Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

I saw Bloodrock open up for Grand Funk, what a show. Imagine Mel Schacher (my favorite bassist) playing through 48 15" JBLs! Leaning back on his heels, and the soundwaves keeping him from falling over backwards! I was never the same as a bassist again ( yes, I was known as being a loud bassist, but only 1 bar ever complained (the sound man begged us to come back, but we never did)).

My friend Cork was in the late '60s Bay Area psychedelic band "The 5O' Hose" He spoke of his giant bass cabs rustling his bell-bottoms!

 

[dagrev]

A P-bass having a larger pg (than a J), you can loose a bit of weight but not as much as you'd hope though. To optimize that I do a honeycomb pattern using a drill press with various sized Forster bits. I drill down to 1/4" and position the holes as close to each other as possible. The honeycomb keeps it stable so use every available space under the pg.

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Much conjecture about its effect on sound/tone - but the only time I noticed it was when I did a much more involved chambering. This is the late '80s alder J body I mentioned. I routed the top down 1/2" and added a 1/4" maple cap also chambered (to 1/8") in-line with the alder holes.
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...and more recently this one - this is the top which is flamed maple. The one slab mahogany back was chambered in-line with the top holes. Depth of the body is 1/1/4". When doing the whole body, one has to be aware of scallops and belly bevels so as not to drill to as deep in those area's.
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Thanks. I need a drill press to speed things up.

 

[Metal Sombreros]

I have finally joined. My first Gibson bass! I wanted a Rickenbacker but I love it so much, it looks incredible and has this fat / fast feeling, exactly what I wanted (different than my Fenders)

I threw some nice flats on it (labella maybe??) Which fatten up the bright tone and this bass just shreds I can do wild bends all up and down and it is a comfy weight with pretty good balance.
If you can pick one of these up for 1500 or less I definitely advise that you do it, it competes with a Rickenbacker for less money.

 

[GBassNorth]

I have finally joined. My first Gibson bass! I wanted a Rickenbacker but I love it so much, it looks incredible and has this fat / fast feeling, exactly what I wanted (different than my Fenders)

I threw some nice flats on it (labella maybe??) Which fatten up the bright tone and this bass just shreds I can do wild bends all up and down and it is a comfy weight with pretty good balance.
If you can pick one of these up for 1500 or less I definitely advise that you do it, it competes with a Rickenbacker for less money.View attachment 7518973View attachment 7518974View attachment 7518975

Beautiful! I have the exact same model and color and I’d agree, it’s a heck of a bass at a $1500 price point.

 

[Nocturnal]

I have finally joined. My first Gibson bass! I wanted a Rickenbacker but I love it so much, it looks incredible and has this fat / fast feeling, exactly what I wanted (different than my Fenders)

I threw some nice flats on it (labella maybe??) Which fatten up the bright tone and this bass just shreds I can do wild bends all up and down and it is a comfy weight with pretty good balance.
If you can pick one of these up for 1500 or less I definitely advise that you do it, it competes with a Rickenbacker for less money.View attachment 7518973View attachment 7518974View attachment 7518975

Congrats!! It's a beauty!!

 

[Metal Sombreros]

Congrats!! It's a beauty!!

Thank you partner she sure is

 

[MCF]

Bloodrock! I had that LP!

Still have it.

 

[Engle]

When I saw them they were always the headliner. Couldn't tell you who all opened for them now.
One year/tour (82?) they had a dude sitting on the lighting structure that fell around the last song. It was a dummy. Thought it was a fluke until friend and I went to Lex to see them and the dummy was back up there. We waited for people to be shocked. Kind of sick really if you think about it I guess. But right after "he" fell a stage person would go out and pick him up and off they went.

I thought they were the opener, but it might have been for Ozzy? The late 70's/80's are a bit of a blur

 

[Engle]

Thanks. I need a drill press to speed things up.

Or a router.

