Thunderbird Club

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

I tried one of these this evening:
Ibanez - SR 5-String Electric Bass - Sapphire Blue

Very nice. It might find its way here.

I’ve heard nothing but great things about Ibanez in the bang-for-your-buck department. Another company to look into, but don’t think L&M carries, is Schecter. They make neck thru’s for less that $1000 USD

 

[Haji]

One of the basses on my list is a PJ Ibby Roadstar II, and I'd love a vintage Destroyer, too. The new ones, though, are just too thin in the neck front to back for me. Hard to get around with a size XXL hand.

 

[theFixer]

Just don't try and plug your Bird into a chair. sounds way too wooly and pillowy.
View attachment 2827290

That sher is a purdy 'bird Mr. Jeff

 

[theFixer]

True story. Holidays and all. Have to put others first, or at least I think that was what I was told. I wasn't really listening tho cause I was lusting over gear. drool

HAH!!! Good stuff mate... GOOD stuff!!!

 

[lloganbracee]

I also ripped out the pickups, wiring and preamp on a T-Bird PRO IV (as well as replacing the bridge and tuners). Until recently I always used Rotosound RS66 stainless steel strings. Now I use medium nickel Ken Smith Bass Burners, which have less zing, but keep what they have for a very long time.

How long is a very long time?

 

[lloganbracee]

There's less than perfect love around here for the Pro IV if it's the active version. At least two of us have ditched the preamp and put in new pickups. Once that's done, it's a stellar instrument.

On to strings. I have Chromes on the fretless 'Bird that started life as a Pro IV. It has Lace Alumitone pickups, which means it's probably useless for any of the usual comparisons. On the Gibsons, I have used a variety of DR strings and EB Cobalt Flats. The '91 has Cobalt flats for now, the '15 has Sun-beams, and the '01 just got restrung with Black Beauties. I'm liking the Black Beauties enough that the '15 may have those when I restring it again in a few months. The '91 is all chromed out, so it will not get black strings, but it might eventually get the silver version of Black Beauties. I don't remember what they are called.

It is indeed the active version. My uncle is a guitar guy, but he picked up a bass a few years back. I was messing around with it over Thanksgiving & he asked if I wanted it since he never played it (it gives him a good excuse to put a guitar on the wall mount he had it on, really). That bass was the Epi T-bird Pro.

I have to hand it to Epiphone, too. It’s a pretty instrument. Can’t wait to go through a few of the strings that are being mentioned on here.

 

[GBassNorth]

Good news, we're only 807,788 views and about 12,000 posts behind the Spector guys..............Anybody want to make a wager when we'll pass them up

Let's do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sometime around New Years. Especially with the VP’s finally being shipped, along with Christmas, ya I’d say around New Years.

We should catch the Spector guys in no time, we have a secret weapon @theFixer
He has super human posting powers! But I gotta admit, this multi quote thingy is killing us. I just lumped three potential replys into a single post, that'll slow us down a bit. Good news is, I'm a Spector club member as well, so maybe I'll jump over there and get them hooked on multi quotes to even things out a bit.

 

[theFixer]

We should catch the Spector guys in no time, we have a secret weapon @theFixer
He has super human posting powers! But I gotta admit, this multi quote thingy is killing us. I just lumped three potential replys into a single post, that'll slow us down a bit. Good news is, I'm a Spector club member as well, so maybe I'll jump over there and get them hooked on multi quotes to even things out a bit.

Hey... if ya wanna let me off the leash & run around the yard for a while... we could have a zany couple o' days


... but the order's gotta come down from the Queen

 

[hillerup]

I have a feeler out on another forum regarding European availability, will keep you posted.

Appreciate that! We're getting restless over here! It was bad enough when the flippin' Canadians were given first dibs, but now the Yanks have their greasy hands, (present company excepted), on 'em to. And all I have is a date in January, which will probably be pushed-back again to February!

Bad news for us Europeans:

It seems that Thomann has removed all their VP listings from their website... Not good...

Also no mention of them on www.musicstore.com either...

Nice looking bass. Sorry you’re not able to get it. Pretty inexpensive for a rare Gibson bass. 1.7” nut too...

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound, Larry!

