Thunderbird Club

[BklynKen]

now Ken Smith Burners, but i want to try Black Beauties next time.

i'm not in a band now, but i have intention to join one soon through this year

Cool. I was just thinking being in a band, playing within a mix, would necessitate more frequent string changes.

 

[Larry V]

(edit) I would argue that your love for, and satisfaction with the music you do listen to, is what keeps you from looking elsewhere. (edit)

Not really, Mike... I've heard the other stuff and it doesn't do anything for me.

It's like bluegrass... heard lots of it growing up but I never bought a record or went to a show.

 

[BklynKen]

now Ken Smith Burners, but i'm not settled, next time i want to put on some DR, probably Black Beauties.

i'm not in a band now, but i have intention to join one soon through this year

Also, yeah, you should check out less expensive strings than the Ken Smiths. They’re considerably more expensive than other similar strings.

 

[DanGouge]

Hey everyone, I started to clean up the mess that I'm calling the dirty bird. Some progress pics:

Edit with some observations: I'm going to need to figure out how to make a normal three- or four-knob configuration out of the hacked up controls. I was going to go with either VVTT or VVT, but I'm going to need to get busy with the filler and so on to clean it up. I was also slightly startled to see the Epiphone logo re-emerge so relatively intact. I had assumed the headstock logo would be a write-off, but maybe not. The nice thing is the wood grain is starting to look less tormented.

 

[TBird1958]

Hey everyone, I started to clean up the mess that I'm calling the dirty bird. Some progress pics:
View attachment 2921480 View attachment 2921481 View attachment 2921483

Awesome! Keep it going

 

[mistergoats]

Hey everyone, I started to clean up the mess that I'm calling the dirty bird. Some progress pics:
View attachment 2921480 View attachment 2921481 View attachment 2921483

That is one nasty through-and-through! Looks like they moved the jack plate there?

 

[GBassNorth]

Cool. I was just thinking being in a band, playing within a mix, would necessitate more frequent string changes.

I'm not in a band anymore, gave up that drama and associated hassles a few years ago, but I play my basses every day usually a couple hours at a time. The bass that gets the most play is my Blonde SG Supreme followed closely by my Gold anniversary bird. Just switched to flats on the SG but when I had Rounds on it, they'd last about 6 to 12 months. The Bird just got Optima Golds, which I expect to last a couple of years. The previous strings lasted about a year.

Part of the equation is - gigging is typically rougher on strings than practice. Sweat, smoke, temperature changes, energetic playing, and even morons with beer all take their toll on strings over time. Then there's also personal preference. When playing guitar I'd change strings before every gig (about weekly) hated dull sounding strings on guitar. However, now that I'm playing bass I actually prefer broken in strings, hate zingy clicky brittle notes on bass. So I've been known to install new bass strings on a practice bass and then once broken in, move them over to a gigging bass. I'd get 3 to 6 gigging months out of a set of nickel rounds. So for me, gigging cut the string life in about half. YMMV

 

[DanGouge]

That is one nasty through-and-through! Looks like they moved the jack plate there?

Yup, it was (inexplicably) moved to the front of the bass because it was the previous owner's preference. He also ripped out all the electronics in favour a single on/off switch. I didn't realize how bad of a hack-job it was until I got the front-mounted jack out of there. I want to make this thing sort of a polar opposite to its current appearance - something like shell pink or sherwood green.

 

[Gaolee]

I was actually thinking of double duty for the cable. Powering the bass AND being a belt. Or is that where you were going with it?

I hadn't completely thought through what the other end of the cable was plugged into.





Ehem

 

[BklynKen]

Hey everyone, I started to clean up the mess that I'm calling the dirty bird. Some progress pics:
View attachment 2921480 View attachment 2921481 View attachment 2921483
Edit with some observations: I'm going to need to figure out how to make a normal three- or four-knob configuration out of the hacked up controls. I was going to go with either VVTT or VVT, but I'm going to need to get busy with the filler and so on to clean it up. I was also slightly startled to see the Epiphone logo re-emerge so relatively intact. I had assumed the headstock logo would be a write-off, but maybe not. The nice thing is the wood grain is starting to look less tormented.

Very cool. One handy use for one of the pot holes could be a kill switch. Tempting to switch out the tone for a kill switch on my 2013.

 

[Gaolee]

I'm not in a band anymore, gave up that drama and associated hassles a few years ago...

There's drama, and there's the whole shoveling fleas across the barn floor associated with trying to schedule adults thing, too. But, I might not play bass all that much if I didn't play with other people. I would probably turn into a guitarist. What an awful fate!

 

[Gaolee]

Cool. I was just thinking being in a band, playing within a mix, would necessitate more frequent string changes.

It depends on the sound you want. I don't change the flats on my P more than about once every few years. That's the whole point of that one. 'Birds are a completely different thing.

 

[DanGouge]

Very cool. One handy use for one of the pot holes could be a kill switch. Tempting to switch out the tone for a kill switch on my 2013.

Perhaps. I was also thinking a pickup selector, I've always been either both pickups on or one or the other solo'd sort of guy. Maybe Volume/Tone/Pickup Selector/Kill OR Volume/Tone/Pickup Selector/Impedence?

 

[BklynKen]

There's drama, and there's the whole shoveling fleas across the barn floor associated with trying to schedule adults thing, too. But, I might not play bass all that much if I didn't play with other people. I would probably turn into a guitarist. What an awful fate!

I think herding cats is easier. But to me the outcome is so worth the frustration. Playing alone is never nearly as satisfying to me.

It depends on the sound you want. I don't change the flats on my P more than about once every few years. That's the whole point of that one. 'Birds are a completely different thing.

One day I’ll try flats. I’m just 99% sure I wouldn’t like them at all.

 

[mistergoats]

Yup, it was (inexplicably) moved to the front of the bass because it was the previous owner's preference. He also ripped out all the electronics in favour a single on/off switch. I didn't realize how bad of a hack-job it was until I got the front-mounted jack out of there. I want to make this thing sort of a polar opposite to its current appearance - something like shell pink or sherwood green.

Dang. I LOVE Sherwood Green. Shell Pink would be cool, too. I'm excited to see how this turns out!

 

[DanGouge]

Dang. I LOVE Sherwood Green. Shell Pink would be cool, too. I'm excited to see how this turns out!

Well, I'm excited about the concepts, I just hope that I can execute them. I appreciate everyone's encouragement on here!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

More pics. View attachment 2920208 View attachment 2920209 View attachment 2920210

I want it!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Hmm..what to do...what to do...
I recently bought some 76 Gibson buckers and wondering where I should put them. My Bachbird has a pair of 63 Thunderbuckers, my Gibson, stock pickups. Should I put the 76's in the Gibson (for which I already secured a vintage chrome three point bridge, still looking for tuners) or swap the Thunderbuckers onto the Gibson and fit the 76's on to the Bachbird? Thoughts?

 

[dukeorock]

Dang. I LOVE Sherwood Green. Shell Pink would be cool, too. I'm excited to see how this turns out!

Love both colors...for green, I got a thing for Inverness. LOVE a very muted shell pink for sure!

 

[dukeorock]

Hmm..what to do...what to do...
I recently bought some 76 Gibson buckers and wondering where I should put them. My Bachbird has a pair of 63 Thunderbuckers, my Gibson, stock pickups. Should I put the 76's in the Gibson (for which I already secured a vintage chrome three point bridge, still looking for tuners) or swap the Thunderbuckers onto the Gibson and fit the 76's on to the Bachbird? Thoughts?
View attachment 2921559

Sound like some awesome problems you got there