Thunderbird Club

[JJR58]

I’m sure it would. I just really hate to drop any more cheddar at this point. I found a guy that may have done some trading with me. He had an SVT CL only 6 months old. Never had been out of the house. But, it is Chinese made, and that sorta spooked me. I’ve heard some horror stories about the Asian Ampeg stuff.

Not all of the Asian stuff is bad, but, I hear ya.
I was specifically speaking of the US model.

 

[Unclejackrock]

Not all of the Asian stuff is bad, but, I hear ya.
I was specifically speaking of the US model.

I’d love to have one of those VR’s, but that’s more money than I need to spend on a hobby that I end up playing a show once every 2-3 months.


I was hoping to find a decent USA made CL for $700-$800, but I found this 4PRO for half that much, and now that’s what I have. Again, I really like the tone I get, and it’s soooo incredibly powerful. My main gripe is the form factor. It just doesn’t look right. Maybe I’ll stumble onto something.

 

[dieselman]

I'm going to get some tickets for your Portland Or. stop. Not available yet.

Thanks for posting that! Having lunch in Ft. Collins, CO, headed to Sturgis at the moment

 

[Count Bassie]

I’d love to have one of those VR’s, but that’s more money than I need to spend on a hobby that I end up playing a show once every 2-3 months.


I was hoping to find a decent USA made CL for $700-$800, but I found this 4PRO for half that much, and now that’s what I have. Again, I really like the tone I get, and it’s soooo incredibly powerful. My main gripe is the form factor. It just doesn’t look right. Maybe I’ll stumble onto something.

If you like the tone, etc,... I mean if the amp actually works for you, I'd get into the slow boat to vintage-izing it. collect up some scrap plywood, get some Ampeg-y grille cloth and start scribbling up a drawing. You've builta chicken coop? Then you can do this.
Complete the look with one or two of those lewd stickers Fix recommends, and you're in big-budget garage heaven!

 

[Engle]

I must admit prog rock was a complete mystery to me, even today! Thank God punk happened or I'd have been well stuck Each to their own of course.

I do have a minor Rick Wakeman encounter story. In 1996 Wendy and I were on a trekking around the Isle of Man coastal footpath, tents/rucksack sort of thing. We were strolling on the quayside at Peel when we came across a guy sketching, we said our greetings as we passed and who greeted us back was Rick Wakeman. That was it really, not much of a story to entertain at parties

I’m imagining him sitting there sketching in one of his long wizard robes...

 

[PillO]

1) check

2) check

3) check

4) Though I agree with the thinking behind the flywheel... I personally have no interest in a trussrod that adjusts anywhere but at the headstock. I've never had an instrument with a heel-end TR adjustment, that I could set up as I like.

5) The back of the center is hollowed out??? It's becoming clearer, that you are not building this one for me. Removing perfectly good wood for the sake of weight reduction? Pass. In my book... if it's under 10 pounds, shut up & play it. Anything over 10 pounds... well... how much do you like playing it? Also... I'm down with rounding off the body edges, but I personally wouldn't be too interested in all the contouring you're considering. Won't the removal of all that body weight, increase the likelihood of neck-dive?

6) Between those 2 bridges, I prefer the more traditional look of the HipShot D.

7) I'm down with clovers. UltraLites are best for headstock weight.

8) Ok... imagine you're trying to set me up with a friend of yours. "She's tall, thin, and very attractive. She has a bubbly personality & smile that lights up the room! Oh... and she craves rotting human flesh". That's what just happened when you started talking about pre amps & such. No active electronics for this dirty ol' bastard. I'm anxious to hear what comes outa those Mojo Tones yer gonna put in the LP twins

9) check

Forgive me for saying so... but both of these dragon pics are well beneath the level of class and sophistication that your beautiful, custom hand-built instruments deserve. IMO... both of these would be more at home on the bicep of some 22 year old @sshole bouncer at some schitty bar.

(Has opinion. will travel)

I'm not dissin' the whole idea of a dragon. I'm just sayin'... ya know... like... both of these are cool... but only ONE of them belongs on the Rolls:

View attachment 3091089

View attachment 3091090

Ah, @theFixer has a mild opinion. And appears to believes that the spirit of ecstasy is rather garish and should be replaced with a cartoonfigure. Or maybe I'm wrong and he loves everything.

