Thunderbird Club

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Boxer pups for life. She honestly lays like this quite often.
(don't mind the unfinished mantle)

 

[Stevis]

the cats know where every slip of paper is to be found

Yes they do. But I have come to realize that their lack of opposable thumbs is a hindrance in helping me to sort, file and purge.

@kat888, you would be equally dismayed to know that my office at school is only slightly more organized. The not so charming eccentricity of the nutty professor!

 

[hillerup]

Not sure WHAT made me (possibly the first of a few scotch on the rocks after a long week ) but I wanted to see which of the ebony '79 Birds, I ridiculously own, has the narrowest neck.
It wasn't even close. One was actually a little bulky (for a TB), three were what you'd expect (kinda like a Fender Jazz) and one...one was ridiculous. Almost toy-like (or, like an old VOX bass). Now, I have not the longest fingers, but this one is ridiculous.

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That neck is a good handful!

 

[hillerup]

The Italia bass finally just sold - there's a TBird sized gap in the aviary now.

Wohoo!

 

[GBassNorth]

This is just my opinion here (which has some age and life experience built in). First, I too always wanted a Ric--got one and it wasn't as magical as I imagined and the magic wore off. They are interesting and people either love them or hate them, and a few in between. Make sure you play the thing a lot before you throw down that kind of money. They play and feel like nothing else I recall playing. Not particularly pleasant if you love other feels, but they are light. If yo like the feel of a T-bird or J-bass kind of neck--the Ric it an entirely different animal (wide). The positive is you can generally sell them for the cash used price you paid if you take care of it.

Second, don't go in debt for something you don't have to have. Many do it in many situations and then wonder why they never have any money. Some things you need to pay to use other people's money--most things you don't--and an extra bass just doesn't seem like one of those necessary things (unless it's going t make you a ton of money). You may hate me for saying it, but follow that advice and you'll thank me later, and likely have more basses you own and not half own through the years. If you want something like that, start planning and saving. Most of the time you'll find you really don't need it after all before you get all the money on hand. Feel free to disregard the free advice. I'm just trying to help a brother out long-term.

Take your time and look around. You are seem to be in no necessary rush. There are many fantastic basses out there. Many you may not have considered. I just know I've bought a few I thought I had to have and after a short time they stopped having the draw and I was dissatisfied and looking for something else. If possible rent a bass if you can for a couple months if at all possible. That may confirm you really want it or you want to keep looking.

Wise words!

 

[Christine]

How did you get the TB+s out of the black covers?
I'm also sad to hear about your Mum.

Thanks

Probably easier to post a couple of pictures, The Xuron cutters were the recommendation from Mark who posted a how to way back in this thread somewhere, they turned out to be perfect. It's very easy to do, the pups are epoxied into the plastic covers but it's not a great bond so they just come apart from each other with a little persuasion. The only complication is you have to file a little epoxy from the corners on the pups to get them to fit in the covers but there isplenty of epoxy there so there is no risk to the windings

 

[Christine]

Really tough. But, as you note, she needs care from more than one person. And while it seems like a small consolation, how cool that they let her have her furry companion. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate. But don't be a stranger. It is always cool to see the blue VW van in our neighborhood!

Cheers, sadly we had to sell the van, it was sat there being unused and the one thing that they don't like is lack of use so it had to go, we though we were in for the long haul with mum. Ironically it only actually sold this week just a few days before we were told that mum would have to go into a home, effin unbelievable!!

 

[Christine]

Once you convert to Tannoy dual concentric monitors you'll never go back. The Prestige monitors might look like an oversized 1930s radio, but they sound sublime (the price is pretty out there as well). I'm considering 'downsizing' from separate pre/power to an integrated amp as well. The current pre is pretty much an empty box with an over-specced switched volume control.

But keeping them separate puts some space between the transformer coils of the power amp and the more sensitive preamp circuitry. That's not to say that there aren't lots of very good integrated amps out there of course

 

[veebass]

Thanks

Probably easier to post a couple of pictures, The Xuron cutters were the recommendation from Mark who posted a how to way back in this thread somewhere, they turned out to be perfect. It's very easy to do, the pups are epoxied into the plastic covers but it's not a great bond so they just come apart from each other with a little persuasion. The only complication is you have to file a little epoxy from the corners on the pups to get them to fit in the covers but there isplenty of epoxy there so there is no risk to the windings

View attachment 1172620

View attachment 1172621
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Thanks, mate. I didn't realise the black covers were plastic.

 

[kat888]

But keeping them separate puts some space between the transformer coils of the power amp and the more sensitive preamp circuitry. That's not to say that there aren't lots of very good integrated amps out there of course

Fair point. Extra cable runs too.

