Thunderbird Club

[hillerup]

There was a minty 2015 Gibson EB with the same electronics and P/UPs as the 2015 Gibson Thunderbird being sold with OHSC for $700 just a couple of weeks ago. That's where I'd be heading if you want a more traditional bass shape with the power of a TBird. Used expect to pay around $800.

+1 on Larry's suggestion, although slightly over OP's budget...

 

[hillerup]

All set-up & polished, and ready for a month on the road! I love this bass.

That's nice...

Is that an Epi Classic Pro-IV or a Gibson, and are those Chinabuckers or Thunderbucker PU's?

 

[hillerup]

They made fewer than 140 of the whites in 77-78, they've really yellowed over the years. I've owned two of them, bought the first one sold in Hollywood CA in '77. Traded it five years later for a '77 Sting Ray I still have. Bought the current one from the original owner about 5 years ago.

IMO Bicentennials are inferior to original 60s Reverses. If you own both you know why.

A few of the reasons: lighter, better balanced, pickups, more refined body woodworking.

Epi cases.

Is it an optical illusion or is that white 60's bird slightly shorter than the other two?

Also, how come pickguards from 60's guitars have a tendency to shrink with age?

 

[Klondike]

Also, how come pickguards from 60's guitars have a tendency to shrink with age?

Because they are all in their fifties so their spines get shorter. Causes them to shrink.

 

[GBassNorth]

Is it an optical illusion or is that white 60's bird slightly shorter than the other two?

Also, how come pickguards from 60's guitars have a tendency to shrink with age?

Those darn 33.75" scale basses!

 

[ThaCoast]

So i have been playing my epiphone thunderbird for awhile now and i really love it but right now it is my only bass so i need to get a backup. i mainly play punk and ska and sometimes metal, i have looked at a warwick star 2, fender p bass, a gibson SG and a few others but my main problem is that i cant seem to find a bass that plays as well as my thunderbird for whatever reason. recently the shape of my thunderbird has been annoying me (back wing hurts my arm after playing for about an hour, do not like the head stock, to long, cant find a case). the only bass i have found that gets kind of close to what i am looking for tone wise is a fender deluxe MIA p bass but im not willing to drop that kind of cash for a fender p bass when the gibson thunderbird blows it out of the water IMO. so i came here looking for help with some brands or models i should be looking for? my only thing is that i do not want to spend over 600ish bucks and less would be even better, the reason i hated the fenders was that it seemed like the frets were really sloppy and uneven all over the place, and i hate playing Jbasses. hopefully i can find some help in here

Schecter ultra bass?

No idea if they're still manufactured. I've tried one, i like how it feels, tone is pretty clear too. Can't recall if it sounded tbird or not but it's an alternative i'd guess.

 

[ThaCoast]

Speaking of gibson basses, here's mine

Radius'ed, frets levelled, Perfect playability! No buzz, low action it's just great.

 

[Nocturnal]

Good job Andii!!

 

[hillerup]

Because they are all in their fifties so their spines get shorter. Causes them to shrink.

Good one!

 

[hillerup]

Schecter ultra bass?
View attachment 793513

No idea if they're still manufactured. I've tried one, i like how it feels, tone is pretty clear too. Can't recall if it sounded tbird or not but it's an alternative i'd guess.

That's actually a pretty good suggestion too... Had completely forgotten about these.

 

[hillerup]

Speaking of gibson basses, here's mine

View attachment 793515

Radius'ed, frets levelled, Perfect playability! No buzz, low action it's just great.

Well done, Andii!

So is it all done now?

 

[ThaCoast]

Well done, Andii!

So is it all done now?

All done I'm actually happy that after a first initial build & two revisits it's all over Now i get to enjoy it & do some sound clips sometime & have better pictures in the sun light once it's cleared of snow outside

 

[hillerup]

All done I'm actually happy that after a first initial build & two revisits it's all over Now i get to enjoy it & do some sound clips sometime & have better pictures in the sun light once it's cleared of snow outside

I gotta say, it's good you did those revisits... It was definitely worth it, and it looks SO much nicer now...

Will be interesting to see how you progress with the other projects.

 

[ThaCoast]

I've got 3 remaining builds to complete: My Goth thunderbird, My friend's RD bass build & my Tigerbird build. Goth is done at the end of February & the other two continue starting in march to be finished in April (tigerbird will only be missing the blow torch tiger stripes & it's bridge pickup). Can't wait cause then in april, i'm going on tour with my Friend for whom the RD is for since i'm his bands roadie. It's going to be sweet!

 

[Dadagoboi]

Is it an optical illusion or is that white 60's bird slightly shorter than the other two?

Also, how come pickguards from 60's guitars have a tendency to shrink with age?

The two left cases have less padding at bridge end. Bicentennial TBirds are longer...note bridge saddle placement on the '77 compared to'64s.

Early plastics were a different formulation than modern plastics. Nitrocellulose then vs acrylic today. Nitro shrinks, acrylic doesn't.

 

[wolfkeller]

This is supposed to be Nikki Sixxs original Bird which was white and later painted red. Now, my question is, what year? It is a set neck so that is the issue. The 1976 wasa neck thru. I read somewhere that they kept the bicentennial PG through 1979 when they dropped them.

 

[hillerup]

The two left cases have less padding at bridge end. Bicentennial TBirds are longer...note bridge saddle placement on the '77 compared to'64s.

Ahhh... Now that you point it out I can see it!

Early plastics were a different formulation than modern plastics. Nitrocellulose then vs acrylic today. Nitro shrinks, acrylic doesn't.

Makes sense...

 

[hillerup]

This is supposed to be Nikki Sixxs original Bird which was white and later painted red. Now, my question is, what year? It is a set neck so that is the issue. The 1976 wasa neck thru. I read somewhere that they kept the bicentennial PG through 1979 when they dropped them. View attachment 793560

I'm pretty sure that is a neck-through... I think it's the broken off fretboard that makes it look like it was a set-neck.

Also judging from the PG that is a '76 - You can just barely see the number "76" right under the lower middle star on the bird's body.

 

[wolfkeller]

I'm pretty sure that is a neck-through... I think it's the broken off fretboard that makes it look like it was a set-neck.

Also judging from the PG that is a '76 - You can just barely see the number "76" right under the lower middle star on the bird's body.

I think you are right. Looked like a neck pocket. Stone waste of bass there buddy.

 

[ThaCoast]

This is supposed to be Nikki Sixxs original Bird which was white and later painted red. Now, my question is, what year? It is a set neck so that is the issue. The 1976 wasa neck thru. I read somewhere that they kept the bicentennial PG through 1979 when they dropped them. View attachment 793560

I read somewhere that his first original bird had disintegrated since he used to light it on fire in the club days of motley crue, Just curious if he had gotten another afterwards or if this was his backup cause too fast for love was with his white thunderbird (which could be this one actually ) then he went with bc rich (endorsement)