Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

Well, it sure paid off. Go buy a lotto ticket!

Kidding of course, but on-line with liberal returns pretty much appears to be the primary way most of us can get birds. They are scarce in stores, at least near me. I’m in SoCal where there are a gazillion musicians. Even a few bass players. Plenty of FSOs and G&Ls, a fair number of Rics, but little else I like. Those companies seem to pay attention to the stores, at least those near their factories. I’ve been told by a couple stores that still carry Gibson that the reps rarely communicate. And when they do, only really pay attention to Les Pauls and high dollar acoustics. I got lucky with my ‘15 that was in a GC and the Goth that was in an independant. The current reality. And knowing how to do setups is pretty much essential IMO.

I learned to do a setup on my first electric guitar when I was usually broke. What money I did have went into parts. I learned so much more than technique and tone from that $20 beater. Still have it, too.
That Hagstrom and a THUNDERBIRD are all I really need, instrument-wise.

 

[Engle]

Whom do you have to lick during the first set?

Why do you assume I’m the licker?
Our guitarist added this little run on the turnaround after each solo that one has to be prepared for. It’s one of those ideas I never would have thought of - makes me thankful I have found some pretty creative people to play with.

 

[MCF]

I learned to do a setup on my first electric guitar when I was usually broke. What money I did have went into parts. I learned so much more than technique and tone from that $20 beater. Still have it, too.
That Hagstrom and a THUNDERBIRD are all I really need, instrument-wise.

I Love Old Hagstroms! On my GAS list. Please post a pic! There were a couple kids around me in the seventies whose dads got them when they were serving in Germany in the sixties. Well built, kinda wonky but pretty solid bridge/trem, interesting pickups, and nice sound. You can get one now for around $750 which, adjusted for inflation, is probably close the what they were new.

 

[MCF]

I learned to do a setup on my first electric guitar when I was usually broke. What money I did have went into parts. I learned so much more than technique and tone from that $20 beater. Still have it, too.
That Hagstrom and a THUNDERBIRD are all I really need, instrument-wise.

I Love Old Hagstroms! On my GAS list. Please post a pic! There were a couple kids around me in the seventies whose dads got them when they were serving in Germany in the sixties. Well built, kinda wonky but pretty solid bridge/trem, interesting pickups, and nice sound. You can get one now for around $750 which, adjusted for inflation, is probably close the what they were new.

 

[JIO]

Mine was like that as well from Sam A. I got nervous when I saw the minimal packing, but all was well. And that box you see was inside another larger box, so I think it's more protected than it looks. But all that instrument just surrounded by cardboard was concerning for me too.

I ship basses in HSC's and in gig-bags and use a lot of padding - I once ordered a cheap used Epiphone EB-0 for a prop and it came in a thin cardboard box with no padding and a snapped hs - back it went.

 

[PillO]

View attachment 3531927

A friend of mine spent several years on an extended sailing trip in South America..He saw the guitar playing skeleton dude in a local market and picked it up for me..it fit in with the rest of the voodoo decorations..all carved by hand.
Cheers!

Very cool collection of knick knacks!

 

[Engle]

I bought my VP through them as well. As mentioned above, it survived just fine. I was told it was "used" and got it for a used price (but with warranty). But used must have meant someone bought it, took it home, looked at it and then returned it. I could find no indication anywhere that it was ever touched after leaving the factory.

I bought mine used from GC Syracuse online. Besides having black beauties on it, it looked new. It was packed in a huge box with lots of foam wrap and peanuts. I picked it up in a Washington state store and they let me check it out to decide if I wanted it.
If I hadn’t, it would have cost me $25 for shipping.

 

[PillO]

I bought my VP through them as well. As mentioned above, it survived just fine. I was told it was "used" and got it for a used price (but with warranty). But used must have meant someone bought it, took it home, looked at it and then returned it. I could find no indication anywhere that it was ever touched after leaving the factory.

Except for the bought online part, much like the story behind my EB-3. It was in my Local L&M used for a couple of hundred bucks. It looked brand new, still had the factory strings, and had never had a set up. Asked about it and it had been purchased several years earlier from that location then was brought in and sold back to them used. Their pricing for stuff they sold (subject to adjustments for condition etc) is to price it at a fraction of what it was priced at new; the fraction decreasing as the age increases. So by all appearances, someone bought the bass, took it home, put it in the closet, then years later found it and decided he/she would rather have the cash.

Same story for my 1510. 12 years old, but had (by all appearances) been used in someone's basement. I got it used for C$200.

 

[GonePlaid]

I ship basses in HSC's and in gig-bags and use a lot of padding - I once ordered a cheap used Epiphone EB-0 for a prop and it came in a thin cardboard box with no padding and a snapped hs - back it went.

If anyone has ever worked in the back at FedEx, UPS, or the USPS, where shipments are handled, it'd be obvious why ya need packing/cushioning. Many of the 'freight'(and to them your priceless bass is just another piece of freight)handlers think "Fragile" is an Italian word: fra-gi-le. It means nothing to them.

