• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Thunderbird Club

Yes please... :)
Here it is. Like I said, its short. 6 original songs and 1 Kyuss cover that I thought was really cool (features 2 basses btw). I think its enough for you to decide whether you like them or not and if you do just check out the albums from your favorite songs. And, if you care, my 2 personal favorites from that playlist are Rosetta Stoned and Lateralus
 
  • Like
Reactions: BeeTL and hillerup
Learn something new every day here. I just assumed the as delivered factory standard tuning of a Goth was EADG. Had no idea they came from the factory in drop D tuning. What strings and diameters is the factory using on these?

I didn't reply to that... Seemed trollish, along the lines of the "I thought they were supposed to come tuned from the factory?!" Sarcastic joke that a sound guy once said to me while I was tuning up.

Any recommendations on a gig bag that will fit a Thunderbird (Fenderbird in my case)? I have a Protec Contego that's fantastic and seems to fit the body alright, but I'm interested in other's opinion on this since most gig bags seem to be designed around a Precision body.

Roadrunner avenue RR-1eb I believe. $39 at GC, sometimes on sale $29. I have 2 of them, but now only one bird, but eventually I will have 2 again, so I am keeping both.

There is a fender light duty, almost non padded the padding is so thin, that fits. It came when I bought my goth, but I used it in the sale of my 2015 epi IV. I wouldn't recommend the fender.

Others may have experience with others. These (rr1eb) were reasonably priced, decent padding but not super thick, and it fits, but the headstock does push against the end.
IMG_20170527_240645711.jpg
 
Thought this was interesting..

Link Removed

Derail alert...
I finally read the article and had a couple thoughts. First of all, jazz has never gone away. There are still kids playing saxophone and trumpet. Even trombone, although that's not so common. Accordian was a bit of a fad, in my opinion, just as those mandolin orchestras were 100 years ago. Classical music hasn't gone away, so there are upright bass players of all kinds. Those players will at least dabble in playing electric bass. Some of them (me for instance) are primarily bass guitar players who wandered off in a different direction. The horn players don't just play jazz. They play funk, they play pop, they play all kinds of things you don't immediately think of as music with a horn section. String players do the same thing.

Which leads back to guitars. Guitars have been around a lot longer than electric guitars. People play them. I know of at least two groups of teenagers who play in bands together in my neighborhood. It's admittedly an outlier kind of neighborhood, but I still think that's a good sign. Those kids are really into it, and they are working on doing their own thing with the music and what they can do with guitars. One of those bands is all girls, which is also a good sign. If only one gender feels the urge to play, then that's half the population that you can write off. That's not the case any more.

Whether acoustic guitars outsell electric guitars isn't all that important, at least not in my mind. Gibson was a guitar maker long before the electric guitar came along, and if Henry J. had an inkling of what to do, he would crank up acoustic guitar models, including a line of inexpensive ones. He seems to have some inkling because that's what Epiphone is making, along with electrics. Where he misses the boat is the step between Epiphone and Gibson.

Fender may have some hard times coming. They will always be around, becasue there will always be some market for electric guitars. Fender isn't known as an acoustic guitar maker, and every Fender acoustic I have ever encountered was awful in some way. Playable, but awful. That could change. The reputation will take far longer to change. Gibson already has a reputation for acoustic instruments. The fact that they also make electrics is just a line extension, not the main thing, or it shouldn't be if that's how the market turns.

The baby boom generation will die off eventually. I plan to hang on, as a tail end part of that generation, but I'm going to get old and die someday, in spite of The Who. People my son's age are more plentiful than baby boomers now, which means there will be guitar players. Maybe not so many at first, but they will be there. The industry won't die. It just may shrink. That's not a problem, in my mind.

The article was too pessimistic. I'm not optimistic, but I don't foresee the demise of the electric guitar, and I especially don't see the demise of the acoustic guitar. They are just too useful, and their sound is just too embedded in our ears. The electronic stuff has always been around. It was just a string section in the 1960s. No difference in my mind.
 
