Some just resist change. Like the ‘15 when it was released. There were posts on TB that Gibson “ruined” the Thunderbird. It didn’t sound the same as the TBird+ birds that had been around for years when played through an amp set flat.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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
- Thread starter TBird1958
- Start date
-
- Tags
- club thunderbird
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,897
- 142,236
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
It has a time and a place, sometime it's just nice to play something different, this one is smooth and really easy to get on with. We tried playing Green Day "Time of your Life" recently, the recording has a bowed DB on it, turns out a Mudbucker can cop that pretty well. - Very glad to own it.
I love Short scales, due to the difference in sound and feel.
I also like 35” scale SOUND but not the playability, but on a 5 string? A 35 as a general rule, will have a better B string tone, but the G suffers.
I’ve not found a multiscale that I bonded with..
32, 33, and 34 is home.
I also like 35” scale SOUND but not the playability, but on a 5 string? A 35 as a general rule, will have a better B string tone, but the G suffers.
I’ve not found a multiscale that I bonded with..
32, 33, and 34 is home.
I have a few short scale (30”) and medium scale (32”) basses. I really like the ones I have and I am beginning to use them more and more for recording. While they don’t sound as good (even to me) on their own side by side with standard scale (34”) basses, I am finding, for some songs, their unique tone (at least mine, all are custom, pickups, bridges etc.) sits in well in the mix with the rest of the tracking. Next finished recording I have I’ll post, we have many in process right now.
My very favorite SS I have is a 1978 Fender MusicMaster bass on a Warmoth “dinky J” body.
30”, looks cool, super fun to play. Under the blank pickup covers are some Novak MusicMaster pickups, made to fit under the covers. Single pole per string, very ‘51 P-bass like.
My version of a Mustang, 1978 Fender Mustang neck on a Warmoth “dinky P” body with, again, Novak Mustang pickups:
Again, 30” scale, super fun to play, and both of these have super low action, no buzz, and really sound good.
Sweet, swap strings yet?
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
The money you saved is for blowing in a Thunderbird.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
It is a shorty. I blanked on that part.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I picked up one for somebody a while ago. He was on the East Coast and the 'Bird was in Seattle. As I recall, he also polished it. I played it a bit before sending it, to see what it was like. It was easy to play, as you would expect from a SS. It sounded great, too. I already have an EB-2 for when there is a need for a short bass.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
Unless it is an EB-2 with a Dimarzio One. Then is its own unique thing.
Not to veer too far off thunderbird topic, but do these warmoth dinky bodies have smaller neck pockets than standard? Or did you have to modify them to fit the mustang and musicmaster necks or can they be ordered without neck pocket? Just curious because I love short scale necks but strongly dislike most small body designs ergonomically because of my lanky arms (sg or guild js body being the only exception I've actually liked). I already have a solution to this within the fender realm, but curious for potential future projects. My aforementioned "solution" below (also a 78 musicmaster neck that I'm quite fond of but paired with a custom one-off body)
Last edited:
Ha! I wasn’t thinking quickly enough!
No Andy, @Nocturnal
It was a croc shank !
Is that better Donnie?
Though Crocs taste like chicken?
Don’t they?
Wait til you get to the Epiphone bird names
It will go nice in your basement. And play nice on crowded stages.
We welcome diversions!
Everything is better in twos.
Nope, the ones on it sound good and fresh. No idea what they are, brass balls no silks on either end, feel like nickel rounds. They are a good match for the bass and finger playing.
Correct. When you have a SS EB or SG type bass it’s not trying to sound like anything else, just does its own glorious thing.
Gotta question for anyone that can seriously answer it.
It’s for the ThunderBucker aficionados.
Can the ‘66 version be wired in series?
If not, not a big deal.
I have a crazy idea.
So I’m just curious.
Probably won’t stop me from what I’m thinking of doing.
It’s all still just in the idea stage.
It’s for the ThunderBucker aficionados.
Can the ‘66 version be wired in series?
If not, not a big deal.
I have a crazy idea.
So I’m just curious.
Probably won’t stop me from what I’m thinking of doing.
It’s all still just in the idea stage.
I ordered them with NO neck pocket cut. The standard cut they would do is too wide for these vintage ‘70’s Mustang and MM necks. These were cut and set up by Geoff at SF GuitarWorks. I’m also using Schaller bridges with roller saddles so I can get the strings narrower and they sit nicely between the edges of the neck.
Another note, I believe they (Warmoth) have another smaller version of the P and J bodies, which I didn’t discover until after buying my third “Dinky”. The dinky is exactly the same size as my Fender Japan medium scale Jazz and P’s. My guess is the Warmoth SS is a smidge smaller that the dinky. My perfectionist is a little aggravated that I missed that, but they still look porportioned ok.
I have one last SS Jazz in process. Another 1968 MusicMaster neck going on a Warmoth dinky J. This one will be black, and the neck with have binding and block inlay so it emulates a ‘70’s Fender Jazz. Also will have MusicMaster shaped pickups in the typical neck and bridge positions, with the next being pickguard mount (like a typical MusicMaster), and the bridge being body mount, but MM shaped too. The pickups are custom, unlike the ones under the covers of my green mini Jazz, that have one pole per string, these are more Jazz like with two pole per string.
…at this point, I forget who I got these from, it’s been probably over a year. He did customize his stock version of these (I think they are typically for a Bronco Bass?) so they would fit in the covers.
This last project has been with Geoff at SFGuitarworks for a long time, I just gave him the neck, body and bridge, and after he cut the neck pocket, he shipped it out for paint. That was over a year ago. When I left it all with him I had said to do it when he had time. He recently contacted me and mentioned he was about to get started with the binding and inlays and that I should have it back from him by end of year. So we’ll see. Looking forward to getting it, and if it is as awesome as my green one, I may try to sell the green one.
With all 3 of of these (2 MusicMasters and the Mustang), the entire original body, pickups, bridge, etc. are stored, so literally the neck can be stuck back on the original body assembly and it’s still an original vintage Fender Mustang or MusicMaster.
Thank you! It's a little late, but that's a good one.
The scales don't. I've had people tell me it's good. I think I recall having it once on vacation yrs ago.
