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Thunderbird Club

#16,141
Klondike said:
But! I had a gassy moment. I've been looking at Ibanez's for about six months. Never really found what I was looking for at the price I was happy to pay........ Untill yesterday when I found this on CracksList.
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Those are nice basses! I wouldn't hesitate to add one to the collection.

hillerup said:
I don't recall seeing a black '76 in your collection - What happened to it?
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I reached a point around 1991 where I didn't think I was going to be in bands any more. I traded it for a 73 Gibson Les Paul Standard because i wanted to re-learn guitar. A few months later I was playing bass in a band again but couldn't get my Bird back. Truly the only bass I regret getting rid of.
 
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#16,142
Gaolee said:
I came to love 'Birds in a completely different way from most everyone else. With the exception of John Entwhistle, I didn't pay much attention to any bass players who played Thunderbirds. Even he went from one bass to another so fast that it's hard to call him a Thunderbird player.

'Birds caught me completely by accident. I played an EB-2 for many years and still have it, but I wanted a slab to preserve the relatively fragile EB-2. The least expensive bass I found on Craigslist was a bolt-on Epiphone Thunderbird that needed a setup and a good cleaning. It sounded pretty good, so I bought it and played it for a while. Then I bought a 7ender Precision, because, well just because, and gave the Thunderbird to my son. I like the P a whole lot, and it's a keeper, but I missed the ergonomics of the Thunderbird. So, I came back around and bought a T-Bird Pro IV that's now my fretless. That led to more 'Birds.

So, it wasn't anybody in particular that led me to Thunderbirds. It was Thunderbirds themselves, and how they fit and how their ergonomics work. The whole neck dive thing makes me laugh. As long as the strap button is at the heel of the neck, they are far better than any bass I have ever played.
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Yeah.... but what is a Buzzard bass but a fancier T-bird, really?
 
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#16,143
I picked up a T-Bird at Ed's Guitars in Miami once when shopping for a bass. I was a fairly new player, it was a Gibson. Super light, seemed a mile long. I associated it with glam bands, etc, and being young and stupid I didn't realize I could actually play it and make it work nicely. So no Bird...

I remember seeing some of the more fashion-hip punk bands plating them, also Leon Wilkinson of Lynrd Skynrd, Entwhistle of course, and the glam thing... still I remained a Fender/Rickie/ SG shape guy.

I didn't ever really relate to a Bird until fairly recently... and will have another. Oh yes...
 
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#16,145
Good news!! I'm getting back into building pretty soon, since my friend owes me quite a lot of mula for the RD build, i've come to a deal of him getting me parts & wood for this year. Which is pretty much everything aside from pickups & some in store buys. So i'll be able to finish my thunderbird, start my semi acoustic & short scale 60's basses, & also finish up my stratocaster copy. + i'll be able to complete the coffin case structure & build at least a rolling base for my amp rig.
 
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#16,146
My latest acquisition:

P1010308_zpsivklopv4.jpg


And a couple of shots with it brother from another mother:

P1010305_zpswhuvx8bh.jpg

P1010303_zpsrgaopyb4.jpg


The Spector seems like a light weight bass, but it weighs the same as both of my 2001 Gibson's. Comfortable neck profile and easy to play. A little neck dive but I will likely move the strap button and most of my straps make it hang in place anyhow. Enjoying it so far.
 
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#16,147
Gaolee said:
So, it wasn't anybody in particular that led me to Thunderbirds. It was Thunderbirds themselves, and how they fit and how their ergonomics work. The whole neck dive thing makes me laugh. As long as the strap button is at the heel of the neck, they are far better than any bass I have ever played.
Click to expand...

Similar story, here. My first bass was a Lotus, and to be honest, it served me pretty well. However, my second year in college, my band won a battle of the bands with some decent prize money (store credit at Coyle Music, in Columbus), and my initial plan was to get a better bass with my share of the funds. Nothing really spoke to me, though, so I think I ended up getting some PA speakers. But, this kind of got me in the hunt for a new/better bass, so I tried out every bass in every store I could find. Some basses had me interested, but nothing really spoke to me until I picked up a Thunderbird. I recognized the shape and knew the name, but didn't really have any preconceptions about Thunderbirds, in general. But it spoke to me immediately. From the first few notes, it just really felt "right," and thus began my quest to own a T-bird. I had very little funds at this point in time, but after setting aside gig money and borrowing from one of my roommates, I finally bought a new Thunderbird in 2001. Man, I gigged the heck out of that bass for about 12 years or so. It still remains one of my prized basses, and it has far more gigs on it than any other bass I own.

