• 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

#149,181
Neighborhood transformer blew five hours ago. PG&E says they might get it fixed in a couple more hours. Got everything I need. Happy TT everyone!
61AF7AD5-26BA-4B5A-A0E1-2FACC8C53645.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chucky Stiletti, Gaolee, Bassmike62 and 15 others
#149,182
MCF said:
Yeah. Much as I would love a bicentennial, I wouldn’t touch it without seeing it in person and even then...Too bad. Thunderbirds deserve better than that.
Click to expand...

It most likely sat in the case for 20 years strung to pitch. If it were in a location with hot/cold shifts - that's all it would take to warp it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chucky Stiletti, dagrev, GonePlaid and 8 others
#149,183
MCF said:
Neighborhood transformer blew five hours ago. PG&E says they might get it fixed in a couple more hours. Got everything I need. Happy TT everyone!
View attachment 3780083
Click to expand...

How are those little VOX units? I bought a cheap generic one just to try one out and at a very low volume it's ok but distorts quickly as turned up - and not a favorable distortion either. I figure it probably works better for guitar.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GonePlaid, Glenn Johnson, PillO and 4 others
#149,185
JIO said:
How are those little VOX units? I bought a cheap generic one just to try one out and at a very low volume it's ok but distorts quickly as turned up - and not a favorable distortion either. I figure it probably works better for guitar.
Click to expand...
I like it. It’s the dedicated bass model. Expensive ($40) for what it is, but works as advertised. It sits in the gig bag for my little Mustang I take when I travel. I also have a Zoom B1xFour that works well as a headphone amp. Not as compact so I don’t take it when I travel. But at $99 for a multi-effects device that also works as a battery powered headphone amp, it’s a better deal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dagrev, Mvf, GonePlaid and 7 others
#149,186
Embassy 3 safely arrived. Only got 30-40 minutes in on it. Visually, the quality seems a little better than the other 2 for fit and finish. Tonally, hard to say, it's wearing Chromes, but the tone knob doesn't seem to do much. Maybe that's a function of non-broken in Chromes? The blend knob works fine. This one has a S/N in the 18's, so it has the mis-positioned bridge, but I knew that going in. It's a lovely little bass.

The black Embassy weighs 7 lbs 1 oz, the white is 7 lbs 6 oz., but that's with the drop tuner which adds weight. My wife said I shouldn't swap the pickguards, anybody agree with her?

20200409_161123.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: LetItGrowTone, Chucky Stiletti, LowEndLobster and 11 others
#149,188
Thumper said:
Embassy 3 safely arrived. Only got 30-40 minutes in on it. Visually, the quality seems a little better than the other 2 for fit and finish. Tonally, hard to say, it's wearing Chromes, but the tone knob doesn't seem to do much. Maybe that's a function of non-broken in Chromes? The blend knob works fine. This one has a S/N in the 18's, so it has the mis-positioned bridge, but I knew that going in. It's a lovely little bass.

The black Embassy weighs 7 lbs 1 oz, the white is 7 lbs 6 oz., but that's with the drop tuner which adds weight. My wife said I shouldn't swap the pickguards, anybody agree with her?

View attachment 3780133
Click to expand...

Nice! I agree with her on the PG's.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dagrev, Butcherboy, GonePlaid and 5 others
#149,190
Thumper said:
Embassy 3 safely arrived. Only got 30-40 minutes in on it. Visually, the quality seems a little better than the other 2 for fit and finish. Tonally, hard to say, it's wearing Chromes, but the tone knob doesn't seem to do much. Maybe that's a function of non-broken in Chromes? The blend knob works fine. This one has a S/N in the 18's, so it has the mis-positioned bridge, but I knew that going in. It's a lovely little bass.

The black Embassy weighs 7 lbs 1 oz, the white is 7 lbs 6 oz., but that's with the drop tuner which adds weight. My wife said I shouldn't swap the pickguards, anybody agree with her?

View attachment 3780133
Click to expand...
The wife’s right.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chucky Stiletti, dagrev, Butcherboy and 6 others
#149,191
GBassNorth said:
...Tuners and to a degree weight. The newer ones went with what feels like cheaper tuners. As far as weight goes, the older ones seemed easier to find in the low 8 pound or lower range. Most now look to be in the mid to high 8 pound range or more.

I like the older ones better, but not enough to keep me from buying a newer one.
Click to expand...

I only have my 2019. The tuners on it are pretty good, but they aren't what I was expecting from the glowing reports.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chucky Stiletti, dagrev, GonePlaid and 5 others
#149,195
Toptube said:
Anything particular besides weight and tuners, which sways you towards the older ones?
Click to expand...
Nope. VP hunting Logic I'd use...

1) If I found a mint no issues light weight early model used VP with a reasonable return policy at a couple hundred less than a new one, I'd jump on it.

2) If I found a used 2017, a used 2018 and a new 2020 all in identical condition for the same price I'd buy the lightest weight one.

3) I would not pay a premium price for a 2017 vs another year. They all have excellent build quality and I could live with the perfectly functional tuners on the newer models, I just prefer the older ones if given a choice.

4) For me and my decrepit body, weight is the key factor. Anything at 8.5 pounds or less is good (the lighter the better). Anything at 9.5 pounds or more is a non starter.

Thumper said:
Embassy 3 safely arrived. Only got 30-40 minutes in on it. Visually, the quality seems a little better than the other 2 for fit and finish. Tonally, hard to say, it's wearing Chromes, but the tone knob doesn't seem to do much. Maybe that's a function of non-broken in Chromes? The blend knob works fine. This one has a S/N in the 18's, so it has the mis-positioned bridge, but I knew that going in. It's a lovely little bass.

The black Embassy weighs 7 lbs 1 oz, the white is 7 lbs 6 oz., but that's with the drop tuner which adds weight. My wife said I shouldn't swap the pickguards, anybody agree with her?

View attachment 3780133
Click to expand...
You wife has good taste (afterall, she did marry you). Black on butterscotch blonde is sweet, white on butterscotch blonde is anemic. White on black is classic, black on black is gothic. Just keep em the way ya got em.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chucky Stiletti, Gaolee, Miles_ONeal and 9 others
#149,197
Thumper said:
Today's the day I get Embassy #3. I'm going to put the black pickguard on my black Embassy, and the drop tuner on my white, series/parallel wired Embassy. I'll have to hear it with chromes to see what, if anything to do with them.
Click to expand...
I need an Embassy like......But I sure would like to find a steal too good to pass up. I think I JC is higher on the list. Then again, I wouldn't mind a modern Gibson Thunderbird either. Because of some of you people. Enablers, the the whole blasted lot of you!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Miles_ONeal, JJR58, RedVee and 6 others
#149,200
JIO said:
How are those little VOX units? I bought a cheap generic one just to try one out and at a very low volume it's ok but distorts quickly as turned up - and not a favorable distortion either. I figure it probably works better for guitar.
Click to expand...

I am not unhappy with mine. I would rather play without headphones, but it is OK and between having beat and an aux in, it works fine.

I would still rather play my THUNDERBIRD loud and disturb everyone. But I am a bad neighbour.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Miles_ONeal, JJR58, dagrev and 5 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back