
I have a fairly substantial grip on that pint!

The Cathedral was interesting, there has been a Church in that location for many years, they gave access into the Crypt in which they had exposed the Viking era foundations for the first Church on the spot.

View attachment 7033892

Good ol’ Sitric Silkenbeard!
Sounds like a character from The Last Kingdom

Fantastic! Indeed you do! No one is going to take your pint from you, we promise.
Some kind of strange sorcery going on there to get that head on your pint.

 

[MCF]

That is a great price for that Custom Kraft which looks to be in VGC, especially because it comes with a HSC. Not sure if OHSC but it's a long bass that wouldn't fit any aftermarket HSC. I made a HSC for mine as a CK case would never come up for sale individually. It's a 34" scale and sounds great. If I didn't already own mine I'd be all over it.

The '60s Baldwin (Burns of London) Jazz Bass they are selling (again, w/OHSC) is also awesome - looks brand new! This is a legit place? All the asking prices are mostly the same which seems suspect. There are bogus/fake websites selling lots of instruments listed for the same (usually low) price and they are scams. They take pics off the internet and post them for sale.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It’s a legit store. Although I haven’t been in it since 2019. Pretty much the only music store in Stockton anymore. It’s a franchise of the national company. From looking, it appears there is now one up the road in Elk Grove too. Likely the same owner who from my recollection was nice enough. There aren’t any others in California. Looks to be a ninety minute to two hour drive one way for you, depending on traffic. About an hour or so for brother Dave. Again, depending on traffic.

 

[dagrev]

I'm coming to the conclusion that the magic of the pixie dust 2001 is in the pickups. Gibson used a number of different designs for pickups over the years, with no rhyme or reason that any of us can discern. There's no telling who made the pickups for Gibson, if Gibson didn't make them internally. I don't see why they wouldn't make them internally, but if they did, why would the design change? It doesn't make a lot of sense. All that said, there's a 2001 on Reverb in New Jersey if anybody has cash burning a hole in a pocket and wants to test my theory.

https://reverb.com/item/83458925-gibson-thunderbird-2001-sunburst

The pertinent aspects of your post have been highlighted.

That shop was where my NR came from. One of the guys is a Thunderbird player.

 

[BklynKen]

I'm coming to the conclusion that the magic of the pixie dust 2001 is in the pickups. Gibson used a number of different designs for pickups over the years, with no rhyme or reason that any of us can discern. There's no telling who made the pickups for Gibson, if Gibson didn't make them internally. I don't see why they wouldn't make them internally, but if they did, why would the design change? It doesn't make a lot of sense. All that said, there's a 2001 on Reverb in New Jersey if anybody has cash burning a hole in a pocket and wants to test my theory.

https://reverb.com/item/83458925-gibson-thunderbird-2001-sunburst

Agreed. The TB+ in the 2001s (not sure what other surrounding years) are special.

 

[MCF]

I'm coming to the conclusion that the magic of the pixie dust 2001 is in the pickups. Gibson used a number of different designs for pickups over the years, with no rhyme or reason that any of us can discern. There's no telling who made the pickups for Gibson, if Gibson didn't make them internally. I don't see why they wouldn't make them internally, but if they did, why would the design change? It doesn't make a lot of sense. All that said, there's a 2001 on Reverb in New Jersey if anybody has cash burning a hole in a pocket and wants to test my theory.

https://reverb.com/item/83458925-gibson-thunderbird-2001-sunburst

Looks like a nice one. I believe that is the shop I got the white LE Custom Shop Epi from.

 

[BklynKen]

I'm coming to the conclusion that the magic of the pixie dust 2001 is in the pickups. Gibson used a number of different designs for pickups over the years, with no rhyme or reason that any of us can discern. There's no telling who made the pickups for Gibson, if Gibson didn't make them internally. I don't see why they wouldn't make them internally, but if they did, why would the design change? It doesn't make a lot of sense. All that said, there's a 2001 on Reverb in New Jersey if anybody has cash burning a hole in a pocket and wants to test my theory.

https://reverb.com/item/83458925-gibson-thunderbird-2001-sunburst

One thing I noticed is the Thunderbird on the pickguard is an Epiphone version. Maybe they replaced the pickguard. It is very white.

 

[MCF]

Agreed. The TB+ in the 2001s (not sure what other surrounding years) are special.

I have the Pluses in the ‘05 Studio, the ‘11 short scale, and the ‘13 NR. They all sound good to me!