Any recommendations on a gig bag that will fit a Thunderbird (Fenderbird in my case)? I have a Protec Contego that's fantastic and seems to fit the body alright, but I'm interested in other's opinion on this since most gig bags seem to be designed around a Precision body.
How long is your Fenderbird? I don't have suggestions, I'm just curious.
 
I finally read the article and had a couple thoughts. First of all, jazz has never gone away. There are still kids playing saxophone and trumpet. Even trombone, although that's not so common. Accordian was a bit of a fad, in my opinion, just as those mandolin orchestras were 100 years ago. Classical music hasn't gone away, so there are upright bass players of all kinds. Those players will at least dabble in playing electric bass. Some of them (me for instance) are primarily bass guitar players who wandered off in a different direction. The horn players don't just play jazz. They play funk, they play pop, they play all kinds of things you don't immediately think of as music with a horn section. String players do the same thing.

Which leads back to guitars. Guitars have been around a lot longer than electric guitars. People play them. I know of at least two groups of teenagers who play in bands together in my neighborhood. It's admittedly an outlier kind of neighborhood, but I still think that's a good sign. Those kids are really into it, and they are working on doing their own thing with the music and what they can do with guitars. One of those bands is all girls, which is also a good sign. If only one gender feels the urge to play, then that's half the population that you can write off. That's not the case any more.

Whether acoustic guitars outsell electric guitars isn't all that important, at least not in my mind. Gibson was a guitar maker long before the electric guitar came along, and if Henry J. had an inkling of what to do, he would crank up acoustic guitar models, including a line of inexpensive ones. He seems to have some inkling because that's what Epiphone is making, along with electrics. Where he misses the boat is the step between Epiphone and Gibson.

Fender may have some hard times coming. They will always be around, becasue there will always be some market for electric guitars. Fender isn't known as an acoustic guitar maker, and every Fender acoustic I have ever encountered was awful in some way. Playable, but awful. That could change. The reputation will take far longer to change. Gibson already has a reputation for acoustic instruments. The fact that they also make electrics is just a line extension, not the main thing, or it shouldn't be if that's how the market turns.

The baby boom generation will die off eventually. I plan to hang on, as a tail end part of that generation, but I'm going to get old and die someday, in spite of The Who. People my son's age are more plentiful than baby boomers now, which means there will be guitar players. Maybe not so many at first, but they will be there. The industry won't die. It just may shrink. That's not a problem, in my mind.

The article was too pessimistic. I'm not optimistic, but I don't foresee the demise of the electric guitar, and I especially don't see the demise of the acoustic guitar. They are just too useful, and their sound is just too embedded in our ears. The electronic stuff has always been around. It was just a string section in the 1960s. No difference in my mind.


You make some good basic points here.
For instance, Classical music is as strong as ever, they are comprised of many different types of instruments, stringed and woodwinds. There will always be the demand.

@PillO made good points regarding marketing.

Just my 1/2 a cent.
 
Just bringing the list forward here.......................

I updated it this past Saturday, 49 pages back, we've been very chatty!
At this rate we'll actch up the Spector guys in 6 months or so. :laugh:

