Thunderbird Club

[fasterpussycat]

One additional factor to consider:

With the JC being semi-hollow, it has a light body and a propensity to neck dive. With an extra pound or so at the bridge. It balances well (small tug countered by strap friction). I suspect adding Hipshot ultralights would be even better.

Yes, only a hint of divey-ness, which will go away with lightweight tuners.

 

[fasterpussycat]

I thought the same thing, but I found that the Hipshot, while heavier than the stock bridge, didn’t make a significant difference in balance or tone. I went back to the stock bridge. I found that Hipshot to be ugly and not well suited to the JC body which isn’t flat. I’ve read threads where players used washers or spacers of different sorts to make the Hipshot or Babicz work, but I found all those fixes halfazz and wonky.
I’ve never had any issues with neck dive on a Gibson or Epi that a simple 2” leather strap didn’t resolve (other than an Epi EB-3 that was a hopeless neck diver)

My plan was to swap out the chrome 3 point for a black 3 point, then this one came along with the Hipshot and I can't tell you what, if anything, was done to make it fit. It"s solid and stable and (unusually for me) I'm just going to leave it the fvck alone.

 

[fasterpussycat]

Good thing you are not a bird watcher. That appears to be some sort of crane, not an alligator (which, as far as I know, is not a bird).

Alligators and birds are quite closely related (as well as all being dinosaurs).

 

[fasterpussycat]

Many of them, the SD pups included don’t need any mods.
I’m just going to stick with my beautiful Gibson TBird with stock everything, it works just fine. I only added chrome knob indicator washers and TI jazz flat strings. Quite happy

If your EpiBird has P and J pups, you'll likely need a wee bit of routing here and there.

 

[Engle]

Details, please! That’s awesome!

I built it decades ago by tracing a Gibson at a store. It’s a two piece maple neck-through with (full thickness)Ash wings and a rosewood fingerboard. My nephew was going to paint it, but it never got past the primer stage, so I put it together and played it that way for years. Thats an EMG:

It weighed 12+ lbs, which wasn’t a problem for me 20 years ago. I starting thinking of ways to lighten it and bouncing ideas around here (thanks @JIO !)

Because the Badass 1 bridge had a spacer under it anyway, I realized I could thin the wings from the back only and put a center section cap on the front. That allowed me to cover up the P rout and do some chambering. I also hollowed out the wing under the pickguard and made a “swimming pool” rout so I can experiment with pickup positions.

The center cap is presently just 1/8 maple panel leftover from my kitchen reno. (Screwed on) Once I settle on the pickup location, I’ll make a solid maple cap. I put a tung oil finish on to protect the wood. I’m planning on a red nitro finish in the summer.

I decided to start with a single pickup in the neck position. It’s brighter sounding than I thought it would be!

 

[fasterpussycat]

I decided to start with a single pickup in the neck position. It’s brighter sounding than I thought it would be!

Don't tell everyone -- it's a secret.

 

[PillO]

Thassa Great Blue Heron.

I don't know about heroine, but picking up on Breaking Bad, apparently there is blue methamphetamine being sold now.

 

[Engle]

Don't tell everyone -- it's a secret.

I do tend to like single hot pickup basses.
I’m tempted to swap in the bridge pickup from the set.

 

[fasterpussycat]

I do tend to like single hot pickup basses.
I’m tempted to swap in the bridge pickup from the set.

Been resisting doing the same with a 'superfluous' Thunderbucker bridge pup. At least one has to sound like a 'normal' output bass right?

 

[JIO]

While I’m asking for your input about the Babicz bridge, here’s another thing I’d love to get your input on and pix of...
Anybody put Seymour Duncan Custom Shop chrome pups on like this TBird driver did? Love the chrome look!
View attachment 3699101

That finish is a great look for a bird

 

[JIO]

Bach Kroko oblong baskoffer, extra lang voor oa Thunderbird

nice case!

 

[JIO]

I don’t recall who it started with (Carter?), but most -if not all - presidents since Nixon have associated with at least a couple of rock stars at some level. Can’t recall about Agnew.
Nixon almost associated with Grace Slick, but that didn’t happen. Probably for the best, given that she planned to drop acid into his drink if she could. Unlikely to have pulled it off, but still.

 

[JIO]

I do tend to like single hot pickup basses.
I’m tempted to swap in the bridge pickup from the set.

ditto

 

[Gaolee]

My apologies if this horse has been beat to death...
Who has upgraded their TBird with a Babicz bridge? My new RD has one, and it looks badazz, adjust easily, and the direct full contact has to help sustain?
I have a 2019 TBird and am thinking of a chrome Babicz.
Your input on:
-Ease if install (drop in or mod anchors?)
-Tone improved?
-Pix?

I have upgraded two with those. One is chrome, one is black. My tin ears do not tell me there is much difference in tone or sustain, but I find setup a little more versatile than with a three point. Mostly, though, I like the way they look.

 

[Butcherboy]

I love my JC, my Thunderbird and my Midtown. All three are different. The JC at the highest impedance setting is the growliest and clean on the lowest setting. The neck on the JC is a bit wider (1.65" vs 1.5") than a bird and fatter. The Midtown is thumpier with a mudbucker in the neck position and a neck similar to the JC.

....sold my Midtown ... love my Rivoli in it’s uncommon for public transport case ... needs a Subaru....

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

flats working out ok, definitely worth more investigating..... tonight will be my third gig with these, thumpy and perfect for tonight’s Americana sets..

 

[Gaolee]

Been resisting doing the same with a 'superfluous' Thunderbucker bridge pup. At least one has to sound like a 'normal' output bass right?

Why? And why?

 

[fasterpussycat]

Why? And why?

Good point. One of these days there may be a swap out (soldering is a royal pain due to focal length issues).

 

[RedVee]

I don’t recall who it started with (Carter?), but most -if not all - presidents since Nixon have associated with at least a couple of rock stars at some level. Can’t recall about Agnew.
Nixon almost associated with Grace Slick, but that didn’t happen. Probably for the best, given that she planned to drop acid into his drink if she could. Unlikely to have pulled it off, but still.

wasn’t there some effort by Nixon’s team to get Johnny Cash ?

 

[fasterpussycat]

wasn’t there some effort by Nixon’s team to get Johnny Cash ?

As seen in the film 'Tricky Dick and the Man In Black', available on Netflix.