 

[PillO]

Why do you assume I’m the licker?
Our guitarist added this little run on the turnaround after each solo that one has to be prepared for. It’s one of those ideas I never would have thought of - makes me thankful I have found some pretty creative people to play with.

In that case where do you get licked. Or should we let our imaginations run wild?

The best covers songs, the band puts their own spin on each song. If I wanted to hear the original note for note, I would stay home and listen to the album.

Thunderbird!

 

[JIO]

If anyone has ever worked in the back at FedEx, UPS, or the USPS, where shipments are handled, it'd be obvious why ya need packing/cushioning. Many of the 'freight'(and to them your priceless bass is just another piece of freight)handlers think "Fragile" is an Italian word: fra-gi-le. It means nothing to them.

I've had 2 issues with UPS over many years, and the insurance covered damages. The months coming up (into holiday season) is the worst time of the year to ship.

 

[GBassNorth]

Why do you assume I’m the licker?
Our guitarist added this little run on the turnaround after each solo that one has to be prepared for. It’s one of those ideas I never would have thought of - makes me thankful I have found some pretty creative people to play with.

Would love to see a clip of how you guys do that!
Of course Saturday In The Park begs the question - do you play the last part of the song note for note, or do you just make up random on key filler stuff like I do?

 

[PillO]

If anyone has ever worked in the back at FedEx, UPS, or the USPS, where shipments are handled, it'd be obvious why ya need packing/cushioning. Many of the 'freight'(and to them your priceless bass is just another piece of freight)handlers think "Fragile" is an Italian word: fra-gi-le. It means nothing to them.

Those us more sophisticated know that fra-gi-le is Italian for leg lamp.

Thunderbird!

 

[PillO]

If anyone has ever worked in the back at FedEx, UPS, or the USPS, where shipments are handled, it'd be obvious why ya need packing/cushioning. Many of the 'freight'(and to them your priceless bass is just another piece of freight)handlers think "Fragile" is an Italian word: fra-gi-le. It means nothing to them.

Those us more sophisticated know that fra-gi-le is Italian for leg lamp.

Thunderbird!

 

[GonePlaid]

Except for the bought online part, much like the story behind my EB-3. It was in my Local L&M used for a couple of hundred bucks. It looked brand new, still had the factory strings, and had never had a set up. Asked about it and it had been purchased several years earlier from that location then was brought in and sold back to them used. Their pricing for stuff they sold (subject to adjustments for condition etc) is to price it at a fraction of what it was priced at new; the fraction decreasing as the age increases. So by all appearances, someone bought the bass, took it home, put it in the closet, then years later found it and decided he/she would rather have the cash.

Same story for my 1510. 12 years old, but had (by all appearances) been used in someone's basement. I got it used for C$200.

Hmm, let's see (think, calculate, dig out slide rule). About $ 85 USD?

 

[GBassNorth]

I Love Old Hagstroms! On my GAS list. Please post a pic! There were a couple kids around me in the seventies whose dads got them when they were serving in Germany in the sixties. Well built, kinda wonky but pretty solid bridge/trem, interesting pickups, and nice sound. You can get one now for around $750 which, adjusted for inflation, is probably close the what they were new.

I Love Old Hagstroms! On my GAS list. Please post a pic! There were a couple kids around me in the seventies whose dads got them when they were serving in Germany in the sixties. Well built, kinda wonky but pretty solid bridge/trem, interesting pickups, and nice sound. You can get one now for around $750 which, adjusted for inflation, is probably close the what they were new.

Those us more sophisticated know that fra-gi-le is Italian for leg lamp.

Thunderbird!

Those us more sophisticated know that fra-gi-le is Italian for leg lamp.

Thunderbird!

Did I miss something, is today a Twofer Day?

 

[PillO]

Hmm, let's see (think, calculate, dig out slide rule). About $ 85 USD?

Canada phased out the penny, it appears that you didn't account for that.

 

[GonePlaid]

Did I miss something, is today a Twofer Day?

Nah. Reverb, verb, verb, verb.

 

[GonePlaid]

Canada phased out the penny, it appears that you didn't account for that.

 

[PillO]

Did I miss something, is today a Twofer Day?

Isn't everyday two-fer day? But in my case, it appears to be intermittently buggy webpage, also called @Count Bassie disease.

Thunderbird.

 

[GBassNorth]

In that case where do you get licked. Or should we let our imaginations run wild?

The best covers songs, the band puts their own spin on each song. If I wanted to hear the original note for note, I would stay home and listen to the album.

Thunderbird!

Great arrangement by some top notch players I've never heard of but will certainly look up!

However, when I see the song title "Iron Man", I expect it to sound not exact but a lot like Iron Man, not background music for some car chase scene from a 1970's Clint Eastwood film.

Don't get me wrong, I loved their song and intend to try to find more of their music, but I'd be sadly dissapointed if I was expecting an Iron Man cover and heard that. JMHO YMMV