 

[vbass_2000]

The whole aesthetic is off. Has been since I put the rug together. I bought the cab for a song. $300. It’s been hauled all over creation, but the guy that bought it new was a country player who never cranked it, and basically only played it for a year he was on tour. It’s th good plywood one too, not the particle board version. Then I wanted a legit SVT Head, but I found a great deal on this SLM era 4 PRO. My drummer had one some time back and really praised it, so I bought it. I like the tone and power, but damn if I don’t hate the way it looks on this cool old cab.

View attachment 3093793

I feel the same way about by my old 400T. Check out head cases at Aguilaramps.com. I believe that the 400T/4 PRO dimensions are a perfect fit for their head cases and they are a big improvement over a standard road rack.

 

[PillO]

I had a component system in the mid 70s. I don't remember everything , but there was Dynaco, AR and other stuff that slips my mind. Not the speakers,though. I ran the signal into a pair of Altec Voice of the Theater utility cabs left over from the PA of a group I'd been in. the sound was outrageous.

I recall when I got my first real stereo. A neighbour said to my dad "I HEAR your son has a new stereo. . "

 

[RedVee]

I googled prog rock artists the other day.
1. Was surprised to see The Beatles listed.
2. Mike Oldfield wasn’t listed - I thought Tubular Bells May have counted ?

 

[godofthunder59]

You know, as much as I like the SVT 4PRO, it just looks like total poopie on top of a rugged old SVT 810AV. Absolutely KILLING my vibe.

View attachment 3093781

Might be just the ticket. A little Tolex, chrome corners and BAM!

 

[godofthunder59]

Might be just the ticket. A little Tolex, chrome corners and BAM!

Bummer well here's a picture.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

These clips were picked for vocal content, nothing more.
Actually the guitar player spends quite a bit of time airborne, has lots of Pete moves and does them convincingly. He is usually bleeding even in rehearsal, I
give him high marks. Our singer is quite mobile onstage, just not in these clip. The drummer is my twin brother he is almost 60 and when this was shot he had only been back behind a kit for 12 months with a 15 year hiatus between bands now he is unbelievable but he doesn't act like a 20 year old Keith that would be unrealistic. We auditioned alot of drummers none could play this stuff, the feel required is like no other material. So I dragged my brother out of retirement.
Our only real goal has been to recreate the sound of a live Who performance. We leave the bad wigs and fake accents to others.

I was just being a smartass, mainly because I happened to have been playing old Who concert vids all day at work that day.

That's very cool. (Most 20 y/o drummers couldn't do Keith!)

 

[Inky13]

If you don't like Quo move on, this post isn't for you

I love that song, I prefer the album version which is identical but without the intro and outro faded out. Another of those Marmite bands. They were at their best about then but anything between Ma Kelly and Blue for you is good for me. After that Rossi started his ego trip and sacked the drummer A disaster, Coghlan and Lancaster were the real backbone of the band, in Lancaster's own words, once they got rid of John they made bad albums, it started of going a bit country and western and then descended into a steaming pile of "Old man rock" once Lancaster was left out after Live Aid.

I saw the old Quo, I don't know how many times, even in the days of punk or when I was in the navy I would always find time to go and see them, the new version of Quo I saw twice, once with my daughter because she wanted to see them for her 16th birthday and the other because the Beach Boys were backing them. It was all a bit Nana Mouskouri plays Motorhead . I went to the second reunion tour too, I missed the first because Dad died a couple of days before the gig we had tickets to, but the second was just incredible, they were just on it, all the old magic was there. On the first reunion Lancaster had been ill for a few years and his hand couldn't hold his pick so he taped it to his hand so he could play; that completely encapsulates rock and roll to me, non of this OOOH MY BASS IS TOO HEAVY shyte!

So without further ado, some classics:








From the reunion tour, see how frail Lancaster has become

I’ll always remember them opening Live Aid. Supposedly, they got the gig because they were a favorite of Diana Spencer.
Don’t hold me to that. She was also a big Duran Duran fan.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

OK I need your help again for my next builds which will be a pair of Thunderbirds, one of which will be possibly more open to customisation than the other (mine). Baring in mind that Lulls, Lollars and Thunderbuckers are crazy money over here is there any chance you guys could just give a list of features that might be on your dream Tbird. Just to give me a sort of idea what other people like beyond my craving for a red one So stuff like construction, electronics, decoration, finish etc. etc....

