Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

I've given up worrying about an octave pedal. I tried the Aquilat Octamizer, the T-Rex Quit, and the Boss OC-5. One didn't track well, jumping up and down an octave, one did a bit of that plus sounded a bit synthy, and the third always sounded synthy. I'll be fine without it.

One of the songs yesterday wanted to go down to C, but D standard is as low as my basses tune properly with EBCFs (limited size options never mattered until now). SO I rethought the part I was trying to play. It worked out just fine. While it would have been nice, it was never necessary. I'm glad they work for some of you. I've no idea why they didn't with me. I tried All The Things. (shrug)

Life's too short to stress over it!

You need an Ashdown ABM then!

 

[MCF]

See, it's coming together nicely. I'm not noticing and downsides being posted thus far.

My mother tought me if I can’t say anything nice, to keep my mouth shut.

 

[TBird1958]

The studio side gig could pay for the maid. Just a thought.

I'm quite fetching in my Maid's uniform.......

 

[TBird1958]

Thanks Rich! The price isn’t crazy. But the sticker has me spooked. At first I thought Will snuck in and put a pixie sticker on it. Being an ‘01, it likely is a great sounding Thunderbird. I like how it has aged. But I’ll have to pass. I wonder if V knows anything about it…

Aside from the color it's a run of the mill Bird, they were done for a Japanese dealer as I recall, between 6 -10 total. The sticker really does wreck it for me as well, it will have ghosted something onto the finish that isn't going to come off. Too bad, the player wear doesn't bug me at all. I'm pretty sure one of our members here in the states has one that's in much better shape.

 

[JIO]

You need an Ashdown ABM then!

...or a Spyder...

 

[dagrev]

I'm quite fetching in my Maid's uniform.......

Why would you have a... No, we don't need to know that.

 

[GonePlaid]

I've given up worrying about an octave pedal. I tried the Aquilat Octamizer, the T-Rex Quit, and the Boss OC-5. One didn't track well, jumping up and down an octave, one did a bit of that plus sounded a bit synthy, and the third always sounded synthy. I'll be fine without it.

One of the songs yesterday wanted to go down to C, but D standard is as low as my basses tune properly with EBCFs (limited size options never mattered until now). SO I rethought the part I was trying to play. It worked out just fine. While it would have been nice, it was never necessary. I'm glad they work for some of you. I've no idea why they didn't with me. I tried All The Things. (shrug)

Life's too short to stress over it!

My EHX Micro POG sounded pretty good down to C the coupla times I tried it. It just wasn't worth the hassle of hooking it up to play a relative few notes that most people wouldn't notice. Hence, it has remained unused for quite a while. My main use for it was in big band gigs where a low(er) Eb was useful-lotta big band charts in Eb.

 

[TBird1958]

Oh yeah, Tuesday!

 

[Gaolee]

I have been assured that weight matters. Heavy basses sound better that lightweight basses.

(No, I don’t believe it).

Both the 2013 EB and the 2015 Thunderbird are insanely light. Both sound great. Maybe it works the other way around.

 

[Gaolee]

One for Marshall @MCF

Gibson Thunderbird IV Pelham Blue *Rare Color* Neck Through w/OHSC - 2001 | Reverb

Northwest Vintage Guitars presents a super rare Gibson Thunderbird IV in Pelham Blue and including the OHSC. These iterations of the T-Bird Bass feature the same neck through design and killer TBPlus pickups as their predecessors. The neck pickup reads 9.12k ohms and the bridge reads ...

reverb.com

And it's a 2001. I would jump on it if I didn't already have a 2001. The sticker on it is unfortunate, but that probably can come off.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

One for Marshall @MCF

Gibson Thunderbird IV Pelham Blue *Rare Color* Neck Through w/OHSC - 2001 | Reverb

Northwest Vintage Guitars presents a super rare Gibson Thunderbird IV in Pelham Blue and including the OHSC. These iterations of the T-Bird Bass feature the same neck through design and killer TBPlus pickups as their predecessors. The neck pickup reads 9.12k ohms and the bridge reads ...

reverb.com

Gorgeous!

 

[MCF]

Both the 2013 EB and the 2015 Thunderbird are insanely light. Both sound great. Maybe it works the other way around.

My ‘15 is around 7 1/2. It’s the perfect weight for me. And sounds wonderful. That $200 CP is about the same. My ‘77 is about 8 1/2. I’m really comfortable with anything around 9 or less. 10 is about where I start noticing the weight.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I'm quite fetching in my Maid's uniform.......

