Thunderbird Club

[PillO]

Chicken head Friday?

On bass?

Here you go - (chicken) Buckethead playing bass

unfortunately not a THUNDERBIRD

 

[BklynKen]

Cool - heads up on this little tid-bit... you can buy brand new bakelite knobs including chicken-heads at an Ace Hardware store. They are in the section with the plastic boxes filled with screws, bolts etc - look under "kitchen knobs" or some such thing. A variety to choose from and all still made in Chicago at the same factory they've always been made at. It's kind-of amazing really. New, but vintage... and affordable! I've used them on a few basses. If anyone wants too see how they look/work with a bass, ask and I will post a pic that very clearly shows the bakelite knobs available at your local Ace HW.

Thanks, but I like knowing that every little thing on this, other than the two mods I made, are original. I'll certainly replace the knob if there's an issue with it, but I'm pretty sure the set screw just loosened.

 

[MCF]

Did you level the frets? That's the first step to achieve a proper setup. Especially on a mass produced bass. Most especially on one with a bridge that can't be set for individual string heights.

That was my thought too. Epis aren’t Plekked at the factory like the newer Gibsons are. A fret level is a good place to start to avoid buzz if they’ve never been touched.

.010 relief is pretty straight. I used to be (overly) obsessed with achieving a ruler straight neck. Now I’m more inclined to just go with what works. Most of my basses are around .012 measured at the 7th. I generally like action between 4/64ths and 5/64ths measured at the 17th.

@Kriegs post is a good explanation of getting a 3 point set.

 

[BklynKen]

For quick idea catching, I use the Voice Memo app too! It's perfect for capturing surprisingly good sound from an acoustic!
Here is an example that was captured by placing my phone about a foot away from my guitar

It's also quite decent at capturing electric bass near the amp, though being in NYC and living along a busy street, there's always gonna be that noise interfering.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

From biggest to smallest:
Quahog - primarily used in Stuffies (quahog shell stuffed with a clam & bread style stuffing) and for making chowder
Cherrystone - primarily used in chowder and other seafood dishes like linguini & clams, etc., also served steamed or grilled
Little Neck - primarily consumed raw on the half-shell or steamed or grilled, also often used in seafood medleys because they add clam flavor & texture but are small in size


I went geoduck digging with a friend in Washington while I was living on the west coast in California! VERY different then east coast clams


For quick idea catching, I use the Voice Memo app too! It's perfect for capturing surprisingly good sound from an acoustic!
Here is an example that was captured by placing my phone about a foot away from my guitar: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

right out of the Scales and Shells 'Specials' board!..
cool sound clip...not bad for a phone mic..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I have read a meaningful portion of the wiki on Audacity and I understand that it can do a great many things; all of which are beyond my current abilities and interests. I like that it is quick and easy to record my playing against a practice track and easy to play back my errors for training purposes.

i had a boss in east London years ago who used "audacity" the way we use "nerve" over here..

 

[JIO]

Oh, go on. Show us.

I am obligated by tb rules to only show a pic of one of my gilded basses if asked - the topic was knobs and these knobs illustrate my connection to the topic discussed. This bass has been sold and it is only being posted to show the knobs in question on a bass.

 

[GBassNorth]

Hi all,
Okay I posted this in the setup forum and got no response. Maybe someone here can help me. I have a new Epiphone Thunderbird IV Classic Pro. I love it. Currently, I have the neck relief set at .010 at the 8th fret, when fretted at 1st and last fret. Epiphone confirmed that my relief was reasonable. Action is set at Epi specs. I have no fret buzz. The issue is I would like to drop the action just a wee bit lower - However, when I do that I get fret buzz, but ONLY on the D string from the 10th to 15th fret. Am I doing something wrong? Any thoughts/suggestions? Thank you all in advance!

The members in this club are usually pretty quick to help a fellow bird player sort things out so others may have already chimed in, but just in case they haven't, here's my thoughts...

A .010 gap at the 8th isn't bad for a factory spec Eppi. However, if you want to slam the action you should really start with a professional fret level and a good nut job. You might have a high fret at the 15th, a fret level will cure that. If you want to try some other options before fret leveling I'd do them in this order:

1) Since the problem is only on the D string Theres a remote chance you could have a twisted string. Try bringing the D string to complete slack so the ball end is free to move. Now starting at the nut, grasp the D string with two fingers and slowly slide down to the bridge letting the ball end spin if it needs to. Once you're at the bridge the ball end should be pretty much in correct position. Now tune the string to pitch and see if the buzz is gone.

2) If that fails, take a close look at the saddles, they may be numbered, if so make sure they are in the proper sequence. If they aren't numbered you can try switching the D and A string saddles. If the D string problem goes away then you're free to move on to a lower action. If the problem just moved to the A string then put the original A string saddle back in the A string position and put the offending D string saddle back in the D string position and visit a luthier for a fret level.

 

[Kriegs]

right out of the Scales and Shells 'Specials' board!..

For the record, around here, these are what we steam more often... Pronounced STEE-muhz
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[Chucky Stiletti]

For the record, around here, these are what we steam more often... Pronounced STEE-muhz
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yeah, pain in the arse to eat for if you leave the sock on you taste bottom of the ocean dirt....love'em otherwise..

 

[BklynKen]

For the record, around here, these are what we steam more often... Pronounced STEE-muhz
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With some Hahpoon IPA?

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

With some Hahpoon IPA?

with this..

 

[BklynKen]

with this..
View attachment 3543799

Hah, that seems all the rage with the hipsters lately. Seems like every bar in NYC has it on tap now.

 

[Gaolee]

Speaking of Washington state, that's where our Queen and a couple of clan members reside. Any of you Washington THUNDERBIRD members ever been on a Geoduck dig? It can be a heck of a workout.

Yep. You usually come away with horse clams instead, but those are also edible. Both dig themselves deeper in a huge hurry, if I remember right. They take a whole lot of work to dig up. I don't recall ever managing to dig up a geoduck (pronounced gooey-duck, don't ask me how it got spelled the way it is).

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Hah, that seems all the rage with the hipsters lately. Seems like every bar in NYC has it on tap now.

it actually kinda sucks....has to be almost frozen..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

these rule....

 

[Gaolee]

Those happen when playing electric guitars & basses on stage.

And you count them. First to 100 wins.

 

[Gaolee]

Edit: just realized that the other word on there is 'Japan' backwards, for some reason.

View attachment 3543552

View attachment 3543553

They were being lefty friendly.

 

[Gaolee]

Cool - heads up on this little tid-bit... you can buy brand new bakelite knobs including chicken-heads at an Ace Hardware store. They are in the section with the plastic boxes filled with screws, bolts etc - look under "kitchen knobs" or some such thing. A variety to choose from and all still made in Chicago at the same factory they've always been made at. It's kind-of amazing really. New, but vintage... and affordable! I've used them on a few basses. If anyone wants too see how they look/work with a bass, ask and I will post a pic that very clearly shows the bakelite knobs available at your local Ace HW.

You just provided inspiration for a modification of something. I don't know what yet.

 

[Gaolee]

One down, two to go.

That one on the right...