Thunderbird Club

[PillO]

In years gone by, I was about as comfortable with a pick as with my fingers (2 or 3)...I wanted to grow up to be Chris Squire...didn’t we all?

I wanted to be Geddy Lee...

 

[Engle]

My bad, that makes perfect sense.

My anniversary TBird doesn't have the same bright top end the VP has even if I max out the tone knob. If you want a sharp top end without sacrificing the bottom end try one of the Eppi VP basses or maybe install the VP pups in your TBird.

As a point of reference - when my VP tone knob is set on zero it sounds about the same as my Anniversary Bird on 5 or 6. I'm running Fender 7150 rounds on my VP and Optima Gold rounds on my Anniversary Bird. Both string selections were made to maximize the bottom end, and in the case of the VP to tame the top end.

As for TBirds with a super range of tones I'd put the VP and 2015 TBird at the top of the list. The 2015 is a beast, but can be a handful to dial in on the fly. The VP is half the price and is exceptionally linear and intuitive on the tone range. I don't think there's a song out there you couldn't play with a VP and a set of Cobalt flats. JMHO

A VP with flats is what I use in my cover band for exactly that reason. It brings a really wide range of tones. The only thing it won’t do is the extremely bright angry piano that (new)RS66s provide.
I don’t need that in my cover band, but my heavy originals band has a jam coming up...

 

[mr zee]

I wanted to be me and that's what I got. Ageing and not gigging anymore took it away, speed that is. I still have my bald head, chubbiness and humor about life.

 

[JIO]

I tried a thumb pick for a while. Could play fingerstyle then switch to pick mid song, but the damn thing cut off circulation too much(fat digits). Have 5 left I'll never use.

I have 3 finger picks (do they make thumb picks?) - got them for some sort of experiment but can't recall it now. They're there if I even need them!

 

[Goatrope]

I replaced the stock Gibson pickups in my 2014 T-Bird with a set of Lollar T-Bird pick ups. They did for me, exactly what you are describing. As a point of reference I am using Erinie Ball Nickel round wound strings.

Thanks for that insight!

I’m torn on this for a couple of reasons.

1) I was reminded again Saturday that the FOH is in the hands of a person who may not understand what I’m going for, and the difference between the stock pickups and the alternates would likely be washed away.

[Note that we had an excellent sound person this weekend, which made me appreciate the rarity of that blessing]. -Shout out to Christy!

2) I kinda like the all black theme I’ve got going on this bass. If they’re not able to plate them black, I’m not sure how I’d feel about the chrome in a sea of black.

Still, I’m leaning towards ordering a set. Need to see some market optimism in the next couple weeks to push me over the edge.

 

[bylar13]

Thanks for that insight!

I’m torn on this for a couple of reasons.

1) I was reminded again Saturday that the FOH is in the hands of a person who may not understand what I’m going for, and the difference between the stock pickups and the alternates would likely be washed away.

[Note that we had an excellent sound person this weekend, which made me appreciate the rarity of that blessing]. -Shout out to Christy!

2) I kinda like the all black theme I’ve got going on this bass. If they’re not able to plate them black, I’m not sure how I’d feel about the chrome in a sea of black.

Still, I’m leaning towards ordering a set. Need to see some market optimism in the next couple weeks to push me over the edge.

You can get them with black cover....just call me "The Enabler..."

 

[JIO]

Interesting! Sounded a little like a modern incarnation of Weather Report at the very beginning. Only at the beginning!

That's a comparison I needed to re-listen for! Somewhat classical flowing unison playing I gather - for the pup's it was due to being a brother band. (bass/guitar) I grew up with friends who are musician brothers (drummer/keys) - they were telepathic, it was quite amazing - the 2 playing as one deal.

 

[GonePlaid]

Fingers ?

Yes-or no.

 

[GonePlaid]

Songs?

Maybe.

 

[GonePlaid]

I wanted to be Geddy Lee...

I wanted to be Jim Fielder.

 

[GonePlaid]

I have 3 finger picks (do they make thumb picks?) - got them for some sort of experiment but can't recall it now. They're there if I even need them!

Thumb picks. Only three left over that I'll never use [my usual HD pic]

 

[Goatrope]

You can get them with black cover....just call me "The Enabler..."

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Thumb picks. Only three left over that I'll never use [my usual HD pic]
View attachment 3507163

the other problem i found with those it that to stay on, they sit in pretty much one (unusable) position not allowing the necessary freedom to grip the pick in more than one way..

 

[Gaolee]

ah... don't think so. Even though it would be silly to have a 'speed' contest of fingers vs pick on a bass - my bets would be on a pick being "faster". YOMV

I personally go a whole lot faster on bass with fingers, and go a whole lot faster on guitar with a pick. Beats me why.

 

[GonePlaid]

the other problem i found with those it that to stay on, they sit in pretty much one (unusable) position not allowing the necessary freedom to grip the pick in more than one way..

Since I don't use a pick that often, that wasn't a factor. Numb thumb was.

 

[Gaolee]

I wanted to be Geddy Lee...

That explains why you got that operation.

I wanted to do what Entwhistle did.

 

[PillO]

Thumb picks. Only three left over that I'll never use [my usual HD pic]
View attachment 3507163

I'm not sure how math works in Florida, but I count four...

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

resting...

 

[GonePlaid]

I'm not sure how math works in Florida, but I count four...

1 I tried, 3 left over-never used., so....6.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I toyed with banjo a little in the 80s, and the thumb pick is fine with small strings, but bass strings have way too much resistance and and I either had the circulation problem or they would fly off while needing to stay on. I can see why Johnny Winter and others can use them on guitar, but can't see them working on bass unless everything were really slow paced and very light playing.

Ya gotta get the bolt-ons.

 

[Engle]

For me when a song needs that fat pillowy bass tone - I use my fingers. (or for an upright vibe) Soft on audible articulation and big on bottom. Usually everything else is with a pick and palm-muting. Only when it gets full-on rock is when it's just straight-ahead pick for that biting bass presence.
Needless to say, the bass I use in that regard is a T-bird. Nothing out T-birds a T-bird.

But don't get me wrong though - I'm pretty good finger-style and most pick work is attempting to catch up what I can already do with my fingers! Also never played guitar - a bass player from day 1 to now and beyond. And chords sound great with a pick! Luckily I've never been intimidated by "playing bass like a guitarist" .

I learned both pick and fingerstyle as a kid, but at one point decided to concentrate on fingers to get my speed up. In the last 5 years or so, I’ve been in more situations where I need to use a pick, so I’ve gone back to using whatever the song calls for.