TBird1958 #1
GodofThunder59 #2
Funkster#3
Gibenbackerbass #4
Sidd Laroy #5
Jazzbo58 #6
Nocturnal #7
Showdown #8
The Mojo Hobo #9
Doctorpunch #10
Stiles72 #11
Brenner182 #12
Baird6869 #13
Poorbassist15 #14
PWV #15
Mr Typhus #16
Tracii #17
Aditya #18
amimbari #19
knifedge #20
Nitrofix #21
Atoz #22
bassphreak #23
Seydlitz #24
bassclef112 #25
bassplayer8953 #26
D.M.N. #27
Edhunter #28
kruno maestro #29
Tombowlus #30
Kalik #31
winterburn69 #32
Walter Vega 33
Carlos 840 #34
Shadowtippy #35
Saltymonkey #36
lel95 #37
gaffster787 #38
mc2ny #39
Low Sound Love #40
BrianKrashpad #41
Deep Six #42
BenEd #43
Bassmachine2112 #44
ponkoponk #45
Heatheroo #46
darkside 88 #47
GCool#48
TedhHernstorm #49
Darbo #50
uncletupelo #51
Vaider #52
Rip Topaz #53
bmb73 #54
Badfish #55
Afireinside #56
Redstrand #57
reptyls #58
dabido #59
96tbird #60
whilke #61
JIO #63
thebrain #64
Rob Martinez #65
bazzandeson #66
PhR #67
Dr.Eagle #68
lowend1 #69 Mopar or no car!
Basvarken #70
s mcsleazy #71
Burruss #72
Matty H #73
moonshinegtrs #74
bass lord mutha #75
jumbodbassman #76
davidprice #77
A-Step-Towards #78
birdman14 #79
Quadzilla #80
jbalou02 #81
johnk 10 #82
electrocoyote #83
ih8law #84
muzukman7 #85
3rdcurve #86
rdwil191 #87
BluesBear #88
JAF #89
Swin #90
TBirdie #91
bassplayerbob #92
trevorguns #93
Clammy #94
jammi_fool #95
Molochnik #96
Rocker47 #97
Shark1 #98
BlueTalon #99
Fab Superlative #100
Doragon #5150
ThumpsAlot #102
Doelle #103
AllyDetours #104
Southway #105
mav #106
tw63 #107
Casperrobo #108
Killa #109
roffe #110
SOB H.R.MC #111
icks #112
thepunisher #113
PatQ #114
Venom of God #115
Jirishman #116
Midas #117
GibsonBassCAZ #118
snowblinder #119
Tilli #120
3l3phantstomp #121
Thrust Meatnozl #122
gaudenti #123
Birdbrain #124
CBTB #125
greghol #126
DV6 #127
marlond #128
DWest1981 #129
Shinji #130
jaibeau #131
Warrioralex #132
jonesn4bass #133
Rono7003 #134
hillerup #135
Dadagoboi #136
MRDOOM #137
secretsound5 #138
trevorguns #139
J Sinister #140
Capitian Bob #141
gui****ed #142
Fullback32 #143
Johnny78 #144
jelenko #145
Jools4001 #146
Porkbun #147
Lucas G #148
NOT #149
JtheB #150
Andii Syckz #151
sj bass #152
FrankenIbanez70 #153
Nosgoth #154
Artyom76 #155
D Bopp #156
CDRhom #157
Mark4 #158
thepest #159
TheCush #160
Pure eVal #161
iamthebassman #162
juankidiaz #163
Wilbur88 #164
WillMuderface #165
Evsm73 #166
JB66#167
brettsto #168
TheProphet #169
mikeowen17 #170
Pharaohamps #171
dial666 #172
faivy #173
HAVOK #174
Astroburn #175
aLLard #176
MissionTbird #177
Thebassman2011 #178
DaM13N # 179
LanOsb133 #180
Lowner #181
Frankiebass59 #182
Justice #183
tiger rich #184
spunkadizzle #185
quadrogong #186
Wolf C Red #187
gui****ed #188
ledzep5296 #189
aussiebasshero #190
trackskinz#191
guns N rosesguy #192
Jamyi #193
Thunderbird90 #194
Cobra314 #195
Ric5 #196
ApocalypseDream #197
Gougedeye #198
okc-zee #199
NOLA Bass #200
AdamR #201
bassmaniac72 #202
pudge #203
BWileyTally #204
poomwah #205
chibfarm2001 #206
thisSNsucks #207
mr.mow #208
4005 #209
seansv #210
BassDoc51 #211
ben0099 #212
Trooper1911 #213
mordor #214
brotondo #215
HIaWATTha #216
Zerstorte Zelle #217
MrNecroVol #218
Freddy-G #219
Regininblood #220
ejaggers #221
gregoire1 #222
thundereagle #223
Geezer79 #224
cubanbass #225
Silverwolf1 #226
Mikaelbass #227
BruceBass3901 #228
Chris V #229
Mikaelbass #230
JayBassD #231
