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Thunderbird Club

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If Gibson had utilized a similar design and testing principle (maybe falling from waist high) wth regards to the THUNDERBIRD headstock we might actually be able to find an undamaged one from the 1960's. Although I'm not aware of any official impact claims made by any of their competitors either.
And yet everyone “knew” that if you accidentally bonked the drummer with your Gibson bass the headstock would break, yet you could fight off hordes of raptors or jealous boyfriends with Fender basses while the headstocks howled with battle lust. That’s probably why FAOs became the dominant brand rather than THUNDERBIRDS.
 
I made myself a "drop-test" with my GK RB700-II :roflmao:
Obviously it wasn't intended to be a drop test, it accidentally fell from a waist-high height because I had it lifted with the power cable still connected to the cab. Plastic rim of the input got broken, but I fixed it with some super glue, while the chassis got put in clamp and hammered 3-4 times. Like new, no damages to the wiring nor to any of the components :D
 
When I was interested in the Traynor Bass amp, it was bigger and badder than anything else available(in my area)that was 'affordable' and[sorta]portable. It's a loooong time ago but IIRC I was looking at a 200W head and 412(?)cab-I think. I did later-mid 70s-buy a blue line SVT/810* rig('cos that's what all the "cool" bands had). It was OK, but for the money,:meh:.<ETA>IF I'da been smarter :roflmao:, I'da used my good ole 200w/2x15 Kasino[see pic] and saved the $ I spent on the SVT rig. "Too soon old, too late smart(er)"'
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*stupidly heavy
There was a Traynor dealer in Santa Barbara we rented from. I liked them and really was going to go that route until a deal on a Kasino turned up at a store that was open in Lompoc for a short time. Damn, every time you post that I wish I still had that Kasino rig.
 
There was a Traynor dealer in Santa Barbara we rented from. I liked them and really was going to go that route until a deal on a Kasino turned up at a store that was open in Lompoc for a short time. Damn, every time you post that I wish I still had that Kasino rig.
I bought it in 70, still have the bill of sale; it still has the original speakers. Yes they will 'fart out' a little below A on the E, but EQing minimizes it.
Speaking of 'drop tests', it was dropped from waist height when a friend and I were bringing it through a narrow doorway. We both turned it to the right to get it to the least depth so we had room for our hands. Unfortunately, I was walking back'ards. And, down it went-on the edge of the threshold-just above the controls. I figured it was 'done'. Nope. Once it was in the house, I plugged it in, kinda crossed my fingers, and played my THUNDERBIRD through it. It worked just as well as before. I left it as is for years with a bit of plywood showing; finally touched it up with a Sharpietm about a year ago.
BTW, it has become my "practice" amp 'cos it's too awkward/heavy to load in/out of the van by myself. Guess how I know.(3 Advil)
 
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It's all timing. Solid State stuff started coming in when I started playing bass (late 60's) and my first rig was a DIY Heathkit SS 'combo' amp with 2x15's that my dad & I assembled. I'm certain it sounded like crap. My 2nd amp was a used Acoustic SS amp, and it wasn't until I bought a new Fender combo tube amp in '75? (shortly thereafter stollen) that I even had a tube amp. It didn't matter because back then I had no idea of what a bass was supposed to sound like. If it was loud - it was good. :laugh:

At least I had my THUNDERBIRD!
Lol! do you still have that Heathkit amp? is that where you got the logo? those sounded pretty good for what they were..... keep in mind ss instrument amps were still in their infancy......although they never made instrument amps, Dynaco tube stuff was another favorite....very high-quality components...in fact, Sunn (and others) may have never gotten off the ground had it not been for Dynaco designs and the off-the-shelf availability of their components and assemblies.....highly sought after by audiophiles these days..
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Lol! do you still have that Heathkit amp? is that where you got the logo? those sounded pretty good for what they were..... keep in mind ss instrument amps were still in their infancy......although they never made instrument amps, Dynaco tube stuff was another favorite....very high-quality components...in fact, Sunn (and others) may have never gotten off the ground had it not been for Dynaco designs and the off-the-shelf availability of their components and assemblies.....highly sought after by audiophiles these days..
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A neighbor kid who was a year ahead of me built a Heathkit guitar amp around ‘70. I jammed with him a few times when I first got a bass. He moved away shortly after that. He knew two songs; Come Together and Why Don’t We Do It...He was working on I Dig Pony when he moved. Dirty minds of teenagers; drove the parents nuts. Hadn’t thought of that in years until I saw the Heathkit reference.
 
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I made myself a "drop-test" with my GK RB700-II :roflmao:
Obviously it wasn't intended to be a drop test, it accidentally fell from a waist-high height because I had it lifted with the power cable still connected to the cab. Plastic rim of the input got broken, but I fixed it with some super glue, while the chassis got put in clamp and hammered 3-4 times. Like new, no damages to the wiring nor to any of the components :D
That Bob G makes a tough amp.