Well I succumbed to buying another bass today.
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
Kenny is a big Mopar fan and has a pretty slick ‘64 Dodge 330 (Polara) Super Stock carWent to see Kenny Wayne Shepherd the other (Thursday) night. Really enjoyed it, he was awesome.
The bassist had various, (very) low slung, P basses mostly slab bodied but all with the split P pickup.
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The support was an Aussie Blues/Roots artist - Ash Grunwald. He has been around since the late 90s but this was the first time I have seen him. Very impressed, good singer and guitarist. Various songs from a solo effort of just him and his guitar on Crossroads, but mostly his 3 piece band. He did one song using the obligatory resonator guitar but all others with an electric. He had Mahalia Barnes up as a guest vocalist on a couple of songs, including ‘Human’ by Rag n Bone Man. He introduced that by saying “this is the newest song I’ve ever covered’
The bassist was ‘Uncle Tio’ a South African bass player with a FSO of some sort, active I think - it had about 5 control knobs on it. He was the opposite of Kenny Wayne’s bassist - Uncle Tio wore his bass nearly in his armpit.
I left saying that I will go see KWS every time he is in Sydney from now on; and looking for Ash Grunwald on YouTube and will be going to buy a couple of his CDs.
Yeah I’m in the sell two buy one camp unfortunatelyJust one?!
Well she's finally all setup the way I like her. Gibson Thunderbird ... not sure of the year ... 2000's?. Hipshot bridge, metal pickguard, Black Beauty strings, action set low. Plays and sounds great! No neck dive, not too heavy, a little long, but I'm getting used to that. The OHSC is HUGE, barely fits in the backseat of my truck!
The Black Beauty strings were somewhat unintended, but I like them. I had La Bella's flat wounds on it but they were muting the TBird sound. My main bass is an American Precision with La Bella's, and the main purpose of the TBird is to have a second bass with a different sound. I wasn't getting enough "different" with the La Bellas so I stopped by GC today to look at strings. I always play flatwounds so I was looking for something in a flat that would sound better on the TBird. I saw the Black Beauties and read the marketing on the package and though these are worth a try. I have no experience with coated strings and I though they were the same thing as tape wounds. I got them home and discovered they're just rounds with a thin coating on them. I decided to put them on anyway and they sound great. They feel a lot looser (less tension) than the La Bella's, and have a lot more friction on my fingers. But that's OK, they're easy to play, look great on the bass, and now the TBird sounds like a TBird to me
The Black Beauty strings were somewhat unintended, but I like them. I had La Bella's flat wounds on it but they were muting the TBird sound. My main bass is an American Precision with La Bella's, and the main purpose of the TBird is to have a second bass with a different sound. I wasn't getting enough "different" with the La Bellas so I stopped by GC today to look at strings. I always play flatwounds so I was looking for something in a flat that would sound better on the TBird. I saw the Black Beauties and read the marketing on the package and though these are worth a try. I have no experience with coated strings and I though they were the same thing as tape wounds. I got them home and discovered they're just rounds with a thin coating on them. I decided to put them on anyway and they sound great. They feel a lot looser (less tension) than the La Bella's, and have a lot more friction on my fingers. But that's OK, they're easy to play, look great on the bass, and now the TBird sounds like a TBird to me
Soon you will convert to only Thunderbirds... it has happened before and it will happen againWell she's finally all setup the way I like her. Gibson Thunderbird ... not sure of the year ... 2000's?. Hipshot bridge, metal pickguard, Black Beauty strings, action set low. Plays and sounds great! No neck dive, not too heavy, a little long, but I'm getting used to that. The OHSC is HUGE, barely fits in the backseat of my truck!
The Black Beauty strings were somewhat unintended, but I like them. I had La Bella's flat wounds on it but they were muting the TBird sound. My main bass is an American Precision with La Bella's, and the main purpose of the TBird is to have a second bass with a different sound. I wasn't getting enough "different" with the La Bellas so I stopped by GC today to look at strings. I always play flatwounds so I was looking for something in a flat that would sound better on the TBird. I saw the Black Beauties and read the marketing on the package and though these are worth a try. I have no experience with coated strings and I though they were the same thing as tape wounds. I got them home and discovered they're just rounds with a thin coating on them. I decided to put them on anyway and they sound great. They feel a lot looser (less tension) than the La Bella's, and have a lot more friction on my fingers. But that's OK, they're easy to play, look great on the bass, and now the TBird sounds like a TBird to me
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Glad to hear you like it!
The first and fifth number in the serial number make up the year, ex 0xxx8xxxx... would be a 2008.
Black Beauties (and other DR coated strings) are the floppiest string I've ever played, even my heavy gauge feels floppy compared to most of my 45-105 strings... but they are pretty good sounding strings and last a hell of a lot longer than non coated strings!
Well she's finally all setup the way I like her. Gibson Thunderbird ... not sure of the year ... 2000's?. Hipshot bridge, metal pickguard, Black Beauty strings, action set low. Plays and sounds great! No neck dive, not too heavy, a little long, but I'm getting used to that. The OHSC is HUGE, barely fits in the backseat of my truck!
