Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

No this one:
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Yah, I prefer the one I posted...

 

[dagrev]

For the record, I know Steppenwolf did "Born To Be Wild." I have no idea why I said Bruce pages ago. I never have Springsteen on my mind so have no clue where or what that came out. Too much fun when young I reckon.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

So if this the case, I wonder what volume pots are in @GBassNorth ’s ‘79. That Thunderbird is a monster.

I remember reading somewhere in this thread that '76 models are series wired with 100K pots.

I don't know enough T-Bird lore yet to know if that extended to 79's or other models, or was something unique done.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

I was lost too. Pretty sure it wasn't Ringo the neighbor's old dog.

Ringo Starr was born a lefty but he was retaught to right-handedness for a lot of things as a child, as was common back then.

I wouldn't know a left-hand drum kit setup from a right-handed one, but have read he "plays righty". Standard set up.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

For the record, I know Steppenwolf did "Born To Be Wild." I have no idea why I said Bruce pages ago. I never have Springsteen on my mind so have no clue where or what that came out. Too much fun when young I reckon.

 

[Ringhammer]

IIRC, when pickups are parallel wired, the volume pots are each wired voltage-divider style: one end of the element grounded, the other end is the output, signal from pickup comes in on the wiper.

So at 0 volume you have near-zero resistance pickup to ground, 500k to output.

At max volume you have near-zero pickup to output, 500k (or 250k) to ground.

Unless you use no-load pots, the 'ground load' is never fully gone, and equals the fixed value of the pot.

Series wiring is very different; they are shunt-wired across each pickup, so at max vol the full resistance is across each coil.

Thanks for this explanation. I wish it helped me understand how more resistance makes a pickup sound better/different.

I have a rudimentary understanding of circuits, and I always consider electrical circuits similar to plumbing, signal (or voltage) follows a path (of least resistance) to ground. But like I said, my understanding is purely rudimentary.

 

[RedVee]

They can certainly do some weird things with them.
I've watched NASCAR (and other stock car racing) since I was a kid, and that the cars now are Mustangs, Camaros, etc., is a joke. (Not directed at you Geoff, but the what things have evolved.) There are some slight body differences but the only thing that makes them a Camaro are the body wrap. I'm sure glad the cars are much safer, but have never been a fan of the sheet metal cars that look nothing like what it's supposed to be.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2024/0...chevy-camaro-looks-like-without-a-wrap-video/

Yes I agree.
The current version of our Supercars is a little improved over the previous in that they make the race car meet the road cars main dimensions while still using the control chassis. They also use engines from the manufacturer, I’m not sure what engine the new Supra is using ? Lexus? (Oddly they withdrew the supra from sale here just as the race car was introduced ). AFAIK the engines are a detuned / smaller maybe version of the NASCAR engine for that make. Maybe that has changed with the new formula?
I must say I am a little more interested in this generation (except for the Mustangs winning everything sorry @Mikaelbass ) the previous ones left me cold and I became very disinterested except for Bathurst.

Supercars at least must use real doors and lights which is good.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Thanks for this explanation. I wish it helped me understand how more resistance makes a pickup sound better/different.

I have a rudimentary understanding of circuits, and I always consider electrical circuits similar to plumbing, signal (or voltage) follows a path (of least resistance) to ground. But like I said, my understanding is purely rudimentary.

Well, when you put a resistance across an inductor (a coil, like a pickup), the way the two together react to an AC signal change according to the values of the resistor and inductor, and the frequency of the signal.

The exact change can be described mathematically, but the gist is there's a relationship between the three.

So changing the value of one changes the behavior, and that changes the resulting sound.

 

[GBassNorth]

So if this the case, I wonder what volume pots are in @GBassNorth ’s ‘79. That Thunderbird is a monster.

Like all bicentennial birds, 100K linear on vol and tone pots, all wired in series. I think the pickups might be wound hotter than earlier models, or maybe they used a different magnet material. IDK, but I love it!

 

[Ringhammer]

Well, when you put a resistance across an inductor (a coil, like a pickup), the way the two together react to an AC signal change according to the values of the resistor and inductor, and the frequency of the signal.

