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Thunderbird Club

#15,381
215590_4348665134_8690_n.jpg

This is me some time ago (OK a long time ago) with my '76 Bicentennial special. The headstock broke off regularly. I think it had so many shims and repairs in it that there was no original wood left. This is a problem with T-Birds I know - are the newer ones any stronger?
 
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#15,382
veebass said:
The Gibson site says 500k non linear for 2014 TBird, but doesn't specify tone and volume separately. 2015 TBird specifies all three pots separately and they are all the same 500K non linear.
I had a look in my 08 Gibson and I can't see anything engraved/ stamped on them except "Gibson". I was surprised that they are non linear taper because I think the taper is pretty even.
The shafts don't appear to be long.
Click to expand...

But then again, the Gibson and Epiphone websites are notorious for misinformation and wrong specs, so the info posted may not even be correct...
 
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#15,383
Bill Fatty said:
View attachment 853397
This is me some time ago (OK a long time ago) with my '76 Bicentennial special. The headstock broke off regularly. I think it had so many shims and repairs in it that there was no original wood left. This is a problem with T-Birds I know - are the newer ones any stronger?
Click to expand...

The "new" Thunderbirds (since the 80's actually) have a much smaller headstock with smaller and lighter tuners, and is less prone to breakage than the old ones were.
 
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#15,385
hillerup said:
The "new" Thunderbirds (since the 80's actually) have a much smaller headstock with smaller and lighter tuners, and is less prone to breakage than the old ones were.
Click to expand...
Hmm... cool but part of the appeal to me was that huge headstock and tuners. It was a diver too, but I just removed the strap button from its odd location and put it right at the neck heel. Problem solved. The headstock never broke from diving, but from dicks tripping over it during breaks. I mean, look at the size of that head! It's epic! (Not mine eh, the bass's...)
205787_4348660134_5862_n.jpg
 
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#15,387
Bill Fatty said:
Hmm... cool but part of the appeal to me was that huge headstock and tuners. It was a diver too, but I just removed the strap button from its odd location and put it right at the neck heel. Problem solved. The headstock never broke from diving, but from dicks tripping over it during breaks. I mean, look at the size of that head! It's epic! (Not mine eh, the bass's...)
View attachment 853430
Click to expand...

You could always get a new Burny Thunderbird - They have huge headstocks...

Also going wireless helps with the clumsy dicks, which trip over your lead.... :)
 
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#15,388
veebass said:
The Gibson site says 500k non linear for 2014 TBird, but doesn't specify tone and volume separately. 2015 TBird specifies all three pots separately and they are all the same 500K non linear.
I had a look in my 08 Gibson and I can't see anything engraved/ stamped on them except "Gibson". I was surprised that they are non linear taper because I think the taper is pretty even.
The shafts don't appear to be long.
Click to expand...

Hrmm yeah - I'm just going by my own research but mine are like yours - it's a 2006 and nothing stamped on them except the Gibson logo. I cant quite tell either (I didn't take them out to check, truthfully) but they don't appear to be long shaft.

But yeah, after digging around online, I'm seeing 500K audio taper for the volumes, and 250K audio taper for the tone. .047uF cap value. The capacitor in mine is the little ceramic disc type - there's some writing on it but I don't recall what it says at the moment (will check when I get home from work).
 
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#15,389
hillerup said:
You could always get a new Burny Thunderbird - They have huge headstocks...
Click to expand...
Yeah this! A Burny Thunderbird from earlier in the thread! This is a beautiful bass. The reviews are good, value for money etc, and I bet with that volute at the headstock, the top doesn't break off. Truly gorgeous. I am so fecking jealous right now...

photo.JPG
 
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#15,390
mistergoats said:
I think I'm all caught up:
  • Have you guys seen the Kauer Guitars "Banshee"? I want them to make a bass version, but I don't think they are interested in basses [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

Kauer actually does make a few basses. There is one on Reverb right now, a bass version of the Daylighter model. I'm sure they'd make a Banshee bass if you had the skrilla to offer them :)
 
#15,391
Bill Fatty said:
Yeah this! A Burny Thunderbird from earlier in the thread! This is a beautiful bass. The reviews are good, value for money etc, and I bet with that volute at the headstock, the top doesn't break off. Truly gorgeous. I am so fecking jealous right now...

View attachment 853493
Click to expand...

So cool! I just checked them out and they look pretty close to the orig, especially the hs. If I didn't already have a bird I'd be interested. I assembled this Epi bodied T-bird and did string-thru like on the Burny. The Hipshot Supertone bridge allows for it. Leave it to an non-Gibson company to do that cool feature on a bird. :thumbsup:

IMG_9289_zpscmuagr3w.jpg
 
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#15,392
hillerup said:
Also going wireless helps with the clumsy dicks, which trip over your lead.... :)
Click to expand...
I'm my own clumsy dick, which is why I went wireless. There are a lot of ways to embarrass yourself on stage with an instrument cord. Think dog, leash...

No broken headstocks yet, though, so at least I haven't done that.
 
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#15,393
Gaolee said:
I'm my own clumsy dick, which is why I went wireless. There are a lot of ways to embarrass yourself on stage with an instrument cord. Think dog, leash...

No broken headstocks yet, though, so at least I haven't done that.
Click to expand...

HAHAH!! I've been wanting to go wireless... but it'll have to wait for more gigs to start happening to be able to justify it.
 
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#15,395
Bill Fatty said:
Yeah this! A Burny Thunderbird from earlier in the thread! This is a beautiful bass. The reviews are good, value for money etc, and I bet with that volute at the headstock, the top doesn't break off. Truly gorgeous. I am so fecking jealous right now...

View attachment 853493
Click to expand...



I has Burny :D


The headstock is a friggin' Boat Paddle!

Burny017.jpg
 
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