Thunderbird Club

[Count Bassie]

A piece of brass or stainless rod would do it.

Brass...

 

[Stealth57]

Well, taking a tape to the available width, where this business happens, I've got about 23/4"...
If you've got some numbers handy I'm all ears, thanks!

2.5” L x 10mm bar stock. Outside holes are 5mm in from end of bar stock. 17mm hole pitch.

 

[dagrev]

A Thunderbird is preparing to fly south.

View attachment 7164076

Congrats Marshall! Looks to be in fantastic condition.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

A Thunderbird is preparing to fly south.

View attachment 7164076

Stunning! natural looks so good on a reverse inho......Congrats!

 

[dagrev]

In my pickup search I'm hoping to run across some early 760s if possible (with stamped back). In buying a used and or damaged Embassy no one shows the pickups. So my question is, what were the initial colors as that seems to be the "easy" or only way to get lucky with the old version? Or, is there another identifier?

 

[Stealth57]

Here is what I can see on the’64 pots:

Volume says EP085 500K 0750 C and the rest is under solder

Tone is either blank or all under solder

Caps are 0.02 at 50v, not sure what the other symbols mean

Update, the 0750 likely means 1967 week 50. CTS

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Here is what I can see on the’64 pots:

Volume says EP085 500K 0750 C and the rest is under solder

Tone is either blank or all under solder

Caps are 0.02 at 50v, not sure what the other symbols mean

Update, the 0750 likely means 1967 week 50. CTS

View attachment 7164410

yeah like suspected, ceramic .022s, the Z denotes the percentage of drift as a function of temp on the dielectric, 0 being best Z being worse...,.not to worry since these are not going into an MRI machine or anythiing like that......don't look stock....the top one is a manufacturing batch code....

 

[TBird1958]

Here is what I can see on the’64 pots:

Volume says EP085 500K 0750 C and the rest is under solder

Tone is either blank or all under solder

Caps are 0.02 at 50v, not sure what the other symbols mean

Update, the 0750 likely means 1967 week 50. CTS

View attachment 7164410

I'll have to open mine up and have a look at it, I do know that the tone knob actually works

 

[GBassNorth]

In my pickup search I'm hoping to run across some early 760s if possible (with stamped back). In buying a used and or damaged Embassy no one shows the pickups. So my question is, what were the initial colors as that seems to be the "easy" or only way to get lucky with the old version? Or, is there another identifier?

My embassy equipped with the early 760’s was trans red. I think they also had a cream color and a black color. The odd colors like wanderlust green came along later but early ones may still have used the original 760’s. You could probably ask the owner to send you a pic of the back of one of the pups to confirm it’s what you want.

 

[Stealth57]

yeah like suspected, ceramic .022s, the Z denotes the percentage of drift as a function of temp on the dielectric, 0 being best Z being worse...,.not to worry since these are not going into an MRI machine or anything like that......don't look stock....the top one is a manufacturing batch code....

I found more photos of the 64 cavity and other than the date code (1967) on the volume pot, they look the same. I'm not shocked that a pot would go bad that quickly. A bad solder tech can overheat a pot pretty easily. My 2021 VP had 2 pots go out almost immediately after I bought it.

 

[Engle]

Much love to you and your family - always.

Thanks V. Likewise! We were just saying it would be great if you and Frank would come up for a visit this summer.

 

[Engle]

BlunderBuild update.

I guess this means Im committed to my fretless plan.
View attachment 7164239

No glue on the frets, thankfully, but Im learning how to deal with chipout. My first experience with pulling frets.

Oddly, the fret slots are cut deeper on the left, in keeping with the overall "rotated error" in the board machining.

Based on measurements, the slot bottoms are parallel to the heel face. So once I re-radius the board, they would still be 'level.' Weird. If I wanted to refret I probably could, but the draw of a fretless experience is getting compelling.

