• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Thunderbird Club

#327,862
Albert Ross said:
I admire all you multi-instrumentalists! I can only play bass. I do own 2 guitars. An old Gibson Melody Maker and a slightly newer Harmony Monterey. I can't really play either of them lol. I use the acoustic way more than the electric; usually just to figure out chords to songs I'm trying to learn

View attachment 7336001View attachment 7336024
Click to expand...
Multi-instrumentalists! Not me. I can't even play bass.
Love the Harmony. Beautiful. I have a Strat. Can't play that either....
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: RedVee, MCF, Gaolee and 5 others
#327,864
GBassNorth said:
That asking price is a bit high for that year, $2200 would be closer to the ballpark. It is a good year for the Tbird though.

If you’re not locked into that specific bird there’s usually something on Reverb or Guitar Center for significantly less than $2500. Like this relatively rare Tbird Studio edition…
https://reverb.com/item/91406966-2006-gibson-usa-thunderbird-studio-bass-ebony
These supposedly play very nicely and don’t come up for sale often.

Another very rare bird is the short scale Tbird. One is currently for sale at Guitar Center…
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

If you like the Non Reverse body style, the new ones can be had for under $1300 if you look real hard…
https://reverb.com/item/92293433-gibson-non-reverse-thunderbird-2021-present-inverness-green

Happy hunting, hope you find a gem!
Click to expand...
All awesome options, I think the big thing is that I may be smitten by that 2002, I played it and it just felt and sounded great, seemed to not be too heavy. It has a babicz bridge on it so it’s not all original. But it really spoke to me. I do have a lot to think about however. I do live in a very metro area and I don’t think these TBirds even with the shrunken headstock would fit my two gig bags (mono dual) and older reunion blues continental
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nocturnal, RedVee, MCF and 4 others
#327,867
Albert Ross said:
I admire all you multi-instrumentalists! I can only play bass. I do own 2 guitars. An old Gibson Melody Maker and a slightly newer Harmony Monterey. I can't really play either of them lol. I use the acoustic way more than the electric; usually just to figure out chords to songs I'm trying to learn

View attachment 7336001View attachment 7336024
Click to expand...
I play guitar when I can't find a guitarist to perform what I'm looking for- otherwise I prefer to play bass, particularly in ensembles-
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nocturnal, RedVee, MCF and 4 others
#327,869
Jason Bonilla said:
All awesome options, I think the big thing is that I may be smitten by that 2002, I played it and it just felt and sounded great, seemed to not be too heavy. It has a babicz bridge on it so it’s not all original. But it really spoke to me. I do have a lot to think about however. I do live in a very metro area and I don’t think these TBirds even with the shrunken headstock would fit my two gig bags (mono dual) and older reunion blues continental
Click to expand...
Many have said it here on this site and it rings pretty true - you don’t choose a Thunderbird, they choose you.
Sounds like that one you picked up has really spoken to you. In that case I’d go with it at the best price you think you can negotiate and afford.

As for metro transport - there are good and bad options but I’d put a ton of weight in what ever these two individuals @BklynKen and @JJR58 recommend from a gig bag or case standpoint. Both have done a lot of heavy metro transit in the NYC area so they know the ins and outs of traveling to and from gigs in the city with a Tbird.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nocturnal, RedVee, MCF and 5 others
#327,870
JIO said:
Watt with a young Nels Cline around the same time - the drummer in the white shirt, Michael Preussner was a member of the early '90s Nels Cline Trio with Bob Mair on bass, Nels's first power trio. I saw them here in SF at the Hotel Utah in '94 playing some of this (non Watt - song after Big Train) material. Nels & co would make the trip from SoCal to SF regularly back then - shows were sparsely attended and cheap (under $10 at some funky store-front in the Mission) We were on a first name basis back then, before Wilco and international fame. I still feel lucky to have been a witness of his "early days". He always was and still is a monster musician/guitarist. Next to Miles, I have more of Nels's recordings than any other musician, many out of print.

Click to expand...

Always love me some Nels. The guy is a genius. Little bit Beck, Page, Greene, Buckingham, and some Jazz guys I don’t know enough about to name. And he ran with it. Smart too. He took a steady gig with Tweedy and Stirratt to pay the bills. Twenty years with them now. And that lets him do his own thing too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Miles_ONeal, ectoflanger, dagrev and 1 other person
#327,871
ectoflanger said:
I'm curious how you all would classify this-- rock, jazz, R&B, or something in between? I lean toward the indefinite fourth choice. What say you?

Click to expand...

Classic SD, love their work.
To my ears it’s in the same vein as most of their other songs, a strong Funk Jazz Fusion bass line backing a smooth jazz soft FM rock vocal.
I gave up trying to play a lot of their songs a long time ago, way outta my league on skill level.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Engle, RedVee, Miles_ONeal and 3 others
#327,872
MCF said:
Always love me some Nels. The guy is a genius. Little bit Beck, Page, Greene, Buckingham, and some Jazz guys I don’t know enough about to name. And he ran with it. Smart too. He took a steady gig with Tweedy and Stirratt to pay the bills. Twenty years with them now. And that lets him do his own thing too.
Click to expand...
Yah, I couldn't be happier for him - he deserves success. This is the March 2005 GP issue that helped him gain attention. He signed it now 19 years ago! He's a couple years younger than me.

1759514275121.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, Miles_ONeal and GBassNorth
#327,873
Albert Ross said:
I admire all you multi-instrumentalists! I can only play bass. I do own 2 guitars. An old Gibson Melody Maker and a slightly newer Harmony Monterey. I can't really play either of them lol. I use the acoustic way more than the electric; usually just to figure out chords to songs I'm trying to learn

View attachment 7336001View attachment 7336024
Click to expand...
Love that Melody Maker.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ectoflanger, RedVee, MCF and 5 others
#327,874
GBassNorth said:
Many have said it here on this site and it rings pretty true - you don’t choose a Thunderbird, they choose you.
Sounds like that one you picked up has really spoken to you. In that case I’d go with it at the best price you think you can negotiate and afford.

As for metro transport - there are good and bad options but I’d put a ton of weight in what ever these two individuals @BklynKen and @JJR58 recommend from a gig bag or case standpoint. Both have done a lot of heavy metro transit in the NYC area so they know the ins and outs of traveling to and from gigs in the city with a Tbird.
Click to expand...
I went off of a recommendation by Ken.
A Gator Go Pro, I think it’s called.
Works really well, and decent protection.
Plus I can put any one of my 3 basses in it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedVee, MCF, Miles_ONeal and 2 others
#327,877
GBassNorth said:
Classic SD, love their work.
To my ears it’s in the same vein as most of their other songs, a strong Funk Jazz Fusion bass line backing a smooth jazz soft FM rock vocal.
I gave up trying to play a lot of their songs a long time ago, way outta my league on skill level.
Click to expand...
With one exception that I know of- "Dirty Work" which is pop country or close-
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedVee, Miles_ONeal and GBassNorth

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back