Thunderbird Club

[Count Bassie]

Amen. Amen.

Have two, they're small and there are plenty to go around.

Doesn't seem like such a big deal now... I feel a little sheepish...

 

[PillO]

Doesn't seem like such a big deal now... I feel a little sheepish...

There are no pictures of sheep with watermelon helmets. Maybe this will help?

 

[Count Bassie]

There are no pictures of sheep with watermelon helmets. Maybe this will help?
View attachment 3634001

Looking at this for.more than a passing glance is an awful idea.

 

[PillO]

Looking at this for.more than a passing glance is an awful idea.

Not awful, but certainly baaaaah-d.




OK, I apologize, that was a terrible joke. I hope ewe can forgive me.

 

[Count Bassie]

Not awful, but certainly baaaaah-d.




OK, I apologize, that was a terrible joke. I hope ewe can forgive me.

I've herd worse.

 

[Count Bassie]

I've herd worse.

BAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!

 

[Engle]

So, I have the Goth T-Bird and it still has the factory 3-point on it. I tinkered with it a bit to get the action down like I would like it to be. But, keeping in mind that after reading a ton of internet comments about the 3-point pulling the front insert out, I chose to leave my front screw higher than the rear screws. This was a choice I made because the last thing I want is a bass with an insert pulling out. I'd rather deal with the high action for now until I can find a real solution that works for me.

All of that stated, I find the action to still be too high for my preference. That was after playing with neck relief some and making a bridge height adjustment. Honestly, I'd either like to have a different bridge or a wedge shim under the neck to kick the angle a bit more. The shim would be the cheaper option for sure. I haven't gone down the road of filing the nut because I want to get the proper tools to do a real setup before I go that far. My neck adjustment was just eyeballing it, so I'll get real before I go filing on things.

To cap this off, I never said everyone hates it, or that it's a terrible design. I said that a lot of people (myself included) don't feel that the action can be adjusted the way they want it. I also said, other than that, it's fine. Like, those were basically my exact words. I'm also NOT going to de-fret my Goth T-Bird over it.

The neck shim is really easy and sounds like what you need to do to get the geometry to where the 3 point has a useable adjustment range.

 

[Engle]

Wow thanks for all the answers. Okay sorry for not knowing godofthunder59 is the inventor and active here himself, Im still pretty new on TB.

So I took some pictures of the bridge and the nut and stuff so maybe you can see more than I can.
And I would also like to know what options for bridges there are that fit in the holes for the Epiphone VP. Definetly want to stay with that bass.
So with the setup on this pictures it's about 30 cents sharp on the E string Tuned to a C on a 110 gauge. And again, putting on a Roundwound 105 with the saddle for this string, still all the way back, is perfect pitch on the E (tuned as an E).
What are the options for me to use this bass with a C Standart tuning if I want to play it intonated? Preferably with none to very little modification ont he bass. But ill do whatever it takes lol.

here the pics:View attachment 3633949 View attachment 3633950 View attachment 3633951 View attachment 3633952 View attachment 3633953

I’ll compare to my VP later, but I would try flipping the E saddle around first.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

If the neck side of the bridge is too low, the forces in the string tension can be such that they pull up on the other two bolts as well as toward the nut, lifting the posts with them. As you raise the neck bolt (relative to the string peaks over the saddles), the forces change so that the long parts of the string pull toward the nut (lateral and even down down). Not sure what the short ends do, but I suspect they are inconsequential in the equation.

if I understand your post correctly; an increasing force B will augment force C enough to pull out the (over 1" long) inserts from the body if dimension A is shortened?....I think the neck will warp before that..

 

[TerribleTim68]

I mean, yeah, basically. I ran across a multitude of posts right here on TB that discussed this exact thing happening to their basses, thus the reason I don't lower the front screw below the height of the rear screws.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

highly unlikely imho..

 

[PillO]

if I understand your post correctly; an increasing force B will augment force C enough to pull out the (over 1" long) inserts from the body if dimension A is shortened?....I think the neck will warp before that..

View attachment 3634183

I refuse to believe until you do some vector math.

 

[Kriegs]

I refuse to believe until you do some vector math.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I refuse to believe until you do some vector math.

easier...put the three point back on your JC and try it!...

 

[PillO]

if I understand your post correctly; an increasing force B will augment force C enough to pull out the (over 1" long) inserts from the body if dimension A is shortened?....I think the neck will warp before that..

View attachment 3634183

I mean, yeah, basically. I ran across a multitude of posts right here on TB that discussed this exact thing happening to their basses, thus the reason I don't lower the front screw below the height of the rear screws.

highly unlikely imho..

I refuse to believe until you do some vector math.

Ok, I did a little back of the envelope vector math. With a total pull on the strings around 100lbs and a break angle of about 15°, it is a pull around 25lbs on the two posts (12 lbs each). But I did all this in my head without looking up any data. And it has been many years since I did any vector math, so be suspicious.

 

[PillO]

easier...put the three point back on your JC and try it!...

The JC has an arched top, so the vectors don;t resolve the same.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

The JC has an arched top, so the vectors don;t resolve the same.

the arched top would come flying off?..

 

[JJR58]

easier...put the three point back on your JC and try it!...

Evil you are.

 

[PillO]

the arched top would come flying off?..

Being a Gibson/Epiphone product, I assumed the headstock would fly off.

 

[Kriegs]

the arched top would come flying off?..

No, the problem is the Victor's vector. You need to make sure that Victor's vector is over Under's and Under's is over Dunn's.