Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

Loudest unsigned band you never heard of. Venue was the Univ of Fla Architecture Building Plaza, 1970. One of the singers passed his rich girlfriend off to Ron after she had bought him a PA. Ron married her and she bought the Acoustics as well as a van...it was the 60s!

Disaster Area, a plutonium rock band from the Gagrakacka Mind Zones, are generally held to be not only the loudest rock band in the Galaxy, but in fact the loudest noise of any kind at all. Regular concert-goers judge that the best sound balance is usually to be heard from within large concrete bunkers some thirty-seven miles from the stage, whilst the musicians themselves play their instruments by remote control from within a heavily insulated spaceship which stays in orbit around the planet - or more frequently around a completely different planet.

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

 

[RedVee]

San Diego has the best, most consistant climate in the State. Summer along the coast north of that is frequently overcast until around noon. Once things clear up, it's pretty nice. Santa Barbara County is best experienced from late August to early November when it is rarely overcast and is very pleasant.

I actually tried to find an equivalent to Sydney (distance from eq basically plus near coast) on google maps or something!(not scientific at all), sometime ago.
San Diego was it basically. I know nothing about any other factors of that town and environs though.
Is it in the 'fall off the map when the next big quake hits' zone?

San Fran is Sydneys 'sister city', maybe a little off.

Just for fun, not moving anytime soon.

 

[RedVee]

Its just MHO but if I had to pick a single spot in the U.S. With the best year round weather I'd have to pick the Santa Barbara area (from Goleta at the north end of SB to Carpenteria at the south end). On the coastline in that area it rarely gets above 85 and rarely drops below 65 during the day. It's called the American Riveria for a reason.
Santa Barbara: The American Riviera
If you're ever out this way ping me and we'll hit the hot spots.

Thanks, I'll check the link. I like to live
Within 2-3 hours drive of vineyards (etc) whenever possible.
No snow is an advantage.

Not moving, but on my list as a holiday. Visit the cousins in Canada (BC, Alberta and Yukon) and come home from LA airport. I hope anyway. Might be a couple of years time but I want to go if.

I'll let you know when it happens.

 

[Haji]

San Diego is subtly different from the rest of California. It's a very big city that doesn't act like it, and it not cherishes its military citizens, it celebrates them. Add to that a growing micro brewery scene and legit great food beyond the fantastic seafood and Mexican food that's pretty much always been there, and you have a very special place. Bass San Diego, Carvin/Kiesel, and a good number of other music stores (their Sam Ash is brand new and stuffed with stuff) and places to see music and it'd be heaven if the cost of living weren't ridiculous.

Unfortunately many of the small independent shops of the past are no longer there, but that happened in Hollywood, too. Things change.

 

[JIO]

To me a refinished instrument is a HUGE turnoff. If I a bass that I like but has been refinished I won't even consider it

Hah! That's a new one! Some folks like shiny paint, some like distressed/player worn, some like natural, some like just about every variety... but a refinish as turn-off.., well, it's now on the list.

 

[kat888]

I liked Hawai'i for the couple of weeks I've spent there, The Monterey/Santa Cruz area appeals (not that I've been but I have seen Lost Boys) ... but on the nearside Vancouver and Victoria do it for me (I was there in mid summer).

 

[theFixer]

Loudest unsigned band you never heard of. Venue was the Univ of Fla Architecture Building Plaza, 1970. One of the singers passed his rich girlfriend off to Ron after she had bought him a PA. Ron married her and she bought the Acoustics as well as a van...it was the 60s!

You need to write a biography man!

 

[theFixer]

I did state that I was quite happy with my band and I actually am its just that it becomes a mad science project and the lines become blurred when there is really no reason for it, pee's me off pretty good at those times but I am also of the belief that its a part of the process hell Ive heard about it and read enough about it to believe it exists in every band and that its par for the course in any arrangement. Yes!, I totally get what your layin down and I appreciate every second you sit there in Michigan and type to me in Winnipeg.Thank you big time!. I may find myself backtracking to this conversation again for piece of mind.

Solid man.... SOLID!

 

[theFixer]

yep - my father was a Captain in the Air Force (WWII) piloting a B-25 bomber in the South Pacific arena. As a side note I had the need for 'flying' in my DNA but did it racing (road) bicycles for 25 years. Descending fast mountain pass switch-backs/chicanes sometimes feels like I'm flying. ('17 Tour de France coming up soon!)

Absolutely amazing!!!

 

[GBassNorth]

I liked Hawai'i for the couple of weeks I've spent there, The Monterey/Santa Cruz area appeals (not that I've been but I have seen Lost Boys) ... but on the nearside Vancouver and Victoria do it for me (I was there in mid summer).

