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Thunderbird Club

#63,042
Larry V said:
There's a cheapie looking upright at my kids' music school that is more than likely for sale. Would you like me to take pics of it and ask about what he'd let it go for? I'll be there today so let me know, @theFixer Mike.
Click to expand...
Thanks Lar... but I gotta lotta stuff I gotta sort out if I want my 2018 to be any better than my 2017 was;)
 
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#63,047
To help bump us past the Spector Boyz - here's my Spector family photo...
3fullfrontspectors-jpg.jpg

...from left to right that's a Euro 4LX neck through with a poplar Burl top and poplar wings, it's a beast and easily my most aggressive sounding bass; a 35" Rex Pro 5 string all maple neck through bass with the ever changing holoflash finish; and a very rare highly figured walnut on walnut NS2J Special Edition one of 11 made Jazz on steroids bass.
The Rex bass was what got me into the TBird club, since then I've added a Gibby anniversary bird, an Eppi Goth and an Eppi VP. You guys are a bad influence.
 
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#63,048
GBassNorth said:
To help bump us past the Spector Boyz - here's my Spector family photo...
View attachment 2887424
...from left to right that's a Euro 4LX neck through with a poplar Burl top and poplar wings, it's a beast and easily my most aggressive sounding bass; a 35" Rex Pro 5 string all maple neck through bass with the ever changing holoflash finish; and a very rare highly figured walnut on walnut NS2J Special Edition one of 11 made Jazz on steroids bass.
The Rex bass was what got me into the TBird club, since then I've added a Gibby anniversary bird, an Eppi Goth and an Eppi VP. You guys are a bad influence.
Click to expand...

Although i couldn't ever get the hang of Spector basses. Those are really beautiful G.
 
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#63,049
GBassNorth said:
To help bump us past the Spector Boyz - here's my Spector family photo...
View attachment 2887424
...from left to right that's a Euro 4LX neck through with a poplar Burl top and poplar wings, it's a beast and easily my most aggressive sounding bass; a 35" Rex Pro 5 string all maple neck through bass with the ever changing holoflash finish; and a very rare highly figured walnut on walnut NS2J Special Edition one of 11 made Jazz on steroids bass.
The Rex bass was what got me into the TBird club, since then I've added a Gibby anniversary bird, an Eppi Goth and an Eppi VP. You guys are a bad influence.
Click to expand...
Love the holoflash. Might have to get me one of those...
 
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#63,050
PillO said:
Love the holoflash. Might have to get me one of those...
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Great playing bass! When I was actively gigging the holoflash would get tons of audience comments between sets. It even started a fight between two very drunk women arguing over what color it was (they were both right, the color changes depending on the angle being viewed and the lighting). :roflmao:
They (the bass, not the women) run about $600 used (the women might be more or less, I didn't ask).
 
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#63,052
GBassNorth said:
I'm in the Spector club also but mostly just lurk there these days. Doing my best not to post there which would make it harder for us bird brains to catch up to them. As far as their favorite topics go, I'd say the vast majority of the time they are talking about on-board preamps and pups. Seems many Spector owners have a burning desire to make their bass sound different than stock. I've never quite understood that, to me they sound quite good stock. The second most popular topic is drooling over the gorgeous woods and finishes Stewart puts out on his basses. I'd put them firmly in the PRS category for woods and finishes. They are great basses and the club members over there are great folks, almost as good as this club.
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Well... since you're vouching for them... I shall politely smile & wave as we pass them, instead of hangin' my pale furry arse out the window :D
 
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#63,053
GBassNorth said:
To help bump us past the Spector Boyz - here's my Spector family photo...
View attachment 2887424
...from left to right that's a Euro 4LX neck through with a poplar Burl top and poplar wings, it's a beast and easily my most aggressive sounding bass; a 35" Rex Pro 5 string all maple neck through bass with the ever changing holoflash finish; and a very rare highly figured walnut on walnut NS2J Special Edition one of 11 made Jazz on steroids bass.
The Rex bass was what got me into the TBird club, since then I've added a Gibby anniversary bird, an Eppi Goth and an Eppi VP. You guys are a bad influence.
Click to expand...
Those beautiful finishes are a sight to behold... but I'M lovin' that beautiful fireplace and hearth (probly doesn't see a lotta use in sunny California I imagine;))
 
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#63,054
GBassNorth said:
Finally got time to put my Optima strings on last night. They sound even better than they look. I went with the Unique strings, they seem like they have a bit more tension than the regular Optima strings. In fact I had to tighten the truss about a half turn to increase the back bow a bit vs the Chromes that I had on it before.

Here's the strings...
View attachment 2886604

Here's the bass and silks...
View attachment 2886602 View attachment 2886603
Click to expand...

