Thunderbird Club

[TBird1958]

That is pretty cool. Is he using Apple earbuds? This led me to his Rig Rundown with a very nice Cirrus. He seems like he’s a good guy.

His book "In the pleasure groove" is very good, he admits his failings to drugs and the price he paid. He seems very humble, genuine and I really like these videos of his.

 

[Nocturnal]

That is pretty cool. Is he using Apple earbuds? This led me to his Rig Rundown with a very nice Cirrus. He seems like he’s a good guy.

My friend (and bass tech) worked for Duran Duran for several years and says that John Taylor is a great guy. Says that despite all the success he is a fairly level headed normal guy. Actually, said they were all good to work with except Andy Taylor, who didn't stay very long with the reunion. My friend said that he was able to help all of them secure gear endorsements, except Andy. He claimed that no one wanted to deal with Andy.

 

[MCF]

His book "In the pleasure groove" is very good, he admits his failings to drugs and the price he paid. He seems very humble, genuine and I really like these videos of his.

Thanks. I’ll get the book. I wasn’t really ever into them, but my brother was. Time to broaden my listening I think.

 

[dagrev]

I always imagine them, as teenagers, listening to The Faces and saying "THIS is what we should do!"

Interesting take. Never thought of that.

 

[MCF]

I was inside the car. Belted in. The phone was atop the car, not belted in. The phone was with a face mask, which makes the fact it stayed in place 2-3 miles at that speed rather impressive.

Ok thanks. Explains a lot. Kinda thought that was the story, you pulled the old “left it sitting on the car bit.” You needed a new phone anyway. Too bad about the camera, if it still worked you could’ve sent it to Plaid.

 

[KaraQ]

I've heard it said (once or twice ) that it is difficult/impossible to get a very low string action on Thunderbirds with the original bridge. So, I thought I'd give that a go, see how low I could get mine.
Bottomed out the bridge, strings were almost flat against the fretboard. Pulled it back up enough to completely get rid of fret buzz below the 12th fret on all 4 strings.
Do I just have an uncommonly adjustable bass, or are people wanting action that is lower than this? (3/32 above the fret without depressing the string):

 

[Gaolee]

I've heard it said (once or twice ) that it is difficult/impossible to get a very low string action on Thunderbirds with the original bridge. So, I thought I'd give that a go, see how low I could get mine.
Bottomed out the bridge, strings were almost flat against the fretboard. Pulled it back up enough to completely get rid of fret buzz below the 12th fret on all 4 strings.
Do I just have an uncommonly adjustable bass, or are people wanting action that is lower than this? (3/32 above the fret without depressing the string):

View attachment 3920292

You are just disproving the usual propaganda. If the headstock doesn't pop off on its way on a dive to the floor, then it is another one of those things that everyone just knows makes your bass an exception.

 

[KaraQ]

You are just disproving the usual propaganda. If the headstock doesn't pop off on its way on a dove to the floor, then it is another one of those things that everyone just knows makes your bass an exception.

I've heard the headstock rumors. To the point that, before I bought my first one, I half expected there to be a special case compartment for storing the headstock.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I've heard it said (once or twice ) that it is difficult/impossible to get a very low string action on Thunderbirds with the original bridge. So, I thought I'd give that a go, see how low I could get mine.
Bottomed out the bridge, strings were almost flat against the fretboard. Pulled it back up enough to completely get rid of fret buzz below the 12th fret on all 4 strings.
Do I just have an uncommonly adjustable bass, or are people wanting action that is lower than this? (3/32 above the fret without depressing the string)

While I’m not keen on the appearance or engineering approach of the three point, I would have left it on except the Cobalt flats’ Silks went over the saddles, and I couldn’t quite intonate the CFs. The Supertone solved all of those issues.

the 3P went plenty low for me.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I've heard the headstock rumors. To the point that, before I bought my first one, I half expected there to be a special case compartment for storing the headstock.

There wasn’t? You got ripped off!

 

[Butcherboy]

Hybrid Sunday... St. Vincent Bird has still her guitar pickups but a bass bridge now.... neck angle needs a correction.... still lots of work to do...

 

[KaraQ]

While I’m not keen on the appearance or engineering approach of the three point, I would have left it on except the Cobalt flats’ Silks went over the saddles, and I couldn’t quite intonate the CFs. The Supertone solved all of those issues.

The topic of silks on saddles seems to be pretty popular here on TB, but I'm still not entirely clear what the issue is? The silks on my Roto 77s are very much on the bridge saddles, but don't seem to cause any problems (that I'm aware of...).
Is the intonation where it causes problems?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

The topic of silks on saddles seems to be pretty popular here on TB, but I'm still not entirely clear what the issue is? The silks on my Roto 77s are very much on the bridge saddles, but don't seem to cause any problems (that I'm aware of...).
Is the intonation where it causes problems?
View attachment 3920393

On mine, the silks on saddles seemed to cause a bit of muffling/sustain difference- both overall and in terms of string balance.

