Thunderbird Club

[JKydd]

4th of July in Seattle

4th of July in Kelowna BC (Canada)

 

[RedVee]

I tried the Epi Classic IV PRO, but i think that the pickups are placed in a different position rather than the Gibson version. To me, it had less growl and more edge.

As for the necks, I must say that I never had too mch problems with Gibson's measures - 12" radius, '60s or '50s profile.

To my ears, in the video linked the Tbird stands out immediately behind the P bass

Agree, T then P.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

4th of July in Kelowna BC (Canada)

Another amazing picture!

 

[GBassNorth]

4th of July in Seattle

Gotta be a photoshop job!
I've seen the amazing pics of your railroad, so I know you're capable of making dreary old Seattle look like sunny California.

 

[RedVee]

Make no mistake... there is nothing remotely "portable" about a Hammond B3! They're made of solid wood (as opposed to particle board, plywood, or plastics), and there's a lot of old tech inside. You know what old tech means? It means it's HEAVY! (compare a vintage SVT head to a new GK head if you need an illustration) Remember the other day when I said that haulin' around an Acoustic 361 cab was a labor of love? Well... a Hammond B3 makes that 361 cab look like child's play! Bring friends, and be loaded for bear! It's an incredible opportunity though! I hope you'll post some before & after photos!

A B3 for free?

It's going to be a bear to move, the guitar player from the last band I was in traded a '59 Les Paul Special for the B3 and accompanying Leslie.
But they are truly special, yeah, you'll love it.

Hi guys, not sure it's a B3 as it is tough to get at for a look ATM. But it says Hammond on it and has 2 levels of keys. A metal (?) cover for the keys and is on a stand with wood look panels on the sides.
It comes with a Leslie Pro Line 860 little cube Speaker box.
Just to be clear, I'm not keeping it, I'm giving it away to my cousin and her partner. I just couldn't let it be tossed away.

 

[theFixer]

Hi guys, not sure it's a B3 as it is tough to get at for a look ATM. But it says Hammond on it and has 2 levels of keys. A metal (?) cover for the keys and is on a stand with wood look panels on the sides.
It comes with a Leslie Pro Line 860 little cube Speaker box.
Just to be clear, I'm not keeping it, I'm giving it away to my cousin and her partner. I just couldn't let it be tossed away.

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I'm thinkin' that's newer than a B3... but still... how amazingly cool!!! I don't know that much about Leslies, but I'm fairly sure you're sitting' on a gold mine there! If it's feasible... I'd encourage you and/or your cousin to have it checked out before you even plug it in. Could save some trouble and expense!

Ya know... it has been an amazing experience, being a part of this group! You just scored a free Hammond/Leslie combo, & just a couple days ago, one of our members (who's name escapes me right now) just scored a free speaker cab (right after a speaker popped in his existing cab)! Before that... a member nobody's heard from in ages (GOD, I suck with names), chimes in & tells us his wife is clear of cancer! Before that... Kat got her long awaited and much anticipated (and totally enviable) Cataldo NR! I am basking in the glow of all of this positive s#!t!!!

 

[kat888]

BTW: this is for sale in the classifieds - Australia only mind because rosewood.

For Sale - Italia Maranello Z - Australia

 

[theFixer]

Any bets on where it'll end?
2013 Gibson Thunderbird IV - Black NO RESERVE 711106000688 | eBay

 

[Korladis]

Hi Guys,
I always loved the Tbird shape and "coolness". When they came out, I almost bought and Epiphone Classic IV Tbird (abandones idea due to delivery problems from Epiphone to my dealer).
Sorry if I ask once again those questions (1742 pages are way too much to be read at 100%), but...

I'm a Precision Bass player, definately, but I'm looking for something different...
I'm a little hesitant between The Thunderbird and the Rickenbacker 4003, which I played only once, long time ago.
I generally prefer fat necks.

How does the Tbird sound with fingers? I remember a kind of "sweet spot" between the two pickups: round but clear tone, not muddy.
Don't know if it's too much to be asked, but...could it stand out in a '70s R&B/Funk/Reggae contest? Fingerstyle..like Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang, James Brown, Bob Marley & The Wailers, to give an idea

You can play any genre with any bass.

With a T-bird, soloing the neck pickup, you can get in the same ballpark as a P-bass (though in my experience it's a nicer and more even tone; the upper strings are not tonally different from the lower strings).

You can get an EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE P-bass tone if you wire the pickups in series with each other. I use this tone a lot.

It's actually quite similar to the tone I use most of the time on my Rickenbacker 4003S.

I play mostly with my fingers.

Hi GBassNorth,
Thanks for the tips. Can't get over the switches on the 2015 models (plus, they're really expensive here in Italy/Europe. Around 1600/1700€ the last ones in stock).

I don't play on 5 strings basses..I used to, only because my (at the time) band needed to have a deep low end.

The fat neck is a personal preference, but I think I can get over it (if the bass' feels nad plays good).
My actual Fender Standard P-Bass had the "modern C" neck, which is fast and C shaped and it's fine (overall, the bass plays very good, so it won't get sold easily).
Never liked Ibanez necks, too thin and flat profiled..so, since it's a C profile, it's fine.
Is the Tbird's neck comparable to the "Modern C" Fender neck?

