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Thunderbird Club

#139,761
Miles_ONeal said:
That sounds like it should be the title of a Bowie song.
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...or at least a lyric... hmmm...

Edit... I try and write a song and get something forgettable and moot at best. I forget about that and just say something in conversation, and I get a potential song lyric.
Fine.
 
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#139,762
gaffster said:
My late father spent the Korean war freezing and fighting on a quad-50 halftrack with the 45th infantry division. Apparently somebody different than the happy-go-lucky guy came back home. They were known as the "Thunderbirds" as they originated in Oklahoma. Before the Nazis came to power, their patch was a Native American swastika. They wisely changed to a symbol near and dear before WW2...
View attachment 3667341
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My late father and yours have that free all expenses paid "vacation" in Korea in common. Cool patch!
 
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#139,765
GonePlaid said:
My time in the NAVY, 64 to 68[pre THUNDERBIRD ownership]wasn't a popular time to be in the service. I was never spat on, but some of the looks I got were 'less than supportive'. I get far more "Thank you for your service" now than I ever did back then. FWIW, the cap in my avatar reads USS Yorktown, CVS 10-my first ship.
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No excuse for that kind of thing. You have my respect.
 
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#139,768
GonePlaid said:
My time in the NAVY, 64 to 68[pre THUNDERBIRD ownership]wasn't a popular time to be in the service. I was never spat on, but some of the looks I got were 'less than supportive'. I get far more "Thank you for your service" now than I ever did back then. FWIW, the cap in my avatar reads USS Yorktown, CVS 10-my first ship.
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Thank you for your service. :thumbsup:
 
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#139,769
Miles_ONeal said:
Yeah, that was a dark time in our history. "Love everybody" often didn't extend to those in the military. One of my neighbors a few years after that was a vet with pretty serious PTSD (I forget what they called it then). Most people just figured him for a freak who'd done too many drugs. I was one of the few he even admitted to that he'd been in Nam.
I started to write more, but decided not to rant. Thanks for your service, and I'm sorry for how you were treated. There was no excuse.
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Having served in the Army National Guard from 1978 to 1984, serving with numerous Vietnam vets and, also dealing with Veterans property tax exemptions in my soon to be over local government job, I know many vets who suffered/suffer the consequences of Agent Orange. A terrible thing. Thank you to all Vietnam vets for their service. In fact, thank you to ALL veteran's.
 
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#139,770
Bassmike62 said:
Here's something we don't often see in our locals: 2 Gibson TBirds for sale at the same time and in the same city. Heck, we rarely see one in the whole province...

Not affiliated to sellers and not going for them, just thought you guys' might get a kick out of this.


1977 Gibson Thunderbird, Seller asking 6000 CDN, so about 4600$ US, if my beans are correctly counted.
Ad translation: Vintage. Collection piece. Mint. 100% original with case.
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2011 Gibson Blackbird, seller asking 2800$, so 2100$ US or so.
Ad translation: super clean very rare, excellent neck. Only possible trade: Precision Custom Shop The Gibson Blackbird was a custom Thunderbird model made to specifications requested by Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx. Originally to be named the "Sixxbird", the Blackbird was manufactured from 2000 to 2003. It differed from the Thunderbird IV in the following details: The fingerboard was made from ebony and had iron cross inlays. An "opti grab" handle was added to the normal Thunderbird bridge, The only electronic control was a single on/off switch for the two humbucker pickups. The pickguard was designed specifically for the Blackbird All hardware on the Blackbird were finished in black chrome. The Blackbird had a flat-black finish. The pickups were renamed as 'Deep Sixx' pickups.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
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Both prices seem a bit optimistic, but then again I paid a LOT for my well used 77 Gibson Thunderbird in ebony with a headstock repair. The Blackbird says it is a 2011, but the listing states that the model was made between 200 - 2003.
 
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#139,771
Chucky Stiletti said:
funny you say that, I recently heard a Parisian tell a French Canadian to please speak to him in English cause he couldn’t understand him...o_O
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French Canadians routinely have trouble in France and particularly in Paris. The problem is that the immigrants from France to Canada in the 1700s were poor farmers looking for opportunity in the new world. As a result they brought with them peasant French (and it hasn't evolved as Parisian French has). It isn't that the French can't understand French Canadians, most of them just don't want to.

I, on the other hand, learned Parisian French in school and so have no trouble communicating with the French in Paris. I also use words they recognize like faire du shopping and le weekend that are forbidden in Quebec
 
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#139,772
Miles_ONeal said:
Yeah, that was a dark time in our history. "Love everybody" often didn't extend to those in the military. One of my neighbors a few years after that was a vet with pretty serious PTSD (I forget what they called it then)
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Shell Shock, Battle Fatigue were a couple of popular ones. But whatever version of DSM they were on back then did not have diagnostic criteria for many mental illnesses including PTSD and a number of anxieties. And back then, neurology and psychiatry were one specialty, so a lot of effort was going into the dementias, palsys, and schizophrenia (which finally had an effective drug).
 
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#139,774
GBassNorth said:
As promised...
View attachment 3667819

Potential further (fully reversible) mods...
Black strap pins with gold screws
Black control knobs with gold inserts and numbers (that go to 11)
True Black pickguard screws (vs current chrome black)
Gold painted pup poles (with current black pup covers)
Black or Brass nut (vs current white nut)

That should complete the look. Won't sound any better but it will look unique.
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Go for Burgundy Mist Metallic! It is reversible (albeit expensive to reverse, but doable).
 
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#139,776
Nocturnal said:
Both prices seem a bit optimistic, but then again I paid a LOT for my well used 77 Gibson Thunderbird in ebony with a headstock repair. The Blackbird says it is a 2011, but the listing states that the model was made between 200 - 2003.
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Thought so for the prices. I'm guessing the TB will go for around 5000$. Don't know much about BlackBirds, but I sorta see them as "niche" instruments and I'm not seeing any kid playing metal paying anywhere near that price, but that's me. Looks like a very cool bass though ! As for 2011, not sure what to make of that, guessing either simple mistake or the year the seller acquired it.
 
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#139,778
Bassmike62 said:
Thought so for the prices. I'm guessing the TB will go for around 5000$. Don't know much about BlackBirds, but I sorta see them as "niche" instruments and I'm not seeing any kid playing metal paying anywhere near that price, but that's me. Looks like a very cool bass though ! As for 2011, not sure what to make of that, guessing either simple mistake or the year the seller acquired it.
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I figure the "2011" was a typo since the seller knows the date range they were made. I haven't seen a BlackBird go for over 2K recently, but I also haven't seen a clean one for sale in a while. They are cool basses and I really enjoy the one I have.
 
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