Thanks

I personally want a short scale Thunderbird because I have short fingers. And red. Yes! Candy apple red, or maybe a nice metalflake. Two pickups that have low end for daaaayyyys. Gotta make thunder! Old school, two-piece bridge. Long, skinny headstock like the Count said (tho the ones you posted look gorgeous for almost anything else). Dark neck (guess that's ebony these days (grrr)). Gold or black hardware. Preferably neck-through.
Buit you know what would be cooler than cool? An acrylic Thunderbird. Bolt-on. Drool.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

We've already heard our very own @Dr_Feelgoood212 sing Frozen songs. He has his own style for sure, but he's pretty darn entertaining. Here he is in action, it's gonna be a hard act to follow...

Easily my most popular song.

 

[Inky13]

Thanks for posting that! Having lunch in Ft. Collins, CO, headed to Sturgis at the moment

Not sure why, but when I try to play the vid, all I get is this dramatic movie trailer soundtrack music. No video, nothing.
Pressing stop does nothing. Just me?

 

[MCF]

I must admit prog rock was a complete mystery to me, even today! Thank God punk happened or I'd have been well stuck Each to their own of course.

I do have a minor Rick Wakeman encounter story. In 1996 Wendy and I were on a trekking around the Isle of Man coastal footpath, tents/rucksack sort of thing. We were strolling on the quayside at Peel when we came across a guy sketching, we said our greetings as we passed and who greeted us back was Rick Wakeman. That was it really, not much of a story to entertain at parties

Cool story.

So here’s the thing. I’m thinking we’re pretty close in age. I loved, and still do, all of it. If I didn’t get it at first, I gave it multiple chances. I’ve always been into prog (Yes, ELP, Genesis, King Crimson). I was the weirdo who wore a Wishbone Ash t-shirt and nobody knew who they were. Neil Young was, and still is, my idol. When Ziggy Stardust came out, I played it loud as instructed on the back of the album cover. I lived in Scotland in ‘77 and went punk. The Pistols, Clash, Vibrators; couldn’t get enough. And Elvis Costello’s first three albums just made me happy when I listened to them. The Pretenders were awesome. And Fleetwood Mac; I grew up with the Peter Green version and was fascinated by every change the band made (McVie and Fleetwood are the epitome of a solid rythem section). Al Stewart told the greatest stories. As did Harry Chapin. And I waited in line to buy the Boss’s Darkness album. Spyro Gyra. Heribie Hancock. I could bore you for hours talking about all my favorites. I guess my point is that a new adventure is just a flip of a disc, or switch, away. Soooo...Please give Yes a chance. I suggest Close to the Edge and Relayer with a pair of good headphones and your favorite malt beverage. If after giving it a chance it’s still a mystery to you, then, well, fine. No hard feelings. But you may end up discovering something you find to be awesome.

 

[dukeorock]

We miss you! I am in Portland today and probably won't be able to get down here for the show. Dammit! On the other hand, you might get some good looking Portland groupies instead of a kinda weird guy from Seattle. There is always upside if you look for it.

Haha! I suppose

I'm going to get some tickets for your Portland Or. stop. Not available yet.

Strange! I was told they’re for sale now :/

Not sure why, but when I try to play the vid, all I get is this dramatic movie trailer soundtrack music. No video, nothing.
Pressing stop does nothing. Just me?

That’s very odd!

Did our first Sturgis gig tonight...no ‘Bird pics, but it’s with me!

 

[Nocturnal]

Ha! Not on this run. We’re mostly in Sturgis for the next two weeks, with the exception of sneaking out a couple times to play North Dakota and...one other thing, I think. After that, we keep heading west. Jackson Hole, a few gigs in Idaho and as far west as Portland, OR. Then we work our way down the coast into California before turning east to work our way home. Some long, tough drives, but beautiful scenery!

Will you play Phoenix?

I’m sure it would. I just really hate to drop any more cheddar at this point. I found a guy that may have done some trading with me. He had an SVT CL only 6 months old. Never had been out of the house. But, it is Chinese made, and that sorta spooked me. I’ve heard some horror stories about the Asian Ampeg stuff.

A sales guy I have dealt with a few times at Guitar Center (Actually seems to know his stuff. Crazy, I know.) told me that the Chinese SVT's have been fine. He said the ones to watch out for are the Viet Nam models.

But you know what would be cooler than cool? An acrylic Thunderbird. Bolt-on. Drool.

Like this??

 

[bobyoung53]

I think you misread. I meant they would have been a really tough act to follow specially with Holdsworth..

I saw UK in Boston in 1978, great, great band, still got the album. Yup, tough act to follow.