Thunderbird Club

[TBird1958]

Nice sounding head, Mark - I do like the Gibson with rounds a bit better than the flats - just me tho!

 

[JIO]

Ya' know, with all the vintage Sunn & Acoustic, heads still floating around out there pulling yeoman duty. That has to testify for something!
Here we are 40+yrs on and they are still chuggin' along and kickin' it.
Nowadays, it seems like a fluke if you can squeeze a few years out of the newer silicon stuff before it craps out.

So true - I had a really nice sounding Ashdown 550 tube preamp head for about 10 minutes (exaggerating...) before it melted down. Loved it, but only for 10 minutes.

 

[theFixer]

Good luck on the Cobalt Rounds. I tried them on one of my other basses when they first came out and couldn't get them back off quick enough. Way over the top on zing and top end sizzle, ultra rough surface, smooth quiet slides were impossible for me. In the one or two days I had them on I noticed a small pile of brass filings at the nut, I can only assume they would also be very aggressive on the frets.

On the positive side, they were very loud and clear with lots of bottom end and punch. I am considering trying the Cobalt flats just to see what they are all about. To be fair, I'm not even much of a Stainless Steel guy, I typically gravitate to nickel Rounds or tapes or in a few cases even flats. I'm thinking the VP might like really bright flats, which makes me think the Cobalt flats might do the trick.

I'm with ya on the Cobalt rounds. With a little manipulation/adaptation, they'd probly make a helluva concrete saw. I have the Cobalt flats on the Gretsch. I can't say I totally agree with the 10,000 reviews I read that all say "round sound, flat wound"... but I like 'em. I like 'em a LOT!

 

[dukeorock]

Nice sounding head, Mark - I do like the Gibson with rounds a bit better than the flats - just me tho!

I like em both! The flats work great for the Americana/country gigs sometimes

 

[JIO]

I like em both! The flats work great for the Americana/country gigs sometimes

Service the song/gig - always

 

[theFixer]

And no one has mentioned to @megatapper the #62 rites of initiation yet...

Poor ol' #62

(BTW... has his family dropped the law suit yet?)

 

[dukeorock]

So true - I had a really nice sounding Ashdown 550 tube preamp head for about 10 minutes (exaggerating...) before it melted down. Loved it, but only for 10 minutes.

I had a freak exception Ashdown. Had an ABM 500/410 combo that I put on another Ashdown 410. Once we played the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival. The crew takes your gear to and from the stage on golf carts, so we pulled em out of their cases at the trailer. I watched from a distance as a golf cart was flying up a steep grass hill with our gear...my ABM 500/410 combo fell out of the back and tumbled, end over end nearly 200ft down the hill and splattered at the bottom...it got super beat up, but I played it that same night at Slim’s in SF. Fired right up
I know Ashdown had a bunch of problems, but mine was awesome. A buddy of mine still plays it here in Nashville

 

[Fab Superlative]

Maybe that tumbling dice, end over watts, rawhide rollin' trip down the hill bounced the gremlins out or catalyzed the silicon lattice into shape? Ha!

 

[theFixer]

Grabbed an old Sunn Coliseum 300 amp today...video quality is iffy, but I love it with the ‘02 Gibson w/ Lollars and flats. Just noticed autocorrect made it a ‘Sunny’ Coliseum! Ha! I’ll fix that later

First observation... you seem to be one of those guys who could plug anything into anything else, and make it sound good!

Second observation... though I can't say anything specifically "bad" about that Sunn... I can say that I'm partial to that Mesa you usually use (not that it matters)

(P.S.) Yer voice was clear as day!!!

 

[JIO]

I had a freak exception Ashdown. Had an ABM 500/410 combo that I put on another Ashdown 410. Once we played the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival. The crew takes your gear to and from the stage on golf carts, so we pulled em out of their cases at the trailer. I watched from a distance as a golf cart was flying up a steep grass hill with our gear...my ABM 500/410 combo fell out of the back and tumbled, end over end nearly 200ft down the hill and splattered at the bottom...it got super beat up, but I played it that same night at Slim’s in SF. Fired right up
I know Ashdown had a bunch of problems, but mine was awesome. A buddy of mine still plays it here in Nashville

I wish I still had my 550 Spyder - such nice tone! Here it is with my Eden 2x10 cab that I still use.

