Those must have been put up all over the world. Very cool.
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
Installed a pair of Chinabuckers in my '19. Feels like the proverbial "lift off a blanket"! Now the high harmonics jump off from my amp, not just acoustically. Will test microphonics with a fuzz pedal tomorrow- it's bedtime in my part of the world. 
You never disappoint!Can't wait to hear further appraisal of this modification. I considered this mod myself. As everyone here is (painfullyInstalled a pair of Chinabuckers in my '19. Feels like the proverbial "lift off a blanket"! Now the high harmonics jump off from my amp, not just acoustically. Will test microphonics with a fuzz pedal tomorrow- it's bedtime in my part of the world.
) aware of, I bought an 06, and compared to my other Thunderbirds ('64, '76 and two VPs), it is a fairly different animal. I knew it would sound different when I bought it and I was going to be fine with that, but it sounded way more different than I ever expected. Thus the struggle with strings to try to get it to sound more like a Thunderbird that I'm used to or generally getting it to sound better. I dearly love the instrument and think I am happy with the tone now. But pickup modification at some point is not off the table entirely. One of these with VP pickups would be beyond outstanding.
I’ve been asked to play at a jam session in which we are going to attempt all of Abbey Road...
He got a more reasonable and useful answer than mine, so I think he took the right test!
Installed a pair of Chinabuckers in my '19. Feels like the proverbial "lift off a blanket"! Now the high harmonics jump off from my amp, not just acoustically. Will test microphonics with a fuzz pedal tomorrow- it's bedtime in my part of the world.
‘19 which?
It is. I have played a number of the side one tracks, but its a lot. McCartney sure had some great lines and approaches!
Kara - I love all the great before and after shots! The fret shot was an eye opener, looked like different size frets were used. The after shot on the bridge looks great, nice and close to the body. The bridge pup looks like you've got plenty of room to raise it, give it a try, makes a pretty big difference in sound and volume as you get the pups closer to the strings. As for the control cavity, I'm with you, my OCD would be driving me nutz knowing that it could be better organized. Wire management, or the lack thereof, is one of my pet peeves. Technically it could look much closer to this...
Keep up the great posts - your work is truly inspiring!
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,895
- 142,212
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Can't wait to hear further appraisal of this modification. I considered this mod myself. As everyone here is (painfully
Is there a recorded piece of music that is the tone you seek?
is that an available product? pretty nifty presentation..
Yes, on Reverb for a decent price.
Oh, my! It seems like I may want one sound and one only, but there are many great bass tones out there I love. My live sound likely doesn't sound exactly like anything I can think of. But I will certainly give it some thought. I love Leon's tone on most Skynyrd albums, but he didn't always play Thunderbirds and who knows what he used recording. But big but not hallow or boomy lows, with great mid punch with sweet highs, not raspy or angry piano. Just doesn't work for what I do. I guess I'm looking for something pretty even across the board or more mid presence. I like the "bigness" of the 06, but the mids seem to be odd or in an odd place, or drop out with some strings. It's getting boomy or mushy in a live setting or I'm getting too much upper clank or twang. But fortunately I think I'm there or getting there. Thank you for your interest and patience!
Coincidentally, in about 4 weeks I’m breaking out of this wfh, go nowhere, crap and doing a little road trip. We are not allowed to even go interstate, still.
One of my destinations being Parkes, NSW* - home of “The Dish”. The radio telescope that supplied part of the TV footage for the 1969 Moon landing. My main purpose is a little bit of family history stuff, and just to get out of the house. But I definitely plan on having a look at “The Dish”.
* every January Parkes hosts an Elvis Festival.
yeah Australia seems to be a good location for that stuff....Gordon Cooper went there to communicate with John Glenn when he first orbited the globe in 62...must be because it's south of he equator and with 12 hour diff...
Thank you!
I set the current pickup height by turning the screws down until they just touched the pickup, and then leveled the pickup for ocd appeasing evenness. Only way to get them higher would be to add spacers (...I do still have those broken bits of paint stirrer I took from the Pro V....).
That harness is one of the three I was considering buying from eBay sellers for the GBP, but decided I should spend three times as much so I could do it myself (most of that was the new Weller digital temp control soldering station I decided I needed
).The goal is for mine to look similar, but obviously a lot less professionally-done
wicked tone and attitude on this...love the harmonics..
