Thunderbird Club

[MCF]

Really like some of their stuff. Bet it was great.

I’ve been a huge fan for all these many years and try to see them whenever I get the chance. An L.A. institution. You might say I’ve grown up with them. An amazing eclectic mix of music that is wonderful. They’ve aged along with the rest of us. I hadn’t seen them since 2020 right before the lockdown.

They played the small theatre behind World Records in Bako. Same place I saw Mavis Staples, Sun Volt, Samantha Fish, Eileen Jewel, and other favorites. The owner and I go back to ‘86. I’m still working on him to get Big Head Todd and the Monsters to come in, among others, who will play a small venue. Incredible house sound system, $5.00 craft beer and an in-house wood fired pizza oven. An amazing experience with national touring acts that love playing there. It’s what music is all about.

 

[dagrev]

I'm probably good with what I have, but never too much data

After looking through tax forms for a low income senior housing complex where I'm Pres of the board--over 160 pages I have to sign off on after the CPAs get finished--yes there can be too much data! I'm certain it's someone's job at that IRS to make things more convoluted than necessary. And this for a non-profit. It could have been 2 pages at most, including a cover letter to indicate our tax liability is 0.

 

[dagrev]

SIT Power Steel. There is some shift in tone, but very subtle. My ears aren't good enough to really distinguish much difference.

It's a preference I know, but try some SIT Power Wounds on it.

 

[Stealth57]

It's a preference I know, but try some SIT Power Wounds on it.

Maybe Power Flats.

 

[Ringhammer]

I just got the deal of the year I think:

$1100 for the V4B head and SVT212AV cabinet. Both virtually brand new with only a couple of small dents in a couple of spots on the leading edge of the cabinet / head box faces.

I don’t even want any more amps/cabs but this was just too hard to pass on. Guess I’ll be selling one of my Orange AD200 heads and an OBC115 cab…

 

[godofthunder59]

There's simply nothing quite like a white Thunderbird in the right hands, in this case Overend Watts. No standing in the shadows, no tort, no flats, big boots and a Thunderbird - you barely notice the "H" shaped guitar on Ian Hunter.

I'm a big MTH, Ian, Overend fan. Pete's one of the big reasons I play Thunderbirds, along with Entwistle and Martin Turner of course

 

[godofthunder59]

@Chucky Stiletti
I have most of the neck geometry worked out now on the ‘66 NR Tribute Fretless…
View attachment 7204111
… just needed shims, truss and bridge adjustments and nut filing. I don’t have the side dots on yet so fretting is real guess work and muscle memory, but here’s a quick clip to give a feel for the sound…
View attachment 7204110
Master volume at 50%, neck volume max, neck tone full on bright, bridge volume on 9, bridge tone fully rolled off, finger style, hand over neck pup. Nice deep punchy round tone from the EBCF strings.

I’m lovin it! Side dots and headstock reshape will get done in the near future.

That's sex!

 

[godofthunder59]

So after sitting with the modded '64 Thunderbird body with the added mudbucker I decided that I really don't like the added on and off switches, I wrestled with this because the bass had been in this configuration for a very, very long time. Today I cut a new pg for it and wired it up without the switches and am pretty happy with the results. I still need to age the guard but it looks so much cleaner without the switches. I am of course saving the original pg in case I want to switch it back. Curious what you guys think.

 

[Engle]

So after sitting with the modded '64 Thunderbird body with the added mudbucker I decided that I really don't like the added on and off switches, I wrestled with this because the bass had been in this configuration for a very, very long time. Today I cut a new pg for it and wired it up without the switches and am pretty happy with the results. I still need to age the guard but it looks so much cleaner without the switches. I am of course saving the original pg in case I want to switch it back. Curious what you guys think.

I agee with you. The switches were a visual distraction.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

@Chucky Stiletti
Here’s the Fretless 66 tribute sound samples you requested. I just did a quick 20 second recording in each setting. I was watching a Bond film last night so I had this song stuck in my head.
First recording is as I would normally play it - neck vol full on and tone full up, bridge vol full on and tone full off, master vol at 50%
View attachment 7205689


Second recording - higher key and fewer strokes to emphasize fretless effect - bridge vol full on and tone full up as you requested neck off, master at 50%
View attachment 7205696


Third recording - same key and settings as the last but slowed down to further emphasize fretless effect
View attachment 7205699


Fourth recording - same key and speed but the neck vol on full and neck tone on max, bridge vol on full and tone on max, master at 50%
View attachment 7205698

Again, all fingers and right hand over the neck pup, still no side dots or fret markers of any kind so please excuse the lack of precision (this ain’t a P bass).
View attachment 7205708
View attachment 7205711

Awesome, thx! All sound good, interesting how #3 captures that chorusey effect between the long notes....dig #2 the best...

