Thunderbird Club

[dukeorock]

Interesting what you had to say about the M9. When i had mine, i never found it to be zingy up top. But maybe the cab i was using at the time had something to do with it, A Mesa Powerhouse 212.
It was the 900 watt version, much before it was the 600 watt version. Wish i still had it.

Mine is the modded 600 watt version. They’re terrific amps. For most of my gigs, I use the Mesa D800 and am happy enough, especially for doubling gigs. For electric only gigs, the Reiner 6SL7 with a power amp is my favorite for the past couple years, so the M9 tends to slip between the cracks a bit. All of my cabs have dedicated mid drivers, which can bring out the zing of the M9. It’s easily tamed, so it’s not an issue at all. Still tempted to grab that Sunn Colosseum 300 I found at a pawn shop. Super interesting amp

 

[JJR58]

Yup, that's it. The one recommendation I have, if you get it, is to move the shoulder strap carabiners from the D-rings directly to the webbing loops the D-rings are attached to. Makes the shoulder straps a lot more stable.

This is good to know, will have to do that to mine.

 

[dukeorock]

This is good to know, will have to do that to mine.

Still need to grab one of those bags. My ‘Bird just barely fits into a Mono Vertigo

 

[BklynKen]

Still need to grab one of those bags. My ‘Bird just barely fits into a Mono Vertigo

I briefly had a Vertigo, but find the Gator WAY more practical. The storage space is excellent.

Just be careful about overhead, like doorways. The Gator sits kinda high, but overall I prefer that since it's less to bang against the backs of your legs when walking.

Edit: It seems like MONO opted for style over practicality. I found the Tick really annoying and unwieldy. And the Gator has more built-in storage than the Vertigo WITH the Tick.

 

[JJR58]

Mine is the modded 600 watt version. They’re terrific amps. For most of my gigs, I use the Mesa D800 and am happy enough, especially for doubling gigs. For electric only gigs, the Reiner 6SL7 with a power amp is my favorite for the past couple years, so the M9 tends to slip between the cracks a bit. All of my cabs have dedicated mid drivers, which can bring out the zing of the M9. It’s easily tamed, so it’s not an issue at all. Still tempted to grab that Sunn Colosseum 300 I found at a pawn shop. Super interesting amp

Understood. That Sunn 300 is a great amp, How much do they want for it?

 

[dukeorock]

I briefly had a Vertigo, but find the Gator WAY more practical. The storage space is excellent.

Just be careful about overhead, like doorways. The Gator sits kinda high, but overall I prefer that since it's less to bang against the backs of your legs when walking.

The Vertigo came with my Drake. Never had a very fancy bag up until then. I see one of them Gators in my future

 

[BklynKen]

The Vertigo came with my Drake. Never had a very fancy bag up until then. I see one of them Gators in my future

Ah, I see. I added to my above post:

"It seems like MONO opted for style over practicality. I found the Tick really annoying and unwieldy. And the Gator has more built-in storage than the Vertigo WITH the Tick."

 

[BklynKen]

The Vertigo came with my Drake. Never had a very fancy bag up until then. I see one of them Gators in my future

You could sell your Vertigo for a good amount of money, if you're intending to replace it with the Gator.

 

[Gaolee]

Just be careful about overhead, like doorways. The Gator sits kinda high, but overall I prefer that since it's less to bang against the backs of your legs when walking.

Or you can have an upright in a bag and get both banging backs of legs and banging the ceiling unless you walk bent like the back of a horse or something.

 

[dukeorock]

Ah, I see. I added to my above post:

"It seems like MONO opted for style over practicality. I found the Tick really annoying and unwieldy. And the Gator has more built-in storage than the Vertigo WITH the Tick."

What’s ‘the Tick?’

I’ve never had any huge issues with the Mono. Protects the bass very well and the strap is comfy enough. I’ve never really used the storage part anyway, but I can see where they’d come in handy.

