Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

Gaolee - what strings are you running on your 2015?
I put Cobalt flats on mine and they sound great in solo mode or in a 3 piece band but start to get lost in a medium to heavy mix. I might still need to adjust the pup heights some more.

Edit:
Just spent some time mucking around on the 2015 and found what I suspect is part of the problem. I had the action set fairly low (a Bees dick higher than my 2013 bird but still low). It wasn't a problem if I played with a normal to light touch like I mostly would in a 3 piece setting or solo. But when I dig in for extra volume (like I might unconsciously have a tendency to do in a heavy mix) the strings were choking out on the frets and losing focus and sustain. So I put a gnats a$$ more front bow in the neck and ended the fret choke. Too late tonight to plug it in and test it but I'll plug in tomorrow evening to see if that helped solve the problem. Still interested in your 2015 string selections.

Black Beauties or Cobalt flats. Black Beauties for now. I am fairly heavy handed and set things up with a higher action than most people seem to like. It is the prehistoric thing.

 

[Gaolee]

Thank you godofthunder59!
Also there is a small crack on the neck at the treble side of the nut. There is light finish delamination at the treble side of the nut. There are other fine scratches on various parts of this guitar!

None of this sound like anything but cosmetic issues. I am having a hard time seeing a problem even though they have a closeup photo of the crack. I am also looking at it on my phone. It might show more on a different screen. For the price, it would be worth snagging.

 

[Engle]

So this is not too far across the line in Merica. Pretty sure it was listed last year. Not that I need a project, but I kinda want to rescue it:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[GonePlaid]

So this is not too far across the line in Merica. Pretty sure it was listed last year. Not that I need a project, but I kinda want to rescue it:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Thunderbirds? Go for it. I mean for $80, if I was closer.....

 

[godofthunder59]

Thank you godofthunder59!
Also there is a small crack on the neck at the treble side of the nut. There is light finish delamination at the treble side of the nut. There are other fine scratches on various parts of this guitar!

There are four available, I would avoid the one with the hairline crack near the fingerboard/headstock area, the others look good.

 

[Nocturnal]

Only one available now. Guess which one.

 

[TBird1958]

View attachment 3412861

Just gonna barge right in with this one. Rudy’s custom Pensa. His take on an NR.

View attachment 3413086

I like this one better, lots better.

 

[Cuzzie]

Interesting. Never seen that before. I'm not a luthier or builder, just a hack that does a lot of my own work. If it were mine, I'd carefully remove the raised section using a sharp utility blade or box cutter to score a line around the perimeter (so the body paint doesn't lift when the top is popped off). And then a metal putty knife gently worked under the lifted section to hopefully pop it off in one piece. Tape the wings to protect the paint and block sand the glued area on the body and the underside of the raised piece to get the old glue off.

Once that's done I'd decide if I wanted the old raised section glued back on and the seam repainted or if I wanted to use it as a template for something more interesting. A nice new piece of figured stained wood, or maybe some diamond plate or Formica with an interesting pattern, even a sheet of pickguard material or carbon fiber (no Tort please) might look really cool in place of it. On the bolt on Eppi that top block is just ornamental so the sky's the limit on what you want to do with it.

Just a thought. Looks like a neat little project with some real upside potential to make this bass very unique and cool looking. Keep us posted.

Really cool suggestion, only part of it is lifting. I had thought about lifting the whole thing off to make a really good new glue join but those screw in bolts for the bridge bolt the top piece down if I am correct?

It’s a bit cracked by them and I think the wood will split.
I was going to drip some glue into the cracks and then clamp the hell out of it.

Anyone know any good techniques for removing those bolts?!

 

[Nocturnal]

Anyone know any good techniques for removing those bolts?!

1: Hand screw/tighten one of the bolts that attach the bridge into the threaded insert.

2: Lay a thin piece of wood (or something semi sturdy) next to the insert.

3: Use the claw part of a hammer or small pry bar to gently lift the insert out of the body. Maybe put a thin cloth between the tool and the bolt to keep from removing any of the finish from the bolt.

I have used this method in the past with great results. Good luck!!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Really cool suggestion, only part of it is lifting. I had thought about lifting the whole thing off to make a really good new glue join but those screw in bolts for the bridge bolt the top piece down if I am correct?

It’s a bit cracked by them and I think the wood will split.
I was going to drip some glue into the cracks and then clamp the hell out of it.
View attachment 3413212 View attachment 3413213 View attachment 3413214

Anyone know any good techniques for removing those bolts?!

I don't believe those are threaded into the body....if they are anything like the ones on Gibsons they should pull out by screwing the stud in and gently pulling from it....then again I could be wrong and those be different from the inserts on Gibsons..

 

[Nocturnal]

I don't believe those are threaded into the body....if they are anything like the ones on Gibsons they should pull out by screwing the stud in and gently pulling from it....then again I could be wrong and those be different from the inserts on Gibsons..

You are correct, the inserts are not threaded into the body. They have ridges (for her pleasure) to help anchor it into the body.

 

[Cuzzie]

Cool, thanks for that, off to try it!

 

[Cuzzie]

Bolts out

He is going in.....

 

[JIO]

Just gonna barge right in with this one. Rudy’s custom Pensa. His take on an NR.

View attachment 3413086

It's cool - Rudy who?

 

[Cuzzie]

Right @GBassNorth this is all your fault.....!‍

 

[JJR58]

It's cool - Rudy who?

Rudy Pensa, the owner of Rudy's Music.

 

[TBird1958]

It's cool - Rudy who?

Rudy Sarzo.

Rudy Sarzo - Wikipedia

 

[Engle]

View attachment 3413297 Right @GBassNorth this is all your fault.....!‍

Some people would pay extra for that look...

 

[Engle]

It's cool - Rudy who?

Rudy Pensa, the owner of Rudy's Music.

Rudy Sarzo.

Rudy Sarzo - Wikipedia

 

[Count Bassie]

View attachment 3413289 Bolts out

He is going in.....

Ahem.