Thunderbird Club

[RedVee]

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

Duke, seeing how you build cabs - having a number of different amps would be necessary , that’s correct isn’t it?

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.

my wife is a little taller than me and we have found a seat location where we are both happy. Exception bring the Astra which is a manual. I drive it so rarely that I pop it forward a little to feel more comfortable with the clutch. After a few minutes driving i put it back anyway.

 

[JJR58]

That's a big girl.

Of Amazon proportions.

 

[RedVee]

@kat888 This might be up your alley...
Or anyone else that wants a red Marshall Super Bass
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Goes faster cos it’s red ?

Seriously- wow. Too rich for me. Come on Lotto !

 

[dukeorock]

I always enjoy your commentary. I just started working with the bass within the past year, and one lesson I learn every single time I pick it up, is that it's NOT a guitar! The way you describe sound, and what you do to achieve it, makes sense to me. So I'll be following you around & picking up these little morsels of wisdom you leave laying around

What kinda bridge is that on your Drake?

Hipshot A bridge. They’re pretty nice.
Glad you enjoy the ramblings about gear! I enjoy goofing around with that stuff.

That's a Hipshot A Style bridge. I have a black one on my Carvin. I love that bridge.

Confirmation

Just remember that 'everything at noon' is 2-10-2 on the Traynor passive tonestack. All of you SS amp users tend to forget that.

I get that, but thanks! I’ve had that type of tonestack a few times. I deeply resent being labeled under “all you SS amp users...” I’ve owned a whole mess of tube amps through the years! It’s just when Legendary ShackShakers were heavily touring, I was on upright, so tubes weren’t gonna help me there.

The YBA200 is a mere 19kg, positively featherweight!

Ain’t gonna bother me one bit!

And the Strategy is only 7lbs (3kg) heavier!

DUKE.... GET THE STRATEGY TOO! IT'S INEVITABLE!

You may very well be right and that amp is up on the list!

After hearing your Drake, and the recent addition of your Thunderbird to the family... it's no mystery that you're looking for tubes

you can pick up the 120s under a grand pretty easily... but these 200s are a little tougher to come by...

Sound City 200+ 70s vintage valve bass amplifier guitar amp kt88 SC200+ tube

Those things just look so cool. One day I’ll have one!

Ah okay then, 400W in a 22kg box, that really IS impressive. If they took out all of those damned sliders and associated circuitry, would be even lighter ... just saying.

Well, not much. Some of my favorite all time amps have those sliders. Mesa 400+ and SVTII non pro come to mind. Awesome amps and you can take the sliders out if you don’t need em. For me, they’ve come in handy more than a few times, but a less cluttered faceplate certainly looks a lot cooler

I'll talk to Randall Smith when I get to work tomorrow
It's pretty much all aluminum, that's why it's so light.

The transformers are lighter too.

@kat888 This might be up your alley...
Or anyone else that wants a red Marshall Super Bass
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That is gorgeous!

You're gonna make @dukeorock go broke.

Too late! Though I did just get a foreign royalty check

As long as he has cool sh!t, that's all that matters

Good thing

You don't have to use the graphic EQ if you don't want to. Given the relative size of the graphic in my D-180, it probably adds far less than a kg.

Agreed. On older amps, I even think they look kinda cool

 

[GBassNorth]

On both my Birds, it's about 108cm (43 1/2") from the ball ends to the G tuner. What is it on the VP?

It's 45 inches from the claw tail piece where the ball ends seat to the center of the post.

Figure you'll need an inch to insert into to post hole and get to the outside of the post plus about 3 additional inches to get two or three wraps around the post and your at 49 inches of string needed.

Three things are working against you on this Bird - the hard tail ball end seat is back further than the typical TBird three point bridge, the headstock is much larger than the typical bird and the tuning pegs are a large diameter.

 

[BklynKen]

Incidentally, the saddles on the Hipshot A and the SuperTone (and other of their bridges) are the same, which was another appealing aspect of the SuperTone for me. I already knew it really well.

 

[dukeorock]

Incidentally, the saddles on the Hipshot A and the SuperTone (and other of their bridges) are the same, which was another appealing aspect of the SuperTone for me. I already knew it really well.

When I got my Drake, it came with black hardware. I basically replaced it with the same stuff when it got its makeover. I didn’t know anything about it one way or the other. That stuff should cross my mind, but it doesn’t

 

[BklynKen]

When I got my Drake, it came with black hardware. I basically replaced it with the same stuff when it got its makeover. I didn’t know anything about it one way or the other. That stuff should cross my mind, but it doesn’t

Yeah, I’m geeky like that.

