Thunderbird Club

[TBird1958]

Marshall,
Congratulations, it's time to move on and really live life, wishing you happiness, good health and more Thunderbirds!

 

[Gaolee]

I'm with you. My '62 Jazz has been played enough the finish has worn off the most the back of the neck. I love it. My '55 Pbass is similar not not to that extent. That was one thing I really liked about my EBMM. I prefer an "unfinished" neck.

That's one of the things I love about my upright bass. I got it used, but the first owner obviously didn't play it much. Now the neck is polished smooth from my hands over the last ten years or so. It's a big piece of wood, but it has become a comfortable friend. I don't play the Precision much these days, but that neck is somewhat similar. It's a different shape, but it has some of the same polished wood texture from playing it a whole lot. Gibson nitro doesn't wear out quite the same as Fender finishes for some reason. The Gibson with the most hand polished neck is the 2013 EB. It started out as a satin finish, and the neck and a lot of the body have burnished into a low-gloss that feels great.

 

[Gaolee]

Actually today is supposed to be it. And thank you Donnie.

I suggest leaving two long, smoky black stripes in the parking lot when you peel out of there this afternoon, just as fast as you can. Give 'em something to remember you by.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

That's one of the things I love about my upright bass. I got it used, but the first owner obviously didn't play it much. Now the neck is polished smooth from my hands over the last ten years or so. It's a big piece of wood, but it has become a comfortable friend. I don't play the Precision much these days, but that neck is somewhat similar. It's a different shape, but it has some of the same polished wood texture from playing it a whole lot. Gibson nitro doesn't wear out quite the same as Fender finishes for some reason. The Gibson with the most hand polished neck is the 2013 EB. It started out as a satin finish, and the neck and a lot of the body have burnished into a low-gloss that feels great.

Ahem

 

[MCF]

Marshall,
Congratulations, it's time to move on and really live life, wishing you happiness, good health and more Thunderbirds!

Thanks V!

 

[MCF]

I suggest leaving two long, smoky black stripes in the parking lot when you peel out of there this afternoon, just as fast as you can. Give 'em something to remember you by.

Can’t do that literally as I park in my garage. I may have stuck it out a little longer had it not been for the isolation of remote working, which I’ve pretty much done since 02/20. I did have a job with an office for awhile in Sherman Oaks that I went to maybe a dozen times over fifteen months. And when I did go in, I was usually the only one in the building. It sucked.

 

[MCF]

Well, let's be honest. When Marshall leaves work the last time, Freebird is the only appropriate song to be blared from the radio on the way home. Repeatedly if necessary. (And the Live version not album version.)

This is what I did as I peeled out of the HS parking lot for the last time.
Felt good. Really good.

Nothing against your fav band Donnie, but for me the song for situations like this since the last day of high school has been this:

 

[dagrev]

I'm impressed (which isn't always easily done). I was looking at some open box La Bella DTFs. The ball ends were colored. I did some (poor) searching online and ai and got mixed messages. Emailed La Bella Sunday and mentioned I hated asking an odd question, but that all my other DTFs were all brass and explained why I wanted to know about the ball ends so as to got get a set of something else. At 11am La Bella replied and explained that they switched about 6 yrs ago and what I was looking at was indeed DTFs. They thanked me for the email and and said to let them know if I needed any further assistance. I know large companies get inundated by contacts, much of it likely not worth their time. I was impressed that they replied knowing it was not going to create a sale for them, just possible a continued loyal user.

This is the second time I have contacted LB. I've mentioned this before. The first was years ago about some strings D and G that were not smooth on two sets I bought. I called and explained the situation to the lady on the phone and she said she would connect me with someone else who could help. Talked to an older guy (it seemed), and he said that was not right and to contact the seller to make it right (as that helped them get QC feedback as I recall), but said they would make it right if the seller (Elderly's) didn't, which they did. Anyway, had a nice conversation with the guy who took time to talk, even mentioned he was taking to Chuck Rainey recently about something I don't recall. I was curious who I talked to and he was a top Exe there, possibly the Pres. It's been decades and it wasn't one of those things I needed to remember. But after knowing who it was, I was shocked.

 

[TBird1958]

There's just something about a low "D" as the key, love the sound, doesn't matter what kind of bass is making it!

FF in about :45 to skip the corny intro.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

There's just something about a low "D" as the key, love the sound, doesn't matter what kind of bass is making it!

FF in about :45 to skip the corny intro.

the obvious question...ever entertain a 5 string?...I know it's not the same as dropping the E but just wondering..

 

[Miles_ONeal]

There's just something about a low "D" as the key, love the sound, doesn't matter what kind of bass is making it!

FF in about :45 to skip the corny intro.