My band just played Slims last month - let me know if you are playing in the Bay Area again!

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

I wish I still had my 550 Spyder - such nice tone! Here it is with my Eden 2x10 cab that I still use.

My band just played Slims last month - let me know if you are playing in the Bay Area again!

View attachment 2939942

What mods on that Cry Baby?

 

[JIO]

First observation... you seem to be one of those guys who could plug anything into anything else, and make it sound good!

Second observation... though I can't say anything specifically "bad" about that Sunn... I can say that I'm partial to that Mesa you usually use (not that it matters)

(P.S.) Yer voice was clear as day!!!

I replaced that Ashdown with a Mesa M-2000 (650 2 tube pre /2 tube Fet) and although it's a bit more complicated than I like it sounded great at rehearsal the other night...

 

[dukeorock]

First observation... you seem to be one of those guys who could plug anything into anything else, and make it sound good!

That’s very kind of you to say, thanks!

Second observation... though I can't say anything specifically "bad" about that Sunn... I can say that I'm partial to that Mesa you usually use (not that it matters)

(P.S.) Yer voice was clear as day!!!

I can get the voice part loud by cranking the ribbon mic and turning the amp way down, but then the music part tends to suffer a bit. Too much room noise. Trying to find the balance...one of these days!

I love my Mesa M9 a lot and they’re very special amps. I don’t think the video showed the Sunn at its best, but it was close. The Sunn is more vintage sounding like a nice ACC amp and the M9 is more modern...tends to mic up really well too
I want to start slowly getting more cool, iconic amps. Should sell off couple first

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

That’s very kind of you to say, thanks!



I can get the voice part loud by cranking the ribbon mic and turning the amp way down, but then the music part tends to suffer a bit. Too much room noise. Trying to find the balance...one of these days!

I love my Mesa M9 a lot and they’re very special amps. I don’t think the video showed the Sunn at its best, but it was close. The Sunn is more vintage sounding like a nice ACC amp and the M9 is more modern...tends to mic up really well too
I want to start slowly getting more cool, iconic amps. Should sell off couple first
View attachment 2939970

There's been a couple 371 rigs for sale lately!

 

[JIO]

What mods on that Cry Baby?

It's stock, bought in the late 90's - it has a "boost" (anodized red button) and the red/green LED's are for wah on and boost.

edit: and I forgot - it also has a large rubber-coated (foot) knob on the other side for dialing more treble-bass on the fly.

 

[dukeorock]

I replaced that Ashdown with a Mesa M-2000 (650 2 tube pre /2 tube Fet) and although it's a bit more complicated than I like it sounded great at rehearsal the other night...

I’ve always wanted to try one of those M-2000’s!

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

It's stock, bought in the late 90's - it has a "boost" (anodized red button) and the red/green LED's are for wah on and boost.

Interesting!

 

[JIO]

That’s very kind of you to say, thanks!



I can get the voice part loud by cranking the ribbon mic and turning the amp way down, but then the music part tends to suffer a bit. Too much room noise. Trying to find the balance...one of these days!

I love my Mesa M9 a lot and they’re very special amps. I don’t think the video showed the Sunn at its best, but it was close. The Sunn is more vintage sounding like a nice ACC amp and the M9 is more modern...tends to mic up really well too
I want to start slowly getting more cool, iconic amps. Should sell off couple first
View attachment 2939970

Looks like a "Dagwood" sandwich!

 

[GBassNorth]

Poor ol' #62

(BTW... has his family dropped the law suit yet?)

I heard he was showing signs of improvement. The brain damage wasn't nearly as bad as first thought but I doubt he'll be playing a bass again. I think the new club member initiation revisions we put in place will keep the permanent damage to a minimum. Do you recall if @kat888 was supposed to dial back the voltage on the welder, or were we supposed to stop putting their feet in a tub of water, I'm confused.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

I heard he was showing signs of improvement. The brain damage wasn't nearly as bad as first thought but I doubt he'll be playing a bass again. I think the new club member initiation revisions we put in place will keep the permanent damage to a minimum. Do you recall if @kat888 was supposed to dial back the voltage on the welder, or were we supposed to stop putting their feet in a tub of water, I'm confused.

Shorter spikes (framing nails). The 4" ones were getting too close to a certain part of the brain. Cerebral Cortex IIRC.