Thunderbird Club

[/\/\3phist0]

View attachment 7217505When I was working and traveling 1-2 weeks a month (nationally and world wide)this was my travel bass. It easily fit in overheads.View attachment 7217504

My little bass:

Hondo Alien
I also have a Kramer The Duke

They are not just oddities: these 2 similar in appearance, yet different electronically different basses (30” scale aluminum neck)
Really have a very aggressive stingray like in your face tone.

The Duke has a 4 coil Dimarzio dual J with a 3 way switch, 2 -1/2 coil (EA shell half toward bridge, DG shell half towards neck)
All 4 coils in parallel, all 4 coils in series.

Fun to play.

 

[BklynKen]

15s can sound so good. Sounds like the gig rocked! Great pics, would love to play in Salem..

I'd so love to do a show with you sometime. The rig sounded great, but I don't think I would've chosen 15s. I think I would've been happier with 12s or 10s. There wasn't enough time to figure out the amp, plus I couldn't read the knob labels on stage, but I would've liked to have dialed out a little of the low end. I turned up the Tone knob on my dirt pedal for a stupid bit of compensation, at least in my head.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I did some experimenting yesterday:
Still waiting for the pots and flush straplock pins.

Inserted the strap on the body back only.
Holding the strap here only. The bird’s neck rises! The body falls.
Hmm, so that is the correct spot for the fulcrum pivot point.

Using gaffer’s tape, located the strap on the body edge, top “horn “ same exercise as above, the headstock dips massively!
Although the forward roll away from my body was no longer present.

Relocated strap forward pin to body back neck joint.

Hand holding the bass only by this pin, I looked for where the weight was beginning to be felt one again on the tail pin.
Optimal location seem to be eyeballed at about 3” towards the top edge, 1/2 inch or thereabouts, north from the wing/neck glue joint.

Slung over my shoulders:

NO DIVING:

The weight is on my left shoulder, but the tail of the body can be felt pulling on my back. Adding the wireless transmitter mid back will add MORE pull on the front pin, with

Will share more once the flush mounts arrive. I think , although not new or super innovative, that this is a recipe for success.

***motivating factor

The tuners that I’m possibly replacing the Wilkinsons are still to be determined.

Leaning towards Gotoh. Hipshot lollipop are attractive also.

I don’t currently have a Detuner equipped bass, and adding one to the bird would worsen dive, unless I found a way to address it.

Ultralight tuners, with the Detuner should be about a wash with the Steel vintage Wilkinsons.

A photo of where you plan to put the mounts would be great.

 

[BklynKen]

Uh oh. I'm hoping Gator will replace this.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

After 13 straight 12-15 hours days spent testing software, finally a day off.

So what was I doing?

View attachment 7217858

View attachment 7217859

View attachment 7217860

Maple. So what are you going to finish it with?
Do you know about Aqua Fortis? (iron nitrate)

Check this out:



These were done that way: the Squier Tele neck just looked like boring white maple with super subtle grain before treatment, the exposed areas of the basswood body were also treated, and the rich reddish brown color: with highlighted grain is the result.

 

[BklynKen]

15s can sound so good. Sounds like the gig rocked! Great pics, would love to play in Salem..

Too bad this isn't longer, but this is the only audio I could find.

 

[BklynKen]

Maple. So what are you going to finish it with?
Do you know about Aqua Fortis? (iron nitrate)
View attachment 7218257View attachment 7218258View attachment 7218259View attachment 7218260View attachment 7218261View attachment 7218262
Check this out:

duck://player/knSI5R5prxI

These were done that way: the Squier Tele neck just looked like boring white maple with super subtle grain before treatment, the exposed areas of the basswood body were also treated, and the rich reddish brown color: with highlighted grain is the result.

It's a great color. Looks the same as James' (from my band) Partscaster.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

A photo of where you plan to put the mounts would be great.

I did not photograph the experiment, but I WILL document the execution next week when the pins, and pots arrive.
I will show the process and provide measurements and results.

