Thunderbird Club

[JJR58]

Have you tried the Marcus Miller version to compare to the regular Super Brights?

Not yet, they cost a bit more, but i do want to try them.

 

[BklynKen]

Not yet, they cost a bit more, but i do want to try them.

Cool. As far as I know, they're just higher tension.

 

[JIO]

And I don’t get why Fender complained about the original shape which IMO doesn’t look like any Fender; causing Gibson to release the NR which actually is a little bit similar. (Gibson’s nyah nyah at Fender?)

True - by todays standards that would be considered a stretch and discounted. As you note, ironically their action lead to making it look even more like their bass/guitar. Basically Fender really didn't need to go after Gibson for anything because as history has shown their basses were never a big threat to Fenders dominance in the 60's. The T-bird (both styles) were only sold for 6 yrs total. It's a good thing Guild never sued over the use of Thunderbird.

 

[JIO]

For the west coast contingent: View attachment 3274696

But it's rare - and needed. (and welcomed!) Yesterday the rain was crazy heavy and windy all day - driving was more like skating. Front wheel drive baby! (Element)

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

True - by todays standards that would be considered a stretch and discounted. As you note, ironically their action lead to making it look even more like their bass/guitar. Basically Fender really didn't need to go after Gibson for anything because as history has shown their basses were never a big threat to Fenders dominance in the 60's. The T-bird (both styles) were only sold for 6 yrs total. It's a good thing Guild never sued over the use of Thunderbird.

yeah, but Fender didn't know that back then..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

But it's rare - and needed. (and welcomed!) Yesterday the rain was crazy heavy and windy all day - driving was more like skating. Front wheel drive baby! (Element)

yeah we just got done with massive fires and now mudslide season... I was on 101 yesterday to notice hydroplaning is not a very much practiced art around here...
I saw at least three cars off the shoulder in compromising orientations..

 

[JIO]

yeah we just got done with massive fires and now mudslide season... I was on 101 yesterday to notice hydroplaning is not a very much practiced art around here...
I saw at least three cars off the shoulder in compromising orientations..

Coming from the mid-west (snow/ice) I grew up learning to surf skidding situations and manage them before they turn into surfing. It's a perverse kind of fun - a very active way of driving. Along with motorcycling in the rain, I've also spent many hours training/racing in the rain on a bicycle which further develops an understanding/skill of 'loose' traction. The main issue which takes 100% concentration is the rest of the (bad) drivers around me - alone (or at least with a big pocket of no cars around me) it's a blast!

 

[JIO]

yeah, but Fender didn't know that back then..

Their marketing ears weren't big enough back then.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Coming from the mid-west (snow/ice) I grew up learning to surf skidding situations and manage them before they turn into surfing. It's a perverse kind of fun - a very active way of driving. Along with motorcycling in the rain, I've also spent many hours training/racing in the rain on a bicycle which further develops an understanding/skill of 'loose' traction. The main issue which takes 100% concentration is the rest of the (bad) drivers around me - alone (or at least with a big pocket of no cars around me) it's a blast!

I spent a LOT of time on dirt roads and on trails with my first motorcycle. Later, even with straight street bikes, I'd spend some time on dit and gravel just to understand the bike's reactions in low traction situations. It saved my bacon any number of times.

 

[JIO]

I spent a LOT of time on dirt roads and on trails with my first motorcycle. Later, even with straight street bikes, I'd spend some time on dit and gravel just to understand the bike's reactions in low traction situations. It saved my bacon any number of times.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[GBassNorth]

So, as of today, my Thunderbird collection will be complete. Gotta wait for 2 shipments later today, and I'll post a pic of the complete family. Couple notes:

I grabbed a 2015 TB in my attempt to collect all the weird one-offs in Thunderbird history. I like it! I even used it on a couple of tracks over the weekend when recording part of our band's EP, and it sounded great. Granted, studio magic can make the bass sound however it wants, but I'd say it's one of the first times that the bass had such a presence in our recorded work.

I'll end up with 5 'Birds when all is said and done, and I want to convert one of them into BEAD tuning. Help me decide which one! Here's the list:

50th Anniversary TB in gold
2015 Gibson TB
1976 Bicentennial TB
2011 Shorty bird
Epi TB VP

So, obviously the Shortbird would be difficult to convert to lower tuning, and I'd rather use it for me bass lesson bass anyway, and I plan on using the Epi for my primary gigging bass, but the others are fair game. Thoughts on which one I should choose? Thanks in advance!

Good selection of TBirds that each bring a little something different to the table. If you're considering BEAD tuning I suggest you set both the 50th Anniversary and the 2015 up in that tune to see which one delivers the best sound and is the most stable. Keep which ever one sounds best in that tuning and then revert the other back to normal.

With the massive tone selection on the 2015 I'd bet it would deliver BEAD tuning goodness in spades. Of course the other option would be to get another VP and set it up in BEAD then use both as your gigging basses. Save the expensive ones for studio and less damage prone use.

 

[Basvarken]

So, as of today, my Thunderbird collection will be complete. Gotta wait for 2 shipments later today, and I'll post a pic of the complete family. Couple notes:

I grabbed a 2015 TB in my attempt to collect all the weird one-offs in Thunderbird history. I like it! I even used it on a couple of tracks over the weekend when recording part of our band's EP, and it sounded great. Granted, studio magic can make the bass sound however it wants, but I'd say it's one of the first times that the bass had such a presence in our recorded work.

