Thunderbird Club

[RedVee]

A. I'm generrally a fan of stainless (however, my Carvin Icon 5 tends to want other stuff)

B. youtube videos of the VP exhibit a mid heavy tone, which tells me that stainless is a good route, to open up the sound a bit more

C. I have Lollar thunderbird pickups in a Japanese Fender Jaguar bass which acoustically is very warm and very very loud. It has always worn stainless and DR stainless Low Riders are the second best tone I've had on the Thundercat (discontinued Dean Markley Helix Stainless were the best tone), and overall the best balance of feel and string to string balance.

D. soooooooooooo The VP is gonna start life trying out stainless. I have a set of Low Riders on the way and a set of GHS Super Steels.I have said before, I think that Low Riders are overall, the best stainless on the market right now. One of the best tones, good feel (although I don't even mind the feel of rotos). And while they aren't technically a balanced tension set: they feel more balanced than some others. Even others from DR.

I have only ever personally used Super Steels on a shortscale Dano 63 bass I had. It definitely lacked the warmer and more interesting mid character I am used to with Low Riders. However, it had a real nice and grindy growl. and the feel of the strings was quite slick?! Also, nowadays, most of GHS strings are now sold standard as balanced tension sets. So I thought I would try them on the VP. Especially with the limited saddle adjustment, a more balanced E string in particular, could be a real good thing on a VP. And the VP's pickups may be so mid heavy, that the super steel tone should balance out fine.

How would you compare Low Riders to Hi Beams ?

 

[Toptube]

How would you compare Low Riders to Hi Beams ?

Overall bigger sound. A lot more mids/more interesting mids and bigger lows. Thicker and crispier in the highs, whereas Hi Beams are more piercing and hi fi in the highs. Hi Beams do tend to have a little better definition up the neck. Which I attribute to the roundcore design.

Low Riders are also hex core Vs. Hi Beams round core. So Low Riders are a bit stiffer. But they still aren't' as stiff as something like Daddario XL.

DR has pretty good sound samples
https://www.drstrings.com/sound-samples

 

[Klondike]

Small venues usually in the burbs (Between Elgin - Tinley Park) and occasionally at dive bars in the city (Hidden Cove, Indy Tap, etc.)

How can I keep track on where your playing? For when all this is over.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

How can I keep track on where your playing? For when all this is over.

That would be cool!
We can be found at c130band.com and we're on FB as well.
(no shows currently on the agenda for obvious reasons, lol)
Whereabouts you from? Involved in any projects?

 

[GBassNorth]

Overall bigger sound. A lot more mids/more interesting mids and bigger lows. Thicker and crispier in the highs, whereas Hi Beams are more piercing and hi fi in the highs. Hi Beams do tend to have a little better definition up the neck. Which I attribute to the roundcore design.

Low Riders are also hex core Vs. Hi Beams round core. So Low Riders are a bit stiffer. But they still aren't' as stiff as something like Daddario XL.

DR has pretty good sound samples
https://www.drstrings.com/sound-samples

Thx for the link. The Legends sound nice, haven't tried any flats from DR in the past. Might try a set of these on the VP next.

 

[Gaolee]

And who buys the bucket of chicken?

I might, if there is no third round.

 

[GonePlaid]

We had a gig previously booked for tonight. It didn't happen. We have gigs previously booked the next 3 weekends. I doubt they'll happen.
I'm not much for practicing by myself, but have been attempting to play the THUNDERBIRD along with one of our live gig cd's. I bore easily but I gots to keep the calluses somehow. I s'pose I should do more. Maybe tomorrow. Or the next day. Or not.


I'll throw this in for grins:

 

[Gaolee]

Hence the welp. Thanks. Now I can seriously look into whether I have the wherewithal to turn the BO into a TB VI!

Well yes. You do of course.

 

[Gaolee]

My copy of Poppy’s Snakes of New Jersey arrived (@bylar13). View attachment 3821980
Bonus record company sticker and button included. Digital download too.
View attachment 3821981

Highly recommended! Six tracks, all winners. Original sound that is slightly reminiscent, but not derivative, of Pretenders, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, and Janice. I absolutely love it! I wish I could catch them live someday.

View attachment 3821982

It is here as well.

 

[Gaolee]

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?

My right hand goes wherever it goes on the 'Bird. It is only a little more anchored on the upright. Left hand technique is oddly similar except it is four fingers on the 'Bird and usually three on the upright. Neither is exactly according to Hoyle.

 

[PillO]

A brief amp update:

The switch - the last discrete component that might have failed - is good. So, the only recourse now is to replace the mainboard (because things aren't built to be serviced). The tech's repair estimate is C$300 for an amp with a current new price of C$470.

As a result, I will follow a multi-staged repair.
1. Buy a used Traynor small block head for immediate needs.
2. Buy a Traynor YBA100 when they are available.
3. At some point buy the replacement board for the PF-350 and replace it myself (estimated cost C$200).

