Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

I love all things bass. Sorry I derail too much!

Got a sousaphone?

(With apologies to Mark for the disturbing graphics)

 

[Gaolee]

I have no plans to replace the pickups in my ‘Bird as they are perfectly what they are and I’m happy, but have entertained the idea of getting the right Epi or something and dropping in a set of Lollars if only to satisfy my curiosity

When you have the magic one, it's kinda scary to even change the strings. I changed the strings on the '01 recently, and with great fear that it would break the spell. It didn't break the spell. Phwew! Now I'm contemplating a different bridge and a drop D tuner. Leaving well enough alone has never been a strong point.

 

[dukeorock]

Truth. Plus, they hurt. Slap hurts, you get snagged and wrenched all the time by obstacles while carrying it. Maneuvering it can be a challenge. The bag I carry mine in cost more than a used bolt-on Epi. There's a level of paranoia every time I put a bow on mine, especially in front of an audience because some awful noise is so easy to get by mistake. I have no choice but to have a big, hollow tin can for a vehicle, because the bass won't fit in much of anything else, let alone the bass and anything else.

It's what I play most these days. It's worth every pain, pain in the butt, and expense.

I'm trying to figure out an excuse to play a gig where I can play the upright for a set and then pull out a 'Bird. Maybe the fretless 'Bird, just for orneriness sake.

I double on the Eskimo Brothers gig. May bring out the ‘Bird soon there too.

I have one country gig where the right electric sound has been tricky. Dude named Mark Collie. He goes from Sun Records type rockabilly (upright for that bit) to Springteen-ish ‘rock.’ He had a couple huge hits in the late 80’s-early 90’s, but since then makes most of his money as a writer and actor. Two gigs this week canceled but I’ll be trying the ‘Bird next time out with him. The Gretsch sounds too old school with him and the ‘76 P is too grindy.

 

[veebass]

Speaking about the neck dive thang... My Epi bolt-on does it somewhat. My Epi neck-through does it a lot. Been thinking about moving the lower strap pin as I think a few members have suggested. Looks like Schecter is doing this for their 2018 models.View attachment 2841254

G& L did that on Asats years back- it helps.

 

[Shannon]

The short block is the factory 350, has 66 Corvette closed chamber heads, 445/425 lift cam with a ZZ4 intake. Reprogrammed TBI for injection

Nice.

My truck has a worn out 350, unknown internals
My car has a 440 bored .030 over, Eddy Torker 2 intake, 915 heads ported and polished (by yours truly), the cam has been in it for longer than I've been alive but it's a hydraulic Direct Connection "Purple Shaft" forget the lift, 1.6 rockers, 850 CFM Barry Grant carb.

Also building another 440 stroked and bored over 500, solid cam over .600 lift, Indy heads. And a Hemi, stroked and bored to 526, aluminum heads, don't have a cam or rockers yet.

T= Bird, Also T = View attachment 2841351 Just had to do it!

My ride has a Cummins straight 6 8.3l diesel engine, carries up to 40 people and averages about 30 mph!

Another gets on, and another gets on; Another one rides the bus!
Hey, they sit next to you; another one rides the bus!

 

[Shannon]

I want to get a magnetic pickup for my upright. The piezo is just too prone to feedback for live use.

Depends on the bass and what you’re going for. At one time Legendary ShackShakers were brutally loud and I always used piezo pickups. It can be done, most of the time, but it ain’t easy! I can’t use mag pickups because I use gut strings on my D&G. Mags also take away from the acoustic sound, but at high volume, you sacrifice that anyway

Magnetic pickup:

 

[JJR58]

More car talk huh?.

 

[Inky13]

Truth. Plus, they hurt. Slap hurts, you get snagged and wrenched all the time by obstacles while carrying it. Maneuvering it can be a challenge. The bag I carry mine in cost more than a used bolt-on Epi. There's a level of paranoia every time I put a bow on mine, especially in front of an audience because some awful noise is so easy to get by mistake. I have no choice but to have a big, hollow tin can for a vehicle, because the bass won't fit in much of anything else, let alone the bass and anything else.

It's what I play most these days. It's worth every pain, pain in the butt, and expense.

I'm trying to figure out an excuse to play a gig where I can play the upright for a set and then pull out a 'Bird. Maybe the fretless 'Bird, just for orneriness sake.

