Thunderbird Club

[T-BirdBassist89]

Hi. There is no such thing as a dumb question around here. You’re asking about on the white T-bird in your avatar? First thing to try is adjusting pickup height and see/hear if there is a difference. Ask as many questions as you need. Lot’s of help to be had from the group here.

I appreciate that also I just adjusted it and it helped a lot than you.

 

[GBassNorth]

Man, what’s the corkscrew really like? (I’ve only ever done it on the PlayStation!)

The first few times through it are pretty hair raising because you lose sight of the road for a brief second and it's a fast drop in elevation. After a few laps you have most of your landmarks memorized and rhythm and muscle memory starts to take over. Like anything else, the more you do it the better you get. I'm far from pro level and have only tracked at Laguna 3 different times so there's a lot of amateurs out there faster than me on that track, but it's a fun one (until you get to turn 5 and have to let off the gas or risk being black flagged for high noise).

 

[RayWithFlats]

The first few times through it are pretty hair raising because you lose sight of the road for a brief second and it's a fast drop in elevation.

Yeah, I think I’d have to pit in every lap for a clean race suit!

 

[dagrev]

If I understand correctly what you guys are talking about with respect to the neck being further out on the VP than the 60s Thunderbirds, could it be that the saddles on the VP's bridge are at the same spot, or close to, as the CP and current Gibson?

Seems so. But I haven't measured. The only comparison pics I have. You can see the claw is about even with the tone knob, and the same seems to true for the hipshot.

 

[dagrev]

I could see myself driving that. A blue one would be cool.

Imagine that!

 

[dagrev]

Doesn't matter much to me. I get up to the 12th fret about once per gig.

Yeah, they didn't need to do that for me either. Not much bass way up there, is there?

 

[D.M.N.]

Maybe Gibson is planning on making a spot on reproduction so the Epi needed to be different! That there boys is some serious crazy talk!

I'd need to start selling so much gear if Gibson did a proper reissue with the same effort they put into guitars. But only if they made a II.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Looks like a blast to drive and a real bang for the buck bargain in the high performance category. That said, I know more than a few Porsche GT3 RS track drivers that aren't concerned about being overtaken by the new C8 on a road course, a quarter mile drag strip, or a top end run.

The same professional level driver in each car would almost certainly clock a faster road course lap time in the rear engine porsche. But as I said earlier, overcoming the disadvantages of a rear engine car vs a mid engine car takes a lot of money and engineering effort, which is why the GT3RS costs magnitudes more than a C8. The Corvette clearly offers 95% of the Porsche performance at 30% of the cost, that's a winning combo in a lot of people's books.

Have fun today! Wish I was there with you. I've hot lapped the C7 at Laguna Seca and it was a blast (a little wild, but still fun). Hopefully I'll get a chance to do it with the C8, should be a huge improvement. Unfortunately our Porsche Club events have all been put on hold this year. Maybe next year will be better.

Interesting article...
2020 Chevy Corvette Z51 vs. 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Track Tests
An actual head to head run with pro drivers would be neat to see - seen a lot of YouTube amature hour stuff but nothing legit so far.

yeah but now you’re making it Porsche specific which wasn’t my intention. The rear engine Porsche design was inspired by the Czech made Tatras that Hitler had to forbid his officers from driving since it was killing a bunch of them, in fact the Tatras were known as the best kept Czech secret weapon....it then evolved into an ideology that was closely guarded and protected by Porsche since it became THEIR identity. So much so, that the superior performance of the mid engined 916 (914 with a 911 6 cyl instead of the VW 4 cyl) caused the discontinuation of the 916 due to impacted 911 sales....
In a nutshell, mid engine is superior as proven by the fact that F1 cars are mid, not rear engined...

 

[Gaolee]

Dumb question my bridge humbucker sounds dull compared to the neck humbucker. Is there something wrong with it or is there anything I can do to fix it?

Raise it closer to the strings. That might help.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Seems so. But I haven't measured. The only comparison pics I have. You can see the claw is about even with the tone knob, and the same seems to true for the hipshot.

View attachment 3902313

View attachment 3902314

dimensionally closer to a later Gibby model...not surprising but trippy..

 

[T-BirdBassist89]

Anyone customize their t-birds with different pickups if so which ones are best?