 

[JIO]

Or a router.

both

 

[dagrev]

I have finally joined. My first Gibson bass! I wanted a Rickenbacker but I love it so much, it looks incredible and has this fat / fast feeling, exactly what I wanted (different than my Fenders)

I threw some nice flats on it (labella maybe??) Which fatten up the bright tone and this bass just shreds I can do wild bends all up and down and it is a comfy weight with pretty good balance.
If you can pick one of these up for 1500 or less I definitely advise that you do it, it competes with a Rickenbacker for less money.View attachment 7518973View attachment 7518974View attachment 7518975

Congrats! La Bella DTFs worked wonders on my NR. It was nice sounding until I put the La Bellas on it. Really love playing it now.

Regardless of what others say here, the Burgundy NRs sound better.

1964, '21 NR. Both have DTFs.

'66 NR DTFs

Both NRs

Epi VP...GHS Precision Flats

'06 with La Bella Black Nylons.

So yes, flats can sound fantastic on Thunderbirds. Many here love Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats and use them.

 

[Metal Sombreros]

Congrats! La Bella DTFs worked wonders on my NR. It was nice sounding until I put the La Bellas on it. Really love playing it now.

Regardless of what others say here, the Burgundy NRs sound better.

1964, '21 NR. Both have DTFs.
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'66 NR DTFs
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Both NRs
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Epi VP...GHS Precision Flats
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'06 with La Bella Black Nylons.
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So yes, flats can sound fantastic on Thunderbirds. Many here love Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats and use the

Thanks for sharing quite the collection! I always have used Ernie Ball I like halfwounds as well.

 

[Engle]

both

A router and drill press are essential tools in my shop. I recently added a small router and its really handy for guitar work.

 

[RedVee]

Then there was "Alone Again, Naturally" by Gilbert O' Sullivan and "Touch Me in the Morning" by Diana Ross to cheer you up. Sure was a sharp transition from songs recorded on the cusp of the 1970's like Edison Lighthouse's "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" and Bobby Sherman's "Easy, Come, Easy Go." From then on the early-70's were on a depressing kick- I remember when mom dropped a friend and I at the mall theater to watch the sci-fi feel good film "Silent Running" in 1972.

Tom Jones song about where to bury him, was that Green Green Grass of Home ?
Plus I guess Never Gonna Fall in Love Again might fit as well?

 

[TBird1958]

I have finally joined. My first Gibson bass! I wanted a Rickenbacker but I love it so much, it looks incredible and has this fat / fast feeling, exactly what I wanted (different than my Fenders)

I threw some nice flats on it (labella maybe??) Which fatten up the bright tone and this bass just shreds I can do wild bends all up and down and it is a comfy weight with pretty good balance.
If you can pick one of these up for 1500 or less I definitely advise that you do it, it competes with a Rickenbacker for less money.View attachment 7518973View attachment 7518974View attachment 7518975

I'm rushing out the door to a show, I wanted to say congratulations on your beautiful new Thunderbird! I will requote you and bring the list forward with your club number tomorrow

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Looked it up to make sure I remembered itright-

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I don’t recall which artists or songs but we had several such records. Along with games, castles, cars, planes, etc.

 

[Gaolee]

The magic year, a rare color, and seemingly a fair price.

https://reverb.com/item/98394310-gibson-thunderbird-iv-2001-classic-white-w-gig-bag?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=98394310

Sold. Anybody here get it?

 

[Gaolee]

Thank you partner she sure is

She chose you. That is how it works with Thunderbirds. It can never be forced.

 

[Gaolee]

I thought they were the opener, but it might have been for Ozzy? The late 70's/80's are a bit of a blur

If you remember the 1970s, you probably were not there.

 

[Ringhammer]

Depending on plans I may chamber/lighten the Squire Pbass under the PG. Not sure I want to keep though. Depends. I need to talk with you about it and if there are things I need to know before beginning. Other than drilling all the way through!

I did this to a ‘78 P Bass body:

Lots of wood removed. Ended up being 1 even pound.

Still a heavy ‘70’s body, just over 6 lbs.

But it was over 7 lbs.

All assembled with a lightweight bridge and it’s still 11 lbs 5 oz. Over 1/2 lb heavier than my next heaviest bas which is 10 lb 13 oz.

Nothing I think I’d use live. So, it’s set up to be in Black Sabbath tuning 1 1/2 steps flat with some heavy GHS Boomers.