Thunderbird Club

[JJR58]

That may be true but you are a bass playing, cat owning, urban female, who likes tea and ginger snaps (esp. the tins). So, in the words of Blondie, "One way, or another, their gonna getcha, getcha, getcha . . . One day, maybe next week . . .". You are brand loyal to certain bass stuff. I am betting you also have an affinity for other brands. So, the marketers have reached you, whether through advertising or other evils. They "might" also have affected the man with the 8th wonder of the world shoe closet!

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Watch it there Stevis, you might get a swipe across the face.

 

[Stevis]

Watch it there Stevis, you might get a swipe across the face.

I know. I am like the big dumb puppy that will catch one in the snout.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

That may be true but you are a bass playing, cat owning, urban female, who likes tea and ginger snaps (esp. the tins). So, in the words of Blondie, "One way, or another, their gonna getcha, getcha, getcha . . . One day, maybe next week . . .". You are brand loyal to certain bass stuff. I am betting you also have an affinity for other brands. So, the marketers have reached you, whether through advertising or other evils. They "might" also have affected the man with the 8th wonder of the world shoe closet!

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Could be a love for the product themselves. I've never really seen much advertising for Thunderbirds, but I have 3.

 

[Stevis]

I remember reading an article shortly after Henry J took over Gibson where he spoke of rebranding Gibson into a ‘lifestyle brand.’ He’s gotten a lot of hate recently, but I think he was unlikeable from the get go

I also identify myself as a cyclist. I also ride an Italian bike! Didn’t cost $10k but I would if I could. There’s just no harm in indulging your hobbies if you love em that much. I have a buddy who owns more basses and gear than I ever will and he’s never been in a band and doesn’t want to be. Never had or will play a gig. But he loves (and can afford) really cool gear...I don’t get it, but it’s also none of my business what people do to find their own joy

The problem seems to be that Gibson has built brand equity over the years that this dude seems to be squandering (and arguably erroding). Could we compare his managment to the CBS ownership era at Fender (or is it even worse)?

I am 100% with you on spending what you can afford on bikes, guitars, etc. As long as it brings joy and no harm, have at it. I mentioned the $10k bikes as I knew someone around here, who owned a shop. She sold these kinds of frames and schooled me on how most of the markup was on the clothing and accessories. And that people would actually buy a bottle holder or other accessories based on how light they were and they were not aspiring to the Tour De France. And it is no different than me buying bass or guitar gear, when I am not heading out on tour (or even out of the house, most of the time).

We also haven't talked about musical instruments as a luxury good. Think about the Fender and Gibson custom shop offerings, which START at $3k. There is a brand called Knaggs, which some of you may know of. One of their designers used to be at PRS, which also sells some pretty spendy gear. For a short time, Knaggs experimented with calling some of their instruments "investment grade guitars". And there are baby boomers out there, who can buy several. Their highest profile signature artist is Steve Stevens, of Billy Idol and Michael Jackson fame.

 

[Gaolee]

wow, that beats my "(not-so-)secret (half-)underground bad jazz laboratory" nickname!

If you saw it, you would understand the name completely.

 

[Gaolee]

That may be true but you are a bass playing, cat owning, urban female, who likes tea and ginger snaps (esp. the tins). So, in the words of Blondie, "One way, or another, their gonna getcha, getcha, getcha . . . One day, maybe next week . . .". You are brand loyal to certain bass stuff. I am betting you also have an affinity for other brands. So, the marketers have reached you, whether through advertising or other evils. They "might" also have affected the man with the 8th wonder of the world shoe closet!

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I suspect that Thunderbird players are a band of misfits and oddballs who enhance each other's GAS pains. Other than that, we are pretty resistant to outside influences. We all came to being 'Bird people in different ways and for different reasons. Advertising sure wasn't it.

 

[BklynKen]

The problem seems to be that Gibson has built brand equity over the years that this dude seems to be squandering (and arguably erroding). Could we compare his managment to the CBS ownership era at Fender (or is it even worse)?

