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Thunderbird Club

#16,101
RedVee said:
I loved GnR from the start... Thought they were the new Stones.
That just got worse and worse as time went on.
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Same for me. I was totally into the sleazier side of the so called "hair metal" stuff back then and never cared for bands like Bon Jovi because they were too polished for my taste. GnR totally fit the bill for me even tho Axl's voice can get to be too much rather quickly. As the original band began to fall apart, my interest began to wane.

And.....I am hopelessly and unashamedly addicted to Thunderbirds!!! In fact there might have been another Tbird style bass show up at my house yesterday. But no way of knowing for sure unless I post a picture ;)
 
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#16,104
Ah, the good old days....when everything was pretty much metal and there weren't kids on the Intardweb (which didn't really exist yet, either) arguing what sub-genre a band belongs in and that Iron Maiden isn't "true metal". :laugh:

There were lots of TBirds in the alt metal back then. Kinda still are...some people can tell that Tbirds are cool.
 
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#16,106
DerekW said:
Sold almost 3 million copies worldwide actually.
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So what?

I see that line of reasoning come up from time to time. And each time it strikes me as essentially meaningless. "Such and such sold X many copies." "This made X amount of money." Popularity and financial success are not really all that linked to quality. McDonald's might make a hell of a lot more money than my favorite steakhouse, but I know where I'd rather eat. More people buy Night Train than any fine wine.

Even the most ardent GnR fans I know have said that Chinese Democracy was a total mess of an album, in comparison to the band's previous efforts.
 
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#16,107
Mosstone said:
Run away!! Run as fast as you can! This isn't a club! It's a CULT! Once they get their hooks in you, you'll never escape!

Read these quotes!!







See?!

Don't end up like me...

Before I got here, I didn't even like Thunderbirds. Now, when I'm not playing mine, I can't stop thinking about getting another one! (maybe an NR) I think of money in terms of how many 'Thunderbirds' it is! ("are you kidding me?? That thing costs almost THREE Thunderbirds!") I cant sleep! I can't focus at work! My wife left me! I want to build a 'Fenderbird'! I check this thread compulsively and all these people remorslessly fuel my affliction!

And I've only owned a Thunderbird for FIVE MONTHS!!

It's too late for me... But you still have a chance!
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Some fantastic writing here, Lo-! :roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:
 
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#16,110
Korladis said:
So what?

I see that line of reasoning come up from time to time. And each time it strikes me as essentially meaningless. "Such and such sold X many copies." "This made X amount of money." Popularity and financial success are not really all that linked to quality. McDonald's might make a hell of a lot more money than my favorite steakhouse, but I know where I'd rather eat. More people buy Night Train than any fine wine.

Even the most ardent GnR fans I know have said that Chinese Democracy was a total mess of an album, in comparison to the band's previous efforts.
Click to expand...

Nothing they've done since Appetite has come close, Use Your Illusion (Vols I & II) had a few good tunes but for the most part bloated over-produced self-indulgence (aka Axl!). Appetite just has a raw 'eff you and 'eff it edge to it that they haven't matched since. Honorable mention to their Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide ep (done prior to Appetite, which included Rose Tattoo and Aerosmith covers. Later re-released as a bundle with the GnR Lies lp). Chinese Democracy? Rubbish! Bought it, not sure I listend to the whole thing, more Axl Rose music masturbation. Not even interested in the present "reunion". Get the original 5 back together, ditch all the keyboards/backup singers/added BS and I might be interested. .... all just my oh so humble opinion of course, take with a large grain of salt! ;)
 
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#16,112
Korladis said:
So what?

I see that line of reasoning come up from time to time. And each time it strikes me as essentially meaningless. "Such and such sold X many copies." "This made X amount of money." Popularity and financial success are not really all that linked to quality. McDonald's might make a hell of a lot more money than my favorite steakhouse, but I know where I'd rather eat. More people buy Night Train than any fine wine.

