Thunderbird Club

[bylar13]

A band I am in made a video for our new record. Kinda tough trying to coordinate all this during a pandemic. It is situation-ally-appropriate-low-budget!

It was all shot just as we were allowed back outside here in PA!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Let’s talk some settings and tones. Now that I’ve had some more time to play my new Tbird.

First off this bass is super fun to play. It’s way lighter weight than it appears as well.

They look and sound like monsters, so it's easy to assume they'll way a lot.

That said, people have reported everything from 8 pounds to over 10. I need to get some bass (fish) scales to way my bass (guitars). Whatever mine weigh, they work for me. The VP is probably the heaviest, and most of that's in the headstock. 8^)

What is the consensus on setting Pickup height? On most my basses I set the pickups as close to the strings without hitting, usually for maximum output.

Will they sound better lowered down some?

The majority wisdom seems to be that for most birds you crank the pickups up as close to the strings as you can without interference problems. The 2015 (I think) has much stronger magnets, so back down on those or the strings get dampened by the magnetic pull. I've cranked mine up till they're loose, then backed off a bit. I keep forgetting to get new springs or foam so I can crank them up more. I hear a (good) difference the higher they go, so I play mine as high as I can.

Try and see what works for you!

Also, it's always good to remind people which bird you're referring to since things can vary between models.

So far my fav settings are tone on full, either both pickups on full or either one rolled off a tad. I can’t decide my favorite yet. From what I’ve played so far I feel the classic Tbird tone is Tone and both pickups full.

I’m not sure if I like the neck pickup solo’d but the bridge pickup solo’d starts to get into Ric territory which is pretty cool because I love Rics. Actually the feel of the Tbird reminds me more of my Rics than any other bass I’ve played. The ergonomics or neck-through feel or thin body or all of the above puts Birds and Rics in the same family imo.

Anyway, now I’m just rambling, but I’m loving this bass a lot and I’m wondering where you all set your pickup height and what some of your favorite setting are?

Also I’d be curious if anybody makes a big single coil Bird sized pickup? That might be cool.

My starting point on the BO and CP (both with Cobalt Flats) is neck on full, tone off or low, bridge off. The bridge sometimes comes up to 2 or 3, and the tone can go up to 10, but usually stays well below 5.

My VP (RS66s) has the neck up, bridge typically off or low, but occasionally way up, tone usually 3-7, sometimes 10, occasionally off.

No idea on the single coil. You wanting to build a BUZZard?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Gettin' a bass lesson from one of my faves, Mr. John Taylor of Duran Duran - Rio is an all time cool song, he breaks down here. Really fun stuff, play it on a two pickup Bird with the bridge favored!

He got a C-section!?!?!?

 

[dagrev]

They do more than just the AP sound on a VP. They won't go as dark as some strings, but they do have a wide range.

Nice! I haven't played them on a Thunderbird in decades. I'm hoping for some extra excitement!

Weird note. After playing the DR black beauties mostly, I played the Thunderbird with the Rotos on it never even noticed they felt rough. Even after thinking about it, they didn't feel rough on the fingers. Go figure. I literally would not have known they were Rotos.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Gettin' a bass lesson from one of my faves, Mr. John Taylor of Duran Duran - Rio is an all time cool song, he breaks down here. Really fun stuff, play it on a two pickup Bird with the bridge favored!

This led me to a bass cover of Rhiannon. I never noticed how Motown-esque that bass part was.

 

[Engle]

Listening now. Didn't know there was such a thing!
"This is great stuff. You can really hear what each musician is playing, before all the later overdubs. (And I like how THIS is Yes' idea of "laying down BASIC tracks" LOL) They're all great, but it always amazes me when I focus on what Chris Squire is doing - fast runs up and down the neck, little variations of the main riff. It almost sounds like he's soloing a lot of the time, but it's more like an arranged orchestral part- not just gratuitous showing off. Sometimes sounds almost like a deep, crunchier second guitar. His bass parts just fit so perfectly. Such a huge part of the Yes sound. RIP Mr. Squire." -joefry22 on youtube

I prefer this version. It showcases what great musicians they all were. They didn’t really need the production gloss.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Nice! I haven't played them on a Thunderbird in decades. I'm hoping for some extra excitement!

Weird note. After playing the DR black beauties mostly, I played the Thunderbird with the Rotos on it never even noticed they felt rough. Even after thinking about it, they didn't feel rough on the fingers. Go figure. I literally would not have known they were Rotos.

I love the CFs, and they've never bothered my fingers. They're the best bass strings I have found for as much as I tend to slide. BUT... after playing them a while, RS66s don't bother me any more. That was cool to find out.

 

[dagrev]

A band I am in made a video for our new record. Kinda tough trying to coordinate all this during a pandemic. It is situation-ally-appropriate-low-budget!

It was all shot just as we were allowed back outside here in PA!

I'm not normally that fond of distortion on a bass, but works great here!

 

[Engle]

A band I am in made a video for our new record. Kinda tough trying to coordinate all this during a pandemic. It is situation-ally-appropriate-low-budget!

