Thunderbird Club

[dieselman]

And that's why She's our Queen!

 

[GonePlaid]

For Canadian TBirders: Does it have to have "Thunderbird" in French on the back of the headstock?

 

[Markamb1]

It’s strange because it was so long ago for me now... I kind of forgot how important he was to me as a bass player. He really did inspire me to buy a bass and start playing. (That bass is another story all together. Tragic... For now all I’m going to say is Samick. Another fantastic piece of crap that crushes your inspiration. Neck was more like a bow than a bass.) I didn’t even really remember that Thunderbirds were his main basses for awhile.

Funny how something that can be your whole life at one point just fades into your past like that. It’s still there, it’s still part of your identity and how you came to be who your are but it’s no longer at the forefront of your mind... I guess you’re too busy developing the next layer of who you are in the stage of your life.

 

[Markamb1]

For Canadian TBirders: Does it have to have "Thunderbird" in French on the back of the headstock?

Lololololol. That’s pretty good. Also when I was 10 I travelled through Quebec and was very pissed to realize that while we have most things printed in English AND French....they do not. Not like we do anyway.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

So, yeah, that Guild JSB2 I picked up made a short trip back to GC. I've finally found a Guild I disliked. Well, "dislike" is a tad strong, it just wasn't a good tonal fit for me, as the tonal warmth made note definition a problem in my rock band, and it seemed as if some notes would pop through the mix while others simply dropped out completely. Plus, it was heavy But that's probably true of 99% of the 70s basses out there. I guess I was just surprised by the weight as I had just assumed it was Guild's version of an SG bass, and that was maybe only 10% true. Oh well.

Not to be deterred, I went all in on my newfound love of TBs and grabbed a '76 Bicentennial TB off of GC, and it should arrive here next week. Not sure if the link still works by the time you click it, but here it is.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

My primary reasons for picking it up were a) my birth year bass was just returned and b) apparently it has its own sub-cult of followers as I hadn't heard about Bicentennials until I started researching that specific year.
I had the same obvious questions you probably had, like "what pickups are in it?" and "what the heck do all those switches do?", but I suppose we all have a surprise coming. Unless, that is, one of you is the former owner of the bass and can let me in on the secret! The GC clerk wasn't much help, but at least he could confirm no neck cracks or repairs, plus it comes with the original Gibson hard shell case. I would never dream of being a collector, so this is a bass I intend to take a main role in my bands, with my other TB serving as my primary gigging bass.

While GC does have an abridged return window on vintage instruments, I'm hoping you guys can help sort this out with me once it does make it in the door. You seem to be the absolute best resource for any specific instrument, even if they aren't 'Birds, so let me know if anything about the listing puts you off.

Gorgeous bass! Which GC? I've usually found the GC salespeople pretty knowledgeable in Austin. They're generally musicians who enjoy instruments, or at least rock music nerds of some sort.

I want a birth year TBird, but if there are any, they were probably made from the tailfins of actual '55 cars.

 

[Band Mom]

Gorgeous bass! Which GC? I've usually found the GC salespeople pretty knowledgeable in Austin. They're generally musicians who enjoy instruments, or at least rock music nerds of some sort.

I want a birth year TBird, but if there are any, they were probably made from the tailfins of actual '55 cars.

Oh no, the folks at the Austin GCs (especially off of Anderson Ln) have almost always been stellar, or at least the few that don't impress me don't tend to last too long. I'd consider some of them friends if they weren't trying to sell me stuff This was someone at the Arlington TX store whom I've never met but wasn't as descriptive as I'd have preferred. Regardless, the person at the Round Rock store I had arrange everything is awesome and I know that the whole transaction has minimal risk. Still, nothing beats having the bass in hand, so I should get a decent look in a few days.

If everything works out, I'll end up with 3 'Birds. I think my wife might catch on once I refinish one of them (not the '76). "Hey, I thought that bass was green yesterday. Did you repaint it?" Why... yes... yes, I did.

