Thunderbird Club

[PillO]

Looking into it, but I can best be described as “an angry Buddhist,” so I’m pretty chill and often apt to say. “Meh,” and move on with life and let karma do its thing...

I'll be stealing that phrase...

 

[davelowell2]

Rob released an updated (limited) version of his Gibson bass book. Just ordered one since I never had one in the first place.

The Gibson Bass Book | An Illustrated Tribute by Rob van den Broek

Thanks for the reminder. I ordered one, too.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Thanks for the reminder. I ordered one, too.

+1. Ordered as well

 

[BklynKen]

OK, THUNDERBIRD players, let's talk right hand technique.
Static anchor? Floating anchor? Movable thumb? Movable hand? What's your pleasure?
If you have a thumb or pinky rest, do you use it? If not, and you use a rest, what (thumb, palm, arm) rests where (pickup, body, strings, inconveniently close mic stand, guitar player's belt, what?

I keep my thumb against the back of the neck so my fretting fingers have an anchor.

 

[Nocturnal]

ever seen TBird pup do that? To cut out is one thing but to drift like that?..

I have heard of them cutting out and dying, but not "drift".

 

[Nocturnal]

@bylar13 I bought the digital version of the Poppy and the Mt Vengeance albums. I really like both of them!!! Hope to get to see you perform one day.

 

[dagrev]

OK, THUNDERBIRD players, let's talk right hand technique.
Static anchor? Floating anchor? Movable thumb? Movable hand? What's your pleasure?
If you have a thumb or pinky rest, do you use it? If not, and you use a rest, what (thumb, palm, arm) rests where (pickup, body, strings, inconveniently close mic stand, guitar player's belt, what?

Most of the years playing my thumb was on the top (generally back corner) of the PU. Always the neck PU if there were two. After playing a 5er for a while I got used to moving around a little. I no longer have the 5er, but still move around a little more. By move around I mean rest my thumb on the PU or on the E string. As is now evident, I have no technique. I taught myself so I'm behind on right things to do. But, I have just as much fun as people who do know what they are doing, so it's served me well many years.

 

[dagrev]

$450 on Reverb today...plus $100 worth of gift card from my recent birthday, this is coming home at $350!
Fingers crossed it’s as good as my ebony VP!
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Fantastic DWLANG! I have two VPs and both are equally wonderful. And my burst is beautiful--just like the one headed your way. What I deal! You are going to be very happy.

 

[Toptube]

Most of the years playing my thumb was on the top (generally back corner) of the PU. Always the neck PU if there were two. After playing a 5er for a while I got used to moving around a little. I no longer have the 5er, but still move around a little more. By move around I mean rest my thumb on the PU or on the E string. As is now evident, I have no technique. I taught myself so I'm behind on right things to do. But, I have just as much fun as people who do know what they are doing, so it's served me well many years.

Yeah playing a five helped my right hand A LOT. Because of it, I am now very comfortable fluidly moving from floating hand to anchoring on the B or E momentarily to....whatever suits the tone I'm trying to go for, with varying technique.

Before that, I would pretty much anchor my thumb or wrist, and not move much. And usually end up with soreness.

I actually prefer to play my narrow spaced Icon 5 over any 4. But I don't really have any great options for a narrow 5 with Lollar T-birds. Someday I might beg Kiesel to let me put Lollars in an Icon 5.

 

[fasterpussycat]

I love the smell of nitro in the morning. Sounds really good through that Microtubes. Interesting how he had the tone setting dimmed though..Is that really necessary for an entire, fairly thorough, review?

At least he started out with the OD circuit off, so you get a reasonable idea what things sound like.

 

[MCF]

Fantastic DWLANG! I have two VPs and both are equally wonderful. And my burst is beautiful--just like the one headed your way. What I deal! You are going to be very happy.

You guys getting new birds has me jealous. But not going there for awhile. Still need to add a VP to the flock...

 

[MCF]

At least he started out with the OD circuit off, so you get a reasonable idea what things sound like.

And it sounded good to my ears.

 

[TBird1958]

Thanks! Five! Seems like they never could settle on a good thing. Anything tone-wise on those differences and when those different versions occurred? Not really necessary, I was just curious now that I'm getting one of those versions!

