Thunderbird Club

[PillO]

Ew! Two gross!

 

[Keith Rawlings]

Never owned a fridge, never played through one. Did build a 2x15 Heathkit SS "combo" amp. (1st amp in about 1967) I cut the head off to make it more portable. I had no concept of tone back then so I don't recall it being anything but loud.

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Nice!

 

[Gaolee]

Never owned a fridge, never played through one. Did build a 2x15 Heathkit SS "combo" amp. (1st amp in about 1967) I cut the head off to make it more portable. I had no concept of tone back then so I don't recall it being anything but loud.

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Loud was tone back then..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Never owned a fridge, never played through one. Did build a 2x15 Heathkit SS "combo" amp. (1st amp in about 1967) I cut the head off to make it more portable. I had no concept of tone back then so I don't recall it being anything but loud.

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I believe those were 2x12 (Jensens if I recall right) decent sound that more expensive amps of the same characteristics had nothing on other than name and possibly looks...

 

[dagrev]

i don't think you can remove the black plastic and salvage it in any way. It takes a little work to remove it and basically destroys the plastic. I think that Philadelphia Luthier also sells the covers in black at times. I could be wrong about that but I have seen black metal covers out there.

As Andy said, you'll destroy the plastic shell, there's no way to separate it from the pickup without doing so.
On the other hand going all chrome will give you a classic, vintage looking Bird it's what I did to my '89 - when finished with a good Repro pickup you'll likely get tone more like your '64.
I love my rebuilt '89, modern Gibson necks are amongst the slimmest, fastest out there, fit my small hands well, with Lull pickups I get '64 vintage tone out of a modern Bird, a bass I feel fine about taking to any show, best of both worlds.

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Thank you both! I do appreciate great information. This is all really good to know.

Since it has a Hipshot bridge and black tuners, I would really like to not have to go chrome if I were to feel the need to that that step. But I know more about what my options might be. At first, being so accustomed to only seeing chrome on Thunderbirds, the black seemed odd, but it has grown on me and I'm kind of liking the different look. I am also hoping to never feel the need to change PUs, but I know more now if I ever get to that point. But I also can't help but thinking how this magnificent playing bass would sound with more vintage sounding PUs! Wow! Yet I want to keep liking a little different Thunderbird flavor.

I have not spent a much time at all going back and forth between the '64 and the '06, but I can say without hesitation the neck does make it super nice. I could see it being my favorite bass to play.

Thank you again!

 

[MCF]

Never owned a fridge, never played through one. Did build a 2x15 Heathkit SS "combo" amp. (1st amp in about 1967) I cut the head off to make it more portable. I had no concept of tone back then so I don't recall it being anything but loud.

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That is awesome. Pure and simple awesome. My neighbor who was a couple years older than me, I was 12, built a Heathkit version of a Twin Reverb with his Dad (who worked for FEC at the time and who went on to do the Disneyland Light Parade). It was a great sounding amp. I was just starting to play bass when they moved down to Anaheim. I’ve always wondered what could have been had they not moved and we got to play together for a few years.

 

[dagrev]

I just had to measure. To my surprise, the Orville bird is the thinnest of my bases if I measure on the edge of the body, only 28 mm, thickening towards the neck to 33 mm, the neck part is 39 mm.
I thought either my Rick or 66 EB3 would be thinner, but both are also 33 mm. The EB3 obviously getting thinner towards the edges of the body.
And my lightest bass by far is my Hofner violin.

Interesting!

 

[MCF]

Loud was tone back then..

When I played out back in the day it was all about volume. High school gyms, cafeterias and at times the football stadium. It was always a struggle. My college years were easier; dorm common areas, outside at frat/sorority houses, bars/restaurants. Damn. I’m still kicking myself for taking all that time off between then and now.
Advice to young players; never stop.

 

[BklynKen]

i don't think you can remove the black plastic and salvage it in any way. It takes a little work to remove it and basically destroys the plastic. I think that Philadelphia Luthier also sells the covers in black at times. I could be wrong about that but I have seen black metal covers out there.