Not disagreeing with any of this, but I have to mention that it was under this era that I got a left-handed Thunderbird.

 

[Gaolee]

I don't have much issue with the quality of what Gibson is making these days. That's based on a small sample and isn't 100% indicative of overall quality, but it's my observation. My problem with Gibson's behavior these days is the zigs and zags. An example is the lack of time and support Gibson gave EB bass guitars in 2013 and 2014. Those were their own thing, and they probably would have found an audience in time. As it was, Gibson made them for a couple years and then pulled the plug for who knows what reason. You couldn't buy a US made Fender for the price, and you certainly couldn't buy a US made Fender with a case for the price those were going for brand new. They weren't strictly FSOs, however close they were, and they weren't traditional Gibson designs either. They needed time to find their target market. Instead, Gibson pulled the plug, redesigned them, and may or may not keep making them. The robot thing was a fiasco as well. Done right, they would have offered the robot tuning as an option instead of trying to make it a standard feature on new Gibson guitars. None of it makes any sense. It doesn't mean they are making bad products.

 

[Gaolee]

A decent synopses for the decline and possible future of Gibson.



It gets into the numbers of what's behind the bankruptcy talk and it doesn't look good.

So, you buying half a dozen or so new ones to stash away for when Gibson is only a memory?

 

[Stevis]

I suspect that Thunderbird players are a band of misfits and oddballs who enhance each other's GAS pains. Other than that, we are pretty resistant to outside influences. We all came to being 'Bird people in different ways and for different reasons. Advertising sure wasn't it.

Sure. I would agree. It is part of the reason that the list makes sport of many of the Gen Pop Fender owners, as some of their comments seem like the stuff of lemmings. But . . . we know the history of the brand/bass, including many who were paid to play them (e.g., Mr. Sixx). And I am certainly not immune as I had never played one but wanted (and purchased) one because it was a Gibson and made in U.S.

And I am not saying that anyone here bought a Tbird to be a poser but it does have a non-conformist vibe (and we know that non-conformists can still be marketed to - e.g., skateboarders).

Not disagreeing with any of this, but I have to mention that it was under this era that I got a left-handed Thunderbird.

So, there wasn't a lefty bird before this or were they just that scarce?

 

[Gaolee]

Well, sure...if you’re mic’ing John Bonham

Man, I’ve made a ton of recordings in my life. Many thousands. It’s been my main fascination since I was a little kid. Studied all the different ways to mic a kit, recorded in so many different sounding rooms. There’s only one ‘trick’ that works and it works every time. Use a great drummer
It’s really hard to get a bad drum sound out of a great drummer and even harder to get a great sound out of a less than great drummer

Another reason for lack of posted recordings from the basement of blasphemy and bad ideas. Lack of talent to record.

 

[kat888]

That may be true but you are a bass playing, cat owning, urban female, who likes tea and ginger snaps (esp. the tins). So, in the words of Blondie, "One way, or another, their gonna getcha, getcha, getcha . . . One day, maybe next week . . .". You are brand loyal to certain bass stuff. I am betting you also have an affinity for other brands. So, the marketers have reached you, whether through advertising or other evils. They "might" also have affected the man with the 8th wonder of the world shoe closet!

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Hmm, well I may buy the same tea all the time, but only because it was on offer at the supermarket and I liked it more than other tea. Suppose in a way that is 'marketing' but not advertising. If I try something and like it, I'll stick with it. The problem is getting me to try it in the first place, or even to form the idea that I want it, let alone need it. On the other hand, the Mod will have three stripes on his tomb stone.

 

[Gaolee]

You should!

As for ‘you gotta use a 57 on the snare.’ You don’t ‘gotta’ do anything! On early rock and roll, the drums ain’t close mic’d at all! Put a ribbon mic in the middle of the room and move it around until you like it.

The reason I only used two mics on drums for the Prayer Flags record isn’t because I have some established technique and adhere to a two mic thing. I did it for two reasons.

