Thunderbird Club

[/\/\3phist0]

We have a lot of songs and try to add as we go along, it keeps us interested and hopefully interesting to hear and see. We tend to rehearse for shows as they come up (12-15 a year) , I write the set list and tailor it to the event based on the venue, crowd, and location. We've done a couple shows opening for some guys that do a lot of '80s Hair Metal and it's been really fun to play off of their setlist with some '80 Dark wave material from The Fixx, The Cult, Alarm etc. Last night we started working this up......

Well take it more seriously once we start doing events thus far it’s dive bars but between 3 and 5 a month during summer.
Our thing is mashups (not medleys) and rearrangements.
We’re adding you shook me done in the style of Brad Paisley soon, and the Boss Hoss version of Word Up.
For Christmas we add Santa Claus is coming to town ( Shark island version, music is head out to the highway by Judas Priest)
We have one way or another by Blondie done in the style of Korn ( with me on ultra gravel vocals) on the back burner.

This one is one I’m pushing for soon:

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I have a 25 that goes with me to the Newport timeshare and other hotels. It mostly sits in the corner of the family room out of the way and unappreciated. It is what it is. It was less than an $100 when I bought it new about eight years ago. It has developed a “staticky” noise. I’ll hang onto it for now. But if it gets worse, next electrictronics recycling event, it’s gone.

I’ve played through a 500 a few times. It was decent, considering how cheap it is. It, and at least the 800 (and perhaps the 200?) were designed following the acquisition of Genz-Benz. I know the 210 and 410 cabs have a bit of that DNA, based upon what I’ve read. They are good affordable options. I can’t imagine trying to gig a single 100. YMMV.

I had a Rumble 100, used it as a front stage monitor, cab m + to pa . It was meh.

 

[Matt Kustom]

It would be pretty wild to get Ripper pickups in Thunderbird covers.

Ripper mock up

 

[Basvarken]

isn't that just what the Bicentennial sidewinder humbuckers are?

 

[RedVee]

So Merry Christmas my good friend! Do they do a special Mass down there?

No not for Christmas in July. That’s only a social thing - the idea is to actually eat a Christmas dinner in cold weather for once.
It isn’t a set date, everyone just wings it as it suits them.
My household will have it in a couple of weeks. Good excuse to get everybody together though.

 

[RedVee]

Go Geoff! Very "British" play list...

The leader is a Brit migrant, as are a few more of the group. Probably about 15-18 of us today. More than a dozen anyway!

 

[godofthunder59]

@godofthunder59 - do anything fun for your birthday? Get any cool gear?

I celebrated with dinner with my wife and son on Saturday night ( Sunday my actual birthday they would be packing to fly to Portland to visit my wife's sister) Sunday I worked at the House of Guitars then popped in for a early evening show to watch my old Zeppelin tribute for a bit then spent the remainder of the evening watching British who done its with the missus. All in all it was perfect No pressies yet though a new laptop or a windsurfer are being discused I did buy a new Jack Casady about a month ago and the missus tried to fob it off as my bday present but I wasn't having it

 

[dagrev]

I celebrated with dinner with my wife and son on Saturday night ( Sunday my actual birthday they would be packing to fly to Portland to visit my wife's sister) Sunday I worked at the House of Guitars then popped in for a early evening show to watch my old Zeppelin tribute for a bit then spent the remainder of the evening watching British who done its with the missus. All in all it was perfect No pressies yet though a new laptop or a windsurfer are being discused I did buy a new Jack Casady about a month ago and the missus tried to fob it off as my bday present but I wasn't having it

Stay strong and hold your ground! If you cave, there is precedent being set.

 

[BklynKen]

Ripper mock up

Ripper pickups would be a ton of fun in my RNR.

 

[Ringhammer]

Which is sad. Bad Lemon was good the show I saw.

That the annoying part, BL should be playing out more, at many of the bars around the greater Bay Area because it’s fun music and has a broad appeal as opposed to RSR which is heavier, a little more unusual, maybe aggressive and (I would say) more eclectic. I prefer RSR for those exact reasons, but it appeals to a more specific audience.

 

[Ringhammer]

Here’s my latest pickup, a 2012 Gibson Thunderbird IV in vintage cherry red.

Did you get that from Reverb? If so, it’s the one I almost got. I made him a pretty low offer, he declined and I countered with a more reasonable offer. He did not reply for almost a day, and during that time, I swooped a 2014 cherry off of FB marketplace.

I liked the color of the one that was on reverb (now yours?) a lot better, as it seemed a lot darker (comparing pics). Then no sooner than I completed the deal for mine, he got back to me and said to resend the offer an he would accept. Bah! Too late. I’m happy with my 2014, and I changed it to my liking with chrome hardware and genuine Gibson vintage re-issue pickups from a 2021 NR.

