Thunderbird Club

[Klondike]

In the basement. I posted some pics on Instagram when I was done and the blog section of BuildDirect asked me if they could have a writer do a piece on it!

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Just read the blog post. Extremely nice man-cave! Thanks for sharing it.

 

[ThaCoast]

Thanks, well contrary to the picture i've posted, it won't be polka dot pink mine will be of a natural finish that i plan on doing a tiger stripe pattern with fire (just using a lighter and going around the body and neck of the bass to give it some burn marks). Then clear coating it in either semi gloss or full gloss lacquer to preserve the tiger stripes until it's properly road worn after many many years (if ever). The headstock will probably have some black in the inner part of the headstock. 21 frets on a rosewood board (no inlays), 34" scale length, precision/jazz humbucker configuration, standard hi-mass chrome bridge. Gotoh tuners chrome, Slab body so no center block (something different for me and i find it appealing like Nikki's spector birds) and will house a single killswitch. It's all or nothing when it comes to my thunderbirds growling!!

To quote myself and update on this fact: I'll be going semi gloss clear for this hunter, and to top it off, it'll cost me a little over 250$ which isn't so bad considering the most expensive parts are the tuners and the bridge pickup. I'm re-using wood i've acquired for my grabber bass build, and the rest will be a continuation once i have the funds and such for all of it. Possibly going to start this up end march/april. But til then, it's still a design.

 

[Nocturnal]

What kind of woods are you using for the body Andii? Can't remember if you mentioned that before.

You could use a torch like they sell in the hardware stores to get a more even approach to burning in the stripes. Just don't turn it up too high!!

 

[Klondike]

What kind of woods are you using for the body Andii? Can't remember if you mentioned that before.

You could use a torch like they sell in the hardware stores to get a more even approach to burning in the stripes. Just don't turn it up too high!!

Harbor Freight has a cool little pencil torch that might work perfect for something like that. Pretty cheap too.

 

[GBassNorth]

Status update on the third and final round of "Battle of the Birds" Gibson vs Spector...

wrapping up the playability and sound testing in a few hours and hope to have something posted late this evening. This round is proving to be much much harder than I thought it would be to pull off. With each bass having two pickups to test (solo, solo, blend) and tone controls (min, centered, max) thats 9 different tests per bass for just one right hand position. Throw in right hand location tests (at neck, at neck PU, between PUs, at bridge PU) thats 36 different tests for each bass then throw in finger style vs pic vs slap for each of those positions and settings and thats 108 tests per bass times 2 basses for a grand total of 216 tests. I dont have the time or patience to do all that, so there will be a somewhat more basic (but still adequate) sound test that should directionally indicate where each bass stands relative to the other.

Playing the two basses side by side and back to back with a very critical eye and ear has uncovered some very interesting differences between the two basses as well as some unexpected similarities. Stay tuned for the final outcome tonight!

 

[friendlybass]

Gassing for an epi bird. Liking the classic IV cause its got the Gibson pups, but has anyone got experience with Pro IV and the Classic IV that can speak to the differences?

 

[GBassNorth]

OK - it's finally here!
The Third and final round in the Battle of the Birds - Gibson vs Spector.

Round 3 was a royal PITA to do - 80 different sound tests evaluated along with a number of playability tests. Before anyone brings it up, as I originally noted, I dont currently have any way to record and post sound files. If there's someone in the northern Los Angeles or Ventura county area that has a desire and the equipment to create audio files I'll supply the basses.

Any way, enough of the chit chat - the winner of this round and the overall shootout is.........

GIBSON!

here's the scoring for round 3 ... again in PDF format so others can use it as desired (rounds one and two are also included in this post so everything is in one place).

The overall shoot out was very revealing. Both basses are very very evenly matched in the categories that matter to me (maybe not the case in the categories that mean the most to you). Although the Gibson edged out the Spector in rounds one and three its important to note the total points awarded to each were very close and in fact there were substantially more ties than anything else.

In Spectors defense, this shoot out will highlight to many what a good deal the Rex Pro is, going toe to toe with a bass twice its cost and coming out darn close to a tie.

In summary - if you want a loud rockin bass capable of putting out some really sweet grit and grind while delivering a walloping punch look no further than the Spector Rex Pro. However, if you're into a more refined sound with deep smooth rich lush lows, a creamy top end, a wonderful lightening fast neck and that trademark Tbird body style its hard to beat the Gibson.

