Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

yup...its a bolt on...custom shop emblem on the back of where the HS meets the neck...errr...weird pickups though.im gonna replace it with chinabuckers for the time being...while im saving up for a better pickups.3rd world problem...thats a 3 inch diaddarrio strap.it slides...errr...havent had a leather strap before, but im considering it.if the strap button placement isnt enough to counter the neck dive problem...

A decent suede or other somewhat non-slick back on a strap will likely be all you need. Moving the strap button is an option as well.

 

[dagrev]

Interesting article on Gold Foil Pickups. Stringjoy (silly name) makes a nice bass string.
Gold Foil Pickups: What are they, and what are they good for?

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Big eyebolt out of the top edge of the body.

 

[JIO]

You're welcome. It's the onliest pedal I use.(I have others that-let's say-didn't work out)

So it was you! How do you use it? I can see it being used more dramatically for a song or section of a song as well as all the time subtly (just a hint of effect for thickening). In my first using it, I found this setting useful as a thickener; Dry: full on (almost no effect)/Sub-Octave: 12:00/Octave up: 12:00

 

[GBassNorth]

Looks great! Congratulations on adding another bird to the heard! Don't believe I've ever played one of those.

Thanks. I'm really enjoying it at the price point. I still can't believe how different it sounds and feels compared to my previous Goth, night and day, you'd never have guessed they were supposed to be the same bass.

I was thinking that at first. But the magnets on the pickup, even disconnected, have an effect on the strings. Definitely a different, more betterer, sound with it removed.

If I do turn it into a "II" (it's an idea I've had rolling around anyway, long before I started this project), I'll either fill/cover the hole (or more likely, have it done by someone competent in such things), or leave the ring and mock up a dummy pickup/cover, with nothing in it

Dunno, lots of other things to tinker with on this thing before that decision has to be made

Sorry to hear about the bad pickup. There is definitely a difference between a II and a IV with the bridge rolled off. If you really like the sound of the single pup but want to ease into the decision to spend more money on converting a IV to a II you could just put a wood block under the bridge pup can and wire the bass in II mode keeping the dummy pot in place as well.

However, if your plan was to send the bass off to Marty to have it refinished anyway, then now is the time to fill that pup and pot hole.

 

[KaraQ]

Kat did that with hers. She(and now I)refer to the bridge pup as the superfluous pup.

Superfluous. I like that

After seeing the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie (...maybe a lot of times... ), I always think of Jack Sparrow now when I hear that word.

 

[Engle]

I’m still evaluating how much work I want to put into the neck on the MIJ Burns, and remembered I have that EB copy neck. But the headstock isn’t right.

 

[Engle]

Based on what I can check, and what The Internet can tell me, it seems like the bridge pickup is bad.

This quote from another (guitar ) forum sums up what I've been able to dig up:

"does the tone knob act like a volume on the jb? if so, it's an open coil, and time for a new pickup. (a broken coil will still produce a thin weak sound, much like you're describing.)"
​

When I pulled the bridge pickup out of circuit, the tone pot began working normally with the neck p/u (which sounds bloody awesome, btw! ).


...maybe I should just have that bridge pickup hole filled (wonder if that's something Marty Bell could do... ), and turn the GBP from a IV, to a II...

Sorry I probably missed something. What do you get when you measure the DC resistance of the PU (disconnected from the everything else)?

 

[KaraQ]

Sorry to hear about the bad pickup. There is definitely a difference between a II and a IV with the bridge rolled off. If you really like the sound of the single pup but want to ease into the decision to spend more money on converting a IV to a II you could just put a wood block under the bridge pup can and wire the bass in II mode keeping the dummy pot in place as well.

However, if your plan was to send the bass off to Marty to have it refinished anyway, then now is the time to fill that pup and pot hole.

Yes, still planning to send it to Marty. But it'll be a bit yet, probably not before the end of Halloween Month.
If I was less ocd, I'd leave the pickup out, but the trim ring on, empty pot hole, no knobs, no pickguard, even leave the blue tape, and not paint it, with the neon strings. My own type of "relic-ing", I guess.

But that would probably literally drive me mad(er)

 

[KaraQ]

Sorry I probably missed something. What do you get when you measure the DC resistance of the PU (disconnected from the everything else)?

9.45k for the bridge

 

[Engle]

9.45k for the bridge

Seems like it should work if it still measures 9.45K.
Do you have a spare output jack? I would wire the bridge PU (by itself) directly to a jack, just hang it out of the control cavity, and try it.

 

[MCF]

happened to me a couple of times.someone came to me after a set to ask what distortion pedal i use just to be disappointed to know i just use a cheap zoom ms60b multi fx pedal...the looks on their faces is priceless...i just use compressor, gate and Boss Bass OD simulation on it.and the tuner.

The multi fx boxes are fun. Got a Zoom BX1 Four some months back and like messing around with it.