 

[donahue]

Hybrid Sunday... St. Vincent Bird has still her guitar pickups but a bass bridge now.... neck angle needs a correction.... still lots of work to do...

View attachment 3920384

Wow that double P with the built in handle is awesome!

 

[KaraQ]

On mine, the silks on saddles seemed to cause a bit of muffling/sustain difference- both overall and in terms of string balance.

Hmm, maybe I just don't notice because this is the only set of strings I've had on it? (and my Pro 5 has the same kind of strings)

Maybe (not) related - how does the silks being over the saddles differ from having tapewound strings? I'm assuming the difference is because of the type of material on the strings?

 

[Gaolee]

The topic of silks on saddles seems to be pretty popular here on TB, but I'm still not entirely clear what the issue is? The silks on my Roto 77s are very much on the bridge saddles, but don't seem to cause any problems (that I'm aware of...).
Is the intonation where it causes problems?
View attachment 3920393

I do not know for sure either.

 

[GBassNorth]

I've heard it said (once or twice ) that it is difficult/impossible to get a very low string action on Thunderbirds with the original bridge. So, I thought I'd give that a go, see how low I could get mine.
Bottomed out the bridge, strings were almost flat against the fretboard. Pulled it back up enough to completely get rid of fret buzz below the 12th fret on all 4 strings.
Do I just have an uncommonly adjustable bass, or are people wanting action that is lower than this? (3/32 above the fret without depressing the string):

View attachment 3920292

There's enough GenPop BS about TBirds out there to fertilize the entire Midwest. One trick pony, wrong. Neck diving beasts, wrong. Sound like mud, wrong. Automatic pop off headstock, wrong. Horrible quality control, wrong. Impossibly long reach to first position, wrong. Only good for rock and nothing else, wrong. Zero access to the upper register, wrong. Gibby way over priced vs Fender, wrong. Three point bridge is garbage, wrong. Pencil thin necks, wrong. Sky high action, wrong. Previous CEO was a horses butt, well I'll concede that one.

Every one of my three point bridge birds gets action set to 3/32" or less at the 12th fret on an open E string. I hate fret buzz and I have a tendency to dig in finger style up between the neck pup and neck heel where it's really gonna test your action. Zero problems at 3/32" and none with my birds that are almost as low as 2/32". I have plenty of other brands of basses and have never been able to do any better that that. So no actual truth to that three point rumor either.

I've heard the headstock rumors. To the point that, before I bought my first one, I half expected there to be a special case compartment for storing the headstock.

LOL - I'll have to remember that one next time I get a smarmy bird comment.
In fact, you've given me an idea - if I can find a broken off TBird headstock I'm gonna buy it and store it in the hard case compartment. Then when I get the goofball bird comments I'll just open the case and show them where I store the spare headstock in case mine falls off.

 

[GBassNorth]

The topic of silks on saddles seems to be pretty popular here on TB, but I'm still not entirely clear what the issue is? The silks on my Roto 77s are very much on the bridge saddles, but don't seem to cause any problems (that I'm aware of...).
Is the intonation where it causes problems?
View attachment 3920393

Silks or windings on the saddles obviously aren't ideal. However, I have yet to be able to hear a difference in a mix and would even be hard pressed to consistently hear a difference soloed. Others may have better hearing than I do but I've never found it a problem. I've also never had a problem intonating a string with smooth silks on the bridge. Rough windings on the bridge are a different story and can be a pain to intonate but there are ways to work around those situations.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Hmm, maybe I just don't notice because this is the only set of strings I've had on it? (and my Pro 5 has the same kind of strings)

Maybe (not) related - how does the silks being over the saddles differ from having tapewound strings? I'm assuming the difference is because of the type of material on the strings?

That sounds feasible. I haven’t touched tapes in 40 years. I mainly played guitar then, but played the leader’s bass on a couple of songs. The tapes gave me blisters despite my callouses. I hear they’re much better now.

 

[KaraQ]

Silks or windings on the saddles obviously aren't ideal. However, I have yet to be able to hear a difference in a mix and would even be hard pressed to consistently hear a difference soloed. Others may have better hearing than I do but I've never found it a problem. I've also never had a problem intonating a string with smooth silks on the bridge. Rough windings on the bridge are a different story and can be a pain to intonate but there are ways to work around those situations.

Maybe with not-smooth string windings, having the slicker/smoother silks in that area makes intonation easier, but with smooth-wound strings it doesn't help, and maybe could cause issues in some cases because of the "padding" the silk provides?

...I wonder what kind of differences are caused by saddles like those on the 3-point, that are shorter front-to-back, compared to those that are longer, like on my Pro?