My story is similar to Fixer's, which is scary. My first experience was with a '70's era FSO (the j-shaped one) owned by my high school, where I played a beat up sax in last chair, because beat up sax was beat up. Notice I didn't get to play bass. Then a year or so after graduating (1992-3ish), I bought a Peavey Foundation and TKO 115 on a line of credit but had to return them when things went south financially. Didn't pick up a bass again until I found a used FSO (j-shaped S-branded one) locally in 2009. It was mine a few months before I sold it, because I couldn't eat it. I tried, though. Fast forward some more years, and I found a Dean starter kit in a local classified for cheap (2016). I got another FSO (this is named for a Katt though) after that when I found out Zzounds would let me make payments. Found a Davison FSO (p-shaped) copy for a mere $45, and then found this place. This glorious, wacky, mad, mad, mad place. Shortly afterwards, I was overwhelmed with overtime money right as another TB'er wanted to sell an Epiphone Classic 'Bird (with case, even!). That 'Bird chose me, even though it was a financial stressor for about a month. The seller freely admitted that he was not chosen by the 'Bird, and preferred FSO's. So here I am. Now if only I could borrow a certain phone booth so I could have the time to actually get good...
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
My story is similar to Fixer's, which is scary. My first experience was with a '70's era FSO (the j-shaped one) owned by my high school, where I played a beat up sax in last chair, because beat up sax was beat up. Notice I didn't get to play bass. Then a year or so after graduating (1992-3ish), I bought a Peavey Foundation and TKO 115 on a line of credit but had to return them when things went south financially. Didn't pick up a bass again until I found a used FSO (j-shaped S-branded one) locally in 2009. It was mine a few months before I sold it, because I couldn't eat it. I tried, though. Fast forward some more years, and I found a Dean starter kit in a local classified for cheap (2016). I got another FSO (this is named for a Katt though) after that when I found out Zzounds would let me make payments. Found a Davison FSO (p-shaped) copy for a mere $45, and then found this place. This glorious, wacky, mad, mad, mad place. Shortly afterwards, I was overwhelmed with overtime money right as another TB'er wanted to sell an Epiphone Classic 'Bird (with case, even!). That 'Bird chose me, even though it was a financial stressor for about a month. The seller freely admitted that he was not chosen by the 'Bird, and preferred FSO's. So here I am. Now if only I could borrow a certain phone booth so I could have the time to actually get good...
I forgot we were doing TBird origin stories...
Here's mine. Those basses look awesome. The end.
Here's mine. Those basses look awesome. The end.
I'm still not a proper TBird player - my Cataldo G8R 12er is more of a 'Lizard than a 'Bird, and my baby-blue-rattle-can-refin Goth Epi Tbird project ("The Blue Bird of Crappyness") is still in pieces awaiting pickups. Should just get it up and running already.
John Entwistle's tone on Quadrophenia. I got my first Thunderbird in Jan. of 2016, after playing the same 7ender Jazz bass for 22+ years. I had been asked to join a band again and the J bass was in a sad state. I decided that if I was going to get something in addition, it had to be totally different to justify having it.
I had been through 4, Ric 4000 series basses and a Spector previously, so I knew no Rics or active electronics. I decided to look at Gibson basses because I had been taught for so long that "they suck" and this was a way of trying something outside my comfort zone.
I first started looking at the EB basses and was shocked at how good they sounded (to me) in the demo videos. Problem was, nobody had one in the greater Philadelphia area for me to try. I realized that the pickups in the newer EB were coil tapped, hum-buckers and that lead me to looking at basses with hum-bucking pick ups.
That searching took me to Fly Guitars which "reminded" me about Entwistle using a T-Bird around the time of Quadrophenia. So I decided to look for a used Thunderbird, even though I had played one a long time ago and "knew" that I hated them, it was so different form a J-Bass I figured it was truly trying something different.
With the dots now connected, through a google search, I found a T-Bird listing on Talkbass (never knew Talk bass existed prior) joined up and bought a used 2006 Thunderbird for $850 shipped.
I had that bass for a couple of months and realized that the newer Gibson pick-ups were not for me, I did not love the sunburst finish and the neck on the 2006 was much more like a P-bass. I switched the pick-ups for a set of Lollar T-Bird pick-ups and BOOM! The sound was fantastic. Now just to deal with the more shallow, aesthetic choices...
So while searching through the used gear section of Guitar Center online (another thing I learned from talkbass...) I saw a 2014 Heritage Cherry T-Bird for $899. I did not even hesitate. I bought the moment I saw it. Put the Lollars in it and swapped the black hardware for chrome and have record two records plus played a bunch of live gigs with it. I love it.