 

[MCF]

Tone control on Gibson Thunderbird, how useful is yours? Neither my '76, nor my 2014 have/had a useful tone control, luck of the draw? The tone control on my Goth, and to a lesser extent my 2 VPs perform as expected. My Fenderbird J and P tone controls work well (CTS pots and .047uf caps).

Interesting. The tone circuit on my ‘13 Tbird+ equipped NR is pretty varied. The ‘77 with the sidewinders and series wiring has a perceptible difference, albeit it’s a slight to moderate difference. The ‘05 Tbird+ Studio has a slight difference. The ‘15 with the DiColas is all over the board depending on the taps. The ‘21 NR with the Gibson Reissues has a slight difference. BUT. Amp settings make a difference. I’m a high gain junkie. I like dirt and growl.

 

[bylar13]

So after sitting with the modded '64 Thunderbird body with the added mudbucker I decided that I really don't like the added on and off switches, I wrestled with this because the bass had been in this configuration for a very, very long time. Today I cut a new pg for it and wired it up without the switches and am pretty happy with the results. I still need to age the guard but it looks so much cleaner without the switches. I am of course saving the original pg in case I want to switch it back. Curious what you guys think.

I like the new look and thought the switches looked kinda "homemade".

Thant said I think a rosewood neck would look more fitting and oh, look what I have for sale in the classifieds....

https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/2016-american-standard-precision-neck-loaded.1667825/

 

[MCF]

Maybe Power Flats.

If you say so.

 

[MCF]

I'm a big MTH, Ian, Overend fan. Pete's one of the big reasons I play Thunderbirds, along with Entwistle and Martin Turner of course

Martin is my hero!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

SIT Power Steel. There is some shift in tone, but very subtle. My ears aren't good enough to really distinguish much difference.

take a small (metal) screwdriver and lightly tap on the pup with the tone on and fully off, you should hear a difference......

 

[MCF]

I just got the deal of the year I think:

View attachment 7205837

$1100 for the V4B head and SVT212AV cabinet. Both virtually brand new with only a couple of small dents in a couple of spots on the leading edge of the cabinet / head box faces.

I don’t even want any more amps/cabs but this was just too hard to pass on. Guess I’ll be selling one of my Orange AD200 heads and an OBC115 cab…

Ampegs belong in every Thunderbird player’s arsenal.

 

[BklynKen]

@Chucky Stiletti
Here’s the Fretless 66 tribute sound samples you requested. I just did a quick 20 second recording in each setting. I was watching a Bond film last night so I had this song stuck in my head.
First recording is as I would normally play it - neck vol full on and tone full up, bridge vol full on and tone full off, master vol at 50%
View attachment 7205689


Second recording - higher key and fewer strokes to emphasize fretless effect - bridge vol full on and tone full up as you requested neck off, master at 50%
View attachment 7205696


Third recording - same key and settings as the last but slowed down to further emphasize fretless effect
View attachment 7205699


Fourth recording - same key and speed but the neck vol on full and neck tone on max, bridge vol on full and tone on max, master at 50%
View attachment 7205698

Again, all fingers and right hand over the neck pup, still no side dots or fret markers of any kind so please excuse the lack of precision (this ain’t a P bass).
View attachment 7205708
View attachment 7205711

Sounds great, George. The pickups are ProBuckers? It's funny how those with flats are in a similar tonal area as TB+ with brighter strings like Power Steels.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

So after sitting with the modded '64 Thunderbird body with the added mudbucker I decided that I really don't like the added on and off switches, I wrestled with this because the bass had been in this configuration for a very, very long time. Today I cut a new pg for it and wired it up without the switches and am pretty happy with the results. I still need to age the guard but it looks so much cleaner without the switches. I am of course saving the original pg in case I want to switch it back. Curious what you guys think.

definitely better.

 

[godofthunder59]

I like the new look and thought the switches looked kinda "homemade".

Thant said I think a rosewood neck would look more fitting and oh, look what I have for sale in the classifieds....

https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/2016-american-standard-precision-neck-loaded.1667825/

I can't argue with you on that! I've been considering a rosewood neck. Both vehicles are in the shop this week, my wife's eyes are about to pop.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

moving up in the world...