Thanks for pointing that out Mr. Salt. Oh...by the way... I believe we've met before. I'm Mr. Wound...

Finally got around to putting up some wall hangers for the main ones

View attachment 2827222 View attachment 2827223

Dude!!!

There's an unspoken rule here in the Club to post a warning before posting so much FSO content!

 

[dukeorock]

Dude!!!

There's an unspoken rule here in the Club to post a warning before posting so much FSO content!

Oops :/
Well, none of em have tort. Gotta count for something?

 

[Larry V]

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound, Larry!

Honestly, it was my feeble attempt at being an enabler. Less salt, more nudging. I was hoping Fix could find a way to make it happen because it really would’ve checked a lot of boxes off in what he’s looking for.

Nut width.
Chunky neck.
TBird tone.
Price point.
Gibson on the TRC. <—- not sure if he cares but a Gibby is a Gibby.

It all lined up except for it wasn’t a TBird.

 

[clivem]

I tried one of these this evening:
Ibanez - SR 5-String Electric Bass - Sapphire Blue
Very nice. It might find its way here.

I'm partial to a SR. Got a few of them. Problem with the 5 stringers..... Well, not so much a problem, but the "tight" 16.5mm string spacing is a bit marmite..... You'll either love it or hate it. There's no in-between! I can't get on with it. So I have a 5 string Ibby BTB for that. Sensible string spacing!

 

[clivem]

Bad news for us Europeans:
It seems that Thomann has removed all their VP listings from their website... Not good...

I'm about a day away from going full-blown X-Files conspiracy theory...... What is going on???????

 

[ppiluk]

Here are pics of my newest find! Can I join the club? This beauty is an Epiphone Thunderbird Classic-IV Pro and it plays and sounds amazing!

 

[Larry V]

Just don't try and plug your Bird into a chair. sounds way too wooly and pillowy.
View attachment 2827290

BTW, Jeff, every time you post your gorgeous chromed out TBird with that off-white PG, it makes me want to chrome out one of my TBirds... then I remember that Vintage Pros are available and I need to wait for the reviews to come in.

Patience patience patience.

 

[clivem]

then I remember that Vintage Pros are available and I need to wait for the reviews to come in. Patience patience patience.

You'll need more than patience if you're waiting for someone in Europe to post a review of a Epi VP. Not until hell freezes over, or at least until every Canuck and Yank that wants at least one each for them, their dog, their kids and grandmother, will the poor citizens in Europe be allowed to own one!

 

[Larry V]

You'll need more than patience if you're waiting for someone in Europe to post a review of a Epi VP. Not until hell freezes over, or at least until every Canuck and Yank that wants at least one each for them, their dog, their kids and grandmother, will the poor citizens in Europe be allowed to own one!

My European ancestral-DNA cries out for the injustice cast upon my European brethren.

 

[clivem]

Off-topic babble..... I'm in full-blown rant mode today..... Talking about Ibby BTB's...... Just noticed that Sweetwater have the new finish BTB1905E in-stock..... (We might see that in Europe in 2027, maybe!)

(If you don't like the hippie-sandwich thing.... look away now. LOL)

But hold on.... All premium BTB's used to come with a semi-decent lightweight hard/soft case.... ***, is this gig bag?!?!?! The cheap b'stards!

What is the world coming to, eh? Gibson/Epi have forgotten about the existence of Europe! Ibanez are now following the trend of supplying a gig bag, rather than a case with their "Premium" models to save a few bucks! What is the world coming to, I say!

 

[JJR58]

BTW, Jeff, every time you post your gorgeous chromed out TBird with that off-white PG, it makes me want to chrome out one of my TBirds... then I remember that Vintage Pros are available and I need to wait for the reviews to come in.

Patience patience patience.

Hey Larry, I hear ya man. My patience ran out, so hence the chromed out Epi, and some other gear purchases. But another Bird would be nice. I can only post the same pics of the same bass for so long.
And it's almost illegal to post my other one here.

 

[clivem]

My patience ran out......

Just count yourself lucky that you don't live in Europe, that's all I'm sayin' You might have run out of patience, but at least you're still sane..... Well, maybe you're still sane.