Any recommendations for something different for the pickups in the 2013 TB? As of now, they are identical to my 2018, so I'm looking for something to cover some different sonic territory, but not really sure which direction to head. People here seem to rave about the Thunderbuckers, and I don't know much about the different models. I get that one is brighter and another is warmer, but I assume those are relative terms rather than say, "This pickup will make you sound like a jazz and the other an upright bass".

 

[Mike.C.]

Thunderbucker ranch has sound clips if that helps...

Link Removed

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

For Canadian TBirders: Does it have to have "Thunderbird" in French on the back of the headstock?

Yes.

 

[Inky13]

Still thinking about John Lennon after all these years.

 

[Shannon]

All this talk of non TBird basses modded or built to deliver the TBird sound got me thinking a bit (and acting quite impulsively).

The guys I play with want to branch out to the current country rock, country western and classic southern rock genre. I said to myself, wouldn't it be cool to have something that visually fit perfect in a country western setting, something that would look perfectly at home in Buck Owens hands, but still sounded like (or close) to a bird. Something that a sound man or other band members aren't even going to suspect, a TBird sleeper, essentially a TBird cloaked in a country western disguise!

Hollow body would be a step too far. But maybe a semi hollow. Gotta be a Fender variant if it's gonna fool people. But must be able to house TBird type Humbuckers without looking like it's been modded.

Bingo...
Fender Starcaster in 3TSB
View attachment 3239282
...looks the part and with the right pups might even sound the part.

Things working against me:
1) the maple neck (possible brighter tone and more prounounced attack)
2) semi hollow body (possible woody more upright less TB tone)
3) maple Top and back (possible brighter tone)
4) short scale (possible enhanced bottom end)

Sounds like a fun challenge. Found a nice used one on line for peanuts, picking it up tomorrow. Will spend about a month with it to see if it's a keeper and worth modding with some TB type pups and pots. Should be a fun experiment, if all goes as planned I'll unveil it to my band mates after the new year. Won't even mention the mods (they'll never see it in its original configuration) so it should be a true sleeper.

Here's a cool video of one in stock form in a mix...

...and at about 2:50 into the clip the bassist switches to a Thunderbird. May have all been dubbed in but I can't tell much difference in the sound, which leads me to believe I can probably pull this off with the right mods.

Such fun!

But all you really need to do is play a 'Bird like all bassists-way in the background with bad lighting. Nobody's going to see it till later.

I do find there is a little too much catma at times

This left me with mixed felines.

 

[Gaolee]

So, yeah, that Guild JSB2 I picked up made a short trip back to GC. I've finally found a Guild I disliked. Well, "dislike" is a tad strong, it just wasn't a good tonal fit for me, as the tonal warmth made note definition a problem in my rock band, and it seemed as if some notes would pop through the mix while others simply dropped out completely. Plus, it was heavy But that's probably true of 99% of the 70s basses out there. I guess I was just surprised by the weight as I had just assumed it was Guild's version of an SG bass, and that was maybe only 10% true. Oh well.

Not to be deterred, I went all in on my newfound love of TBs and grabbed a '76 Bicentennial TB off of GC, and it should arrive here next week. Not sure if the link still works by the time you click it, but here it is.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

My primary reasons for picking it up were a) my birth year bass was just returned and b) apparently it has its own sub-cult of followers as I hadn't heard about Bicentennials until I started researching that specific year.
I had the same obvious questions you probably had, like "what pickups are in it?" and "what the heck do all those switches do?", but I suppose we all have a surprise coming. Unless, that is, one of you is the former owner of the bass and can let me in on the secret! The GC clerk wasn't much help, but at least he could confirm no neck cracks or repairs, plus it comes with the original Gibson hard shell case. I would never dream of being a collector, so this is a bass I intend to take a main role in my bands, with my other TB serving as my primary gigging bass.