Photo proof?

 

[MCF]

And it's a 2001. I would jump on it if I didn't already have a 2001. The sticker on it is unfortunate, but that probably can come off.

But like V says, there will likely be some ghosting, depending on how long it has been there. Which is why I suspect the shop left it on. Could be a negotiating point. But I’m just not wanting to add anything to the family at this point. Maybe after I’m done with my slowly progressing project to get all I have be the best they can be, I’ll be open to another one. And I’m still Bongo curios. Being from the Central Coast where I lived my formative years, I should probably get a legit Music Man at some point.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Oh yeah, Tuesday!

yup, that time....

 

[Gaolee]

But like V says, there will likely be some ghosting, depending on how long it has been there. Which is why I suspect the shop left it on. Could be a negotiating point. But I’m just not wanting to add anything to the family at this point. Maybe after I’m done with my slowly progressing project to get all I have be the best they can be, I’ll be open to another one. And I’m still Bongo curios. Being from the Central Coast where I lived my formative years, I should probably get a legit Music Man at some point.

You need a 360, but that's a different issue.

 

[dagrev]

Gorgeous!

In looking at the listing an Orville shows up. Likely in the wiki but looks like the pups are in the "correct" location, or close.

I recall someone discussing the differences between the Greco and Orville before, but can someone just hit it again briefly? What I remember was the Greco was the better of the two in some ways, likely the pickups.

 

[dagrev]

But like V says, there will likely be some ghosting, depending on how long it has been there. Which is why I suspect the shop left it on. Could be a negotiating point. But I’m just not wanting to add anything to the family at this point. Maybe after I’m done with my slowly progressing project to get all I have be the best they can be, I’ll be open to another one. And I’m still Bongo curios. Being from the Central Coast where I lived my formative years, I should probably get a legit Music Man at some point.

I played a Bongo when I had a SR and SR 5er HH. I hated it. Not just the looks, but the sound. If something sounded great I would gladly play something that looked like a toilet seat.

My SR was beautiful, very comfortable to play, had something like a Pbass neck (love unfinished necks), but didn't love it enough to keep it. Never regretted selling it. Actually thought the 5er sounded better. Did get irritated with EB when the finish lifted off the body by the bridge. The pressure of the bridge caused it to bulge up under the strings. I bought it new and and EB said it was out of warranty (not by much), but they would sell me a new body for $350--if I returned the old one. I protested that this was not an old bass and something from the factory was off--clearly nothing I could have done to cause it. Nope. $350 and my old body. I wasn't impressed and would never by one again for that reason. They make a quality product--but Fender and Gibson as far better warranties and stand behind their work. I got the new body, attached the neck, disclosed it was a new factory body and sold it.

 

[TBird1958]

In looking at the listing an Orville shows up. Likely in the wiki but looks like the pups are in the "correct" location, or close.

I recall someone discussing the differences between the Greco and Orville before, but can someone just hit it again briefly? What I remember was the Greco was the better of the two in some ways, likely the pickups.

Greco are set neck, one or two pickups, 3 point bridge plus a tailpiece the shape is patterned after the original '60s Reverse with a bit of a hump on the upper bout. The pickups are (at least on mine) monstrous, with great lows and mids - they are worth the price of the bass! Slightly shorter scale and a bigger neck, almost P bass.

Orvilles are also set neck, true 34" long scale, 3 point bridge, slim neck like a '76, there are at least two variations of pickups in them, some are TB Plus with chrome covers ( which is what mine had) and another design that I have not heard but understand that they sound quite good. Epiphone's Elitist models are direct descendants of Orvilles.

The two are quite different, I like them both for different reasons, so just buy one of each.
I think Orvilles are overlooked, mine has been a great mod platform.

 

[dagrev]

Greco are set neck, one or two pickups, 3 point bridge plus a tailpiece the shape is patterned after the original '60s Reverse with a bit of a hump on the upper bout. The pickups are (at least on mine) monstrous, with great lows and mids - they are worth the price of the bass! Slightly shorter scale and a bigger neck, almost P bass.

Orvilles are also set neck, true 34" long scale, 3 point bridge, slim neck like a '76, there are at least two variations of pickups in them, some are TB Plus with chrome covers ( which is what mine had) and another design that I have not heard but understand that they sound quite good. Epiphone's Elitist models are direct descendants of Orvilles.

The two are quite different, I like them both for different reasons, so just buy one of each.
I think Orvilles are overlooked, mine has been a great mod platform.

Thanks, V! Great info!
Well, not the "just buy both part"!