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Thunderbird Club

I'd give a Cheyenne a spin, but you can keep the rest. Just not even near the sound I'm after. And this comes from a guy who has a very broad range of basses. They all have one thing in common, strong fundamental bass capability. I typically play with two guitarists, so I usually don't need a lot of top end presence. Strong mids are always good for cutting through but there are just as many times that I don't need to cut through but instead need to set a good solid foundation. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that with the Ric I tried.

That makes perfect sense to me! I had a 4003 given to me, so I’m embracing it and looking for wYs to tweak it. There might be a recording or two where it would be perfect, but as a daily driver live bass? Nah, I’ll talk my T Birds and my Drake...occasionally my P bass or Gretsch

Ok, I’ll admit it. I always kinda had a thing for Jane. Saw them a few times ‘80 - ‘81 when they seemed to play every possible venue in SoCal. They were good, but I don’t think anyone back then predicted how popular they would become. In those day X owned LA.

I grew up in San Gabriel...ironically, Billy Zoom has been a dear friend for about 25 years, but back in that 78-80 time period...yeah, they owned LA
 


Maybe it's the satin silver finish - but in that pic it looks like what T-birds will look like in the future. Not played in the Star Wars bar.., more like what the future looked like in a 'futuristic' movie made in the late sixties/seventies - silver spandex jumpsuits and scull caps, no guitar cords and sparse, minimalist instruments. :) (it's a very cool bass!)
 
Maybe it's the satin silver finish - but in that pic it looks like what T-birds will look like in the future. Not played in the Star Wars bar.., more like what the future looked like in a 'futuristic' movie made in the late sixties/seventies - silver spandex jumpsuits and scull caps, no guitar cords and sparse, minimalist instruments. :) (it's a very cool bass!)
Maybe the future is now! :wideyed:


Now where did I leave my silver suit....
 
Maybe it's the satin silver finish - but in that pic it looks like what T-birds will look like in the future. Not played in the Star Wars bar.., more like what the future looked like in a 'futuristic' movie made in the late sixties/seventies - silver spandex jumpsuits and scull caps, no guitar cords and sparse, minimalist instruments. :) (it's a very cool bass!)
Maybe the future is now! :wideyed:


Now where did I leave my silver suit....

1019585765.jpg


These people only listen to music that includes a Thunderbird.
 
I'd give a Cheyenne a spin, but you can keep the rest. Just not even near the sound I'm after. And this comes from a guy who has a very broad range of basses. They all have one thing in common, strong fundamental bass capability. I typically play with two guitarists, so I usually don't need a lot of top end presence. Strong mids are always good for cutting through but there are just as many times that I don't need to cut through but instead need to set a good solid foundation. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that with the Ric I tried.

From memory the other 4004 is a Laredo (like the Jeep?).
I remember that some have the neck pup right up at the neck like an old Gibson, but they later moved them closer to centre. From what I gathered, not for the sound quality but because a few whingers didn’t like having to remove the pup to adjust the truss rod.
(Caution: that’s just a memory I haven’t gone back and researched).

There was also some unrest about the controls, with a VVT conversion being popular. (Again, just a memory).

They seem almost as quirky as the trad Rics, but with humbuckers.

I have to wonder why they made them? Did Lemmy putting humbuckers in his Rics give them the idea? I know very little about Rickenbacker model genesis.
 
That makes perfect sense to me! I had a 4003 given to me, so I’m embracing it and looking for wYs to tweak it. There might be a recording or two where it would be perfect, but as a daily driver live bass? Nah, I’ll talk my T Birds and my Drake...occasionally my P bass or Gretsch



I grew up in San Gabriel...ironically, Billy Zoom has been a dear friend for about 25 years, but back in that 78-80 time period...yeah, they owned LA
Holy cow! You are the Forrest Gump of the Thunderbird Club! You have known or played with everyone who ever was!
 

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