Thunderbird Club

[veebass]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-Gibso...x-/271721707958?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f43e039b6
Not connected with seller but thought you guys might be interested in seeing this.

 

[rickwebb]

I got a nice black leather strap with red stitching. I like it so far. What I really need is strap locks!

I knew going in that this will never end. It's like my motorcycle. Always something else to spend my money. Lol

I hear that- I'm considering Hipshot D-Tuners for both my Birds. Or a Hipshot Bridge and Tuners in Chrome for my Classic IV...

 

[Haji]

See, if you're gonna tune down, the funner option is to buy another TBird to keep in that specific tuning.

I said nothing about it being reasonable, just that it was the funner option.

 

[TBird1958]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-Gibso...x-/271721707958?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f43e039b6
Not connected with seller but thought you guys might be interested in seeing this.

So rare, so F%&*^# up with a Bartolini pup, why?

 

[mr pablo]

I usually use dimarzio cliplock straps but i've got dunlop straplocks on my tbird, had schallers on my old MIJ P bass and they did the job well enough. Horses for courses i guess

 

[veebass]

So rare, so F%&*^# up with a Bartolini pup, why?

Yes, shook my head too, I guess the pickup could be rectified.
Would be better if there were a bit more info too.
If the $AU were still at $US1.10 rather $US0.81 I would be very tempted, but too dear with that exchange rate for me. Plus I would need to rectify the pickup.

 

[Haji]

I usually use dimarzio cliplock straps but i've got dunlop straplocks on my tbird, had schallers on my old MIJ P bass and they did the job well enough. Horses for courses i guess

I have a Clip Lock strap on my Charvel 4B, my most used bass. Its a really smart design, but it's not wide enough and I want mine padded. Once our workload slows down a bit, I'm going to have one made. I will credit DiMarzio with using ITW/Nexus hardware; its the best there is in aceytal nylon buckles. I have a couple ideas to add some suspension to it that should be pretty nice. The key will be to make the thing so that we can sell them and make some money on 'em. A $65 strap will probably sell in Mulitcam, but if I can get the price down, it'll do a lot better.

 

[Klondike]

I have a Clip Lock strap on my Charvel 4B, my most used bass. Its a really smart design, but it's not wide enough and I want mine padded. Once our workload slows down a bit, I'm going to have one made. I will credit DiMarzio with using ITW/Nexus hardware; its the best there is in aceytal nylon buckles. I have a couple ideas to add some suspension to it that should be pretty nice. The key will be to make the thing so that we can sell them and make some money on 'em. A $65 strap will probably sell in Mulitcam, but if I can get the price down, it'll do a lot better.

What line of work are you in Haji?

 

[Nocturnal]

So rare, so F%&*^# up with a Bartolini pup, why?

I thought the same thing. The pickup might have been dead, but I still wouldn't have gone for a Bartolini. If I bought something like that, it would get a Lull or Thunderbucker pretty damn quick!!

 

[Haji]

What line of work are you in Haji?

My employer, ATS Tactical Gear, is a tactical gear manufacturer. We make nylon load bearing gear, primarily for military and law enforcement use, but a small segment of our business comes from outdoor enthusiasts, preppers, collectors, and people who are hard on stuff like belts. If I had every job I do listed on my business card, it'd be a gatefold. My primary duties are purchasing for the manufacturing division, a lot of logistical assistance for the VP of sales, advertising, marketing, product photography, website maintenance, technical customer support, social media management, and several other things. I'm sure I have a couple jobs I'm supposed to be doing that I don't know about.

 

[Showdown]

I thought the same thing. The pickup might have been dead, but I still wouldn't have gone for a Bartolini. If I bought something like that, it would get a Lull or Thunderbucker pretty damn quick!!

Up until a few years ago the only one making a Thunderbird replacement pickup was Bartolini. Maybe that is why.

 

[Nocturnal]

Up until a few years ago the only one making a Thunderbird replacement pickup was Bartolini. Maybe that is why.

That is a good point.

 

[Haji]

Hey Klondike- buy strings from www.bassstringsonline.com. Jason, the dude who owns it, is a member here and gives a hookup for VIP pricing to TB members. Huge selection, free shipping, great prices...no point in going elsewhere unless you're lucky enough to have a good local source. I can hardly find any of the strings I typically use off the shelf locally...and that's counting Nashville that's an hour away from me! BSO is the source.

 

[GBassNorth]

Well, she's out from under the tree now and getting a seriously good flogging!