 

[dagrev]

As @dagrev noted below, he and I are after a very similar sound - deep dark and delicious with enough mids to punch hard when wanted and only a touch of top end for definition. With that in mind, I found the stock VP strings to have too much zing and clank for my tastes. So off they went. The two best sounding strings on the VP that I've tried are Fender 7150 nickel rounds and Cobalt Flats, which to my ear are about the most round wound sounding flat on the market. Unlike most flats they retain a touch of the top end, similar to a very mellow round, while still delivering that super powerful bottom end and low mids that we all love on flats.


I haven't tried the Boomers yet but they are on my short list.

And I haven't tried the Fenders! But need to order a set to satisfy my curiosity. I used to like the old Fender's with the taper core on the E. Then they changed who made them for Fender and hardly anyone likes them.

 

[dagrev]

Thx for the link. The Legends sound nice, haven't tried any flats from DR in the past. Might try a set of these on the VP next.

You'll never know until you try, but from what I understand the Legends sound similar to GHS precision Flats. Very traditional old-school sounding. I tried the the GHS PFs on a VP and they sounded nice, but I still lacked something. Seem to not have any punch from what I recall. However, I do like Fender flats on a VP. They seem to have most of what I'm looking for, good lows some, punchy meds and just a little bit of top and we needed. But I have never tried the Legends, so I am going off of what I've read not personal experience.

 

[JJR58]

And I haven't tried the Fenders! But need to order a set to satisfy my curiosity. I used to like the old Fender's with the taper core on the E. Then they changed who made them for Fender and hardly anyone likes them.

The Fender Steel flats are great, just too much tension for me.
Never tried the nickles.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

My right hand goes wherever it goes on the 'Bird. It is only a little more anchored on the upright. Left hand technique is oddly similar except it is four fingers on the 'Bird and usually three on the upright. Neither is exactly according to Hoyle.

Never play poker with a THUNDERBIRD.

 

[BklynKen]

A. I'm generrally a fan of stainless (however, my Carvin Icon 5 tends to want other stuff)

B. youtube videos of the VP exhibit a mid heavy tone, which tells me that stainless is a good route, to open up the sound a bit more

C. I have Lollar thunderbird pickups in a Japanese Fender Jaguar bass which acoustically is very warm and very very loud. It has always worn stainless and DR stainless Low Riders are the second best tone I've had on the Thundercat (discontinued Dean Markley Helix Stainless were the best tone), and overall the best balance of feel and string to string balance.

D. soooooooooooo The VP is gonna start life trying out stainless. I have a set of Low Riders on the way and a set of GHS Super Steels.I have said before, I think that Low Riders are overall, the best stainless on the market right now. One of the best tones, good feel (although I don't even mind the feel of rotos). And while they aren't technically a balanced tension set: they feel more balanced than some others. Even others from DR.

I have only ever personally used Super Steels on a shortscale Dano 63 bass I had. It definitely lacked the warmer and more interesting mid character I am used to with Low Riders. However, it had a real nice and grindy growl. and the feel of the strings was quite slick?! Also, nowadays, most of GHS strings are now sold standard as balanced tension sets. So I thought I would try them on the VP. Especially with the limited saddle adjustment, a more balanced E string in particular, could be a real good thing on a VP. And the VP's pickups may be so mid heavy, that the super steel tone should balance out fine.

I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the Super Steels if you put them on the VP. Basically on a long-scale bass. I'm mostly curious about the stiffness/tension compared to the likes of the DRs. Sound, too.

 

[dagrev]

The Fender Steel flats are great, just too much tension for me.
Never tried the nickles.

They are indeed, that's why I went light gauge, which helps a lot. I know gauge and tension are not the same thing, but going light always seems to help.

 

[Thumper]

So, the early 18 series Embassy's had the bridges mis-drilled by 3/8", looking at mine, seems it could be removed, plugged, and re-drilled, and not be easily noticed without up close scrutiny. Why not have it done?

 

[JJR58]

They are indeed, that's why I went light gauge, which helps a lot. I know gauge and tension are not the same thing, but going light always seems to help.

I had their lightest set, was still too much for me.
It's too bad cause i love the tone of them.

 

[GIBrat51]

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?

Well... the smartass in me wants to say "Right hand technique? Thumb more or less on the center of the neck, with my fingers as perpendicular as possible to the fretboard". But, I won't...
My T-birds, along with these two, are among a large number of basses (out of 24) that I almost always play with a pick. With the Ricks, the heel of my left hand rests on the bridge p/u cover, and I wind up playing between the pickups. On the P-Bass, it rests on the bridge cover (and, yes, there's a mute in there) and I play just behind the p/u cover. Or, occasionally, I move my hand up to the p/u cover, and play just behind the neck. With the T-Birds? I do like Sir Paul does; the heel of my left hand rests on the bridge. Which puts the pick just behind the bridge p/u. On the rare occasions I don't use a pick, or when I play one of my other, '"non-pick" basses? I anchor my thumb on something - usually a pickup; the thumb rest on the P-Bass; or whatever. It depends on the bass. On the T-birds, it's the raised center section edge. But, I very,very seldom do that; IMO, T-Birds need picks to really strut their stuff...