Thunderbird Club

[theFixer]

See what I just did there...?

Going all "Fixer" on you to compete with the Spector guys...

Yeah... that gap’s not closing nearly as quickly as I’d imagined...

 

[kat888]

How to

 

[kat888]

close

 

[kat888]

the gap

 

[kat888]

with the Spector

 

[kat888]

Club.

 

[JJR58]

It.

 

[JJR58]

is.

 

[JJR58]

Exactly.

 

[JJR58]

Like.

 

[JJR58]

That.

 

[veebass]

Part of it is to do with distribution rights and pricing as well. The fact that there IS no distributor is neither here nor there. If you look up anything on their site, ie items without any possible rosewood parts, they don't ship to Australia.

CITES isn't bullsh!t by the way. As responsible musicians who love instruments and want to continue to have them made in the future, we should embrace CITES. This planet is in such a bad way and our species is squarely in the frame for destroying it. I saw a photo of a dying animal yesterday which I will never recover from -- knocked the fun right out of me.

'Look upon my works ye mighty, and despair'.

I have gone back to Sweetwater for an explanation. You are probably right about the distributor stuff, I was just wondering aloud about the CITES angle, which IMO is actually BS when it regulates the trade in species or products from species that are in no way endangered, which it actually does in some cases. You may misunderstand me regarding CITES though and I hope you don't consider me irresponsible. I have been very involved in gaining "protected species status" for some endangered Australian species and am currently contributing to the new environmental policy of one of the major political parties which, when released next year, will include a standardisation of endangered species approaches across States (real hodge podge at present with too much reference to mining interests in many States), a funded federal body to regulate, manage and enforce these issues, separate Federal Environment Minister to the Mining Minister and protection of whole endangered ecosystems for the first time.
I have no problem whatsoever with completely banning the international trade of critically endangered species/ products, as CITES Appendix listing 1 does. Nor regulating the international trade in vulnerable or lesser concern species/ products (which Appendix 2 listing does). I will applaud all day long efforts to protect snow leopards, elephants, tigers, brazillian rosewood etc by stopping international trade in them or products from them, similarly I will applaud efforts to regulate through well managed permit systems species that, on the scientific evidence, could become critically endangered if trade were not regulated, but when the Appendix 2 List also includes superficially similar species to endangered ones, which are not endangered simply to allow ease of enforcement, as it does, that is over reach and lazy regulation to me. My understanding is that is why the common rosewoods were included relatively recently on CITES Appendix 2 Lists.
Typically, it becomes a major PITA to have anything to do with these species/ products. Whole sustainable industries in the unthreatened, but included on CITES Appendix 2 listings, species have been ruined in the past.

 

[veebass]

Rus,

Pretty sure the board isn't going to give you any CITES trouble, if you want one I can get it shipped to you, won't be cheap tho.

Thanks so much for that. You are wonderful.
I am making some more enquiries over the next few days and I will PM you.

 

[Klondike]

'Molecular acid*' -- will burn through seven decks on the Nostromo before you know it.

*Tautology alert. All acids are molecular.

View attachment 2838321

Not a Thunderbird fan? Has to be the acid...

 

[theFixer]

Excellent! You see, Mike has definitely made an impact on this little corner of the internet. Even having a term endearingly named after him... I sure hope he sees it that way since it was I, his fellow Michiganian, that coined the term, "Going all Fixer" when one avoids the Multi-Quote functionality of the board.

Luv ya', buddy!

No worries my friend! I think I'm the only person here with a "move" named after him

 

[triviani]

The MIJ is likely an Epiphone Elitist from 2000-2004, if it is, $500 is a great deal. It's a set neck, with the full size headstock and the vintage tuners. The pickups are different from what's available now, but I think they sound great. It truly is a well built instrument, I love mine. But then again, I'm jonesing for a new VP as well!

Thanks. That Epi was sold already. I found another one but the frets are in poor condition, so I'm going to wait for a VP.

 

[theFixer]

So... I got a Blackbird neck in a trade with Vaughn which I'm contemplating putting on my spare Goth, and have been thinking about a "color scheme" for it...

For now I will keep it flat black, but am thinking of making it an "Ironbird" (yes, I know BC Rich made a bass with that name) and got inspiration by German Iron Cross medals like these:

View attachment 2837882

These are the color options I've come up with so far:

View attachment 2837877

Personally I think the red/white stripe theme goes great with black hardware, and the black/white stripe theme goes great with chrome hardware - Not too sure about the red/white stripe theme and chrome, though...

I'll be doing a VVT setup (maybe with a 7ender TBX Tone pot) with either a 3-way toggle or a Kill-Switch, and an output jack on the side (as God intended) - Any suggestions I haven't considered, and should I do the color scheme with vinyl decals or paint?

I was thinking of getting some car racing stripes to do the mod, but most I've seen were all way too wide...

Also, at one point someone on EvilBay was selling Niki Sixx Blackbird PG decals, which would look great on the black PG - But I can't seem to find them anymore... Anyone by any accident have one of those laying around?

My vote is for the top one! I can't believe I'm voting against the chrome... but the red stripe with black hardware is friggin' HAWT!!!

 

[kat888]

I have gone back to Sweetwater for an explanation. You are probably right about the distributor stuff, I was just wondering aloud about the CITES angle, which IMO is actually BS when it regulates the trade in species or products from species that are in no way endangered, which it actually does in some cases. You may misunderstand me regarding CITES though and I hope you don't consider me irresponsible. I have been very involved in gaining "protected species status" for some endangered Australian species and am currently contributing to the new environmental policy of one of the major political parties which, when released next year, will include a standardisation of endangered species approaches across States (real hodge podge at present with too much reference to mining interests in many States), a funded federal body to regulate, manage and enforce these issues, separate Federal Environment Minister to the Mining Minister and protection of whole endangered ecosystems for the first time.
I have no problem whatsoever with completely banning the international trade of critically endangered species/ products, as CITES Appendix listing 1 does. Nor regulating the international trade in vulnerable or lesser concern species/ products (which Appendix 2 listing does). I will applaud all day long efforts to protect snow leopards, elephants, tigers, brazillian rosewood etc by stopping international trade in them or products from them, similarly I will applaud efforts to regulate through well managed permit systems species that, on the scientific evidence, could become critically endangered if trade were not regulated, but when the Appendix 2 List also includes similar species to endangered ones, which are not endangered simply to allow ease of enforcement, as it does, that is over reach and lazy regulation to me. My understanding is that is why the common rosewoods were included relatively recently on CITES Appendix 2 Lists.
Typically, it becomes a major PITA to have anything to do with these species/ products. Whole sustainable industries in the unthreatened, but included on CITES Appendix 2 listings, species have been ruined in the past.

My remarks were not personally directed Russ. And I realise that any 'bullsh!t' you were referring to was more around bureacratic obstacles than the actual intent of the treaty. I'm really pissed off at human beings at the moment and thought I'd share.

 

[veebass]

My remarks were not personally directed Russ. And I realise that any 'bullsh!t' you were referring to was more around bureacratic obstacles than the actual intent of the treaty. I'm really pissed off at human beings at the moment and thought I'd share.

All good.
There's plenty to get p 'd about, but there is also plenty of good stuff.

 

[kat888]

All good.
There's plenty to get p 'd about, but there is also plenty of good stuff.

Mate, I'm more the 'glass half full ... of hydrogen cyanide' sort of person I'm afraid.