Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

Is the "Vintage Pro" significantly better than the "IV" ?

Yes. As much as I enjoy my IV, the VP (and the CP) are in another league. Different sounding, though. The VP is very like an early Thunderbird, and can do the angry piano without even trying. The IV doesn't have the top end of a VP, and the overall tone is not quite as vibrant, but it has the thunder for days. The neck on the VP is thinner (1.5" vs 1.73" at the nut). The VP is neck through, if you car about that, and the hardware is generally a bit better. The only downside I've found for the VP is the bridge adjustability is a bit too limited for proper intonation for some strings (it does get really close). The IV has the same problem, but I put a Supertone on it and it works fine.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Yeah, I almost didn't post it out of humiliation. Showoff kid. Bet he hasn't read as many books as I have. Take that, you little showoff!

Our drummer sent it to me. Maybe hinting there's no reason I can't step up my game since this kid can do it. I've got to find an amazing 3 yr old drummer and send it to him.

When my son was ~13, he decided to enter a GC youth guitar/bass competition. He was pretty nervous day of. He was still pretty entry level. The first competitor was a 12 y/o who played a 6 string bass like he was EVH. Nearly everyone who followed was either sweating bullets or ended up just going through the motions.

 

[GBassNorth]

Yeah, I almost didn't post it out of humiliation. Showoff kid. Bet he hasn't read as many books as I have. Take that, you little showoff!

Our drummer sent it to me. Maybe hinting there's no reason I can't step up my game since this kid can do it. I've got to find an amazing 3 yr old drummer and send it to him.

For the Rush fans, 7 year old drummer...

Pretty much nails it.

 

[Instagator]

I should be playing my Thunderbird..
However, I’m recycling Celebration bottle caps instead..before you start counting..to make one of these it takes 73 “investments “. Cheers!

 

[Engle]

When my son was ~13, he decided to enter a GC youth guitar/bass competition. He was pretty nervous day of. He was still pretty entry level. The first competitor was a 12 y/o who played a 6 string bass like he was EVH. Nearly everyone who followed was either sweating bullets or ended up just going through the motions.

IMO music competitions should not exist.
Art is subjective.
I’ve only been in one “battle of the bands”. The judge’s notes at the top of the page said “bass too pingy”. At the bottom of the page it said “great bass tone!”
30 minutes later, same bass, same judge.

 

[Gaolee]

I just declared keeping up with the thread bankruptcy. Did I miss anything in the last few days?

 

[godofthunder59]

I picked this up cheap on market place, not exactly Thunderbird related but it certainly is a distant cousin, '84-'86 Ibanez DB700 pups swapped out with Dimarzio model Js. I have a soft spot for early Ibanez basses, they always seemed to offer bassists something different. I did find a original bridge pickup on Fleabay, I have to sort out the neck pickup, that J pup is just swimming in that cavity. Maybe I'll wire up two Js in the neck position or maybe a Model one or XN2.

 

[GBassNorth]

I just declared keeping up with the thread bankruptcy. Did I miss anything in the last few days?

Crabs, beer, going to the beach, child prodigy drummers, nine year old bass face, matching FSO headstocks, stage performances, and ummm Thunderbirds.

 

[T-BirdBassist89]

I picked this up cheap on market place, not exactly Thunderbird related but it certainly is a distant cousin, '84-'86 Ibanez DB700 pups swapped out with Dimarzio model Js. I have a soft spot for early Ibanez basses, they always seemed to offer bassists something different. I did find a original bridge pickup on Fleabay, I have to sort out the neck pickup, that J pup is just swimming in that cavity. Maybe I'll wire up two Js in the neck position or maybe a Model one or XN2.View attachment 4028170 View attachment 4028172 View attachment 4028174 View attachment 4028175 View attachment 4028176

Very nice find cant wait to see the finish product after the upgrades and tlc

 

[MCF]

Is the "Vintage Pro" significantly better than the "IV" ?

Yes. At $399, the IV is a good buy. At $699, the VP is the best buy on the planet.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Maybe me three...
View attachment 4028058

from TX to FL to go to CA? lame...what is it?..

 

[MCF]

Yeah, I almost didn't post it out of humiliation. Showoff kid. Bet he hasn't read as many books as I have. Take that, you little showoff!

Our drummer sent it to me. Maybe hinting there's no reason I can't step up my game since this kid can do it. I've got to find an amazing 3 yr old drummer and send it to him.

Any illusions I had of being decent were shattered when this hit YouTube. She’ll be hitting 10,000,000 views pretty soon.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Yeah, I almost didn't post it out of humiliation. Showoff kid. Bet he hasn't read as many books as I have. Take that, you little showoff!

Our drummer sent it to me. Maybe hinting there's no reason I can't step up my game since this kid can do it. I've got to find an amazing 3 yr old drummer and send it to him.

he prolly hasn’t discovered the “S” and “D” in Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll yet....it all goes quickly south from there or so I’ve heard...

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Any illusions I had of being decent were shattered when this hit YouTube. She’ll be hitting 10,000,000 views pretty soon.

Nice hmmm......rig! yeah that’s it!..

 

[MCF]

Not a Thunderbird. Still on the look out for a NR, but I saw a good deal on an AVRI '62 Precision, so I'm flipping my current Precision for this one, to replace my #1 that was jacked from my car two years back.

A nice P bass is always a good catch. Congrats!

 

[T-BirdBassist89]

Yes. At $399, the IV is a good buy. At $699, the VP is the best buy on the planet.

i got a question because my t-bird is a pro iv whats the difference between that and a vintage pro?

 

[MCF]

i got a question because my t-bird is a pro iv whats the difference between that and a vintage pro?

If it is one of these, it’s an active bass with a different bridge. Is this what you have?

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Crabs, beer, going to the beach, child prodigy drummers, nine year old bass face, matching FSO headstocks, stage performances, and ummm Thunderbirds.

And a really stupid broken Thunderbird sale.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

i got a question because my t-bird is a pro iv whats the difference between that and a vintage pro?

The Pro IV (four knobs) is active (it has a preamp and requires a battery). It sounds totally different from any other Thunderbird. Different bridge, too. A Pro with the natural oil finish is one of the prettiest birds around.

 

[GBassNorth]

Any illusions I had of being decent were shattered when this hit YouTube. She’ll be hitting 10,000,000 views pretty soon.

So refreshing to see kids picking up bass playing and looking like they're having fun doing so.

But it just goes to show ya - no matter how good you are there's always somebody better.

I keep telling myself this every time I see a happy go lucky bouncy giddy kid with a mile wide smile casually pull off a a bass line that I struggle to get 80% correct. Kudos to the young girl. I hope she continues on the bass path for life and applies her exceptional skill to the professional musical scene and drawing more youth in with her.