Thunderbird Club

[KaraQ]

I've figured out that for me mahogany is the best tonewood. I knew the EpiBird 5er wasn't mahogany when I bought it, but I hoped I could get around that-and the fact it had P/J pups. Nope.

I've seen where, supposedly, all or some of the bolt-on 'Birds were not/are not mahogany.
I assume there's at least some truth to that - is there a way to tell?
I noticed when I was drilling to move my strap buttons, the bolt-on seemed to be a harder wood than the CP...

 

[Count Bassie]

I think it's mostly the strings I'm using.
B-D from a 5-string set, so 65-85-105-130. And I may end up going back to normal 4-string sizes, still not decided how much I like BEAD

I've settled for a Hipshot Bass Extender for both my 4 stringers. You learn the new position it creates- a little awkward at first- but it gets low enough to "get you there", into the low territory, to get away with not having a B-string

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Gotta love the Strat with Humbuckers. I haven't tried the new one yet but I have a Blacktop Strat.
View attachment 4029971
I've had this one since a least 2010, it was my main player when I was playing guitar (quite poorly I'll admit); coincidentally, I played it through my Music Man HD150.

Yep, this one has those Shawbuckers from the Deluxe Tele and curiously, no belly cut for a fairly thick slab body....odd beast....
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[Engle]

I'm not keeping up, not keeping up with anything these days, but I just realized that both my basses are all-Mahogany- the Thunderbird Classic Pro and the Heckin'hecker (modded Hamer w/Ric 4003 pup's, thank you @JJR58 ).
Just thought that interesting. I really like what Mahogany does for a bass guitar.

I’m looking forward to finding out what Koa is like when I get my Eagle together. It seems a lot like Mahogany.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

c’mon dad!.....

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Interesting thing I found, installing the Babicz, which in retrospect should have been obvious - the ball-ends of the strings are further from the tuners, compared to stock (not a problem, just an observation ):

View attachment 4030012

View attachment 4030013

one of the benefits of the Supertone with long silks!

 

[GBassNorth]

I've seen where, supposedly, all or some of the bolt-on 'Birds were not/are not mahogany.
I assume there's at least some truth to that - is there a way to tell?
I noticed when I was drilling to move my strap buttons, the bolt-on seemed to be a harder wood than the CP...

I do know that the Eppi NR bolt on with the P/J layout isn't mahogany (maybe alder?). The Goth body appears to be mahogany, but the raised body surfaces on the front and back are glued on plywood which does not appear to be mahogany, I think the neck is also mahogany but not positive.

 

[PillO]

I've settled for a Hipshot Bass Extender for both my 4 stringers. You learn the new position it creates- a little awkward at first- but it gets low enough to "get you there", into the low territory, to get away with not having a B-string

I tried drop D tuning for a while, but just couldn't get along with it. Going from D string to A string, the notes were in the wrong places. Tuning to D standard significantly reduces the amount of thinking involved for me.

The BEAD tuned EB3 may end up tuned to D standard as I just don't find a lot of use for the low B and C. As a matter of practicality, the lowest note I use seems to be D.

 

[GonePlaid]

I do know that the Eppi NR bolt on with the P/J layout isn't mahogany (maybe alder?). The Goth body appears to be mahogany, but the raised body surfaces on the front and back are glued on plywood which does not appear to be mahogany, I think the neck is also mahogany but not positive.

The 94 EpiBird 5er was alder.

 

[Engle]

Progress on a different kind of bird:

 

[BklynKen]

Wow. Those saddles are way back. I’ve not encountered that before.

The ‘15 with 45-105 Cobalt flats:
View attachment 4030040

The ‘13 NR with 45-105 SIT Power Steels:
View attachment 4030041

You're still enjoying the SITs?

 

[MCF]

I've seen where, supposedly, all or some of the bolt-on 'Birds were not/are not mahogany.
I assume there's at least some truth to that - is there a way to tell?
I noticed when I was drilling to move my strap buttons, the bolt-on seemed to be a harder wood than the CP...

When I had the neck off the Silverburst, we confirmed the body is mahogany.

 

[MCF]

You're still enjoying the SITs?

Yep. They’re solid and I love the tone from them on the NR. I’ll use them on this one and when I add another bird with modern PUPs will run something else on that one.

 

[BklynKen]

Yep. They’re solid and I love the tone from them on the NR. I’ll use them on this one and when I add another bird with modern PUPs will run something else on that one.

That's great. I love both the feel and tone, plus they're well-priced. Win-win-win. And I like the company.

 

[MCF]

Absurdity abounds in the GP:
Should I trade an American standard p bass for a 1983 Squier p bass?

 

[BklynKen]

Absurdity abounds in the GP:
Should I trade an American standard p bass for a 1983 Squier p bass?

Entirely predictable.

 

[dagrev]

c’mon dad!.....
View attachment 4030149

Yeah, really. Dog: "You're wasting time taking pics of me when we both know I'm cute and we could be driving."

 

[dagrev]

Progress on a different kind of bird:
View attachment 4030269 View attachment 4030270

 

[BklynKen]

I’m looking forward to finding out what Koa is like when I get my Eagle together. It seems a lot like Mahogany.

I'd offer to compare sounds with my all-mahogany Bodine (Eagle), but besides the wood, they also have entirely different pickups.

 

[TBird1958]

Absurdity abounds in the GP:
Should I trade an American standard p bass for a 1983 Squier p bass?

Useful, like facing into the wind while trying to pee outside.