JMPeat #232
Phildogger #233
beebassdude #234
MrGotBass #235
2nd Wind #236
butter_fingers #237
Chumbly #238
roycroft 88 #239
finlover #240
recycled rocker #241
wolfmancharlie #242
balton4 #243
GregBummer #244
penguineman #245
TheOnlyJuan #246
nubs #247
Gringo Starr #248
PhR #249
georgestrings #250
cajunbass1985 #251
Wagz #252
armedmonkey #253
RedNeckBBQ #254
faviobarrio #255
PhantomApex #256
cmassa #257
vbass_2000 #258
MrMcHaggis #259
Linchpin72 #260
whitee96 #261
edpal #262
Ibanez Bassist #263
21petro #264
CiceroProfundo #265
Willncarolina #266
theweirdoid #267
Gaolee #268
TheLarch #269
Castagnier #270
diskovolos #271
fordkisskrazy #272
woodski #273
chipter #274
Unclejackrock #275
Bass173 #276
tbird99 #277
tore00 #278
lepreconbass13 #279
Junk420 #280
Tx Basser #281
epirokker #282
sugarsand #283
thebbconspiracy #284
Dionioann #285
LumberjackTBird #286
MikeyB5 #287
Thunders #288
anonparrot #289
darren1970 #290
Egbert89 #291
seBASStien #292
Figas #293
Vikerlane #294
ps10black #295
eldo #296
GGirl #297
FenderLove #298
quite_angry #299
hover #300
bdkthunder #301
MoSlevin #302
Gbass75 #303
rocknroll mouse #304
hillerup #305
GBassNorth #306
KPJ #307
fjadams #308
Nino D #309
Ecko #310
Peepaleep #311
DethByDoom #312
wvbass #313
rockscott #314
CDHawkins #315
scourge #316
Astreaux #317
pedrodelawasp #318
66Atlas #319
YOU LAND #320
Hilton Marsh #321
lfbassguy #322
Wolfpack #323
jayceofbass #324
ZombieSpacebat #325
Rotwang#326
mrb327#327
NWOBHM Kid # 328
Puisher 911 #329
Gunner 77 # 330
shadven #331
Guiness20 #332
dukey donkey #333
Bassco #334
chnapz #335
marq1965 #336
1stnamebassist #337
Electric Wizard #338
Ces art #339
liquorsbass #340
MarkusBass #341
BigH #342
Tonyxtiger #343
jnumme #344
BklynKen #345 - First Gibson lefty!
HofnerVox #346
blackest frank #347
prafeston #348
snaverb #349
DrPFunk #350
Moonshine #351
mournblade #352
CreepyJack #353
Bluzman90 #354
N10 #355
WaboRat72 #356
undead menace #357
BlacknWhite #358
Snakeman1066 #359
brokencode #360
The Seabass16 #361
Thunderdrool #362
rick4001s #363
echoSE7EN #364
solderjunkie #365
DougieB #366
untamedhellion #367
TabaccoRipper #368
LAST C #369
Basssssist #370
Arial Bender #371
ptleftybass #372
JackThe Ripper #373
Sigmundklaus #374
RadioRob #375
Liam McMonigle #376 Prince Liam
Karlos69 #377
JonDark #378
bassgod0dmw #379
TomStuart #380
Electric Delta #381
Mastermold #382
scars #383
monkeybass68 #384
exiii #385
HengistPod #386
jason the fox #387
Tamoume #388
jakelly #389
MicG #390
rogerinoly #391
mcarp555 #392
BlkHeli #393
mattj1stc #394
Roadstar #395
Satyrnine #396
Spiffmeister #397
Tim68 #398
tomshepp #399
THE DANiMAL #400
Andy Sivyer #401
Ender_rpm #402
Count Vitriol #403
bassistjoe93 #404
Project7Bass #405
Furious_Man77 #406
j.kernodle #407
Glass Onion #408
EpiRipper #409
msact #410
BirdThunder #411
pfox14 #412
jdb72 #413
SlingBass4 #444
GemJam #414
Faky77 #415
Purplefowler #416
starmann #417
mr pablo #418
GabeXLeouz #419
Rutger56 #420
bass geetarist #421
Bassic Playing #422
dorknowitski #423
jastacey #424
Terracite #425
MoparMonster #426
HypersoulRocks #427
germanson13 #428
Larry V #429
REMBO #430
WalMark #431
BassPlummet #432
Fletz #433
HockeyDawg #434
lowendblues #435
James P #436
gunkle #437
jd56hawk #438
blocka #439
Earapeach1965 #440
TwyreZ #441
Bullitt5135 #442
JimSalomao #443
jassthebass #445
