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Thunderbird Club

#339,501
Mikaelbass said:
You know that is a really good question I was asking myself after refinding these tracks an listening. I think part of the reason is after the band self destructed I wanted to change the instrument into something else, and eventually just let it go. Listening back though, there is no doubt in my mind that it sounded better with the thunderbuckers. Even more of a shame since you cant get them anymore!

Oh well, next bird I get in May will get 916 or lollars or something like that (in gold) - I will make my magnum opus tbird.

Glad you like the song!
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Funny thing about Thunderbuckers. I have them in one Thunderbird. It has a 64N and a 66S. Those are great sounding pickups. I also have a 2001 Thunderbird with the original TB+ pickups. The 2001 sounds almost identical to the Thunderbucker equipped 'Bird, at least through my amps and to my ears. Finding a 2001 with original pickups is not so easy, and it isn't as much fun as swapping out pickups, but if it's the sound you want, that's a way to get it. Or maybe that specific 2001 has pixie dust sprinkled on it. I don't think so because Ken did some experiments with 2001 TB+ pickups and decided that they had magic for him, too. I won't be giving up the Thunderbuckers in the Flamingo. There's that. But there are some surprise options out there.
 
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#339,502
JIO said:
In cycling jargon, on a long ride if you don't eat/drink enough you have a drop in energy and it's know as "bonking". (maybe used by runners also) A female cycling friend did a cycling tour in Australia and during a long, hot group ride she remarked "I'm bonking". All the males in the group who heard it started laughing. Means something totally different in Oz. :D
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It means the same thing here as it does in Oz.
 
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#339,504
JIO said:
In cycling jargon, on a long ride if you don't eat/drink enough you have a drop in energy and it's know as "bonking". (maybe used by runners also) A female cycling friend did a cycling tour in Australia and during a long, hot group ride she remarked "I'm bonking". All the males in the group who heard it started laughing. Means something totally different in Oz. :D
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Not just in Oz. I was confused the first time I heard it in a cycling context.
 
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#339,505
MCF said:
View attachment 7455664
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"Bonk" has a few meanings...

1773880522349.png
 
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#339,507
Miles_ONeal said:
Not just in Oz. I was confused the first time I heard it in a cycling context.
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Really? Truthfully I only knew it; 1) getting "bonked" on the head, and 2) "bonking" on a long, hot bike ride. I was surprised to hear it mean... you know...
 
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#339,509
Gaolee said:
Funny thing about Thunderbuckers. I have them in one Thunderbird. It has a 64N and a 66S. Those are great sounding pickups. I also have a 2001 Thunderbird with the original TB+ pickups. The 2001 sounds almost identical to the Thunderbucker equipped 'Bird, at least through my amps and to my ears. Finding a 2001 with original pickups is not so easy, and it isn't as much fun as swapping out pickups, but if it's the sound you want, that's a way to get it. Or maybe that specific 2001 has pixie dust sprinkled on it. I don't think so because Ken did some experiments with 2001 TB+ pickups and decided that they had magic for him, too. I won't be giving up the Thunderbuckers in the Flamingo. There's that. But there are some surprise options out there.
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It is funny you say that, years ago I played what I think was an early 2000's or late 90's Gibson sunburst. That thing sounded incredible. Best Tbird I have ever played. Didn't have the coin, sadly. But the way it played and sounded was just "it". From what I have read in this thread from lots of people including the Queen is that Gibson pickups in the post 88's have been all over the place in terms of sound.

I hope I find one that has that same kind of mojo.
 
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#339,512
Gaolee said:
Funny thing about Thunderbuckers. I have them in one Thunderbird. It has a 64N and a 66S. Those are great sounding pickups. I also have a 2001 Thunderbird with the original TB+ pickups. The 2001 sounds almost identical to the Thunderbucker equipped 'Bird, at least through my amps and to my ears. Finding a 2001 with original pickups is not so easy, and it isn't as much fun as swapping out pickups, but if it's the sound you want, that's a way to get it. Or maybe that specific 2001 has pixie dust sprinkled on it. I don't think so because Ken did some experiments with 2001 TB+ pickups and decided that they had magic for him, too. I won't be giving up the Thunderbuckers in the Flamingo. There's that. But there are some surprise options out there.
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My 2001 Bird is hands down my favorite sounding Bird in my collection. There is magic in those pickups!!
 
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#339,513
Miles_ONeal said:
Hays Carl
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That guy is as entertaining telling stories as he is singing and playing. Funny guy.

Spent time with him in the late 90s when he was just getting started at the Old Quarter in Galveston.


We eventually started taking him with us to be our opener when l was with Sisters Morales and Lisa produced his first album. Wasn't too long until he was more popular than we were.


Then there's the night l rode back to Houston with him from Gruene. The details of this trip are very dim....


Even the day after, very dim!
 
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#339,515
Miles_ONeal said:
More pix and vids will have to wait, but Ray Benson’s 75th Birthday Bash was a blast! Los Lonely Boys, Asleep at the Wheel, a fiddler whose name I missed, Hays Carl, Rick Treviño and Josh Baca, Stanley freaking Jordan, and Jimmy Vaughn. So many legends on one stage. So many cool songs. Stanley did some off the chain jazz stuff, then led the bands in “City of New Orleans”. Natch, we sang along. Jimmy did a couple of standards and his tunes, then led the band in Texas Flood. I kinda teared up.

JoJo Garza with Los Lonely Boys is a monster player with drool-worthy tone:
View attachment 7455170
View attachment 7455171
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What town and what venue and was this in the past few days?
 
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#339,516
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#339,518
5StringBlues said:
That guy is as entertaining telling stories as he is singing and playing. Funny guy.

Spent time with him in the late 90s when he was just getting started at the Old Quarter in Galveston.


We eventually started taking him with us to be our opener when l was with Sisters Morales and Lisa produced his first album. Wasn't too long until he was more popular than we were.


Then there's the night l rode back to Houston with him from Gruene. The details of this trip are very dim....


Even the day after, very dim!
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Apparently next year he and Band of Heathens will be headlining the bash. And yeah, he’s as fun to listen to talking as singing/playing. Kinda like Ray and most everyone else who got to talk last night. Cool cats, every one. Weird there were no women, though.
 
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