Thunderbird Club

[GonePlaid]

Ugh. Sorry, sir- for you, him, and the rest of the band. What's the deal with outdoor venues? The humidity? Time for a new guitarist?

There's currently one outdoor venue we play at. Their pay is . We're working on getting in another. Yeah, it's humid. We can live with that.
"No" on another guitarist. This guy knows a shipload of songs and plays his @$$ off. While the other guy is better than a lot around here, he's just not as strong. At our ages, and with the small number of live gigs around this area even w/o the effing virus, it wouldn't be worth the time/effort to re-form. The current group's level of musicianship requires minimal rehearsal. Example: 1 of us learns a new(to us)song that will fit our 'act'. At a gig, he'll say "I do this in Eb, 2 verses, chorus, 2 solos, chorus, verse and out". The other 3 say "OK, let's do it second song this set". That's how we add new material. And no one in the crowd knows we've never done it-as a group-before(unless we tell them....which we don't). Other example: one night a guy asked us if we could do "Unchained Melody"-it was the couple's song at their wedding. I happen to know the lyrics. I told him that we'd try but we hadn't done it for awhile(actually, never). I told the other guys that I sang it in G[I don't have Bobby Hatfield's range. 'Course he doesn't either any more]. "Y'all know it?" "Yep!" Got a nice tip outta that one and now it's a regular number for us.

 

[Engle]

There's currently one outdoor venue we play at. Their pay is . We're working on getting in another. Yeah, it's humid. We can live with that.
"No" on another guitarist. This guy knows a shipload of songs and plays his @$$ off. While the other guy is better than a lot around here, he's just not as strong. At our ages, and with the small number of live gigs around this area even w/o the effing virus, it wouldn't be worth the time/effort to re-form. The current group's level of musicianship requires minimal rehearsal. Example: 1 of us learns a new(to us)song that will fit our 'act'. At a gig, he'll say "I do this in Eb, 2 verses, chorus, 2 solos, chorus, verse and out". The other 3 say "OK, let's do it second song this set". That's how we add new material. And no one in the crowd knows we've never done it-as a group-before(unless we tell them....which we don't). Other example: one night a guy asked us if we could do "Unchained Melody"-it was the couple's song at their wedding. I happen to know the lyrics. I told him that we'd try but we hadn't done it for awhile(actually, never). I told the other guys that I sang it in G[I don't have Bobby Hatfield's range. 'Course he doesn't either any more]. "Y'all know it?" "Yep!" Got a nice tip outta that one and now it's a regular number for us.

Yep that’s how you get it done!

 

[Mvf]

Most of my basses do as well. Everyone's experience and preferences are different, but TIs, Fenders and Cobalts thus far all sound good. I have not tried the TIs on a VP, just the '76. Nothing "one trick pony" about Thunderbirds at all. Almost forgot, Roto flats sound great on a VP as well.

Yep, my Rick 4003 has TIs, my Hofner violin and Gibson EB3 both have Roto flats, the 7ender P wears chromes. Maybe I try Fenders or Cobaltsm on my Orville T-bird?

 

[Mvf]

Dunno if I'd mentioned it here, but one of our guitarists(the better one, natch)has respiratory issues-not covid related-and has pretty much said he won't play any of our indoor venues. That eliminates all but one. This basically translates to "we're done." SUCKS!

Can’t like this, really sorry. But don’t give up jet, I’m sure you guys will find a way how to go on.

 

[Bassmike62]

Dunno if I'd mentioned it here, but one of our guitarists(the better one, natch)has respiratory issues-not covid related-and has pretty much said he won't play any of our indoor venues. That eliminates all but one. This basically translates to "we're done." SUCKS!

I'm beyond envious that you're managing to safely get together and make music.................I really miss it and have no idea when we'll even try a rehearsal, much less play a show. At this point Halloween looks like a doubtful date here in Washington.

I miss it too...

 

[MCF]

Dunno if I'd mentioned it here, but one of our guitarists(the better one, natch)has respiratory issues-not covid related-and has pretty much said he won't play any of our indoor venues. That eliminates all but one. This basically translates to "we're done." SUCKS!

Ah man. So sorry to hear that.

 

[BC Blackmur]

Oh, found a good cover for the runaway hair. Now I can play with the 'Bird and see it too:

 

[dagrev]

AMS has $20 off on the Epi Thunderbird case right now:
Invalid Link Removed
They also claim to have all three finishes of VP in stick, as well as the BO.

