Thunderbird Club

[Dadagoboi]

Colonoscopies...so early 21st Century.

Colon cancer screening made easy | Cologuard®

Doctors do love them, though. At least two of them getting paid big bucks to do very little while you suffer all that preop pain for no reason.

Luckily my docs work at a top teaching hospital and get paid the same no matter what the procedure.

 

[PillO]

Holy creepek! That's more than my 5 string Epi Bird.

yeah, mine feels like about 9 lbs. Probably the heaviest bass I have.

It's like Gibson/Epiphone wants me to burn my Thunderbirds...
Their website is useless.
The Pro V came today. It's pretty much in the shape advertised, but...

• Hum/hiss unless I touch the 1/4" plug shield.
• One of the controls doesn't do anything. I suspect it's the bass control.
• Other than the volume, I can't tell what's what./ Of the two other controls that work, I have a guess as to which is the blend and which is treble, but it's just a guess.
• As is, this would be OK for funk. Lots of high end. Definitely lacking in low end.
• The only place I found anything that *might* show the control layout was a Gibson Forum comment with a link to the schematic. Gibson wouldn't let me see it unless I registered. I registered and logged in./. Gibson *still* says I can't see it until I registered. Plus they are clearly using either 1960s COBOL technology or any MS technology ever, because my display name (not the username, I knew better) cannot have an apostrophe in it.

I'll get it sorted, if only by taking things passive, but good grief.

1 The hiss sounds like a grounding problem.
2&3 Take the control plate off the back. The pots are labelled with what they are. I too find that the treble and bass controls do very little, but I leave them at the middle position anyway.
4 It is a different sound from a passive bird, but I still like it.
5 What have you got against COBOL? It was designed to be human friendly unlike assembler.

 

[theFixer]

It's like Gibson/Epiphone wants me to burn my Thunderbirds...
Their website is useless.
The Pro V came today. It's pretty much in the shape advertised, but...

• Hum/hiss unless I touch the 1/4" plug shield.
• One of the controls doesn't do anything. I suspect it's the bass control.
• Other than the volume, I can't tell what's what./ Of the two other controls that work, I have a guess as to which is the blend and which is treble, but it's just a guess.
• As is, this would be OK for funk. Lots of high end. Definitely lacking in low end.
• The only place I found anything that *might* show the control layout was a Gibson Forum comment with a link to the schematic. Gibson wouldn't let me see it unless I registered. I registered and logged in./. Gibson *still* says I can't see it until I registered. Plus they are clearly using either 1960s COBOL technology or any MS technology ever, because my display name (not the username, I knew better) cannot have an apostrophe in it.

I'll get it sorted, if only by taking things passive, but good grief.

The seller needs to be publicly humiliated and visited by someone known only as, "unknown assailant", but if the neck is straight and the wood is good, you got a good deal on a sexyass bass. I'll encourage you to view this as an opportunity, rather than a problem

 

[Count Bassie]

Airport gift shop?

Salvation Army...

 

[Count Bassie]

Reliablehardware.com has nice tilt back wheels I use a lot



Those things spook me a bit...always afraid they’ll develop a rattle

Maybe an external mount then. Accessible...

 

[Count Bassie]

Don't jinx us here in RI!

Lol... yeah no... don't!

 

[PillO]

Colonoscopies...so early 21st Century.

Colon cancer screening made easy | Cologuard®

Doctors do love them, though. At least two of them getting paid big bucks to do very little while you suffer all that preop pain for no reason.

Luckily my docs work at a top teaching hospital and get paid the same no matter what the procedure.

Cologuard is an improvement on FOBT, but it suffers some of the same drawbacks - specifically, that polyps do not bleed all the time, so you are hoping that the sample contains blood. If it does contain blood, it is pretty good at differentiating between benign and malignant by reading the expressed DNA. However, the character of polyps can change over time; a clear test now does not mean clear forever. There is another test - colonsentry - that is a blood test. It relies on reading tRNA sequences in circulating blood specific to malignant polyps. It is good for stratifying patients by risk and selecting those that should have a colonoscopy.

