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Thunderbird Club

Nice! That's not rust on the frets, but it is corrosion. Frets are non-ferrous so there's no iron to rust in 'em. That's more like tarnish than rust, but I can't think of the proper name.

Just for general info in case anybody here didn't know: when you use steel wool to polish frets, tape off your pickups so the metal shavings from the wool don't get down into them. I like Scotch-Brite pads for that job because they're not magnetic.
 
Nice! That's not rust on the frets, but it is corrosion. Frets are non-ferrous so there's no iron to rust in 'em. That's more like tarnish than rust, but I can't think of the proper name.

Just for general info in case anybody here didn't know: when you use steel wool to polish frets, tape off your pickups so the metal shavings from the wool don't get down into them. I like Scotch-Brite pads for that job because they're not magnetic.

I think the word you are looking for is oxidation.
 
Hey Dylan,

I'm glad you still have that 'Bird, I was afraid you might have traded it away. I'm wondering how close you are to the water there in Friday Harbor, salt air is ceaseless in it's corrosive activity, maybe it's responsible for your frets?
Congratulations on finishing college, hope we can meet at a Seattle GTG later this year.


For those of you unfamiliar with Washington State you might google Friday Harbor.....The San Juans are simply beautiful.
 
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Found a better picture of the Silverbird.
050x_zpse3ygnqns.jpg
 
Well it has been a long time since I've stopped in on this club. I've been living in Connecticut for the past 4 years while at school, and since flight cases for T-Birds don't exactly come easy, I always left it behind back west when I was out there. However, now I'm back west and have renewed interest in the 'bird.

While I was driving back from the east coast, I stopped in Minneapolis to see some family, and it just so happened the band Temples was playing that night, so I ended up going to see them, and their frontman brought out a late 60s Non-Reverse Firebird XII for a few numbers. That reminded me of the 8-string Thunderbird I'd seen on TB ages back, and how cool that damn thing was. After poking around for some info on it (thanks Tbird1958 for answering my questions!), it seems getting a hold of one of those isn't terrible likely, seeing as the builder isn't building them at the moment. So, pipe dream put on hold.


Now I just have a hankering for a Non-Reverse Thunderbird II in Willow Mist poly (light sage green) or, if I can ever track down a builder, a Non-Reverse Thunderbird VIII in Polaris White. Let the GAS flow.


Oh, and here's a pic of the Zebrabird getting worked on.

image1_zps17447bcb.jpg

Glad to hear that you were able to get the Bird setup to your liking. Enjoy playing it now!!!

And there is a builder amongst us that will build an 8 string NR for you. Carlo of Cataldo basses will build one and he is a member of the group. He builds BEAUTIFUL basses!!!
 
Hey Dylan,

I'm glad you still have that 'Bird, I was afraid you might have traded it away. I'm wondering how close you are to the water there in Friday Harbor, salt air is ceaseless in it's corrosive activity, maybe it's responsible for your frets?
Congratulations on finishing college, hope we can meet at a Seattle GTG later this year.

For those of you unfamiliar with Washington State you might google Friday Harbor.....The San Juans are simply beautiful.

Yeah, it's been up in the air as to whether to trade it a few times, but I've only ever really been interested in a '65 or earlier EB-3 or maybe a Ric 4001v63, plus or minus $, and I've never got any offers along those lines so it's stuck around. Like I said though, I was always hesitant about it, seeing as it's rather unique, even if it wasn't getting much use. I'm pretty close to the water, and I thought that might be part of it, but I've never had the same issue on any of the Fenders, but I'm not sure what the material was that Gibson used on the frets back in 2007, so it might be.

There is a Seattle GTG coming up soon, right? I would absolutely love to get down to one finally, bring down some of the Sunns for people to test out!

I think the word you are looking for is oxidation.
Yes, thank you, I knew rust wasn't the right word.

Glad to hear that you were able to get the Bird setup to your liking. Enjoy playing it now!!!

And there is a builder amongst us that will build an 8 string NR for you. Carlo of Cataldo basses will build one and he is a member of the group. He builds BEAUTIFUL basses!!!

Yeah, Cataldo is a definite possibility, I've read great things. I'm REALLY enamored by the Gibson LP headstock and split diamond inlay that Mark's coral one had. I was reading over on Bassoutpost that Baz Cooper said he might do them again, but that it's not a possibilty at the moment, so I might just bide my time. I also read over there that Scott might be building some NR II, which I am very interested to see, the guy knows his NRs, which I have to admit are my preference. Not that I have disposable income at the moment, I spent most of that getting my newest Sunn up to snuff, but at least now I can run all my basses into 3 2000s heads with (minimum) 2x15s each!
 
Dylan,
I'd totally forgotten about Scott (He's a great guy!) IIRC he had actually started one, you might PM him. I think the Seattle GTG will be in the fall this year - it will be epic!
 
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Now I just have a hankering for a Non-Reverse Thunderbird II in Willow Mist poly (light sage green) or, if I can ever track down a builder, a Non-Reverse Thunderbird VIII in Polaris White. Let the GAS flow.

Always glad to help with GAS pains. Every Cataldo model, including NR, is available in 4, 5, 8 or 12 string options, in any color ever sprayed on a car or guitar. Your choice of headstock.
 
I'm gonna start a search for the most obnoxious metal flake paint color I can find. It's gonna be a while before I can afford to have Carlo make it, so I can get it all planned out over the next several long times. :D

How about a lemon yellow sparkle finish. Just kill two senses with one bass :P (i'll be sure to bring some ear plugs & mega sunglasses :D )
 
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I'm gonna start a search for the most obnoxious metal flake paint color I can find. It's gonna be a while before I can afford to have Carlo make it, so I can get it all planned out over the next several long times. :D

We have the technology...
P1070956P_zpscktlnpbq.jpg


Lemonhead_zpsoxgqqj3s.jpg
 
I'm gonna start a search for the most obnoxious metal flake paint color I can find. It's gonna be a while before I can afford to have Carlo make it, so I can get it all planned out over the next several long times. :D
How about a Zack Wild pattern like this...
Dec13_PG_FEAT_ZakkWylde_81LesPaulGrail_WEB.jpg

In alternating metal flake day glow green and metal flake day glow orange.
That should create some real motion sickness in the first few rows!
 
I think this colour would just look freaking sweet on a NR:
5019777_orig.jpg


I think that was officially dubbed an aged Pelham Blue by the Gibson Custom Shop, but it looks pretty darn close to the Oldsmobile Willow Mist:
GibsonCustomColors_zps9b0ab989.jpg


It's hard to find a good picture of a car with it. This looks a little more inverness, in that it doesn't have as much of the moss tone in it (maybe Emerald Mist?).
hh.jpg


You can sort of see it on the rear of this car:
59-Olds_Super88-Hardtop_DV-08_GMG_01.jpg




EDIT: Here's a firebird in a close colour, here dubbed Inverness, but again, this seems greener (maybe aged)
Invalid Link Removed
 
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