• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Thunderbird Club

#140,021
Count Bassie said:
Truth. We play some tunes that are really enjoyable, and have been an engaging challenge to play well.

And... well, yes, there have been a few that I could just be ok living without. Ah, life's rich pageant.

View attachment 3670509
Click to expand...

Luckily my band is pretty democratic - if two of us really didn't like/want to play a song, it wouldn't be learned/played. (quartette) Our drummer is the most critical so as the BL I make sure we play a number of his picks (which everyone likes) so I can squeeze in songs the rest of us like but he doesn't. Gotta do what you gotta do. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, Miles_ONeal, GonePlaid and 8 others
#140,024
JIO said:
There are people on tb that say that to justify having a heavy bass. Don't know about guitarists - I do know some guitars can be very heavy.
Click to expand...
The Zombiecaster weighs a ton. It is a Squier Bullet from 1985. It is a stack of luan veneers about the size of a Les Paul, and it weighs like a Lea Paul. It also resonates for about a month if you let it. I suck at guitar, but it sure is fun to play.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, Miles_ONeal, GonePlaid and 8 others
#140,025
JIO said:
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.
Click to expand...
My plexi bass sounds good to me and other players have complimented it. When I played it in my local pub, my buddy said it was the most articulate bass he’s ever heard. It’s acrylic and has a high mass bridge:thumbsup:
I can play one set with it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, Miles_ONeal, GonePlaid and 8 others
#140,026
fasterpussycat said:
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.
Click to expand...

T-birds do sound darker - partially because of the mahogany and partially because of the pu's. Install a couple of T-bird buckers in a Fender bass and it will sound darker.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, Miles_ONeal, GonePlaid and 8 others
#140,027
Engle said:
My plexi bass sounds good to me and other players have complimented it. When I played it in my local pub, my buddy said it was the most articulate bass he’s ever heard. It’s acrylic and has a high mass bridge:thumbsup:
I can play one set with it.
Click to expand...

Ok then! This is the first time I've heard that! I can imagine its density promoting articulation. Any effects always on? Do you have to adjust your amp settings to make it sound good? (compared to another bass)
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, Miles_ONeal, Chucky Stiletti and 3 others
#140,028
Gaolee said:
The Zombiecaster weighs a ton. It is a Squier Bullet from 1985. It is a stack of luan veneers about the size of a Les Paul, and it weighs like a Lea Paul. It also resonates for about a month if you let it. I suck at guitar, but it sure is fun to play.
Click to expand...

A friend made a maple bodied fretless that weighed 13lbs. It sounded good but even sitting down for a few minutes you were aware of how heavy it was on your leg.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, fasterpussycat, Miles_ONeal and 5 others
#140,030
This is off topic, kinda, so sue me. It is also a shameless plug for my son, who will be playing at Nectar in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle tomorrow night with Orgone. They are blistering LA funk and a whole lot of fun. They are playing in Portland tonight.

So here is the punch line. He called me and asked if I would work as their merch girl! I am going to be the oldest, ugliest merch girl ever! I hope I can stay awake long enough.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dagrev, MCF, Inky13 and 16 others
#140,031
JIO said:
Ok then! This is the first time I've heard that! I can imagine its density promoting articulation. Any effects always on? Do you have to adjust your amp settings to make it sound good? (compared to another bass)
Click to expand...
No I don’t keep effects on (unless I forget) and I don’t eq any differently. I guess I need to record it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF, Miles_ONeal, GonePlaid and 5 others
#140,033
RedVee said:
Picked up a Bonamassa Les Paul (the green one). Very heavy, seemed much heavier than my Thunderbird,
Click to expand...
JIO said:
Yah, who knew guitars could be so heavy being smaller than basses?
Click to expand...

My brother has a Japanese Les Paul copy from the law suit era. From the time before weight relief was invented. Weighs in about 12 lbs (maybe a bit more). But sounds great with Bill Lawrence pickups (from back when that was a thing). It has a great sound as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dagrev, MCF, JIO and 6 others
#140,035
Gaolee said:
This is off topic, kinda, so sue me. It is also a shameless plug for my son, who will be playing at Nectar in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle tomorrow night with Orgone. They are blistering LA funk and a whole lot of fun. They are playing in Portland tonight.

So here is the punch line. He called me and asked if I would work as their merch girl! I am going to be the oldest, ugliest merch girl ever! I hope I can stay awake long enough.
Click to expand...
I missed the part that is off topic for Thunderbird club...
 
  • Like
Reactions: dagrev, MCF, Miles_ONeal and 5 others
#140,036
PillO said:
My brother has a Japanese Les Paul copy from the law suit era. From the time before weight relief was invented. Weighs in about 12 lbs (maybe a bit more). But sounds great with Bill Lawrence pickups (from back when that was a thing). It has a great sound as well.
Click to expand...
"But sounds great. . . and it has a great sound"
So you're saying it sounds really, really great ? :smug:
 
  • Like
Reactions: dagrev, Miles_ONeal, GonePlaid and 4 others
#140,037
I haven't touched my white Thunderbird in a couple of days. It is tuned drop D right now, so if I am not in the mood to play something in drop D, it stays on the wall. But Killing in the Name of is such fun to play, it does come out often...

I was having a grand time playing Groove is in the Heart on the JC though. And the BEAD tuned EB3 came out to play Rumble today - I haven't played that song for a while and I am back to it being such a fun song to play that it just needs to come out. Although you can play Rumble in standard tuning, it sounds better with the low D.

And once again I learned (I don't know why I need to relearn this periodically) that there is a volume below which things just don't sound good. It isn't too loud, but it is above what I would think of as "civilized living room TV volume".
 
  • Like
Reactions: dagrev, MCF, Border and 7 others
#140,039
Thunderbird Thursday here...…… This bass will look different the next time it gets a pic ;)


CauR0Fq.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: rdwil191, dagrev, MCF and 17 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back