The Black Beauty strings were somewhat unintended, but I like them. I had La Bella's flat wounds on it but they were muting the TBird sound. My main bass is an American Precision with La Bella's, and the main purpose of the TBird is to have a second bass with a different sound. I wasn't getting enough "different" with the La Bellas so I stopped by GC today to look at strings. I always play flatwounds so I was looking for something in a flat that would sound better on the TBird. I saw the Black Beauties and read the marketing on the package and though these are worth a try. I have no experience with coated strings and I though they were the same thing as tape wounds. I got them home and discovered they're just rounds with a thin coating on them. I decided to put them on anyway and they sound great. They feel a lot looser (less tension) than the La Bella's, and have a lot more friction on my fingers. But that's OK, they're easy to play, look great on the bass, and now the TBird sounds like a TBird to me
View attachment 3173055
Looking good!!! I use Black Beauties on some of mine and really like them. Not as bright and "zingy" as regular DR Highbeams that I like on some of my basses.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
Welcome to our world. Black Beauties on a Thunderbird can sound like a Precision with a really, really bad attitude and a head of steam if you roll off the bridge pickup and find the sweet spot to put your fingers. I like Black Beauties a lot on Thunderbirds.Well she's finally all setup the way I like her. Gibson Thunderbird ... not sure of the year ... 2000's?. Hipshot bridge, metal pickguard, Black Beauty strings, action set low. Plays and sounds great! No neck dive, not too heavy, a little long, but I'm getting used to that. The OHSC is HUGE, barely fits in the backseat of my truck!
The Black Beauty strings were somewhat unintended, but I like them. I had La Bella's flat wounds on it but they were muting the TBird sound. My main bass is an American Precision with La Bella's, and the main purpose of the TBird is to have a second bass with a different sound. I wasn't getting enough "different" with the La Bellas so I stopped by GC today to look at strings. I always play flatwounds so I was looking for something in a flat that would sound better on the TBird. I saw the Black Beauties and read the marketing on the package and though these are worth a try. I have no experience with coated strings and I though they were the same thing as tape wounds. I got them home and discovered they're just rounds with a thin coating on them. I decided to put them on anyway and they sound great. They feel a lot looser (less tension) than the La Bella's, and have a lot more friction on my fingers. But that's OK, they're easy to play, look great on the bass, and now the TBird sounds like a TBird to me
View attachment 3173055
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
Well, you know the rules. Pictures, etc. Plus, what was it you bought? A 'Bird? Welcome home if it was.
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
Well she's finally all setup the way I like her. Gibson Thunderbird ... not sure of the year ... 2000's?. Hipshot bridge, metal pickguard, Black Beauty strings, action set low. Plays and sounds great! No neck dive, not too heavy, a little long, but I'm getting used to that. The OHSC is HUGE, barely fits in the backseat of my truck!
The Black Beauty strings were somewhat unintended, but I like them. I had La Bella's flat wounds on it but they were muting the TBird sound. My main bass is an American Precision with La Bella's, and the main purpose of the TBird is to have a second bass with a different sound. I wasn't getting enough "different" with the La Bellas so I stopped by GC today to look at strings. I always play flatwounds so I was looking for something in a flat that would sound better on the TBird. I saw the Black Beauties and read the marketing on the package and though these are worth a try. I have no experience with coated strings and I though they were the same thing as tape wounds. I got them home and discovered they're just rounds with a thin coating on them. I decided to put them on anyway and they sound great. They feel a lot looser (less tension) than the La Bella's, and have a lot more friction on my fingers. But that's OK, they're easy to play, look great on the bass, and now the TBird sounds like a TBird to me
View attachment 3173055
Looking sharp, congrats!
On that era Gibson T Bird with stock pickups, Black Beauties are one of my very favorite strings. EB Cobalts are my favorite flats on most T Birds I’ve tried. My ‘02 Gibson w/ Lollars loves Cobalts. The LaBella Deep Talkin’ Bass flats can be awesome, but not on a T Bird, IMO
Well wasnt a Bird, but it is a bastard sooo..
Pics when it arrives
Thanks for the info. It would be a 2006 then.
Another thing I noticed about the TBird ... The neck seems to move a lot more than on my other basses. Probably because its so thin? When I changed strings from LaBella's to the BB's it was buzzing to the point of unplayable. I had to spend some time with the truss rod to get back to the way I like it (low action). There's a sweet spot where the neck is right, but it took some time to find it. It seems to move a lot with just a small turn of the nut - much more movement than my PBass for example.
Been that way for some time...
My '14 Kia has no CD player; instead there is a USB port! I have a 64GB stick inserted with about 8000 songs installed.
Dude! Gym bag!
We should support all purchases, regardless of size.Just one?!
He's just busting me for being a vagabond...
Well, I had a great evening yesterday. I went to
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It included Randy Bachman, Sass Jordan, Sarah McLachlan, Sam Roberts, Ian Thornley
Highlight of the evening - Randy Bachman tells the story of how Stevie Ray Vaughn's people contacted his people a few weeks before SRV died to get permission to record Takin Care of Business. He then went on to play TCB in the style that he thought SRV was planning - TCB done in a blues shuffle. That is how I will play TCB now.
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It included Randy Bachman, Sass Jordan, Sarah McLachlan, Sam Roberts, Ian Thornley
Highlight of the evening - Randy Bachman tells the story of how Stevie Ray Vaughn's people contacted his people a few weeks before SRV died to get permission to record Takin Care of Business. He then went on to play TCB in the style that he thought SRV was planning - TCB done in a blues shuffle. That is how I will play TCB now.
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For those unaware, this weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada. So happy Thanksgiving to all.
History:
In 1977, when metric was fully implemented in Canada, Thanksgiving was moved from the November date used by Americans to October to fit into the new metric Calendar. Along with moving Thanksgiving, Christmas was moved to be 4 metric weeks (3 US weeks) after Thanksgiving, so soon enough we will be wishing you a Merry Christmas.
History:
In 1977, when metric was fully implemented in Canada, Thanksgiving was moved from the November date used by Americans to October to fit into the new metric Calendar. Along with moving Thanksgiving, Christmas was moved to be 4 metric weeks (3 US weeks) after Thanksgiving, so soon enough we will be wishing you a Merry Christmas.
