Thunderbird Club

[dukeorock]

Truth here. Seems no matter what i do with my Jazz, it will always sound like a Jazz bass. The Bird on the other hand, just rules!. Hardly have touched the Jazz since out of the shop, even with the new pickups.

Best thing I ever did when I owned a Jazz was install a push/pull for series/parallel. Still had to admit in the end, Im just not a J dude. Gave it an honest shot though!

 

[theFixer]

Truth here. Seems no matter what i do with my Jazz, it will always sound like a Jazz bass. The Bird on the other hand, just rules!. Hardly have touched the Jazz since out of the shop, even with the new pickups.

So what's you're plan of action? Turn it into a VP?

 

[dukeorock]

So what's you're plan of action? Turn it into a VP?

Before I sold my last J, my thinking was to have T Bird pickups installed. Turned out I love T Birds just the way they are. Never know how you’re gonna get on with ergos on different basses, but I find ‘Birds super comfy

 

[GBassNorth]

Truth here. Seems no matter what i do with my Jazz, it will always sound like a Jazz bass. The Bird on the other hand, just rules!. Hardly have touched the Jazz since out of the shop, even with the new pickups.

It would be interesting to see an honest usage poll from bass players that own at least four different types of basses with three of them being a Thunderbird, a Jazz, and a Precision. I know this club is a highly biased group of Bird brains but personally if I had to designate a percentage of actual play time I give each bass type it would be 50% on my SG, 40% on my TBird, 5% on my Precision, and 5% on my Jazz and all other basses combined (Alembic, Spector, Stingray, Reverend, AEB, etc.).

I just personally find very little I can do on my Jazz that can't be done easier and better on other basses. And for the record there's only a few genres of music I don't play - rap, country, classical. I play just about anything else you can think of.

 

[BklynKen]

I just personally find very little I can do on my Jazz that can't be done easier and better on other basses. And for the record there's only a few genres of music I don't play - rap, country, classical. I play just about anything else you can think of.

Cool. I'd like to hear your take on the Tuvan throat singing.

 

[Gaolee]

Before I sold my last J, my thinking was to have T Bird pickups installed. Turned out I love T Birds just the way they are. Never know how you’re gonna get on with ergos on different basses, but I find ‘Birds super comfy

Proof that Birds chose you. They know. You are either a Bird person or you aren't. For what its worth, I am absolutely not a fan of the Fender Jazz sound. It is whiny and nasal for the most part. Some people can make them sound good, but I sure can't. I get along just fine with Precisions, and like the way they sound. As far as ergos are concerned, 'Birds are ideal for me. Playing the P-Bird last night was a complete blast, because it was somehow even easier to sling around than a Gibson. It didn't sound quite as good, though. So, there you have it.

For G's poll: I probably play Thunderbirds 95% of the time I play an electric bass. I have a P, a flock of 'Birds, an EB-2, and an EB. Once upon a time, I had a Ric. It was a nice bass guitar, but it wasn't quite a keeper.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

It would be interesting to see an honest usage poll from bass players that own at least four different types of basses with three of them being a Thunderbird, a Jazz, and a Precision. I know this club is a highly biased group of Bird brains but personally if I had to designate a percentage of actual play time I give each bass type it would be 50% on my SG, 40% on my TBird, 5% on my Precision, and 5% on my Jazz and all other basses combined (Alembic, Spector, Stingray, Reverend, AEB, etc.).

I just personally find very little I can do on my Jazz that can't be done easier and better on other basses. And for the record there's only a few genres of music I don't play - rap, country, classical. I play just about anything else you can think of.

I couldn't give you percentages, plus I go through phases highly dependant on what music I've been listening to for awhile (i.e. I was listening to a good amount of Zeppelin about a month ago, so I played my Jazz quite a bit)

But for the most part:
~Majority of time is spent on my Thunderbirds
~Good amount on StingRay
~Then Jazz, acoustically.... I use it when on my couch because if it falls or something, it's not a big deal.
~P-bass (it needs some nut work I think)
~Jazz (amplified) and Epi EB3 are tied. The neck dive of the Epi EB3 is the biggest factor.
~Beater bass

 

[JJR58]

So what's you're plan of action? Turn it into a VP?

No plan as of yet. Currently lamenting over an REV42.

 

[JJR58]

Best thing I ever did when I owned a Jazz was install a push/pull for series/parallel. Still had to admit in the end, Im just not a J dude. Gave it an honest shot though!

My honest shot seems to be wearing thin.

 

[GBassNorth]

Cool. I'd like to hear your take on the Tuvan throat singing.