1. I didn’t know we were making a record
2. I often get lazy and impatient in the studio if I’m forced to be the engineer.
I just want to keep moving and hear all the parts in the song because I’m excited.
I just don’t believe in absolutes in the studio, period

The best recordings I have gotten so far were done with two ribbons in the middle of the room. Electric guitar on one side of one, upright bass on the other side. Singer close to the other one at 90 degrees.

 

[BklynKen]

So, there wasn't a lefty bird before this or were they just that scarce?

Never, besides that apparent one-off NR that's on Reverb for an obscene amount.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Never, besides that apparent one-off NR that's on Reverb for an obscene amount.

It's currently at $10,500. Which I think is more than reasonable. There's right handed reverse II's for more. And it was owned by a famous person (Tom Petersson) in it's past, which adds value. I think $12,000 was a fair price in the current market, being so few were made as lefties. That's how vintage markets work.

 

[PillO]

Wow. I guess that my “single bass theory” is totally full of crap. I stand corrected.

My sample is probably not representative. Almost certainly not representative.

But, I was intrigued by the appearance of Myung not changing at all. You would think that he would need to tune and I can't imagine that he was doing it himself in the dark. It leads to the interesting theory that he has more than one bass that looks identical to the audience.

 

[dukeorock]

Another reason for lack of posted recordings from the basement of blasphemy and bad ideas. Lack of talent to record.

Man, if you have the creative urge to do it, then do it. It’s up to someone else to decide if it’s any good or not

The best recordings I have gotten so far were done with two ribbons in the middle of the room. Electric guitar on one side of one, upright bass on the other side. Singer close to the other one at 90 degrees.

Sounds perfectly valid to me! Understanding the sound of your room and cooperating with it is way more critical than what mic or how many of em you got. Though I do love me some ribbon mics

 

[Stevis]

This post from the Gibson site kind of speaks to my point about marketing non-conformity. Here is Gibson seemingly trying to position their bass line for punk rockers. To me, the product shot lacks authenticity. Does anyone recognize this woman as a musical artist or is she a model?

Note also the punk bass players that the writer mentions. Two of the three have or had Fender signature P basses and the other played (and smashed) a P bass too (think iconic cover of "London Calling").

Then, they mention Devin Towsend. I looked him up. It is unclear if he plays punk. It is unclear whether he is best known as a bass player. And it is also unclear if he plays Gibson.

They casually allude to three basses and provide hotlinks.

The Art Of Punk Bass

The one take away? I am going to need to refrain from playing any punk in the future as I cannot do the non-conformist kick, while playing bass and wearing non-conformist boots. I could MAYBE pull off wearing the non-conformist skirt and tights, in sort of a circa 1980s Paul Westerberg SNL way. But that's it.

 

[kat888]

I suspect that Thunderbird players are a band of misfits and oddballs who enhance each other's GAS pains. Other than that, we are pretty resistant to outside influences. We all came to being 'Bird people in different ways and for different reasons. Advertising sure wasn't it.

'This bass you must not play!'

Why? It looks like it goes fast.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

This post from the Gibson site kind of speaks to my point about marketing non-conformity. Here is Gibson seemingly trying to position their bass line for punk rockers. To me, the product shot lacks authenticity. Does anyone recognize this woman as a musical artist or is she a model?

Note also the punk bass players that the writer mentions. Two of the three have or had Fender signature P basses and the other played (and smashed) a P bass too (think iconic cover of "London Calling").

Then, they mention Devin Towsend. I looked him up. It is unclear if he plays punk. It is unclear whether he is best known as a bass player. And it is also unclear if he plays Gibson.

They casually allude to three basses and provide hotlinks.

The Art Of Punk Bass

The one take away? I am going to need to refrain from playing any punk in the future as I cannot do the non-conformist kick, while playing bass and wearing non-conformist boots. I could MAYBE pull off wearing the non-conformist skirt and tights, in sort of a circa 1980s Paul Westerberg SNL way. But that's it.

I've only known Townsend to play guitar, so I looked him up again, couple pictures with Les Paul's... but only one picture of him playing bass.... it's not a Gibson, but it is a Thunderbird like bass.... Spector Forte 5x I believe.