Thunderbird Club

[theFixer]

Personally I'm pretty tired of car analogies on TB.

do like I do when I see something I don't care for... move to the next posting

 

[GBassNorth]

Your avatar isn't an analogy, lol.

Well when it comes to basses, Porsches are a lot like.....
Ok, ok, I'll stop.

 

[theFixer]

Personally I dont give a damn about guitars, I hate wirey feeble little delicate strings so close together and short necks and lack of "bass". I feel guilty even posting guitar related content. Obviously guitars are key and do produce magic so I have to share this link though because what this guy did produced a really nice sound.

Speaking of guitars... my daughter just sent me this link. I know it's a six stringed satan stick... but it's uniqueness warrants display...

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

Well when it comes to basses, Porsches are a lot like.....
Ok, ok, I'll stop.

a lot like.....a jazz neck, fast and smooth.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

Speaking of guitars... my daughter just sent me this link. I know it's a six stringed satan stick... but it's uniqueness warrants display...

Oh man I cant even accept it for art sake.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

Like admitting that jerk you know is actually an ok guy in the right situation. Like taking a pill. Pretty funny though!

Ummmm......ok sure. I gotta plead ignorance on my behalf though, I dont even pay enough attention to the guitars my guitarists past and present have used, I see the shape and the color and that is about it. Is that weird?.

 

[RedVee]

Great speaker. Work it into your pile if you can.

To each his own. The K140s were Alinco mags like the old Altecs. Then JBL went to the E-series with ceramics. But that was several decades ago.

With the huge progression of materials and design abilities in the Speaker industry, it'd be hard to think a 40 to 50 year old design can even compete with stuff out today. Especially with the use of Neodymium mags, tighter motor tolerances, better cone materials, and better coil former and wrapping techniques, and the better adhesives used in construction. Even the ability of the voice coil to remain cool, and not change specifications under use is something to understand. Even the wire quality has changed in 40 years that the Voice Coil is wound with.

Not to say a K140 won't maybe sound better than a cheap ass Eminence, but it won't compare to a quality B&C, Faital, Beyma, or certainly not a new JBL.

Believe me, I have a K-140 in a cab, that is relegated to museum area of my equipment. That cab was played in the 70s. And it still works, but sounds dirty as hell compared to my newer stuff/ Just saying. Sounds more like Fart Bass in tone. Personally I can't handle fart bass tone, but some choose it.

Some folks, still want to drive and nurse an old '55 Chevy, instead of a new BMW, Lexus, or Acura. Beats the hell out of me. But most of the time, that ain't their everyday family car.

Thanks, I want to add it to other vintage equipment.
Plus it is only $100 Aust.

I just had a look on OzBass -- $100 isn't really a huge outlay/risk. Might go well with your vinty Eminar gear ... and if not, well it was only $USD75.

Cheers Kat, I was figuring that I may as well grab it at that price.
Then I have the 410 for the valves, the 115 for the SS and can mix and match if I need to or want to. The driver matching police will be ignored.

The main question I have of the seller (he hasn’t replied to my PM yet) is about the speakon connectors he added. I have no other speakon items, was hoping for a confirmation that they were the type that accept the 1/4” (is it?) Old style speaker cables, or not.
Worst case is I have to buy some extra cables I guess.

I asked for views and I got both positive and negative. All good.
If I can sort something with the owner I will add it, if not I will keep looking for an Eminar (or other Aussie) cab at the right price. I sorta liked that the amp & speakers I have now are all Aussie made.

(Unless a v3 Rumble 115 appears for an ultra under price ; or my Cuzs partner decides his B15 is just taking up space...)

 

[theFixer]

Oh man I cant even accept it for art sake.

You'll notice he never demo'd a truly "clean" tone. Everything had chorus & whatnot on it. I bet if ya went straight from that guitar into an amp... it would sound a lot like a sterilized ice pick sliding in & out of your ear canal at varying speeds and depths! I'll give it points for uniqueness and innovativeness. I imagine some high-brow weedly weedly player could make it sing & dance. Fripp & Levin could get matching ones. That would hafta be interesting. I can see it being an excellent tool for learning to play with a light touch (though my left hand locks up at the mere sight of it). I'll say it's a valid addition to the guitar world... but I'm imagining a customer base of about 4.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

You'll notice he never demo'd a truly "clean" tone. Everything had chorus & whatnot on it. I bet if ya went straight from that guitar into an amp... it would sound a lot like a sterilized ice pick sliding in & out of your ear canal at varying speeds and depths! I'll give it points for uniqueness and innovativeness. I imagine some high-brow weedly weedly player could make it sing & dance. Fripp & Levin could get matching ones. That would hafta be interesting. I can see it being an excellent tool for learning to play with a light touch (though my left hand locks up at the mere sight of it). I'll say it's a valid addition to the guitar world... but I'm imagining a customer base of about 4.

Well at least its a sterilized ice pick, Damn I love your colorful views!.

 

[theFixer]

Ummmm......ok sure. I gotta plead ignorance on my behalf though, I dont even pay enough attention to the guitars my guitarists past and present have used, I see the shape and the color and that is about it. Is that weird?.

I find it odd... but I've always been a chronic gear head. I will say this though... your indifference could be perceived as disinterest. That can cause a rift.

 

[theFixer]

Worst case is I have to buy some extra cables I guess.