Until mine break (possibly never) there's no reason to change or replace them. Still fancy an Elicit-R.

 

[Christine]

Fair point. Extra cable runs too.

Until mine break (possibly never) there's no reason to change or replace them. Still fancy an Elicit-R.

There is that the cabling at the back of my rack is awful although I have kept the mains leads separate from the signal cables

Edit: On the subject of cables, and this is perhaps going to be seen as an OCD one but; I have run a pair of 10mm mains wires direct from the distribution board to an un-switched socket behind the rack. This is to try and isolate the amps from as much mains noise (fridges etc) as I can. It made a huge difference to the sound, it's amazing how much noise can come from a domestic ring main

 

[kat888]

There is that the cabling at the back of my rack is awful although I have kept the mains leads separate from the signal cables

Edit: On the subject of cables, and this is perhaps going to be seen as an OCD one but; I have run a pair of 10mm mains wires direct from the distribution board to an un-switched socket behind the rack. This is to try and isolate the amps from as much mains noise (fridges etc) as I can. It made a huge difference to the sound, it's amazing how much noise can come from a domestic ring main

Ha. Ring mains are somewhat banned here.

 

[hairypete1138]

This is just my opinion here (which has some age and life experience built in). First, I too always wanted a Ric--got one and it wasn't as magical as I imagined and the magic wore off. They are interesting and people either love them or hate them, and a few in between. Make sure you play the thing a lot before you throw down that kind of money. They play and feel like nothing else I recall playing. Not particularly pleasant if you love other feels, but they are light. If yo like the feel of a T-bird or J-bass kind of neck--the Ric it an entirely different animal (wide). The positive is you can generally sell them for the cash used price you paid if you take care of it.

Second, don't go in debt for something you don't have to have. Many do it in many situations and then wonder why they never have any money. Some things you need to pay to use other people's money--most things you don't--and an extra bass just doesn't seem like one of those necessary things (unless it's going t make you a ton of money). You may hate me for saying it, but follow that advice and you'll thank me later, and likely have more basses you own and not half own through the years. If you want something like that, start planning and saving. Most of the time you'll find you really don't need it after all before you get all the money on hand. Feel free to disregard the free advice. I'm just trying to help a brother out long-term.

Take your time and look around. You are seem to be in no necessary rush. There are many fantastic basses out there. Many you may not have considered. I just know I've bought a few I thought I had to have and after a short time they stopped having the draw and I was dissatisfied and looking for something else. If possible rent a bass if you can for a couple months if at all possible. That may confirm you really want it or you want to keep looking.

Your opinion is greatly appreciated and makes a lot of sense. To be honest the Ric is really a pipe dream, and I think I'm so hooked on the TBird sound that very little else will do.
I do want to upgrade the tokai though, so it'll either be the vintage if it's released or a second classic pro to potentially be modded.

 

[Christine]

Ha. Ring mains are somewhat banned here.

Really, why's that?

 

[kat888]

Really, why's that?

Not sure tbh. You'd need a sparky or leccy engineer to tell you that.

 

[Off-Beat]

Really, why's that?

Possible safety risk. You can use half the diameter for the same current and the fuse applicable for the current/diameter, but if the circuit breaks the fuse is dimensioned wrong and the now too high current could start an electric fire.

 

[kat888]

I do want to upgrade the tokai though, so it'll either be the vintage if it's released or a second classic pro to potentially be modded.

One upgrade option:
Invalid Link Removed

 

[hairypete1138]

One upgrade option:
Invalid Link Removed

I was thinking a white classic pro with exactly that type of repro vintage pickup setup and a bad bird bridge. Yum.

 

[kat888]

I was thinking a white classic pro with exactly that type of repro vintage pickup setup and a bad bird bridge. Yum.

The Vintage Pro will turn up, seeing as it's the replacement for the Classic Pro. It may take weeks or even months though.

 

[Christine]

One upgrade option:
Invalid Link Removed

I was thinking a white classic pro with exactly that type of repro vintage pickup setup and a bad bird bridge. Yum.

The Mojo pups look very interesting but he uses the covers from the Philly luthier supplies rather than a custom one ala Lull and TBR. Apparently they use a more modern magnet than the original too, how that affects the sound in comparison to the originals I don't know but he says they are identical in sound.

The Vintage Pro will turn up, seeing as it's the replacement for the Classic Pro. It may take weeks or even months though.

Thomann in Germany will be quick off the mark getting them in, they're spot on for delivery in the UK, I've bought loads from them