You and RedVee need to come on up to this side of the globe for a couple of weeks.

Fly into San Diego, catch a ball game and some night life in the gaslight district, hit Coronado Island, then spend a leisure day in La Jolla. Next drive up to Santa Monica and hit the beach and pier along with muscle beach and Venice beach. Jump over to Rodeo Drive for some shopping and then to Hollywood for dinner and a movie at the HardRock and Gramins Chineese Theater.

Next day drive up the coast through Malibu and stop at Moonshadows for lunch and on to Ventura County Line to catch some surfing sights and hit a Malibu biker bar called Neptunes Net. Afterwards drive up to Santa Barbara for a nice dinner and lovely sunset views over the ocean.

Get up early the next morning and go on a wine tasting and food run starting in Santa Ynez and be sure to see the German town of Solvang, end the day at Pismo Beach where you can park your car, RV or camper on the beach and drive a dune buggy through the sand dunes. The next day hit Morro Bay for breakfast and maybe stop at Cal Poly university in San Louis Obispo followed by the best wine tasting in central California in Paso Robles.

If highway one is opened (mud slides took out a huge stretch of road so it may be closed) go to Ragged Point for lunch and swing by the Hurst Castle for a neat tour. Finish the day in Carmel By The Sea with breath taking coastline scenery. In the morning jump over to Point Lobos for a beautiful coastline nature walk and see the critters in the tide pools (the stuff here doesn't try to kill you) along with the sea otters and whales and seals. Waste an hour in the cannery row tourist trap in Monterey then go up to Santa Cruz for fun and intertainment and spend the night.

The next morning drive up the coast to half moon bay for lunch and then on to San Francisco for the rest of the day. Spend some time in China a Town, Fishermans Warf, Golden Gate Park and Sausalito. Catch a plane at SFO and fly up to Seattle to meet our Queen then fly home from there.

A week or two of pure heaven!

 

[hillerup]

An update to an earlier post of mine regarding Gibson Reflector style knobs for EMG pots: Alison Turner at EMG clarified that the pots they use with the GZR pickups are smooth (not knurled) 6mm shafts and will not accept the Gibson push-on style knobs. I did my own digging and couldn't find any. My options for my bird-build are to switch out the EMG BNOG style pots for conventional 6mm pots and solder the, in, or to use the EMG pots and different knobs. I ordered some different knobs today as a "path of least resistance" approach. The knobs are cool, but not totally the aesthetic I was hoping for. I'll switch out the pots if the look isn't working for me.

Current build progress (clearly not for Thunderbird purists):

View attachment 1158836

Epi body?

 

[hillerup]

You and RedVee need to come on up to this side of the globe for a couple of weeks.

Fly into San Diego, catch a ball game and some night life in the gaslight district, hit Coronado Island, then spend a leisure day in La Jolla. Next drive up to Santa Monica and hit the beach and pier along with muscle beach and Venice beach. Jump over to Rodeo Drive for some shopping and then to Hollywood for dinner and a movie at the HardRock and Gramins Chineese Theater.

Next day drive up the coast through Malibu and stop at Moonshadows for lunch and on to Ventura County Line to catch some surfing sights and hit a Malibu biker bar called Neptunes Net. Afterwards drive up to Santa Barbara for a nice dinner and lovely sunset views over the ocean.

Get up early the next morning and go on a wine tasting and food run starting in Santa Ynez and be sure to see the German town of Solvang, end the day at Pismo Beach where you can park your car, RV or camper on the beach and drive a dune buggy through the sand dunes. The next day hit Morro Bay for breakfast and maybe stop at Cal Poly university in San Louis Obispo followed by the best wine tasting in central California in Paso Robles.

If highway one is opened (mud slides took out a huge stretch of road so it may be closed) go to Ragged Point for lunch and swing by the Hurst Castle for a neat tour. Finish the day in Carmel By The Sea with breath taking coastline scenery. In the morning jump over to Point Lobos for a beautiful coastline nature walk and see the critters in the tide pools (the stuff here doesn't try to kill you) along with the sea otters and whales and seals. Waste an hour in the cannery row tourist trap in Monterey then go up to Santa Cruz for fun and intertainment and spend the night.

The next morning drive up the coast to half moon bay for lunch and then on to San Francisco for the rest of the day. Spend some time in China a Town, Fishermans Warf, Golden Gate Park and Sausalito. Catch a plane at SFO and fly up to Seattle to meet our Queen then fly home from there.

A week or two of pure heaven!

Damn! You really made a great programme there... Must write this down for a future trip overseas.

