Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

It all depends. But in the sunshine 72 at 6000 feet feels a little warmer than at see level. Icarus and all that.

We were in Colorado in winter. With no wind, a tee shirt was fine. Even s mild wind caused the heavy coats to go back on.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I have a strict rule. Never sell a Thunderbird.

I was never going to play it again. Just taking up space when someone else could enjoy it.

 

[Engle]

Plan is fluid:

Install Gotoh Res-o-lite 528s (now arriving Monday)
Removing @3oz from headstock end of the fulcrum.

Add a 3oz Tungsten pinewood derby car 1” disc into the lower unoccupied area of the control cavity. (Maybe two see below)
Other side of the fulcrum.

Net shift of 6oz and no change in total weight.

Relocate the neck side pin to body edge, still using Dunlop dual design to retain 1/2” of forward fulcrum location, this will put the front pivot point in a place to eliminate face tilt.

After relocating front pin fulcrum point 2” back towards the bridge?
Im estimating that the bass will still be a bit headstock heavy.

** at this point perhaps add a second 3oz weight in the cavity ***

Leave tail pin in standard location. Will re assess after initial changes.

We will see…

Have a Gig on Monday (private)
Tbird Noir will be the #1
Tight stage: TE-GP7 150 or TT-800 into PJB C-8

I find having the strap pin on the top bout tends to pull the headstock down on a Tbird - at least that how it feels to me.
Having owned an EBO for 45 years, forward tilt doesn't bother me.

 

[Thumper]

I would suspect it would be hard for someone at Gibson to justify the cost of fully documenting their bass production as it's happening, and after a few years it doesn't matter to them.

I'm sure you're right on both counts. It would have taken employee continuity, and a willingness to go the extra mile.

BTW, I didn't mean to criticize both of the excellent books we have, I enjoy them both a lot.

 

[Engle]

I'm sure you're right on both counts. It would have taken employee continuity, and a willingness to go the extra mile.

BTW, I didn't mean to criticize both of the excellent books we have, I enjoy them both a lot.

It would be great to have a book dedicated to Thunderbirds! Since I'm in Canada, I'll volunteer for the visit to Geddy's collection

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I would suspect it would be hard for someone at Gibson to justify the cost of fully documenting their bass production as it's happening, and after a few years it doesn't matter to them.

For good business practices and tax purposes, they documented it. Whether they kept it is another matter.

 

[Engle]

Warmoth/Rosser NR in the classifieds (no affiliation):

For sale Non Reverse Thunderbird Homebrew Dark Star NR

Roasted maple/ Mahogany/ Indian Rosweood

• davelowell2 (+204 /0 /-0)
• Jan 30, 2025
• Updated Feb 14, 2026
• Views: 3K
• Reaction score: 5
• Comments: 18
• Category: For Sale: Bass Guitars

$1,300.00

$1,300.00 to $775.00

7 watching

 

[MCF]

It would be great to have a book dedicated to Thunderbirds! Since I'm in Canada, I'll volunteer for the visit to Geddy's collection

We can go to Toronto and find @PillO.

 

[Stealth57]

We can go to Toronto and find @PillO.

Just look for a watermelon patch.

 

[GBassNorth]

Does selling one impact the count? AFAF.

If your friend should by chance sell a non Tbird shaped object then, yes, “one bass out - one bass in” means he can now replace it with a Tbird shaped object to meet the net neutral proposition. However, if he should do the unthinkable and sell a tbird shaped bass then he’ll actually need to purchase another Tbird to replace it PLUS an additional Tbird to fulfill the n+1 requirement set forth in the bylaws of this club.
Membership does have its prices.

 

[GBassNorth]

Warmoth/Rosser NR in the classifieds (no affiliation):

For sale Non Reverse Thunderbird Homebrew Dark Star NR

Roasted maple/ Mahogany/ Indian Rosweood

• davelowell2 (+204 /0 /-0)
• Jan 30, 2025
• Updated Feb 14, 2026
• Views: 3K
• Reaction score: 5
• Comments: 18
• Category: For Sale: Bass Guitars

$1,300.00

$1,300.00 to $775.00

7 watching

Looks like a nice build. Warmoth necks are dead solid beasts, but can carry a hefty weight. Rosser body’s are also super high quality but frequently heavy as well. Darkstar pickups are a great aesthetic fit in a bird and sound fantastic in whatever you put them in. Could be a great build at a good price. Wonder how much it weighs?

 

[Engle]

Looks like a nice build. Warmoth necks are dead solid beasts, but can carry a hefty weight. Rosser body’s are also super high quality but frequently heavy as well. Darkstar pickups are a great aesthetic fit in a bird and sound fantastic in whatever you put them in. Could be a great build at a good price. Wonder how much it weighs?

Those were my thoughts as well. Its probably 10lbs.

