Thunderbird Club

[ubernator]

Good question on the walnut, not well versed enough to know. I have no experience with those Duncan's, but hear they are really good.
But it's the price that's over the top.

Well if you read the description fully, he does say "I hope this one doesn't sell".

That's why my goth is back up to $300 for the time being. I will take $250, but a $275 listing got me a $100 low ball.

I don't think he would be classified as a motivated seller. And because there is food in the fridge gas in the tank and at least a little bit of future gig money coming it is not as urgent as it was before the cash gift came in on Tuesday. But I do need the money, I am just not going below $250 with the case unless things get desperate.

$1900, he doesn't want to sell it. Classic reverb listing. But no where near as bad as the peavey fury for $475. Really? Reverb...

 

[JJR58]

After much thought and consideration while communing with my bird in the basement I've decided to go for it and get the VVT modification done. Just got off the phone with my favorite local guitar shop owner and he said he'll add two 500k audio potentiometers (which I think is just another way of saying 'logarithmic') for volume of each pick up, and one 250K tone (linear) potentiometer with a .022MF capacitor. I like the idea of switching neck/bridge/both pickups but at the same time the thought of a fourth hole in my bird doesn't feel very good.

We didn't talk about $$$ but if the work is perfect I'll gladly pay for it. I don't have any reason to think it won't be perfect, but I'm going to bring a picture of exactly what I expect to see when he's done.

Having a little anxiety about dropping it off tomorrow... so wish me luck.

If the shop has a good luthier, not a hack, you'll be fine.

 

[JJR58]

Well if you read the description fully, he does say "I hope this one doesn't sell".

That's why my goth is back up to $300 for the time being. I will take $250, but a $275 listing got me a $100 low ball.

I don't think he would be classified as a motivated seller. And because there is food in the fridge gas in the tank and at least a little bit of future gig money coming it is not as urgent as it was before the cash gift came in on Tuesday. But I do need the money, I am just not going below $250 with the case unless things get desperate.

$1900, he doesn't want to sell it. Classic reverb listing. But no where near as bad as the peavey fury for $475. Really? Reverb...

Yeah, i saw that "doesn't want to sell", i mean, c'mon, why list.
I'd buy that bass for the right price though.

 

[BklynKen]

Sounds promising. @wolfkeller can get a new lefty or 3


Not sure how public it is. I found it on a Facebook fan page (victims of a down) and apparently the admins know the band or otherwise have insider info.

Maybe I can ask the man myself someday. But I don't know how asking about a breakup with Gibson will go over, and I wouldn't want to make a bad impression.

But I am really good at making bad impressions. Just ask John Sykes or Lux Interior (might need a good medium to ask Lux). Yep, I touched John's guitar, while he was wearing it during soundcheck, you should have seen the look on his face!. Someone told me, never touch John's guitars (after the fact).

Kevin Bacon liked me though. Different day, Different venue, different vibe.

I've got to hear the story about Lux.

Yes it is pricey. GC was blowing out 2014s for $799 in 2015, but they went real fast. Do you think that is walnut? The 2014 blowout was available in natural walnut, and ebony (black) finishes. Or were there natural finish mahogany birds offered in 2014 as well?

This group talks about thunderbuckers, lulls, lollars and chinabuckers, but I don't remember much talk about Duncan's in the 10 or so months I have been here. Are they anything special? The hardware and pickup upgrades are notable, but we all know they don't add much resale value to basses, unless someone specifically wants those upgrades. In 40 years people on TB will be rolling their eyes at that one for not being all original

Pretty sure that's mahogany. The grain pattern looks like it.

 

[ubernator]

After much thought and consideration while communing with my bird in the basement I've decided to go for it and get the VVT modification done. Just got off the phone with my favorite local guitar shop owner and he said he'll add two 500k audio potentiometers (which I think is just another way of saying 'logarithmic') for volume of each pick up, and one 250K tone (linear) potentiometer with a .022MF capacitor. I like the idea of switching neck/bridge/both pickups but at the same time the thought of a fourth hole in my bird doesn't feel very good.

We didn't talk about $$$ but if the work is perfect I'll gladly pay for it. I don't have any reason to think it won't be perfect, but I'm going to bring a picture of exactly what I expect to see when he's done.

Having a little anxiety about dropping it off tomorrow... so wish me luck.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the birds are usually 500k for volume and tone as well. The switch I was referring to wasn't a pickup selector, but a series/parallel so you get 2 different types of sounds when both pickups are on. I suggested it in lieu of the tone knob, since most of us never turn the tone down, and some remove it from the circuit to open things up. And that is the spirit of the blackbird. Hence I suggested the S/P switch instead of tone. Series mode would rip heads off I would think.

But if you go VVT classic configuration, confirm here what tone pot to use. 500k audio is right for volumes, and im pretty sure 500k for tone as well. I will open mine up and check.

