Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

Given enough modification and parts removal, a Matador from that era could look pretty good. I'm not sure you could make it driveable without putting the body onto a different frame. But I'm shallow, so looks matter a lot.
View attachment 3669918

Looks good to me

 

[Engle]

But they don't say HOW heavy.
I'd have seriously considered this had I not just bought a new bass.

I think those are in the 13-14lb range. My “Mann Armstrong” is over 10lbs and it’s quite a bit smaller than a TBird.

 

[JIO]

In 1974 when the movie was made there weren't many cool American cars left. Most were bloated body under powered boats compared to offerings from just a few years earlier. Mopar probably had the most extensive lineup of hot cars at the time, but I suspect AMC was able to strike a better deal with the producers to have its cars in the movie.

While that may be true, I bet the fact that that stunt team already existed and used that particular car had more to do with it. All stunt-type organizations are probably linked so everyone knows who does what and the call went out to who can do that car-stunt. Answer : we do using AMC Javelins

 

[Engle]

This one's a little more expensive, but you don't have to buy two. It looks a little nicer in the pictures. Photos on the internet never lie, do they?
[Hot Item] Pango Music Acrylic Body 5 Strings Electric Bass Guitar (PAG-034)

That one is a fiver, but they would probably make a four string. For the price, it might be OK. It might not.

If I was more enterprising, I would look at getting one of those factories to make a run of NR mahogany bodies. Probably wouldn’t cost much per unit if you got 20 or so.

 

[fasterpussycat]

Page 7000 ... brings back memories of posting someting -- anything -- to go past the Spector club, or wondering what would happen when we got to 1000 pages (keep on going).

Some of this thread is even about Thunderbirds.

 

[JIO]

But they don't say HOW heavy.
I'd have seriously considered this had I not just bought a new bass.

Yah - clear acrylic is very heavy. I also have never heard of one that actually sounds good. I have read that certain players adapt to it and augment it with layers of effects - but, it sounds good plugged into an amp? Haven't seen/heard that. So much for all the talk about a heavy bass 'sounds' better and that's why it's worth creating back problems. I read that Lemmy bought a Dan Armstrong in a local music store in Michigan when his bass was stolen the day before while on tour in the US. He said it sounded like crap and hated it for being so heavy.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Yah - clear acrylic is very heavy. I also have never heard of one that actually sounds good. I have read that certain players adapt to it and augment it with layers of effects - but, it sounds good plugged into an amp? Haven't seen/heard that. So much for all the talk about a heavy bass 'sounds' better and that's why it's worth creating back problems. I read that Lemmy bought a Dan Armstrong in a local music store in Michigan when his bass was stolen the day before while on tour in the US. He said it sounded like crap and hated it for being so heavy.

I've never heard anyone say a heavy bass or guitar sounds better outside the context of body wood density (hence weight). Or maybe I just rolled my eyes and forgot.

 

[Gaolee]

Mahogany and ash aren't all that different from a density standpoint. There's variation, of course, but overall, the ranges of densities are similar between them the various kinds of ash and the various kinds of mahogany. That makes me think that density isn't the main driver. Comparing the 2015 Thunderbird to the 2013 EB is case in point. Mahogany makes the Thunderbird sound darker and warmer. By comparison, the EB is brighter and more precise, if that's good term. The Thunderbird has more black in its sound, and the EB has more lime yellow. Both are good. Maybe the shape and size of bodies makes a difference. I doubt it makes the same amount of difference as the wood, which makes a smaller difference than strings, electronics, and technique.

Which all means that the weight of an instrument probably doesn't matter as much as other factors. It probably does, but I don't know what that means. Acrylic, being a consistent, synthetic product, would be more similar from body to body than wood. If one sounds good, then they probably all do. If one sounds lousy, they probably all do. My guess is that the mass has a tendency to damp out the sound, and that an acrylic bass guitar would sound a bid dull. That's pure speculation.

With unlimited resources and not much brains, I would buy an acrylic Thunderbird to hang on the wall and light up with LEDs. The not much brains part is easier to achieve than the unlimited resources part. So, no acrylic experiments in sound and home decoration.

 

[Gaolee]

Page 7000 ... brings back memories of posting someting -- anything -- to go past the Spector club, or wondering what would happen when we got to 1000 pages (keep on going).

Some of this thread is even about Thunderbirds.

View attachment 3670045

We will get to 10,000 pages and still talk about Thunderbirds on occasion.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yeah, they were pretty popular back in the day. Kinda like jumping orange Dodge Chargers over everything too. Killed a lot of really cool cars.