Will attempt to record Before and After sound samples for the electronics:
And video of the neck dive addressment(s)


This pic depicts the tail pin approximation.

 

[GBassNorth]

Interesting, that looks quite a bit like the color of the 2014 Heritage Cherry. Was there a run of those in 2012 as well?

I took my 2014 to practice for the first time this week and was told to leave it there and not take it home. They are pretty jaded due to all the basses I've cycled through there, but really like this one looks and tonewise. The + pickups also work fine fingerstyle.

I really like the warmth of the TB+ pickups. So much so that I installed one in my fretless Scroll bass. It sounds phenomenal in that bass.

I did some experimenting yesterday:
Still waiting for the pots and flush straplock pins.

Inserted the strap on the body back only.
Holding the strap here only. The bird’s neck rises! The body falls.
Hmm, so that is the correct spot for the fulcrum pivot point.

Using gaffer’s tape, located the strap on the body edge, top “horn “ same exercise as above, the headstock dips massively!
Although the forward roll away from my body was no longer present.

Relocated strap forward pin to body back neck joint.

Hand holding the bass only by this pin, I looked for where the weight was beginning to be felt one again on the tail pin.
Optimal location seem to be eyeballed at about 3” towards the top edge, 1/2 inch or thereabouts, north from the wing/neck glue joint.

Slung over my shoulders:

NO DIVING:

The weight is on my left shoulder, but the tail of the body can be felt pulling on my back. Adding the wireless transmitter mid back will add MORE pull on the front pin, with

Will share more once the flush mounts arrive. I think , although not new or super innovative, that this is a recipe for success.

***motivating factor

The tuners that I’m possibly replacing the Wilkinsons are still to be determined.

Leaning towards Gotoh. Hipshot lollipop are attractive also.

I don’t currently have a Detuner equipped bass, and adding one to the bird would worsen dive, unless I found a way to address it.

Ultralight tuners, with the Detuner should be about a wash with the Steel vintage Wilkinsons.

Would love to see a photo of the final locations. It would be awesome to have locations that address both neck dive and face tilt.

 

[TBird1958]

My little bass:
View attachment 7218212

Hondo Alien
I also have a Kramer The Duke

They are not just oddities: these 2 similar in appearance, yet different electronically different basses (30” scale aluminum neck)
Really have a very aggressive stingray like in your face tone.

The Duke has a 4 coil Dimarzio dual J with a 3 way switch, 2 -1/2 coil (EA shell half toward bridge, DG shell half towards neck)
All 4 coils in parallel, all 4 coils in series.

Fun to play.
View attachment 7218242View attachment 7218243

I'm looking at your EQ settings on the Trace Elliott, I'll try to remember to get a shot of mine tonight.

 

[GBassNorth]

I did not photograph the experiment, but I WILL document the execution next week when the pins, and pots arrive.
I will show the process and provide measurements and results.

Will attempt to record Before and After sound samples for the electronics:
And video of the neck dive addressment(s)


This pic depicts the tail pin approximation.
View attachment 7218274

That’s about where I’ve been locating the lower pin on my builds. Something to consider, I think someone in the club here not only located a pin about where you have your red mark, but the also left in the stock pin at the center butt location. So now they use both butt pins and not only does it eliminate neck dive but I think it ends the face fall forward issue as well. Would be great to get some second thoughts on that.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Would love to see a photo of the final locations. It would be awesome to have locations that address both neck dive and face tilt.

not sure you can get BOTH.
The top horn location addresses the face tilt, BUT, moves the pivot point back towards the bridge @ 2” worsening the neck dive by a good amount, with heavy tuners.

I’m still debating the addition of the Detuner.
If I decide on JUST lightweight tuners? The body edge pin location may win out.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

That’s about where I’ve been locating the lower pin on my builds. Something to consider, I think someone in the club here not only located a pin about where you have your red mark, but the also left in the stock pin at the center butt location. So now they use both butt pins and not only does it eliminate neck dive but I think it ends the face fall forward issue as well. Would be great to get some second thoughts on that.