I got some Bolivian rosewood veneer from Rockler to fill the slots. I want the lines to be subtle, rather than high-contrast. Perfect fit size wise though a bit pale... amazing coincidence that the standard thickness for cabinetry veneer is near exact the nominal cut for a fret tang.

View attachment 7164246

I'm also planning to replace the plastic markers with real mother-of-pearl, since I'm completely resanding from existing crooked 14" radius to the new, hopefully level, 12" radius. Havent decided what if anything to do about the side markers... which are on BOTH sides of the neck.

Speaking of the board machining being rotated, this will need addressing too:
View attachment 7164252

... probably will have to trim down to maple all the way across, instead of the nut sitting on the board as would be usual.

I could add a thin layer of rosewood for the nut to sit on, but it'd probably be pretty fragile. We'll see how much height is needed after the board is sanded and my nut blank arrives. Buying tiny pieces of rosewood is not exactly supported.

Currently waiting on a bunch of stuff on order. Argh. I hate waiting, mid project. But no local sources even if I had time to drive all over collecting a piece here, a piece there.

Had also the joy of going to the doc yesterday to address a trigger finger problem in the middle finger of my right (fretting) hand that's been coming on for about 6 months.

First attempt: cortisone shot. Day later it seems to be helping. It was not fun, but not nearly as painful as I'd heard. Fingers crossed, it'll do the trick.

I hope that works for your finger issue.

I would remove that rosewood so the nut is sitting on the maple.
Usually on a fretless the side dots go at the corresponding fret locations. That would mean drilling and filling the existing dots though.

 

[dagrev]

My embassy equipped with the early 760’s was trans red. I think they also had a cream color and a black color. The odd colors like wanderlust green came along later but early ones may still have used the original 760’s. You could probably ask the owner to send you a pic of the back of one of the pups to confirm it’s what you want.

Thanks. There are two Wanderlust green's that I'm looking at. One being the clawless one you posted. There is an intact mint condition used one at GC for $299 that was made in Indonesia. I thought all those were from China and the VPs from Indonesia. The one you saw is up to $175 now.

 

[Engle]

Brass...

I just bought some 9mm stainless rod to make a new longer endpin for my half size upright. I drilled a few holes about 3mm deep for the locking bolt to go into. It wasn't as difficult to drill as I thought.

 

[Instagator]

A Thunderbird is preparing to fly south.

View attachment 7164076

Sweeeeet!

 

[RedVee]

A Thunderbird is preparing to fly south.

View attachment 7164076

Congrats Marshall

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Were you ditching the 3-point bridge? I only ask as the saddles are at a fixed radius and won't match the new radius.

I do want a 3-point. But the one provided is dodgy at best... and appears to conform to no known radius:

Since Im going to a 12-inch radius from 14, I'm assuming a standard one for a Gibson or Epi will work. Hosco, Allparts, etc.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

I hope that works for your finger issue.

I would remove that rosewood so the nut is sitting on the maple.
Usually on a fretless the side dots go at the corresponding fret locations. That would mean drilling and filling the existing dots though.

Yep. Or using a different dot color... lol.
Not sure if I want to do that yet. Will decide once the defret and profile is successful

Since the board's not bound and the slots go all the way across, I'll have the visible endgrains of the veneer as subtle fret markers. I can always use stickers if I need more visible landmarks.

 

[dagrev]

I do want a 3-point. But the one provided is dodgy at best... and appears to conform to no known radius:

View attachment 7164567

Since Im going to a 12-inch radius from 14, I'm assuming a standard one for a Gibson or Epi will work. Hosco, Allparts, etc.

Some unknown Quantum Mechanics radius maybe?

Seriously though, from the angle of the pic the saddles may be misplaced. Looks like you can rearrange them and it "might" be correct.

 

[Stealth57]

Some unknown Quantum Mechanics radius maybe?

Seriously though, from the angle of the pic the saddles may be misplaced. Looks like you can rearrange them and it "might" be correct.

Should be stamped 1 to 4.