 

[GBassNorth]

yeah but now you’re making it Porsche specific which wasn’t my intention. The rear engine Porsche design was inspired by the Czech made Tatras that Hitler had to forbid his officers from driving since it was killing a bunch of them, in fact the Tatras were known as the best kept Czech secret weapon....it then evolved into an ideology that was closely guarded and protected by Porsche since it became THEIR identity. So much so, that the superior performance of the mid engined 916 (914 with a 911 6 cyl instead of the VW 4 cyl) caused the discontinuation of the 916 due to impacted 911 sales....
In a nutshell, mid engine is superior as proven by the fact that F1 cars are mid, not rear engined...

LOL - Hitler reference, you win! Seriously, we're both saying the same thing - A mid engine design with 50/50 weight distribution is an inherently better handling design.

Since we agree on that, I assume you're taking exception with my comment that it's possible to compensate for a less balanced weight distribution (like a rear engine) but that it takes a lot of engineering and money to do so. The best example I could think of is the Porsche GT3 RSR. Take a horrible engine location and throw tons of money at it and decades of engineering refinements and it'll hang with or beat just about anything in its class including mid engine rivals. That is a fact.

And as I noted, you pay a hefty price for all that work - about three C8's worth of money in this case. Is it worth it? That's for the individual buyer to decide.

Now enough about cars - have you tried the La Bella Black Tapes on your bird yet? I'd be interested to hear what you think of them.

 

[TBird1958]

Anyone customize their t-birds with different pickups if so which ones are best?

There's no one *best*, while I use Lulls in some of mine I also have some with the stock Gibson, Epiphone, Jackson or whatever in them as well. There are many fans of Thunderbucker Ranch here, and the work of Jason Lollar gets really high praise as well.

Lull + Gibson, in this case an '89.

 

[T-BirdBassist89]

There's no one *best*, while I use Lulls in some of mine I also have some with the stock Gibson, Epiphone, Jackson or whatever in them as well. There are many fans of Thunderbucker Ranch here, and the work of Jason Lollar gets really high praise as well.

Lull + Gibson, in this case an '89.

View attachment 3902531

Thank you for the info gonna check out what Thunderbucker ranch has to offer as well as Jason Lollar

 

[JJR58]

15-16 pages to catch up on, mmmm.
I need dinner first.

 

[RedVee]

The first few times through it are pretty hair raising because you lose sight of the road for a brief second and it's a fast drop in elevation. After a few laps you have most of your landmarks memorized and rhythm and muscle memory starts to take over. Like anything else, the more you do it the better you get. I'm far from pro level and have only tracked at Laguna 3 different times so there's a lot of amateurs out there faster than me on that track, but it's a fun one (until you get to turn 5 and have to let off the gas or risk being black flagged for high noise).

You may like Skyline at Bathurst. Even at 60kph in a road car it is an odd feeling when the road disappears and all you see is the outskirts of Bathurst.

9 time Bathurst winner Peter Brock was so good through the top of the mountain that after his death they renamed Skyline to Brock’s Skyline.

 

[Gaolee]

Anyone customize their t-birds with different pickups if so which ones are best?

There are lots of good options out there. I'm not sure there's such a thing as best.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

LOL - Hitler reference, you win! Seriously, we're both saying the same thing - A mid engine design with 50/50 weight distribution is an inherently better handling design.

Since we agree on that, I assume you're taking exception with my comment that it's possible to compensate for a less balanced weight distribution (like a rear engine) but that it takes a lot of engineering and money to do so. The best example I could think of is the Porsche GT3 RSR. Take a horrible engine location and throw tons of money at it and decades of engineering refinements and it'll hang with or beat just about anything in its class including mid engine rivals. That is a fact.

And as I noted, you pay a hefty price for all that work - about three C8's worth of money in this case. Is it worth it? That's for the individual buyer to decide.

Now enough about cars - have you tried the La Bella Black Tapes on your bird yet? I'd be interested to hear what you think of them.

Not yet, took the 13 to my buddy’s shop where we were going to make the PG and take his Vette to the track but found out I have to reschedule with Dreamracing...

 

[T-BirdBassist89]

There are lots of good options out there. I'm not sure there's such a thing as best.

Which ones would fit an Epiphone thunderbird pro Iv I've seen some i like but dont sure about size

 

[MCF]

There are lots of good options out there. I'm not sure there's such a thing as best.

Yep. That’s why one needs several THUNDERBIRDS! Gotta try them all.