Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

Here is a little video of last nights gig. It was a stationary Tascam type device, so the sound isn't the best. We also need to work on our FOH mix sound but you can certainly hear the Tbird in the mix...



Around 2:00 ish is a bit of Hey Jealousy because you were asking @MCF

Your white-bird is the only guitar I can see!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Have been away due to health issues, but back on the web with my buds! Vintage T-Bird guy, eight years touring with a Polaris White '66 NR with at first an SVT and then an Acoustic 371 setup back in the 70's. Lotsa cool pix to share. And tales from an old touring pro. Had probably ten 60's Birds and got pix of some. The one in my avatar is a '67 that I got as a basket case and I restored Heather Poly in my shop. Hope you can find a place for me here amongst the buds who 'know it is a T-Bird' when you hear it! A true buncha players who share the magic of this one of a kind killer 'signature tone' instrument! How do I sign up? A computer wiz I am not! LOL Thanks! Tony

Welcome! Nice avatar pic, but we like a better pic of at least one Bird. In action, nesting, whatever works. Looking forward to getting to know you better and hearing/seeing the stories!

 

[JIO]

Ah Cronenberg - the original movie head-explosion!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Those are some wonderfully insane design specs. Now you have me thinking about making a few different amps. 3-5 pairs of 6V6 could be great. If you are using 6V6 or 12AU7 in a PP configuration, I think you should be able to work with OTS (Off The Shelf) OTs.

I don't know if you can find an 810 with 8 separate inputs, but you can always wire one up yourself. A stack of 15s with each 15 being run through it's own power section (12AU7 and OT)could be great as well. Imagine the conversation.

Yeah, I'd be surprised to find an 8x10 with 8 inputs unless future me brought one back via a quantum tunnel. In which case I might get a wee bit distracted from the amp project.

I'm thinking a THUNDERBIRD through a massive 6V6 amp into a 2x15 + 4x12 + 8x8 would be fun. I think any of the amps with a bunch of output tubes would need the flame paint job.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Here is a little video of last nights gig. It was a stationary Tascam type device, so the sound isn't the best. We also need to work on our FOH mix sound but you can certainly hear the Tbird in the mix...



Around 2:00 ish is a bit of Hey Jealousy because you were asking @MCF

Cool beans! And just up the road on 35 (in Texas terms).

 

[dagrev]

Have been away due to health issues, but back on the web with my buds! Vintage T-Bird guy, eight years touring with a Polaris White '66 NR with at first an SVT and then an Acoustic 371 setup back in the 70's. Lotsa cool pix to share. And tales from an old touring pro. Had probably ten 60's Birds and got pix of some. The one in my avatar is a '67 that I got as a basket case and I restored Heather Poly in my shop. Hope you can find a place for me here amongst the buds who 'know it is a T-Bird' when you hear it! A true buncha players who share the magic of this one of a kind killer 'signature tone' instrument! How do I sign up? A computer wiz I am not! LOL Thanks! Tony

Welcome Tony!
That '67 is amazing! And now that you mentioned having pics--you're obligated to post them all! We never get tired of looking at Thunderbirds!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Geoduck hey ?

Sounds like it was named by Gomer Pyle. “Well, gooeee - what the duck is that ?”

"Goooey, Sergeant Carter, that' ain't no duck. I geuss growin up in the city you don't see no ducks, so that's a natural conclusion. but that ain't no duck. See, a duck has big wings and feathers, and the feet are all wrong, and this here thing hadn't got no beak. And..."
"PYYYYLLLLLE!!!!!"

 

[dagrev]

Here is a little video of last nights gig. It was a stationary Tascam type device, so the sound isn't the best. We also need to work on our FOH mix sound but you can certainly hear the Tbird in the mix...



Around 2:00 ish is a bit of Hey Jealousy because you were asking @MCF

Very cool! What were those people doing just walking by while you were playing the Thunderbird. The proper response is to stand in awe and at times have incontinence problems. Maybe they were just standing clear so the last part didn't happen to then.

I bet you even love the VP more after another gig, right?

 

[PillO]

Yeah, I don't bother with either of those as well..........Yikes! I'm agreeing with Jeff

Not to worry. Happens but once a year.

The Queen is not agreeing with @JJR58 , @JJR58 is agreeing with the Queen.

And all is right with the world again.

 

[gidbass]

Very cool! What were those people doing just walking by while you were playing the Thunderbird. The proper response is to stand in awe and at times have incontinence problems. Maybe they were just standing clear so the last part didn't happen to then.

I bet you even love the VP more after another gig, right?

I think they were keeping a healthy distance out of respect of the raw power the bird delivers...

And yes, the love for it keeps climbing.

 

[PillO]

Yeah, I'd be surprised to find an 8x10 with 8 inputs unless future me brought one back via a quantum tunnel. In which case I might get a wee bit distracted from the amp project.

I'm thinking a THUNDERBIRD through a massive 6V6 amp into a 2x15 + 4x12 + 8x8 would be fun. I think any of the amps with a bunch of output tubes would need the flame paint job.

