Thunderbird Club

[theFixer]

Has anyone tried red tortoise pickguard on Thunderbird EB?

I know of one person with a tort on his 'bird. His username is SilkySmoove. It's white, with a Status neck. I should warn you... there are those among us with an "aversion" to tort (to put it mildly)

 

[marko57]

Political commentary..... I didn't say a bad word about President Twitter.

Have to admit, you had me from that point on!

 

[Gaolee]

I sent 'Pinky' to San Clemente, CA 10 days ago (25 lbs package weight with case) for $70 including $1800 insurance. USPS Priority Mail, signature required. Shipped on Friday, arrived on Monday. $75 is reasonable IMO, I figure my average USA shipping cost including insurance at around $65. Shipping to WA state is the outlier.

We look at Alaska and Hawaii as almost as remote as everywhere else in the nation.

 

[theFixer]

I wanted to do that very much but my bird's aesthetics flew a different route. GO for it and please post pics with attention to @kat888 attached. Thanks.

So, YOU'RE the one who likes to poke the bear & run off laughing!!!

 

[clivem]

So, YOU'RE the one who likes to poke the bear & run off laughing!!!

Are you sayin' kat looks like a bear?

 

[Gaolee]

Opinions, please. I’m on the verge of buying my first bird. Looked at plenty of em, including Grecos, Epis and Orville’s but can’t help but think the first one should be a Gibson. What do you fine folks think?

My first Thunderbird was a second-hand bolt-on Epiphone that was covered with dried beer spill residue. It was so cheap that I pretty much had to buy it. I played it for a while, but because I had never owned a 7ender, I bought a Precision that turned out to be a keeper and gave the 'Bird to my son. He still has it. After a year or so, I put in a 'losing' bid on an Epi Pro IV. I won, and had a 'Bird again. The active electronics were awful, so it got modified, including fret removal. Then there was a year or two fling with a Ric that was a fine instrument, but just not a 'Bird. I sold it along with another one that I got in an inexplicable trade for an Acoustic Control stack and got a Gibson. That led to more 'Birds over time, including another bolt-on Epiphone. They are officially bottom of the line, but I don't think of it that way. It's just different, like the 2015 Gibson that's got EB pickups and switching. So, there's no set answer. The right 'Bird will find you, and then the next right 'Bird will roost with it. Then they start breeding and you have a flock of 'em.

 

[dukeorock]

My first Thunderbird was a second-hand bolt-on Epiphone that was covered with dried beer spill residue. It was so cheap that I pretty much had to buy it. I played it for a while, but because I had never owned a 7ender, I bought a Precision that turned out to be a keeper and gave the 'Bird to my son. He still has it. After a year or so, I put in a 'losing' bid on an Epi Pro IV. I won, and had a 'Bird again. The active electronics were awful, so it got modified, including fret removal. Then there was a year or two fling with a Ric that was a fine instrument, but just not a 'Bird. I sold it along with another one that I got in an inexplicable trade for an Acoustic Control stack and got a Gibson. That led to more 'Birds over time, including another bolt-on Epiphone. They are officially bottom of the line, but I don't think of it that way. It's just different, like the 2015 Gibson that's got EB pickups and switching. So, there's no set answer. The right 'Bird will find you, and then the next right 'Bird will roost with it. Then they start breeding and you have a flock of 'em.

I guess we’ll find out

 

[Gaolee]

I do have a strong preference for the chromed out Birds

Proof of your good taste and virtuous nature.

 

[clivem]

Have to admit, you had me from that point on!

Yeah, benefit of hindsight an' all, I probably should have said something about powerful but vain men wearing crappy hairpieces....
There are things in this world that are just PLAIN wrong......
SO WRONG!!!!!!!

 

[Gaolee]

Seller says it’ll get to UPS tomorrow. We’ll see. Coming from San Diego, so it’s gonna be a minute. Too soon to be dreaming about chrome?

Nope. It's never too soon for chrome. Winning a 'Bird with a 'losing' bit is proof that it chose you. Welcome to official membership in the biker gang/mafia/witches coven/whatever we are these days.

 

[Gaolee]

Ummmm tort is not a standard material for Thunderbirds (she said very diplomatically).

A first!

 

[dukeorock]

Here’s something I sometimes wonder. What made you want a Bird in the first place? My first impression of wanting one was possibly because of Pete Way, from UFO. Great sound and dude was quite the showman, which most bass players ain’t, if we’re honest. But it was mostly the sound. Then in the 80’s, lots of the hair rock dudes were playing em, which is no big deal, but I wasn’t in that world at all. Nikki Sixx kinda made me determined to never own a Bird, frankly. Gimme Tommy Stinson any day

I always loved the sound, but had perhaps unconsciously decided they didn’t fit my aesthetic.

The one who tipped the scales was Alex Hacke. EN’s ‘Silence is Sexy’ record in particular. Not a rock record by any stretch, but that bass sounded amazing to me. That kinda tipped the scales.

