Thunderbird Club

[GonePlaid]

@GonePlaid may have some pointers for the second item...

If you're doing that to learn how to solo, that's one thing. At this stage in my GOF life I'd have asked "is this tone OK?" as I turned it off, packed up and hit the door. If people wanna hear a tone that sounds like a guitar down an octave, bring in a guitarist with an EHX micro POG with it set 'down' only.<addendum> 'course then you hafta find a guitarist who reads bass clef.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I've never been a huge fan of long bass solos. I can solo, but I'm a self taught play-by-ear rock bassist, so it's strange to be asked to solo over those jazz forms.

just start with the melody and take it from there. in some instances, just playing the melody qualifies as a solo..

 

[Engle]

In 1969, while attending Miami-Dade Junior College, I had a free period between classes. There were 2 jazz labs going in the music department but only 1 bassist. I volunteered to play with the 2nd band to 'help out'. I didn't expect to have my @$$ kissed but I also didn't expect constant criticism of my tone and 'sound'(I was using a cobbled up amp). Constructive criticism woulda been OK-I had never read bass parts b4, being a converted saxist-but this wasn't an attempt to educate, improve, or otherwise help me, so I just stopped going. BTW, I wasn't majoring music so it didn't 'hurt' me.

My daughter is in the session before mine, and I signed up because they needed another bassist. I'll have to suck it up - I can see myself getting better at following charts if nothing else!

 

[Gaolee]

Great question.

I had a G&L L-2500 Tribute with a swamp ash body and maple/maple neck and really liked how it looked, played and felt but couldn't get along with the overly hot pickups. That darn bass would clip my amps faster than any bass I've ever owned. Tone wise it was as many would say, a Swiss Army knife. Tons of available sounds and options but the one I kept it in 90% of the time was passive mode, sounded sweet! I sold it because of its clippy nature. I now have three TBirds (Two Eppi birds - Goth and VP, and a Gibby bird Anniversary model) along with a Gibson EB5 (sounds a lot like the 2015 Gibson TBird) and I also have a Spector TBird (called a Rex Pro).

Of the bunch, the Epiphone Thunderbird Vintage Pro would be the closest in sound to my G&L 2500. I'd say the G&L in active mode will go higher and lower than the TBird but the Bird probably covers 80% of the active tonal range of the G&L. In passive humbucking mode the two basses will sound more similar with the Eppi being a bit more low or low mid focused and the G&L being a bit more mid to high mid focused. Both basses are very reflective of the strings you have on them. So I'm sure with the proper strings and settings you'd be able to get the Eppi VP in the same ballpark as the G&L.

My second recommendation would be the Gibson 2015 Thunderbird but a used one at nearly twice the price of a new Eppi VP makes it a bit of a stretch money wise. It however is every bit the Swiss Army Knife tone monster the G&L is but on a slightly mellower and much more useable scale.

I'm convinced by the 2015 I have. It is different enough that I wouldn't trade it for much of anything at all.

 

[Engle]

just start with the melody and take it from there. in some instances, just playing the melody qualifies as a solo..

Yes that's my approach. I just try to play the melody to start off with. I find if I've been playing a lot, I can usually come up with some expressive stuff - and if buddy wants to hear it with that nasally jaco tone, so be it!

 

[JJR58]

I've never been a huge fan of long bass solos. I can solo, but I'm a self taught play-by-ear rock bassist, so it's strange to be asked to solo over those jazz forms.

Self taught here as well, along with some past, very influential players that kinda helped me along.
I'm good at holding down the foundation, and can even write, but solo. I leave that to the more experienced players.

 

[Gaolee]

I would also assume the 2015 Thunderbird which also shares the same pups and controls will sound about the same as the 2017 EB but possibly a shade warmer due to its mahogany construction.

You assume correctly. Slightly warmer and darker. I would call the EB's sound shinier, where the 'Bird has more black and dark red. Both have the same electric blue around the edges. That probably only makes sense to a few people.

 

[GonePlaid]

just start with the melody and take it from there. in some instances, just playing the melody qualifies as a solo..

