Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

Last bit on this, here's the bridge. Turns out someone put the wrong size threaded bridge retaining bolts into the threaded inserts, and they are apparently cross-threaded. This is as far down as they can go, the action is, I'm told, high.

View attachment 7523799
View attachment 7523800
I don't think I have time for this. I've got enough to do, really, with that refinish to the old Heckinecker I've got going.

It's shocking the dumb things people do. Pro tip: If you get plastered after 2 beers--don't make any decisions after 6.
Pretty sure that's what happened here. I haven't been drunk in decades, but if I did that I would say I was drunk. It's not great but sounds better than being that stupid. Drunk will go away....

 

[Gaolee]

The dude's asking $200 for it.
Pickups, bridge, tuners...
If there's a break, I've got TiteBond and clamps. I'm going to see it Saturday, I did tell him I'd have to give it a good looking over before the handshake goes down. He seemed amenable.
He also said it hasn't given him any trouble. I'll go see it I think.
Thanks for chiming in you guys!

I would buy it for that.

And then I saw the mess the bridge was. Who does that, and why? Yeah, too much time to sort that out, and what else got hacked up?

 

[dagrev]

LOL - I just got a fine from my trash removal service provider. They supply three cans - yard waste, garbage, and recyclables.

I thought I was doing the right thing (both safety and environmentally) when I went through my outdoor extension cord supply and disposed of several unsafe 100 foot extension cords that had nicks and rot on the insulation. They were all copper heavy duty construction grade cords, maybe 500 feet in total. Put them in the recycle container. I promptly got an $80 fine the next week for improper materials in the recycle container.

So instead of getting paid to recycle 10+ pounds of copper, I paid 80 bucks to get rid of it, go figure.

You haven't moved fast enough!

 

[dagrev]

NBD - the “Thunderbird” has landed…
View attachment 7524102
A Gretch Billy Bo Jupiter Thunderbird Bass. It dates as a 2012 model made in Japan one of very very few made, most were guitars. It’s in pretty good shape and all original. Confirmed it’s not a clone or Chinese copy. Plays nice with a super low action but is in need of some warmer strings, it has stainless rounds at the moment. A 30” scale but looks and reaches like a 34”, nice access all the way to the 24th fret is a plus. The only thing that’s missing is a screw on the pick guard. I have some La Bella Black nylon tape wound strings that might sound interesting on this bass.
Certainly a different look and sound than a normal thunderbird, but if George Jetson were building a bird it would probably look a lot like this. Also kinda reminds me of an old Cadillac fender wing.

Congrats! Looks great! One I would play even if it didn't sound good.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

It's an EB-3 from a short period 1969 - '71, my fave years for that bass, love mine.

There is a lefty slot-head EB-0 up for sale on Reverb currently.

For used-car money, basically.

1972 Gibson EB-0 Bass Ultra Rare Left Handed - Cherry Finish - Slot Headstock Lefty Bass | Reverb

An Ultra Rare Factory Left Handed Gibson EB-0 Bass. Super Cool Lefty Anomaly featuring a Cherry Finish, Mahogany Body, Gibson Embossed Neck Pickup, Untouched Electronics with 1972 Pot Dates, and Slot Headstock. According to published Gibson Shipping Totals this is One of Only Four Lefty Slot Head...

reverb.com

 

[dagrev]

How do you adjust intonation?

Duh....







But a 16oz'er not going to do it.

 

[JIO]

NBD - the “Thunderbird” has landed…
View attachment 7524102
A Gretch Billy Bo Jupiter Thunderbird Bass. It dates as a 2012 model made in Japan one of very very few made, most were guitars. It’s in pretty good shape and all original. Confirmed it’s not a clone or Chinese copy. Plays nice with a super low action but is in need of some warmer strings, it has stainless rounds at the moment. A 30” scale but looks and reaches like a 34”, nice access all the way to the 24th fret is a plus. The only thing that’s missing is a screw on the pick guard. I have some La Bella Black nylon tape wound strings that might sound interesting on this bass.
Certainly a different look and sound than a normal thunderbird, but if George Jetson were building a bird it would probably look a lot like this. Also kinda reminds me of an old Cadillac fender wing.

How does it balance? Weight?

 

[Haji]

I knew there would be players in this group that had that case and a 64. Thanks for the confirmation!

 

[JIO]

How do you adjust intonation?

Generally open string needs to align with a depressed 12th fret on the same string. Bridge saddle back (toward the butt) if sharp, toward the nut if flat. For a floating bridge - moved/angled as close as possible - usually close enough.