Even the most ardent GnR fans I know have said that Chinese Democracy was a total mess of an album, in comparison to the band's previous efforts.
Click to expand...

Someone said (and I paraphrase) "must suck to spend that long making an album and only 12 people buy it"

So I simply stated that almost 3 million copies were sold. I did not state an opinion.
 
#16,113
Haji said:
Ah, the good old days....when everything was pretty much metal and there weren't kids on the Intardweb (which didn't really exist yet, either) arguing what sub-genre a band belongs in and that Iron Maiden isn't "true metal". :laugh:

There were lots of TBirds in the alt metal back then. Kinda still are...some people can tell that Tbirds are cool.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, the old newgroup days, before the internet took off, where everybody was just a faceless name behind a keyboard and opinions were a dime a dozen! :) I still remember when there was just rec.music for anything music related and the endless flamewars when opinions clashed, pretty much daily.... :)

Anyway, you brought to mind, does everyone remember when you became aware of or interested in TBirds? While I wasn't totally unfamiliar with them prior, 3 Rock bassists come to mind who pretty much got me interested in Thunderbirds. Overend Watts of Mott the Hoople fame, Pete Way of UFO fame and Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith fame. Tom's Thunderbird days were somewhat fleeting, in the 1976 timeframe mostly and he's jumped from many many basses over the years but in 1976 my Aerosmith fandom was at fever pitch and Tom was playing the hell out of a Thunderbird at the time. Admittedly, it took me a long while before I got my first TBird, I now have two and am always eyeing another for when the planets align and I have the $ and an agreeable wife! ;)
 
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#16,114
Anyone remember the Lado basses that Steve "God" Harris endorsed around 1983/84? One was TBird inspired obviously. Not sure I like that bottom horn though. I don't think Steve
was crazy about it either as he continued to primarily play his favorite P, which he still plays today, just repainted.

steve_harris_guitar1.jpg
steve_harris_guitar2.jpg
 
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#16,115
marko57 said:
<snip>Not sure I like that bottom horn though.<snip>

View attachment 880909 View attachment 880910
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I dig the lower horn as it gives you a little more reach and makes play-abilty better.

The intro bass line for, For Whom The Bell Tolls comes to mind and would be easier in standard tuning on a TBird since the fingering to the 19th fret of the G string is a bit of a reach.

It's one of the reasons that if I was going to come up with a franken-Bird I'd try to find a 24 fret Ibanez neck for it. Not that I think the Ibanez neck is particularly great, just cheap and I think a 24 fret "TBird" would be sweet!
 
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#16,116
marko57 said:
...Anyway, you brought to mind, does everyone remember when you became aware of or interested in TBirds?
Click to expand...

I was a big Wishbone Ash fan back in the day. First time I saw them was in Kansas City probably early 70's, bass player (his name escapes me now) played a Thunderbird. I was immediately smitten by the look and the sound. Later 70's we ran into another regional band (Midwest region FWIW) that booked through the same booking agency we used that happened to be staying in the same hotel/same town we were in, bass player had one of the original issue low serial number T-Birds ('63 or '64, don't remember). Got to sit in his hotel room and play it for awhile, I was totally in love at that point. Took me another 30-some years before I finally pulled the trigger (it's a long story, don't ask...). Don't really know why I waited so long, other than I thought the material I played for most of my career didn't really allow for using a T-Bird. I was so wrong...
 
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#16,119
Mosstone said:
Me too... When I returned, I was surprised to discover that I signed up 7 years ago... and that my name was 'Lo-Hz' :thumbsdown:
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In my case, I left the music scene because I was tired of it and also I was getting my bachelor degree after years as a dropout. Now that I'm back, I have more motivation
 
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#16,120
EdO. said:
I was a big Wishbone Ash fan back in the day. First time I saw them was in Kansas City probably early 70's, bass player (his name escapes me now) played a Thunderbird. I was immediately smitten by the look and the sound.
Click to expand...

Martin Turner most likely I loved Wishbone Ash as well. Probably the first T Bird I noticed as well.
 
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