Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

Better yet, turn to page six and look at those Fender offerings on the upper right corner. They have an oddly familiar shape to them.... I just can't quite figure out where I've seen a shape like that before.



Maybe an RD Artist, meets Jaguar gets blended with Thunderbird and has an EB13 pickguard slapped on it?

It's very reflective of many Japanese Matsumoku-made guitars from the 60's; Arai, Univox, Conrad, Princeton - all spin-offs of the Fender Jaguar/Jazzmaster body style.

Sorry for the low-quality pics - they are from a book on Japanese guitars.

 

[Gaolee]

Better yet, turn to page six and look at those Fender offerings on the upper right corner. They have an oddly familiar shape to them.... I just can't quite figure out where I've seen a shape like that before.



Maybe an RD Artist, meets Jaguar gets blended with Thunderbird and has an EB13 pickguard slapped on it?

And it has Les Paul pickups and selector switch, only with Strat controls. It is completely confused.

 

[Gaolee]

It's very reflective of many Japanese Matsumoku-made guitars from the 60's; Arai, Univox, Conrad, Princeton - all spin-offs of the Fender Jaguar/Jazzmaster body style.

Sorry for the low-quality pics - they are from a book on Japanese guitars.
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1960s Japanese weirdness is it's own kind of perfection. I had an amazing hollow-body short scale bass that was 1960s Japanese and was finished with a lurid burst that I could only call porno-burst. It was way beyond the most vibrant 3-color Fender burst. The headstock was also burst, just to add to the fun, and it had a huge pickguard that covered half of the f-holes. The pots worked backwards, and it had a big pickup that looked like a P-90 that had grown to mudbucker size. The neck was built like a glue-lam beam and was enormous. It had a truss rod, but I don't know why it needed one the way the neck was built. It was almost like what might happen when you get a brief glimpse of a picture of what you want to build, and then build it from a somewhat faulty memory. It sounded really good, too. I didn't keep it because I just never had a way to incorporate its sound. It sounded as much like an upright as any bass guitar ever could. Since I play an upright most of the time these days, it was redundant. But, it sure was a great example and I kinda miss having it around.

 

[Klondike]

Just got the Guitar Center 4th of July sales phamplet in the mail! It's a total of 14 pages and is packed with great Bass deals (not!).

Actually it has about 6 pages of guitars, a page of keyboards, almost three pages of mics, three pages of drums, and a page of misc cabs and PA stuff. But take heart, they did have one whole bass (not a page, just a bass) listed, by that well known manufacturer - Mitchell. That's it. Almost disheartening.

Wasnt it two? I already threw mine out so I cant verify.

 

[TBird1958]

What we need here is some Cow Punk...……...


Maybe for @GonePlaid




Keep your sense humor about you..

 

[PillO]

Just got the Guitar Center 4th of July sales phamplet in the mail! It's a total of 14 pages and is packed with great Bass deals (not!).

Actually it has about 6 pages of guitars, a page of keyboards, almost three pages of mics, three pages of drums, and a page of misc cabs and PA stuff. But take heart, they did have one whole bass (not a page, just a bass) listed, by that well known manufacturer - Mitchell. That's it. Almost disheartening.

Basses are in such high demand that there is no need to offer discounts to sell them.

 

[PillO]

Really? I missed there being *any* bass. Thinking it's time to write them a letter.

Yeah, write them a letter. That will learn them. Make them break away from them computer thingys they are always gawkin at. And don't forget to tell them to get off your lawn.

 

[PillO]

try a few different strap/position options

Ahem.

(don't even go there!)

Yeah, telling me to not go there isn't going to do much...

Once you get it, you get it

Ahem. Just because I can.

 

[Engle]

Remember when albums had covers?

 

[PillO]

Remember when albums had covers?
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I'm thinking remember the 80s when W Germany was weird and cool.

