Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

All this cover talk and I might have to get mine and the spacers out...

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

anything beats this.....pretty grody..

 

[JJR58]

For those interested in the new EB Pino Palladino cobalt flats…
View attachment 7431588
I just installed an extra light (38,54,68,98) set on my ‘67 Tbird II and compared them to some EBCF strings I have on another bird.
First impressions:
Feel - ultra smooth to the max. EBCFs can sometimes feel a bit grippy for a flat, not these, they’re hot snot on a French door knob smooth.
Tension - very low but certainly not floppy. I’m able to run these on a set up with only 2/64ths action on the open strings at the 12th fret.
Silks - both ends in an attractive turquoise, unfortunately not purple
Length - these seem a bit longer than the EBCFs which can be a tad shorter than I like on the D string. I had to trim the E,A and D strings and had plenty of length on the G string as well.
Sound - compared to the EBCFs these have a more subdued top end and every bit as much bottom with slightly stronger mids. I’ve always considered EBCFs the most round wound sounding flat, these are somewhere between EBCFs and RotoSound flats. Plenty thumpy if wanted but still very articulate on the top end without sounding pingy or round wound bright. These sit nicely half way between EBCFs and Rotos.
Cost - about $60 on Amazon, might be cheaper elsewhere, so a premium price for a premium string that should last a good long time.
Recommendation - if you’ve been on the sideline because EBCFs seem rough, or if you like a clean articulate sounding flat, or if you are in search of a light gauge flat that’s not flabby or floppy, or if you like the Roto sound but want a tad more definition and top end then these strings may be worth a try.

I’ll try to put up a sound sample tomorrow.

These seem to have very similar characteristics to the EB Group IV’s.
Except the Group IV’s might be slightly higher tension.
At least that’s what I feel in comparing them.
I put a set back on a bass to get use to them again.
I believe the Group IV’s are SS.
So there’s that.

 

[dagrev]

Yes it did. Mrs Gator had bugs in her food last night.
And she liked it.
(AKA..Mud Bugs)
The season is just starting.
Cheers!
View attachment 7431817

I love sea insects. Good stuff!

 

[dagrev]

Big band--small stage.

 

[Stealth57]

anything beats this.....pretty grody..
View attachment 7431876

Mine came with marshmallow.

 

[Albert Ross]

I'm a "lacto, beefo, porko, poulto" vegetarian.

I'm a "vegetarian with benefits". I usually don't eat meat, but every once in a while, I eat a green chile cheeseburger.

 

[JIO]

anything beats this.....pretty grody..
View attachment 7431876

 

[ectoflanger]

I just had a fit of laughter at the $1,200 price tag.
I'm sorry, I know this is in the ballpark for quite a few of us. I just can't take it that seriously at first glance.
But I get it. I guess.

So I found what a new German made Thumb BO5 with an Ovangkol Body and neck (same as mine) costs- 3780.00 - so I suppose 1200.00 for a brand new neck isn't that unreasonable, apart from their putting out shoddy workmanship in the first place. Not meaning to slag them- I have three others that are doing just fine. But they knew they messed up or they wouldn't have offered free replacements to original owners (which I'm not) or new factory made ones with original serial numbers cut into the headstock for subsequent owners, albeit at the 1200.00 price tag-

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...6acAr5JjxdnbK4XwXqzdUfekCyIBPLjhoCf7gQAvD_BwE

 

[Stealth57]

View attachment 7431910

Those felts look new.

 

[GBassNorth]

remove the springs.....
View attachment 7431674

Mine is identical to yours - screws, cap nuts, saddles (un cut) and no springs.
It works fine as is with the strings I have on it, but if I change strings it might or might not need to move further than there is room for.

 

[MCF]

first time with a '21......thanks for letting me borrow your camera Mike....
View attachment 7431261

You tried my ‘21 at your house in ‘22. You chastised me for it having a dry fretboard. Memory’s the second thing to go.

 

[MCF]

never seen so many Teles in one place in my life ....almost like they outnumber Strats by 10 to 1..... definitely not Cali....HEE HAW!!..

I prefer Teles myself. Wish I had one. In Lake Placid Blue.

 

[MCF]

Thx M! When are you gonna get out there and start making some noise?

When all the damn house projects are done. Hopefully. The last weeks have been spent getting our back patio repaired. Stucco work is finally getting finished up today. The “joys” of home ownership.

 

[MCF]

totally, a little disappointed at the young inexperienced sales staff but I guess everyone has a right to retire, the banter from the luthiers in the back was interesting......the other, can't say "disappointing" item since it comes as no surprise, was the lack of focus on basses...
have you been Marshall?

Nope. One day when I can do a southern Road Trip. Only been to Nashville once. And then only for a day about 35 years ago.

 

[Gaolee]

Yes and no. I still don't eat sea food.

You save it for the rest of us. Thanks!

 

[Gaolee]

Nice review. I believe turquoise silk add subtle mids.
But check with Will.

It adds a bit of top end if they are bright turquoise or better yet, electric blue. You need to have them fade to dark teal in the middle to get the whole Thunderbird sound.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Big band--small stage.
View attachment 7431891

The Thunder and Fire birds!!!

 

[JIO]

I've played a few gigs with IEMs with my cover band and it was a joy to hear my bass and singing clearly.
Not that I don't enjoy playing through an amp, but I usually have to keep my stage volume down so we don't overwhelm the vocal monitors. That leads to hand fatigue as I play harder than I should.
The same dynamic happens with my voice - I'm yelling because I can't hear myself and I almost lose my voice.

Yep - I am the volume tsar in TSC and Cherie serves that role w/BG. Our joint dictate? vocals on top Everything is at a lower volume for exactly the reasons you stated; do not overwhelm the PA (squealing especially) and do not make Kirstin or Cheri over-stress their voice. Both have strong voices, but it's more about allowing dynamic nuance. Same with our playing - our new BG drummer Scott is a joy to play with because he doesn't play too loud. Imagine that - a drummer that doesn't play too loud... how did we get so lucky? In rehearsals, I find myself playing more expressively because I can hear each instrument clearly and articulately including my own. I can also hear the song. That seems a given, but I mean I can hear the song as a listener, like an audience member. In an ensemble you develop a split sense listening to the other musicians and your own playing, constantly monitoring the overall sound. Once that becomes internalized, you can just play immersed in the moment as part of the whole. Alway the goal - it doesn't always go that way. The audience may not notice, but I know for a fact that when it all comes together on stage - they notice.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Big band--small stage.
View attachment 7431891

Ed King stands out like a sore thumb....