Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

You shouldn’t do any serious swimming for at least an hour after eating but that long ago turned into staying out of the water for an hour.

Yes, because if you are full of food sharks consider it a bonus. I think that's right.

 

[dagrev]

Odd thing last night. I took the '64 Reverse with SIT Powerwounds (from where I took the DTFs off for the the NR). I was thinking I might hear the "gold standard" and question the sound of the NR. Maybe it was just because I was used to hearing flats and/or the NR, but I kind of missed the NR. Not that is sounded bad or anything, but I expected more in comparison. Maybe a better way to put it would be I was expecting the '64 to sound better than the '66 NR and it didn't. Kind of explains why I have been enjoying the NR once I got it the way I wanted it. Curious to comp when I get my DFTs that are on back order to put back on the '64 and see how they compare.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I was thinking the other day how cool Pinnacles is in the Spring.

funny you should mention....

MSN

 

[Engle]

I find that much of the current music is kinda 'bottomless'* except for kick drum. I wanna hear those big, fat, gut rumbling bass notes. Let the guitars, keys, whatever handle the middle range and up. I don't wanna hear the bass sound like a guitar through an octaver. IMO, there's no real foundation to build the rest on.
I know, I'm hopelessly stuck in the 60s/70s, but that's my preference to hear or produce.

*a good thing in some situations

If all goes well I should have 2 EPs being released into the world this year. I don't know about gut rumbling notes, but you should be able to hear the bass.
There's a very fine line between too much and not enough bass on a recording. The volume you listen at makes a huge difference.
The more I work at recording and mixing, the more I become aware of this.

But I'm with you Mike, I am also stuck in the 60s/70s

 

[dagrev]

Speaking of coming weather...Stevie was right.

 

[GBassNorth]

I find that much of the current music is kinda 'bottomless'* except for kick drum. I wanna hear those big, fat, gut rumbling bass notes. Let the guitars, keys, whatever handle the middle range and up. I don't wanna hear the bass sound like a guitar through an octaver. IMO, there's no real foundation to build the rest on.
I know, I'm hopelessly stuck in the 60s/70s, but that's my preference to hear or produce.

*a good thing in some situations

Amen!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Weird. My tube amps seem to function well as alligator deterrents. Perfect record so far. But do seem to attract about everything else. I even think I heard a Bigfoot up in the woods.

I had a 2000S head fall into a canal (unplugged) in Davie FL after a party decades ago.....let it dry overnight and it fired right up the next day GO SUNN!......wonder what the gators would have thought had it been plugged in.....

 

[Stealth57]

I had a 2000S head fall into a canal (unplugged) in Davie FL after a party decades ago.....let it dry overnight and it fired right up the next day GO SUNN!......wonder what the gators would have thought had it been plugged in.....

They'd have said, "more bass!"

 

[Miles_ONeal]

His tone fit on some songs, like White Room for example. But was too dark for my taste on others. I liked it better with WBL. Maybe because I was able to see them live. I was too young to see Cream.

I saw neither, alas. Nor Mountain.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

That would be ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑ in Greek (in uncial form).

Well, sure, after they translated it from the lingua franca (English)!

 

[MCF]

I find that much of the current music is kinda 'bottomless'* except for kick drum. I wanna hear those big, fat, gut rumbling bass notes. Let the guitars, keys, whatever handle the middle range and up. I don't wanna hear the bass sound like a guitar through an octaver. IMO, there's no real foundation to build the rest on.
I know, I'm hopelessly stuck in the 60s/70s, but that's my preference to hear or produce.

*a good thing in some situations

I’m all over the place.

 

[GBassNorth]

Odd thing last night. I took the '64 Reverse with SIT Powerwounds (from where I took the DTFs off for the the NR). I was thinking I might hear the "gold standard" and question the sound of the NR. Maybe it was just because I was used to hearing flats and/or the NR, but I kind of missed the NR. Not that is sounded bad or anything, but I expected more in comparison. Maybe a better way to put it would be I was expecting the '64 to sound better than the '66 NR and it didn't. Kind of explains why I have been enjoying the NR once I got it the way I wanted it. Curious to comp when I get my DFTs that are on back order to put back on the '64 and see how they compare.

Donnie, I’ve lost track…

The Red NR you did a beautiful complete rebuild of has which pickups and strings on it?
And the bone stock ‘64 reverse has which strings on it?

The reason I ask is that I’ve found you to have an impeccable ear when it comes to string selections and I think my tone goals follow yours relatively closely (I do like a slightly darker meat than you, but I can get that out of the amp if needed).

Just to see how our string tastes stack up…
Tone - I like my strings to be medium to ever so slightly bright with a tight not boomy or flabby bottom and a neutral mid range.
Fret Tension - I hate fighting the strings with my left hand, I want smooth and somewhat relaxed play vs iron fist grip on the fret board.
Pluck Tension - right hand bounce is ok but I like a string that plucks or strums nicely (no pic playing here) but hate it when I need to dig in and the string is still wildly oscillating and hasn’t recovered to home position when I’m ready for the next note.
String Type - flats, rounds, tapes and even coated strings are all good (never tried pressure rounds or ovals) seems like they all have a time and a place where they shine. However, when playing flats the one thing I detest is a G string that sounds pingy vs musical, and with rounds I detest overly noisy slides and strings that actually accentuate poor left hand technique (which I have plenty of).

