Thunderbird Club

[GBassNorth]

My first Gibson bass ever is in the mail and it is a black nonreverse, very very excited to join the gang

Of all the NR colors out there that one is my favorite! You gotta post a pic of the beauty so I can drool a bit more. The formal tuxedo look just looks so classic.

When I bought my NR I got the Burgundy Metallic model, they didn’t have the black NR back then, I’ve considered selling mine and getting a black one but I’d put a cream or parchment pick guard on it for a slightly vintage look.

 

[Engle]

Not a nerve, just regret, and the fact that I've incurred some chewing out from time to time for it! The crew over at ebassist.com gave me a good running down over it, and I actually butted heads with another guy at basschat.uk. We got through that one ok!
Meh, it no longer pokes me, I just still feel it sometimes. That's part of this whole redeeming business- I want it to be something that I'll be happy to play- and it is very comfortable actually.
The Westone thing has been mentioned before, but wasn't a vision or anything. Actually "SG" occurred to me while it was in progress. But I had no vision for what it would be, I just wanted to lose the upper horn because of ergonomic related issues I was having at the time.
That's the short answer, lol...

I think it's a well built instrument, yeah. The set neck seems well done, sturdy and stable.

Jeez, you should be able to do whatever you like to your own bass, without people on the internet giving you grief about it!

 

[dagrev]

Of all the NR colors out there that one is my favorite! You gotta post a pic of the beauty so I can drool a bit more. The formal tuxedo look just looks so classic.

When I bought my NR I got the Burgundy Metallic model, they didn’t have the black NR back then, I’ve considered selling mine and getting a black one but I’d put a cream or parchment pick guard on it for a slightly vintage look.

As much as I love the color of my '21 Burgundy, I would have preferred the B&W if around then.

 

[Metal Sombreros]

Of all the NR colors out there that one is my favorite! You gotta post a pic of the beauty so I can drool a bit more. The formal tuxedo look just looks so classic.

When I bought my NR I got the Burgundy Metallic model, they didn’t have the black NR back then, I’ve considered selling mine and getting a black one but I’d put a cream or parchment pick guard on it for a slightly vintage look.

Thats funny I wanted a red one!

 

[Metal Sombreros]

That's what it is

Oh well silly me!! Haha

 

[dagrev]

Jeez, you should be able to do whatever you like to your own bass, without people on the internet giving you grief about it!

Yes, but it's the internet where children in adult bodies often think they are clever but are just..... Sadly.
It's one thing to say something isn't for me, but to rag on somebody is childish. Among other things.

 

[GBassNorth]

Thats funny I wanted a red one!

LOL - wanna trade?

 

[ThaCoast]

I’ve only played a few. Including one in Dave’s garage when he had one for a bit. It was a nice Thunderbird. Were I to get one, I would probably ditch the on board EQ and install a set of Tbird+ PUPs or something. But that’s just me. YMMV.

Seems like a general position, if i had one, id probably turn it into a spectorbird (slap some emg p & j bird housed pickups, & a haz preamp clone circuit). Or go dual volumes & leave it as such.

Many people have complained about the preamp in that model but seemed to like it when they rewired them to passive. I don't own one but have played a couple in stores. They were well made, solid Birds.

Had played a couple in store during their launch year, & was pretty surprised of them. Its been a number of years, though i may have recalled the preamp wasnt the best in range/tonality, but leaving it all in center, yielded the better results.

I have one. I still have the non electronic part. It is fretless. I hated the active pickups and preamp. They are gone. It had a completely scooped sound that was an unpleasant yellow-green. I don't know how else to describe it. With different pickups and no preamp, it is a perfectly good Thunderbird. It has Lace Alumitone pickups in it, and I want to put a Dimarzio One up in mudbucker position. Mine is refinished. It was originally dark burst. If it had been the light version, it would probably have its factory finish still.

Yellow-green sounds about a good description for something that's not our forte.

How dyou refin it?

I had the 5 string. The bridge was mis-installed at the factory and warped so I had to replace it with a Hipshot. The neck was stupidly huge and my hands hated it. That was a shame because it was a gorgeous (oiled finish) bass. The pickups/preamp had a very clean, modern sound. It wasn’t really what I wanted, but that’s a taste issue. I’ve heard a few people disparage the preamp but can’t recall why. The owners of 4 strings I see around TB seem happy with them.

