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Thunderbird Club

#318,241
I was an Epiphone Thunderbird IV owner once. It was the bolt-on version with the baseball bat 1.73" neck. And haven't owned one until Spector has released it's limited Euro X run what was a no brainer for me being a lifelong Spector fan. It's an amazing bass but way different than a Thundebird. Only the shape in common.

IMG_20240113_124445_HDR~2.jpg


But always wanted a 'proper' Thunderbird and a Greco TB-900 what I was after, popped up in the EU.
I chose it over a Gibson for a reason...and I guess we all know that reason....the pickup. 😅
And after a few weeks a TB-1100 has popped up in Japan for sale with OHSC, papers etc for a really good price and being the sole bidder, now I have the big brother of the 900 as well.
Not too bad getting back in the Tb game not only with one but two.
486647259_9912023032190066_7985683800837009408_n.jpg
 
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#318,242
Well the Vintage Pro Thunderbird landed.
No issues except bridge seems to lean a bit towards the neck a bit (correctable) one small ding, filthy, dead strings and a bit of rust on screws.
Truss rod works and is not stripped.
No fret sprout yet(came from Virginia to my arid home in Cali, so I expect some, later.
Case is in VGC with key too.

Key takeaways initially:
*** 8 lbs!***
Wilkinson keys are “OK”
Thin fast neck.

Once partially disassembled for inspection and deep cleaning:
Brass nut I have on hand will be installed.
Dunlop dual design strap lock pins will be installed.
Ok now the pics:



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#318,243
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#318,245
/\/\3phist0 said:
Well the Vintage Pro Thunderbird landed.
No issues except bridge seems to lean a bit towards the neck a bit (correctable) one small ding, filthy, dead strings and a bit of rust on screws.
Truss rod works and is not stripped.
No fret sprout yet(came from Virginia to my arid home in Cali, so I expect some, later.
Case is in VGC with key too.

Key takeaways initially:
*** 8 lbs!***
Wilkinson keys are “OK”
Thin fast neck.

Once partially disassembled for inspection and deep cleaning:
Brass nut I have on hand will be installed.
Dunlop dual design strap lock pins will be installed.
Ok now the pics:



View attachment 7214399View attachment 7214400View attachment 7214401View attachment 7214402View attachment 7214403View attachment 7214404View attachment 7214405View attachment 7214406View attachment 7214407View attachment 7214408View attachment 7214409
Click to expand...
The bridge tilt is due to REALLY sloppy threads in the posts/ sleeves. Will address by adding solder strips or copper tape to tighten them up a bit.
Brass nut fitted:
image.jpg
 
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#318,249
r_bnks said:
I was an Epiphone Thunderbird IV owner once. It was the bolt-on version with the baseball bat 1.73" neck. And haven't owned one until Spector has released it's limited Euro X run what was a no brainer for me being a lifelong Spector fan. It's an amazing bass but way different than a Thundebird. Only the shape in common.

View attachment 7214388

But always wanted a 'proper' Thunderbird and a Greco TB-900 what I was after, popped up in the EU.
I chose it over a Gibson for a reason...and I guess we all know that reason....the pickup. 😅
And after a few weeks a TB-1100 has popped up in Japan for sale with OHSC, papers etc for a really good price and being the sole bidder, now I have the big brother of the 900 as well.
Not too bad getting back in the Tb game not only with one but two.
View attachment 7214397
Click to expand...


All beautiful Thunderbirds! Please be welcome here and let me know if you would like a club number :)
 
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#318,251
GBassNorth said:
Your band needs a more descriptive name - how about “Dave and the Half Pints”



Never was a huge EJ fan, I liked a lot of his music but it really just wasn’t the type of music I was into when he was at the peak of his popularity (yellow brick road, caribou ranch… era). But that song(s) was always my favorite of his.

It was a pretty far departure from most of his other songs (crocodile rock, YBR, your song, Benny and the jets…) which were more bubble gum pop than rock to me. And as far as the Metallica performance, I’d have to agree with Elton when the camera panned to him in the audience and he said “Amazing”. It’s a fantastic cover and every bit as good (maybe even better) than the original. Thx for posting!
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I recall something to the effect that he was showing Rundgren, who was starting the Utopia thing, that he could hang with proggers too.
 
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#318,255
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#318,256
r_bnks said:
I was an Epiphone Thunderbird IV owner once. It was the bolt-on version with the baseball bat 1.73" neck. And haven't owned one until Spector has released it's limited Euro X run what was a no brainer for me being a lifelong Spector fan. It's an amazing bass but way different than a Thundebird. Only the shape in common.

View attachment 7214388

But always wanted a 'proper' Thunderbird and a Greco TB-900 what I was after, popped up in the EU.
I chose it over a Gibson for a reason...and I guess we all know that reason....the pickup. 😅
And after a few weeks a TB-1100 has popped up in Japan for sale with OHSC, papers etc for a really good price and being the sole bidder, now I have the big brother of the 900 as well.
Not too bad getting back in the Tb game not only with one but two.
View attachment 7214397
Click to expand...
Great looking Birds!
 
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#318,258
Chucky Stiletti said:
t

the BA II on a Bird intrigues me for some reason..
Click to expand...
Someone, for a reason I have yet to figure out, swapped a BA II in place of the Gibson version of a high mass bridge on my ‘06 Studio. It took hours to intonate and get the string height with proper low action dialed in. It’s ok at the end of the day and is a very nice playing and sounding Thunderbird with a set of Tbird + pickups. But I didn’t get the point of changing bridges, other than that was a popular mod that people did to basses back around that time.

So I guess happy BA II Thunderbird Tuesday?
IMG_1634.jpeg
 
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#318,260
MCF said:
Someone, for a reason I have yet to figure out, swapped a BA II in place of the Gibson version of a high mass bridge on my ‘06 Studio. It took hours to intonate and get the string height with proper low action dialed in. It’s ok at the end of the day and is a very nice playing and sounding Thunderbird with a set of Tbird + pickups. But I didn’t get the point of changing bridges, other than that was a popular mod that people did to basses back around that time.

So I guess happy BA II Thunderbird Tuesday?
View attachment 7214538
Click to expand...
never seen them in black, cool
 
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