FWIW, I will note that I have since played a bunch of other T-birds, both older and newer, and for whatever reason (probably my familiarity with this particular bass), my own '91 Bird remains my favorite. It has a super thin neck, ebony board, and I believe these may be the single-coil pickups.
 
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#16,148
tombowlus said:
Similar story, here. My first bass was a Lotus, and to be honest, it served me pretty well. However, my second year in college, my band won a battle of the bands with some decent prize money (store credit at Coyle Music, in Columbus), and my initial plan was to get a better bass with my share of the funds. Nothing really spoke to me, though, so I think I ended up getting some PA speakers. But, this kind of got me in the hunt for a new/better bass, so I tried out every bass in every store I could find. Some basses had me interested, but nothing really spoke to me until I picked up a Thunderbird. I recognized the shape and knew the name, but didn't really have any preconceptions about Thunderbirds, in general. But it spoke to me immediately. From the first few notes, it just really felt "right," and thus began my quest to own a T-bird. I had very little funds at this point in time, but after setting aside gig money and borrowing from one of my roommates, I finally bought a new Thunderbird in 2001. Man, I gigged the heck out of that bass for about 12 years or so. It still remains one of my prized basses, and it has far more gigs on it than any other bass I own.

FWIW, I will note that I have since played a bunch of other T-birds, both older and newer, and for whatever reason (probably my familiarity with this particular bass), my own '91 Bird remains my favorite. It has a super thin neck, ebony board, and I believe these may be the single-coil pickups.
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In '91 it probably had pickups like the one in the foreground, except in a black plastic case. There have been at least four different pickups used in Post '88 Thunderbirds.
DSC00015.jpg
 
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#16,151
tombowlus said:
Cool, thanks! Are those split-coils?
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Yes, I've seen the same pickups in the black plastic cases without being potted in epoxy. There are at least 3 different twin coil versions as well.
 
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#16,152
TBird1958 said:
Yes, I've seen the same pickups in the black plastic cases without being potted in epoxy. There are at least 3 different twin coil versions as well.
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Interesting stuff! I will have to pull mine some day and snap a pic.

I will say that I like the neck on my '91 a lot better than any other Bird I've played. And it seems to be plenty strong, considering the number of bumps/bangs/dings it's received on the road (including more than one epic head shot to our lead singer). Love the ebony boards on mahogany bodies, as well!
 
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#16,153
tombowlus said:
Interesting stuff! I will have to pull mine some day and snap a pic.

I will say that I like the neck on my '91 a lot better than any other Bird I've played. And it seems to be plenty strong, considering the number of bumps/bangs/dings it's received on the road (including more than one epic head shot to our lead singer). Love the ebony boards on mahogany bodies, as well!
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Post '88 necks are slim, fast (at least for my smallish hands) and plenty strong - I think frailty is an urban myth :thumbsup:
 
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#16,154
@Nocturnal that is a seeet addition to the family sir! Spector makes top notch instruments.

In a side note i have to say I am just overall completely unsatisfied with GC! That store just completely sucks dino eggs!:rollno:

Went in to see if they had any strings that I might be happy with. I'm liokin for Dadarrio Half Rounds or Pure Nickel, long scale Mediums. They have absolutely nothing!:banghead:

I would be willing to try another company like DR or EB but can the fuy make a sugestion? No of course not and there were three of them standing right there. Not ine sugestion. Of course maybe they didnt have any of the other companies comparable strings. So again I left empy handed. Tomorrow i will order from bassstringsinline.com

I will step down off my box now. Thank you for listening. :bored:
 
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#16,157
Nocturnal said:
My latest acquisition:

P1010308_zpsivklopv4.jpg


And a couple of shots with it brother from another mother:

P1010305_zpswhuvx8bh.jpg

P1010303_zpsrgaopyb4.jpg


The Spector seems like a light weight bass, but it weighs the same as both of my 2001 Gibson's. Comfortable neck profile and easy to play. A little neck dive but I will likely move the strap button and most of my straps make it hang in place anyhow. Enjoying it so far.
Click to expand...

Hey what is that other bird?
 
#16,160
Haji said:
BSO are very knowledgeable about their products. If you shoot 'em a message with what you've got and what you're trying to get out of your strings, and they'll have some suggestions for you. As far as flats or squished rounds or whatever....I got nothin'. For me it's rounds or nothin'. :D
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I'm a gonna call them in the AM. So far I'm thinking along the lines of the D'adarrio EXP Coated Nickel Rounds. I just have never dug the brightness of the pro steels. Who knows maybe i shouldne even be using D'adarrio. Lol
 
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