• 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

#330,608
MCF said:
Wow. Italy, Baja, a couple dashes home for gigs. Where are you headed next?
Click to expand...
here?
IMG_7732.jpeg
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: GonePlaid, Miles_ONeal, Gaolee and 10 others
#330,611
AllieCat said:
Sheesh, I paid $349 for mine. That was NOS in 2012 though.
Click to expand...
I paid about $200 for this damaged one a few months ago…
IMG_5505.jpeg

…and then spent about another $500 repairing and hot rodding it with Bartolini dual coil humbuckers, coil switching, series/parallel switching, and added a three way tone cap switch as well. Also added a Hipshot bridge and ultralight tuners. Currently strung with Pyramid Flats and sounding great…
IMG_5696.jpeg
IMG_5697.jpeg
IMG_5698.jpeg
IMG_5700.jpeg

The goal was to make it an incredibly flexible but passive thunderbird for my nephew in a worship band who was considering purchasing a Jaguar bass. He’s never played a thunderbird but loves the looks. He’ll receive it next week sometime and should be shocked with the vast number of great tones you can get out of this bass.

If you look closely at the trim rings you’ll see the coil switches (switching gives north coil solo, south coil solo, parallel humbucker, series humbucker). The tone switch toggles between three cap values (.0047uf, .01uf, .047uf) with the first position essentially wide open no cap, the center position is a common single coil cap value and the third position is a common humbucker value cap. Then there’s still the volume knobs and tone knob for getting that exact sound you’re after.

I thought about recording the various settings, but there’s over 60 different voicings without even taking into consideration the standard interplay you get between pickups when rolling one volume pot slightly lower than the other or maxing a volume or tone pot. I ran it up against one of my Jazz basses, a P bass and a Stingray and it easily got into the replicating stage for each of them.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Instagator, GonePlaid, Miles_ONeal and 10 others
#330,616
GBassNorth said:
I paid about $200 for this damaged one a few months ago…
View attachment 7369249
…and then spent about another $500 repairing and hot rodding it with Bartolini dual coil humbuckers, coil switching, series/parallel switching, and added a three way tone cap switch as well. Also added a Hipshot bridge and ultralight tuners. Currently strung with Pyramid Flats and sounding great…
View attachment 7369250View attachment 7369251View attachment 7369252View attachment 7369253
The goal was to make it an incredibly flexible but passive thunderbird for my nephew in a worship band who was considering purchasing a Jaguar bass. He’s never played a thunderbird but loves the looks. He’ll receive it next week sometime and should be shocked with the vast number of great tones you can get out of this bass.

If you look closely at the trim rings you’ll see the coil switches (switching gives north coil solo, south coil solo, parallel humbucker, series humbucker). The tone switch toggles between three cap values (.0047uf, .01uf, .047uf) with the first position essentially wide open no cap, the center position is a common single coil cap value and the third position is a common humbucker value cap. Then there’s still the volume knobs and tone knob for getting that exact sound you’re after.

I thought about recording the various settings, but there’s over 60 different voicings without even taking into consideration the standard interplay you get between pickups when rolling one volume pot slightly lower than the other or maxing a volume or tone pot. I ran it up against one of my Jazz basses, a P bass and a Stingray and it easily got into the replicating stage for each of them.
Click to expand...
Looks like a nice, and extremely versatile build. I have some similar ideas for a build I've slowly been collecting parts for. I'm sure your nephew will be over the moon. What a generous and thoughtful gift.

If you ever decide you want to part with the original shielded rail pups it came with, let me know. We might be able to work something out. To my knowledge those have only shown up on a couple of versions of Epiphone "Custom Shop Limited Edition" IV's, and nothing else. Kinda rare birds, if you'll pardon the pun.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, GonePlaid, Miles_ONeal and 5 others
#330,618
GBassNorth said:
I paid about $200 for this damaged one a few months ago…
View attachment 7369249
…and then spent about another $500 repairing and hot rodding it with Bartolini dual coil humbuckers, coil switching, series/parallel switching, and added a three way tone cap switch as well. Also added a Hipshot bridge and ultralight tuners. Currently strung with Pyramid Flats and sounding great…
View attachment 7369250View attachment 7369251View attachment 7369252View attachment 7369253
The goal was to make it an incredibly flexible but passive thunderbird for my nephew in a worship band who was considering purchasing a Jaguar bass. He’s never played a thunderbird but loves the looks. He’ll receive it next week sometime and should be shocked with the vast number of great tones you can get out of this bass.

If you look closely at the trim rings you’ll see the coil switches (switching gives north coil solo, south coil solo, parallel humbucker, series humbucker). The tone switch toggles between three cap values (.0047uf, .01uf, .047uf) with the first position essentially wide open no cap, the center position is a common single coil cap value and the third position is a common humbucker value cap. Then there’s still the volume knobs and tone knob for getting that exact sound you’re after.

I thought about recording the various settings, but there’s over 60 different voicings without even taking into consideration the standard interplay you get between pickups when rolling one volume pot slightly lower than the other or maxing a volume or tone pot. I ran it up against one of my Jazz basses, a P bass and a Stingray and it easily got into the replicating stage for each of them.
Click to expand...
Very cool of you to build that for your nephew George!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Miles_ONeal, MCF, GonePlaid and 4 others
#330,620
AllieCat said:
Looks like a nice, and extremely versatile build. I have some similar ideas for a build I've slowly been collecting parts for. I'm sure your nephew will be over the moon. What a generous and thoughtful gift.

If you ever decide you want to part with the original shielded rail pups it came with, let me know. We might be able to work something out. To my knowledge those have only shown up on a couple of versions of Epiphone "Custom Shop Limited Edition" IV's, and nothing else. Kinda rare birds, if you'll pardon the pun.
Click to expand...
I was quite taken by the CSLE Birds, especially the chrome pickup versions.
But quite disappointed that the Candy Apple Reds had black hardware. IMO that was a wasted opportunity.
At the right price, a Red CSLE would be tempting.


All I need is a red guitar, 3 chords and the truth to paraphrase Dylan.
Or perhaps Bono,
With a red guitar, on fire. Desire.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, dagrev, Engle and 6 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back