Thunderbird Club

[theFixer]

Rickenbacker 4001 and 4003S.

My T-bird I have the string spacing adjusted fairly narrow on, same with my Peavey.

An additional benefit is that it allows an e-bow to just barely sit on the strings like it would for a guitar.

That Ric 4003SW that I checked out, seems to be my comparator. Thus far, I haven't found anything I like as much as that.

An eBow on a bass.. cool! Can you achieve a good double bass sound with it?

 

[Korladis]

That Ric 4003SW that I checked out, seems to be my comparator thus far. Thus far, I haven't found anything I like as much as that.

An eBow on a bass.. cool! Can achieve a good double bass sound with it?

With a bit of overdrive, it actually comes surprisingly close.

 

[theFixer]

Interestingly, the Alembic "Classic" on that list is also 1.75" at the nut, and Alembics don't have a reputation for huge necks at all.

The G&L L-2000 on that list is even wider at 1.79" and the Hofner 182 is a surprising 1.8" at the nut, which seems... odd.

Yeah... Alembic is better known for the sizes of their price tags!

G&L has the nut width on their current L2000 at 1 5/8". I'd like to get my hands on that one that has 1.79"!

<edit>

Further research shows that the L2000 is orderable with a 1 3/4" nut width... and interestingly... the Tribute series L2000 comes standard with the 1 3/4" nut width

I was gonna call BS on that Hofner spec until I looked one up! HOLY CRAP!!! Just look at that thing! There's virtually no taper from the nut to the friggin' bridge! I've never met a Hofner that I liked... but I'd love to wrap my hands around that thing!

 

[Haji]

I bet you would, you dirty, dirty man.

 

[Nocturnal]

An alternative solution, albeit similar procedure would be to get a 5-string Epi NR T-bird and do the same 5-string conversion. The Epi NR's have a less wide neck and narrower string spacing than the Pro-V - But then you have to deal with the P/J pickups instead of the TB+ humbuckers... I will look into it later to day...

I didn't even know they made a 5 string NR! I have to assume they're pretty hard to find...

The Epi NR's feel fatter to me than my Goth, which has the wider neck. I don't have the tools to measure mine but it is more of a Pbass neck feel to me. I can try to measure the width this afternoon if I remember.

There was an Epi NR 5 on GC's site for a couple of months until just recently. It was actually discussed here a probably 1,000 posts ago.

 

[hillerup]

Yessssssss!

According to Epi's website, The neck on the Pro-V is 1.93" at the nut. Can you confirm or disprove that? I would also like to know the thickness at the nut, as well as width & thickness at the 12th. That would set me on my path to finding out if this conversion would be practical...

Until I get the measurements, here's a picture of the Pro-IV and Pro-V side by side for comparison - The neck of the Pro-IV has a 1.5" nut like the Classic Pro.

 

[BklynKen]

I prefer narrower rather than wider string spacing, personally, at least at the body end. Which I guess is weird on TB.

Nope, I prefer that, too. That's one reason I like Hipshot bridges; I can narrow the spacing.

 

[BklynKen]

Rickenbacker 4001 and 4003S.

My T-bird I have the string spacing adjusted fairly narrow on, same with my Peavey.

An additional benefit is that it allows an e-bow to just barely sit on the strings like it would for a guitar.

Danelectro, too.

 

[Dadagoboi]

OOOHHH... so I'd be a pioneer??? I don't think I've done that a whole lot in my life! Makes me wanna give it a go

One thing that's been on my mind, is string spacing. Do you have a Thunderbird V?

I've done 5 to 12, 5 to 4 is no big deal.

 

[Dadagoboi]

In fact, according to this:

List of widths at nut.

Fender AVRI '57 & '62 P-bass - 1.75" (44.5mm)

Yes, that's what real men prefer.

 

[Gaolee]

Jeez, you go to the ER, have a pleasant four day hospital staycation and you miss forty pages.

Anyone I need to upset?

All of us. We missed you, and got along way too well.

 

[Dadagoboi]

Entwistle's last Status Buzzards, 1-3/4" at nut, 16mm string spacing at bridge, 26 frets, super thin (carbon fiber with no adjustable truss rod).

I did a 'restoration' on this one, originally black with black hardware

 

[Larry V]

I didn't even know they made a 5 string NR! I have to assume they're pretty hard to find...