 

[Stealth57]

Generally open string needs to align with a depressed 12th fret on the same string. Bridge saddle back (toward the butt) if sharp, toward the nut if flat. For a floating bridge - moved/angled as close as possible - usually close enough.

Is it a floating bridge? That’s my question. Nothing like the rosewood floating bridge on a Dano. The metal saddles would be off if rotated.

 

[JIO]

It's shocking the dumb things people do. Pro tip: If you get plastered after 2 beers--don't make any decisions after 6.
Pretty sure that's what happened here. I haven't been drunk in decades, but if I did that I would say I was drunk. It's not great but sounds better than being that stupid. Drunk will go away....

There is also sober individuals who think to themselves... "I can do this", even if they are in the deep-end of the pool. On one hand I say "more power to you". As someone who has modded/created/built basses for decades, I occasionally learned from experienced woodworkers/luthiers and also by just doing it. (I'm not a skilled luthier and don't play one on TV) Sometimes I will do something I've never done before because I have a history of success up to this point and with some basic research and correct tools/approach - one can accomplish a lot and it's very gratifying. I'm critical of hacks/hack-jobs especially if dealing with a valuable instrument, but who knows - once a DIY hack but keeping at it over years may develop into a skilled (related to what is needing to be skilled at) craftsman. We all love the Epi T-bird but frankly it is an entry level bass price wise, so whoever violated it at least didn't do that to a vintage bird. As someone pointed out - a prime example for the asking price to use as a learning tool repairing it.

 

[JIO]

Is it a floating bridge? That’s my question. Nothing like the rosewood floating bridge on a Dano. The metal saddles would be off if rotated.

I have a few basses with floating bridges and although not perfect - close enough for Jazz. The whole 'perfect' intonation is hyped and I played my '64 II for decades before I updated it with one of GoT's Badbird bridges that allows correct intonation and never noticed it by the way it sounded.

Speaking of Dano... I fine-tuned his single-wood bridge by imbedding Hipshot brass saddle inserts. Closer enough to Jazz.

 

[MCF]

The board will likely hire a friend who was CEO of Dunkin' Donuts.... Hey there's always the so called business genius (still) at Cracker Barrel who about crashed the company and cost them millions. (Did get a lot of free PR by accident.) Maybe instruments are more her thing than grits.

That Cracker Barrel CEO is a piece of work. The chain was known for using fresh ingredients. When she got there, she closed several locations, transitioned to mostly frozen heat and serve dishes, and there was the logo debacle. It’s amazing she’s still there. She came from that institution of culinary delight, Taco Bell.

 

[JIO]

That Cracker Barrel CEO is a piece of work. The chain was known for using fresh ingredients. When she got there, she closed several locations, transitioned to mostly frozen heat and serve dishes, and there was the logo debacle. It’s amazing she’s still there. She came from that institution of culinary delight, Taco Bell.

Climbing the ladder... down to the basement

 

[dagrev]

That Cracker Barrel CEO is a piece of work. The chain was known for using fresh ingredients. When she got there, she closed several locations, transitioned to mostly frozen heat and serve dishes, and there was the logo debacle. It’s amazing she’s still there. She came from that institution of culinary delight, Taco Bell.

She had to have something on a board member. Of course they were dumb enough to go along with her stupid idea, so there is that.

 

[JIO]

She had to have something on a board member. Of course they were dumb enough to go along with her stupid idea, so there is that.

Grift takes many forms...

 

[MCF]

That’s just bizarre.

It’s amazing what some people do to Thunderbirds.

 

[MCF]

LOL - I just got a fine from my trash removal service provider. They supply three cans - yard waste, garbage, and recyclables.

I thought I was doing the right thing (both safety and environmentally) when I went through my outdoor extension cord supply and disposed of several unsafe 100 foot extension cords that had nicks and rot on the insulation. They were all copper heavy duty construction grade cords, maybe 500 feet in total. Put them in the recycle container. I promptly got an $80 fine the next week for improper materials in the recycle container.

So instead of getting paid to recycle 10+ pounds of copper, I paid 80 bucks to get rid of it, go figure.

Around here, copper thieves are vandalizing EV charging stations. Could have just dropped them at one and thieves would be along soon enough to take them.

 

[Engle]

I would buy it for that.

And then I saw the mess the bridge was. Who does that, and why? Yeah, too much time to sort that out, and what else got hacked up?

I would guess they needed the posts for another guitar, then tried to the square ones on the VP. And messed up the bridge trying to screw SAE posts into metric inserts...

 

[Ringhammer]

They must creating lots of work for security and fire alarm businesses!

I stopped using analog phone lines for any new system installations about 10 years ago. I think only have one that’s not internet and/or cellular, and it’s using the customers VoIP (not ideal).