Thunderbird Club

[BuddhaFingas]

As I approach my 74th trip around Sol this year, I realize I can now decide on a few things, also the only group I respect enough to share/solicit opinions are my friends here on the Thunderbird group.

For those of you with enough Sol cycles to decide (I'll probably not buy another bass).

What is your favorite bass? Mine is my 2014 Thunderbird.
View attachment 7398206
What is you're best bass (if not the same)? Mine is my SJ5XXX (easily the best playing bass I've ever owned/played)
View attachment 7398207
And finally what is your favorite song? As an avowed Beatles fan, I thought it would be one of their's, but upon reflection, shockingly mine is McArthur Park (I know, I know, many hate it). But it touches a chord within me, and also takes me back 50 years to a time and place.

Thanks for any sharing, and no ties please. Choose 1 of each. Happy New Years!

Congrats on your continued success at exothermia, sir!

Best Bass:
Without a doubt, from a quality standpoint, my recently-acquired 2018:

Flawless in every way. And worth more than twice my next-most-valuable. Took some time to finally scratch this itch.

But not yet my favorite to play, even though its getting there (or I am).

Favorite to play is this one.
Kit built, much modified, finished in 2022 and the one I grab for easiest play:

Favorite song... too many, depends on mood and situation.

But favorite album is easy.

Bat Out Of Hell.

And dozens in close second place.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Code Delta last night at the Beer Shack in White Rock. I hit the mixing board a few times with my peghead. It’s definitely not a Thunderbird friendly venue!
View attachment 7398526

Looks like it would be a lot friendlier to a trio than to a sextet.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

You've apparently thought about this more than I'm comfortable with.
But I feel kind of safe.
Mike is older than me....
Sorry Mike.

I'm not afraid of anything I can outrun, and so far I've outrun anything that was after me!

 

[Stealth57]

I'm not afraid of anything I can outrun, and so far I've outrun anything that was after me!

Didn’t outrun her daughter

 

[Thumper]

Congrats on your continued success at exothermia, sir!

Best Bass:
Without a doubt, from a quality standpoint, my recently-acquired 2018:
View attachment 7398581
Flawless in every way. And worth more than twice my next-most-valuable. Took some time to finally scratch this itch.

But not yet my favorite to play, even though its getting there (or I am).

Favorite to play is this one.
Kit built, much modified, finished in 2022 and the one I grab for easiest play:
View attachment 7398582

Favorite song... too many, depends on mood and situation.

But favorite album is easy.

Bat Out Of Hell.

And dozens in close second place.

Exothermia?

My favorite bass (2014 Thunderbird) has numerous quality issues. Still My Fave though. My best bass (the Dingwall) is flawless.

 

[Thumper]

First, congratulations on almost 74! Are you going to remake the beatles song into "When I'm 74"?

My favorite bass is V's 1964 Thunderbird II. At least, among basses I've played.
Oh, you mean of mine? Ugh. That varies based on day, mood, and the music I'm playing. Today, I have to go with Nikki, my 1988 Greco IV:
View attachment 7398479
Some play better, some sound better. Roger (2023 Epi 64 IV) is not quite best at either, but perhaps the best overall:
View attachment 7398480
My favorite song changes constantly. But if I had to, right now, pick one song as the only song I could ever again listen to, it would have to be Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was life changing. Despite the radio "overplay", I still listen to this song (and the album) regularly. I still practice to it. I can hit every note Leon (or Ed on the studio version) plays - just not necessarily when and/or as they hit them.

The good news is making 74, the bad news is being older than 64.

Interesting about your '63 Epi. At home I reach for my white Epi VP 90% of the time, it's that good. Of course the band won't let me bring the 2014 Gibson home, they insist it stay at practice (I believe they think I'll only bring it to gigs and keep it at home for myself, they may be right).

 

[Engle]

Looks like it would be a lot friendlier to a trio than to a sextet.

It's a nice sounding room though. I was going to take my pink Ric like object, but I didn't want to rush finishing the pickguard (and mess it up)

 

[RedVee]

My best bass is my Gibson


My favourite bass… hmm, I think that is my Epi Goth.


My favourite song - it swings rapidly depending on what we play in the Uke group, or are practising with the singing group.
At the moment either of Dirty Old Town; or I am, You are, We are Australian.

Edit: BTW The Pogues are touring in 26, but not in Sydney until Easter. I secured a couple of seats on Easter Monday at the Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall. Very much looking forward to it.

 

[JIO]

Thank you for this, stunning version, and masterful performance by Will Lee, now my second favorite performance to the original by Richard Harris. I'll definitely watch/listen to it again and again!

I've always loved the melodrama that isf MacArthur Park - hearing it first as a young teen when it was newly played on the radio. And I always liked Will Lee, met him once here in SF and we had a short conversation*. His performance of that classic song is one of the best performances by a musician I've ever seen. He absolutely nailed it.

* In our conversation, I brought up an LP I had that he played on from 1972. It was a NYC band called Dreams (horns/great vocals/tight funky arrangements... Will is from Oklahoma and got the call to audition for the band. He quickly moved to NYC and got the gig - the rest is his story!

 

[Count Bassie]

Best bass, my Thunderbird Classic Pro.

Current fav player is the Sterling Ray 34ca.

Favorite current riff is the hooky chorus on Toys in the Attic... (We sing "Squirrels in the Attic" as we close in on the ending ).

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Didn’t outrun her daughter

She wasn’t chasing me!

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Exothermia?

Staying above room temperature.

 

[MCF]

Didn’t outrun her daughter

There’s a reason Sharon went with him to Seattle.

 

[MCF]

Congrats on your continued success at exothermia, sir!

Best Bass:
Without a doubt, from a quality standpoint, my recently-acquired 2018:
View attachment 7398581
Flawless in every way. And worth more than twice my next-most-valuable. Took some time to finally scratch this itch.

But not yet my favorite to play, even though its getting there (or I am).

Favorite to play is this one.
Kit built, much modified, finished in 2022 and the one I grab for easiest play:
View attachment 7398582

Favorite song... too many, depends on mood and situation.

But favorite album is easy.

Bat Out Of Hell.

And dozens in close second place.

That is a beautiful finish. Did you do it or have it done?

 

[JIO]

Wait till you meet Dave

 

[TBird1958]

It's 5:00 somewhere........

 

[JIO]

Never realized after seeing him all those years that Will Lee could sing. Pretty cool.

And to hit those high notes at the end!

 

[JIO]

Great song, wonderfully done!

Thanks - I'm proud of what we've achieved as a band, ten years starting in 2016! Kirstin joined in 2018.

 

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

Second City TV (SCTV) did a great spoof of that song. It's prolly on YouTube somewhere.

Rezdog

 

[Stealth57]

View attachment 7398775

And that’s on a good day.