Thunderbird Club

[GBassNorth]

As I recall, the claw on one of my VPs leans just a bit. But the one on my '64 has as well for at least 40 years.

Yep, I’ve seen and had tilting claws, even seen one pull out, but haven’t ever seen a tilting VP bridge or one that has non meshing threads. I still think someone used a Gibson or other after market bolt on the Eppi metric bridge. That would cause both a bad thread fit and sloppy shoulder fit.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Yep, I’ve seen and had tilting claws, even seen one pull out, but haven’t ever seen a tilting VP bridge or one that has non meshing threads. I still think someone used a Gibson or other after market bolt on the Eppi metric bridge. That would cause both a bad thread fit and sloppy shoulder fit.

Especially on a used bass.

 

[GBassNorth]

Nor would the bolt turn freely!

Nor would you be able to lower one side a tad to drop the action across just one or two strings.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Especially on a used bass.

How about a new out of the box unopened?
My 64 has Less but still looser than necessary for the turning of the height screw?
This is my VP.

The assertion that there is needed tolerance for the tilt of the bridge plate to allow a rake from high to low strings is valid.

The issue is a combination of loose thread meshing in the threads of the inserts and the posts.

Is it “workable “ yes, can it be improved? Most certainly!

Tell me that’s not leaning?

 

[Stealth57]

How about a new out of the box unopened?
Less but still looser than necessary for the turning of the height screw?
View attachment 7271540
Tell me that’s not leaning?

Guessing a 64 reissue with the bridge that far off the deck.

 

[Jakeman]

Question for this group - I have a 2001 Thunderbird that, despite enjoying it a ton, i cant really make the physical reach post-arm-surgery. Just doing the short scale thing now, and that ain’t a bad thing. But I’m selling off some stuff and the 2001 is on the block. I had replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan’s, and I thought the originals were lost in a fire a few years back, but I was in my storage space digging and there they were. I recall hearing that the pickups from that year were special for some reason - did I just up the value of this bass?

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I get it. I've long said my brain secretes controlled substances.

Mine: uncontrolled : except the constraints of OCD / ADD

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Guessing a 64 reissue with the bridge that far off the deck.

View attachment 7271542

That angle looks familiar.
Pisa is awesome and awe inspiring.
Stunning in person.

 

[Ringhammer]

Question for this group - I have a 2001 Thunderbird that, despite enjoying it a ton, i cant really make the physical reach post-arm-surgery. Just doing the short scale thing now, and that ain’t a bad thing. But I’m selling off some stuff and the 2001 is on the block. I had replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan’s, and I thought the originals were lost in a fire a few years back, but I was in my storage space digging and there they were. I recall hearing that the pickups from that year were special for some reason - did I just up the value of this bass?

View attachment 7271551
View attachment 7271552

If you want to still have a Thunderbird, they did make a short scale. I have one and really like it.

https://reverb.com/item/88348561-gi...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=88348561

 

[Matt Kustom]

Due to the short coils these are reading on my polarity tester , but its a beep , hard to get it to stay solid with just the one mag and this is a fully charged A5

 

[Engle]

Question for this group - I have a 2001 Thunderbird that, despite enjoying it a ton, i cant really make the physical reach post-arm-surgery. Just doing the short scale thing now, and that ain’t a bad thing. But I’m selling off some stuff and the 2001 is on the block. I had replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan’s, and I thought the originals were lost in a fire a few years back, but I was in my storage space digging and there they were. I recall hearing that the pickups from that year were special for some reason - did I just up the value of this bass?

View attachment 7271551
View attachment 7271552

Always better to be able to include the original parts.
Just an idea: if you put a strap button on the back of the body where Dingwall put them on the D-bird and D-roc, the bass will hang further to the right. It may not work for your situation, but it's improved the playability of my Jolana Discobas, which is an RD copy.

 

[Engle]

Due to the short coils these are reading on my polarity tester , but its a beep , hard to get it to stay solid with just the one mag and this is a fully charged A5View attachment 7271594

Looking forward to hearing those!