Rooster009 #446
kodiakblair #447
bahia0019 #448
awilkie84 #449
marko57 #450
Darchyboy #451
SonnyBassPlayer #452
Tbone76 #453
KF2B #454
RandomBox#455
BadBassDrummer #456
Cliffclone #457
yahtzee1280 #458
OldPlucker #459
Haji #460
ugobo #461
mistergoats #462 Formerly Geoffypants!
rickwebb #463
dannoman #464
Diddi #465
Butchboy #466
basscow #467
Graykong #468
Gilsdorf #469
mattbass6945 #470
Josh Thatguy #667
jgould 1124 664
TNF #471
Reservoir Dog #472
Chauncy - #473
GIBrat51 #474
giocalypse #475
veebass #476
Bamabird #477
Sneezy #478
Galvez11 #479
mule47 #480
Rexalot #481
Rob L #482
Righteous Thunderer #483
stingray68 #484
gafbass02 #485
vdub76 #486
heatoise #487
Winfred #488
Mike A #489
depalm #490
hopsbb #491
ubnomnar #492
denki109 #493
Ronbeast #494
Klondike #495
SVTbird #496
Jay_Dub #497
imdkoz #498
mz888 #499
The Bear GT500
probassace2 #501
L.L. Elwood #502
JELLIS78 #503
mrnylon #504
ProperModulation #505
BassicDesire #506
Twangster 101 #507
Mark Cult #508
Nowyn #509
the_stoot64 #510
Bass master Burt man #511
Deaky #512
Bassmike62 #513
DocGeorge #514
Acoustic356 #515
aceytrixx #516
Greg Potts #517
friendlybass #518
kirillstokes #519
DinoRock #520
Leiria #521
Magi003 #522
Toddcaster64 #523
BigBadaBoom #524
Bace Waulkin #525
MIMJAZZ #526
Vara La Fey #527
Cole_The_Rumbler #528
Alaotto #529
Sahe_Bassist #530
z009 # 531
instagator #532
Mnoir #533
thorstiborsti #534
vegas532 #535
minirehak 212 #536
Off-Beat #537
phaze1todd #538
Matt O #539
Endo #540
R.Livingston #541
DonovanJM #542
AEAbass #543
BassmanMetzger56 #544
WSquires #545
Born To Hula #546.....Pics req'd
AkaGoal #547
AxxGrey #548
MCF #549
BassDaddy77 #550
Muchdoge #551
Count Bassie #552
George_Mirror #553
Sidewinder7 #554
Bucky4835 #555
el_cody_loco #556
MorguloN X Zed #557
drews.anderson #558
Medic579 #559
Mike.C. #560
MooThing #561
RustyNails #562
DesolationBlvd #563
Ajcsk8r #564
EdO #565
Brugizzle #566
Shaun_Allen_Bass #567
back5burner #568
Lo-Hz #569
backtobass #570
lancimouspitt 571
Xandrell #572
Thunderbirdfan #573
CharlyG #574
Milo's #575
drummer5359 #576
Tomand #577
Bear from Delaware #578
Springman #579
bassclef29 #580
Ryan Atchison #581
MrVanimal #583
Susqmike #584
crikker #585
Gabacho #586
tastelikedirt #587
Loretta #588
Az_Rocker76 #589
DerekW #590
Ross W. Lovell #591
DevinWard369 #592
KromaatiKlauun #593
Calderlund #594
Pelham Bleu #595
RedVee #596
tlintu #597
ColinLP #598
bluenose #599
howie289 #600
cuth #601
Spoono Ghiefardi #602
tomydacat #603
GTG 666 #604
bassburner #605
GrizzleTone #606
Mason Nagy #607
the breakman #608
shandou #609
Stevis #610
Sabee #611
georgiagoodie #612
Danilixo #613
Turlu #614
rumblejunkie #615
SakuBass #616
MonsterGirl #617
ubernator #618
bassJuju #619
RikiP #620
iain.ross #621
Drestakil #622
barclaybass #623
rodv66 #624
wolverine9002 #625
Rezdog #626
bylar13 #627
willsellout #628
alembicbones #629
7dollarbologna #630
metah_ch #631
Gluvhand #632
hazmat57 #633
TBird_MD #634
allotabass #635
suededoesit #636
ProgressiveDoom #637
LiquidMidnight #638
Mind Eroded #639
hairypete #640
KingFace #641
BurnOut #642
jamersonburton #643
bass40hz #644
Bulltrout #645
vdub75 #646
Mvf #647
ThunderbirdMax #648
Session1969 #649
NullPorch #650
bizzybass #651
Border #652
Mantis Tobaggan #653
Tocean #654
Lemmy #666
Dr_Feelgoood212 #667
Pillo #668 - Near the beast
kat888 #888
 