Also, consider a no load tone pot, effectively takes the pot and cap out of the circuit when the tone is all the way up.

 

[TBird1958]

Has anyone seen this yet? There was one similar not long ago, same seller, i think. my concern would be the machine heads, wouldn't the edges of the tuners touch while tuning?
Looks great though. May be a slight bit pricey................?

Gibson Thunderbird Bass 2014 Natural - Seymour Duncan Pickups

Regarding the tuners, I really prefer the aesthetics of larger, traditional tuners on most of my 'Birds, (that's just me tho!) so I changed out the stock Grovers on both my '89 and N.S. for Hipshot Clovers (this was well before the did them for modern 'Birds) and the edges of the clovers do indeed barely clip each other IF they are in line. Is it a big deal? Not for me as not once has it been inconvenient.

From the back......
If you look closely you'll see that the paint has faded unevenly, also there's a somewhat sanded out paint flaw at the base of the headstock at the bottom of the photo - Gibson QC at it's finest! Also see the split in the finish starting at the top of the headstock running towards the camera, here the Walnut has dried and is shunken back a little compared to the surrounding Mahogany. It's 28 years young!

Since I had out I slipped the bridge cover and shot the set up, and contraire to conventional wisdom you'll note that the center post is in fact lower that the two outboard posts. Like all my basses this one was set up by Mike Lull and it's a beautiful player, my others are all similar.

On edge.......

From the end, no "lip" around the post inserts, don't mind the random Cat Butt!

 

[JJR58]

Regarding the tuners, I really prefer the aesthetics of larger, traditional tuners on most of my 'Birds, (that's just me tho!) so I changed out the stock Grovers on both my '89 and N.S. for Hipshot Clovers (this was well before the did them for modern 'Birds) and the edges of the clovers do indeed barely clip each other IF they are in line. Is it a big deal? Not for me as not once has it been inconvenient.
View attachment 2761359

From the back......
If you look closely you'll see that the paint has faded unevenly, also there's a somewhat sanded out paint flaw at the base of the headstock at the bottom of the photo - Gibson QC at it's finest! Also see the split in the finish starting at the top of the headstock running towards the camera, here the Walnut has dried and is shunken back a little compared to the surrounding Mahogany. It's 28 years young!
View attachment 2761360

Since I had out I slipped the bridge cover and shot the set up, and contraire to conventional wisdom you'll note that the center post is in fact lower that the two outboard posts. Like all my basses this one was set up by Mike Lull and it's a beautiful player, my others are all similar.

View attachment 2761361

On edge.......
View attachment 2761362

From the end, no "lip" around the post inserts, don't mind the random Cat Butt!
View attachment 2761363

This is good to know, because those are the type of tuners i'd really like to put on the Epi.
Thanks for the bit of info, sweet bass!
And i'm a sucker for the old style tuners, my all time favorite.
Random Cat Butt is ok by me.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Regarding the tuners, I really prefer the aesthetics of larger, traditional tuners on most of my 'Birds, (that's just me tho!) so I changed out the stock Grovers on both my '89 and N.S. for Hipshot Clovers (this was well before the did them for modern 'Birds) and the edges of the clovers do indeed barely clip each other IF they are in line. Is it a big deal? Not for me as not once has it been inconvenient.
View attachment 2761359

From the back......
If you look closely you'll see that the paint has faded unevenly, also there's a somewhat sanded out paint flaw at the base of the headstock at the bottom of the photo - Gibson QC at it's finest! Also see the split in the finish starting at the top of the headstock running towards the camera, here the Walnut has dried and is shunken back a little compared to the surrounding Mahogany. It's 28 years young!
View attachment 2761360

Since I had out I slipped the bridge cover and shot the set up, and contraire to conventional wisdom you'll note that the center post is in fact lower that the two outboard posts. Like all my basses this one was set up by Mike Lull and it's a beautiful player, my others are all similar.

View attachment 2761361

On edge.......
View attachment 2761362

From the end, no "lip" around the post inserts, don't mind the random Cat Butt!
View attachment 2761363

It looks like the strings still have a decent break angle, curious to see how much the neck is angled back, if it's more than the modern Birds.

BEAUTY though!

 

[PillO]

I believe the US has been a "metric country" on paper since late 80's, but they never actually converted over.

Nope. Never officially adopted. US, Myanmar, and Liberia are the three countries that have not officially adopted metric.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Nope. Never officially adopted. US, Myanmar, and Liberia are the three countries that have not officially adopted metric.

"Metric Conversion Act 1975"

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

But like I said, on paper they are/were, not in practice

 

[PillO]

"Metric Conversion Act 1975"

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

But like I said, on paper they are/were, not in practicality

I think that all that was done was define existing units in metric terms with a vague plan to replace existing measurements, but I don't know that the government has officially adopted metric - i.e. implemented use of metric units (such as changing existing traffic laws to define speed limits in metric and post metric speed signs). I could be wrong...