My typical load in for Eskimo Brothers is upright and electric on each shoulder. Second trip is Mesa and Grace pre in their own bag, cables, mics, tuner, spare strings in another bag and my 1822. Two trips, piece of cake and I know where everything is. On a doubling gig, it’s just gonna be two trips! I can do one trip on electric gigs

 

[BklynKen]

Or you can have an upright in a bag and get both banging backs of legs and banging the ceiling unless you walk bent like the back of a horse or something.

Oh, man, I feel so bad for the guys lugging those around the subway. They usually have those soft cases with the wheel at the bottom. I really want someone to put a little mag wheel on theirs.

 

[dukeorock]

Or you can have an upright in a bag and get both banging backs of legs and banging the ceiling unless you walk bent like the back of a horse or something.

Ha! I’m 6’3”, so with an upright bag, I gotta duck through every doorway anyways

 

[BklynKen]

What’s ‘the Tick?’

I’ve never had any huge issues with the Mono. Protects the bass very well and the strap is comfy enough. I’ve never really used the storage part anyway, but I can see where they’d come in handy.

The Tick is a little storage compartment that will clip onto the front of the MONO cases. Great in theory, but when you unzip the bag, the weight of it will pull it right down and your stuff in it will all move around.

I make a lot of use out of the storage since I rely on the subway to get around. I don't have a car.

 

[Gaolee]

Ha! I’m 6’3”, so with an upright bag, I gotta duck through every doorway anyways

At times like that, it's good to be more of a pipsqueak. I'm still not short enough to fit into the car when the seat is adjusted to my wife, but being less than six feet has its occasional advantages.

 

[Shannon]

HERE IS MY NEW LEFTY GIBSON USA T-BIRD! GIBSON DID A GREAT JOB WITH FRETS AND FINISH1 THE NEW BRIDGES ARE GREAT BUT YOU MUST REMOVE THE 1/8'' SPACER AT BOTTOM OF BRIDGE TO GET GREAT LOW ACTION AND A NICE ANGLE. SET THE NECK TO .010'' RELIEF IN PLAYING POSITION. BASS KICKS ASS!

So it's a reversed reverse body? But not a non-reversed body? So reversed... not reversed... my brain hurts.

 

[BklynKen]

At times like that, it's good to be more of a pipsqueak. I'm still not short enough to fit into the car when the seat is adjusted to my wife, but being less than six feet has its occasional advantages.

Right on. I'm well under 6', but I still bang the top of the Gator sometimes in the subway. And as I've said, neither the Gator nor the Thunderbird is any worse for the wear.

 

[Shannon]

What’s ‘the Tick?’

 

[dukeorock]

The Tick is a little storage compartment that will clip onto the front of the MONO cases. Great in theory, but when you unzip the bag, the weight of it will pull it right down and your stuff in it will all move around.

I make a lot of use out of the storage since I rely on the subway to get around. I don't have a car.

Oh heck yeah. If I had to take the subway, my setup would be very different for sure!

 

[dmac1961]

The Tick is a little storage compartment that will clip onto the front of the MONO cases. Great in theory, but when you unzip the bag, the weight of it will pull it right down and your stuff in it will all move around.

I make a lot of use out of the storage since I rely on the subway to get around. I don't have a car.

I've grown to love the Tick, but thought it was just a gimmick at first. Wish all my gig bags would accommodate it, but I'll carry it stand alone on gigs where the Vertigo isn't going. But yes, I always remove it from the Vertigo before opening it, otherwise you get a lot of load shift.

 

[lowend1]

Build quality is very similar but because of the Vintage Pro 60's Alnico humbuckers, two piece bridge and large headstock it is a very different sounding bass than the Classic Pro. The CP with the Ceramic Humbuckers is a much more modern and cleaner sounding bass. The VP sounds just like a good 60's Thunderbird should, full of grit, growl, mild inherent distortion and treble zing. The VP also has better string tension and sustain due to the two part bridge. Hope that helps.

Scott, has the modification they did to the cutaway area on the Classic IV Pro (for upper register access) reverted to the original?