 

[theFixer]

There are things in this world that are just PLAIN wrong...... Anyone with a surname that begins with 'T' and ends with 'P' being allowed on a ballot paper! Scratching your ass and then playin' your friends bass without washing your hands! Putting mayo (not ketchup) on fries! Putting tort anywhere near a 'Bird! What you get up to in your own basement with your 'Bird is none of my concern, but posting pictures in public of your 'Bird pimped in tort! Shame on ya!!!!!

Among those things that are "just wrong", is political commentary in these pages. No matter how small... no matter how innocent the intention... you are likely pouring gasoline on someone's fire. I've seen "nothing" turn into "something" faster than you can ever imagine, with the use of political commentary. I'm no mod... but I am a lover of this club, and don't want to see the kind of upheaval that can come from the thoughtless, or even well-intended use of politics as levity, illustration, or anything else. I beg of you... resist the temptation.

 

[GBassNorth]

Here’s something I sometimes wonder. What made you want a Bird in the first place? My first impression of wanting one was possibly because of Pete Way, from UFO. Great sound and dude was quite the showman, which most bass players ain’t, if we’re honest. But it was mostly the sound. Then in the 80’s, lots of the hair rock dudes were playing em, which is no big deal, but I wasn’t in that world at all. Nikki Sixx kinda made me determined to never own a Bird, frankly. Gimme Tommy Stinson any day

I always loved the sound, but had perhaps unconsciously decided they didn’t fit my aesthetic.

The one who tipped the scales was Alex Hacke. EN’s ‘Silence is Sexy’ record in particular. Not a rock record by any stretch, but that bass sounded amazing to me. That kinda tipped the scales.
View attachment 2829881

I had no idea Sonny Bono played the bass.

 

[dukeorock]

I had no idea Sonny Bono played the bass.

Haha! Alex is the man, but yeah

 

[clivem]

Among those things that are "just wrong", is political commentary in these pages.

Like I already said, with the benefit of hindsight..... Anyway, no worries, I'll cease and desist.

 

[Skerrvydog]

I always wanted to play rock and roll stuff on upright. I’m just not a jazzer!
Here’s a clip of my old band, Legendary ShackShakers. I briefly had a beard and weighed about 70 lbs more than I do now, but I like this clip. Duane Denison, from Jesus Lizard was our guitar player at the time

Sweet!!!!! I Dig the shack shakers. Been meaning to listen to more of their stuff lately, thanks for reminding me! I’ve been loving playing slap upright these days

 

[Dadagoboi]

I like the grain. How does Cypress compare, with regards to weight, to the more usual suspects? ie. mahogany, ash, alder.....
And heading into the realms of off-topic.... If I wanted to order from you, are you able to do what would need to be done with regard to CITES, for me to import it into the UK? ie. permits/documentation.

Around here I call it Swamp Alder. About the same density and sound characteristics. I list the fretboard wood on my invoice/packing list which is enclosed with thee Customs docs. Apparently there's a legal way around the CITES documentation in Germany. Sent a bass there two weeks ago (used Eighter) with no problem.

I'm substituting Pau Ferro for rosewood on export basses so no CITES certificate is necessary. I have one going to Switzerland early 2018.

 

[Gaolee]

Here’s something I sometimes wonder. What made you want a Bird in the first place?

I didn't. The original bolt-on came along when I was considering a slab to allow the EB-2 to stay in out of the rain. It had been my only bass guitar for many years, and I never thought about it much. Somebody, somewhere mentioned that it was kinda rare and kinda vintage and kinda delicate, which was a surprise because it was cheap when I got it used back in about 1983, and I had been playing it ever since. Unlike Jeff, I don't exude acids, so the finish never suffered much more than finish checking. So, it was suddenly worth preserving. Then along came the 'Bird looking to pick the right person, just when I was looking for a cheap slab bass so that the EB-2 could stay in. I'm grateful that it picked me.

 

[marko57]

Here’s something I sometimes wonder. What made you want a Bird in the first place? My first impression of wanting one was possibly because of Pete Way, from UFO. Great sound and dude was quite the showman, which most bass players ain’t, if we’re honest. But it was mostly the sound. Then in the 80’s, lots of the hair rock dudes were playing em, which is no big deal, but I wasn’t in that world at all. Nikki Sixx kinda made me determined to never own a Bird, frankly. Gimme Tommy Stinson any day

I always loved the sound, but had perhaps unconsciously decided they didn’t fit my aesthetic.

The one who tipped the scales was Alex Hacke. EN’s ‘Silence is Sexy’ record in particular. Not a rock record by any stretch, but that bass sounded amazing to me. That kinda tipped the scales.
View attachment 2829881

Overend Watts, Tom Hamilton and Pete Way pretty much in that order. Been a lot of others of course but those 3 were my mains.