Like it of not, colonoscopy is still the gold standard for screening. FOBT, Cologuard, Colonsentry, and the other tests are an attempt to reduce cost for payers by reducing the number of patients that undergo colonoscopy. The problem is the false negative rate. A patient that dies of colon cancer after being told they don't need a colonoscopy because of one of these tests is going to be very expensive for the doctor, the hospital, the payer, and the maker of the test kit.

 

[RedVee]

I’m on a 3 year cycle now for colonoscopy as we have a family history. My paternal GFather, an Uncle and a cousin all had bowel cancer.
I don’t want it.

 

[PillO]

I’m on a 3 year cycle now for colonoscopy as we have a family history. My paternal GFather, an Uncle and a cousin all had bowel cancer.
I don’t want it.

Correct - you don't want it.

 

[Dadagoboi]

Cologuard is an improvement on FOBT, but it suffers some of the same drawbacks - specifically, that polyps do not bleed all the time, so you are hoping that the sample contains blood. If it does contain blood, it is pretty good at differentiating between benign and malignant by reading the expressed DNA. However, the character of polyps can change over time; a clear test now does not mean clear forever. There is another test - colonsentry - that is a blood test. It relies on reading tRNA sequences in circulating blood specific to malignant polyps. It is good for stratifying patients by risk and selecting those that should have a colonoscopy.

Like it of not, colonoscopy is still the gold standard for screening. FOBT, Cologuard, Colonsentry, and the other tests are an attempt to reduce cost for payers by reducing the number of patients that undergo colonoscopy. The problem is the false negative rate. A patient that dies of colon cancer after being told they don't need a colonoscopy because of one of these tests is going to be very expensive for the doctor, the hospital, the payer, and the maker of the test kit.

And there's the crux of the matter:

"A patient that dies of colon cancer after being told they don't need a colonoscopy because of one of these tests is going to be very expensive for the doctor, the hospital, the payer, and the maker of the test kit."

A fully engaged patient can determine the risk and decide whether to go through a colonoscopy, most patients have no idea there's an alternative. The colon cancer rate in Americans is 4%.

I happen to be low risk: no family history, no red meat, high fiber diet. Your average US doctor will still recommend having one. With the typical older American being an obese carnivore it probably makes SOME sense but not for me. I've actually had two colonoscopies, both in Taiwan where the cost is reasonable for uninsured Americans. I wasn't going to have another one after becoming informed as to how likely it was I'd get colon cancer.

Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors

The only one of those I check the box for is being old. I'll take my chances.

 

[Dadagoboi]

I’m on a 3 year cycle now for colonoscopy as we have a family history. My paternal GFather, an Uncle and a cousin all had bowel cancer.
I don’t want it.

For you it makes definite sense!

My father died of prostate cancer, I knew it was coming and had regular PSAs starting at age 50. Had a full prostatectomy last year. Robotic surgery. My doctor literally wrote the book on it, just released the second edition. One year later: no ED, no incontinence, no return. I'll be 72 next week. My attitude's still the same.

 

[theFixer]

For you it makes definite sense!

My father died of prostate cancer, I knew it was coming and had regular PSAs starting at age 50. Had a full prostatectomy last year. Robotic surgery. My doctor literally wrote the book on it, just released the second edition. One year later: no ED, no incontinence, no return. I'll be 72 next week. My attitude's still the same.

View attachment 3119994

Groovy man... guh-roooooooooovy

 

[JJR58]

Some of us have!

Not enough of the bad ones though.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I have never understood the word disgruntled. Is the opposite gruntled? If you are happy at work, are you a gruntled employee?

apparently so. friends and myself were discussing this the other day. we use the term "gruntled" now..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Oh, go get one. They're SO much fun. BTW, had mine this A.M., went and ate, came home and crashed. AFAIK, they found nothing. Oh, wait, that was when they x-rayed my head. Seriously, all appears OK.

Haha!.....just picture the poor schmoe that has been saving for his Bird for awhile and is eager to join this club to log on and see us talking about colonoscopies...

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

It's like Gibson/Epiphone wants me to burn my Thunderbirds...
Their website is useless.
The Pro V came today. It's pretty much in the shape advertised, but...