Hopefully the three PDF files will help others gather some information not readily available about these two basses and likewise allow each individual to determine how other basses stack up line item by line item.

Enjoy!


For reference, here's the first two rounds of shoot out info as well...

Note : Gibson nut should read 1.5" and Gibson neck should read 9 ply mahogany/walnut.

 

[TBird1958]

Great stuff George!

Thanks for the files, I will attempt a comparison between a couple of my Honies - Not sure which just yet.

 

[ThaCoast]

What kind of woods are you using for the body Andii? Can't remember if you mentioned that before.

You could use a torch like they sell in the hardware stores to get a more even approach to burning in the stripes. Just don't turn it up too high!!

That's actually a more practical idea i haven't thought of . It'll be an all maple (aside from the fretboard) bass. about 1.5 thick maple body with only rounded over edges (no tummy cut nor arm rest), no center raised section. It's gong to be crazy for a project. Just the thouhgt of having another bird (even more so that i'm going to build) i'm stoked about it.

 

[wolfkeller]

Today I got to use my new Gibson at rehearsal. Man...this bass sounded so damb good. I ran into the guitar players bass rig, some hartke stack. It sounded OK with my other basses but with this one it really came alive. Very warm and punchy, sat great in the mix with LOUD drums and louder guitar. I love this bass

 

[Mikaelbass]

Ordered a few sets of flats. Fender 45-100 an TI's

Thinking the fenders apparent Lo Mid character and slightly lighter guage will really drive the thunderbuckers nicely.

Also, my thunderbuckers are set as high as possible, the neck pickup is 4mm from the strings as per the recommendation. But I can't get the bridge pup high enough without it being so wobbly it just comes loose. I cant lower the bridge any further or the strings will just be against the frets. Maybe giving a little more relief on the neck will allow me to lower the bridge some? As it is currently dead straight, at least to the human eye.

 

[wolfkeller]

Another thing, I don't see any need to change the stock pups. I usually get a bass and toss the pups for others but I'm this case I just don't see the need. There was no mud, nice and clear and not at all harsh.

 

[mr pablo]

Ordered a few sets of flats. Fender 45-100 an TI's

Thinking the fenders apparent Lo Mid character and slightly lighter guage will really drive the thunderbuckers nicely.

Also, my thunderbuckers are set as high as possible, the neck pickup is 4mm from the strings as per the recommendation. But I can't get the bridge pup high enough without it being so wobbly it just comes loose. I cant lower the bridge any further or the strings will just be against the frets. Maybe giving a little more relief on the neck will allow me to lower the bridge some? As it is currently dead straight, at least to the human eye.

I remember seeing a vid on YouTube about the lollar t bird pickups and the guy installing them used wooden blocks to raise the pickup so it would be at the right hight. Maybe worth a go?

 

[Mikaelbass]

I remember seeing a vid on YouTube about the lollar t bird pickups and the guy installing them used wooden blocks to raise the pickup so it would be at the right hight. Maybe worth a go?

Cheers, I currently have a hard style foam under there which does a great job. I loosened the truss rod and was able to get the bridge much much lower allowing for the pockups to be seated deeper, removing the wobble. The issue wasn't the space underneath, more so I could just see under the pickup(bridge). When the flats arrive I will probably be able o get it even lower.

 

[Winfred]

Status update on the third and final round of "Battle of the Birds" Gibson vs Spector...

wrapping up the playability and sound testing in a few hours and hope to have something posted late this evening. This round is proving to be much much harder than I thought it would be to pull off. With each bass having two pickups to test (solo, solo, blend) and tone controls (min, centered, max) thats 9 different tests per bass for just one right hand position. Throw in right hand location tests (at neck, at neck PU, between PUs, at bridge PU) thats 36 different tests for each bass then throw in finger style vs pic vs slap for each of those positions and settings and thats 108 tests per bass times 2 basses for a grand total of 216 tests. I dont have the time or patience to do all that, so there will be a somewhat more basic (but still adequate) sound test that should directionally indicate where each bass stands relative to the other.