Also... thank you for getting those measurements for me. Whenever you get around to it is just fine

I'm at Cedar Point with the kids right now but I can get you some measurements on my 5 string NR.

The 5-string NR do show up once in a while, but is still a rare bird.

No problem getting the measurements, when I get my calibers back from my daughter...

Yes, they are and especially in such great condition such as mine. I could be convinced to let it go if the price is right.

The Epi NR's feel fatter to me than my Goth, which has the wider neck. I don't have the tools to measure mine but it is more of a Pbass neck feel to me. I can try to measure the width this afternoon if I remember.

There was an Epi NR 5 on GC's site for a couple of months until just recently. It was actually discussed here a probably 1,000 posts ago.

No need to dig that deep, every bass I own is for sale.

 

[hillerup]

Yessssssss!

According to Epi's website, The neck on the Pro-V is 1.93" at the nut. Can you confirm or disprove that? I would also like to know the thickness at the nut, as well as width & thickness at the 12th. That would set me on my path to finding out if this conversion would be practical...

Until I get the measurements, here's a picture of the Pro-IV and Pro-V side by side for comparison - The neck of the Pro-IV has a 1.5" nut like the Classic Pro.

View attachment 1184854

Hi Fix,

I won't be able to do the measurements until a couple of days, as both my Pro's apparently are at the storage depot and not at home as I thought. Won't be going down there until the end of the week/weekend...

 

[hillerup]

Entwistle's last Status Buzzards, 1-3/4" at nut, 16mm string spacing at bridge, 26 frets, super thin (carbon fiber with no adjustable truss rod).

I did a 'restoration' on this one, originally black with black hardware

I've said this before; A great restoration job - But had it been mine I would probably have kept it in black - Maybe even in a black satin finish and with the added gold hardware...

 

[hillerup]

I'm at Cedar Point with the kids right now but I can get you some measurements on my 5 string NR.



Yes, they are and especially in such great condition such as mine. I could be convinced to let it go if the price is right.



No need to dig that deep, every bass I own is for sale.

Small omission there, Larry - I'll fix it for you:

"No need to dig that deep, every bass I own is for sale.... if the price is right! "...

 

[Gaolee]

Trebuchet.

By far my favorite flinging device.

I was away for the weekend playing bit, and now I understand how long it takes to catch back up again.

 

[GBassNorth]

My concern is this...
I can't space the strings too far apart for practicality & functionality reasons. Nor do I want a half inch of unused fretboard between the outside strings & the edges of the fretboard. I'll have to brush the dust off the part of my brain that maths...

As you do all your fancy cipherin be sure to take into account your preference on string spacing. Just evenly dividing up the width of the neck for the four strings might not look or feel right to you. I know when I've set nut grooves in the past my personal preference is to have a constant size gap between each string vs the same distance from string centerline to string centerline. It might not make a huge deal on a four string layout but on a five string layout it's a show stopper for me. I'd suggest you look at trying to match a P bass string spacing to see if that leaves you too much real estate outside the G and E strings. As a final note, within reason, I'd rather have a tad too much fretboard outside the G and D strings than not enough, I hate it when a G string rolls off the fret end.

 

[GBassNorth]

Interestingly, the Alembic "Classic" on that list is also 1.75" at the nut, and Alembics don't have a reputation for huge necks at all.

The G&L L-2000 on that list is even wider at 1.79" and the Hofner 182 is a surprising 1.8" at the nut, which seems... odd.

My experience with Alembics is that there is no real standard. So many of them are custom made to the original purchasers specs that there are many exceptions on neck and nut dimensions.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

As you do all your fancy cipherin be sure to take into account your preference on string spacing. Just evenly dividing up the width of the neck for the four strings might not look or feel right to you. I know when I've set nut grooves in the past my personal preference is to have a constant size gap between each string vs the same distance from string centerline to string centerline. It might not make a huge deal on a four string layout but on a five string layout it's a show stopper for me. I'd suggest you look at trying to match a P bass string spacing to see if that leaves you too much real estate outside the G and E strings. As a final note, within reason, I'd rather have a tad too much fretboard outside the G and D strings than not enough, I hate it when a G string rolls off the fret end.

Oh man I hate dragging the string off the fretboard. The one big issue with a Thunderbird neck is just that, usually happens on the bottom string during finger taps. Never experienced that with any other bass but the Thunderbird. Neck is so damned thin.