Great Thunderbird case if you aren't doing road work. Every Bird I have fits it it more snugly than any other case. Very good cushioning as well. I trust it with my '64.

 

[dagrev]

Uhhhh, no. ("bit" borrowed[plagiarised]from Steven Wright)

Hate not playing. We were told by the Governor today that no groups over 10 can meet (unless you're at bar or nightly protests), so even playing at church seems to be out, though with our very careful policies in place I feel as safe there as at home.

 

[GBassNorth]

Make that three of us.

...four and counting...

 

[dagrev]

Another week of furlough, nothing to do but drink and play with my 'Bird
COVID hair has overtaken me:
View attachment 3911692

Braggart. Some people have all the hair.

Just from looking, it seems your intonation might not be right. It would be unusual for the saddles to be lined up the same, but I guess it can happen.

 

[dagrev]

What is this tuning fetish people have? Tuning before playing with others? Tuning between songs? I tune every time I change strings.*



* you may want to take this with a grain of salt or two.

I played with a young guitar player some and I had to tell him regularly, "Dude, check your tuning." So much so it became a running joke.

 

[dagrev]

There's currently one outdoor venue we play at. Their pay is . We're working on getting in another. Yeah, it's humid. We can live with that.
"No" on another guitarist. This guy knows a shipload of songs and plays his @$$ off. While the other guy is better than a lot around here, he's just not as strong. At our ages, and with the small number of live gigs around this area even w/o the effing virus, it wouldn't be worth the time/effort to re-form. The current group's level of musicianship requires minimal rehearsal. Example: 1 of us learns a new(to us)song that will fit our 'act'. At a gig, he'll say "I do this in Eb, 2 verses, chorus, 2 solos, chorus, verse and out". The other 3 say "OK, let's do it second song this set". That's how we add new material. And no one in the crowd knows we've never done it-as a group-before(unless we tell them....which we don't). Other example: one night a guy asked us if we could do "Unchained Melody"-it was the couple's song at their wedding. I happen to know the lyrics. I told him that we'd try but we hadn't done it for awhile(actually, never). I told the other guys that I sang it in G[I don't have Bobby Hatfield's range. 'Course he doesn't either any more]. "Y'all know it?" "Yep!" Got a nice tip outta that one and now it's a regular number for us.

You can't be "average" and pull that kind of think off on a regular basis.

 

[dagrev]

I miss it too...

You know what I really miss? The days (years ago) when you could go hang out at a local music store, talk to other players and workers, talk about up coming gigs and grab anything you might need for that evening. Hard to find that kind of store community these days since all the smaller shops are mostly gone.

 

[PillO]

Oh, found a good cover for the runaway hair. Now I can play with the 'Bird and see it too:
View attachment 3912230

One of these would work too. And a lot more fun!

 

[PillO]

Hate not playing. We were told by the Governor today that no groups over 10 can meet (unless you're at bar or nightly protests), so even playing at church seems to be out, though with our very careful policies in place I feel as safe there as at home.

[standing next to the third rail on one leg]
Can you play at church if you don't call it church, but rather a protest against the devil?
[/standing next to the third rail on one leg]

 

[PillO]

I played with a young guitar player some and I had to tell him regularly, "Dude, check your tuning." So much so it became a running joke.

I say take it with a grain of salt as I don't tune every time I change strings...

 

[PillO]

I played with a young guitar player some and I had to tell him regularly, "Dude, check your tuning." So much so it became a running joke.

I'm betting he loves doing dive bombs and doesn't use a lubricant on his nut (ahem) when he changes strings (or maybe doesn't change strings, because, you know, floating bridge).

 

[PillO]

You know what I really miss? The days (years ago) when you could go hang out at a local music store, talk to other players and workers, talk about up coming gigs and grab anything you might need for that evening. Hard to find that kind of store community these days since all the smaller shops are mostly gone.

Because everyone started buying online to save a couple of bucks. We have seen the enemy and he is us.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

You know what I really miss? The days (years ago) when you could go hang out at a local music store, talk to other players and workers, talk about up coming gigs and grab anything you might need for that evening. Hard to find that kind of store community these days since all the smaller shops are mostly gone.

+1... I remember spending whole weekends like that...young and broke at least you had some options (beach being another, back in the days of free parking)....don’t wanna get mushy but I feel for kids today...