Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

Been perfectly satisfied with my first run stock VP and Eppi 64 (purple sparkle) tuners. It’s the Eppi IV and Eppi Goth tuners that are garbage.

MY VP tuners are good, but slightly sloppier than the 64. The 64s have been great so far.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Yes, but there are things I don't know.

Say it ain't so!

 

[dagrev]

Say it ain't so!

Well, honestly, I was just being humble. As a grad school prof used to tell us: You don't have to know everything--you just need to to know where to find it when you don't. Therefore, with the trusty interwebs, I kind of do know everything.

Actually I like the old saying: "Libraries are full of things you don't know." Something like that. Walking into a library is a good way to be reminded of just how much we don't know. Should be a very humbling experience even accounting for the vast amount of nonsense that ends up in book form.

 

[Basvarken]

I’m loving the three pickup thunderbird I made (in my avatar) and recently ran across a three pickup thunderbird from the early 1990’s that appears to be a Gibson custom shop but I can’t find any info that confirms Gibson ever made a three pickup Tbird. Are you aware of such a model?

Yes, I know the custom shop made a few Thunderbirds with 3 humbuckers in the early nineties. But again, I did not heave high resolution photographs that I could use in the book. Nor did I have the rights to use it in print.

Here is a pic of a 1991 Custom Shop Thunderbird with three humbuckers in Cardinal Red, that I kept in my archives.

 

[JJR58]

I’m loving the three pickup thunderbird I made (in my avatar) and recently ran across a three pickup thunderbird from the early 1990’s that appears to be a Gibson custom shop but I can’t find any info that confirms Gibson ever made a three pickup Tbird. Are you aware of such a model?

I really dig mine.

 

[Basvarken]

My two BaCHs have slightly different tuners. The white one which is very heavy and I think an earlier run has tuner posts that come to a blunt point at the key. The blue one which is much lighter and has a thinner neck I suspect is a later model run and has tuning posts that are rounded at the key. Both tuners are stock to the best of my knowledge and both tuners types seem to work fine. No issues with tuning accuracy or feel or slop in the gears.
View attachment 7258438

The Baby Blue one is from the second series. Only 10 were made in that colour.
If the White one is substantially thicker (and heavier) that one is from the first series.

 

[TBird1958]

I’m loving the three pickup thunderbird I made (in my avatar) and recently ran across a three pickup thunderbird from the early 1990’s that appears to be a Gibson custom shop but I can’t find any info that confirms Gibson ever made a three pickup Tbird. Are you aware of such a model?

This one!

 

[TBird1958]

Yes, I know the custom shop made a few Thunderbirds with 3 humbuckers in the early nineties. But again, I did not heave high resolution photographs that I could use in the book. Nor did I have the rights to use it in print.

Here is a pic of a 1991 Custom Shop Thunderbird with three humbuckers in Cardinal Red, that I kept in my archives.

This one was on Reverb awhile back, neck was broken, went for around 3500.00

 

[GBassNorth]

Yes, I know the custom shop made a few Thunderbirds with 3 humbuckers in the early nineties. But again, I did not heave high resolution photographs that I could use in the book. Nor did I have the rights to use it in print.

Here is a pic of a 1991 Custom Shop Thunderbird with three humbuckers in Cardinal Red, that I kept in my archives.

Thanks for the info. I thought I had heard of these before, just couldn’t find any info on them.
Like I said, I ran across one yesterday. Ended up buying it. Its cardinal red like the one you posted but I’ll need to put a white guard on it to replace the black one, and I’ll need to try and find a gold three point to replace the Babicz the previous owner installed (that could be a real challenge). But it looks to be in very good shape and should have some sound options my one and two pickup Tbirds don’t already have.
Thanks again! Do you have any new hard bound editions of your bass book being released anytime soon?

 

[Basvarken]

Do you have any new hard bound editions of your bass book being released anytime soon?

I'm afraid not. No plans for another edition.

Just sold the very last three soft cover books two weeks ago. I thought they were sold out two months ago. But when I cleaned out my attic, I found them at the bottom of a cardboard box underneath some paper padding.
Now I'm sure they're all gone.

 

[Nocturnal]

Interesting. I liked the ceramic better in every sound sample. So are the Gibson TB+ pickups ceramic and the Gibson reissues Alnico?

I love TB+ pickups, but those reissues sounded great to my ears!

