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Thunderbird Club

#309,121
dagrev said:
I'm thinking you pulling my string just a bit and being intentionally vague so as to not let the real secret out. The chip says BBE 2150 on it. That clearly means part of the magic is the chip takes the sound and transports it to the carefully selected time of 2150 where it would sound the best and then transports it back after it's corrected in 2150. I see what's going on. You can't fool me that easily.
Click to expand...
That's a form of processing. I was just giving the short version. Yes, I know that's weird for me, but Weird is my names. All of them.
 
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#309,124
mellowgerman said:
That's a beautiful bird! Of course, they all are. Such a classic design.

This is my little frankenstein shortbird. I've owned a few proper Thunderbirds, but ultimately find that I enjoy short scale basses most. Was on the look-out for one of those 2011(?) short scale Thunderbirds for quite some time, when this woodshop DIY bolt-on body popped up on facebook marketplace. Not sure what wood it's made from, but actually executed quite well, though with a poorly done but charming natural finish. It already had a Fender style bridge, PJ pickup cavities, and a neck pocket ready for a long scale Fender neck, but I took it on as a challenge to create my own short scale t-bird, where I could go nuts with electronics experiments without much at stake. This was the end result and I actually enjoy it enough to where I'm no longer in the market for a Gibson shorty. The neck is from an Ibanez TMB-30 short scale, which fit the pocket perfectly and only required new bridge placement. The added tailpiece covers the 5 original bridge screw-holes, but also allows me to use medium-scale strings which my Alembic, Rickenbacker, and Guilds require, so I always have plenty of those on hand. Pickups are two passive EMG's from an 80s Steinberger, along with a wide/flat single-coil underneath the chrome mudbucker cover. Controls are volume and tone, 3-way toggle between neck and middle pickup, 3-way toggle to add in the bridge pickup full signal OR high-passed (which combats the mid-scoop and frequency cancellation that you've mentioned, but also allows for two very different and equally useful voicings). Finally, one of my favorite things about this bass is that it's pretty lightweight and balances 100% perfectly with no dive.

View attachment 7120202
Click to expand...
That is a crazy build! What single coil is under the mudbucker cover?
 
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#309,125
Engle said:
That is a crazy build! What single coil is under the mudbucker cover?
Click to expand...

Thanks! It's actually a super cheap pickup available through MGB guitars. Sold there for use on cigar box guitars, but it sounds great for bass! Full and clear, though by no means a mudbucker-esque sledgehammer. Bar magnet makes it so string spacing is irrelevant, as long as it doesn't fall outside of the field, which it does not here. I have not tried it in other basses yet, but gave it a go on whim here and was really impressed!

mgbguitars.com

MGB Seven Fitty Screamin Pickup | Cigar Guitar Parts | MGB Guitars & Parts Supplier

Looking for an economic pickup with some real power? This little single coil packs a lot of punch into a small package. Measuring 2 3/4 by 3/4 by 3/8 this compact pickup is provided with a rosewood cover and mounting hardware. It's easy to install, cut a small slot in your lid, glue the pickup...
mgbguitars.com mgbguitars.com
 
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#309,131
mellowgerman said:
Thanks! It's actually a super cheap pickup available through MGB guitars. Sold there for use on cigar box guitars, but it sounds great for bass! Full and clear, though by no means a mudbucker-esque sledgehammer. Bar magnet makes it so string spacing is irrelevant, as long as it doesn't fall outside of the field, which it does not here. I have not tried it in other basses yet, but gave it a go on whim here and was really impressed!

mgbguitars.com

MGB Seven Fitty Screamin Pickup | Cigar Guitar Parts | MGB Guitars & Parts Supplier

Looking for an economic pickup with some real power? This little single coil packs a lot of punch into a small package. Measuring 2 3/4 by 3/4 by 3/8 this compact pickup is provided with a rosewood cover and mounting hardware. It's easy to install, cut a small slot in your lid, glue the pickup...
mgbguitars.com mgbguitars.com
Click to expand...
Those are some cheap pickups!
 
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#309,132
Its pretty grey here - sunny days are a couple months away yet, here's to being warm again!

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Youze guys.........

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Oyster Homies.
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#309,140
sleddogn said:
At Mod shop....very coolView attachment 7120126
Click to expand...
Interesting looking, hard to tell the color but I kinda like it.

Gaolee said:
If Larry Graham played a Thunderbird, it would look like one of those.
Click to expand...
He could slap the snot out of mine anytime!

…I probably need an “Ahem” for that.
mellowgerman said:
That's a beautiful bird! Of course, they all are. Such a classic design.

This is my little frankenstein shortbird. I've owned a few proper Thunderbirds, but ultimately find that I enjoy short scale basses most. Was on the look-out for one of those 2011(?) short scale Thunderbirds for quite some time, when this woodshop DIY bolt-on body popped up on facebook marketplace. Not sure what wood it's made from, but actually executed quite well, though with a poorly done but charming natural finish. It already had a Fender style bridge, PJ pickup cavities, and a neck pocket ready for a long scale Fender neck, but I took it on as a challenge to create my own short scale t-bird, where I could go nuts with electronics experiments without much at stake. This was the end result and I actually enjoy it enough to where I'm no longer in the market for a Gibson shorty. The neck is from an Ibanez TMB-30 short scale, which fit the pocket perfectly and only required new bridge placement. The added tailpiece covers the 5 original bridge screw-holes, but also allows me to use medium-scale strings which my Alembic, Rickenbacker, and Guilds require, so I always have plenty of those on hand. Pickups are two passive EMG's from an 80s Steinberger, along with a wide/flat single-coil underneath the chrome mudbucker cover. Controls are volume and tone, 3-way toggle between neck and middle pickup, 3-way toggle to add in the bridge pickup full signal OR high-passed (which combats the mid-scoop and frequency cancellation that you've mentioned, but also allows for two very different and equally useful voicings). Finally, one of my favorite things about this bass is that it's pretty lightweight and balances 100% perfectly with no dive.

View attachment 7120202
Click to expand...
Looks like a blast to play! Lots of tone options and I always welcome a SS bass into the fold when I find one. Problem is trying to find a SS Tbird, still have yet to get my hands on an official one to put in my scale line up…
IMG_3666.jpeg

From left to right:
Savannah Tbird bass ukulele - 23” scale
Sammick youth Tbird - 26” scale
1977 Greco Tbird - 33.5” scale
North BlingBird - 34” scale
Spector Rex5 Pro - 35” scale
Dingwall DBird - 36” multi scale
Acasia NR Tbird - 37” multi scale
 
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