Hmm, good thought, I am installing flush pins, which may address the face tilt slightly.

Not sure how the original pin on the centerline would mechanically address the forward tilt since the centerline pin wouldn’t be carrying any weight.

The relocated tail pin in and of itself does seem to “pull back” on the top of the body being relocated up the body from centerline and offset from the front pin location, so that may be “enough” to mitigate the face tilt. We will see.

I’m shopping lightweight tuners now.
If I get them, I will reassess the top horn relocation with them installed and revisit the process.

Hipshot lollipops are winning so far I love how they look on my Acinonyx.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I'm looking at your EQ settings on the Trace Elliott, I'll try to remember to get a shot of mine tonight.

Yeah, those were NOT the ones I use. Lol.
It was a livingroom experiment to get “insta dub” by engaging the graphic.
We do a few reggae tunes and that worked at the show (clip below) but I have since decided to add a programmable EQ to my little board to play that role.

Example:

 

[TBird1958]

A group visit to the B.O.B.I.

 

[Stealth57]

A group visit to the B.O.B.I.

Beer in the refrigerator!

 

[Engle]

My little bass:
View attachment 7218212

Hondo Alien
I also have a Kramer The Duke

They are not just oddities: these 2 similar in appearance, yet different electronically different basses (30” scale aluminum neck)
Really have a very aggressive stingray like in your face tone.

The Duke has a 4 coil Dimarzio dual J with a 3 way switch, 2 -1/2 coil (EA shell half toward bridge, DG shell half towards neck)
All 4 coils in parallel, all 4 coils in series.

Fun to play.
View attachment 7218242View attachment 7218243

I'm "headless curious". I'll probably convert my Epi Explorer at some point.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Maple. So what are you going to finish it with?
Do you know about Aqua Fortis? (iron nitrate)
View attachment 7218257View attachment 7218258View attachment 7218259View attachment 7218260View attachment 7218261View attachment 7218262
Check this out:



These were done that way: the Squier Tele neck just looked like boring white maple with super subtle grain before treatment, the exposed areas of the basswood body were also treated, and the rich reddish brown color: with highlighted grain is the result.

Current plan is for a Bullion Gold with Black Burst finish under clear nitro... but as 1/16th ebony for the peghead overlay has proved unsourceable, one option I'm considering is ebonized walnut, so I have a batch of this brewing...

Other options I'm looking at are black acrylic, or black linen phenolic, which would be very MCM even if not a choice Gibson pursued.

Need to test how they behave with the clear and with adhesives.

I Have some Luthitec Fiberboard to try out, too.

 

[GBassNorth]

Hmm, good thought, I am installing flush pins, which may address the face tilt slightly.

Not sure how the original pin on the centerline would mechanically address the forward tilt since the centerline pin wouldn’t be carrying any weight.

The relocated tail pin in and of itself does seem to “pull back” on the top of the body being relocated up the body from centerline and offset from the front pin location, so that may be “enough” to mitigate the face tilt. We will see.

I’m shopping lightweight tuners now.
If I get them, I will reassess the top horn relocation with them installed and revisit the process.

Hipshot lollipops are winning so far I love how they look on my Acinonyx.
View attachment 7218334

I suspect using two butt strap pins reduces the tendency for the bass to swivel (tilt forward) as much as it would on a single butt end strap pin. But I haven’t personally tried it. My Dingwall has some pretty unique flush mount pin placements that work exceptionally well, but it’s a totally different beast from a Gibson design so not sure how well it would translate to a non Dingwall bass.

 

[MCF]

Thank you both M-guys! It's funny, Mvf is the third one to report me how it works while taking a walk. Maybe I should advertise it as "ambient rock* for walking"?

*"ambient rock" was one description I saw somewhere. Maybe that is better than "prog" since the stuff is quite basic and simple.

I like to listen to your music on cold Sunday mornings with a hot cup of tea while checking in here.