In scientific fields, metric is used universally (even in the US).

 

[ubernator]

I've got to hear the story about Lux.



Pretty sure that's mahogany. The grain pattern looks like it.

I was relatively new to the "what to say and how to act" aspect of the job of monitor engineer at a venue with national acts coming through, as well as not as experienced, and new with the system and they (venue production) didn't want me to mess with the graphs that were already rung out. Lux gets up to the mic at soundcheck and kept going "OUMMM" into the mic to make the sidefills howl (only slightly not even feedback, just a bit of resonance) but he wasn't asking me to DO anything or even saying there was a problem. So he figured I was a "tin ear" and/or green. The production manager was the LD and totally clueless about sound at the time, but not clueless about the politics, so I got thrown under the bus and he was down with me by the board during the set to make lux comfortable. The show went off without a hitch or feedback squeals of course, and the LD being down there with me was just to make it look like I was getting help that I didn't need (he didnt DO anything but LOOK proactive) but in hindsight I would have handled the situation differently and taken some 250hz down in the side fill graph. But I was "green" experience wise at the time. At the end of the show he did sign a set list for me, "KEITH!!!!!" Which of course does not answer if he was truly happy or not. This led to the LD getting me fired shortly afterwards for being "underqualifed" after the next show, (Drake Bell). I ran into Drake at another bar I was doing sound at and he told me the problem was the recording which was being done by one of the other sound guys, and the only thing GOOD about his show was the monitor mix. But that wasn't the story I heard when I was let go. The bad recording was blamed on feeding back monitors. There were no squeals on stage. In fact I believe the LD was doing FOH that night too. They (LD and other sound guy) just didn't like me from the get go (bad impressions thing and my neurotic nature), and threw me under the bus to save face, and maybe just because they would rather me not be there competing for work.

Ironically the same guy who was LD hired me back a couple years later, after I had already been working at the other venue owned by the same owner for a while, without a hitch, because I learned fast and had more confidence and hence made a better impression with the guys on the crew. One I already knew who got me in down there. And Kevin bacon came through the other venue.

 

[hillerup]

Yes it is pricey. GC was blowing out 2014s for $799 in 2015, but they went real fast. Do you think that is walnut? The 2014 blowout was available in natural walnut, and ebony (black) finishes. Or were there natural finish mahogany birds offered in 2014 as well?

This group talks about thunderbuckers, lulls, lollars and chinabuckers, but I don't remember much talk about Duncan's in the 10 or so months I have been here. Are they anything special? The hardware and pickup upgrades are notable, but we all know they don't add much resale value to basses, unless someone specifically wants those upgrades. In 40 years people on TB will be rolling their eyes at that one for not being all original

THe 2014 models were available in Heritage Cherry, Vintage Sunburst and Walnut finishes - Not Ebony...

 

[ubernator]

Regarding the tuners, I really prefer the aesthetics of larger, traditional tuners on most of my 'Birds, (that's just me tho!) so I changed out the stock Grovers on both my '89 and N.S. for Hipshot Clovers (this was well before the did them for modern 'Birds) and the edges of the clovers do indeed barely clip each other IF they are in line. Is it a big deal? Not for me as not once has it been inconvenient.
View attachment 2761359

From the back......
If you look closely you'll see that the paint has faded unevenly, also there's a somewhat sanded out paint flaw at the base of the headstock at the bottom of the photo - Gibson QC at it's finest! Also see the split in the finish starting at the top of the headstock running towards the camera, here the Walnut has dried and is shunken back a little compared to the surrounding Mahogany. It's 28 years young!
View attachment 2761360

Since I had out I slipped the bridge cover and shot the set up, and contraire to conventional wisdom you'll note that the center post is in fact lower that the two outboard posts. Like all my basses this one was set up by Mike Lull and it's a beautiful player, my others are all similar.

View attachment 2761361

On edge.......
View attachment 2761362

From the end, no "lip" around the post inserts, don't mind the random Cat Butt!
View attachment 2761363

Bad mike bad! Or do the real Gibson Inserts not have the problems pulling out like the epis? Still I would rather have the bridge angled back. Maybe he was hoping to get a bridge stud Dowling job out of you in a future year I keed I keed

 

[BklynKen]