 

[GonePlaid]

So it was you! How do you use it? I can see it being used more dramatically for a song or section of a song as well as all the time subtly (just a hint of effect for thickening). In my first using it, I found this setting useful as a thickener; Dry: full on (almost no effect)/Sub-Octave: 12:00/Octave up: 12:00

Our band is 'normally'(whatever that is)2 guitars, drums, and me. When we go out as a trio-for whatever reason-I set DRY ~3:00, SUB ~7:00(barely on-I'm already EQed thick), OCTAVE UP ~11:00. This way during guitar solos, I sound sorta like a bass and guitar playing a unison line to fill behind the solo. It's also kinda neat to kick in during my occasional solos. Otherwise, it's off. I rarely hook it up when we are 4.
The only times I've used a lot(2-3:00)of SUB is when I "needed" a note below E and didn't feel like taking my 5er for one or two songs. This is usually in concert band to give the selection-such as Toddata and Fugue in D Minor-more depth, especially on the final chord.
Usually, I use(d) one amp and run the cable out of the EFFECTS jack, but during this downtime I experimented with running 2 amps[Rumble 100/Rumble 40]with the DRY/bass tones coming outta the R100 and the EFFECTS/OCTAVE UP/guitar tones outta the R40, EQed differently(less lows). The R40 sits nicely on top of the R100 thus not taking up any of the limited floor space. I haven't done that on a gig yet[there haven't been any], but I figure on trying it live 'one of these days'......Maybe....If we ever gig again.

 

[MCF]

Thanks. I'm really enjoying it at the price point. I still can't believe how different it sounds and feels compared to my previous Goth, night and day, you'd never have guessed they were supposed to be the same bass.


Sorry to hear about the bad pickup. There is definitely a difference between a II and a IV with the bridge rolled off. If you really like the sound of the single pup but want to ease into the decision to spend more money on converting a IV to a II you could just put a wood block under the bridge pup can and wire the bass in II mode keeping the dummy pot in place as well.

However, if your plan was to send the bass off to Marty to have it refinished anyway, then now is the time to fill that pup and pot hole.

There’s someone trying to sell a Goth on Reverb for $575, local pickup. I’d say you done good.

 

[Gaolee]

Based on what I can check, and what The Internet can tell me, it seems like the bridge pickup is bad.

This quote from another (guitar ) forum sums up what I've been able to dig up:

"does the tone knob act like a volume on the jb? if so, it's an open coil, and time for a new pickup. (a broken coil will still produce a thin weak sound, much like you're describing.)"
​

When I pulled the bridge pickup out of circuit, the tone pot began working normally with the neck p/u (which sounds bloody awesome, btw! ).


...maybe I should just have that bridge pickup hole filled (wonder if that's something Marty Bell could do... ), and turn the GBP from a IV, to a II...

Kara is now channeling Kat!

 

[Gaolee]

That extra price is so you can fund the 'boutique' outfit's lawsuit with Mooer.

The octave pedal I use is a Moer. It is the right one I found that tracks low notes well and has a sub as well as high octave. With an envelope filter it makes the upright sound like Booker T's electric piano.

 

[Gaolee]

There’s someone trying to sell a Goth on Reverb for $575, local pickup. I’d say you done good.

Duuuude, drugs! There is a reason to call it dope, y'know.

 

[JIO]

Our band is 'normally'(whatever that is)2 guitars, drums, and me. When we go out as a trio-for whatever reason-I set DRY ~3:00, SUB ~7:00(barely on-I'm already EQed thick), OCTAVE UP ~11:00. This way during guitar solos, I sound sorta like a bass and guitar playing a unison line to fill behind the solo. It's also kinda neat to kick in during my occasional solos. Otherwise, it's off. I rarely hook it up when we are 4.
The only times I've used a lot(2-3:00)of SUB is when I "needed" a note below E and didn't feel like taking my 5er for one or two songs. This is usually in concert band to give the selection-such as Toddata and Fugue in D Minor-more depth, especially on the final chord.
Usually, I use(d) one amp and run the cable out of the EFFECTS jack, but during this downtime I experimented with running 2 amps[Rumble 100/Rumble 40]with the DRY/bass tones coming outta the R100 and the EFFECTS/OCTAVE UP/guitar tones outta the R40, EQed differently(less lows). The R40 sits nicely on top of the R100 thus not taking up any of the limited floor space. I haven't done that on a gig yet[there haven't been any], but I figure on trying it live 'one of these days'......Maybe....If we ever gig again.

As we have a keys player, I could see how using too much of its effect would overlap as it produces sort of an Hammond organ sound. But if our jam-sessions ever restart they are primarily guitars so a bass/organ sound would be cool. In these sessions I hesitate to use too much effects because the guitarists all have banks of pedals, so straight bass sits in nicely. In full flight with all those effects - it's hard to tell who's playing what once they get going!

 

[JIO]

The octave pedal I use is a Moer. It is the right one I found that tracks low notes well and has a sub as well as high octave. With an envelope filter it makes the upright sound like Booker T's electric piano.

I tried the POG with my Custom Kraft hollow-body w/flats and it sounds really cool. Its 'pluckiness' references a bass pedal being audibly depressed. I could imagine how an upright would sound using it - especially bowed.

The new wave of pedals and keyboard effects/simulations are pretty amazing. On our Roland, the harpsichord setting is really authentic - listen to the intro (and outro) to this song where you can hear the audible valves opening for each note as you would hear from a real harpsichord. You may need to use headphones for the clearest hearing of it.

 

[Gaolee]

I tried the POG with my Custom Kraft hollow-body w/flats and it sounds really cool. Its 'pluckiness' references a bass pedal being audibly depressed. I could imagine how an upright would sound using it - especially bowed.

The new wave of pedals and keyboard effects/simulations are pretty amazing. On our Roland, the harpsichord setting is really authentic - listen to the intro (and outro) to this song where you can hear the audible valves opening for each note as you would hear from a real harpsichord. You may need to use headphones for the clearest hearing of it.

It is a pedantic fine point, but...
A harpsichord does not have valves. A pipe organ does. A harpsichord has quills or something similar that pluck the strings.

But more to the point, digital emulation is getting amazing levels of minute detail now. It is scary accurate.

Which Roland is it?