Maybe the preamp in comparison to the bigger names in the game, was perhaps lackluster¿ nevertheless, sucks yours had a warped bridge, though i assume the hipshot was a better piece overall.

 

[Engle]

Yes, but it's the internet where children in adult bodies often think they are clever but are just..... Sadly.
It's one thing to say something isn't for me, but to rag on somebody is childish. Among other things.

At least this little corner of the internet is civilized!

 

[JIO]

Bond Girl had a fun night at the Utah here in SF last night. They usually have 3 bands but for whatever reason they had 4 starting at 8:15. We were 2nd and went on shortly after 9pm. First & last bands were punk rock and the 3rd up (from LA) were a young pop-rock band that did original songs reminiscent of The Strokes, in fact - they did a couple Strokes songs and admitted that they were their favorite band. They (being primarily Latino) also did a cool contemporary Latino pop song that apparently is pretty popular in their community. Their bass player (who played a Jack Cassidy) sounded great and a number of songs in I noticed he (a 'right-handed' player) did not have a right hand. I then really started listening to his playing to hear how he made it work. His playing was a bit more percussive/not nuanced but totally in the pocket. If I just heard him w/o seeing him I would have never known. I love when people overcome such - his love of music/playing overcame his disability and afterwards I congratulated him on his playing.

Back when I was racing bikes in the '80s, there was an outdoor velodrome north of Chicago (Northbrook) that I competed on Thursday nights. There was a guy who competed there who like the bass-player only had one hand. He would wedge his (wrist?) against the bars and made it happen - he was a strong competitor in a discipline that is hard enough with two hands.

Oh... we played well and even as we were the 'odd band out' genre-wise, everyone seemed to like our performance. A audience member (bass player) even said he liked my playing. A pretty rare occurrence but nice to hear when it happens.

 

[JIO]

Jeez, you should be able to do whatever you like to your own bass, without people on the internet giving you grief about it!

You know what they say about 'opinions'...

 

[Nocturnal]

I took my Epiphone Jack Casady to my hippie band's rehearsal and all I can say is wow! First time I used it in a band situation ( I did have a early one bought it in '99 foolishly sold it) big, thick warm singing tone, just amazing. I liked it so much I'm going to take it tonight's gig.View attachment 7514802

On Thurs I played mine for the first time in a while. Always forget just how good it sounds!

 

[Metal Sombreros]

LOL - wanna trade?

Anything is possible where are u located

 

[JIO]

At least this little corner of the internet is civilized!

Civility is under appreciated these days...

 

[Count Bassie]

On Thurs I played mine for the first time in a while. Always forget just how good it sounds!

I had a Cassady and sold it to the Earthmen's guitar player. I needed bread at the time, and when I bought it I wasn't really in a good position for it. But the night he showed up at the local jam with it I realized how good it sounded. Yeah I got that familiar sinking in my chest. I let it go, did what I felt I had to do. All's well. It was real neck divey, and it need a thumb rest...

 

[GBassNorth]

Anything is possible where are u located

SoCal - about 30min north of the valley between Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.

 

[Nocturnal]

I had a Cassady and sold it to the Earthmen's guitar player. I needed bread at the time, and when I bought it I wasn't really in a good position for it. But the night he showed up at the local jam with it I realized how good it sounded. Yeah I got that familiar sinking in my chest. I let it go, did what I felt I had to do. All's well. It was real neck divey, and it need a thumb rest...

Zero-Mod makes a nice looking thumb rest that I have debated about buying. Neck-divey for sure.

 

[ThaCoast]

I'd love a Cassady bass, the LTD colors were sweet, i kinda dig it in gold (probably the only instrument i can stand with gold finish). Though i think i'd prefer a Rivoli bass with low impedance LP recording/triumph bass pickups. Then again, i really need to finishing building my cheat flattop/back eb-2 style bass.

 

[Metal Sombreros]

SoCal - about 30min north of the valley between Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.

Ill hit you up in a week

 

[TBird1958]

We need some Thunderbird today.............