Thunderbird Club

[PillO]

A couple tuners are the "weak spot" on my VP as well. However, they tune, they keep it in tune. Thus they work, and no problem for me. (I have a G&L Trib that has the same tuners and they are perfect.)

I have been contemplating the tuners on my white Classic Pro. The G tuner is a bit dodgy. It works and holds tuning but is clearly nearing the end of its useful life. I am thinking Hipshot replacements for all 4 +/- D-tuner.

1. Has anyone done this,
1a. Describe anything relevant about the experience, and
2. Which Hipshot is the direct replacement?

 

[PillO]

I've not been around for a couple of days but, skimming to catch up, I looks like some of you need to begin a course of antibiotics, start drinking lots of cranberry juice, and maybe add these to your daily pill routine:
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Don't waste your money on this remedy. Just drink cranberry juice (+/- vodka) daily. Delicious and modestly effective in prevention.

 

[Kriegs]

Don't waste your money on this remedy. Just drink cranberry juice (+/- vodka) daily. Delicious and modestly effective in prevention.

With all the talk of p being hard, I just figured I'd offer some help

 

[dr doofie]

My brain always gets caught on the pics of your TBird. My immediate reaction is always, why did he take that picture in the mirror?
Lefty Tbirds are the only bass that breaks my brain like that

My brain got caught on it too... then I wiped away the drool and moved on...

 

[PillO]

Yeah, done deal, you're cool.

In high school, I was friends with a guy who's father was (still is as far as I know) a record producer. He worked with such bands as Kiss, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple. And even he wasn't cool by our standards; because he was a dad.

 

[Engle]

Pics aren't great, but it looks like it has a crack along each side of the neck just below the fretboard from about the second fret all the way to the headstock/nut area, and I think they said the nut is cracked. I suspect it took a hard blow to the headstock, probably got whacked on top of the nut.

If that's all that's wrong with it you could probably have a luthier fix it and do some touch up paint for two or three hundred bucks. But by then you'll have as much a six hundred in it. An honest person such as yourself would fully disclose to any potential buyer it had been repaired and repainted, which means the resale value would probably be about a hundred bucks less than what you have in it.

It's really a parts bass at this point. And as others have noted, the tuners might not be ideal either. I'd consider a $200 bid if I wanted the bridge and pups but not much more than that.

It’s only a good value if you DIY to keep it. Myself - I would repair and refinish in red, but $300 USD is $405 CAN (+taxes) and it makes even less sense here.

 

[mr zee]

In high school, I was friends with a guy who's father was (still is as far as I know) a record producer. He worked with such bands as Kiss, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple. And even he wasn't cool by our standards; because he was a dad.

Crap, i'm a grandad so must be totally uncool.

 

[gaffster]

Finally, two of my bands booked the same festival. I play bass with one and keyboards with the other. It happened a few years ago also and it was one of my best days on this planet. The only reason I play bass is that about 40 years ago some guitarist said you can't just play piano on a few songs and expect a full cut. Lucky for me the bass player quit soon after and sold me his bicentennial for 150 bucks and a couple of dimebags.

 

[GonePlaid]

My 3rd bass was a brand new cherry '71 EB3. I was pretty clueless back then about sound or how to assess it - I just wanted what Jack Bruce played! So I can't really recall it so much now sound-wise, even though it was my only bass then that I played in my first band (high school combo). We had an agent who got us gigs; weddings, school dances, and since we lived in Omaha, gigs at the officers club at SAC Headquarters. Top 40 songs - guitar/bass/drums/Vox Continental double-row keys! Nearly 50 yrs ago. Crazy.

As was said about bass players playing bass not treble, I played my EB-3 through a (maybe) 50W piggyback bassman in some pretty good sized halls. There was bottom. Maybe not a lot of definition, but plenty of foundation. This was in 69-71 +/- and only vocals went through the PA. Mic drums? Nah, just pound on 'em.

 

[GonePlaid]

Well, there are songs that have a quietude that invites relative stillness... for me anyway, but I definitely move when playing. like >

Bad knees have forced me to prop my fazaza on a stool. But I do move my fingers a lot.

 

[GonePlaid]

Now I know I’m on the right track

To me, the most important thing is the last 7 notes. How ya get there-as long as it makes sense-is less important.

 

[MCF]

Damn.

That is horrible. My wife told me earlier and filled me in on a few things like he and his model wife split up about a year ago, which of course I had no clue about.

 

[MCF]

Pics aren't great, but it looks like it has a crack along each side of the neck just below the fretboard from about the second fret all the way to the headstock/nut area, and I think they said the nut is cracked. I suspect it took a hard blow to the headstock, probably got whacked on top of the nut.