Since this pic it now has chrome USA Hipshot ultralight mini clovers.

 

[TBird1958]

Did you get that from Reverb? If so, it’s the one I almost got. I made him a pretty low offer, he declined and I countered with a more reasonable offer. He did not reply for almost a day, and during that time, I swooped a 2014 cherry off of FB marketplace.

I liked the color of the one that was on reverb (now yours?) a lot better, as it seemed a lot darker (comparing pics). Then no sooner than I completed the deal for mine, he got back to me and said to resend the offer an he would accept. Bah! Too late. I’m happy with my 2014, and I changed it to my liking with chrome hardware and genuine Gibson vintage re-issue pickups from a 2021 NR.

View attachment 7264369

Since this pic it now has chrome USA Hipshot ultralight mini clovers.

I really like that bass, beautiful wood, and I have a soft spot for cherry. About 20 years ago on The Dudepit we seriously discussed having Gibson do a custom run of these as quite a few members were interested in having a cherry Reverse ( it hadn't ever been offered as a finish on a Bird except for the Studio), it didn't go anywhere at the time, but this certainly is proof that it was a good idea.
I'm feeling Gassy!

 

[Ringhammer]

I really like that bass, beautiful wood, and I have a soft spot for cherry. About 20 years ago on The Dudepit we seriously discussed having Gibson do a custom run of these as quite a few members were interested in having a cherry Reverse ( it hadn't ever been offered as a finish on a Bird except for the Studio), it didn't go anywhere at the time, but this certainly is proof that it was a good idea.
I'm feeling Gassy!

I’ve come to like it a lot. It’s super light and the neck feels a little “compound”, like my 2013 EB, but perfectly slim.

I’m only struggling with swapping the bridge to a Babicz. I wanted to keep the original look, I have an ebony ‘99, strung with the same stings, same tuning, etc. and it has a more solid resonance especially on the D/G strings when I compare the two acoustically. Maybe there’s is something to their “Full Contact Hardware” motto.

 

[Ringhammer]

I'm feeling Gassy!

Speaking of G.A.S., now, thanks to ALL OF YOU ENABLERS and your gushing all about Ashdown, I’m well on the road to a Geezer H.O.D., a 210H Neo and 115H Neo cabs.

I just listed my Orange TB500 and 2 x OBC112 cabs. Not that I think it’ll sell quickly but it justifies things a little when I finally can’t resist and break down a buy the Ashdown gear….

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I celebrated with dinner with my wife and son on Saturday night ( Sunday my actual birthday they would be packing to fly to Portland to visit my wife's sister) Sunday I worked at the House of Guitars then popped in for a early evening show to watch my old Zeppelin tribute for a bit then spent the remainder of the evening watching British who done its with the missus. All in all it was perfect No pressies yet though a new laptop or a windsurfer are being discused I did buy a new Jack Casady about a month ago and the missus tried to fob it off as my bday present but I wasn't having it

Which whodunits are you currently enjoying?
We've watched pretty much all the Agatha Christies and Lord Peters, Father Brown, Sister Boniface, the first one or two of some things that didn't grab us, and the first season of Ludwig. Not a one involves a bass player, much less a Thunderbird.

That Cassady is gorgeous! I had to talk myself out of one that color a little while back (I was holding out for a purple sparkle bird).

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Speaking of G.A.S., now, thanks to ALL OF YOU ENABLERS and your gushing all about Ashdown, I’m well on the road to a Geezer H.O.D., a 210H Neo and 115H Neo cabs.

I just listed my Orange TB500 and 2 x OBC112 cabs. Not that I think it’ll sell quickly but it justifies things a little when I finally can’t resist and break down a buy the Ashdown gear….

Where did you list?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Happy Canada Day to our hoser friends in the Great White North, eh!

 

[Ringhammer]

Local SF Bay Area CL for now. Why? Are you interested? I would work with members here to ship. It’s so light and little it could even be reasonable.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Local SF Bay Area CL for now. Why? Are you interested? I would work with members here to ship. It’s so light and little it could even be reasonable.

Not sure. Thinking about it. I'll check there later. Thanks!

 

[Gaolee]

Like you and @Ringhammer I am in two original projects. I am fortunate that the people I am playing with are pretty much on the same page in both.

The challenge for me is that both take time and the gig’s are fewer and harder to come by.

Problem as I see it is regardless of my feelings, at 58, I am aging out. Don’t know if there is a solution…..

Bah! You never age out until you are dead. Most of the people I play with these days are younger than me. Some are the same age as my kid. Others are even younger than that. It's fun, and I learn all kinds of things, like what certain phrases mean to different ages of people. I don't know what they are talking about, but nodding and stroking my chin sagely seems to be a valid response to everything. You don't even need a Gandalf beard to be sage sometimes.