Thunderbird Club

[theFixer]

It's more a case of them making a comeback. IIRC 412s were pretty standard in the 70s -- a couple of Marshall stacks for the guitar and more for bass.

If I had plenty of wonga and the inclination to audition a few amps, the list would include Marshall, Fender Bassman, Sunn (O))), HiWatt, Orange, possibly Mesa, and maybe something truly rare and exotic like a WEM (the amp Visconti used on The Man Who Sold the World).

Oh man! I'd LOOOOOVE to check out Orange and Mesa bass rigs. That's probably where my heart's really at... but they're both so god awful expensive (more than double the cost of the Trainer YBA-300)!

 

[wolfkeller]

Played through an orange tube head, thought it sucked. Mesa no but I did have 2 diesel cabs. Way to bright for me I had an OLDDDD Peavey max head, that was awesome til it blew up and caught on fire. Had a Trace ah12 something, that was great too.

 

[wolfkeller]

Played through an old traynor too, that was very cool sounding.

 

[JJR58]

I've never played through a Marshall bass amp, but though I always use GK, I'd very much like to try an Orange. Then again, maybe I shouldn't....

Shouldn't?, try it.

 

[kat888]

Oh man! I'd LOOOOOVE to check out Orange and Mesa bass rigs. That's probably where my heart's really at... but they're both so god awful expensive (more than double the cost of the Trainer YBA-300)!

Well you see, that's just one of the great features of FMV amps -- being variations on the same amp, they're pretty much all the dog's bollox.

...Which is why I'm more than happy with the Traynor -- there's no nagging sense that there's a 'holy grail' amp out there.

 

[kat888]

Shouldn't?, try it.

Ken is likely worried about a train of events being set in motion which will have a negative affect on his bank balance.

 

[theFixer]

Well you see, that's just one of the great features of FMV amps -- being variations on the same amp, they're pretty much all the dog's bollox.

Yeah... still haven't had the luxury of playing through one, but the impression I get, is that it's a "top drawer" amp at a mid-level price. I find that quite appealing

 

[BklynKen]

Ken is likely worried about a train of events being set in motion which will have a negative affect on his bank balance.

Bingo.

 

[Gaolee]

It looks like something out of the Tom Hanks series 'The Sixties'...

Considering the first ones were sold in 1968 and they kept getting made until sometime in the early 1970s, it's more likely something from about 1971 or 1972.

 

[Gaolee]

Well you see, that's just one of the great features of FMV amps -- being variations on the same amp, they're pretty much all the dog's bollox.

...Which is why I'm more than happy with the Traynor -- there's no nagging sense that there's a 'holy grail' amp out there.

There's only what you can get what you want out of. If you find an amp that makes the sound you want at the volume you want, then that's pretty much it. Anything else is trading in for a new one that may or may not be better or worse.

 

[Count Bassie]

HEY YOU GUYS I'm (sorry didn't mean to yell) thinking about pickups for my Epi Blackbird, and now that I've been playing with a single p'up for a while I'm curious to stay in that mode. I remember seeing that Mike Watt vid awhile back on our thread, and he played an old NR Bird with a single p'up. I don't expect that necessarily, but does anyone have an angle on what's good for a fairly aggressive, yet still punchy sound in a one-pickup bass?

I might add a neck-hugger down the road too...

 

[kat888]

Yeah... still haven't had the luxury of playing through one, but the impression I get, is that it's a "top drawer" amp at a mid-level price. I find that quite appealing

Well exactly. All of those fashionable name brand heads will cost you a queen's ransom -- new or vintage, with the possible exception of Sunn (O))). Traynor or a Peavey VB-2 will do the same job at a much more reasonable price.

Even though I have more disposable income than when I was a student, my new adventures in bassery are still conducted on a budget. The only things I have bought new/paid full sticker price for so far are my 212 cab, a couple of pedals and the Cataldo bass (and I suspect that even then Carlo was being kind to me).

 

[kat888]

HEY YOU GUYS I'm (sorry didn't mean to yell) thinking about pickups for my Epi Blackbird, and now that I've been playing with a single p'up for a while I'm curious to stay in that mode. I remember seeing that Mike Watt vid awhile back on our thread, and he played an old NR Bird with a single p'up. I don't expect that necessarily, but does anyone have an angle on what's good for a fairly aggressive, yet still punchy sound in a one-pickup bass?