LOL - I've done Dead can Dance covers and that's close enough for me.

 

[KingFace]

Wow!

Did you finally persuade that Japanese fellow to sell you his Ebony ‘79 - Or is that still out there?

He won't reply to any inquiries. Not even to buy it from him (although, I would consider buying him a '76 ebony Bird to replace it with!) but just to verify that it is, in fact, from '79. Granted, there's a language barrier, but between his not-too-bad English, and Google Translate, we have communicated some.

 

[kat888]

I used a Mini Mega for a half a gig and sold it. Fortunately, they were brand new and a hot ticket item at the time, so it sold quickly. Just couldn’t relate to that amp. Mesa D800 is still my favorite small, class D amp so far

If I were looking for an actual class D head now, it would probably come down to a choice between TC, Aguilar (AG700) or Mesa.

It would be interesting to see an honest usage poll from bass players that own at least four different types of basses with three of them being a Thunderbird, a Jazz, and a Precision. I know this club is a highly biased group of Bird brains but personally if I had to designate a percentage of actual play time I give each bass type it would be 50% on my SG, 40% on my TBird, 5% on my Precision, and 5% on my Jazz and all other basses combined (Alembic, Spector, Stingray, Reverend, AEB, etc.).

100% Thunderbird!

My ideal FSO is a P with a J neck. A J with a P neck would be vaguely weird.

 

[dukeorock]

It would be interesting to see an honest usage poll from bass players that own at least four different types of basses with three of them being a Thunderbird, a Jazz, and a Precision. I know this club is a highly biased group of Bird brains but personally if I had to designate a percentage of actual play time I give each bass type it would be 50% on my SG, 40% on my TBird, 5% on my Precision, and 5% on my Jazz and all other basses combined (Alembic, Spector, Stingray, Reverend, AEB, etc.).

I just personally find very little I can do on my Jazz that can't be done easier and better on other basses. And for the record there's only a few genres of music I don't play - rap, country, classical. I play just about anything else you can think of.

I got nothing against Jazz basses. Owned 3 really nice ones. In the end, I kept trying to get something out of em that wasn’t there. I must need that certain thump that P basses or ‘Birds have.

I’m still in the honeymoon phase with Thunderbirds, so my level of bias remains to be seen.

My basses at the moment;

3 Thunderbirds (if you count the incoming Cataldo), Drake Custom (dropped to C# standard, which handicaps it from getting used more), Gamma P bass that needs a little work, Gretsch SpectraSonic which gets some love and my parts bass with the Nordstrand Bigman pickup. The pickup is a little too close to the bridge for me to get the thump I like. At some point, it’ll get a second pickup and a JIO makeover. Right now it sits somewhere between a Jazz and an MM. cool sound, but one I don’t need often.

So the Thunderbirds see 90% or more of my electric playing time right now.

 

[dukeorock]

If I were looking for an actual class D head now, it would probably come down to a choice between TC, Aguilar (AG700) or Mesa

Played a few gigs with the TC as backline. I just don’t get it with those. The Aggies are cool, but I’m super happy with my Mesa.

P bass with a J neck was my main bass for years. Very cool setup!

 

[JJR58]

I got nothing against Jazz basses. Owned 3 really nice ones. In the end, I kept trying to get something out of em that wasn’t there. I must need that certain thump that P basses or ‘Birds have.

A reality i'm forced to face.

 

[BklynKen]

If I were looking for an actual class D head now, it would probably come down to a choice between TC, Aguilar (AG700) or Mesa.

Ever play through a GK MB500 or MB800?

 

[MommyPlaysBass]

A reality i'm forced to face.

I never use the J on my PJ Talman. Never. Just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Gaolee]

He won't reply to any inquiries. Not even to buy it from him (although, I would consider buying him a '76 ebony Bird to replace it with!) but just to verify that it is, in fact, from '79. Granted, there's a language barrier, but between his not-too-bad English, and Google Translate, we have communicated some.

So, you actually do know where the seventh is? Wow! Even if it's only mostly certain, I'm completely impressed by your obsessive thoroughness. I hope you land it.

 

[theFixer]

Played a few gigs with the TC as backline. I just don’t get it with those. The Aggies are cool, but I’m super happy with my Mesa.

P bass with a J neck was my main bass for years. Very cool setup!

BEHOLD THE PERFECT JAZZ BASS!!!

 

[dukeorock]

Ever play through a GK MB500 or MB800?

I have a MB800. Keep forgetting to get it fixed, but they’re nice amps