Thunderbird Club

[Count Bassie]

And if you listen to anything with McCartney playing bass, it sounds the same. I doubt there was a whole lot of signal processing back then, either, but I could be wrong. Some people just sound like they sound. My brother says he can tell who it is when I'm playing upright, electric bass, or drums. I think that's a commentary on competence and lack of shame, but with people like Geddy and Macca, it's a commentary on what they sound like.

It sounds like commentary on your voice seeping through the skin of the drums and the windings of your bass strings.

 

[RedVee]

I have no idea. Maybe something to look into.

@veebass has made a couple of comments over the last couple (few?) pages about the series parallel mod on a Jazz bass. If you can find them it may give you a bit more info.

 

[Gaolee]

Actually I'm one of the very few club members here that does in fact sport a tort guard on his Gibson bass. I'll spare the club the agony and not post a picture of it.

It must be a 2013 EB. Mine had tort when I got it. For the $35 or whatever it was, de-salami-izing it seemed like a good idea. If it was more expensive, I probably would have left it tort.

 

[Inky13]

Thank you.

Everyone here (to my mind) makes what we have fun, if I could have you all over for some food and an adult beverage, well, nothing would make me happier.

We're all on our way over! What's on the menu?

 

[hillerup]

i could find a place for a new bass, but my wife wouldn't appreciate it

Ahhh Yes, that same story over and over again...

 

[BklynKen]

I don't have an Epiphone classic pro, nor do I have a Hipshot, so take this for what it's worth. I put a Babicz, which is very similar in concept to a Hipshot on a 1991 Gibson as part of swapping out the black hardware for chrome. I had the Babicz on it for some time with the stock pickups. My take on it is that the Babicz is much easier to adjust and set up. It's more adjustable, so you can get a much more accurate setup with it. It doesn't have a huge impact on the sound, sustain, or tone. What little sound effect is far overshadowed by the ability to perform fine tuning when you are adjusting things. I suspect you will find the same thing with a Hipshot. If you hate the 3-point and want something different, I think either one is a good way to go. If you expect some kind of sound enhancement, you will be disappointed.

One thing to know about the Hipshot that I haven’t seen mentioned about the Babicz is that the Hipshot allowed adjustment of string spacing. I know a lot of people don’t like the aesthetics of the Hipshot, and I do agree in certain situations, but I think the black one on my Vintage Sunburst looks really good.

 

[Gaolee]

One thing to know about the Hipshot that I haven’t seen mentioned about the Babicz is that the Hipshot allowed adjustment of string spacing. I know a lot of people don’t like the aesthetics of the Hipshot, and I do agree in certain situations, but I think the black one on my Vintage Sunburst looks really good.

Babicz doesn't allow string spacing alterations. The tail is what it is, and the strings are lined up like they are lined up. Other than a Hoffner or other really narrow neck where my fingers trip over adjacent strings, I never thought much about string spacing, so it's not an issue for me. But, if it is an issue, that's good to know about.

 

[BklynKen]

Babicz doesn't allow string spacing alterations. The tail is what it is, and the strings are lined up like they are lined up. Other than a Hoffner or other really narrow neck where my fingers trip over adjacent strings, I never thought much about string spacing, so it's not an issue for me. But, if it is an issue, that's good to know about.

I played a Danelectro for a while and liked the narrow string spacing on it. After that I’ve always used Hipshots to get the narrowest spacing I could.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

Unaltered oasis in Winnipeg, Canada?

It must be true. I found it on the internet.

Ha!, thats as pretty as it gets.

 

[bylar13]

I don't spend much time in any other sub-forum. They would probably shoot me in the Jazz Bass club or whatever it may be called. I just got done putting Lollar replacement pick ups and a Babicz bridge on my '73 Jazz. I also had to replace one of the replacement (G-string) tuners that got bent when I threw it up and over my shoulder at a gig about 13 years ago.

It went high enough to pull the cord taut and hit the stage head stock first. Dumb for sure but in my defense, there was a good bit alcohol and adrenaline involved.....

Anywho, now that I am playing/recording again regularly, I decided to get it back together. The original bridge had rusted to the point it was no longer adjustable. The pickups had become so micro-phonic over time that we actually used them to as a recording mike for a guitar amp in one instance. The pick up mounting screws had rounderdout due sweat & rust and two had the heads snapped off when I tried to raise them.

The new pick ups sound great and are dead quiet. The new bridge makes set up super easy and the saddles won't unscrew while I am playing it. I still have all of the old parts but would never mention this in one of the Fender clubs.....

 

[veebass]

@veebass has made a couple of comments over the last couple (few?) pages about the series parallel mod on a Jazz bass. If you can find them it may give you a bit more info.

This would do the trick. No affiliation with the seller. Just linked it so you can see what I am talking about. Occasionally you see them for sale all soldered together.

JAZZ BASS WIRING KIT WITH SERIES PARALLEL PUSH PULL POT - FATTEN UP YOUR TONE!

