Thunderbird Club

[theFixer]

I can criticize his technique if I damn well please. And in turn, people can criticize my technique, too.

His right hand technique is goddamn awful.

Besides which, he makes at least a couple basses sound like utter crap when in my experience they're capable of sounding amazing.

Just because he's more successful than I am doesn't make him immune from criticism or take away my ability to make it

You shouldn't express an opinion if you don't want one in return.

 

[RedVee]

Besides which, he makes at least a couple basses sound like utter crap when in my experience they're capable of sounding amazing

@Sartori - could you point me to one or more YouTube demos that demonstrate a Ric tone well? Maybe one comparing a 4003 to 4004 ?
(PM me if that is more appropriate. I would have asked in that other thread but it's been locked.)

Never touched one, genuinely interested in hearing one properly demoed.
(I'm Zero chance of getting one at Oz prices. )

 

[kat888]

@Sartori - could you point me to one or more YouTube demos that demonstrate a Ric tone well? Maybe one comparing a 4003 to 4004 ?
(PM me if that is more appropriate. I would have asked in that other thread but it's been locked.)

Never touched one, genuinely interested in hearing one properly demoed.
(I'm Zero chance of getting one at Oz prices. )

The Jam's first album (In The City) is definitely Ric, think also the second (This Is The Modern World). By All Mod Cons, Foxton was playing a P. The quest for a P sound in a Ric package led to abominations like this:

FrankenRick

• kat888
• Aug 17, 2016
• rickenbacker 4001

The horror!

 

[Dadagoboi]

@theFixer

Those are 'Chinabuckers' from EY Guitar Parts @ USD39.00 each (that's @Dadagoboi you can hear snort in the background).

They are what they are. I'm sure everyone will be loving them in their new Epis.

 

[Nocturnal]

If him inside gives you a hard time, I'll line up my flock and send you a photo. Then you will be able to say that you are being very restrained by ONLY getting one more. And then the next thing is to show him some of the pictures of Mark's vast flock. I'm a complete piker by comparison.

I would be happy to send pics as well. I have wayyyyy too many basses (but not enough Birds),

That Warmoth body............
Look where the heel of the neck is, you'd have to have some really long arms to play that bass. The Warmoth guys were at a Seattle GTG 5-6 years back and I remember them saying they ought to re-do that body for that reason. Gibson rattled the saber not long after and they quit making it.

It is a bit of a stretch on my Warmoth/Nocturnal Bird. But the way I wear it I don't have any issues with the reach.

 

[PillO]

For what it's worth, here's a demo. They don't sound quite like this in a 'Bird, but you get the idea.

Every time I hear a demo of lace alumitones, I like the sound of them and then I wonder if they have a place in my Pro-V. Then I think about thunderbuckers for it. Then I drink to forget.

At some point, I will have to put alumitones in something.

 

[PillO]

They are what they are. I'm sure everyone will be loving them in their new Epis.

Or they will swap them out...

 

[PillO]

Hot? Not my experience at all. I ripped out the stock pickups/electronics and replaced with passive pickups wired V-V (and a fair bit of chrome). It's much improved.

Bird of Paradise

• kat888
• Dec 25, 2016
• thunderbird

Yeah, hot is not the right description of those electronics in my experience. Still looking at what to do with mine.

 

[PillO]

I use Dunlop Dual Design straplocks on most of mine. A couple have Schaller but I am not a big fan of those. Two of the Schaller connectors came apart on me so I just don't trust them. Never had any issues with the Dunlop. You will however hear from the Schaller camp saying how much they love them. Different strokes and all. As long as you feel they are secure then use whatever works for you. I wouldn't trust the version in the image you posted. Those never felt right to me.

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I too use Dunlops. I have heard arguments in the ongoing Dunlop/Schaller flame wars. Both have their pros and cons. Both are cheap insurance against a drop. Choose a system and put it on everything.

 

[JJR58]

He has "no reserve" in the title, meaning it'll sell even if he doesn't like how much it went for. Which sometimes makes me nervous as to why they are selling it, or how they got it

That's the crap shoot factor in play.
I trust buying from a TB'r before most other options if i can't try before i buy.

 

[Haji]

What's everyone using for strap locks?I have a pair of these cheap dunlop guys I got for $1 each at my local shop but they feel like they could break at any moment.
View attachment 1170948

I've used 'em. My Bird won't fit the case with the strap on, and after if had these a little while I couldn't get them loose after a gig and ended up breaking them off. I replaced them with beer bottle cap washers, which are rubber. They last pretty well and are really cheap, so I've got a small pile of them in my case.

 

[Gaolee]

That Warmoth body............
Look where the heel of the neck is, you'd have to have some really long arms to play that bass. The Warmoth guys were at a Seattle GTG 5-6 years back and I remember them saying they ought to re-do that body for that reason. Gibson rattled the saber not long after and they quit making it.

I DO have long arms. It's the Cro-Magnon thing (ducks and waits for Sartori to correct me...). I was really disappointed when Warmouth stopped making 'Bird bodies.

 

[Gaolee]

The Jam's first album (In The City) is definitely Ric, think also the second (This Is The Modern World). By All Mod Cons, Foxton was playing a P. The quest for a P sound in a Ric package led to abominations like this:

FrankenRick

• kat888
• Aug 17, 2016
• rickenbacker 4001

The horror!

I'm a bit of a cretin. I like seeing crazy, and conventionally unacceptable things like that. It's a bass guitar, not a holy relic.

 

[NullPorch]

My amp is always overdriven, even when I'm playing "clean-ish." The cleanest I get is a slight amount of "hair."

There's a link to Catapult's first album in my signature. Bass isn't that audible in it, unfortunately. Things are better on the second album, which will be released in a few months.

Do you use the upright in your band? Dude, that's an incredible level of badass. Right on man.

I follow you on the overdrive; I like natural high-gain grit and rarely turn my gain low enough to not get at least a little gritty unless I'm super feathery on my attacks.

 

[KingFace]

His right wrist is bent at nearly a 90 degree angle, which is quite frankly awful technique.

His right hand technique is goddamn awful.

I'm assuming you mean this is based entirely on your opinion, and not some objective "rule" of what technique should be. Ultimately, who cares what someone else's technique is? We're electric bass players! We took an instrument that was originally designed to be played with our thumb, and turned that on its head and started using flingers, picks, our thumbs and fingers to slap the damn things. It's all technique based on whatever the individual wants.

 

[Mike.C.]

AlumiBird alert!

She's legal. I like it.

 

[godofthunder59]

And... on one of his early Rics he swapped out the pups for Tbird pups.

True that!

 

[Dadagoboi]

Or they will swap them out...

Before or after a fret level/dress, truss rod adjust, and properly cut nut replacement?

 

[PillO]

I'm assuming you mean this is based entirely on your opinion, and not some objective "rule" of what technique should be. Ultimately, who cares what someone else's technique is? We're electric bass players! We took an instrument that was originally designed to be played with our thumb, and turned that on its head and started using flingers, picks, our thumbs and fingers to slap the damn things. It's all technique based on whatever the individual wants.

So, good technique or bad technique?

 

[bylar13]

Before or after a fret level/dress, truss rod adjust, and properly cut nut replacement?

After. That way you can list it as playable in your For Sale classified on Reverb..... I kid...I kid.....