I'm still in the honeymoon phase but...
I can't believe how light this thing is in the neck. Every time I go to pick it up out of the case I darn near get clubbed in the forehead with the headstock as the body drops towards the floor (I typically hold all my basses around the neck right where it meets the body before I strap them on). Out of the thirty some odd basses I own I can definitely say that this one is the least neck divey thing I've ever held. Tbird neck dive myth busted!
I'm also taken back by how clear and articulate both these pickups are, not just the bridge pickup. Mucky neck pickup myth busted!
Fit, finish, frets, action, electronics, and hardware are all first rate. No flaws anywhere. Gibson poor quality control myth busted!
The case is the icing on the cake. Its to die for - in fact I've seen $10,000 coffins that weren't finished this nice on the inside. Although I could do without all the vanilla scent they put in there.

Sometime in the next few weeks I'll do a side by side comparison between this Tbird and my Spectorbird Rex5. It should be an interesting compare and contrast between the two considering the very different approaches they take in creating a similar looking product.

 

[Klondike]

Hey Klondike- buy strings from www.bassstringsonline.com. Jason, the dude who owns it, is a member here and gives a hookup for VIP pricing to TB members. Huge selection, free shipping, great prices...no point in going elsewhere unless you're lucky enough to have a good local source. I can hardly find any of the strings I typically use off the shelf locally...and that's counting Nashville that's an hour away from me! BSO is the source.

Cool thanks for the heads up ! Although I have no idea what I would change TO at this point. For a little while I will stay with the stick strings.

 

[godofthunder59]

I thought the same thing. The pickup might have been dead, but I still wouldn't have gone for a Bartolini. If I bought something like that, it would get a Lull or Thunderbucker pretty damn quick!!

That Bart is probably from the 80s no other replacements existed. Maybe a Hi A if you could find one and that was early Bartollini

 

[Nocturnal]

Well, she's out from under the tree now and getting a seriously good flogging!

I'm still in the honeymoon phase but...
I can't believe how light this thing is in the neck. Every time I go to pick it up out of the case I darn near get clubbed in the forehead with the headstock as the body drops towards the floor (I typically hold all my basses around the neck right where it meets the body before I strap them on). Out of the thirty some odd basses I own I can definitely say that this one is the least neck divey thing I've ever held. Tbird neck dive myth busted!
I'm also taken back by how clear and articulate both these pickups are, not just the bridge pickup. Mucky neck pickup myth busted!
Fit, finish, frets, action, electronics, and hardware are all first rate. No flaws anywhere. Gibson poor quality control myth busted!
The case is the icing on the cake. Its to die for - in fact I've seen $10,000 coffins that weren't finished this nice on the inside. Although I could do without all the vanilla scent they put in there.

Sometime in the next few weeks I'll do a side by side comparison between this Tbird and my Spectorbird Rex5. It should be an interesting compare and contrast between the two considering the very different approaches they take in creating a similar looking product.

I really like my 50th Anniversary Bird too. It is light and comfortable to wear, plays great, and looks fantastic!! I was never a fan of gold finishes or hardware before this bass! Glad you are enjoying your new Bird!!

 

[Nocturnal]

That Bart is probably from the 80s no other replacements existed. Maybe a Hi A if you could find one and that was early Bartollini

You are probably right Scott. I tend to forget how good we have it these days in regards to getting replacement parts for all gear. With the internet and Ebay, we can find just about anything we need very easily. Definitely was not always the case. Also we have at least two solid sources for repro TBird pickups, which didn't exist until the last few years.

 

[GBassNorth]

I really like my 50th Anniversary Bird too. It is light and comfortable to wear, plays great, and looks fantastic!! I was never a fan of gold finishes or hardware before this bass! Glad you are enjoying your new Bird!!

Good to her you're liking yours as well! I assume you've had it for a while, if so are there any long term things unique to this bass I should note (i.e. finish care, hardware care, best strings, watchouts, etc)?

I have to admit, although I don't mind gold hardware I never thought I'd own a gold painted bass. But if you're gonna get a gold top, I guess Gibson is the best way to do it.

I also have to admit, I've been playing for years but never really gave Gibson a second look. Always heard horror stories about QC, Neck dive and Mudbuckers, so I kinda hung with the Leo Fender (Fender, Squier, G&L, Musicman) crowd. Last year I bought my first Gibson - a limited edition SG Supreme - on a whim and it turned out to be a fantastic bass. Now this one, which so far is turning out to be equally good. I suspect there will be more Gibsons in my future.

 

[Showdown]

Out of the thirty some odd basses I own I can definitely say that this one is the least neck divey thing I've ever held. Tbird neck dive myth busted!

Not so fast. I have three and they all neck dive.

I'm glad that yours doesn't dive, but many do.