Thunderbird Club

[TBird1958]

Flesh for Lulu.
You don't see that many '76s.

 

[JIO]

For this afternoon’s selection: Going back to the ‘70’s with a 1973 Fender Jazz, flavored with a set of Lollar Jazz bass pickups, seasoned with the modern hybrid Orange Terror Bass 500 and 2 glorious 12” loaded speaker cabinets. Bad Lemon will be on at 3pm, at Winters Tavern, Pacifica. During FogFest. If you’re enjoying the fair, walk up the block at 3 and check us out.

View attachment 7041848

Bringing my backup Ampeg V7, since this Orange TB500 was acting odd last week at Winters. I haven’t been able to recreate the issue all week, but better safe than sorry. Also, since the strings on this Jazz are rather old, and the bridge is a modern Fender deluxe string through bridge, which almost anytime I have had a string break, it was on a string through bridge, I’ll be bringing my ‘69 Double P pickup P-Bass just in case…

They rocked -

 

[dagrev]

@MCF This made me think of you. It's at BC Studio. Martin said that it rarely gets used.

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Likely a great cab live, but maybe difficult mic/record for studio work. Not impossible, just an extra layer of getting the balance of the different drivers possibly. In other words, one might like the sound 3ft or more away, but the closer you get decisions have to be made on mic placement and maybe even the number used. Did you ever play through it to see how it sounded? I played through a mixed driver Mesa cab a few times. I thought they sounded good. They were the taller versions, however.

 

[GBassNorth]

Pro'lly been asked before, but was there ever a transitional Thunderbird, as the Firebird transitioned?
Was always curious about that...

After thinking about it overnight, I’d have to say that the 1976 to 1979 Bicentennial Thunderbird was the transition bass from the vintage 1960’s models to the 1990’s and newer modern Thunderbird.

 

[MCF]

Likely a great cab live, but maybe difficult mic/record for studio work. Not impossible, just an extra layer of getting the balance of the different drivers possibly. In other words, one might like the sound 3ft or more away, but the closer you get decisions have to be made on mic placement and maybe even the number used. Did you ever play through it to see how it sounded? I played through a mixed driver Mesa cab a few times. I thought they sounded good. They were the taller versions, however.

I’m not sure what that one is. It’s pretty old….

 

[MCF]

After thinking about it overnight, I’d have to say that the 1976 to 1979 Bicentennial Thunderbird was the transition bass from the vintage 1960’s models to the 1990’s and newer modern Thunderbird.

Only years with sidewinders.

 

[GonePlaid]

Never really gave it much thought but outside of the obvious reverse to non reverse and back to reverse transitions, there was possibly a transition in pickups and sound from the 1960’s birds to the mid to late 70’s Bicentennial birds and then again to the late 90’s and newer TB+ equipped birds, not to mention the short lived 2015 bird and the current Gibson Re-Issue pickup birds. IIRC there’s also been some transitions in the headstock angle, the neck angle, the neck shape and thickness and maybe the body or wing thickness over time.

But other than that, they're all the same.

 

[GonePlaid]

Weird.
Not you.

Yes I am.

 

[GonePlaid]

That’s very odd.
I always stay logged in, do you do that or sign out?

I don't log out.

 

[Gaolee]

You may need more uprights. And arms.

Works for me.

 

[Gaolee]

The "pros" can afford to take spares - besides, it's their professional responsibility to do so. Like I said - I work around my 'non pro' (as in...I don't currently have a "roadie") circumstances. Everyone chooses to do things differently within their parameters. I never have the luxury of "stage setting"... but like I said - if thats what's required? go for it.

My van isn't a full sized van any more. A 2010 Transit Connect doesn't have room for anything more than I carry these days. I'm not sure how I'll handle it when I have to haul both the upright and Thunderbird, PA, and a 360 stack. I think it can be done, but I haven't tried it yet. There will be some precarious vertical stacking and some tie down straps involved, most likely.

 

[Gaolee]

View attachment 7041740

I play with a guitarist who slings his guitar low like that. He knows what notes are, and also knows that slinging it low makes certain things much harder to play. But, he's shallow and is all about the style in spite of being an engineer. I get along well with him.

 

[Gaolee]

Transitional in what way? Do you mean from the original early '60s "Reverse" shape to the late '60s "Non-Reverse"?

From caterpillar to butterfly. Of course. What kind of question is that?

 

[dasherf17]

Transitional in what way? Do you mean from the original early '60s "Reverse" shape to the late '60s "Non-Reverse"?

Yes...exactly...I realize there aren't P90 equivalent pickups, but I was just curious if the Thunderbird went through transitional changes, too, like non-reverse headstock on a reverse body, etc....
Thanks for responding!

 

[Engle]

Pro'lly been asked before, but was there ever a transitional Thunderbird, as the Firebird transitioned?
Was always curious about that...

As you can tell by our responses, we don't know what you're referring to. What is a transitional Firebird?

 

[BklynKen]

Likely a great cab live, but maybe difficult mic/record for studio work. Not impossible, just an extra layer of getting the balance of the different drivers possibly. In other words, one might like the sound 3ft or more away, but the closer you get decisions have to be made on mic placement and maybe even the number used. Did you ever play through it to see how it sounded? I played through a mixed driver Mesa cab a few times. I thought they sounded good. They were the taller versions, however.

I never played through it. It was just sitting in the control room. Seems to be used more as a table than a cab.

 

[BklynKen]

My van isn't a full sized van any more. A 2010 Transit Connect doesn't have room for anything more than I carry these days. I'm not sure how I'll handle it when I have to haul both the upright and Thunderbird, PA, and a 360 stack. I think it can be done, but I haven't tried it yet. There will be some precarious vertical stacking and some tie down straps involved, most likely.

Didn't you always have straps in there? Goes with the whole blacked-out window vibe.

 

[JJR58]

I never played through it. It was just sitting in the control room. Seems to be used more as a table than a cab.

From what little user reviews i've read, wasn't one of Mesa's best cabs.
Guess it's been put to better use.

 

[BklynKen]

From what little user reviews i've read, wasn't one of Mesa's best cabs.
Guess it's been put to better use.

Great-sounding for a table I'm sure.

 

[JIO]

I play with a guitarist who slings his guitar low like that. He knows what notes are, and also knows that slinging it low makes certain things much harder to play. But, he's shallow and is all about the style in spite of being an engineer. I get along well with him.

there's many ways to 'sling' a bass...

...or guitar