My T-bird, like my 4003S, is strung BEAD instead of the standard EADG. Sounds great that way.

I find the T-bird neck to be more comfortable for me than Fender necks, but not quite as comfortable as Rickenbacker necks.

My T-bird is a heavily modified Epiphone, not a Gibson.

Well you are looking at the right bass for that low-end "punch"!

I completely agree with you about trying a bass at a store without your own amp. An amp can make just as much of a difference as the bass itself.

More, in my experience.

In terms of sound, for me, the bass has been the least important part of the equation. The most important is my cab.

My "normal" rig is a 4003S, through a Mesa D-180, through a Sunn 2000S 2x15.

Yet playing a T-bird through a GK or, lately, a Sunn Concert Lead, through that same Sunn cab, sounds less different from my normal chain than playing the 4003S through the D-180 but through an Ampeg 8x10 or a different speaker cab.

Yes, the 2015 TBird is pricy but it's a great bass. If you want to spend a lot less money you can try the Epiphone Thunderbirds. I don't have one but those that do swear the quality and vibe is right on par with the more expensive Gibson thunderbird.

As for neck size, to be honest I jump around a lot from four to five string and short scale to full scale and brand to brand. So I really don't pay any attention to neck size or shape any more. Going from memory, I don't recall noting any major difference in neck size between a Fender Jazz and a Gibson TBird. I'm sure there is some difference, possibly in the string spacing or the shape or width but at the end of the day I don't recall thinking wow, this Jazz neck feels fat. The TBird neck does feel a bit faster to me than a Jazz and that could be a real asset in the Funk realm. I do notice a sizable difference between the bird and a P bass but it's never put me off playing either one.

Here's an interesting video clip someone on this thread posted a few days ago, it might help you decide if the TBird has the sound you're looking for...

I can't stand looking at that guy's right hand technique.

Also I found the T-bird and Rickenbacker to not sound AT ALL like how all the ones I've played sound to me.

jeeeeeezzzz.... here's a whole stack of lawsuits waitin' to happen!

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That looks... cheap.

Just everything looks off about it to me.

Yeah, I had the TBird and P Bass nearly tied on a lot of the demos, the Stingray sounded great on Slap (which is something I never do) and the Warwick sounded very good in a couple of segments but I found the Jazz to be lacking in the bottom end and overly nasal sounding while the Ric was just plain horrible, no balls at all on that one. Every bass player should have at least one TBird in their rotation, there's many times when it's just the only bass that will pull off the right sound. Then there's the whole TBird look, it's just such an iconic nonconformist shape, in much the same way the Gibson Les Paul is in the Guitar world. Get one, you won't regret it.

Like I said, I play two Rickenbackers, and neither sounds anything like the one in the video. It's like he selected the worst sounding example he could find.

The T-bird also didn't sound right to me.

Plus there's his awful technique when he plays finger style.

 

[theFixer]

@GBassNorth I saw this & thought of you...
Gibson EB11 Les Paul Junior Double Cutaway Bass Pelham Blue

 

[RedVee]

@GBassNorth I saw this & thought of you...
Gibson EB11 Les Paul Junior Double Cutaway Bass Pelham Blue

@veebass

 

[RedVee]

Any bets on where it'll end?
2013 Gibson Thunderbird IV - Black NO RESERVE 711106000688 | eBay

Your house ?

 

[theFixer]

Your house ?

Actually... I was referring to the price... but I like your thinkin'!

 

[kat888]

Ordered a 940-ETBCS case today. Might take a while to arrive.

May be worth documenting the process of turning it into an NR case?

 

[rodv66]

Not to mention that they have copies or "renditions" of a lot of major manufacturers models there! At $200 - $300 with free shipping from China, I'm guessing that you'd be completely disappointed if you tried to use it for anything other than holding your guitar stand down!

You can get an Epiphone in this price range

 

[Off-Beat]

You'll like the Woody!!

What bag/case do you use for it?

Any bets on where it'll end?
2013 Gibson Thunderbird IV - Black NO RESERVE 711106000688 | eBay

I hate the US used market.

 

[Larry V]

Any bets on where it'll end?
2013 Gibson Thunderbird IV - Black NO RESERVE 711106000688 | eBay

I'm top bidder for the moment if only to keep my eye on it since I already have a '13.

 

[NullPorch]

...
And here I am trying to get a magnetic pickup for my upright, which will sound even less upright-ish, so that it won't feed back as much with overdrive.

Wait... so you're a stoner/doom guy who occasionally plays upright with overdrive and other effects? Bro, so you have anywhere I can listen to your stuff? It all sounds right up my alley.

 

[Gaolee]

So what's the secret signal chain to get that true upright sound? I've tried many things but in the end I just gave up on the upright because I didn't feel I could amp it with any realistic sounding elevated output. I've had the same problem to a lesser degree with my AE Basses and the Kala Uke bass. I can get them to sound good but not like they sound when unplugged.

I use a Shure digital wireless into an fDeck HPF and then into a ToneHammer. It tames piezo honk with the little Carvin amp and gives me the ability to adjust the eq to the room easier with the little amp and the big ol' Acoustics. It isn't perfect, but it works well enough for what I do.

 

[Gaolee]

Does a piezo pickup feedback?

Yes. It sure can.