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Thunderbird Club

#348,421
Anyone here ever run across a Harpy bass?
Any intel?

Reason I ask, stopped by a semi-local GC last night on the way home from dinner and found a used LH Harpy Starling short-scale - only lefty axe in the store - for not much money.
Was there with friends so no time to try out, trying to decide if it's worth a trip back.

Webpage says US made, basically a boutique brand, and being lefty was probably made-to-order. Bolt-on shortscale with a mustang neck. Kind o funky looking. Interesting electronics with 3 switchable tone caps.

harpyinstruments.com

Harpy Instruments

Harpy Instruments specializes in building basses and guitars.
harpyinstruments.com harpyinstruments.com
 
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#348,422
On Thunder Road's side of the shop............


mqNY3wO.jpg
 
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#348,423
TBird1958 said:
12 cylinder FDL, that's an old GE. Note how it belches fire, even the new ones still do it and occasionally it's serious.

Click to expand...

Subsequent research shows that locomotive was since retired and now serves as a functional railroad museum piece. Hopefully they gave it a fresh paint job.

When you have chill out time, you might want to check out this railroad enthusiast's YouTube channel called Distant Signal. I discovered it when I was curious about why multiple locomotives are sometimes placed back to back instead of all facing forward. I'll watch it in the evenings when the day is winding down-- a pleasant drama and trauma free alternative to what is generally found on prime time tV.

 
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#348,425
dagrev said:
Drove to Nashville today. Drove by the Gibson Garage and thought about going in, but there was a charge for parking everywhere. I think even if you sat through a red light that counted. Ticked me off and kept going. Went by Carter's same thing. Headed on over to George's place (Gruhn's) where he has a parking lot. My stubbornness got the best of me and should have paid to park but that's getting ridiculous. Next time the shock will have worn off.

I think George had 6 or 7 basses. The only old bass was a '65 Jazz. Countless acoustic guitars. Like a Martin and Taylor warehouse.

We stopped at Jacks. I had brisket. Normally get pork. For the first time in 20 years the meat was just decent. Normally it's always fantastic and as good as I've had. Still a pretty good record I guess for BBQ. The sides are great. I could go and eat sides and be happy. And as you can see they give you more than a shot glass portion like many BBQ joints.

View attachment 7563230
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There's a gentleman in the shop that I was just speaking to, he's visiting Seattle from Nashville - he mentioned Carter's being a good place, amongst others.
 
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#348,427
Lammchop93 said:
Check out Rumble Seat Music next time you are down there. One of my favorite shops in Nashville. I bought a grabber from them awhile back, cool shop

Right down the road from Gruhn, and free parking
Click to expand...
Yes, good place. When I was there it was like a museum. Mostly high-dollar items. Funny thing was the dude working (owner?) looked like Jeff Beck. He was just walking in the shop and at first I did wonder if it was Beck.
 
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#348,428
TBird1958 said:
There's a gentleman in the shop that I was just speaking to, he's visiting Seattle from Nashville - he mentioned Carter's being a good place, amongst others.
Click to expand...
It is. In fact, they have a wider selection of instruments, basses and amps. I've been to the other old Carter's location a number of times. Moved a ~2 yrs ago. Parking was a bit of a pain but free. Just a cramped area. Gruhn and Carter used to be in business together decades ago as I recall. George is nice, but a bit eccentric you might say.
 
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#348,429
dagrev said:
Drove to Nashville today. Drove by the Gibson Garage and thought about going in, but there was a charge for parking everywhere. I think even if you sat through a red light that counted. Ticked me off and kept going. Went by Carter's same thing. Headed on over to George's place (Gruhn's) where he has a parking lot. My stubbornness got the best of me and should have paid to park but that's getting ridiculous. Next time the shock will have worn off.

I think George had 6 or 7 basses. The only old bass was a '65 Jazz. Countless acoustic guitars. Like a Martin and Taylor warehouse.