Playing the two basses side by side and back to back with a very critical eye and ear has uncovered some very interesting differences between the two basses as well as some unexpected similarities. Stay tuned for the final outcome tonight!

I love it! It just goes to show how versatile a bass really is. Although, sorry it's a PITA for you.

 

[ThaCoast]

yesterday, i got a chance to do the same comparison but with a spector ledgend 4x holoflash finish.

I gotta say, for 900$ new, with a thicker slab body, 6 bolt maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. It was farely light weight i couldn't believe it. THe only thing i'd change to it would be to replace the jack socket and put a metal 4 bolt plate instead of the telecaster type socket. 90 degree angle jacks prevent from having a jack get smashed and disconnected inside If i had the money for either the gibson thunderbird 2013-14 or this spector, i'd go for the spector. save myself some money, have more tonal features, and that color, WOW it's incredibly nice in person and i'm sure none of the basses that have holoflash paint, are identical in anyway.

 

[GBassNorth]

I love it! It just goes to show how versatile a bass really is. Although, sorry it's a PITA for you.

Thanks! Although setting up the tests, writing all the info down then transcribing into a spreadsheet and formatting the spreadsheet was all a PITA, the actual playing time and the results were really worth it for me.

One of the real eye openers for me on the sound test was revealed in method 3. As I noted in a previous post, I've successfully used both of these basses interchangeably on the same songs and with the same settings on my amp with no real noticeable difference between the two. The method 2 test data wasnt supporting what I had experienced while actually playing them in a band setting. It wasn't until I stopped forcing a right hand placement 12" from the 12th fret that I noticed my playing hand just naturally fell to the base of the neck area on the Spector. Like most basses, that location really darkens up the tone, it makes the Spector sound much closer to the Gibson. Then playing the Gibson I noticed my right hand naturally hovering over the back side of the neck pickup. That brightens the Gibby a tad vs all the way up by the neck and brings it closer in line to the Spector - Bingo!

Now if I were a pic player and played down near the bridge pickup on both basses I suspect they would sound very different. Both are about the same distance from the bridge but the Spector is more upper mid focused and has more grit and growl. The Gibson has a smoother rounder tone and is more bass focused. Depending on the style of playing and the music being played one may be better for some folks than the other.

I think our club leader Mark, is considering doing some similar tests with a couple of the beauties in his stable. IIRC he's a pic player so that should be an interesting test as well.

 

[Klondike]

I think our club leader Mark, is considering doing some similar tests with a couple of the beauties in his stable. IIRC he's a pic player so that should be an interesting test as well.

That'll be cool to see the results.

 

[GBassNorth]

yesterday, i got a chance to do the same comparison but with a spector ledgend 4x holoflash finish. View attachment 544249

I gotta say, for 900$ new, with a thicker slab body, 6 bolt maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. It was farely light weight i couldn't believe it. THe only thing i'd change to it would be to replace the jack socket and put a metal 4 bolt plate instead of the telecaster type socket. 90 degree angle jacks prevent from having a jack get smashed and disconnected inside If i had the money for either the gibson thunderbird 2013-14 or this spector, i'd go for the spector. save myself some money, have more tonal features, and that color, WOW it's incredibly nice in person and i'm sure none of the basses that have holoflash paint, are identical in anyway.

Andii, you're correct, all holoflash finishes are unique. They are particularly striking under stage lights (see pic below, not me or my bass but you get the picture)...

When I was playing my bass out a lot I got more comments on its looks from both players and audience members than any other bass I own. At one of my gigs I had two drunk chicks nearly get in a fight about whether my bass was blue or green. Its a function of the angle the light is at in relation to where your viewing from. They were about a table apart so in that case they were probably both right, to one it would have looked blue while at the exact same time it would have looked green to the other. Neat finish!

All that said, you could catogrize Spector holoflash finishes into two types - "splotch" and "scribble". Mine is a splotch finish (as is the one in the stage pic above) which I love...

Here's a link to some pics of a scribble type finish, which I'm not as fond of...
http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/...itar-Holoflash-Black-Finish-REX4HF-SPR-REX4HF

If you buy mail order have them send you a pic first to see if its the finish type you like.

 

[mistergoats]

Well, it appears the third and final bass to accompany the Thunderbird and the EB released by Gibson this year is a semi-hollow Les Paul. (at $3200).

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