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Thunderbird Club

#122,983
Good morning Bird lovers. I hope this is the beginning of a good weekend for all of us. Sincere thanks for the good wishes on my trip to Indianapolis. Conference was good, with interesting speakers and informative presentations. A vendor hosted an afternoon at a club near the Speedway. Food, drink and rides! Took a ride in a Nascar. Fast, loud and intense. It was s unique experience. Indianapolis is a nice city with great people. Returned and just picked up my Jack Casady from the shop. Had a set of EB Cobalt flats put on and the set up checked. This is my first experience with flats. Have only maybe an hour on them, but am liking them already. Big, substantial sound, with pleasing overtones. Not dead sounding in the slightest. I understand they have a break in period, so will be interesting to see how they change. I always try to wipe down my bass and the strings after playing, anything else I need to do with these flats? I like the way they feel under my fingers. I am enjoying the semi hollow body sound, and bought another used bass yesterday, it should arrive in a week or so. A different model. Not big on buying without playing, but hoping for the best. I will post pictures when she arrives. Have a great weekend everyone.
 

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#122,985
Border said:
Good morning Bird lovers. I hope this is the beginning of a good weekend for all of us. Sincere thanks for the good wishes on my trip to Indianapolis. Conference was good, with interesting speakers and informative presentations. A vendor hosted an afternoon at a club near the Speedway. Food, drink and rides! Took a ride in a Nascar. Fast, loud and intense. It was s unique experience. Indianapolis is a nice city with great people. Returned and just picked up my Jack Casady from the shop. Had a set of EB Cobalt flats put on and the set up checked. This is my first experience with flats. Have only maybe an hour on them, but am liking them already. Big, substantial sound, with pleasing overtones. Not dead sounding in the slightest. I understand they have a break in period, so will be interesting to see how they change. I always try to wipe down my bass and the strings after playing, anything else I need to do with these flats? I like the way they feel under my fingers. I am enjoying the semi hollow body sound, and bought another used bass yesterday, it should arrive in a week or so. A different model. Not big on buying without playing, but hoping for the best. I will post pictures when she arrives. Have a great weekend everyone.
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Indy is a nice place. I'm sure someone on TB as a whole might have some secret thing to do, but just play and wipe will work just fine. Some find them slight grabby and not as fast in terms of sliding. I do. Not like DA ground wounds, but not as slick as a true flat like GHS Precision Flats, etc. They should thicken up slightly. I bet they do sound good on the JC.
 
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#122,988
dagrev said:
The only Bulgarian I ever knew was a product of bad water or something. Wrote crazy letters to the Pres at the time and claimed to be an inventor of some weird stuff. Had to evict him from a rental. The taxpayers were paying his rent and when the time was up for a full free ride and for him to pay something, he decided he had a right to just stay there and live for free. Didn't take him long to figure out the twisted side of the American way! He was removed.:thumbsup:
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These guys are about as far from that as possible. I really like them and am enjoying being around them. One plays a kval, which is more or less a flute played on the end instead of a hole on the side. He and the drummer can go off on some pretty wild Bulgarian stuff. I think it is phenomenal. Confusing as hell to a 4/4 person like me, but great anyway. Then it resolves back into a cover of a song. Amazing.
 
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#122,989
Turlu said:
Played an Epiphone Vintage Thunderbird Pro yesterday at the store. Neck through, chrome plated pickups, nice chrome bridge and saddles. Wow! I was impressed at the tone and built quality. Come on Gibson, bring those features back to the Thunderbird line!!! So nice!
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What you really need to do is.........BUY THE EPIPHONE!
 
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#122,990
Gaolee said:
Current debate in my head - Black Beauties are beginning to sound a little dull on the '01. New strings could be Boomers, Burners, Low Riders, Cobalt Flats, or another set of Black Beauties. The Burners are heavy gauge. That would require a little tweaking. That is not much of an issue for a CroMagnon. Decisions! It is a first world problem.
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Burners heavy? Mine are 'medium' = .45 .65 .85 .105
 
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#122,993
Turlu said:
Sorry, no can do imports.... It has to be USA Gibskn for me!! But, the Epiphone is really well built too!!
Gibson should simply offer similar features in my opinion. They look so much better!
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Or chrome out a used Gibson. That is what I did with the '91. It is on its way home with new paint. Once you head down the rabbit hole, why stop?
 
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#122,994
Turlu said:
Sorry, no can do imports.... It has to be USA Gibskn for me!! But, the Epiphone is really well built too!!
Gibson should simply offer similar features in my opinion. They look so much better!
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I'll see how much pull I have with the new management. :laugh:
 
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#122,996
Gaolee said:
50, 70, 85, 110

Not excessively heavy, especially for a knuckle dragger.
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Gaolee said:
Once you head down the rabbit hole, why stop?
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Strings and rabbit holes ... just been reading about cello strings and bow hair, specifically synthetic bow hair and synthetic core, ie 'perlon' (exotic sounding name for nylon) strings. Cello strings are really expensive compared to electric bass strings. Getting the instrument to a point where it's playable again is going to be a project. At the very least it needs a new tailpiece hanger, bow rehair and strings, as the existing ones will be totally trashed having not been played all these years. Might as well get a wooden tailpiece and internally geared pegs while I'm at it. Oh and the case is completely ridiculous. It was built from plywood by a very nice old bloke at my dad's work, then lined with green felt and covered in vinyl, but it weighs a ton and is unbelievable awkward and uncomfortable to carry. I carried it 700m the other week and my arm was throbbing for days. Cello cases make electric bass cases look like a budget item.
 
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#122,997
Turlu said:
Sorry, no can do imports.... It has to be USA Gibskn for me!! But, the Epiphone is really well built too!!
Gibson should simply offer similar features in my opinion. They look so much better!
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Be prepared to spend 5k-6k or higher if they do bring back a 60's spec. bird. For that kind of money I'll just go buy another 60's nonreverse.
 
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#122,999
fasterpussycat said:
Strings and rabbit holes ... just been reading about cello strings and bow hair, specifically synthetic bow hair and synthetic core, ie 'perlon' (exotic sounding name for nylon) strings. Cello strings are really expensive compared to electric bass strings. Getting the instrument to a point where it's playable again is going to be a project. At the very least it needs a new tailpiece hanger, bow rehair and strings, as the existing ones will be totally trashed having not been played all these years. Might as well get a wooden tailpiece and internally geared pegs while I'm at it. Oh and the case is completely ridiculous. It was built from plywood by a very nice old bloke at my dad's work, then lined with green felt and covered in vinyl, but it weighs a ton and is unbelievable awkward and uncomfortable to carry. I carried it 700m the other week and my arm was throbbing for days. Cello cases make electric bass cases look like a budget item.
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No argument from me about the cost associated with overgrown violins. I probably ought to put new strings on the doghouse, but they sound fine when replacements cost $600. I have a bag for it. The bag is protective up to a point. A fiberglass case would be better and would have prevented the need for a couple repairs. The repairs, combined, were cheaper than a case. Plus, a case is enormous. My bow is a plastic cheapo with horse hair. It is fine for what I do, but mostly inadequate for a person with actual skill and talent. It cannot be repaired. Once the hair wears out, it is done. I can believe that cello stuff is even pricier.
 
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