In the interim, I got the Jazz Bass back to working order but never play it. It is a true "vintage" bass (1973) and according to the TB GP it is what I am "supposed to prefer" but the sound, feel and tone of the T-Bird best it in all areas.
I had been through 4, Ric 4000 series basses and a Spector previously, so I knew no Rics or active electronics. I decided to look at Gibson basses because I had been taught for so long that "they suck" and this was a way of trying something outside my comfort zone.
I first started looking at the EB basses and was shocked at how good they sounded (to me) in the demo videos. Problem was, nobody had one in the greater Philadelphia area for me to try. I realized that the pickups in the newer EB were coil tapped, hum-buckers and that lead me to looking at basses with hum-bucking pick ups.
That searching took me to Fly Guitars which "reminded" me about Entwistle using a T-Bird around the time of Quadrophenia. So I decided to look for a used Thunderbird, even though I had played one a long time ago and "knew" that I hated them, it was so different form a J-Bass I figured it was truly trying something different.
With the dots now connected, through a google search, I found a T-Bird listing on Talkbass (never knew Talk bass existed prior) joined up and bought a used 2006 Thunderbird for $850 shipped.
I had that bass for a couple of months and realized that the newer Gibson pick-ups were not for me, I did not love the sunburst finish and the neck on the 2006 was much more like a P-bass. I switched the pick-ups for a set of Lollar T-Bird pick-ups and BOOM! The sound was fantastic. Now just to deal with the more shallow, aesthetic choices...
So while searching through the used gear section of Guitar Center online (another thing I learned from talkbass...) I saw a 2014 Heritage Cherry T-Bird for $899. I did not even hesitate. I bought the moment I saw it. Put the Lollars in it and swapped the black hardware for chrome and have record two records plus played a bunch of live gigs with it. I love it.
In the interim, I got the Jazz Bass back to working order but never play it. It is a true "vintage" bass (1973) and according to the TB GP it is what I am "supposed to prefer" but the sound, feel and tone of the T-Bird best it in all areas.
Many years ago when I was in the capital markets (a very conservative atmosphere) one of the back office girls (not a euphemism) came in with bright purple hair. I joked "Koolaid accident last night?" She laughed, but later told me that indeed she used Koolaid on her hair because it provided bright colours and washed out over a few washes allowing her to change colours regularly.
Such knowledge can't be wasted. I have told my daughter that if she ever wants to dye her hair a bright colour, I will help her because I know how. This has two effects - it removes the shock value of brightly coloured hair (on me) and it would drive her mother (my ex-wife) nuts. It is win-win!
My 14 y/o has been doing the Kool-aid dye job thing for years... always red and it has been our experience that it does not wash out... ever. She does the bottom 5-6 inches all the way around and it looks Kool. Its staying power is remarkable.
Pardon my ignorance, who is that?
If you survey bas players to find out what they want, you end up with the Fender problem - they want new innovative basses that are exactly the same as the ones that were made in 19xx
Market research is exceedingly difficult to do well.
Had you surveyed users in 1900, none would have needed a car or truck with a gasoline engine. They needed a stronger/faster horse that would work longer hours, didn't need to stop to eat, drink or poop, and lasted a long time, could be stored in a shed, and didn't die unexpectedly. Consumers rarely have the solutions to their problems. And in many cases do not even understand that they have a problem in need of a solution.
But very well executed market research can elucidate a problem in need of a solution that smart people can then solve.
I need a smoke machine for the basement. And maybe a confetti cannon.
Mine is far more complicated:
Hey a 5 string thunderbird! It looks cool and I want 5 strings. C$350? Sold!
Does anyone know the part number for the output jack in Epi thirds? I need o order one to finish out the electronics swap.
Stock pickups? The horror!
I used to use Manic Panic. Not sure if that was mostly specific to NYC.
I've always been the guy who had to be different. So when everyone around me is playing the same old, same old I wanted something different. Now I'd gone back and forth with Tbirds in the past and always struggled with the ergonomics. It wasn't until I freed myself from the notion that my mass produced Chinese bass would be of value someday. So after drilling multiple holes, and I do mean multiple, I've relocated the strap buttons so the bass sits well to my right when it hangs, this brings the end of the neck a little closer and keeps the body from flipping forward
Yeah I'm behind the curve on a few bands. Wishbone Ash. Mahogany Rush? Humble Pie. All new to me. Sorry, that was always my parents music. Didn't appreciate the Beatles or Stones until recently. That Bill Wyman, vastly underrated.You have to leave. Get out!
j/k
Overend Watts
By the best luck ever. The Thunderbird wasn't even on my radar and I found one in a pawn shop for a steal so I bought it. It's now my favorite bass. Everything about it just fits me perfectly.
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Nice stage! That's bigger than most clubs up my way.
It's a pretty big venue. Brooklyn Steel.
This looks fun: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