My solos, such as they are, consist of messing around within the chords up an octave(and maybe kick in the micro POG 'up')and throwing in occasional recognizable bass lines like "In-a-Gadda" or "Sunshine of Your Love", etc. 1 chorus and out. There's an old story of a couple going for marriage counseling. They just sit there looking in opposite directions as the counselor asks them what's wrong. Finally he puts on a CD. After a few minutes, the couple start talking like they hadn't for 20+ years. They ask him"how'd you get us to talk like that". He says,"oh, hell, everybody talks during a bass solo."

 

[Gaolee]

I got my Goth for free....

View attachment 3183595 View attachment 3183597 View attachment 3183598

I'm not convinced it qualifies as a deal in that condition, but YMMV.

 

[GonePlaid]

Yes that's my approach. I just try to play the melody to start off with. I find if I've been playing a lot, I can usually come up with some expressive stuff - and if buddy wants to hear it with that nasally jaco tone, so be it!

Bring in your 'Bird-that'll do it.

 

[Engle]

Self taught here as well, along with some past, very influential players that kinda helped me along.
I'm good at holding down the foundation, and can even write, but solo. I leave that to the more experienced players.

In my main band, I rarely take a solo because I'm surrounded by people that actually know what they are doing. My only solo in our current set list is those 2 bars in Paul Simon's Call me Al - and that's not improvising.

 

[Gaolee]

I've been attending a Tuesday night jazz ensemble/class at the local music school. The instructor complained about my tone being too bass heavy until I soloed the jazz PU on my Jazz Bass Special - basically creating a "Jaco" type tone.
I'm going to do some experimenting with my VP bridge PU and amp tone controls to see if I can something close to that.

Oy. I'm not a fan of "Jaco" tone. It's got way too much muddy tan in it.

 

[Engle]

Bring in your 'Bird-that'll do it.

It might be an excuse to get one of those NR PJ birds!

 

[GBassNorth]

I don't mind bass solos as long as that's what they are. Think Fleetwood Mac Chains, killer bass solo - but that's because it freakin sounds like a bass and because it's short enough in duration to be considered a lead in as much as a solo. Those I love.

What I don't care for are the wankfest 2 minute long baritone guitar territory exhibitions. I'm no expert on freeform Jazz Trios but what little I've listened to I really don't like. Always came across to me as three separate musicians simultaneously doing their own improv thing with their favorite licks and progressions within a set key and tempo. Im sure it takes talent, but so does being shot out of a cannon, and that doesn't interest me either.

Now blues on the other hand sounds like Jazz with a sole and purpose. It can be just as freeform and the bass player can use the same basic licks and progressions in the right key and tempo but it all move together and the bass is expected to sound like a bass.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

I'm not convinced it qualifies as a deal in that condition, but YMMV.

That’s why I posted the pics as well.

 

[Gaolee]

I've never been a huge fan of long bass solos. I can solo, but I'm a self taught play-by-ear rock bassist, so it's strange to be asked to solo over those jazz forms.

I'm 100% self taught, and I'm not a big fan of soloing. I improvise over the form all the time, because that's just what I do, but it's a rhythm and form based thing, not so much a step out front and solo thing. I'm with Jeff - the best way to turn me into deer in the headlights is suddenly expect me to solo.

I am actually a fan of Charles Mingus, but there's no way on God's green earth that I'll ever do that our sound like that. That's what bass solos should sound like, not the feeble attempts I'm capable of.

 

[Engle]

Oy. I'm not a fan of "Jaco" tone. It's got way too much muddy tan in it.

I can make it work. I have been told my feel is somewhat jaco-ish before.

 

[GBassNorth]

You assume correctly. Slightly warmer and darker. I would call the EB's sound shinier, where the 'Bird has more black and dark red. Both have the same electric blue around the edges. That probably only makes sense to a few people.

Makes perfect sense, after I eat a couple of shrooms!

 

[Gaolee]

Makes perfect sense, after I eat a couple of shrooms!

I'm always like this. Factory stock wiring. No alterations necessary.

 

[JJR58]

I'm always like this. Factory stock wiring. No alterations necessary.

I've made too many modifications. Wish i still had the stock wiring.