Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

Yeah, if the pickups are in series, one has to be two wire plus shield.

The white wire is a ground but not sure to what — I’d expect the bare wire to be grounding the bridge/strings. But the white wire goes through a hole as if to the bridge. Is the bare wire just grounding the tone pot?

Looks like it's lightly soldered.

 

[dagrev]

... & that's what happens when you fart in a Gremlin.

That's good!
Personal experience?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Yes. Gregg Philbin's bass playing was fantastic.

I didn’t care for some of their songs, but they were still great musicians.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Looks like it's lightly soldered.

Doesn’t need much!

 

[Count Bassie]

I don't know. I can't find a good pic from then. Not sure what's on the album cover. I've seen early pics of him and an EB-3 and Fenders. Some internet lore said he played a Thunderbird a lot right before leaving the band. There is this pic which also looks like those from the live album. Def a Thunderbird, so may be some truth to that Thunderbird business.
View attachment 7401092

See, I remember that album cover with him playing an Alembic... But they say memory is a thief. *Shrug*

 

[dagrev]

See, I remember that album cover with him playing an Alembic... But they say memory is a thief. *Shrug*

Could very well have been. I get things wrong occasionally, but was hoping to get more than 2 days into the new year before blowing it!
A teacher used to tell us all the regularly, "Time is a thief."

 

[RedVee]

I find that stuff fascinating! And there's another 70's lyric that I mis-heard. All this time I thought she was whispering "requesting quiet"

Isn’t she?

 

[godofthunder59]

So this just happened, 1965 Thunderbird II purchased from GC in Overland Kansas. It of course has the requisite headstock repair but it was the best overall deal I've seen in a while on a reverse II. GC was asking 7k and I got to for 6k with the original case. Thanks to our queen for the nudge, I mean I was gonna buy it anyhow but it's nice to have a little support and conformation that you're not completely mad. Better pictures to come nothing but the standard GC pics at the moment.

 

[Stealth57]

So this just happened, 1965 Thunderbird II purchased from GC in Overland Kansas. It of course has the requisite headstock repair but it was the best overall deal I've seen in a while on a reverse II. GC was asking 7k and I got to for 6k with the original case. Thanks to our queen for the nudge, I mean I was gonna buy it anyhow but it's nice to have a little support and conformation that you're not completely mad. Better pictures to come nothing but the sub standard GC pics at the moment.

I'm sure you can scrounge up a bridge cover and a better bridge.

 

[MCF]

Can’t say that thought would have ever crossed my mind with one band being more jazz fusion pop rock with a very hifi airy swirling sound and the other being a straight forward southern rock guitar band.

Now Steely Dan compared to Todd Rundgren or 10cc or maybe even some Fleetwood Mac songs I could see. I’d put the Allman Brothers and .38 special in with LS.

I think the only thing both bands had in common, aside from a ton of talent, was that they both got a tremendous amount of airplay. Sadly, LS got most of its play after the tragedy. I pretty much have all the SD stuff on vinyl from back in the day. I really don’t listen to it much though other than Reelin’ and occasionally Pretzel. I do still listen to a lot of Todd, including Utopia. That’s just me.

 

[MCF]

So this just happened, 1965 Thunderbird II purchased from GC in Overland Kansas. It of course has the requisite headstock repair but it was the best overall deal I've seen in a while on a reverse II. GC was asking 7k and I got to for 6k with the original case. Thanks to our queen for the nudge, I mean I was gonna buy it anyhow but it's nice to have a little support and conformation that you're not completely mad. Better pictures to come nothing but the sub standard GC pics at the moment.

Glad someone here scored it. Congrats Scot. I was mildly tempted. But really couldn’t justify it.

 

[godofthunder59]

Glad someone here scored it. Congrats Scot. I was mildly tempted. But really couldn’t justify it.

At 66 I don't think maybe next year is a strategy, not that I'm going anywhere soon but I've been to more than enough funerals latley to realize the time is now. By far the most I've ever paid for a bass, my wife is a saint. I will be selling some lesser basses but no Thunderbirds will be hurt in the process.

 

[GBassNorth]

Yeah, if the pickups are in series, one has to be two wire plus shield.

The white wire is a ground but not sure to what — I’d expect the bare wire to be grounding the bridge/strings. But the white wire goes through a hole as if to the bridge. Is the bare wire just grounding the tone pot?

The white wire is the bridge ground, the bare wire is the common ground that is soldered to each pot.

Looks like it's lightly soldered.

If it works, it works.

 

[dagrev]

So this just happened, 1965 Thunderbird II purchased from GC in Overland Kansas. It of course has the requisite headstock repair but it was the best overall deal I've seen in a while on a reverse II. GC was asking 7k and I got to for 6k with the original case. Thanks to our queen for the nudge, I mean I was gonna buy it anyhow but it's nice to have a little support and conformation that you're not completely mad. Better pictures to come nothing but the standard GC pics at the moment.

Glad it went to someone here and a worth home.

 

[dagrev]

I'm sure you can scrounge up a bridge cover and a better bridge.

I got a something called a Badbird I'll sell...

 

[dagrev]

The white wire is the bridge ground, the bare wire is the common ground that is soldered to each pot.

If it works, it works.

I feel really exhilarated when playing that bass. Almost electric.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

That's good!
Personal experience?

Thankfully, no.



Wouldn't have been any glass left.

 

[Ringhammer]

Per your request, here’s how my Bi is wired up, I’ve seen one or two Bi’s here in the club that are wired slightly different but the vast majority match this…
View attachment 7400948

That’s quite a bit different than the 916 wiring layout…
View attachment 7400949

Thank you very much for this. I will forward it to Matt at 916 pickups, as well as the two photos taken of the control cavities of the real bi-centennials that you guys posted. We’ll see if he considers changing the neck pickup wire to a shielded pair.

 

[godofthunder59]

I got a something called a Badbird I'll sell...

Um if you're not using it I'll buy it back

 

[MCF]

At 66 I don't think maybe next year is a strategy, not that I'm going anywhere soon but I've been to more than enough funerals latley to realize the time is now. By far the most I've ever paid for a bass, my wife is a saint. I will be selling some lesser basses but no Thunderbirds will be hurt in the process.

I get that. I actually discussed it with my wife. But with all the rain in SoCal, we ended up with a leak in the roof at our mountain house. I’ll have it patched for now. But it won’t be cheap. We are looking at an extensive addition in a couple years when we sell our main home. And there are some medical expenses I’m dealing with. And I will maintain my CA Bar license, so there’s that.

I’ll be 68 in February. I built a nice collection of various birds and nice amps before I retired last July. I still want an ACC 360. Just because. We planned well for the next twenty or so (knock on wood) years. But a sixties Thunderbird was not included in the plan. So we’ll see. I am fortunate to have the ‘15 and the ‘77 among various others, including the BaCH II that passed through you at some point some years back. And another BaCH II that was Andy’s at one time. I have a beautiful’13 NR, a ‘21 NR, a Gibson shorty, and various LE CS Epis. I’m blessed.