Are you close to any of that?

This is my “go to” string if I’m trying a bass for the first time. It removes a tone variable and gives me a feel for what direction I’ll need to eventually take my string selection to on that particular bass.

 

[GBassNorth]

If all goes well I should have 2 EPs being released into the world this year. I don't know about gut rumbling notes, but you should be able to hear the bass.
There's a very fine line between too much and not enough bass on a recording. The volume you listen at makes a huge difference.
The more I work at recording and mixing, the more I become aware of this.

But I'm with you Mike, I am also stuck in the 60s/70s

That makes three

 

[JIO]

Donnie, I’ve lost track…

The Red NR you did a beautiful complete rebuild of has which pickups and strings on it?
And the bone stock ‘64 reverse has which strings on it?

The reason I ask is that I’ve found you to have an impeccable ear when it comes to string selections and I think my tone goals follow yours relatively closely (I do like a slightly darker meat than you, but I can get that out of the amp if needed).

Just to see how out string tastes stack up…
Tone - I like my strings to be medium to ever so slightly bright with a tight not boomy or flabby bottom and a neutral mid range.
Fret Tension - I hate fighting the strings with my left hand, I want smooth and somewhat relaxed play vs iron fist grip on the fret board.
Pluck Tension - right hand bounce is ok but I like a string that plucks or strums nicely (no pic playing here) but hate it when I need to dig in and the string is still wildly oscillating and hasn’t recovered to home position when I’m ready for the next note.
String Type - flats, rounds, tapes and even coated strings are all good (never tried pressure rounds or ovals) seems like they all have a time and a place where they shine. However, when playing flats the one thing I detest is a G string that sounds pingy vs musical, and with rounds I detest overly noisy slides and strings that actually accentuate poor left hand technique (which I have plenty of).

Are you close to any of that?

This is my “go to” string if I’m trying a bass for the first time. It removes a tone variable and gives me a feel for what direction I’ll need to eventually take my string selection to on that particular bass.
View attachment 7415263

My go-to brand [EXL160BT - 50-120]

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Well, sure, after they translated it from the lingua franca (English)!

English is not the "Lingua Franca"....

 

[JIO]

I find that much of the current music is kinda 'bottomless'* except for kick drum. I wanna hear those big, fat, gut rumbling bass notes. Let the guitars, keys, whatever handle the middle range and up. I don't wanna hear the bass sound like a guitar through an octaver. IMO, there's no real foundation to build the rest on.
I know, I'm hopelessly stuck in the 60s/70s, but that's my preference to hear or produce.

*a good thing in some situations

When I first started hearing live rock music inn the mid-late '60s as a teen it was in echo-y auditoriums. The bass was all boom - no distinct notes. Maybe that had an early effect on me because I favor a mid-centric bass sound and avoid big, fat, gut rumbling bass. Still providing bottom, but hearing articulate notes played. Also not a fan of venues goosing the kick drum - bass overkill.

 

[Gaolee]

I find that much of the current music is kinda 'bottomless'* except for kick drum. I wanna hear those big, fat, gut rumbling bass notes. Let the guitars, keys, whatever handle the middle range and up. I don't wanna hear the bass sound like a guitar through an octaver. IMO, there's no real foundation to build the rest on.
I know, I'm hopelessly stuck in the 60s/70s, but that's my preference to hear or produce.

*a good thing in some situations

The sound that's in fashion these days seems to be a bucket of bass frequency mush. The kick drum is way overamplified, as are the low frequencies of the bass. It turns into nothing but mud, and I hate it. The whole EDM DJ mindset seems to be to crank up bass frequencies to the point that they all blend together into a sloppy mess.

It's the artificial version of the echoing gym that Geo mentions. Without a sound person overdoing the bass, the boom can be dialed down. I do it with a high/low pass filter, the amp EQ, and bass settings when playing in a concrete box type room. Sometimes you need every means available to sort it out.

 

[ectoflanger]

This humorous and informative talk by former David Bowie sideman Earl Slick cheered me up during my time alone over the holidays in Florida-

 

[JIO]

The sound that's in fashion these days seems to be a bucket of bass frequency mush. The kick drum is way overamplified, as are the low frequencies of the bass. It turns into nothing but mud, and I hate it. The whole EDM DJ mindset seems to be to crank up bass frequencies to the point that they all blend together into a sloppy mess.

It's the artificial version of the echoing gym that Geo mentions. Without a sound person overdoing the bass, the boom can be dialed down. I do it with a high/low pass filter, the amp EQ, and bass settings when playing in a concrete box type room. Sometimes you need every means available to sort it out.

word

 

[JIO]

This humorous and informative talk by Earl Slick cheered me up during my time alone over the holidays in Florida-

Love Earl Slicks' work with Bowie - my favorite part of his multifaceted career -

Gayle Ann Dorsey too!