Thunderbird Club

[theFixer]

Another couple coats onto the 7enderbird bodies. The wood is getting darker, but I think it's going to take more pigment in the finish than I had originally thought. Better to darken gradually than put too much in all at once and the have a mess to clean up. It's a big experiment, which makes me happy. Learning new things and doing new things makes life more fun. I feel like a little kid playing with a new toy. That's probably not the usual response to putting finish on a piece of wood, but it's all I got. I got the same kick out of it back when I was making furniture.

YESSSSSSS!!! Woodworking can bring its own kinda "Zen".

 

[theFixer]

@TBird1958 I have the DR Hi-Beams on and really liking them! More than I expected to. They’re definitely more floppy than I’m used to, but I’ll leave them on for a while to see how I like that.

Adding this: the floppies doesn’t really come into play that much since I play at the bridge, but they bend too easily at the frets. That’s the ‘we’ll see’.

When I played guitar, I always had a tendency to grab every chord and note, like I was trying to snap the neck off. I'm sure that (and the years I spent pounding on the drums like an enraged psychopath) has a lot to do with the hand/wrist/tendon/nerve issues I have now. When I finally picked up the bass, I quickly realized that I needed to learn to play with a lighter touch if I wanted to be able to play for more than 2 or 3 minutes without being in incredible pain. The DRs are really great at helping me out with that, while maintaining a full, bright tone. That's why I like 'em so much

 

[Pier_]

I’d have to guess that a lot of what you’re talking about is down to playing style. Some people could probably make nylon carve into frets, and other make concrete not show a sign on frets.

yes and no. some signs on the frets will always show only due to contact between two metals. how deep they go depends on the player's fretting hand.

however, on this bass, which has 11 years of work on it's shoulders, there were no signs. the other basses of my friend (a couple of Fender) showed the usual signs, like all the basses I've owned in the past.
the Ripper, with 41 years on it's back, no signs.

for example, I'm not a "strangle-the-neck" player, I play softly with both hands and usually keep the action so low that I don't feel the pressure of the fretting hand, but still I've had basses with chewed frets (by nickel or even flats) and basses with just some signs.

these two Gibsons don't show anything at all... I play this bass almost two hours a day since half July, and the frets look like shiny brand new frets.
even the hard "bronze" frets of the Warwick already show some signs of the contact...

 

[JIO]

yes and no. some signs on the frets will always show only due to contact between two metals. how deep they go depends on the player's fretting hand.

however, on this bass, which has 11 years of work on it's shoulders, there were no signs. the other basses of my friend (a couple of Fender) showed the usual signs, like all the basses I've owned in the past.
the Ripper, with 41 years on it's back, no signs.

for example, I'm not a "strangle-the-neck" player, I play softly with both hands and usually keep the action so low that I don't feel the pressure of the fretting hand, but still I've had basses with chewed frets (by nickel or even flats) and basses with just some signs.

these two Gibsons don't show anything at all... I play this bass almost two hours a day since half July, and the frets look like shiny brand new frets.
even the hard "bronze" frets of the Warwick already show some signs of the contact...

All true - a players 'touch' will determine wear on their basses frets over time. Bronze frets? Wasn't aware they made such. Are they audibly different? Chime-ier?

 

[BklynKen]

When I played guitar, I always had a tendency to grab every chord and note, like I was trying to snap the neck off. I'm sure that (and the years I spent pounding on the drums like an enraged psychopath) has a lot to do with the hand/wrist/tendon/nerve issues I have now. When I finally picked up the bass, I quickly realized that I needed to learn to play with a lighter touch if I wanted to be able to play for more than 2 or 3 minutes without being in incredible pain. The DRs are really great at helping me out with that, while maintaining a full, bright tone. That's why I like 'em so much

Meaning what, so you play light enough as not to bend them?

