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Thunderbird Club

#155,221
Chucky Stiletti said:
what model is yours? is it the slimline earlier model? Does it have the belly cut?
Click to expand...
Yes, it has the belly cut.

Interestingly, the bridge does not have grooved saddles. Not sure if that's the norm, but I don't have any saddle files so I'll probably have to find a local Luthier to bring the bridge up to snuff. Doesn't seem to effect playability, tuning or intonation but does seem odd. Might have a new nut put on at the same time, it looks like the G string groove is cut too deep.
IMG_4144.JPG IMG_4145.JPG

All just minor set up stuff, the bass looks and plays wonderfully and the action is good and low.
 
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#155,222
A1EA575D-FC3A-40D3-87AF-9E977F095A20.jpeg 1E9CA7BD-5092-42C2-9C09-299006EE6EED.jpeg 1E9CA7BD-5092-42C2-9C09-299006EE6EED.jpeg
GBassNorth said:
Yes, it has the belly cut.

Interestingly, the bridge does not have grooved saddles. Not sure if that's the norm, but I don't have any saddle files so I'll probably have to find a local Luthier to bring the bridge up to snuff. Doesn't seem to effect playability, tuning or intonation but does seem odd. Might have a new nut put on at the same time, it looks like the G string groove is cut too deep.
View attachment 3878935 View attachment 3878936

All just minor set up stuff, the bass looks and plays wonderfully and the action is good and low.
Click to expand...
Nice, less stuff to do to it. Mine had the saddle grooves, I did replace the claw with one of Scott’s....also replaced the nut for a bone one. Have never seen a nut like the original BaCH one which is hollow and almost seems like an extrusion...
A1EA575D-FC3A-40D3-87AF-9E977F095A20.jpeg

1E9CA7BD-5092-42C2-9C09-299006EE6EED.jpeg
 
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#155,223
GBassNorth said:
Yes, it has the belly cut.

Interestingly, the bridge does not have grooved saddles. Not sure if that's the norm, but I don't have any saddle files so I'll probably have to find a local Luthier to bring the bridge up to snuff. Doesn't seem to effect playability, tuning or intonation but does seem odd. Might have a new nut put on at the same time, it looks like the G string groove is cut too deep.
View attachment 3878935 View attachment 3878936

All just minor set up stuff, the bass looks and plays wonderfully and the action is good and low.
Click to expand...

are you going to put a Firebird sticker on it ?
 
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#155,224
GBassNorth said:
Yes, it has the belly cut.

Interestingly, the bridge does not have grooved saddles. Not sure if that's the norm, but I don't have any saddle files so I'll probably have to find a local Luthier to bring the bridge up to snuff. Doesn't seem to effect playability, tuning or intonation but does seem odd. Might have a new nut put on at the same time, it looks like the G string groove is cut too deep.
View attachment 3878935 View attachment 3878936

All just minor set up stuff, the bass looks and plays wonderfully and the action is good and low.
Click to expand...

Mine did not have notches on the bridge saddles either. It was never an issue tho as they never seemed to move around. The plastic nut was cut good enough on mine but I heard a couple people complain about them. I always planned on having a nut made for it but never got around to it.
 
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#155,225
Nocturnal said:
Mine did not have notches on the bridge saddles either. It was never an issue tho as they never seemed to move around. The plastic nut was cut good enough on mine but I heard a couple people complain about them. I always planned on having a nut made for it but never got around to it.
Click to expand...
The original Badass bridge didn't have notches in the saddles. I think people carved them out themselves.
 
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#155,226
Chucky Stiletti said:
View attachment 3878945 View attachment 3878946 View attachment 3878946
Nice, less stuff to do to it. Mine had the saddle grooves, I did replace the claw with one of Scott’s....also replaced the nut for a bone one. Have never seen a nut like the original BaCH one which is hollow and almost seems like an extrusion...
View attachment 3878945
View attachment 3878946
Click to expand...
Now those are what I'd call saddle grooves!

RedVee said:
are you going to put a Firebird sticker on it ?
Click to expand...
LOL - as soon as I find an Epoch Firebird sticker I'm slapping it on her!
 
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#155,227
Nocturnal said:
Mine did not have notches on the bridge saddles either. It was never an issue tho as they never seemed to move around. The plastic nut was cut good enough on mine but I heard a couple people complain about them. I always planned on having a nut made for it but never got around to it.
Click to expand...
Yeah, these aren't moving noticeable either but if you look closely at the pics you can see where the strings have scuffed the chrome off and exposed the soft brass underneath. I'll get the saddles grooved properly along with a nice bone nut install. Of course I'll have to have the saddles rechromed as well once the grooves are cut.

I think fellow TB'er JohnK lives somewhere near me and has done a lot of work on his BaCH so I might tap him for the work if he's still into it.
 
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#155,232
Gaolee said:
I had the same rounds on my EB-2 for close to 30 years. They were on it when I got it. They sounded just fine. Why did I replace them, anyway?
Click to expand...
If I am happy with the strings, I will not replace them. If I feel the need to experiment, I’ll keep the happy strings handy to put back on. Can’t do that often with guitar strings!
 
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#155,239
GBassNorth said:
Yes, it has the belly cut.

Interestingly, the bridge does not have grooved saddles. Not sure if that's the norm, but I don't have any saddle files so I'll probably have to find a local Luthier to bring the bridge up to snuff. Doesn't seem to effect playability, tuning or intonation but does seem odd. Might have a new nut put on at the same time, it looks like the G string groove is cut too deep.
View attachment 3878935 View attachment 3878936

All just minor set up stuff, the bass looks and plays wonderfully and the action is good and low.
Click to expand...

What strings are those?
 
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