 

[BklynKen]

Hey @kat888, we watched Quadrophenia last night. Is Him Indoors in it?

 

[dukeorock]

Yeah, I’m geeky like that.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with understanding everything you can about your instrument! Playing upright in loud bands forced me down the rabbit hole with cabs, pres and learning about eq. It was either that, or fight feedback constantly. Electric bass bridges are just something I’ve only recently thought about. Unless there was something noticeably wrong, I just never messed with em. I do think the Hipshot A bridge is really nice and makes setups easier. But that’s about all I know

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

Before I get back to the jam space I got this running through my mind. Back when I raised my Birds pickups too high and thought the 15 speaker was blown due to the sound of high pickups Ive long since corrected the pickup height issue. I listen to my 15 speaker now and since then and I know it doesnt sound the same, like its being overdriven. Not crackling like its blown but overdriven as in loaded with dirt. Any ideas?.

 

[Gaolee]

Louisiana, "It's not the heat, it's the stupidity".

That applies to a range of places and states.

 

[Gaolee]

Back in the 70s, when the "Chuck" was a legitimate athletic shoe, it featured arch support, a cushioned heel and reinforced areas on the sides. Construction and materials were far superior than what they use in the bulk of the Converse line today. You can get close with the "Chuck Taylor '70". If you can find a dealer or outlet near you that stocks them, I highly recommend trying them out. You'll never go back to a "standard" Chuck again.

I didn't know that. I was wondering why I could get away with wearing Chucks all the time when I was a kid, and found them not much more than flip-flops as an adult. It's not JUST because I didn't wear shoes at all most of the time as a kid, is it? Maybe not.

 

[kat888]

It's 45 inches from the claw tail piece where the ball ends seat to the center of the post.

Figure you'll need an inch to insert into to post hole and get to the outside of the post plus about 3 additional inches to get two or three wraps around the post and your at 49 inches of string needed.

Three things are working against you on this Bird - the hard tail ball end seat is back further than the typical TBird three point bridge, the headstock is much larger than the typical bird and the tuning pegs are a large diameter.

See what you made me do? Just measured the .045 from my spare set of KS strings and it's 49" (why do I feel dirty for writing that?) on the schnozz.

 

[dukeorock]

Before I get back to the jam space I got this running through my mind. Back when I raised my Birds pickups too high and thought the 15 speaker was blown due to the sound of high pickups Ive long since corrected the pickup height issue. I listen to my 15 speaker now and since then and I know it doesnt sound the same, like its being overdriven. Not crackling like its blown but overdriven as in loaded with dirt. Any ideas?.

Man, sorry you’re struggling. Could be any number of things. Cables, the amp, loose wire inside the cab. Or maybe your speaker is damaged. Check the dust cap? If part comes loose it can sound a bit janky

 

[Gaolee]

Agreed. It’s not like I want to carry as much weight as possible, but if something I really love is heavier, so be it.

If it has wheels, I don't much care how much it weighs. I can get a big cab up and down stairs just fine. Same with a heavy head. It's awkward I won't do. No 410 cabinets for me. Those are the spawn of the devil, looking for poor, unsuspecting lower backs to posses and cause to writhe in pain.

 

[kat888]

I get that, but thanks! I’ve had that type of tonestack a few times. I deeply resent being labeled under “all you SS amp users...” I’ve owned a whole mess of tube amps through the years!

Dry your tears. You'll live. People get used to active tone controls, they forget what stuff's like.

 

[GBassNorth]

Before I get back to the jam space I got this running through my mind. Back when I raised my Birds pickups too high and thought the 15 speaker was blown due to the sound of high pickups Ive long since corrected the pickup height issue. I listen to my 15 speaker now and since then and I know it doesnt sound the same, like its being overdriven. Not crackling like its blown but overdriven as in loaded with dirt. Any ideas?.

If your amp has both a passive and active input make sure you're plugged into the right one for your bass. I know an active bass plugged into a passive input can cause a bit of an overdrive or distortion effect. Also try the shortest instrument cable you have. Long cables can create a bit of distortion. You can also check your gain and if you have a clipping light on your amp make sure it isn't indicating that you're running too hot on the input. Lastly, some pickups and/or strings are just hotter than others, if you run your on board volume controls at max try backing down to about a 75% level.

 

[Gaolee]

Just remember that 'everything at noon' is 2-10-2 on the Traynor passive tonestack. All of you SS amp users tend to forget that.

All SS isn't Traynor.

 

[Gaolee]

You're gonna make @dukeorock go broke.

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