Thunderbird Club

[JJR58]

interesting how DSP tries to unsuccessfully emulate this......

Hands of steel, and playing true to the soul.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

You can never have too much purple.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

interesting how DSP tries to unsuccessfully emulate this......

To successfully emulate a sound, you must first understand all the parameters of that sound. What’s happening with a bass, amp (especially a tube amp), and speaker cab is insanely complex.

Then you need lots of processing power and hi-res, high sample rate A/D and D/A converters. It’s only in the last few years we’ve started getting close to reproducing (from our hearing standpoint) analog signals through digital technology. But too often those in charge under-spec things, which results in disppointing performance.

Also, if your emulation (or even reproduction) doesn’t undestand your playback amp/speaker (cab, phones, etc.) you’ve already munged the signal.

Can you get close enough? Thst depends on how well you understood the problem and how thorough and perfect your implementation is - and how each listener perceives it.

One person may hear them identically; another may not. How much it matters depends on the people and situation.

Meanwhile, that 64 trio is always awesome!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I've been checking prices and I'm certainly glad I bought mine when I did, it's certainly not perfect but I've become quite fond of it, broken neck matters not. Chuck's looks quite a bit better than mine and I think he got it for a reasonable price as well.

I suck at negotiating. How do y’all approach sellers when you ask for less?

 

[Engle]

I suck at negotiating. How do y’all approach sellers when you ask for less?

It can help to throw in something personal about yourself like:
"I always wanted one of those, since I saw Tom Hamilton playing one in 78". That way the seller doesn't feel like you are trying to lowball them to maximize profit when you flip it.

 

[RedVee]

We met February of 1980. We bonded during Fernandomania that spring. Dodgers baseball has been part of the glue for us since the beginning.

ABBA’s Fernando?

 

[Engle]

To successfully emulate a sound, you must first understand all the parameters of that sound. What’s happening with a bass, amp (especially a tube amp), and speaker cab is insanely complex.

Then you need lots of processing power and hi-res, high sample rate A/D and D/A converters. It’s only in the last few years we’ve started getting close to reproducing (from our hearing standpoint) analog signals through digital technology. But too often those in charge under-spec things, which results in disppointing performance.

Also, if your emulation (or even reproduction) doesn’t undestand your playback amp/speaker (cab, phones, etc.) you’ve already munged the signal.

Can you get close enough? Thst depends on how well you understood the problem and how thorough and perfect your implementation is - and how each listener perceives it.

One person may hear them identically; another may not. How much it matters depends on the people and situation.

Meanwhile, that 64 trio is always awesome!

IMO Bass tones are particularly difficult to emulate/reproduce because the listening environment shapes the bass response.
Then there's the rest of the mix. What sounds great by itself, can easily get lost in a mix.

 

[Engle]

ABBA’s Fernando?

I also don't know the reference. Must be a sportball thing.

 

[TBird1958]

I suck at negotiating. How do y’all approach sellers when you ask for less?

I didn't go back and forth with the seller - I really thought it was a fair price and he was very good about shipping it in a new Gibson case and a very good, new box. It arrived perfect, I have ne regrets about spending the money. I do think folks will at least listen to a reasonable offer, but low balling isn't a good idea, you'll only generate some resentment in the seller.

 

[bylar13]

Well, I didn't stumble across any Gibson Thunderbirds in Las Vegas, but there are a few back in the Beehive State to look at when I get back next week. A 2005 Studio, 2013 Anniversary, and a red Nikki Sixx. I'm interested in the gold Anniversary if I can get it for the right price.

Well, I didn't stumble across any Gibson Thunderbirds in Las Vegas, but there are a few in the Beehive State to look at when I get back next week. A 2005 Studio, 2013 Anniversary, and a red Nikki Sixx. I'm interested in the gold Anniversary if I can get it for the right price.

In the TB classifieds: https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/gipson-2012-thunderbird-bass.1663456/

 

[dagrev]

interesting how DSP tries to unsuccessfully emulate this......

Dude, I'm so sorry. No one should have to play that old crap. So happy you snagged the II.

 

[dagrev]

Stop please! Your One Trick Pony is too versatile

It's obviously some AI trickery. Made to look like he's playing a Thunderbird but really it's just Js and Ps.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

To successfully emulate a sound, you must first understand all the parameters of that sound. What’s happening with a bass, amp (especially a tube amp), and speaker cab is insanely complex.

Then you need lots of processing power and hi-res, high sample rate A/D and D/A converters. It’s only in the last few years we’ve started getting close to reproducing (from our hearing standpoint) analog signals through digital technology. But too often those in charge under-spec things, which results in disppointing performance.

Also, if your emulation (or even reproduction) doesn’t undestand your playback amp/speaker (cab, phones, etc.) you’ve already munged the signal.

Can you get close enough? Thst depends on how well you understood the problem and how thorough and perfect your implementation is - and how each listener perceives it.

One person may hear them identically; another may not. How much it matters depends on the people and situation.

Meanwhile, that 64 trio is always awesome!

IMO Bass tones are particularly difficult to emulate/reproduce because the listening environment shapes the bass response.
Then there's the rest of the mix. What sounds great by itself, can easily get lost in a mix.

Thx Miles! I think I'm coming from where Irv is coming from, sure you can get close but the more you add to the signal chain (be it an algorithm, a higher resolution converter, increasing the sample rate, etc.) to more faithfully reproduce the original, the further away the speaker feels from my fingers when plucking if that makes sense....I like to envision the speaker directly connected to the pups and the close coupled feedback it adds.....kinda like favoring no power steering in a sports car to better feel the road.....

 

[dagrev]

I suck at negotiating. How do y’all approach sellers when you ask for less?

I always try to justify my offer if at all possible. Often by what I recently paid for a like item, what I've seen them going for....Along those lines. I generally start out with something like, "Here's my thinking behind my offer...." and end with, "Thanks for your consideration." I never low-ball people, but do try to help them see why my offer is a valid and reasonable offer and not just something I pulled from the old sphincter. That said, if I think something is very reasonably priced, I'll jut pay it.

This was how I got a good deal on the $85k Thunderbird for only $78,000.

 

[MCF]

ABBA’s Fernando?

Uh, no. You’re a funny guy Geoff.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Thx Miles! I think I'm coming from where Irv is coming from, sure you can get close but the more you add to the signal chain (be it an algorithm, a higher resolution converter, increasing the sample rate, etc.) to more faithfully reproduce the original, the further away the speaker feels from my fingers when plucking if that makes sense....I like to envision the speaker directly connected to the pups and the close coupled feedback it adds.....kinda like favoring no power steering in a sports car to better feel the road.....

They all go together to impact what we hear.!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I always try to justify my offer if at all possible. Often by what I recently paid for a like item, what I've seen them going for....Along those lines. I generally start out with something like, "Here's my thinking behind my offer...." and end with, "Thanks for your consideration." I never low-ball people, but do try to help them see why my offer is a valid and reasonable offer and not just something I pulled from the old sphincter. That said, if I think something is very reasonably priced, I'll jut pay it.

This was how I got a good deal on the $85k Thunderbird for only $78,000.

I heard he would have gone to $77,000 …

 

[Thumper]

In the TB classifieds: https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/gipson-2012-thunderbird-bass.1663456/

Thanks for the heads up, that's a nice bass.

 

[bylar13]

Thanks for the heads up, that's a nice bass.

and this seller does pickup covers in black if you want to do a pickup swap.

Advanced Plating Inc (API) Thunderbird® Bass Pickup Cover - Fits Gibson® | eBay

 

[RedVee]

Uh, no. You’re a funny guy Geoff.

TBF that’s the only Fernando I know of