I have a buddy who has one that looks a lot like this, full cage, massive rear tires, 401 with a tunnel ram and dual carbs, parachute hanging off the back -
View attachment 3669925
Maybe not as "cool looking" but man that thing is fast on a drag strip! At the local diner, it pretty much just sits there looking different, which appeals to me.

looks pretty darn cool to me..

 

[Miles_ONeal]

looks pretty darn cool to me..

Roger that.

 

[fasterpussycat]

Mahogany and ash aren't all that different from a density standpoint. There's variation, of course, but overall, the ranges of densities are similar between them the various kinds of ash and the various kinds of mahogany. That makes me think that density isn't the main driver. Comparing the 2015 Thunderbird to the 2013 EB is case in point. Mahogany makes the Thunderbird sound darker and warmer. By comparison, the EB is brighter and more precise, if that's good term. The Thunderbird has more black in its sound, and the EB has more lime yellow. Both are good. Maybe the shape and size of bodies makes a difference. I doubt it makes the same amount of difference as the wood, which makes a smaller difference than strings, electronics, and technique.

Which all means that the weight of an instrument probably doesn't matter as much as other factors. It probably does, but I don't know what that means. Acrylic, being a consistent, synthetic product, would be more similar from body to body than wood. If one sounds good, then they probably all do. If one sounds lousy, they probably all do. My guess is that the mass has a tendency to damp out the sound, and that an acrylic bass guitar would sound a bid dull. That's pure speculation.

With unlimited resources and not much brains, I would buy an acrylic Thunderbird to hang on the wall and light up with LEDs. The not much brains part is easier to achieve than the unlimited resources part. So, no acrylic experiments in sound and home decoration.

In the current aviary:
Mahogany/Mahogany + Hipshot high mass bridge + Thunderbucker 66S + KS Bass Burners
Honduras Mahogany/Maple + low mass bridge + Thunderbucker 66N + KS Bass Burners
Poplar/Maple + low mass bridge + Thunderbucker 66S + KS Bass Burners

The all mahogany Bird is definitely the darkest sounding. The main difference between the other two is the pickup -- the lower output 66N doesn't drive amps as hard.

An acrylic bass has never really appealed to me. [Update:] Even with LEDs .... and you know how shallow I am.

 

[TerribleTim68]

looks pretty darn cool to me..

I'm an AMC freak so I'm pretty biased. Most people look at me funny when I mention them, but I've been into them for a long time. Purchased my '68 Javelin SST (343, automatic car) back in 1990 and have kept it ever since. Got the wife a '74 Javelin-AMX factory "Z-code" car (401) a couple years ago. I tell people all the time "do yourself a favor and buy a car that you can actually get parts for".

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Speaking of heavy basses, I'm still keeping an eye out for a used Gibson Krist Novoselic RD bass. Oddly, all the ones currently on Reverb are from Russia, Japan, or Switzerland...not the kind of shipping I'm looking to pay

 

[dukeorock]

Yah - clear acrylic is very heavy. I also have never heard of one that actually sounds good. I have read that certain players adapt to it and augment it with layers of effects - but, it sounds good plugged into an amp? Haven't seen/heard that. So much for all the talk about a heavy bass 'sounds' better and that's why it's worth creating back problems. I read that Lemmy bought a Dan Armstrong in a local music store in Michigan when his bass was stolen the day before while on tour in the US. He said it sounded like crap and hated it for being so heavy.

I had a Dan Armstrong guitar when I was a kid. Super heavy, sounded not all that great and the neck bent really easily, like a whammy bar kinda thing. Sure looked good on that Flamin’ Groovies cover though

 

[GonePlaid]

no, the other way around, they were trying to make Bond cool...
View attachment 3669716

Yeah, riiiiiight!

 

[Bassmike62]

For those who want to incorporate a weight lighting routine into every gig or practice session:

STONE CITY GUITARS acrylic THUNDERBIRD bass!!!!!! WOW!!!! UNIQUE!!! HEAVY !!!! | eBay

Holy sh...

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yeah, riiiiiight!

Lol...huh?...don't believe me?..

 

[GonePlaid]

Lol...huh?...don't believe me?..
View attachment 3670205

Neither could do anything about the other's "cool factor". One has it, the other?

 

[JIO]

Which all means that the weight of an instrument probably doesn't matter as much as other factors. It probably does, but I don't know what that means. Acrylic, being a consistent, synthetic product, would be more similar from body to body than wood. If one sounds good, then they probably all do. If one sounds lousy, they probably all do. My guess is that the mass has a tendency to damp out the sound, and that an acrylic bass guitar would sound a bid dull. That's pure speculation.

I think this is true.