 

[Nocturnal]

Another 3-pickup version from 1991. Not my bass but I snagged the photo some years back.

 

[GBassNorth]

The Baby Blue one is from the second series. Only 10 were made in that colour.
If the White one is substantially thicker (and heavier) that one is from the first series.

Great info! Yes the white one has a thicker body and is heavier. Both of mine have been modded by previous owners and are now dual pickup birds. The blue one was oddly modded for a second Artec pickup vs something looking and sounding more Gibson like. I have a set of Gibson reissue Tbird pickups that I plan on installing in the blue bird once I get around to routing it for a proper fit.

IIRC you did an A/B comparison with EY pickups (ChinaBuckers as they are sometimes called) and Gibson Reissue or Epiphone 760 ProBuckers and I was quite surprised at the outcome. I think I liked the ChinaBuckers better in your sound test. That test still has me second guessing replacing the Artecs with Reissues vs ChinaBuckers.

 

[Basvarken]

IIRC you did an A/B comparison with EY pickups (ChinaBuckers as they are sometimes called) and Gibson Reissue or Epiphone 760 ProBuckers and I was quite surprised at the outcome. I think I liked the ChinaBuckers better in your sound test. That test still has me second guessing replacing the Artecs with Reissues vs ChinaBuckers.

Yes, that was a Gibson reissue Thunderbird humbucker versus EY Guitar sixties repro humbucker

 

[RedVee]

How much did that set you back if you don't mind my asking?

$19.90 for the steak, with either chips or mash, and a gravy/sauce. I took the chips and no sauce, my mate to the left took mash and mushroom sauce.
$10.00 for the glass of Penfolds Bin 28 (Shiraz).
It was a special offer that I happily accepted. Would normally be more, possibly $35 for the steak.

 

[RedVee]

Yeah, Wagyu is anything but inexpensive here in Seattle - Inquiring minds!

USD 27.00 the other day, yup, too much for breakfast (expensing is a beautiful thing) but Geoff may have better pricing because of their proximity to Japan?
View attachment 7258404

I expect it would be locally grown wagyu. It was beautiful, perfectly cooked to just on medium (my request), slicing through it was so easy “like butter”.
We have a large Wagyu sector in our beef industry (Bigger than US), and export a lot. We use the correct cattle, originally from Japan but carefully bred locally since.

Wagyu beef producer confident about exports despite Trump tariff threat

Australia's wagyu beef industry is poised for export growth amid America's falling beef herd numbers and continued demand for Australia's premium meat in global markets.

amp.abc.net.au

 

[TBird1958]

I expect it would be locally grown wagyu. It was beautiful, perfectly cooked to just on medium (my request), slicing through it was so easy “like butter”.

Wagyu beef producer confident about exports despite Trump tariff threat

Australia's wagyu beef industry is poised for export growth amid America's falling beef herd numbers and continued demand for Australia's premium meat in global markets.

amp.abc.net.au

There are TV commercials here in Seattle that feature Australian Waygu.

 

[MCF]

Tension remains the same, the feel is called “compliance” go up a step in gauge to stiffen

Darn Ray. About a month on here and you’ve taught me so much. Thank you for getting a Thunderbird and becoming part of the gang here.

 

[MCF]

Was curious as I just got back from a 7-day Alaska cruise. Lounge band was excellent, and the bassist was great. 3 45-minute sets every night, different genres and sets each night, and they were smoothe together.

Got to wondering about the backstory of that type of gig.

We did a fair number of cruises pre-pandemic. I tried to get my wife, who has been on many more than me, to start thinking of one for our anniversary. Our 40th was last year, but she was still worried. We are both fully vaxed with “you name it, we got it.” But nope. She thinks she’s done. I hope not.

I’ve always enjoyed the music on the ships. We usually did Carnival or one of their other companies. We did a NCL cruise in ‘19 and were pretty much disappointed with the company, but the music in the bars and at the shows was great. I talked to the musicians on the cruises we’ve been on, and they went through Landau Music (owned ny Boz Scaggs guitarist Michael Landau) or another company I can’t recall the name of.

 

[MCF]

Not a blue crab, but I had a nice lunch today.
St George Leagues Club are running a special on wagyu steak and a glass of Penfolds Bin 28. So I organised lunch with a couple of long term mates & colleagues.
So nice to be retired.

View attachment 7258184
Can barely see it but the wineglass has a little “red vee” on it

Can we go there when I come to visit?