Thunderbird Club

[Larry V]

On Friday night, the wife and I took the kids to an annual party weekend in Bay City, MI called The River Roar. This year the music lineup was right up my three kids' alley and to be honest, mine as well. We all really like the active rock scene and if you like that scene you know there's real value in catching your favorite bands in these smaller outdoor venues.

Here's Three Days Grace doing Animal I've Become.



...and here's me and my kids working out the first part of the same song in our music room the next day.



Having fun playing music, that's what it's about, right?!

 

[mistergoats]

Thanks, Tom. Hadn't played it in a while, pulled it out to check the pickup measurements. It has a chunky neck, which I like. Neck on this one, also a '64, is thinner. Pickup is in the same place as neck pup on the IV.

Love the II. Mostly because that "missing" pick-up is right where I pick, so it's really an optimal instrument for me, ergonomically.

 

[A. D. Fairhurst]

My pro hasnt any strap posts as of yet (previous owner). However I have a three incu black leather strap that will cure anythin neck dive elated should there be an issue thith that. I dont foresee any issue.

Ive found the soumd is more prone to growl than my Epi IV. Definatly more sound options. Similar but different, if that makes sense.

Worth it? i think it was but I stole it too, according to Trebless.

Is thos your first bass or first tbird?

First T-Bird. Because I don't really like the Mike Dirnt P I got for Christmas my dad thinks I'm being ungrateful and gets annoyed whenever I bring it up. Plus, I don't yet have the cash to get one. (I've got £169. I'm trying to sell my huge collection of Beast Quest books I got when I was a kid for £150, but my mum won't let me so my little brother can read them.) Still, I'll have it sooner or later.

 

[GBassNorth]

First T-Bird. Because I don't really like the Mike Dirnt P I got for Christmas my dad thinks I'm being ungrateful and gets annoyed whenever I bring it up. Plus, I don't yet have the cash to get one. (I've got £169. I'm trying to sell my huge collection of Beast Quest books I got when I was a kid for £150, but my mum won't let me so my little brother can read them.) Still, I'll have it sooner or later.

Hang on to that Precision!
Every good bass collection has a precision bass sitting right next to a Thunderbird. If you took a poll of members in this Tbird club I'd bet that more than 80% of them also own a P bass. In many instances its the right tool for the job and although I play my Tbird a lot more than most of my other basses I can't imagine being without a P bass.

 

[A. D. Fairhurst]

Hang on to that Precision!
Every good bass collection has a precision bass sitting right next to a Thunderbird. If you took a poll of members in this Tbird club I'd bet that more than 80% of them also own a P bass. In many instances its the right tool for the job and although I play my Tbird a lot more than most of my other basses I can't imagine being without a P bass.

I want to get many P basses. I really love them...just not the Mike one. The E-string is much more clacky and dead than the other ones, the satin neck is just asking to get damaged, and it sticks out like a sore thumb among other P basses. Mike Dirnt was better with a Gibson G3 anyway.

 

[hillerup]

Hang on to that Precision!
Every good bass collection has a precision bass sitting right next to a Thunderbird. If you took a poll of members in this Tbird club I'd bet that more than 80% of them also own a P bass. In many instances its the right tool for the job and although I play my Tbird a lot more than most of my other basses I can't imagine being without a P bass.

How much I hate to admit this, I do think you have a point here and must confess that I do have one as well, although it's not a regular one, but a Blacktop P-bass...

I would actually go further, and say a Rickenbacker 4001/4003 should be in the collection as well (though I don't currently own one) - With those 3 basses you've pretty much got every base covered...

 

[TBird1958]

Hang on to that Precision!
Every good bass collection has a precision bass sitting right next to a Thunderbird. If you took a poll of members in this Tbird club I'd bet that more than 80% of them also own a P bass. In many instances its the right tool for the job and although I play my Tbird a lot more than most of my other basses I can't imagine being without a P bass.

No P bass here, long ago, like in '78-'79 there was a P bass as a second to my Rick 4001, it was a '73 all swamp ash and maple board. I bought it for about $320.00 thinking " everybody has one of these, guess I should too. It just never really worked for me, tonally or physically and even though I didn't play in drag at the time, it just never looked "right" on my. Honestly, looking back it was a pretty lovelessly assembled slug of a bass that I don't regret selling, overall it's saved me lots of time at music stores, I walk right past every P bass with out stopping. I've never not gotten a gig or slot in a band because I didn't have one, frankly I'd tell anyone that insisted I play one to get stuffed


A Thunderbird II more than covers the P bass thang - A Greco is highly recommended!

 

[SVTbird]

How much I hate to admit this, I do think you have a point here and must confess that I do have one as well, although it's not a regular one, but a Blacktop P-bass...

I would actually go further, and say a Rickenbacker 4001/4003 should be in the collection as well (though I don't currently own one) - With those 3 basses you've pretty much got every base covered...

Yep.
I have a G&L LB-100 P bass, a ric 4003, and a ric 4004 in addition to my birds.

I've been officially GAS free since i got my Blackbird

 

[BadBassDrummer]

How much I hate to admit this, I do think you have a point here and must confess that I do have one as well, although it's not a regular one, but a Blacktop P-bass...