I love songs in D so much since tuning to D std!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I love songs in D so much since tuning to D std!

we play tuned down half a step and drop the E (b) to C# for songs like The Wall...

 

[TBird1958]

the obvious question...ever entertain a 5 string?...I know it's not the same as dropping the E but just wondering..

At one point I had one of those Epi Non Reverse 5 string Birds, it was pretty unmanageable, string spacing was too tight and it really did want to neck dive - it did not stick around my home for long.
My buddy Dave (the guy with the Red/white/Blue 7enderbird) had a Studio 5 that I tried out for a week or so, loved the sound of it, the B string was monstrous, but again not all that comfy to play, so I didn't buy it.
Since then I've toyed with the idea of committing one bass to use the four lowest strings of a 5 string set, which would probably work for around the house, but would become a lot of extra work for shows.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

At one point I had one of those Epi Non Reverse 5 string Birds, it was pretty unmanageable, string spacing was too tight and it really did want to neck dive - it did not stick around my home for long.
My buddy Dave (the guy with the Red/white/Blue 7enderbird) had a Studio 5 that I tried out for a week or so, loved the sound of it, the B string was monstrous, but again not all that comfy to play, so I didn't buy it.
Since then I've toyed with the idea of committing one bass to use the four lowest strings of a 5 string set, which would probably work for around the house, but would become a lot of extra work for shows.

clever compromise....remember seeing Seal at the Greek and his bass player had one of his two J's setup like that.....

 

[Nocturnal]

Actually today is supposed to be it. And thank you Donnie.

Congratulations @MCF !! I am very happy for you!!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

At one point I had one of those Epi Non Reverse 5 string Birds, it was pretty unmanageable, string spacing was too tight and it really did want to neck dive - it did not stick around my home for long.
My buddy Dave (the guy with the Red/white/Blue 7enderbird) had a Studio 5 that I tried out for a week or so, loved the sound of it, the B string was monstrous, but again not all that comfy to play, so I didn't buy it.
Since then I've toyed with the idea of committing one bass to use the four lowest strings of a 5 string set, which would probably work for around the house, but would become a lot of extra work for shows.

Most of you have heard of my attempt to like the Epi Pro 5. The result was getting rid if it and stringing a bass BEAD. That worked pretty well (ADGC wasn’t so good). If the set list doesn’t require you to play high on the G of a conventional string set, you can stick with the BEAD bass for multiple songs.

 

[Nocturnal]

There's just something about a low "D" as the key, love the sound, doesn't matter what kind of bass is making it!

FF in about :45 to skip the corny intro.

The Conte brothers on guitar and bass. Steve played guitar with the resurrected NY Dolls and has been in Michael Monroe's band for quite some time. Also releases some cool solo stuff here and there.

 

[MCF]

Congratulations @MCF !! I am very happy for you!!

Thank you Andy!

 

[Ringhammer]

There's just something about a low "D" as the key, love the sound, doesn't matter what kind of bass is making it!

FF in about :45 to skip the corny intro.

the obvious question...ever entertain a 5 string?...I know it's not the same as dropping the E but just wondering..

D- Standard and Drop C on a 4 string is just somehow better to my ears than the same notes on a 5 string. But I think my favorite is Eb standard and drop Db tuning. 110-50 works well and I don’t have to go as big as a 115-55, like I do in D standard and drop C, and the tension just feels right.

 

[MCF]

I picked up the $200 used GC Classic Pro from the local GC. Yep, GC misidentified it. And priced it as a beat basic IV. Score a win for us good guys.

Per the SN, “this Epiphone guitar was made in 2015 during September
Samick factory in Indonesia.” Fretwork is nice as expected from that factory.

Neck seems straight and sound. I haven’t checked the TR yet. The finish is a bit rough, but not gross, and better than I thought it would be. Although someone did a kind of sloppy Superglue job on the bass side insert. I hate that some people use Superglue for that. The knobs need to be replaced. But pots all work and the ground appears intact; I don’t think the treble side insert has been glued. The bridge has some down travel left in it; so that’s promising. It’s around 8 lbs; lighter than my 8 1/2 lb. ‘21 NR but heavier than my 7 1/2 lb. Gibson ‘15. The pickups sound like Tbird Plus pickups should.

I dig the dark fretboard. I’ll have Irv do a black and gold pickguard and TR Cover. Not sure the thought behind the messed up guard (with incorrect, too large screws) and butchered TR cover.

Once I get it cleaned up, put my preferred strings on it, new knobs, do a setup and put the new guard and TR Cover on it, I’ll have around $325 - $350 in it. It’ll be worth at least that and be a nice Thunderbird to keep up at the mountain.

It’ll also look nice in Pelham Blue when I get around to learning how to refinish.