 

[GonePlaid]

The ones built in the '60s and '70s.

I bought a 2009 Epi EB-0. The "mudbucker" isn't. I can buy an Artec replacement p'up for a decent price, but the EB-0 is my backup bass. I'm not putting any more $ into it 'til gigs pick back up. Which seems highly unlikely(not to be confused with Haile Selassie).

 

[Stealth57]

I bought a 2009 Epi EB-0. The "mudbucker" isn't. I can buy an Artec replacement p'up for a decent price, but the EB-0 i8s my backup bass. I'm not putting any more $ into it 'til gigs pick back up. Which seems highly unlikely(not to be confused with Haile Selassie).

Sneaky Rasta reference.

 

[BklynKen]

Question for this group - I have a 2001 Thunderbird that, despite enjoying it a ton, i cant really make the physical reach post-arm-surgery. Just doing the short scale thing now, and that ain’t a bad thing. But I’m selling off some stuff and the 2001 is on the block. I had replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan’s, and I thought the originals were lost in a fire a few years back, but I was in my storage space digging and there they were. I recall hearing that the pickups from that year were special for some reason - did I just up the value of this bass?

View attachment 7271551
View attachment 7271552

They (arguably) sound better, but they're not worth any more than other years.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Sneaky Rasta reference.

Rastaference.

 

[GBassNorth]

How about a new out of the box unopened?
My 64 has Less but still looser than necessary for the turning of the height screw?
This is my VP.

The assertion that there is needed tolerance for the tilt of the bridge plate to allow a rake from high to low strings is valid.

The issue is a combination of loose thread meshing in the threads of the inserts and the posts.

Is it “workable “ yes, can it be improved? Most certainly!

View attachment 7271540
View attachment 7271545
Tell me that’s not leaning?

I could tell you that’s not leaning but it would be a lie. I will say I’ve never seen one do this before and I’ve seen, owned and installed a number of them.
I had to flip your pic to get a good look…

but it looks like a lot of the forward flop is coming from the bolts and how they fit (or more accurately don’t fit) in the body inserts. I have zero front to back play or slop in any of my two point bridge bolts, so not sure what’s going on with yours but I still suspect it’s a bolt mismatch, possibly from the factory.

This assumes your inserts are installed perpendicular to the body, which they may not be. I think Marshall or someone else here had a three point bridge they were replacing with a Hipshot bridge and it wouldn’t fit because the inserts were set at an off angle.

I might have some spare bolts I can send you to see if that helps, but they are probably black.

 

[Matt Kustom]

Looking forward to hearing those!

Luckily someone has volunteered to test these out. After i get some of the packaging parts / baseplates made i will get these sent out. There was no real pickup available to disect or get coil readings from so all i was able to find eas a 76 t bird that was for sale with coil reads , not sure if the reads were from the pickup or taken fron a cable but the numbers were 9.19/ 9.88 iirc , These first coils are very close , close enough for proof of concept

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I could tell you that’s not leaning but it would be a lie. I will say I’ve never seen one do this before and I’ve seen, owned and installed a number of them.
I had to flip your pic to get a good look…
View attachment 7271674
but it looks like a lot of the forward flop is coming from the bolts and how they fit (or more accurately don’t fit) in the body inserts. I have zero front to back play or slop in any of my two point bridge bolts, so not sure what’s going on with yours but I still suspect it’s a bolt mismatch, possibly from the factory.

This assumes your inserts are installed perpendicular to the body, which they may not be. I think Marshall or someone else here had a three point bridge they were replacing with a Hipshot bridge and it wouldn’t fit because the inserts were set at an off angle.

I might have some spare bolts I can send you to see if that helps, but they are probably black.

Thank you for the gracious offer, but I’ll decline. I “like” these challenges to address things that trigger my OCD lol.

It’s solvable: I can replace the inserts and posts. I can add a small thing shim appropriated from an open gear tuner post tensioning plate.

I creatively addressed the balance issue to my satisfaction by being creative, and I’ll solve this too

 

[dagrev]

Thunderbox!