Thunderbird Club

[GBassNorth]

@Chucky Stiletti
Buon cumpleannu Chuckster!

 

[ectoflanger]

Utterly beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing- sounds like something Mark Egan would do- btw, who is that>. Definitely going to save it to a playlist.

I almost said Michael Manring who also uses arcane tunings- indeed it is him- cool stuff!!

 

[JIO]

Utterly beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing- sounds like something Mark Egan would do- btw, who is that>. Definitely going to save it to a playlist.

That’s beyond amazing in both sound and technique not to mention instrument design. I could listen to or just watch that all day long.

So from a design standpoint, it appears his instrument has a drop tuner on each tuning key and a drop lever on the bridge as well. I’d be interested to learn more about that bridge design, never seen one like that, it doesn’t seem to act like a whammy bar, it stays where you set it.

All that said, as phenomenal a player as he is, he’s so far out of the typical bass universe he might as well be playing a different instrument. If I had heard it without seeing it I would not have been certain he was even playing a bass.

Ya got me hooked, I’m gonna have to look up more of this guys stuff, it’s so original. Thx for posting.

He worked with Zon to create that bass. (Micheal Manring Hyperbass) Extended fb & full lower-horn access to every fret, fretless fb w/high-gloss finish, Dunlop drop tuning tuners on each string, and a flip-tuning bridge (flips from one tuning to another with a lever)

He has unearthly technique using all those on-the-fly tuning options but if you close your eyes listening to it, it just sounds like beautiful music. Visually it's fun watching him access all those options so effortlessly. He also uses an Ebow (two taped together) to further expand his melodic playing.

 

[ectoflanger]

That’s beyond amazing in both sound and technique not to mention instrument design. I could listen to or just watch that all day long.

So from a design standpoint, it appears his instrument has a drop tuner on each tuning key and a drop lever on the bridge as well. I’d be interested to learn more about that bridge design, never seen one like that, it doesn’t seem to act like a whammy bar, it stays where you set it.

All that said, as phenomenal a player as he is, he’s so far out of the typical bass universe he might as well be playing a different instrument. If I had heard it without seeing it I would not have been certain he was even playing a bass.

Ya got me hooked, I’m gonna have to look up more of this guys stuff, it’s so original. Thx for posting.

Michael Manring goes back a ways- I believe I read an interview of him back in the 80's where talks about adopting alternate tunings to assuage the challenge of playing some of the avant-garde phrasing he had come up with-

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Nice! Happy for you. Many here love J basses (not me though), but I appreciate them and those who play them. Enjoy!

And thank you for wearing something on your feet!

I've been happy enough with the couple of Js I played. Generally happier than with a P. Happiest with a Thunderbird, but you knew that.

 

[BklynKen]

Yeah. The TR covers are a mystery. Never understood that.

My ‘15 is symmetrical. But it’s a righty. Ken had a lefty ‘18 with an offset bridge. Your pics appear to show correct bridge alignment. Maybe just replace the nut if it’s an issue for you. It should be a Graph Tech. Henry’s last days at Gibson were not their best time IMO. FWIW, my ‘21 NR is flawless.

The nut should be Corian.

That bass was a sad case. Too bad. But it turned into this.

 

[ectoflanger]

He worked with Zon to create that bass. (Micheal Manring Hyperbass) Extended fb & full lower-horn access to every fret, fretless fb w/high-gloss finish, Dunlop drop tuning tuners on each string, and a flip-tuning bridge (flips from one tuning to another with a lever)

He has unearthly technique using all those on-the-fly tuning options but if you close your eyes listening to it, it just sounds like beautiful music. Visually it's fun watching him access all those options so effortlessly. He also uses an Ebow (two taped together) to further expand his melodic playing.

Calls to mind Michael Hedges who did some cool stuff with unusual tunings- wouldn't be surprised if they knew each other-

 

[JIO]

Michael Manring goes back a ways- I believe I read an interview of him back in the 80's where talks about adopting alternate tunings to assuage the challenge of playing some of the avant-garde phrasing he had come up with-

He's always considered himself a bass soloist and the concerts I've attended are primarily that. He jokes that his audience sits for hours listening to a bass soloist. (based on a typical bass solo ) I attended one performance at the Noe Valley Ministry (a church that also has music performances - I saw/heard Jeff Buckley there when he first appeared on the scene) and it was MM & two other bass-soloists; another local 5-string player and a French guy who had an exotic 16-string bass. (if you could call it that) They each did a solo set and ended as a trio. MM joked saying he had string envy! (only 4 string) They had a CD burner there and I bought a CD of the whole evening recorded from the board. Pretty cool.

 

[MCF]

The nut should be Corian.

That bass was a sad case. Too bad. But it turned into this.

View attachment 7357172

Huh. I did not realize that they went back to Corian for ‘18. I like the Corian on my ‘13 NR.

 

[JIO]

Calls to mind Michael Hedges who did some cool stuff with unusual tunings- wouldn't be surprised if they knew each other-

It's a small world - so there's a good chance they know each other. MM also met Jaco, if I remember correctly he attended a seminar in Florida with Jaco.

 

[dagrev]

I knew some of this, but not all. For instance, I didn't know they made amplifiers there.

Are there still Indonesian Epis being made?

I think they have all shifted to China.

 

[dagrev]

It's on my calendar as tomorrow. Oh, well. Either way, happiest of birthdays, Chuck! You rock. Literally and figuratively!

It's a 2-day event since he's in a different time zone.

 

[MCF]

The nut should be Corian.

That bass was a sad case. Too bad. But it turned into this.

View attachment 7357172

And good on them for doing what they could to make it right for you. I think as long as DeCola is there, it will remain a good company.

 

[dagrev]

And if anyone is wondering why I would post the unboxing of a Fender Jazz bass on a Thunderbird thread -

Is because I've never felt more at home on any Talkbass thread as the Thunderbird Club. The same goes for my bothers on the Warwick Bass Forum-

Well you just got banned.....





Great looking bass!

 

[Gaolee]

I'm happy to be the same species as that guy.

 

[BklynKen]

Huh. I did not realize that they went back to Corian for ‘18. I like the Corian on my ‘13 NR.

Sorry, just looked it up in the Wayback Machine and it says Tektoid.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Yes. Best to cut off the threads and super-glue the TRC in place.

Okay, done.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Huh. I did not realize that they went back to Corian for ‘18. I like the Corian on my ‘13 NR.

Spec sheet says "Tektoid." Which sounds like a video game.

 

[MCF]

Spec sheet says "Tektoid." Which sounds like a video game.

After Ken said it, I looked and yep, the ‘15 is also Tektoid, not Graph Tech/Tusq.

 

[MCF]

Spec sheet says "Tektoid." Which sounds like a video game.

I’ll add that with that material, it is porous. I love the Music Nomad F1 fretboard oil. It darkens the rosewood to the color I prefer. But the nut will absorb it some and discolor if it gets on the nut. It doesn’t bother me at all. But if you want a pristine white nut, use something clear on the board. Or mask the nut. Or use a different material or go black if you swap the nut.