Absolutely NEEDS flames.

 

[PillO]

Have been away due to health issues, but back on the web with my buds! Vintage T-Bird guy, eight years touring with a Polaris White '66 NR with at first an SVT and then an Acoustic 371 setup back in the 70's. Lotsa cool pix to share. And tales from an old touring pro. Had probably ten 60's Birds and got pix of some. The one in my avatar is a '67 that I got as a basket case and I restored Heather Poly in my shop. Hope you can find a place for me here amongst the buds who 'know it is a T-Bird' when you hear it! A true buncha players who share the magic of this one of a kind killer 'signature tone' instrument! How do I sign up? A computer wiz I am not! LOL Thanks! Tony

1. You will have to discuss Burgundy Mist Metallic with @Gaolee
2. Trying to decide if I should start hating you now for a collection of interesting vintage birds or let the jealousy build slowly over time.

 

[JJR58]

The Queen is not agreeing with @JJR58 , @JJR58 is agreeing with the Queen.

And all is right with the world again.

We just had to bring back the balance.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

Absolutely NEEDS flames.

YES!

 

[Keith Rawlings]

My theory is that bass players either become lead guitarists in time, or eventually upright players if they really are bass players. Your Thunderbird knew you were a bass player.

I had a Kay that I got for $150 about 35 years ago. It had been a NYC Public Schools tool before I got it. It was more broken than not, but I fixed it a few times and played it. The the cat climbed it and broke the neck off of it. I fixed it again. Then the darn cat did it again. The plywood was delaminating, the bridge was more parts I made than not, and the neck eas repairs from one end to the other. So it was laid to rest. Oh well. The Chinese made Christopher I have now is better in all ways except coolness.

What a story! I’ve heard of so many cool stories about people with old Kay basses and the things they’ve been through with them. Mine has been a real road warrior through 24+ years of service, but she needs some work now. I busted her out for my first real show in about a decade in early August (took a break from professional playing - went back to school, got married, had a kid, life happens) and she sounded good, but dang she could sound better. She’s going to spend some time at a luthier for a good month to get the neck reset, a new ebony fingerboard and nut (my old rosewood one has been planed into nothing), as well as a new maple adjustable bridge, along with a proper setup by a professional because I think the soundpost has moved a bit over the years.

It was funny though because I could tell that the sound man at this gig wasn’t used to someone switching from UB to EB because he had me way up in the mix when I plugged the Bird in for our original surf and blues numbers. Then when I switched back to the Kay for the set ender, he lost the signal completely - and I thought it was my fault - bad cable or the Underwood was acting up again - but no - it was on his end. After about the half the song I slapped that E string and the ground shook it seemed. Serious rumble man...

 

[MCF]

Here is a little video of last nights gig. It was a stationary Tascam type device, so the sound isn't the best. We also need to work on our FOH mix sound but you can certainly hear the Tbird in the mix...



Around 2:00 ish is a bit of Hey Jealousy because you were asking @MCF

Nice! Thanks for posting. Great show!

 

[Gaolee]

Funny story...

Step 1
Get this book as a gift...
View attachment 3544460


Step 2
Notice this page. Initiate drooling stage...
View attachment 3544465

Step 3
A few weeks later this shows up on my door step...
View attachment 3544469

Step 4
I guess I need a number...

Destiny.

 

[Gaolee]

Makes me think that if he had done with a Thunderbird all the parts he had done with a Ric, then maybe he wouldn't have moved on to Wal etc.

And if only Gibson had made Lemmy a medium scale `bird as he had asked...

Maybe TB would be a different place with people making fun of those that choose to play 7enders. Claiming that they are impossible to EQ, the necks suddenly snap with no provocation, and that no serious professional would ever use one.

It's better this way. There would be too many relatively normal people playing Thunderbirds.

 

[Gaolee]

Maybe Geddy is holding the last Ebony 77?

1979. If it's a '77, he can keep it. If he has a '79, we must get it from him somehow for KingFace.

 

[Gaolee]

One of my fantasies if I ever have the time again is to build an amp with lots of 12AU7s in the output. One design I considered involved 8 sets of 8 tubes (4 PP pairs). Each set would drive it's own OT. You *could* parallel them all for the right load, or you could run each one individually into one of the speakers in, say, an 8x10.
Why?
Why not?
Yes, you'd want custom OTs, but that's true no matter what.
Then again, I also want to build an amp with 4 pair of 6V6s in PP. Think Fender Deluxe output section but x4.
For bass? Something with just a pair of outrageous tubes never meant for audio. Or 8 sets of 4 6BQ5s or 6V6s. 480 to 700 watts.
The problem, of course, is that if much of anything fails in the output section, you have the potential for a catastrophic meltdown. Which, so long as you have a reliable backup, makes for a great-if expensive- show.

Legend for those not into tube terminology:
OT = output transformers
PP = push-pull

Catastrophic meltdown with lights and magic smoke would be an outstanding show, so long as you don't burn down the venue. That would be a problem. I hate to think how many circuit breakers and amp like that would blow, especially in some dive bar that has 1932 wiring.