It was all shot just as we were allowed back outside here in PA!

Frickin Awesome man!

 

[TBird1958]

A band I am in made a video for our new record. Kinda tough trying to coordinate all this during a pandemic. It is situation-ally-appropriate-low-budget!

It was all shot just as we were allowed back outside here in PA!

Coll sog, I really like it! Plus points for the girl in orange - partially shaved her head, yummy!

 

[Engle]

Definitely play when you get a chance and can do it safely. Really hate to hear about how it's devastated your band. Likely many others in the same shape. Given the nature of some musicians, some bands may not get back together as they have now outlived their useful symbiotic cohesion cycle. Hope that's not true for y'all. The mature will bounce back. They have experience in bouncing back.

In my cover band, the forced break created an opportunity for our drummer to leave. We didn’t have any gigs coming up and he really didn’t like the guitarist. I am somewhat relieved now that I don’t have to “manage” the two of them.

The guitarist and singer have invited me to play some outdoor block parties with them, so I’m going to take those opportunities while they are available.

 

[Engle]

NR alert!
I wonder if a Tbird PU with ring would cover the J PU?
For Sale - Epiphone Non Reverse Thunderbird, OHSC

 

[donahue]

I forgot to mention I had one small gripe about my Tbird. Not a big deal but the truss rod cover is kind of just a flimsy thin piece of plastic that’s not even really sitting flat on the headstock.

I was wondering if there is a place to get a nicer TRC? Perhaps a little more robust and not just embossed logo? Maybe engraved or raised letter?

I’m not sure if they are like that across the board or just flimsy on a certain year/era?

Thanks

 

[Count Bassie]

It's a littler unsettling, the inconsistency across the board concerning what's being called a deadly pandemic. The idea that the mask isn't mandated, but states are handling (or not) their own populations seems like missing ther mark.

A friend of mine sent me a video, just for consideration, where a guy who's talking mentions tuberculosis, 1.5 people dying from it but the news isn't talking about it, so it's not being treated as a pandemic.
My point is not to dismiss the current concern, but to look at how it's being handled, and consider why. Our general population is, perhaps, being handled... by someone.

Typos. Lol... 1.5 million died of TB.

Other typos, but hey. Enjoy!!

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Welp. Glad this stuff is out there. I had to figure this sort of thing out on my own.



A bit sad that every cover of BMW bass I can find is for the Santana version (which I also love), rather than the Fleetwood Mac version. I'd expect at least a few of those.

 

[Count Bassie]

Listening now. Didn't know there was such a thing!
"This is great stuff. You can really hear what each musician is playing, before all the later overdubs. (And I like how THIS is Yes' idea of "laying down BASIC tracks" LOL) They're all great, but it always amazes me when I focus on what Chris Squire is doing - fast runs up and down the neck, little variations of the main riff. It almost sounds like he's soloing a lot of the time, but it's more like an arranged orchestral part- not just gratuitous showing off. Sometimes sounds almost like a deep, crunchier second guitar. His bass parts just fit so perfectly. Such a huge part of the Yes sound. RIP Mr. Squire." -joefry22 on youtube

Yes yes yes, Squier had a chorister's education, and ears everybody doesn't get. He's got an entertaining take on those arrangements.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

A band I am in made a video for our new record. Kinda tough trying to coordinate all this during a pandemic. It is situation-ally-appropriate-low-budget!

It was all shot just as we were allowed back outside here in PA!

Love it! Are the skaters family, friends, hired guns, or what?

 

[Nocturnal]

I'm bored, maybe I'll put some angel wings on the Daughters FrankenGoth...
View attachment 3918455

Interesting idea. Would the wings be white or another color? Would you make this from pickguard type material or decals, or..........????

 

[dagrev]

In my cover band, the forced break created an opportunity for our drummer to leave. We didn’t have any gigs coming up and he really didn’t like the guitarist. I am somewhat relieved now that I don’t have to “manage” the two of them.

The guitarist and singer have invited me to play some outdoor block parties with them, so I’m going to take those opportunities while they are available.

I'm glad that was kind of a silver lining in the Covid cloud. Reshuffling certainly isn't always a bad thing. Fortunately I've only been in a couple situations where there was some tense situations between two people. Most of the time I have been really blessed to have good relationships with everybody. But it's surly miserable when it doesn't work that way.

 

[dagrev]

I forgot to mention I had one small gripe about my Tbird. Not a big deal but the truss rod cover is kind of just a flimsy thin piece of plastic that’s not even really sitting flat on the headstock.

I was wondering if there is a place to get a nicer TRC? Perhaps a little more robust and not just embossed logo? Maybe engraved or raised letter?

I’m not sure if they are like that across the board or just flimsy on a certain year/era?

Thanks

Yes, the modern ones are flimsy. But they do what they're supposed to do. Unless you break it, don't worry about it. It'll be fine. If you do break it, figure out what it was you were doing wrong. My modern Gibson has a metal TRC made by the previous owner. I left it on there because it matches the aluminum pick guard.

On second thought, maybe that's how Gibson figured out solving the neck dive issue!