I would actually go further, and say a Rickenbacker 4001/4003 should be in the collection as well (though I don't currently own one) - With those 3 basses you've pretty much got every base covered...

Great I may be well on my way towards an approved collection.
- Lull T4 #1
- Lull NRT4
- Rickenbacker 4001
- Lull P4
- Lull M4V
- Ibanez GSR200FM <-- first bass. I am sure it is the root cause of all future GAS

 

[imdkoz]

How much I hate to admit this, I do think you have a point here and must confess that I do have one as well, although it's not a regular one, but a Blacktop P-bass...

I would actually go further, and say a Rickenbacker 4001/4003 should be in the collection as well (though I don't currently own one) - With those 3 basses you've pretty much got every base covered...

Right there with ya!! I think I've got it covered.
PJ Bass
(2) Jazz
Epi Classic T-Bird
Epi Goth T-Bird
74 Rickenbacker 4001
MM5

 

[mistergoats]

I feel like my little collection has "rock bass" (and for that matter Mike Dirnt) covered:

2015 P-Bass Custom Parts Bass
2012 Gibson Thunderbird IV
2012 Gibson G3 70's Tribute
1994 7ender Jazz '75 RI MIJ
1970 Dan Armstrong Lucite

The only thing I'm currently fancying adding to the roster is a Cataldo REV with a single Thunderbucker in Polaris White (dammit, Carlo I've been on your site pretty much all morning, drooling).

 

[Justice]

I currently have a P bass thread going where I talk about not likeing P basses when I first started playing, but now after finding them cheaply, I have amassed 10 of them. (Fender, Squier Ibanez and SX) And I play them along side my T-Birds (I only have 4 Birds...so far)

This is my lastest P bass, done in black and gold and actually inspired by my desire to build a black and gold T-Bird mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

[Nocturnal]

I sold my Fender Jazz Special so I could buy back my original BlackBird. There are a couple models of the PBass that I would own, just haven't pulled the trigger yet. I do have multiple basses that cover that sound, just not the look

 

[hillerup]

I currently have a P bass thread going where I talk about not likeing P basses when I first started playing, but now after finding them cheaply, I have amassed 10 of them. (Fender, Squier Ibanez and SX) And I play them along side my T-Birds (I only have 4 Birds...so far)

This is my lastest P bass, done in black and gold and actually inspired by my desire to build a black and gold T-Bird mentioned earlier in this thread.

So, how did it go...? Did you get your local music store to order you one of those gold 3-point bridges?

Nice P, btw...

 

[hillerup]

I sold my Fender Jazz Special so I could buy back my original BlackBird. There are a couple models of the PBass that I would own, just haven't pulled the trigger yet. I do have multiple basses that cover that sound, just not the look

a Fender Jazz Special or Duff McKagan signature is one of the few P's out there I would like to get, if I were to only pick one more Fender...

 

[Justice]

So, how did it go...? Did you get your local music store to order you one of those gold 3-point bridges?

Nice P, btw...

not yet, i need to find the victim, i mean doner bass before I start buying parts. The P bass above sorta fell into my lap so I decided to give it the black and gold treatment because it was just a plain black and white bass and was kinda boring.

 

[hillerup]

not yet, i need to find the victim, i mean doner bass before I start buying parts. The P bass above sorta fell into my lap so I decided to give it the black and gold treatment because it was just a plain black and white bass and was kinda boring.

Keep us posted when you get to do it...

 

[ThaCoast]

As far as bass collection goes, i've got a least one for every style (that i choose to play with)

2008-09 Epiphone Thunderbird goth series (revamped): mostly for anything that requires heavy bass tones such as Alt rock, metal, grunge, glam. Doesn't get out much since i have no case for it.
Eastwood Pbass copy: was my main since 2009, recently retired to studio work only since i built sheena
Ibanez GaxB: technically my 2nd ever bass owned since 2003-04, great lil short scale to noodle around.
Unbranded Parts Pbass: Named Sheena the Punk Bass, nicknames the orange line bass (cause in MTL with the metro system, i've gotten each part on the orange line ) body: 20$ loaded, neck: 65$, machine head: 85$, string tree: 3$. currently waiting for a replacement bridge: 30$ & it'll be done. currently my main bass for everything mostly cause it's easier to carry around & has a gig bag. Completed summer 2014
2011 Logical Rick Copy bass: strung with Halfwounds, mostly for Indie rock. Gift from my dad to celebrate my graduation for high school, entry into college & just overall everything in my life that he wasn't there for. Never leaves the house, & i gotta restring it it roundwounds.

 

[A. D. Fairhurst]

How much I hate to admit this, I do think you have a point here and must confess that I do have one as well, although it's not a regular one, but a Blacktop P-bass...

I would actually go further, and say a Rickenbacker 4001/4003 should be in the collection as well (though I don't currently own one) - With those 3 basses you've pretty much got every base covered...

If I could afford a Rickenbacker (or persuade my dad to lend me £1600) I would've got one LONG ago!

 

[A. D. Fairhurst]

Yep.
I have a G&L LB-100 P bass, a ric 4003, and a ric 4004 in addition to my birds.

I've been officially GAS free since i got my Blackbird

What's GAS?