 

[Pier_]

All true - a players 'touch' will determine wear on their basses frets over time. Bronze frets? Wasn't aware they made such. Are they audibly different? Chime-ier?

yes,Warwick uses a proprietary alloy made of bronze and steel that they call, if I'm not wrong, "bronze-bell", because it recalls the brightness (in sound) of a bell.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LWRosmx4HVY/maxresdefault.jpg

actually, it does. every fret sound like the brass nut, and even with flatwounds my Streamer is so harsh and with all the fret noises all over the fretboard.
every slide, both acuostically or plugged, is harsh...

 

[JJR58]

Archer here as well!

Are we the only ones?

 

[theFixer]

Meaning what, so you play light enough as not to bend them?

Well... I do prefer to having any bending that occurs, to be intentional and controlled. By making a conscious effort to lighten my touch, and using a softer feeling string that requires less effort to fret cleanly, I'm gettin' there. If you like playing heavy handed... it may not be the best string for you...

 

[rodv66]

Do you keep it on the mantle with other family photos?

Oh Damm that is funny

 

[kat888]

Are we the only ones?

The Only Ones?

 

[Gaolee]

A couple more coats. When it's got an even color, I'll probably just put on clear. It doesn't have an even color yet. I added more pigment, and that's gong to get it close to what I want it to look like. Not quite Katbird red. A little darker and still transparent.

 

[ubernator]

I remember that day.

Drinking age was 18 when I was (in New York). Nanny state forced them to change it.

I remember that as a small child in upstate NY. Early 80s, do you remember the exact year? I was born in 75, my memory goes back pretty far.

All true - a players 'touch' will determine wear on their basses frets over time. Bronze frets? Wasn't aware they made such. Are they audibly different? Chime-ier?

bell brass, definitely more bite and snap to the bass. I have 3, 2 2000s with ovangkol necks (wenge fbs) and jumbo frets, and a 98 with all wenge neck and thinner frets. The 98 does not have as much snap as the others. All have the same preamp and pickup (though the windings could be different on the 98 version and the poles and cover look slightly different, but it is the same MEC Warwick pickup). I am not sure if it is due to the wood, neck profile (98 is also slimmer), or the smaller frets.

The frets do tarnish green and copper brown, I need to polish them. All of my Warwick's have composite just a nut II nuts. Not brass.

 

[TBird1958]

A couple more coats. When it's got an even color, I'll probably just put on clear. It doesn't have an even color yet. I added more pigment, and that's gong to get it close to what I want it to look like. Not quite Katbird red. A little darker and still transparent.

Quit huffing paint and go outside Will, it's a beautiful day!

 

[JJR58]

The Only Ones?

I like this a lot!

 

[Dadagoboi]

I remember that as a small child in upstate NY. Early 80s, do you remember the exact year?

Dec 1, 1985 according to a google search. Cuomo had nothing better to do.

 

[D.M.N.]

A 612 is proper hardcore.

There's something about a 6x12 that just says "I came here to be loud and heavy." Even more so than a full stack, a 6x12 just seems to be bada$$, like you are most certainly not messing about when you roll up with one.

 

[kat888]

Ah yes, Americans and licensing laws. I was carded in Hawaii a few years back ... I was 40.

 

[GBassNorth]

Are we the only ones?

Kinda looks that way. I'm near the cusp with a Dec 20th b'day. But I'd say my tendencies are much more Sag than Cap.

So when growing up you probably got the same old birthday treatment as most other Archers - "I didn't know what to get you for your birthday and Christmas so I got you a combined present".

To this day, my wife makes a big deal out of never combining the two events. To the point that a couple of years ago she got me a TBird for my birthday and a Warwick Thumb bass for Christmas. Gotta love that woman!

 

[ubernator]

Dec 1, 1985 according to a google search. Cuomo had nothing better to do.

and for those watching from the sidelines, that would be Mario Cuomo, not Andrew

Nelson Rockefeller plaza is some pretty killer architecture though, the underground concourse is pretty cool, reminds me of the moon base from 2001 (internals)

 

[GBassNorth]

The Only Ones?

Ok Kat, it's the thought that counts. But that dude should find another hobby besides singing. He sings even worse than I play the bass! I do like the song though.