Thunderbird Club

[PillO]

It doesn't hum if I lick my fingers before poking around in the chassis.

And if you practice well, you can measure voltages that way.

 

[Engle]

That's good. I'm placing the order right now. Thanks!

EDIT: Order just placed with Hipshot. Looking forward to installing it!

Sweet! Just don’t crank it down too hard. It’s possible to pull up the inserts.

 

[Engle]

I've had a strange road to get to here. I started out as a restaurant dishwasher, worked my way up to line cook and then switched to drywall finishing where I worked my way up to foreman on some large union commercial projects. After tearing my knees up doing that drywall thing I got to go back to school and studied drafting. From there I spent a decade at an Architecture firm, starting as entry level drafter and working my way up to CAD Manager, running the entire drafting department before shifting gears to my current gig where I design commercial kitchens. So I've kind of circled my entire career back around itself, combining my love of cooking with my love of construction and design. We design pretty much any facility that has to do with feeding people or serving drinks; everything from school kitchens and cafes to hotel bars and restaurants to corporate dining to casino buffets and everything in between.

I do still miss being in the field, but my knees don't miss it one bit. I have an undying love of building things with my hands.

That’s a cool career path!

 

[Engle]

I stand corrected. That's exactly what it is, and it sounds fantastic. It's not over the top, so if that's what you want, look elsewhere. If you want subtle perfection, it does it.

I may take a look at a schematic and think about doing the mod. Taking it to somebody else with actual knowledge is probably a much better idea. There's a difference between doing the occasional mod with altered parts and values or building a pedal and actually messing with grounding and caps.[/QUOTE
Installing a grounded cord is pretty easy.

 

[PillO]

Sweet! Just don’t crank it down too hard. It’s possible to pull up the inserts.

Like all things there (should be) a torque spec. It is unwise to crank hard down on any bolt/screw lest you strip threads or cause other damage. Having said that, being that the whole point of a musical instrument is to vibrate, things should be tightened up occasionally. My own routine is to check screws/bolts as part of maintenance when I change strings.

 

[Engle]

Well my old Peave-me transistor amp had a pre section that was a pretty good AM receiver. Mostly Spanish language stations.

I’ve had amps that do that

 

[Engle]

Like all things there (should be) a torque spec. It is unwise to crank hard down on any bolt/screw lest you strip threads or cause other damage. Having said that, being that the whole point of a musical instrument is to vibrate, things should be tightened up occasionally. My own routine is to check screws/bolts as part of maintenance when I change strings.

I do that when I think of it, or something falls off the bass.

 

[GonePlaid]

Like all things there (should be) a torque spec. It is unwise to crank hard down on any bolt/screw lest you strip threads or cause other damage. Having said that, being that the whole point of a musical instrument is to vibrate, things should be tightened up occasionally. My own routine is to check screws/bolts as part of maintenance when I change strings.

Strings need to be changed?

 

[Klondike]

When I need to loosen the strings on a Bird, I fold a paper towel a few times and use painters tape (or masking tape) to wrap it around the fretboard at the nut. Then I loosen the strings until I can slide them out of the slots on the bridge. The paper towel and tape keep the strings attached at the headstock so I don't need to completely remove the strings.





I have used this same method on a couple neck screws, but I used a wheel grinder. That allowed the original screw to stay in place and there was enough of the head left hold the straplock in place. I have only tried this with Dunlop straplocks, not other manufacturers straplocks.

Im pretty sure you gave me the idea. worked like a charm too.

 

[WillyW]

Strings need to be changed?
View attachment 3641760

Yeah, but just when you buy it.

Edit: unless you buy it used and the seller claims the strings are new.

 

[PillO]

I’ve had amps that do that

I think that in many cases amps picking up AM radio is a result of poor soldering. A cold or dirty solder joint can act a bit like a diode and in the right place, the carrier is filtered out but the signal gets amplified.

 

[PillO]

Strings need to be changed?
View attachment 3641760

It's an option.

 

[PillO]

Yeah, but just when you buy it.

Edit: unless you buy it used and the seller claims the strings are new.

Yeah, `cause a seller would never misrepresent anything...

 

[Border]

Hey Engle, thanks for posting the Wall of Voodoo video. It brought back fond memories of college, when MTV was new (to me at least), and they played music videos. I admit I haven't watched it in years, but at the time it seemed quite entertaining. Mexican Radio always made me smile.

 

[GonePlaid]

Yeah, `cause a seller would never misrepresent anything...

Ya know, I was wondering 'bout that

 

[Glenn Johnson]

Strings need to be changed?
View attachment 3641760

This is the first I'm hearing of this bizarre concept myself. Befuddling.

 

[MCF]

The new to me Epi IV Limited Edition I pulled the trigger on last Thursday landed in LA this evening and will be finding its way home to me tomorrow!

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Strings need to be changed?
View attachment 3641760

Nope...TI jazz flats last forever I think...

 

[Engle]

Hey Engle, thanks for posting the Wall of Voodoo video. It brought back fond memories of college, when MTV was new (to me at least), and they played music videos. I admit I haven't watched it in years, but at the time it seemed quite entertaining. Mexican Radio always made me smile.

I wish I was in Tiajuana
Eating barbequed iguana

 

[Engle]

This is the first I'm hearing of this bizarre concept myself. Befuddling.

Sometimes I keep the strings and replace the bass.