That's more difficult as there are no records that I'm aware of that note the changes Gibson has made over the years, pickups are parts and they likely went from in house production to farming them out - Some variations of TB Plus look very much like Bartolini pickups, but I have no indication that they provided them to Gibson.
Remember too that at some point Gibson changed the neck pitch as well, my '89 is much like a '76, but they're different now.

Here's one of the original pickups from my '89 (yeah,that's my train desk!) that's been skinned and potted into a '76 can.

 

[fasterpussycat]

I’ve read mixed stories about Reverb protection for sellers against flakes. Hope your transaction ends well.

I was selling a P bass neck on eBay. Someone bought it then didn't pay. When I asked them for the money, they said they didn't want it any more. A massive pain in the fundamental orifice. Reported them for breach of contract to purchase, but afaik nothing ever came of it. Relisted the neck and it was sold a couple of days later. eBay were sending me reminders to send the neck to the original 'buyer' for weeks...

 

[MCF]

I was selling a P bass neck on eBay. Someone bought it then didn't pay. When I asked them for the money, they said they didn't want it any more. A massive pain in the fundamental orifice. Reported them for breach of contract to purchase, but afaik nothing ever came of it. Relisted the neck and it was sold a couple of days later. eBay were sending me reminders to send the neck to the original 'buyer' for weeks...

Other than the $40 black PG with gold logo I got a few months back, I hadn’t even looked at eBay for years. I bought it, it arrived and I’m happy. Another member here purchased one before, so I knew it was safe. Now I’ve got to figure out how to stop eBay from bombarding me with emails all the time. Not a fan of the place.

 

[TBird1958]

OK, THUNDERBIRD players, let's talk right hand technique.
Static anchor? Floating anchor? Movable thumb? Movable hand? What's your pleasure?
If you have a thumb or pinky rest, do you use it? If not, and you use a rest, what (thumb, palm, arm) rests where (pickup, body, strings, inconveniently close mic stand, guitar player's belt, what?

It's all about the pick and a bridge cover!
It's not pretty or even good from, but this is pretty much how I get it done.

 

[MCF]

It's all about the pick and a bridge cover!
It's not pretty or even good from, but this is pretty much how I get it done.

Great version!

 

[GBassNorth]

OK, THUNDERBIRD players, let's talk right hand technique.
Static anchor? Floating anchor? Movable thumb? Movable hand? What's your pleasure?
If you have a thumb or pinky rest, do you use it? If not, and you use a rest, what (thumb, palm, arm) rests where (pickup, body, strings, inconveniently close mic stand, guitar player's belt, what?

Since I'm really not gigging anymore I play mostly seated with the TBird body centered and resting on my right thigh and up against my chest/belly. My Right forearm near the wrist rests in the dip of the upper TBird body wing above the belly contour. I only play finger style, typically one finger, two if needed, very rarely three. Right thumb is a floating anchor and is typically positioned on the upper left corner of the neck pup when playing the E string or on the E string when playing the A string, or A when playing the D string or D when playing the G string. I mute with my thumb and fingers that aren't being used to play notes, rarely do I palm mute.

The majority of the time I'm playing somewhere between the neck pup and the heel of the neck unless is a hard rocking song, then I play over the neck pup. I usually solo the neck pup on a volume setting of about 8 with the tone knob at about 5 but occasionally dial in a bit of the neck pup to get more definition to the notes if needed. I have basses with thumb rests and tug bars, but I don't ever use either.

I also have a tendency to wrap the thumb of my left hand around the neck and frequently get lazy and utilize a three finger left hand playing technique unless I'm doing walking basslines.

All in all - horrible technique, but I'm self taught, can't read sheet music, play by ear and having fun doing it. So that's all that matters to me.

 

[GBassNorth]

$450 on Reverb today...plus $100 worth of gift card from my recent birthday, this is coming home at $350!
Fingers crossed it’s as good as my ebony VP!
View attachment 3822392 View attachment 3822393

You got a steal of a deal there! A new VP for the price of a Goth, it doesn't get any better than that.

 

[MCF]

Mother’s Day weekend. In years past we’ve invited our parents, my brother and his family, and other relatives who can make it for a Rib and Tri-tip BBQ; usually on Saturday. Not this year though, obviously. Probably wouldn’t have done it anyway after losing my mother-in-law last October. But it’s been a little sad here today. I thought I’d share this song from one of my favorite singer songwriters.