I might add a neck-hugger down the road too...

ThunderBucker 66S (but you were expecting me to say that).

 

[Count Bassie]

ThunderBucker 66S (but you were expecting me to say that).

Well, yes. Yes I was.

 

[Dadagoboi]

Well exactly. All of those fashionable name brand heads will cost you a queen's ransom -- new or vintage, with the possible exception of Sunn (O))). Traynor or a Peavey VB-2 will do the same job at a much more reasonable price.

Even though I have more disposable income than when I was a student, my new adventures in bassery are still conducted on a budget. The only things I have bought new/paid full sticker price for so far are my 212 cab, a couple of pedals and the Cataldo bass (and I suspect that even then Carlo was being kind to me).

Not really, I threw in the pearl because I had it in the shop, the color was a standard one, ditto the body wood. The round control cavity didn't take extra time or material compared to the standard cutout. You just asked for the right things.

 

[BklynKen]

HEY YOU GUYS

Was that in an Electric Company sorta way?

 

[JJR58]

Even Oliver has a hard time of choosing, Tubes, 10's, 12's, 15's...........

 

[theFixer]

Even Oliver has a hard time of choosing, Tubes, 10's, 12's, 15's...........
View attachment 2780357

He does kinda have a "OH! I just can't decide" kinda look on his face!

 

[Korladis]

Well exactly. All of those fashionable name brand heads will cost you a queen's ransom -- new or vintage, with the possible exception of Sunn (O))). Traynor or a Peavey VB-2 will do the same job at a much more reasonable price.

Even though I have more disposable income than when I was a student, my new adventures in bassery are still conducted on a budget. The only things I have bought new/paid full sticker price for so far are my 212 cab, a couple of pedals and the Cataldo bass (and I suspect that even then Carlo was being kind to me).

The reason I decided to commission a custom Hex amp based on the red knob Sunn Model T (the one with the Baxandall tone stack rather than the FMV type) is that it actually turned out to be several hundred dollars cheaper to do so.

 

[hillerup]

I wasn't gonna chime in on this one due to my limited experience with 'em... but my review closely matches others I've read, so maybe it will help in some small way.

In the early '90's, I was in a band with my now ex-brother-in-law. He ran 2 - 1000 watt Hartke rigs in stereo. Each one consisting of a 2x15, 4x10, & 4x5 cabs. His primary weapon of choice, was 6 string Ibanez SR. His second was a MIM Jazz fretless. The Harke was perfect for his primary sound. Tons of clear, bright headroom for slapping & chord work, & lots of ultra low to appease the mighty "B" string. As you might expect... it wasn't so great at everything in between. I remember one time, shortly after he got the fretless, He wanted to try & get "a good vintage tone" for his new toy. He literally spent hours on it before giving up & deciding to use his go-to sound & using a different patch in his ART NightBass multi-fx unit instead. I forget the specific model of the heads, but you could select either tube or SS pre-amps. As expected... the tube-pre accomplished nothing good, in regards to "vintage tone". Still very scooped, with thin, gutless, "electric razor" distortion that couldn't cut it's way out of a paper sack. It was a modern amp, made to sound like modern amps, and not much else. Ya ever hang wunna those "Little Tree" air fresheners in your car & then fart? Kinda smells like ya s#!t in the forest, right? Well... same sorta thing with those Hartke amps. Putting effects (rack and floor) in the loop was like that. The fx were the "Little Tree", and the amps were the fart. I used to work in a music store that dealt Hartke. I've had hours & hours of involuntary exposure to them, with a wide variety of basses and players... and I just don't like 'em. They have a very "sterile", non-organic sound to them that I find quite disinteresting and uninspiring. There are obviously a great number of places where that sound would be right at home (again... really great for chord clarity)... but especially since getting a Thunderbird in my hands... I have no use for it. All that being said... That was early - mid '90's. Maybe they've improved, or issued newer models with different characteristics... but much of my review matches up with many reviews that are more recent. Only you can decide if a Hartke is right or wrong for you... but I would strongly urge you to try before you buy.

Thanks Fix! That was a fairly thorough review, although slightly biased quite useful!