Thunderbird Club

[hillerup]

I love, Love LOVE active electronics, but this blend of Thunderbird and Explorer just doesn't really work. The Sandberg body is just not right proportionally, and I just can't get with that headstock. They sound great though.

I'm with you on this...

Definitely doesn't do it for me either - And neither does their horrible relic paint jobs...

If I buy a new bass, I want it looking new - If I buy a used one, I prefer mint condition, but could accept some wear and tear. But prefer "relic'ing" my instruments the natural way.

 

[Gaolee]

I have a 2014 Gibson TBird..no neck dive..maybe it's the strap length..not to low, not to high...just right around waist high...so comfortable for finger playing..try it before you modify...

That's a Gibson. They don't neck dive. The inexpensive bolt-on Epiphones have the strap button up on where the upper horn would be if there was one. It's not ideal. Moving the button to Gibson location solves the problem. I have three Gibsons, and none of them neck dive at all. In fact, they are more neutral than any other bass guitar I have ever owned. Likewise, the two Epiphones that I have are similar now that the strap button is where it belongs.

Here's the disclaimer - I prefer having the neck more vertical than horizontal. A Gibson will hang wherever you put it. An Epi with the button in the stock place will not hang like I want. It will hang horizontal. The biggest problem they have as far as ergonomics and wide acceptance is that they don't behave like a 7ender. The usual default mentality doesn't get it, and therefore doesn't handle it well.

 

[hillerup]

That's a Gibson. They don't neck dive. The inexpensive bolt-on Epiphones have the strap button up on where the upper horn would be if there was one. It's not ideal. Moving the button to Gibson location solves the problem. I have three Gibsons, and none of them neck dive at all. In fact, they are more neutral than any other bass guitar I have ever owned. Likewise, the two Epiphones that I have are similar now that the strap button is where it belongs.

Here's the disclaimer - I prefer having the neck more vertical than horizontal. A Gibson will hang wherever you put it. An Epi with the button in the stock place will not hang like I want. It will hang horizontal. The biggest problem they have as far as ergonomics and wide acceptance is that they don't behave like a 7ender. The usual default mentality doesn't get it, and therefore doesn't handle it well.

Horizontal is good... And looks cool...

 

[Gaolee]

Horizontal is good... And looks cool...

I'm a complete geek. I'm incapable of cool. Plus, I beat on an upright bass more than bass guitars these days, so vertical is how I like the neck to be. It's probably a little odd looking, but that's the joy of a Thunderbird.

 

[Haji]

I'm with you on this...

Definitely doesn't do it for me either - And neither does their horrible relic paint jobs...

If I buy a new bass, I want it looking new - If I buy a used one, I prefer mint condition, but could accept some wear and tear. But prefer "relic'ing" my instruments the natural way.

We must be related somehow...

It was posited that relic'ing was a boon for manufacturers as a way to sell seconded instruments as firsts again. I also suspect that solid paint seems to be used to cover botched burst finishes. Every heavy relic paintjob I can recall had a burst job under it.

Epi headstocks are just too large, which affects balance. They're also upside down. When I rule all of bass making I'm gonna fix that...and add volutes while I'm at it.

 

[hillerup]

We must be related somehow...

It was posited that relic'ing was a boon for manufacturers as a way to sell seconded instruments as firsts again. I also suspect that solid paint seems to be used to cover botched burst finishes. Every heavy relic paintjob I can recall had a burst job under it.

Epi headstocks are just too large, which affects balance. They're also upside down. When I rule all of bass making I'm gonna fix that...and add volutes while I'm at it.

Who knows... Maybe we are brothers of a different mother....

About the Thunderbird headstock: I pretty much like them as they are, but now that you mention it - I've always wondered why they weren't upside down as on a NR, considering it looks pretty much like a beak and it only would be fitting with the Thunderbird name...

 

[RedVee]

Who knows... Maybe we are brothers of a different mother....

About the Thunderbird headstock: I pretty much like them as they are, but now that you mention it - I've always wondered why they weren't upside down as on a NR, considering it looks pretty much like a beak and it only would be fitting with the Thunderbird name...

Semi related: I always think that 7enderbirds should use a left handed neck to get the headstock around 'the other way'.
( But I think I'm wanting the g to go to the closest tuner, the e to to furthest. Is that OCD ? )

 

[Korladis]

Urgh.... And turn to the "dark side"? No way!

And then horrify all the Fender fans by putting T-bird pickups in it. Maybe also a mudbucker right up against the neck.