 

[hillerup]

...and be sure to see the German town of Solvang...

Didn't you mean the Danish town of Solvang???

Solvang, California - Wikipedia

 

[hillerup]

I left the added volume knob, bit of a joke, the first Explorer Bass had three knobs, one volume was just filling a hole , now when sound guys ask me to turn down I fiddle with the nonfunctional volume, gets a thumbs up every time.

Kinda like Lee Sklar's "producer switch"!

Right then. I did ask someone about this the other day ... and it's not really important ... but how does one add text under one's name?

Scott is "God of Thunder and Rock and Roll", Will is "It's all about the polyester", Roni is "As a matter of fact....I am your Queen!".

You asked me and I forgot. DOH! It's on your account control panel somewhere. I just looked and couldn't find it. Useless!

You might have to be a supporting member or something to do that. It's somewhere in the same personal settings and information where you put your location, what companies think you are an artist they want to be associated with and all that. But, I can't find it. Probably because my subscription payment ran out and I didn't get around to renewing it. Probably should, because I spend enough time here.

Its located in your user profile under Personal Details and listed as "Custom Title". Right underneath your avatar on that page. I added one to mine as a test.

I'm pretty sure it's a feature only for supporting members - I seem to racall the option not beeing there until I upgraded my membership. Funny thing though, once you've added a signature it won't go away if you forget to renew your paid membership - However it can't be edited until you upgrade again.
Adding videos like our Queen is also a feature for supporting members only...

 

[kat888]

I'm pretty sure it's a feature only for supporting members - I seem to racall the option not beeing there until I upgraded my membership. Funny thing though, once you've added a signature it won't go away if you forget to renew your paid membership - However it can't be edited until you upgrade again.
Adding videos like our Queen is also a feature for supporting members only...

That will be it then. Thanks.

 

[PillO]

San Diego is subtly different from the rest of California. It's a very big city that doesn't act like it, and it not cherishes its military citizens, it celebrates them. Add to that a growing micro brewery scene and legit great food beyond the fantastic seafood and Mexican food that's pretty much always been there, and you have a very special place. Bass San Diego, Carvin/Kiesel, and a good number of other music stores (their Sam Ash is brand new and stuffed with stuff) and places to see music and it'd be heaven if the cost of living weren't ridiculous.

Unfortunately many of the small independent shops of the past are no longer there, but that happened in Hollywood, too. Things change.

I have visited San Diego many times and agree with your description. I have had many good craft beers, fish tacos, sushi and sake there. But I have one big complaint - the airport. Because it does not have a major airport, the only way to get there is connecting through Denver/San Francisco/Dallas Ft. Worth/Chicago or some other airport.

 

[godofthunder59]

An update to an earlier post of mine regarding Gibson Reflector style knobs for EMG pots: Alison Turner at EMG clarified that the pots they use with the GZR pickups are smooth (not knurled) 6mm shafts and will not accept the Gibson push-on style knobs. I did my own digging and couldn't find any. My options for my bird-build are to switch out the EMG BNOG style pots for conventional 6mm pots and solder the, in, or to use the EMG pots and different knobs. I ordered some different knobs today as a "path of least resistance" approach. The knobs are cool, but not totally the aesthetic I was hoping for. I'll switch out the pots if the look isn't working for me.

Current build progress (clearly not for Thunderbird purists):

View attachment 1158836

Looks great!

 

[godofthunder59]

Maaaaannn... what in the hell has to happen to a bass, to do that?

I love the way you brought 'er back to life. You coulda done a total refinish to make it all pretty for the cameras... but you chose to let 'er true colors show. Well done, Sir... well done!

Thanks! I really like it the way it is! It plays and sounds fantastic

 

[godofthunder59]

To me a refinished instrument is a HUGE turnoff. If I a bass that I like but has been refinished I won't even consider it

I will buy pretty much any NR I come across, as long as I have the cash. I have some that are in excellent condition, one might be considered mint, others are refins, most have headstock repairs, one is even replaced.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

*owns one refinished Rickenbacker 4001 and a 4003 that will probably soon be refinished*

To each their own. Just not my cup of tea.

Hah! That's a new one! Some folks like shiny paint, some like distressed/player worn, some like natural, some like just about every variety... but a refinish as turn-off.., well, it's now on the list.

It probably has something to do with growing up in a classic car family. Learned young that a car with original paint is worth a lot more than one that has been repainted. And not all refinished/repainted guitars/cars are done equally. Then there's also the technical side, if the previous layer was not stripped off it can affect the tone of the instrument.


I like shiny paint and I like worn paint, even matte paint, as long as it's original
And not factory "relic'd" paint