Any recommendations on a gig bag that will fit a Thunderbird (Fenderbird in my case)? I have a Protec Contego that's fantastic and seems to fit the body alright, but I'm interested in other's opinion on this since most gig bags seem to be designed around a Precision body.
As long as yours isn't any longer than a Thunderbird, I use the Gator ProGo with the inside bottom cushion removed. Works really well and has good storage pocket space.
 
Ever used it? My son absolutely loves it on his '61 re-issue SG. For years, he was constantly having to retune while running through song-lists that ranged from VH to Disturbed and 3DG; it was a hassle. Since getting the robot tuner added to his guitar, it's just a button push and a couple of strums and he's ready to go. So very convenient.

What I think was a dumb idea was selling them on every guitar from the factory as a standard feature and not an option.
You are the first person I've encountered, that had a kind word for Gibson's auto-tuning mechanism. I haven't played with it myself, so I have to withhold comment. I agree whole-heartedly that, whether it works well or not, it was a huge mistake to strap it on everything. It would've been far wiser to have offered (for instance) a Les Paul Standard with no auto-tuner, and a Les Paul Standard Plus (or some such) with the auto tuner.
 
I'm sure you guys realize the what I meant by my comment about the 2015s, but it's just that the price went up a lot and most people didn't see that or the new features necessary. It would have been great a separate model.
I got my 2015 used, but I actually paid more than they went for in the GC blowout that's been discussed here on occasion. The list price was out of control. Fortunately, the market seems to have corrected that problem. Or did for a while. I don't know what a 2015 goes for now.

I suppose it could have been a separate model, what with the different pickups and switching in it.
 
I got my 2015 used, but I actually paid more than they went for in the GC blowout that's been discussed here on occasion. The list price was out of control. Fortunately, the market seems to have corrected that problem. Or did for a while. I don't know what a 2015 goes for now.

I suppose it could have been a separate model, what with the different pickups and switching in it.
Yeah, list was ridiculous, but...I got the last one out of the vault at SamAsh and got them to price match a *mistake* quote I got from another dealer...WIN!
Besides, its the last T'bird Gibson will make, so say many, so say I, therefore it is an investment as well as a player ;-)
 
I didn't reply to that... Seemed trollish, along the lines of the "I thought they were supposed to come tuned from the factory?!" Sarcastic joke that a sound guy once said to me while I was tuning up.
I saw a CL ad some time ago that boasted about how the guitar for sale had just been tuned by a luthier. I thought that was really funny. The seller probably meant that it had been set up, but that's not what the ad said.
 
Yeah, list was ridiculous, but...I got the last one out of the vault at SamAsh and got them to price match a *mistake* quote I got from another dealer...WIN!
Besides, its the last T'bird Gibson will make, so say many, so say I, therefore it is an investment as well as a player ;-)
As much as mine gets played, it's probably not going to be collector quality. Plus, it had a Hipshot drop D tuner on the E string when I got it, so it's not all pristine bone stock. I don't care. It is the most versatile 'Bird I own, which means it gets played a lot.