Looking really good, and impressive with the silks lining up! :)

How is the sound of them?
 
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#63,055
theFixer said:
Those beautiful finishes are a sight to behold... but I'M lovin' that beautiful fireplace and hearth (probly doesn't see a lotta use in sunny California I imagine;))
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Thanks. I built that fire place from an antique floor to ceiling oak mirrored mantle I found in an estate sale and some stormy purple haze granite I had custom cut to fit in the surround and raised hearth. It was in the basement of my last house in Kentucky where it actually did get some use.
 
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#63,056
hillerup said:
Looking really good, and impressive with the silks lining up! :)

How is the sound of them?
Click to expand...

Thanks. Here's the review I did of the strings...

GBassNorth said:
The Optima Gold Rounds are a warm string with lots of punch and clarity. They have a significant bottom end and smooth top end with minimal zing and sizzle. The Unique version that I installed on this bass also appear to have a higher tension than the normal Optima golds I use on my other basses. For me that translates to faster right hand playing but more concentration needed on the left hand to ensure good fretting technique.

The tone across the strings is balanced exceptionally well, which I find is hard to get on my other TBirds. My others (and same with this bass pre Optimas) had a very bright G string, almost to the point of it sounding like a completely different EQ when going from any of the other strings to the G. In the past there were many times I'd slide down the D string for higher notes that I would have normally just stayed in position and played on the G string. Not any more. Harmonics and chords ring very true and sound crisp and clear, not muddy and no chorus effect or competing overtones.

Three interesting things to note vs the Chrome Rounds I had on this bass before the Optimas - I had to add noticeable back bow to the neck to compensate for the higher tension, which was creating a much higher action than I like. I had to drop the bass side of the neck pickup down to compensate for the much louder E and A strings. I assume the core on these strings may be larger or possibly the material more prone to magnetic pickup than the Chromes, thereby making them sound louder. And lastly, I had to drop the bass side of the three point bridge to compensate for the overwrap on the ball end of the string that extended just a bit beyond the saddle (more a function of the bridge design vs the string design).

Overall I'm very pleased with the sound, playability and look of strings. For some it might be too much bling on a bass but for me it completes the picture on this particular bass, which for a stock Gibson is already on the blingy side due to the gold finish, gold hardware and gold logos. Heck I'd put gold covers and trim rings on it if I could find a set - in for a penny, in for a pound. Which brings us to cost. At $70 a set, these strings aren't cheap but they do last a good long time. I don't have acidic sweat problems with any of my strings, but if you do they might be a string to try. The gold plating lasts forever (as far as strings go) and don't flake, peel or tarnish over time. I get between 1 and 5 years on a set of these vs 3 to 6 months out of a set of Chromes. Here in the states you can get them from JustStrings.com (unfortunately BassStringsOnLine does not carry this brand).
Click to expand...
 
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#63,057
Still doing my part to bump us past the Spector boyz.
A couple of TBird club members mentioned they also play Warwick's, here's my Warwick family shot...
image-jpg3_zpslhvwmhyr-jpg.jpg

1998 Thumb BO5 ovankol body with a wenge/wenge neck, 2012 Vampyre 5 Neck Through custom shop in blood red satin stain on a figured maple cap with a swamp ash body, 2007 Flaming Blonde Limited edition BO Thumb in solid lacewood body.

I Pretty much have all the Warwick's that ever interested me but there's still that unicorn of a bass they built called the Buzzard. If I ever run across one at a reasonable price I'll snap it up and sell some FSOs to cover the cost. Of course if I ever get the Buzzard I'll have to work with Carlo to make an exact JAE Fenderbird tribute, maybe even with a slight relic finish (as much as I detest those) just to complete the picture. :thumbsup:
 
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#63,060
GBassNorth said:
Still doing my part to bump us past the Spector boyz.
A couple of TBird club members mentioned they also play Warwick's, here's my Warwick family shot...
View attachment 2887540
1998 Thumb BO5 ovankol body with a wenge/wenge neck, 2012 Vampyre 5 Neck Through custom shop in blood red satin stain on a figured maple cap with a swamp ash body, 2007 Flaming Blonde Limited edition BO Thumb in solid lacewood body.

I Pretty much have all the Warwick's that ever interested me but there's still that unicorn of a bass they built called the Buzzard. If I ever run across one at a reasonable price I'll snap it up and sell some FSOs to cover the cost. Of course if I ever get the Buzzard I'll have to work with Carlo to make an exact JAE Fenderbird tribute, maybe even with a slight relic finish (as much as I detest those) just to complete the picture. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Really cool. Where's the strap button on the Vampyre?
 
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