Thunderbird Club

[Chucky Stiletti]

The original "K" car!
View attachment 3863552

very cool! his SuperBee just went for over 2 million on Mecum.....me, more of an AMC kinda guy..

 

[JJR58]

Not that I'm to that point yet, but anyone know anything about these or hear of them before? Numbers are slightly different than the Chinabuckers.
Thunderbird Bass Pickup Set | eBay

ChinaBuckers if i'm not mistaken.

 

[Gaolee]

Happy Thunderbird Thursday..With an IPA and a little bit of Makers Mark!
Inspired by Pillo’s post today

This is my near mint Bicentennial 76 RI Thunderbird.
I traded a 75 tuxedo precision Bass plus $100 for this in 1977.
It came from a shop in Falls Church Va. called Rolls Music.
I remember that the owner of the store,Phil had just taken this back in trade from a customer that had purchased it from him a few months earlier..Suprise..the guy could not get used to neck dive..even back then

Phil was a wheeler and dealer..he said just take it home with you to see how you like it and bring back the P Bass that I sold you and $100 bucks next week..no pressure.

What a sucker I was..now Thunderbirds are a big part of my arsenal..and now I’m in this club..coincidence or destiny?

Cheers everyone .

You were chosen for sure!

 

[dagrev]

ChinaBuckers if i'm not mistaken.

That's what I thought, but the output numbers on the neck PU was different from EY's numbers. That's what threw me off.

 

[KaraQ]

How do you like the Pro 5?
I've heard that they sound different than most of the other TBirds out there and I'm always on the lookout for something different.

The only thing I can compare it to directly is my Epi IV. I can pretty easily get the V to sound very similar, but it also has a lot more tonal variations because of the active "eq". Kinda weirdly though, it doesn't seem to push my amp quite as hard. Planning to try a fresh 9V this weekend, see if that makes any significant difference

 

[JJR58]

That's what I thought, but the output numbers on the neck PU was different from EY's numbers. That's what threw me off.

I think @Chucky Stiletti can speak to this. Sometimes it's not the numbers though.

As V said very recently, something to the effect that they lack a certain hugeness.
(didn't mean for an ehem there)......

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Hipshot customer service...all it took was one email......by offering longer inserts, ones that run the length of the studs, insert pull problem on Gibbys solved..

 

[JIO]

Not that I'm to that point yet, but anyone know anything about these or hear of them before? Numbers are slightly different than the Chinabuckers.
Thunderbird Bass Pickup Set | eBay

I'm pretty sure those are the same as ones I installed in one of my custom basses and not having the comparison - they sound really good.

 

[JIO]

very cool! his SuperBee just went for over 2 million on Mecum.....me, more of an AMC kinda guy..
View attachment 3863572

Great word-play name!

 

[JIO]

Hipshot customer service...all it took was one email......by offering longer inserts, ones that run the length of the studs, insert pull problem on Gibbys solved..
View attachment 3863579

Hipshot is a good company - great customer support. I've given them my money for their fine bridges and drop-D mechanisms.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

All stock truss rod covers on my birds - the gloss black on the left is an Eppi VP, and the satin Black towards the right is an Eppi Goth. Right now I only have two Gibby birds, the Gold one and the Burst 2015. The multi color is a Spector Rex5 Pro and was the gateway drug to my now uncontrollable TBird addiction. Hopefully by Monday I'll have a new addition to the aviary, a vintage Greco TBird II in burst finish. After that I really only see one additional bird needed, a NR variety, that "might" be the last bird acquisition for me.

Nice. Thought maybe it was an old Gibby or TRS tomfoolery

What’s the black one? Looks like an Epi VP, but the TRC says Gibson?

Nope...my first glance was wrong...clearly can see the “phone” of “Epiphone” on the VP’s TRC.

 

[GonePlaid]

This showed up on another thread. Anyone know what kind of bass Davy is(n't) playing?

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Agreed!
Seeing slowly but surely, friend’s bands starting to post gigs...looks mostly outdoor type gigs.
My band hasn’t rehearsed since late March! Our lead singer was in Michigan with family until last week, and now our rhythm guitar is hesitant to meet up, as his dad is in a home that just opened up for visitors this week, and doesn’t want to risk getting him sick. Bummer, but what can you do? Gotta support your band mates.

 

[GonePlaid]

Agreed!
Seeing slowly but surely, friend’s bands starting to post gigs...looks mostly outdoor type gigs.
My band hasn’t rehearsed since late March! Our lead singer was in Michigan with family until last week, and now our rhythm guitar is hesitant to meet up, as his dad is in a home that just opened up for visitors this week, and doesn’t want to risk getting him sick. Bummer, but what can you do? Gotta support your band mates.

Our group has a gig this Sat'day night. First since 3/14. 3 regulars plus 1 sub, but we all know the same[stuff].

 

[JIO]

This showed up on another thread. Anyone know what kind of bass Davy is(n't) playing?

Guild JetStar - always liked that bass-line

 

[GonePlaid]

Guild Thunderbird - always liked that bass-line

Thx. Kinda cool. I like the tone it gets-plugged into the bass drum.

 

[dagrev]

I think @Chucky Stiletti can speak to this. Sometimes it's not the numbers though.

As V said very recently, something to the effect that they lack a certain hugeness.
(didn't mean for an ehem there)......

Thanks. I hope I don't have to go the PU path and can figure out the strings and EQ to make it work well. I was expecting it to have a different flavor to it, but was surprised by just how different it was. My plan is to make it work, but keep my eyes out for a good set just in case.

 

[JIO]

Thx. Kinda cool. I like the tone it gets-plugged into the bass drum.

I changed it - it was called the JetStar. The guitar version was called the Thunderbird if I remember correctly. (just looked it up - the S-100/S-200 Thunderbird guitar) It was famous for it's "kick-stand" which although an interesting concept was know to topple very easily.

 

[GonePlaid]

I changed it - it was called the JetStar. The guitar version was called the Thunderbird if I remember correctly.

Yeah. I saw the revision. Wonder if there's any still out there-in status symbol land.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Our group has a gig this Sat'day night. First since 3/14. 3 regulars plus 1 sub, but we all know the same[stuff].

Very cool! What’s the set list?