I was relatively new to the "what to say and how to act" aspect of the job of monitor engineer at a venue with national acts coming through, as well as not as experienced, and new with the system and they (venue production) didn't want me to mess with the graphs that were already rung out. Lux gets up to the mic at soundcheck and kept going "OUMMM" into the mic to make the sidefills howl (only slightly not even feedback, just a bit of resonance) but he wasn't asking me to DO anything or even saying there was a problem. So he figured I was a "tin ear" and/or green. The production manager was the LD and totally clueless about sound at the time, but not clueless about the politics, so I got thrown under the bus and he was down with me by the board during the set to make lux comfortable. The show went off without a hitch or feedback squeals of course, and the LD being down there with me was just to make it look like I was getting help that I didn't need (he didnt DO anything but LOOK proactive) but in hindsight I would have handled the situation differently and taken some 250hz down in the side fill graph. But I was "green" experience wise at the time. At the end of the show he did sign a set list for me, "KEITH!!!!!" Which of course does not answer if he was truly happy or not. This led to the LD getting me fired shortly afterwards for being "underqualifed" after the next show, (Drake Bell). I ran into Drake at another bar I was doing sound at and he told me the problem was the recording which was being done by one of the other sound guys, and the only thing GOOD about his show was the monitor mix. But that wasn't the story I heard when I was let go. The bad recording was blamed on feeding back monitors. There were no squeals on stage. In fact I believe the LD was doing FOH that night too. They (LD and other sound guy) just didn't like me from the get go (bad impressions thing and my neurotic nature), and threw me under the bus to save face, and maybe just because they would rather me not be there competing for work.

Ironically the same guy who was LD hired me back a couple years later, after I had already been working at the other venue owned by the same owner for a while, without a hitch, because I learned fast and had more confidence and hence made a better impression with the guys on the crew. One I already knew who got me in down there. And Kevin bacon came through the other venue.

Cool story. Politics sucks.

 

[hillerup]

I've got to hear the story about Lux.



Pretty sure that's mahogany. The grain pattern looks like it.

Yep, all 2014 models were mahogany, although the finishes (Heritage Cherry & Walnut) were kinda misleading..

 

[ubernator]

THe 2014 models were available in Heritage Cherry, Vintage Sunburst and Walnut finishes - Not Ebony...

Well I remember the walnut option for sure, perhaps the other option was Cherry, or sunburst. It was a couple years ago and I didn't have the money. But I do remember thinking I preferred the walnut. Which maybe suggests the other was cherry, which i generally would not prefer (but was fine on an SG). Crap I don't remember. Was it possible that GC had a limited run of ebony?

 

[BklynKen]

Yep, all 2014 models were mahogany, although the finishes (Heritage Cherry & Walnut) were kinda misleading..

I wonder how heavy a solid walnut Thunderbird would be!

 

[TBird1958]

Bad mike bad! Or do the real Gibson Inserts not have the problems pulling out like the epis? Still I would rather have the bridge angled back. Maybe he was hoping to get a bridge stud Dowling job out of you in a future year I keed I keed

Since he set it up about 10 years back it hasn't needed anything in terms of adjustment, I handle it carefully in terms of temperature changes but that's all. All of my basses with 3 Points are set up similar and there no issues regarding the post inserts pulling out. Just pointing out that there is more than one way to set up a 3 Point successfully.

 

[hillerup]

I was relatively new to the "what to say and how to act" aspect of the job of monitor engineer at a venue with national acts coming through, as well as not as experienced, and new with the system and they (venue production) didn't want me to mess with the graphs that were already rung out. Lux gets up to the mic at soundcheck and kept going "OUMMM" into the mic to make the sidefills howl (only slightly not even feedback, just a bit of resonance) but he wasn't asking me to DO anything or even saying there was a problem. So he figured I was a "tin ear" and/or green. The production manager was the LD and totally clueless about sound at the time, but not clueless about the politics, so I got thrown under the bus and he was down with me by the board during the set to make lux comfortable. The show went off without a hitch or feedback squeals of course, and the LD being down there with me was just to make it look like I was getting help that I didn't need (he didnt DO anything but LOOK proactive) but in hindsight I would have handled the situation differently and taken some 250hz down in the side fill graph. But I was "green" experience wise at the time. At the end of the show he did sign a set list for me, "KEITH!!!!!" Which of course does not answer if he was truly happy or not. This led to the LD getting me fired shortly afterwards for being "underqualifed" after the next show, (Drake Bell). I ran into Drake at another bar I was doing sound at and he told me the problem was the recording which was being done by one of the other sound guys, and the only thing GOOD about his show was the monitor mix. But that wasn't the story I heard when I was let go. The bad recording was blamed on feeding back monitors. There were no squeals on stage. In fact I believe the LD was doing FOH that night too. They (LD and other sound guy) just didn't like me from the get go (bad impressions thing and my neurotic nature), and threw me under the bus to save face, and maybe just because they would rather me not be there competing for work.

Ironically the same guy who was LD hired me back a couple years later, after I had already been working at the other venue owned by the same owner for a while, without a hitch, because I learned fast and had more confidence and hence made a better impression with the guys on the crew. One I already knew who got me in down there. And Kevin bacon came through the other venue.

LD????