 

[kat888]

Babicz doesn't allow string spacing alterations. The tail is what it is, and the strings are lined up like they are lined up. Other than a Hoffner or other really narrow neck where my fingers trip over adjacent strings, I never thought much about string spacing, so it's not an issue for me. But, if it is an issue, that's good to know about.

I've always thought of string spacing as a function of neck width. Wider neck would seem to indicate wider spacing, but never given it any thought past there.

 

[TBird1958]

We're all on our way over! What's on the menu?

well, since you're coming all the way from Buffalo, I think Salmon, because it's best here. Your plane will fly over my house (no joke!) so be sure to wave as you pass over, that'll be my signal to get everything on the grill.

 

[GBassNorth]

It must be a 2013 EB. Mine had tort when I got it. For the $35 or whatever it was, de-salami-izing it seemed like a good idea. If it was more expensive, I probably would have left it tort.

That it is!

And I specifically sought out the 2013 model because it had the tort guard vs the black one on the 2014 model. In my mind the very Fenderish 2013/14 EB shape and burst finish needed a Tort guard to look right. Looks wise, it fits perfectly in my Fender line up but sound wise it's Gibson on steroids and just destroys every Fender I've ever played, owned or heard.

My next Gibby acquisition will be something TBird shaped, preferably in the NR style and equipped with the 2013/14 EB or 2015 TBird electronics (maybe with chrome or nickel covers and a two piece bridge if possible). I might even go shell pink or sea foam green with a parchment pick guard and a Fender neck. One Bird to rule them all!

 

[JIO]

I've seen Geddy when his primary bass was a Ric, a Steinberger, a Wal, and a Jazz (perhaps others? No, I think those were all the major eras). The funny thing is, he always sounds like Geddy no matter what instrument he is playing. It is the combination of technique and signal processing.

bingo

 

[Korladis]

I'm no authority on metal, but it's more like Prog metal - and to my ears more interesting because of it. I like Meshuggah too.

Obscura are death metal. Progressive, melodic death metal, to be precise, but still death metal.

Hah! I'm over 50 and play a Thunderbird through solid state. Not just any solid state, either. Heavy, klugey, awkward folded horn solid state that gets slammed as muddy and obsolete. And, I'm pretty happy doing it. No need for encouragement or confirmation. I like the way it sounds, it seems to rumble people's rib cages enough to get them moving, and so far, no audience has ever failed to move once it really gets cranking. I'm not making art, I'm not Mozart, I play rock and roll. And sometimes stuff that strays toward jazz, but really, it's rock and roll. If you can't take a sledge hammer to the mix and the audience simultaneously, then you aren't doing your job of perpetuating the human species by causing people in the audience to go home with each other and get laid.

That's today's random thought. Oh, one more thing. It's always entertaining to leak out into the GP as part of the irascible Thunderbird biker gang.

Don't shortsell yourself. It's still art, even if it isn't Mozart.

Babicz doesn't allow string spacing alterations. The tail is what it is, and the strings are lined up like they are lined up. Other than a Hoffner or other really narrow neck where my fingers trip over adjacent strings, I never thought much about string spacing, so it's not an issue for me. But, if it is an issue, that's good to know about.

I tend to prefer narrower string spacing. But I'm not that picky.

 

[JIO]

Babicz doesn't allow string spacing alterations. The tail is what it is, and the strings are lined up like they are lined up. Other than a Hoffner or other really narrow neck where my fingers trip over adjacent strings, I never thought much about string spacing, so it's not an issue for me. But, if it is an issue, that's good to know about.

I didn't know that and considering the maker/designer I'm surprised. That's a deal breaker to me - that missing design feature is very limiting.

 

[JIO]

Obscura are death metal. Progressive, melodic death metal, to be precise, but still death metal.

oh, PMDM - why didn't you say so!

 

[theFixer]

Hah! I'm over 50 and play a Thunderbird through solid state. Not just any solid state, either. Heavy, klugey, awkward folded horn solid state that gets slammed as muddy and obsolete. And, I'm pretty happy doing it. No need for encouragement or confirmation. I like the way it sounds, it seems to rumble people's rib cages enough to get them moving, and so far, no audience has ever failed to move once it really gets cranking. I'm not making art, I'm not Mozart, I play rock and roll. And sometimes stuff that strays toward jazz, but really, it's rock and roll. If you can't take a sledge hammer to the mix and the audience simultaneously, then you aren't doing your job of perpetuating the human species by causing people in the audience to go home with each other and get laid.

That's today's random thought. Oh, one more thing. It's always entertaining to leak out into the GP as part of the irascible Thunderbird biker gang.

 

[kat888]

Page 1900 - we'll be at 2000 by the weekend!

What's on the menu? Tonight we had:

antipasto -- asparagus, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and tort
penne alla cacio e pepe
coconut yoghurt with passionfruit pulp