Yeah, I think they used to have black ones. They have black in other metal pickup covers, but not for the Thunderbird. The raw nickel ones are appealing to me, but I'd need a bridge and tuners to match, which is highly unlikely. I don't think Hipshot would offer that.

 

[MCF]

Yeah, I think they used to have black ones. They have black in other metal pickup covers, but not for the Thunderbird. The raw nickel ones are appealing to me, but I'd need a bridge and tuners to match, which is highly unlikely. I don't think Hipshot would over that.

Paint.

 

[Gaolee]

When I played out back in the day it was all about volume. High school gyms, cafeterias and at times the football stadium. It was always a struggle. My college years were easier; dorm common areas, outside at frat/sorority houses, bars/restaurants. Damn. I’m still kicking myself for taking all that time off between then and now.
Advice to young players; never stop.

And if you do, dive back in soon. I was off about 20 years before getting back in, and getting back in all the way.

 

[dagrev]

When I played out back in the day it was all about volume. High school gyms, cafeterias and at times the football stadium. It was always a struggle. My college years were easier; dorm common areas, outside at frat/sorority houses, bars/restaurants. Damn. I’m still kicking myself for taking all that time off between then and now.
Advice to young players; never stop.

I unfortunately had about 20 years of not playing after almost 10 years playing. Put that on the STUPID list!

 

[dagrev]

@JIO Go to Big wheels on a big mountain today. Thought of your for a couple reasons when I saw this.

 

[MCF]

Random thoughts from my day in the shed.

Why are the screw heads so large one the VP pickup screws? I’m getting used to them, but as a player who plays over both pickups it is annoying.

I have no clue what some players are talking about when they refer to Cobalt Flats as cheese graters.
Mine feel so good on the ‘15. It has taken a while, but I like them on it now. A lot. In for the long haul with them. Have I ever said how much I love that bass?

The YouTube channel Coversolutions is pretty good; especially if you want to learn RHCP stuff. Great way to learn songs. My main resource is still @Constantine.

Mark Smith (Talkingbass.com) premiered a lesson for the instrumental on Stevie Wonder’s
Master Blaster. Call it adventures in C Minor. Cool riff. I’ll have to remember it the next time I play a bass at GC.

I’ve gained an appreciation for Metallica. Harder edge, but very Wishbone “Ashish.” Need to explore that more.

A nice day of relaxation in the shed. Highly recommended.

 

[MCF]

I unfortunately had about 20 years of not playing after almost 10 years playing. Put that on the STUPID list!

Yep. For me it was closer to thirty. I had a few opportunities to get back to it; declined. Finishing school and then the kids were my primary focus.

 

[MCF]

And if you do, dive back in soon. I was off about 20 years before getting back in, and getting back in all the way.

And I’m envious. I need to retire first then find something. 50+ hour weeks don’t jive with finding a band. I thought I’d be there by now. But things have changed. Won’t say more due to not wanting to get political.

 

[JIO]

@JIO Go to Big wheels on a big mountain today. Thought of your for a couple reasons when I saw this.[/QUOTE

Yes, the Toour day France (as Bob Roll sez') started today, 2 months late! (a first!) Exciting wet stage in Nice - (unfortunately) lots of crashes including one where a rider locked his brake for a second and his bike became a skateboard in a bend careening into a tree/bush/obstacle. (carbon frame cracked in two - rider got back in the race on a new bike) It's big excitement (usually in July) every year in the cycling world - will be devoting my early AM hrs for the next (nearly a) month. Viva la Tour!

 

[JIO]

I unfortunately had about 20 years of not playing after almost 10 years playing. Put that on the STUPID list!

I never stopped playing, but I had a really dry period for years not connecting with other musicians/being in a band. More recently (until Covid) I was in a second-wind renaissance playing in a band and forming my own band - I just hope it can be picked up where we left off... which was at a critical breakthrough stage.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

swells...

 

[JIO]

swells...
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What exactly are we to be seeing?