Thunderbird Club

[MCF]

Black would look good. I changed mine from tort (on “white”-looks pale yellow to me) and it made a big improvement:

View attachment 7321621
View attachment 7321622

The original tort wasn’t a very good one, and had cracks, but I had Irv make a new one in a nicer brown tort, as well as the black one.

However, I just couldn’t stick with the too yellow “white”, so it’s in Pat Wilkins’ hands now. I just have to decide what color I want. If the grain is interesting, I may go with a dark green burst. Also considering a black with blue translucent over, so it basically looks black except in some light…

I also may chicken out and go with a white as possible Olympic white or black….

The subdued tort on mine isn’t that terrible. I have been thinking’s black. Either way, they great basses.

 

[MCF]

Black would look good. I changed mine from tort (on “white”-looks pale yellow to me) and it made a big improvement:

View attachment 7321621
View attachment 7321622

The original tort wasn’t a very good one, and had cracks, but I had Irv make a new one in a nicer brown tort, as well as the black one.

However, I just couldn’t stick with the too yellow “white”, so it’s in Pat Wilkins’ hands now. I just have to decide what color I want. If the grain is interesting, I may go with a dark green burst. Also considering a black with blue translucent over, so it basically looks black except in some light…

I also may chicken out and go with a white as possible Olympic white or black….

Interesting ideas.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

What about pepperoni on a salmon?

that sounds like it could work....

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

@dagrev .....wanna trade with my II ?....

 

[Stealth57]

@dagrev .....wanna trade with my II ?....
View attachment 7321707

Looks like anything under $10k is now a steal.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

My retort...

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Looks like anything under $10k is now a steal.

aren't you happy you met us?......

 

[Stealth57]

aren't you happy you met us?......

Me? Yes. Bank account? Not so much.

Though, I have made a profit on all the deals I ended up selling.

 

[Gaolee]

What about pepperoni on a salmon?

Hmmm... I have not tried that yet. It might be pretty good.

 

[Gaolee]

I don't think the salmon would appreciate that.

Next chance I get to ask a salmon, I will do that. It was only ling cod and greenlings around yesterday. They are the big, silent type usually.

 

[Gaolee]

Still deciding whether the tort should stay or go.
View attachment 7321520

My four string EB has a black PG now. I hated the tort pickguard. This surprises everyone, no doubt.

That bass gets played a lot. I am debating whether it needs to change color or not. Probably not because the finish has burnished into a pretty good shine in places. It feels great, much better than when I got it when it was nearly new.

The guy who sold it to me for dirt cheap said he was dumping it because he only played fivers. I bought it sight unseen because of the price, which included shipping. When it turned up, the frets on the E string were all marked out with what note they are. The Sharpie marks are long gone now, but it sure made me laugh at the time. The original satin finish was hardly worn. That is no longer true.

Gibson nailed it with those. Anybody who runs across one for a good price would be foolish not to snag it. There won't be another one for $500, shipped, but less than a thousand shipped isn't unheard of lately. It is another one that is too good to be buried with.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Breakfast in America...

 

[MCF]

Be still my heart!

Thread 'Brooks SparkleBird'

Sep 14, 2025

Drrrrrrum rolll!

Here's the Brooks SparkleBird

- Body: Korina. Chambered. Thunderbird shape
- Neck: Korina three piece. Glued in.
- Two spokewheel truss rods. One carbon stiffening rod
- Fretboard: Rosewood. Checkerboard inlay on 12th
- Luminlay side markers (blue)
- Frets: Jumbo size. Sintoms. Nickel-silver
- Scale: 34”
- Top Nut: Buffalo horn
- Bridge: ETS twelve string bridge set. Gold
- Pickup: Gemini Dominator TB Pickup. Gold
- Output: PureTone 1/4 inch Jack. Gold plated
- Controls: Volume . Kill switch
- Pickguard: Pearloid with blue led light
- Binding: Pearloid
- Bass...

• Basvarken
• 12-string bass brooks bass guitars semi-hollow sparklebird
• Replies: 39
• Forum: Luthier's Corner

• 
• 
• 

 

[BklynKen]

Next chance I get to ask a salmon, I will do that. It was only ling cod and greenlings around yesterday. They are the big, silent type usually.

Long, dark, and handsome?

 

[MCF]

My four string EB has a black PG now. I hated the tort pickguard. This surprises everyone, no doubt.

That bass gets played a lot. I am debating whether it needs to change color or not. Probably not because the finish has burnished into a pretty good shine in places. It feels great, much better than when I got it when it was nearly new.

The guy who sold it to me for dirt cheap said he was dumping it because he only played fivers. I bought it sight unseen because of the price, which included shipping. When it turned up, the frets on the E string were all marked out with what note they are. The Sharpie marks are long gone now, but it sure made me laugh at the time. The original satin finish was hardly worn. That is no longer true.

Gibson nailed it with those. Anybody who runs across one for a good price would be foolish not to snag it. There won't be another one for $500, shipped, but less than a thousand shipped isn't unheard of lately. It is another one that is too good to be buried with.

My fiver is one of the lightest basses I own. And of course the DiColas make it super versatile. And the best in class stock Babicz….

 

[DanGouge]

So after lots of delay I have another update on this thing:

Controls are just volume-volume as I have almost never used the passive tone control on any bass I've had in 30+ years of playing. I probably need to get busy shielding it, as it's a little on the noisy side, but otherwise I'm super happy with the results here.

Another update on this, the worst Thunderbird on any local classifieds ever:


Here's what it looks like now:
View attachment 4474004

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Sundaybirds between songs.

I played the white CP (stock except Supertone bridge) for most songs and the burst VP (Thunderbuckers!) for the last two.

 

[TBird1958]

Here's Rob's latest @Basvarken

 

[sleddogn]

Controls are just volume-volume as I have almost never used the passive tone control on any bass I've had in 30+ years of playing.

Yes, i love volume only basses. Also in my 40 years of playing, i've always had my tone knobs full on. (volume too for that matter). Hate the idea of playing with a pot knob somewhere between 0 and 10...gimmie 10 all day, every day....beautiful bird by the way, that color is crazy awesome

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Here's Rob's latest @Basvarken

I never got on that well with 12 string guitars….