Thunderbird Club

[GonePlaid]

Nicely done, well played, Dylan!

+1

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Think about it - your right hand pinky is totally neglected! Give it a task, and step aside!

Hardly. It’s just a bit of a spazzy geek (not unlike me) who isn’t sure where to stand.

 

[dagrev]

....This story has no moral except that Thunderbird can also sound bad if you want them to.

But it takes more work and still sounds better.

 

[Gaolee]

Yes, in fact it's a post Dano late 60's Coral Deluxe Bass (34" scale)- '68 to be exact - and the body has some similarities to a late 60's gen2 T-bird "shape". Coral went out off biz in '69 after buying Danelectro in '67. A very cool bass and one I'm using recently with my band. Has a pronounced nasally (J-bass) tone but with big hairy balls... (can I say that Paul?) David Letterman reference...

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The "Freebass" was a Coral or Dano very similar to that one. It was black and had a row of switches on it. As I recall, they did next to nothing. I do not remember what it sounded like now, except that shimming the neck with spare change in lieu of the matchbooks that were there when I got it made it sound decent enough to play. It had a double octave, short scale neck with a dolphin headstock and what looked like guitar tuners.

I got it for free after somebody else found it in the bathtub of an abandoned house. It was about as punk rock as it gets.

The spare change in the neck amounted to eight whole cents as I recall. That is the bass I essentially traded straight up for the EB-2 I still have.

So there is the EB-2 origin story again for those who are not tired of it yet. Putting up pictures of a Coral with that crazy swirly mother of toilet seat pickguard should come with a Will's bass story warning!

[Edit]Here is a picture of one that looks like the Freebass, except red.Link Removed

 

[JIO]

Always loved that swirl pearl pickguard material but couldn't ever find any, if you know a source let me know.

Corals and their cousin Danos have a sound all their own. Nothing else quite like it. In the right setting they are quite solid performers and really stand out in the mix. Fun basses.

I have a longhorn reissue, always wanted an original or Jerry Jones or a vintage Coral. Hodads are another one with a unique sound. Hang on tight to your Coral, they are getting very hard to find.

Tap Plastic SF - aqua blue, silver white, and red - it's sold from a big 36" roll so as much as you need. They would probably roll it up it in a mailing tube. If they don't ship - let me know and I could get it and ship it to you. It is thin translucent grooved plastic - the same as the Coral but that pg template has a thin silver base (sprayed on?) so it's opaque. I made a pg with the blue-swirl and cut a thin sheet of (chrome) mylar underneath and it worked well. Tap sells the mylar also.

I've never played the Longhorns or any other Dano as a comparison but the Coral has a unique sound for sure. Its cousin the Wasp (short scale) is also cool.

 

[JIO]

Link Removed

That's the Wasp short-scale - super cool!

 

[JIO]

I can see someone playing keys but didn't notice anyone else in the picture...

Kirstins a gem! We are so fortunate to have her in our band.

 

[Gaolee]

That's the Wasp short-scale - super cool!

It was. I sometimes think about looking for one, but after having a properly ratty one that cost absolutely zero, it is tough to consider spending the kind of money they go for now.

 

[JIO]

Looks like oak. And flooring is usualy nailed rather than bolted down.

Poplar - the bass weighs 8lbs/14oz. It would be lighter but the neck is pretty heavy due to the steel beams.

 

[JIO]

It was. I sometimes think about looking for one, but after having a properly ratty one that cost absolutely zero, it is tough to consider spending the kind of money they go for now.

Yes, they also are rare and most likely would go for a healthy price. Never seen one in the flesh.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Lower (blk) rings are volume N & B) and top creme caps/knobs are tone for each pu. It out-nasals (in a good way) any J-bass and had real character - I have no other bass that sounds like it! I usually go for more of a 'mid' tone and this bass does it for me - unique character distinction and solid bottom. Score!
They are a little rare - like I said, only made for 3 years. There was a Silvertone version that was similar made at the same time that is more common. Mine required some TLC - but it has surpassed my initial costs/efforts in what it offers!

from a few weeks ago (playing the Coral live)
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very cool...where's that venue? like it....let me know when you're playing next, i'll come up..

 

[Nocturnal]

Hodads are another one with a unique sound. Hang on tight to your Coral, they are getting very hard to find.

I still want to snag one of the original 3 pickup Hodad basses. Haven't seen one in these parts in ages.

 

[MCF]

Same here. Floating thumb just feels natural and does a good job at muting. Except I'm usually a single finger player, sometimes if the song needs it I'll use two, very rarely three.

I always alternate. Third is usually for the G string when I’m going to move back down quickly. Pretty much how I played back in the day. When I took bass up again, I concentrated on being really fluid, if that makes sense. Lots of “air bass” in the car while driving. Of course it’s all a mess when I work on using a pick.

I’m at the office today. I’ll try and get that measurement for you this weekend. Need to get back in synch with the ‘15 anyway; haven’t given it some love since before my vacation.

 

[Count Bassie]

It took me a while but I too do a take on floating thumb - Anchor on the pickup for E&A strings then float for D and G. Probably not good textbook floating thumb, but works for me. Using two fingers was like learning to type. I was a two finger typist (and pretty fast) until I decided to just do it properly despite how slow it was until I got used to it.

Floating thumb here. Anchor as needed, learning to be nimble enough to be where I need to be to do what I gotta do... it's the target, the music happens. Comfort is transitory.

 

[Count Bassie]

nice looking...walnut?....looks pretty solid....bolt on?..
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That's sick-o cool.

 

[MCF]

Dano? that pickup...

That bridge

I still want to snag one of the original 3 pickup Hodad basses. Haven't seen one in these parts in ages.

I think someone posted a NBD some months back that looked interesting. ‘Course I’d have to figure out how to search to find it.

 

[MCF]

Floating thumb here. Anchor as needed, learning to be nimble enough to be where I need to be to do what I gotta do... it's the target, the music happens. Comfort is transitory.

That vid shows it works great for you. You’re very fast....

 

[dagrev]

Good evening everyone. I just got my new bass back from the tech, with new strings and a much needed set up. Eager to get to know her. Curious about the possibilities.
The more I have played the Jack Casady with the new strings, the better I like them. This is the first time I have tried flats. I hear they get even better with age.
Have a great weekend everyone.

I love flats, but they are the opposite of rounds in that they sound better after being on a month or so. Rounds start losing it and flats are just beginning to sound good. Be patient.

 

[MCF]

Yes, in fact it's a post Dano late 60's Coral Deluxe Bass (34" scale)- '68 to be exact - and the body has some similarities to a late 60's gen2 T-bird "shape". Coral went out off biz in '69 after buying Danelectro in '67. A very cool bass and one I'm using recently with my band. Has a pronounced nasally (J-bass) tone but with big hairy balls... (can I say that Paul?) David Letterman reference...

View attachment 3518115

That is the coolest bass! 7ender did that Rascal ss a few years back that looked kinda cool with lipsticks. Tried a couple of them, but didn’t like the necks for some reason. Just not comfy.

 

[Count Bassie]

That vid shows it works great for you. You’re very fast....

Thanks. The flipside is that in those transition moments I can't do anything else!
(And when Geddy does it it's just him being skillful! Dude kills me.)