You can find Speakon to 1/4" cables quite reasonably on eBay

 

[theFixer]

Well at least its a sterilized ice pick, Damn I love your colorful views!.

sometimes the that comes out of my brain, only makes sense right at that moment, and never again...

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

I find it odd... but I've always been a chronic gear head. I will say this though... your indifference could be perceived as disinterest. That can cause a rift.

Damn thats heavy Dude, thats a great observation. Even though I played Drums and had a drum kit I never really showed interest in other bandmates kits, I know when what Im seeing is a quality instrument but when it gets down to fine details and brand names thats where the interest stops, its unimportant. Should it be?. I feel like the woman at the parts counter when asked by the mechanic "what size engine maam"?, and she says "I dont know", "I just know the car is green and has two doors". See the coincidence in this?.

 

[theFixer]

Damn thats heavy Dude, thats a great observation. Even though I played Drums and had a drum kit I never really showed interest in other bandmates kits, I know when what Im seeing is a quality instrument but when it gets down to fine details and brand names thats where the interest stops, its unimportant. Should it be?. I feel like the woman at the parts counter when asked by the mechanic "what size engine maam"?, and she says "I dont know", "I just know the car is green and has two doors". See the coincidence in this?.

Yeah man... I find that pretty odd. All the way back to my earliest days as a drummer... I don't recall a situation in which a gathering of musicians didn't result in a series of conversations about gear. I mean... even singers & trombone players & s#!t! Even you... by your involvement with this club, are a gear head to some degree. Of course, it occurs to me... I've been ridin' this mule for more than twice as long as you. You got all kindsa livin' to do. That interest may still develop. Maybe yer just a late bloomer

 

[Gaolee]

Personally I'm pretty tired of car analogies on TB.

Well then I'll stick to motorcycle analogies from now on.

 

[Gaolee]

Speaking of guitars... my daughter just sent me this link. I know it's a six stringed satan stick... but it's uniqueness warrants display...

That's nuts! I would love to play one, just to see what it's like. I have been playing the archtop mostly lately for some reason, and you can't get much farther than an archtop than that. But, still, the lack of a fretboard would be fascinating to see how that works. And, the fact that the neck looks like it's just some kind of small tube. It's gotta feel a little weird. If nothing else, it's the perfect travel guitar.

 

[GBassNorth]

Damn thats heavy Dude.....
I feel like the woman at the parts counter when asked by the mechanic "what size engine maam"?, and she says "I dont know", "I just know the car is green and has two doors". See the coincidence in this?.

Now you've gone and done it! Another car analogy.
Somewhere in San Francisco there's a guy looking for an ice pick to use as a weapon.
Good news is there's plenty of hiding places in your neck of Siberia. Stay safe friend.

 

[GBassNorth]

Well then I'll stick to motorcycle analogies from now on.

LOL @Gaolee - all this analogy talk reminds me of the stinkin pop quizzes back in High School English classes.
So for extra credit, complete this sentence...
A Fender P Bass is to a Harley Fat Boy as a Gibson Thunderbird is to a __________.

Note to our Bay Area brother - no car analogies were referenced in the construct of this waste of bandwidth. And thank you in advance for allowing this completely unimportant topic to run its course. We will return to actual bass related content shortly.

 

[theFixer]

So... as most of you probly know... I got my sunburst 2008 Korean Epi TB IV, based solely on the neck profile (and the fact it was a T-bird of course). There was no "'bird call". No magic. Well... one day I decided, "Screw it! It's a two hunnerd dollar bolt-on!", and out came the belt sander. My plan? Take 'er down to raw wood, and play it. Maybe oil it... maybe not. This was when I found out about the plywood used to create the appearance of a "center block". Plan "A" was out the window. Plan "B"... take it down to my buddy's shop & have it Cerakoted! I also took the opportunity to barbarically grind down the body edges (which the pick guard accentuates nicely)... (yes... that's sarcasm) & give myself a little forearm contouring.

(truss rod cover isn't screwed down)

The Cerakote is quite interesting. It feels quite a bit like denim stretched very tightly over the wood. I did the back of the neck as well. I like this feel a lot better than the gloss that was on it. The color is called "Blue Titanium". Grabbed the knobs off my Strat. Total investment... 10bux (new pots). I haven't had the opportunity to rail on it yet, but early indications are I wasn't even swingin' fer perfection. I woulda been satisfied if I achieved "Hey! Look at this cool bass I found in my Uncle's garage" status. I think it mighta even come out a little better'nat!

 

[GBassNorth]

Yeah man... I find that pretty odd. All the way back to my earliest days as a drummer... I don't recall a situation in which a gathering of musicians didn't result in a series of conversations about gear. I mean... even singers & trombone players & s#!t! Even you... by your involvement with this club, are a gear head to some degree. Of course, it occurs to me... I've been ridin' this mule for more than twice as long as you. You got all kindsa livin' to do. That interest may still develop. Maybe yer just a late bloomer

Or maybe he's like every other male out there that unconsciously and habitually filters all incoming information and only actually retains that which he deems important to him at that particular point in time. Ask me what my wife told me to do 15 minutes ago and I'll draw a blank, but ask me to play a bassline that I haven't heard in 15 years and I'll have it in minutes. Obviously I felt one item was more important than the other in spite of the fact that it probably isn't. How I'm still married after 33 years completely baffles me, wifeypoo must be a saint.