Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

Correct. Gibson started messing with things some months ago. The revamped Gibson pages cut out a lot of pertinent info. Mesa is working to restore the info via legacy pages. Some of the Mesa faithful are not pleased. You would want to check with Mesa CS in Petaluma to find out if they have a specific manual for that configuration. But the basic info is very likely the same.

Whoever runs the marketing and/or web stuff at Gibson has a great track record of screwing stuff up / leaving stuff out. Not everything, but a lot. (Looking askance at Epiphone who still doesn't have the E1 listed.)

we felt this 400 miles away in Mex City on the 24th story of the Hilton Reforma....talk about failing a field sobriety test.....
View attachment 7405068

Yikes. I bet you did.

 

[Count Bassie]

I love a good challenge. Fits my skill set too!

I can’t do it this year. But I’d love to invite myself out to see Mike in Florida (I’ll break my no Florida rule for him) and then head north to to meet the rest of you. Meet you and Donnie, visit Jeff, meet Brian, Ken, and Roger, and head back home after seeing my daughter in Boston. Take four weeks or so road tripping.

We've got space!

@JIO
Right up your alley in great shape and a great price…

Pardon Our Interruption...

That's a cool looking bass. And it's got Palette.

 

[Stealth57]

we felt this 400 miles away in Mex City on the 24th story of the Hilton Reforma....talk about failing a field sobriety test.....
View attachment 7405068

The new earthquake scale isn't the old, simple base 10 log scale. The new one is 32x between integers. So, 6.5 will rattle your fillings. Also why I keep the 64 II in it's case when not within diving distance.

 

[Count Bassie]

Sometimes I don't finish a post, and Talkbass' software doesn't remind me the next day that it's still pending.
I better watch what I say...

 

[Miles_ONeal]

For those of you who have played both the Epi VP/60s bass and the Epi 64 bass, if you could only have one of these two as your only bass, which would you pick and why? Would your answer change if pickups were swapped between these two?

 

[Gaolee]

In general, I don't trust cheap stuff. I'll pay for reliability and quality whenever possible.

That is why I use a Shure wireless. It was expensive, but it seems to have no effect on the sound, lag is minimal enough that I don't hear it, and it hasn't missed a beat in getting on toward ten years now. It may be more than ten years. I don't remember the last time I used a cable.

 

[Nocturnal]

Misc bass acquisition ramblings…

That ESP is a rare find which I had saved in my eBay watched files some time ago, but I think I’d jump on that REO Speedwagon Tele that Geo posted before I offered up anything on the ESP. That Tele really was a great deal.

One of these days I’m gonna have to go thru my Tbird collection (which I think is around 30 birds right now) to see if there’s some less played or redundant basses that I could sell to raise money for something more significant, like a 1960’s Gibson bird.

In the meantime I kinda looking out the corner of my eye on the world of EUB with some interesting options out there in the sub $4000 category. It’s a whole different world and playing style but looks like a fun learning opportunity.

I am kind of doing the same. I need to sell some basses and amps because I just have too many. I want to sell some and buy one special bass rather than have a bunch that rarely get used. I have an idea of where I will start, but need to start taking pics and writing for sale posts.

 

[Gaolee]

This seems to have finally come to a realistic price, def a rare Thunderbird.

https://reverb.com/item/87709873-esp-bass-built-brian-wheat-of-tesla-thunderbird-bass-the-real-deal

It looks like a Thunderbird. I wonder what it sounds like. The color looks a whole lot like Chucky's. I like it a lot.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

It'd be cool to see a side by side pic of an Epi VP or 64 next to a Bicen to eyeball dimensional differences.....we know they are bigger than Gen1 Birds, wonder if the same applies to 70's Birds.....

 

[TBird1958]

It's arrived! 1965 Thunderbird II, I've waited 50 years for this day. Just a quick video for now, please ignore the buzzing of my acoustic guitar in the background.

Awesome for you, Scott! It looks like it's in pretty good shape too! Rock on!

 

[TBird1958]

It'd be cool to see a side by side pic of an Epi VP or 64 next to a Bicen to eyeball dimensional differences.....we know they are bigger than Gen1 Birds, wonder if the same applies to 70's Birds.....

The Epi is certainly longer by at least two inches I can tell you that. The headstock is stupid big.

Happy Thursday!

 

[Ringhammer]

DiMarzio's were a must on many of those Ps and Js IMO. Big improvement from stock. More for the mid and later 70s it seems.

Of DiMarzio’s current P pickups, which is the closest to to classic one you guys are talking about?

 

[GBassNorth]

For those of you who have played both the Epi VP/60s bass and the Epi 64 bass, if you could only have one of these two as your only bass, which would you pick and why? Would your answer change if pickups were swapped between these two?

Both are great, but I’m drawn more to the darker deeper tone of the ‘64.
I do like the flatter rake on the VP neck mount, the ‘64 bridge and pickups sit pretty high, action feels about the same. So if I were to put my ‘64 pickups in my VP (assuming both pup locations are identical) I would be happiest with the VP.

 

[Ringhammer]

Both are great, but I’m drawn more to the darker deeper tone of the ‘64.
I do like the flatter rake on the VP neck mount, the ‘64 bridge and pickups sit pretty high, action feels about the same. So if I were to put my ‘64 pickups in my VP (assuming both pup locations are identical) I would be happiest with the VP.

I put a set of pickups from a blue sparkle 64 into my VP. Yes, darker/bassier tone but less definition.

 

[MCF]

For those of you who have played both the Epi VP/60s bass and the Epi 64 bass, if you could only have one of these two as your only bass, which would you pick and why? Would your answer change if pickups were swapped between these two?

Just me, but I could live without either. Just too big for me. I’ve played both. I think the ‘64 sounds better.

 

[Stealth57]

Just me, but I could live without either. Just too big for me. I’ve played both. I think the ‘64 sounds better.

 

[ThaCoast]

Of DiMarzio’s current P pickups, which is the closest to to classic one you guys are talking about?

Most likely the Model P is the one, as it's been around since then. Which is a pickup i'll most likely acquire later on for a P/J of mine (using a Dimarzio Ultra J in the bridge to balance with the Model P)

 

[JIO]

Even that site just has the one with two separate inputs. No big deal as the controls are all the same.

I love my Mesa M-2000 - it's my rehearsal space amp

 

[JIO]

That is why I use a Shure wireless. It was expensive, but it seems to have no effect on the sound, lag is minimal enough that I don't hear it, and it hasn't missed a beat in getting on toward ten years now. It may be more than ten years. I don't remember the last time I used a cable.

I use this wireless for the bass live - way liberating.

 

[dagrev]

It's arrived! 1965 Thunderbird II, I've waited 50 years for this day. Just a quick video for now, please ignore the buzzing of my acoustic guitar in the background.

Hate to say it, but I think it's a fake. Pick guard if perfect. Dead giveaway.

Looks great, Scott. Congrats!