If that's all that's wrong with it you could probably have a luthier fix it and do some touch up paint for two or three hundred bucks. But by then you'll have as much a six hundred in it. An honest person such as yourself would fully disclose to any potential buyer it had been repaired and repainted, which means the resale value would probably be about a hundred bucks less than what you have in it.

It's really a parts bass at this point. And as others have noted, the tuners might not be ideal either. I'd consider a $200 bid if I wanted the bridge and pups but not much more than that.

Yeah. I think I’ll stick with the plan for the blue EPI and go with Lollars, Lulls, Thunderbuckers or something else awesome. Probably the Hipshot chrome tuners and bridge or the Babicz chrome bridge.

Very sad to see such a young bird in that state.

 

[Gaolee]

That was the amp I've wanted since day one but will never own or need. And it wasn't because of famous players because I was unaware at that point. A local bass player in a B-3 trio played though one at our high school dance. A '70 Tele (neck-bucker version) with that (probably brand new) amp - I was hooked on the look and the sound! So it's very important to me as a symbol of "bass", way more than the SVT. But not to slag Ampeg - my '76 B-15N is a member of that legendary-ness of amp, but just not the ribcage rattle version.

I need one like I need another hole in the head. Which is why I have an original 1968 360 in the basement and a Grexa reissue in a closet upstairs for gigging purposes. There is nothing I ever do that would require a 360, but the sound you can get is unique. The original has a bright switch that brings it far closer to modern hifi sounding than you would expect. There's endless eq potential with the variamp knobs and the bass and treble controls. You wouldn't expect it to be as versatile as it is. And then there's that long-wave ocean of bass it can unleash on top of everything else.

Like you, I didn't want one because of somebody famous. My first "big" amp was an Acoustic 126 combo that I got in 1981 or so. I think it was a demo or return or something. It wasn't brand new, but it couldn't have been more than a few months old when I got it. I still have it, and it's still a workhorse over in a rehearsal space. That led to figuring out how to get a good sound out of Acoustic amps, which led to a well used 360 for cheap. It looks like they are getting back to being reasonably priced again, after a weird spike in the prices. They are workhorses, not collectors pieces. Or should be.

 

[MCF]

A couple tuners are the "weak spot" on my VP as well. However, they tune, they keep it in tune. Thus they work, and no problem for me. (I have a G&L Trib that has the same tuners and they are perfect.)

There are fly fishermen who are the same way about reels. “It holds line perfectly well.” But many prefer a well machined reel with a smooth as silk drag system. I’m in the latter group of fly fishermen and I’m pretty much the same as far as tuners go on my basses.

 

[Gaolee]

There are fly fishermen who are the same way about reels. “It holds line perfectly well.” But many prefer a well machined reel with a smooth as silk drag system. I’m in the latter group of fly fishermen and I’m pretty much the same as far as tuners go on my basses.

And then there are those of us who would still be using stone axes. Hey, it works, so why upgrade?

 

[MCF]

I have been contemplating the tuners on my white Classic Pro. The G tuner is a bit dodgy. It works and holds tuning but is clearly nearing the end of its useful life. I am thinking Hipshot replacements for all 4 +/- D-tuner.

1. Has anyone done this,
1a. Describe anything relevant about the experience, and
2. Which Hipshot is the direct replacement?

I believe they are the HB6 3/8” mini clovers or Y keys. Call them to be sure.

 

[JIO]

As was said about bass players playing bass not treble, I played my EB-3 through a (maybe) 50W piggyback bassman in some pretty good sized halls. There was bottom. Maybe not a lot of definition, but plenty of foundation. This was in 69-71 +/- and only vocals went through the PA. Mic drums? Nah, just pound on 'em.

Bass was the place

 

[JIO]

I need one like I need another hole in the head. Which is why I have an original 1968 360 in the basement and a Grexa reissue in a closet upstairs for gigging purposes. There is nothing I ever do that would require a 360, but the sound you can get is unique. The original has a bright switch that brings it far closer to modern hifi sounding than you would expect. There's endless eq potential with the variamp knobs and the bass and treble controls. You wouldn't expect it to be as versatile as it is. And then there's that long-wave ocean of bass it can unleash on top of everything else.

Like you, I didn't want one because of somebody famous. My first "big" amp was an Acoustic 126 combo that I got in 1981 or so. I think it was a demo or return or something. It wasn't brand new, but it couldn't have been more than a few months old when I got it. I still have it, and it's still a workhorse over in a rehearsal space. That led to figuring out how to get a good sound out of Acoustic amps, which led to a well used 360 for cheap. It looks like they are getting back to being reasonably priced again, after a weird spike in the prices. They are workhorses, not collectors pieces. Or should be.

word

 

[JIO]

And there's there Kim....

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I dig it