While GC does have an abridged return window on vintage instruments, I'm hoping you guys can help sort this out with me once it does make it in the door. You seem to be the absolute best resource for any specific instrument, even if they aren't 'Birds, so let me know if anything about the listing puts you off.

Listing is gone. Your description is intriguing, and I am looking forward to pictures. Bicentennials are not exactly a dime a dozen, and that one has some unique mods that will be fun to see and think about.

 

[PillO]

For Canadian TBirders: Does it have to have "Thunderbird" in French on the back of the headstock?

Yes, but fortunately, Thunderbird in French is Thunderbird. The pronunciation is different:
TUN-der-BIR
or
Dat Bayz Dats Nawt fenDer.

I'm sure that La Bureau du Langue Official has a translation along the lines of L'Oiseau du Thunder.

 

[Gaolee]

Oh no, the folks at the Austin GCs (especially off of Anderson Ln) have almost always been stellar, or at least the few that don't impress me don't tend to last too long. I'd consider some of them friends if they weren't trying to sell me stuff This was someone at the Arlington TX store whom I've never met but wasn't as descriptive as I'd have preferred. Regardless, the person at the Round Rock store I had arrange everything is awesome and I know that the whole transaction has minimal risk. Still, nothing beats having the bass in hand, so I should get a decent look in a few days.

If everything works out, I'll end up with 3 'Birds. I think my wife might catch on once I refinish one of them (not the '76). "Hey, I thought that bass was green yesterday. Did you repaint it?" Why... yes... yes, I did.

Any recommendations for something different for the pickups in the 2013 TB? As of now, they are identical to my 2018, so I'm looking for something to cover some different sonic territory, but not really sure which direction to head. People here seem to rave about the Thunderbuckers, and I don't know much about the different models. I get that one is brighter and another is warmer, but I assume those are relative terms rather than say, "This pickup will make you sound like a jazz and the other an upright bass".

No pickup will make a 'Bird nasal and whiny like a Jazz, thank goodness! None will make it sound much like an upright, either. I still want Thunderbuckers in the 1991 someday. The stock pickups were more than adequate, but I needed chrome. So, it got Chinabuckers. They are good, but do not have the same well defined colors and edges as a Thunderbucker, So far as I can tell from recordings. Lollars, Lulls, and Thunderbuckers are all just a little different, but you cannot go wrong with any of them or their variants. String choice makes a difference, too. Chinabuckers with tapes has a sound I am enjoying a lot, even though it has more of a medium maroon sound than the usual black and blue green Thunderbird sound.

 

[Gaolee]

L'Oiseau du Thunder.

Another fine name for a band.

 

[Band Mom]

No pickup will make a 'Bird nasal and whiny like a Jazz, thank goodness! None will make it sound much like an upright, either. I still want Thunderbuckers in the 1991 someday. The stock pickups were more than adequate, but I needed chrome. So, it got Chinabuckers. They are good, but do not have the same well defined colors and edges as a Thunderbucker, So far as I can tell from recordings. Lollars, Lulls, and Thunderbuckers are all just a little different, but you cannot go wrong with any of them or their variants. String choice makes a difference, too. Chinabuckers with tapes has a sound I am enjoying a lot, even though it has more of a medium maroon sound than the usual black and blue green Thunderbird sound.

Haha! I suppose I should have said that I'm exaggerating for effect. I guess more realistic options would have been along the lines of "thick single coil" or "warm humbucker". I'm really looking forward to the bass, and hope it all works out, especially now that the Guild idea didn't seem like the right fit.

I'm really curious about the switches, especially after the Guild had some odd custom switches of its own, like a kill switch that only affected the neck pup, and a high pass filter toggle. Interesting for sure, but not really that useful for my purposes. If it were just two switches, I would have assumed coil tap or something along those lines, but 3? Maybe someone tried to turn it into a G&L L2K? I'll let you know as soon as I find out.