• Hum/hiss unless I touch the 1/4" plug shield.
• One of the controls doesn't do anything. I suspect it's the bass control.
• Other than the volume, I can't tell what's what./ Of the two other controls that work, I have a guess as to which is the blend and which is treble, but it's just a guess.
• As is, this would be OK for funk. Lots of high end. Definitely lacking in low end.
• The only place I found anything that *might* show the control layout was a Gibson Forum comment with a link to the schematic. Gibson wouldn't let me see it unless I registered. I registered and logged in./. Gibson *still* says I can't see it until I registered. Plus they are clearly using either 1960s COBOL technology or any MS technology ever, because my display name (not the username, I knew better) cannot have an apostrophe in it.

I'll get it sorted, if only by taking things passive, but good grief.

Yeah getting modern day product technical documentation is a hassle these days....like you are going to steal their 90's IP lol..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

yeah, mine feels like about 9 lbs. Probably the heaviest bass I have.


1 The hiss sounds like a grounding problem.
2&3 Take the control plate off the back. The pots are labelled with what they are. I too find that the treble and bass controls do very little, but I leave them at the middle position anyway.
4 It is a different sound from a passive bird, but I still like it.
5 What have you got against COBOL? It was designed to be human friendly unlike assembler.

Nothing wrong with COBOL if FORTRAN was still popular....
I believe they may still use COBOL in banking...yikes!...

 

[Miles_ONeal]

yeah, mine feels like about 9 lbs. Probably the heaviest bass I have.
1 The hiss sounds like a grounding problem.
2&3 Take the control plate off the back. The pots are labelled with what they are. I too find that the treble and bass controls do very little, but I leave them at the middle position anyway.
4 It is a different sound from a passive bird, but I still like it.
5 What have you got against COBOL? It was designed to be human friendly unlike assembler.

1. I know electronics, so I'm not worried. Just mildly irritated. I had messaged the seller 2-3 days before the auction ended specifically asking about the controls (since the ad failed to mention them specifically). I never heard back. I knew I was taking a chance, and I took it, and nothing here is major. I was already considering just ripping out the electronics so I wouldn't have to think about a battery, but I do plan to get it working as is to at least see what I think.
2,3. I haven't had time to do much; I was hoping that things would be labeled under that plate. But with today's work and supper behind me, tackling this is near the top of the list.
4. If I can get more bass out of this bass, I will be happy with the electronics.
5. COBOL is as painful in its own way as assembly can be- especially Intel's (I've done both, plus many more languages). I don't recall what it took to get apostrophes working; I just know that COBOL programs set the standard that names could not have apostrophes in them. Clearly part of an anti-Irish conspiracy!

The seller needs to be publicly humiliated and visited by someone known only as, "unknown assailant", but if the neck is straight and the wood is good, you got a good deal on a sexyass bass. I'll encourage you to view this as an opportunity, rather than a problem

The seller didn't make any false claims as far as I can tell. They made it sound as good as they could without doing so, and again- I new I was taking a chance. I think the neck and wood are fine. It's not a problem; I just needed to vent. I was more frustrated with the mfr web site and lack of useful information than anything else. There's really no excuse for that.

History: In 79 or 80, a teenager I knew had saved his money all year and bought a guitar with active electronics. I'm almost sure it was an RD Artist. I spent hours working on shielding, grounding, reflowing solder, etc. I couldn't afford a scope at the time so we never tracked down the noise; I suspected an op amp, although it could have just been bad gain structure. Other owners had the same problem, which is likely one of the reasons they never took off.

 

[JJR58]

Haha!.....just picture the poor schmoe that has been saving for his Bird for awhile and is eager to join this club to log on and see us talking about colonoscopies...

Proof the cool kids get colonoscopies?

 

[PillO]

A fully engaged patient can determine the risk and decide whether to go through a colonoscopy, most patients have no idea there's an alternative. The colon cancer rate in Americans is 4%.

A fully engaged patient who dies of colon cancer likely has heirs and they will be courted by ambulance chasing lawyers. Back to expensive. And 4% is 1 in 25. From an epidemiology point of view, that is a very common disease.