We stopped at Jacks. I had brisket. Normally get pork. For the first time in 20 years the meat was just decent. Normally it's always fantastic and as good as I've had. Still a pretty good record I guess for BBQ. The sides are great. I could go and eat sides and be happy. And as you can see they give you more than a shot glass portion like many BBQ joints.

View attachment 7563230
Click to expand...
Are those collared greens I see? Saw them on mom's latest grocery list ...
 
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#348,431
dagrev said:
It is. In fact, they have a wider selection of instruments, basses and amps. I've been to the other old Carter's location a number of times. Moved a ~2 yrs ago. Parking was a bit of a pain but free. Just a cramped area. Gruhn and Carter used to be in business together decades ago as I recall. George is nice, but a bit eccentric you might say.
Click to expand...
I prefer Carter’s. I didn’t feel judged to play anything there. Gruhn was really nice, but I felt nervous to touch anything
 
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#348,432
4 songs this morning. When practicing earlier in the week, the red Greco was perfect on the first 3 but just wasn’t sounding right for the last one. A smidge too snarly and something off on the low end. Grabbed the ‘64 and perfection! So it was a two bass day. I got lost in the music without getting lost in the song — one of my favorite places to be.
 
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#348,434
Miles_ONeal said:
4 songs this morning. When practicing earlier in the week, the red Greco was perfect on the first 3 but just wasn’t sounding right for the last one. A smidge too snarly and something off on the low end. Grabbed the ‘64 and perfection! So it was a two bass day. I got lost in the music without getting lost in the song — one of my favorite places to be.
Click to expand...
I played "air bass" today.
Looks like we won't play till Sept 13....

Face it, a 60s Thunderbird is in fact a one trick pony. All it does is perfection. But it does it well.

I have never in my life played my '64 and thought for a second "I wish I were using ___ bass instead." More like I could play this bass only and be happy.
 
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#348,435
dagrev said:
It is. In fact, they have a wider selection of instruments, basses and amps. I've been to the other old Carter's location a number of times. Moved a ~2 yrs ago. Parking was a bit of a pain but free. Just a cramped area. Gruhn and Carter used to be in business together decades ago as I recall. George is nice, but a bit eccentric you might say.
Click to expand...
A good mate is in Nashville right now. Texted me from a NFL trial (preseason?) game. Titans vs Seattle. I had to ask who the other team was cos they only had a logo on the board. I thought they were Roger Ramjets boys for a minute

FullSizeRender.webp
 
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#348,436
RedVee said:
A good mate is in Nashville right now. Texted me from a NFL trial (preseason?) game. Titans vs Seattle. I had to ask who the other team was cos they only had a logo on the board. I thought they were Roger Ramjets boys for a minute

View attachment 7563875
Click to expand...
If he drives up Interstate 65 about 40 minutes he can go to "Kentucky Down Under" and see some Kangaroos.
Oh, never mind.... :smug:
 
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#348,438
dagrev said:
I played "air bass" today.
Looks like we won't play till Sept 13....

Face it, a 60s Thunderbird is in fact a one trick pony. All it does is perfection. But it does it well.

I have never in my life played my '64 and thought for a second "I wish I were using ___ bass instead." More like I could play this bass only and be happy.
Click to expand...
The ‘64 would have been fine for all 4 songs, but the Greco did just as well, and I wanted some time with it. Plus Kay (one of our daughters of the heart) loves it. She calls it the Transformer bass because of the sticker Willy put on it when he owned it.

IMG_6286.webp
 
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#348,440
RedVee said:
A good mate is in Nashville right now. Texted me from a NFL trial (preseason?) game. Titans vs Seattle. I had to ask who the other team was cos they only had a logo on the board. I thought they were Roger Ramjets boys for a minute

View attachment 7563875
Click to expand...
Daughter went to Patriots game on Saturday. She said it was a lot of fun. It looks like it was pretty full. They took the train to and from. She said the trains were packed going home back to Boston.
80913438045__3A784052-FE11-4B82-A5EF-69BCF75A6F82.webp
80913438045__3A784052-FE11-4B82-A5EF-69BCF75A6F82.webp
 
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