The exact change can be described mathematically, but the gist is there's a relationship between the three.

So changing the value of one changes the behavior, and that changes the resulting sound.

I need to add my rudimentary knowledge of circuits is usually DC. And really just simple open or closed circuits with EOL resistors and switches. I understand that capacitors will store voltage, but beyond that, Inductance and so on get real fuzzy for me.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

For the record, I know Steppenwolf did "Born To Be Wild." I have no idea why I said Bruce pages ago. I never have Springsteen on my mind so have no clue where or what that came out. Too much fun when young I reckon.

was thinking "didn't know Steppenwolf's bass player's name was Bruce"....

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yeah, they look really good. Plus they finally managed to build them in RHD from the factory. So full marks to GM on that.

I just can’t afford one.
On the other hand I’m also not sure I could get in and out of one. Not elegantly anyway!

Been reading that the NASCAR (and probably Supercars) racer from 27 will be based on the Corvette shape. No clue how they will get that to look decent in a Camaro style size and package.

200k miles on this......C8s are nice but you can't get a clutch....

 

[BuddhaFingas]

I need to add my rudimentary knowledge of circuits is usually DC. And really just simple open or closed circuits with EOL resistors and switches. I understand that capacitors will store voltage, but beyond that, Inductance and so on get real fuzzy for me.

Yeah, AC is a lot more complex beast.

For a plumbing parallel, think about how 'water hammer' works...

It has mainly to do with how inductance and resistance react differently to changes in current.

In a resistor, current and voltage are in phase.

But in an inductor, current lags voltage by 90 degrees.

Creates a phase relationship based on frequency.

 

[5StringBlues]

"Great J". Isn't that an oxymoron?

70s spacing, yes. 60s, no.

 

[JIO]

Ringo Starr was born a lefty but he was retaught to right-handedness for a lot of things as a child, as was common back then.

I wouldn't know a left-hand drum kit setup from a right-handed one, but have read he "plays righty". Standard set up.

Ringo has survived as the best Beatle in many ways. Yah, Sir Paul is undeniably legendary and John & George likewise - but among the living, Ringo seems like a very cool dude who looks great for his age, is still touring and his "peace" branding is spot-on. Long live Ringo!

 

[JIO]

70s spacing, yes. 60s, no.

'66 J - perfection (many awesome recordings to back it up)

 

[GBassNorth]

Ringo has survived as the best Beatle in many ways. Yah, Sir Paul is undeniably legendary and John & George likewise - but among the living, Ringo seems like a very cool dude who looks great for his age, is still touring and his "peace" branding is spot-on.

Ringo was probably seen as the least likely to succeed after the band break up, but he’s done quite well and turned out to be one of the most Zen members of the group. Whoda thunk?

 

[5StringBlues]

Sorry to hear about the glue job. Did you try a couple sheetrock screws? Hopefully you still have it, and you can get a luthier to dowel pin it like the Thunderbird headstock repairs I've seen here on the club. It has to be repairable, or you could get an Epi reissue and rob the neck off of it. Jazz basses have nice necks and are used a lot, I have a few, don't hold it against me Miles. This one pictured has Lollar Thunderbird pickups installed, its neck it on a P-Bass, for the moment.

I'm pretty sure the old neck is fubar now, having been in storage in unairconditioned buildings since 1998ish.

A local luthier who used to work for Robin guitars and Rio Grande pickups has kindly volunteered to build me a new neck for it.

He's had it a few years now so who knows.....


My big mistake was not tracking down another G3 in the late 90s. I'm sure pricing was more sensible then than now.

 

[5StringBlues]

'66 J - perfection (many awesome recordings to back it up)

View attachment 7463251

I've lusted after that mother for years!

 

[MCF]

I don't mind the black Hipshot on my '06, but it and nothing looks right to but a two piece. Been playing and looking at one for 44 years and that's the only thing that looks normal to me.

I guess this looks kind of normal because the black pups already make it look somewhat not normal.
View attachment 7463182

I’ve always liked that Thunderbird. It has the same generation Tbird Pluses that my Studio has. So I bet it sounds great.