 

[Gaolee]

Haha! I suppose I should have said that I'm exaggerating for effect. I guess more realistic options would have been along the lines of "thick single coil" or "warm humbucker". I'm really looking forward to the bass, and hope it all works out, especially now that the Guild idea didn't seem like the right fit.

I'm really curious about the switches, especially after the Guild had some odd custom switches of its own, like a kill switch that only affected the neck pup, and a high pass filter toggle. Interesting for sure, but not really that useful for my purposes. If it were just two switches, I would have assumed coil tap or something along those lines, but 3? Maybe someone tried to turn it into a G&L L2K? I'll let you know as soon as I find out.

Mysteries are fun. I may not be quite a curious as you are, since it is not on its way here, but I am plenty curious.

One thing to remember - 'Birds have a habit of multiplying until there is a flock. I started with one and now have five and a Fenderbird. It is a normal occurrence, and when your wife has a question about it, that is the answer. They breed once they choose you. It is nothing to be alarmed about.

 

[Band Mom]

 

[Band Mom]

Posted a pic now that the link is dead. Apparently, only one of 224 that Gibson made that year.

 

[Engle]

First bass player that I can remember taking notice of would probably be duff, then krist novoselic....but honestly at 10 years old I too didn’t know the difference between a bass and a guitar...

Funny story so my mom takes me into Sears a department store when I was 10...1996... I see this white guitar...it looks amazing this is the one I want.... then my mom points out.....

BUT IT ONLY HAS 4 STRINGS!!!!!!!!

I’m like ohhhhhh.... that sucks ( I almost became a bass player much sooner) then I picked up one that had six, this little black soverign. Real piece of crap, worst little amp came with it but I was impressed.... my mom was as broke as a single mother can be... this was a very big deal... unfortunately. I had zero instruction and it went no where. I mean I didn’t even know how to tune it so it always sounded like crap... on top of being a really cheap guitar... without instruction it fell out of sight.... I got myself In a lot of trouble, went to kid jail.... you know what straightened me out a bit????

You’ll never believe it.... Marilyn Manson!!!! Was a good influence! Lol. No way you saw that coming! I read his book and I related to his intelligence. Instead of relating my identity to my socioeconomic background, gutterish, thuggish mentality...like when I listened to and identified with 2pac!!!!!

I instead focused my mind on my more intellectual strengths.

So the BASSIST who really encouraged me to PLAY BASS was Twiggy Ramierz/Jeordie White from Manson, later a Perfect Circle and Nine Inch Nails. (Has a cool song he did for his own project called goon moon, “sleep with a gun”)

WHERE DID I SEE MY FIRST THUNDERBIRD???? Twiggy Ramierz from Marilyn Manson!

It really started with him for me. He made everything he played look soooooo cool. I know he’s a little....well a lot out there for most of you but I loved the music, the bass lines, the bass tone, the basses. Was awesome. He could make a dress damn manly. As manly as it can be.



View attachment 3240475 View attachment 3240476 View attachment 3240477 View attachment 3240478

This last one is an rd artist one other one was a Gibson les Paul bass. He probably would have looked cool with a stick.

Eh TBird1958.... I googled “Twiggy Ramirez Gibson bass” and under images got this in the results from 2011... pretty legit.

View attachment 3240487

That’s a great story! Artists like Marilyn are intelligent and have a lot of thoughtful perspective to offer, but because they are swimming outside of the mainstream, they are easily dismissed by much of the public.
Glad to hear you found one at the right point in your life.

 

[bylar13]

Played a Fano JM4 standard, Jag shaped bass with Fano's thunderbird-style pickups, while scoping out the remnants of Denmark street in London. Can't say I was fond of the body shape or neck (10" radius, medium jumbo frets, blech) but the pickups sounded fantastic. Very bright and crisp while still full. Really wish you could buy them separately, the only downside is they aren't counter sunk so I nearly ripped my thumb nail off a couple of times while playing it.

I thought Fano was using Lollars or at least the ones I have seen, were using Lollar t-bird pick ups...