I'll end up with 5 'Birds when all is said and done, and I want to convert one of them into BEAD tuning. Help me decide which one! Here's the list:

50th Anniversary TB in gold
2015 Gibson TB
1976 Bicentennial TB
2011 Shorty bird
Epi TB VP

So, obviously the Shortbird would be difficult to convert to lower tuning, and I'd rather use it for me bass lesson bass anyway, and I plan on using the Epi for my primary gigging bass, but the others are fair game. Thoughts on which one I should choose? Thanks in advance!

Congrats! That's a nice little family you got there.
But of course you're nowhere near complete!

You'd need a sixties TB II and TB IV, a Studio Thunderbird (maybe even the 5 string version), a Nikki Sixx Sig (with maple wings), a Zebrawood TB and maybe even a NR TB II and NR TB IV.

 

[RedVee]

Are there actually any rules in Australian Rules Rugby? (Avatar explained)

Just for clarification, the game I linked is not Aussie Rules. No, it doesn’t have many rules . It is the only “football” code I know of without an offside rule and some of us (not me of course) call it “fumble ball”.
Rugby League (with Rugby) tradionally dominate in Qld & NSW, Aussie Rules the rest of the country. Population wise it’s about equal in numbers. (Someone once put a map out of Australia with a mason - Dixie (?) line of the different games dominated areas.)
Aussie Rules is set to take over within the next 20 years I think.

BTW in AFL I ‘support’ the Sydney Swans who wear a stylised white jersey with a Red Vee. lol

Edit: Sticks Provan - a great St George player, captain and coach

 

[Miles_ONeal]

...BTW in AFL I ‘support’ the Sydney Swans who wear a stylised white jersey with a Red Vee....

Nice to have a team dressed in your honor! Too bad they aren't the Thunderbirds.

 

[Band Mom]

Congrats! That's a nice little family you got there.
But of course you're nowhere near complete!

You'd need a sixties TB II and TB IV, a Studio Thunderbird (maybe even the 5 string version), a Nikki Sixx Sig (with maple wings), a Zebrawood TB and maybe even a NR TB II and NR TB IV.

Haha! I wasn't even aware that they had made a short scale TB until I read your book! It's definitely an odd one, and yeah, I'm nowhere close to Thunderbird Yahtzee. I was looking at a '64 TB II on Austin Vintage's site, but they sold it mere days before I could make it out there. Eh, even though it was a steal at $4K, it was still way outside of my price range.

And good advice from you guys regarding BEAD tuning. I like the in-your-face obnoxious gold BEAD idea the most. I was surprised to find that I actually liked the 2015 'Bird tone more than my 2018 (which I just sold). I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, as I owned a 2013 EB bass that I loved a lot and stupidly sold.

Any advice from you guys regarding string choice for BEAD?

 

[RedVee]

So, as of today, my Thunderbird collection will be complete. Gotta wait for 2 shipments later today, and I'll post a pic of the complete family. Couple notes:

I grabbed a 2015 TB in my attempt to collect all the weird one-offs in Thunderbird history. I like it! I even used it on a couple of tracks over the weekend when recording part of our band's EP, and it sounded great. Granted, studio magic can make the bass sound however it wants, but I'd say it's one of the first times that the bass had such a presence in our recorded work.

I'll end up with 5 'Birds when all is said and done, and I want to convert one of them into BEAD tuning. Help me decide which one! Here's the list:

50th Anniversary TB in gold
2015 Gibson TB
1976 Bicentennial TB
2011 Shorty bird
Epi TB VP

So, obviously the Shortbird would be difficult to convert to lower tuning, and I'd rather use it for me bass lesson bass anyway, and I plan on using the Epi for my primary gigging bass, but the others are fair game. Thoughts on which one I should choose? Thanks in advance!

Wow, you really did get chosen. Congrats!

Goldie or a 2nd VP for the BEAD. Just my 2c worth.

 

[RedVee]

For the west coast contingent: View attachment 3274696

We are in a storm season now. No rain today but 60% humidity atm (nearly 11am) and we are about 40 kms from the coast, 50km if driving.
Another storm due this afternoon.

But nothing like mud slides and the like. You can keep that to yourselves.

The recent hail storms created enough havoc. I’ve never seen hail punch holes through house windows and car front & rear windscreens before.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

We are in a storm season now. No rain today but 60% humidity atm (nearly 11am) and we are about 40 kms from the coast, 50km if driving.
Another storm due this afternoon.

But nothing like mud slides and the like. You can keep that to yourselves.

The recent hail storms created enough havoc. I’ve never seen hail punch holes through house windows and car front & rear windscreens before.

Shortly after I moved to Austin, we had a hail storm that busted thousands of front and rear windscreens, and caused every car caught out in it to need bodywork and paint. Older cars were totaled. My 1983 Honda Interceptor 750 (the original!) looked unscathed. It was built from much heavier steel and plastic than cars in the early 1990s. Six to ten inches of hail everywhere, looked like winter. Fifteen minutes later everything was under several inches of water (it was, after all, about 100F). Fifteen minutes later there were only pools of water here and there. And busted cars.

I rode that bike through golf ball sized hail in Atlanta once, trapped in nearly bumper to bumper high speed traffic on I285. Not my favorite ride.

I also drove my Miata through a hailstorm. I got the top up just in time on an overpass. I hunched down, and some of the hail was deflecting the soft top 8-10" to caress my head and back. I finally ended up on a large church's front porch until the storm passed. When I left I made sure the porch was clean (it was, the car had no leaks).

 

[BklynKen]

Any advice from you guys regarding string choice for BEAD?

These are probably really nice: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[PillO]

Any advice from you guys regarding string choice for BEAD?

On my BEAD bass I am using DR DDTs. I am undecided if they will also be the next set or if I will try Roto's drop tuning set.
Roto Sound - RS Drop Zone Stainless Steel Bass Sring Set 65-130