I like the cut of your jib sir! Couldn't agree more Vis-a-Vis uprights.
They can drive you bat crap insane but you can't deny the tactile awesomeness of them. I'm considering trying low tension strings after decades of steels. My quixotic quest right now is trying to find a replacement top for mine that is collapsing. Good luck with that right?
As far as transporting, you'd be surprised what you can stuff an upright into. There's a guy on YT that crams one into a Mini.
But that doesn't take other gig goodies into account does it?
Sorry to get off topic but Gaolee and Dukeorock started it!
P.S. I think a fretless bird would be a great addition to any job. My upright back up is a fretless Epi Viola that keeps the vibe going.
My dream is an Epi NR single pickup bolt on with a Mighty Mite fretless neck. I know, keep dreaming, but a few hundred pages ago, there was a teal sixties bird like that that spoke to me.

 

[bylar13]

More car talk huh?.

Thank you.

 

[Korladis]

The easiest solution lots of loud upright players use, is adding a second soundpost, one on each underside of the bridge feet. Works great and can sound better than you’d think

Yeah, but that sounds expensive to have done. Also I want to be able to go between electric and upright on my amp with the same settings, which means it needs to handle mild tube overdrive.

 

[Gaolee]

Yeah, but that sounds expensive to have done. Also I want to be able to go between electric and upright on my amp with the same settings, which means it needs to handle mild tube overdrive.

Actually, I would think a second sound post would be one of the cheaper things you could do to an upright. It's just a wooden dowel that gets stuffed in there. Easy, right? Well, no, and that's why my upright doesn't have a second sound post. It probably should, because I hardly ever play it unamplified. Project for next time it needs something from a real luthier, I guess.

 

[dukeorock]

Yeah, but that sounds expensive to have done. Also I want to be able to go between electric and upright on my amp with the same settings, which means it needs to handle mild tube overdrive.

But that’s the best argument for a second soundpost!

Actually, I would think a second sound post would be one of the cheaper things you could do to an upright. It's just a wooden dowel that gets stuffed in there. Easy, right? Well, no, and that's why my upright doesn't have a second sound post. It probably should, because I hardly ever play it unamplified. Project for next time it needs something from a real luthier, I guess.

It works and it ain’t very expensive to get done at all. I only use one in my Blast Cult, but they have slightly thicker tops to help eleminate feedback

 

[Gaolee]

I wonder if there's such a thing as a 'Bird shaped (more or less) upright. Probably not, but it sure would make for an outrageous instrument. Probably not so practical and probably tough to build, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[Bent77]

My ride has a Cummins straight 6 8.3l diesel engine, carries up to 40 people and averages about 30 mph!

Another gets on, and another gets on; Another one rides the bus!
Hey, they sit next to you; another one rides the bus!

Very familiar with the 8.3L, those were in a lot of Komatsu heavy equipment I use to repair

 

[dukeorock]

I wonder if there's such a thing as a 'Bird shaped (more or less) upright. Probably not, but it sure would make for an outrageous instrument. Probably not so practical and probably tough to build, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

I remember seeing a Flying V upright before

 

[Korladis]

I wonder if there's such a thing as a 'Bird shaped (more or less) upright. Probably not, but it sure would make for an outrageous instrument. Probably not so practical and probably tough to build, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

An electric upright could be any shape, though.

 

[Mind Eroded]

That yours?



How do you like the Orville? Some are going for more than Gibson’s online. At least asking price



I may pay it a visit

I like mine. Haven't played too many other tbirds to really give a fair comparison but I'd say it's similar in quality to other stuff coming out of Japan at the time. I paid 700 for mine so it didn't really break the bank. Wouldn't pay some of these prices I see online over 1k

 

[hillerup]

View attachment 2841273
I'll see your 4 inches and raise you 4 more. (That sounded better in my head.)

Here we go again...

 

[hillerup]

...Plus I’d have another ‘Bird

Now you’re finally getting the n+1 thing...

 

[Larry V]

I think Larry can confirm or deny this, but from short experience with a couple NR's, they didn't feel as thick as my Studio V. And I can only speak for the Studio V, I've never held a Studio IV

Agreed but I'll take a measurement for thickness if I remember when I get home.

So, here’s some numbers with pics.

Studio V: 1.7” thick and 23” across longest the measurement.

___________________________________

Non Reverse: 1.5” thick and 20” across the longest measurement.

...and that’s why the Studios are anchors compared to their non Studio siblings.