That's a Gibson. They don't neck dive. The inexpensive bolt-on Epiphones have the strap button up on where the upper horn would be if there was one. It's not ideal. Moving the button to Gibson location solves the problem. I have three Gibsons, and none of them neck dive at all. In fact, they are more neutral than any other bass guitar I have ever owned. Likewise, the two Epiphones that I have are similar now that the strap button is where it belongs.

Here's the disclaimer - I prefer having the neck more vertical than horizontal. A Gibson will hang wherever you put it. An Epi with the button in the stock place will not hang like I want. It will hang horizontal. The biggest problem they have as far as ergonomics and wide acceptance is that they don't behave like a 7ender. The usual default mentality doesn't get it, and therefore doesn't handle it well.

Mine is the newer kind of Epiphone with the strap button on the neck heel. It doesn't neck dive. My old Peavey actually dives, despite having an upper horn, because the body is too light.

 

[RedVee]

Some photos, the last to show off the neck dive

 

[RedVee]

Ok, bridge is together and on. Front raised a little higher than back.
Strings on, put some DR HiBeams on. They had the advantage of already being here.

Wow, sounds very deep. Barrel chested even. Loving it so far.

 

[Nocturnal]

Congrats on the new Bird!!!! That yellow strap will allow neck dive for sure. You want a wider leather strap with the "suede" feeling back. Those grab your shirt and don't let the neck dive the way those slick straps do.

 

[Haji]

You could always just use staples. That'll probably keep it on your shoulder.

 

[RedVee]

Congrats on the new Bird!!!! That yellow strap will allow neck dive for sure. You want a wider leather strap with the "suede" feeling back. Those grab your shirt and don't let the neck dive the way those slick straps do.

And look way cooler.
But I had strap sitting around doing nothing...

I have a brown leather strap on the Challenge bass... So I may change it over but brown with matt black?
I'll try the "police line" aesthetic for s little while until I can get a nice, wide black leather one.

 

[DerekW]

 

[bassburner]

And look way cooler.
But I had strap sitting around doing nothing...

I have a brown leather strap on the Challenge bass... So I may change it over but brown with matt black?
I'll try the "police line" aesthetic for s little while until I can get a nice, wide black leather one.

FYI, the Couch leather straps are not suede on the back. They're even slicker than whatever the material is that the police line strap is made out of. That's what I have although I don't have a problem with neck dive for whatever reason.

 

[Bassic Playing]

Since getting my Greco I've been a little disenfranchised with the TB Pro pickups in my Classic IV. They just don't stack up to the crazy, growly compression of the Grecos.

Sooo, two options I guess.

1) What pickups would get closest to the Greco? Thunderbuckers?

2) THinking about putting Ric pickups in it, because they sound so good when downtuned (which is what I use the Classic for). Anyone done this?

 

[Klondike]

Some film noir from Seattle's Pride...........

Love the JacksonBird Mark. Are the pups EMG? HZ? Hard to tell in my phone. What electrinics do you have under the hood?

Im in line with Haji in the Will.

 

[TBird1958]

Love the JacksonBird Mark. Are the pups EMG? HZ? Hard to tell in my phone. What electrinics do you have under the hood?

Im in line with Haji in the Will.

It does have EMG pickups, I'll profess to not knowing much more than that right now. I'll open it up tomorrow and shoot some pics of it.

 

[GBassNorth]

View attachment 898516 Ok, bridge is together and on. Front raised a little higher than back.
Strings on, put some DR HiBeams on. They had the advantage of already being here.

Wow, sounds very deep. Barrel chested even. Loving it so far.

I'd bet those are great strings for that bass!
BTW - Welcome to the club! It's a pretty fast movin group and hard to stay on top of things if your updated thread notifications don't pop up (mine only seem to work randomly). Just to give you a feel for the pace around here, I joined the club about 3 years ago as member #306, the club has nearly doubled in size since then! I don't know how our Queen stays ahead of it. Again, welcome and great pics!

To all the club members - we have (and love) tons of pics so keep em comming but it would also be great to hear a sound clip or see a video clip every now and then. Things like... hey our band just put out a new track, or just changed my strings from rounds to flats here's how they compare, or here's what my Jackson vs Greco vs Eppi birds sound like, or here's a video of last nights gig, etc.
You know sound or video clips of informative and fun stuff would be way cool to see more often on this site as well. So how bout it - post em if ya got em!

 

[hillerup]

View attachment 898961

This needs a Badbird bridge real bad - The A, D and G bridges are all maxed out....