I have a beautiful Warmoth J neck with the steel bars on my PB shaped object. It's very solid, but too heavy and I never play it.
The Warmoth roasted maple on roasted maple on my Jolana Discobass has Carbon Fiber rods. That's the ticket IMO.

 

[MCF]

If your friend should by chance sell a non Tbird shaped object then, yes, “one bass out - one bass in” means he can now replace it with a Tbird shaped object to meet the net neutral proposition. However, if he should do the unthinkable and sell a tbird shaped bass then he’ll actually need to purchase another Tbird to replace it PLUS an additional Tbird to fulfill the n+1 requirement set forth in the bylaws of this club.
Membership does have its prices.

Yeah. Kinda how like you sold me a BaCH II for which I’m eternally grateful and then turned around and bought, what four? And made three or four more?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

If your friend should by chance sell a non Tbird shaped object then, yes, “one bass out - one bass in” means he can now replace it with a Tbird shaped object to meet the net neutral proposition. However, if he should do the unthinkable and sell a tbird shaped bass then he’ll actually need to purchase another Tbird to replace it PLUS an additional Tbird to fulfill the n+1 requirement set forth in the bylaws of this club.
Membership does have its prices.

It was unplayable for “my friend”. They have bought five since (although one will be sold to fulfill a promise).

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Stealth bird noises

For sale Fano Alt De Facto JM4 w/ Lollars - charcoal frost metallic

Fantastic instrument - used as the main gigging bass for one of my bands for the past year. Just need to slim down the collection, though I’m not in a rush to sell this. The Lollar Thunderbird pickups both cut through and blend really well in a band context. Hipshot detuner installed. Ships with...

• etsob (+171 /0 /-0)
• May 10, 2025
• Views: 501
• Reaction score: 8
• Comments: 3
• Category: For Sale: Bass Guitars

$1,999.00

6 watching

 

[_Tay_]

Those were my thoughts as well. Its probably 10lbs.

I have a beautiful Warmoth J neck with the steel bars on my PB shaped object. It's very solid, but too heavy and I never play it.
The Warmoth roasted maple on roasted maple on my Jolana Discobass has Carbon Fiber rods. That's the ticket IMO.

Carbon fibre is so good on a neck. I got a status bass with a maple neck with graphite rods and it's fantastic because it can be shaped quite thin but have strength. I got a status graphite jazz neck on another bass and that is really decent. Solid and light. Once dropped that bass headstock first due to a strap failure and it cracked the body not the neck itself not so good if playing outside in the rain though... Gets super uncomfortably fast action. Was an interesting gig

 

[RedVee]

I would suspect it would be hard for someone at Gibson to justify the cost of fully documenting their bass production as it's happening, and after a few years it doesn't matter to them.

They’d need to for warranty purposes?

For good business practices and tax purposes, they documented it. Whether they kept it is another matter.

Yepl that too

 

[MCF]

Stealth bird noises

For sale Fano Alt De Facto JM4 w/ Lollars - charcoal frost metallic

Fantastic instrument - used as the main gigging bass for one of my bands for the past year. Just need to slim down the collection, though I’m not in a rush to sell this. The Lollar Thunderbird pickups both cut through and blend really well in a band context. Hipshot detuner installed. Ships with...

• etsob (+171 /0 /-0)
• May 10, 2025
• Views: 501
• Reaction score: 8
• Comments: 3
• Category: For Sale: Bass Guitars

$1,999.00

6 watching

That’s a nice bass.

 

[GBassNorth]

Yeah. Kinda how like you sold me a BaCH II for which I’m eternally grateful and then turned around and bought, what four? And made three or four more?

Correct, sold you a BaCH II, so by club rules I had to replace it with another BaCH to get back to “n” and then purchase a second BaCH to achieve n+1. And then to get back in good graces with the Queen for offing a perfectly good NR I felt compelled to make the Fretless ‘66 NR Tribute and the NR ThunderCaster. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the 2024 GTG to present the new NRs to her Majesty for blessings, but I hope to have the newest tribute (ThunderWick) ready in time for her to christen it on it’s maiden voyage this summer.

 

[GBassNorth]

It was unplayable for “my friend”. They have bought five since (although one will be sold to fulfill a promise).

Let’s see…
n-1 promptly offset by 5 new purchases brings you to a status of n+4
Subtracting one bird to fulfill a promise brings you to a net n+3
You’re still in the clear for now but keep in mind at the 12 month anniversary of your last Tbird purchase “n” normalizes to your current flock number, so you will soon drop from n+3 to a status of just “n” which will necessitate the addition of another bird.
Of course you could remedy that by purchasing the GothDragon listed on eBay.

Pardon Our Interruption...

Offer well below the asking price and see if he bites. Would be cool to have with you at your next book signing.