 

[Engle]

It is somewhat twisted:
“Love is...when you don’t forgive me”
“I believed in you”

 

[PillO]

I had to look the Yammie up. I hate instruments that only have model numbers. Give me names, please.
OTOH, I have always wanted a pair of Honda 305s (SuperHawk and Scrambler).

Yamaha - 300 Series 5 String Bass Guitar - White

pair of humbuckers, mahogany body, preamp onboard

I had completely forgotten that It's now FGretsch (The F is silent (and normally invisible)).

 

[MCF]

That is awesome!

 

[MCF]

Thunderbirds take a little bit of mind-set alteration if you aren't used to them. It is like coming home for some of us. Others take a little longer, but get there in the end. And then there are those that Thunderbirds just don't choose. Once you have if figured out, it's hard to play anything else and enjoy it as much.

Yep. I have too many basses. The birds are the most fun. I’m pretty much hooked. The Ibanez Ergodyne with the great neck is great to play p, but it sounds like s**t to my deaf ears. I almost never pick it up. I’m thinking it goes when I get the VP. I’d love to find a kid just starting out to pass it on to.

Oh crap!, i'm failing miserably here.

But that Studio does look nice.

 

[MCF]

Yamaha - 300 Series 5 String Bass Guitar - White

pair of humbuckers, mahogany body, preamp onboard

Wait. There basses these days that have five strings? Huh.

 

[MCF]

Pretty good price on the black one...…...

Just too wary of repaired necks. I know if it isn’t done right the GC return policy lets us decline it. But still...

 

[MCF]

I'm not sure about that. I love playing my bird but I also love playing my Midtown and my JC with have much bigger necks. My Yamaha has the most bird-like neck and I enjoy playing that too. Maybe I just like playing all the basses I have...

Well, I’ve found the others, except for my beloved P and Foundation, just don’t get played much these days.

 

[MCF]

Neighborhood covenant says no rifle or shotgun hunting on the property. I'm not confident in my bow and arrow skills, and a BA handgun would probably cause discomfort with the neighbors.
Twice a skilled bow hunter came to our yard to get a deer, but those days few deer came, and when a legal deer showed up, inevitably a mom was out walking with little kids so the hunter just stayed stealthy.

I don’t know. You keep making Texas seem pretty cool. Up for yet another Cali transplant?

 

[MCF]

I saw it after watching the Corky Lang vid about FP's T-bird. There's a few versions of Mountain songs by foreign artists/players. Not sure what country they are from.

here's another -

Always liked that song. That’s a good cover. Japanese.

 

[MCF]

I think the last sentence is the key here. I have tried all my basses before buying, so I already know I like something about them and that there isn't a problem that keeps me from buying. So, at latest for me, maybe it is the ergonomics, or maybe it isn't but all my basses work for me.

I have tried a number of Fenders. They don't speak to me (except that made in Mexico P I tried a few weeks back, but it was just OK). Likewise, I have tried a few Rics and they just don't speak to me. I even tried a Yamaha 305 that I really wanted to like (it looked great and the price was fantastic), but it just didn't speak to me. I have liked all the Ibanez that I have tried but haven't gotten around to buying one (yet).

Although, I have tried one of these
Gretsch Guitars - G2220 Junior Jet Bass II, Rosewood Fingerboard, 30.3'' Scale - Walnut Stain
and Gretsch is a 7ender brand... These play really nice and I think it is lot of bass for C$400. Could end up with one as the office bass.

I’ve decided a Ric will most likely not happen for me. I’ve now tried a couple dozen in my quest to find the right one. I’ve always wanted one. It was second on my want list behind a bird when I started playing again. Haven’t tried one yet that felt like it fit me. The Junior Jets are nice and I like how they sound. I’ve tried three or four. I just don’t see me choosing it over my Mustang when I want the shortie. So unless one comes up for a can’t beat it price, I don’t think I’ll get one of those either. I have not ruled out a blue LP Jr. though. Would love to play one.