Thunderbird Club

[GBassNorth]

Tbird VP string choice?
My ebony VP arrived today, but my favorite strings won’t arrive for a few days (TI jazz flats).
I’m going to run to my local music shop and put some strings on her to play until my flats arrive (the strings the bass came with are unplayable)
Recommendations? I seem to recall Rotosound RS66LD’s getting a lot of love here?

IME Cobalt Flats are a great string on the VP as are Fender 9150's.
Roto Flats would probably sound nice too but I haven't tried them. I'd think Chrome flats might be a bit too bright. I did try Silver Stars (basically the same thing as Black Beauties) but found the E string to be too floppy. I have yet to find a bass that TI Jazz flats don't sound good on.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Shure GXD or something like that. Wireless. It is more than 9 volts, so the power supply has to be able to deal with it. The transmitter is USB rechargeable, and it is all bomb proof. The transmitter has holes worn in the paint and the receiver got a big dent in it somehow. It is also an effective tuner/mute. Plus, I don't trip over it or get wound around a tree like a dog on a leash. It was expensive, but after however many year, it comes down to a pretty good annual cost. Six years? Seven? I have completely lost track.

+1 on the Shure GLXD16

I’ve been using the same one for many years

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GLXD16G--shure-glxd16-digital-wireless-guitar-pedal-system

 

[dukeorock]

I hope so!
It's my birthday today, the wife wanted to get me another Thunderbird (used one from reverb that I've been looking at) but I told her I'd take a rain check until Gibby/Eppi release their new offerings in the spring. I'm really hoping they launch something exciting, otherwise I might snag a JC Gold top.

Those are such nice basses. Sold mine, but can’t remember why! One of my favorite bass tracks I ever did was meant to be a scratch track to be replaced with an upright, but we kept the JC scratch track

 

[Larry V]

Auguri!!! BTW, heard this guy is quitting...talk about a nice gig...
View attachment 4097810

Hadn't heard that. Not surprised though... he probably had the least ego of any of his infamous bandmates. He's seen and done it all... if performing doesn't appeal to him any longer, I understand.

 

[PillO]

Tbird VP string choice?
My ebony VP arrived today, but my favorite strings won’t arrive for a few days (TI jazz flats).
I’m going to run to my local music shop and put some strings on her to play until my flats arrive (the strings the bass came with are unplayable)
Recommendations? I seem to recall Rotosound RS66LD’s getting a lot of love here?

steel strings sound great on a Thunderbird. I do like RS 66. For a less aggressive sound, I like Black Beauties or NYXL.

 

[RedVee]

Happy Birthday to the December club

JPJ's birthday for me, 01/03.

Rob Zombie shares mine, Jan 12. He is a few years younger.

Though the ex Captain of the West Indies Test cricket team, Richie Richardson and ex F1 Driver Emmanuele Pirro both share my birthday exactly. 12 Jan 1962. I’m dragging the chain a bit compared to those guys.

My daughters birthday is Jan 12th so she rarely got the combined gift thing. The only time we have done that to her was at her choice when she wanted something that had a much higher price tag.

I have had several friends over the years who had birthdays right at Christmas and they definitely complained about being shorted gifts.

Hey, good on her

I don’t get the shared present thing, but do get the complaints that it is hard to think of another present only a few weeks after Christmas.

I must say it was a great time if the year to gave a Birthday in Sydney. As a school kid always in school hols, and as a late teen to mid/late 20s the weather is glorious and well conducive to outside parties and drinking the sun up.

 

[Larry V]

ex F1 Driver Emmanuele Pirro both share my birthday exactly. 12 Jan 1962. I’m dragging the chain a bit compared to those guys.

I share my exact birthday with the greatest F1 driver of all time.

It's just terrible how the last chapters of his life are being written. He led such an amazing life only to have it become tragic.

Other notables on my day: Mel Gibson, JRR Tolkein, Eli Manning and previously mentioned JPJ.
January 3 - Wikipedia

 

[kringle77]

I’m looking to see what new birds come out at namm this year. A reissue of the thunderbird studio done neck-through would be cool.

 

[Larry V]

I’m looking to see what new birds come out at namm this year. A reissue of the thunderbird studio done neck-through would be cool.

Why not just pick one up then? A lot of them come up for sale... even the V's.

 

[kringle77]

They don’t come up often and some are in rough shape, they are set neck instead of thru.

 

[MCF]

Hadn't heard that. Not surprised though... he probably had the least ego of any of his infamous bandmates. He's seen and done it all... if performing doesn't appeal to him any longer, I understand.

Neither had I. Thought he was still dong projects. He’ll be 75. He’s outlived a lot of his contemporaries.

 

[Larry V]

They don’t come up often and some are in rough shape, they are set neck instead of thru.

Good luck in your search. I've been very fortunate in being able to scratch my Studio itch the two times I've gone looking. My first Studio V was a minty, gorgeous cherry finish and my second Studio V was in ebony finish and just perfect in every way.

 

[Larry V]

Neither had I. Thought he was still dong projects. He’ll be 75. He’s outlived a lot of his contemporaries.

FWIW, I did a general Google search for anything on JPJ "retiring" and came up empty.

 

[MCF]

FWIW, I did a general Google search for anything on JPJ "retiring" and came up empty.

As did I. Covid canceled his latest gig plans. So who knows. And minds change all the time. I think many who are discouraged now and considering tossing in the towel might realize they miss it once things resume.

Look at Glover. He just did a new DP album that’s pretty good. 75 is the new 55 for some...

 

[Engle]

Those are such nice basses. Sold mine, but can’t remember why! One of my favorite bass tracks I ever did was meant to be a scratch track to be replaced with an upright, but we kept the JC scratch track

I’m not surprised to hear that. The only downside to the JC for me is I can’t use it for loud reggae sessions in rehearsal rooms due to feedback.

 

[MCF]

I share my exact birthday with the greatest F1 driver of all time.
View attachment 4098459

It's just terrible how the last chapters of his life are being written. He led such an amazing life only to have it become tragic.

Other notables on my day: Mel Gibson, JRR Tolkein, Eli Manning and previously mentioned JPJ.
January 3 - Wikipedia

The Beatles landed in America for their first visit on my Birthday. I turned 6. What a marvelous day!

I share mine with Sir Thomas More, John Deere, Sinclair Lewis, Buster Crabbe, Garth Brooks and Chris Rock.

 

[Gaolee]

Auguri!!! BTW, heard this guy is quitting...talk about a nice gig...
View attachment 4097810

Just a little 360 goodness behind him. Those sound even better with a Thunderbird.

 

[Gaolee]

+1 on the Shure GLXD16

I’ve been using the same one for many years
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GLXD16G--shure-glxd16-digital-wireless-guitar-pedal-system
Shure GLXD16 Digital Wireless Guitar Pedal System

That's it! It may got it six years ago. I don't remember at all, but it's been completely reliable. I don't always remember to plug in the transmitter, but it has so much reserve in the battery that it has never been a problem. The only issue I had with it was the length of the cord. I got an aftermarket cord with a 90 degree 1/4" that was 18" long instead of the straight jack and 36" cord that comes with the unit. The transmitter hooks neatly to the strap for the Thunderbird and it hooks neatly to the bow quiver on the upright. A 36" cord is way too long for what I do.

 

[Larry V]

As did I. Covid canceled his latest gig plans. So who knows. And minds change all the time. I think many who are discouraged now and considering tossing in the towel might realize they miss it once things resume.

Look at Glover. He just did a new DP album that’s pretty good. 75 is the new 55 for some...

I really think that people generally fall into two distinct groups as one begins to feel that the sands of time may be running out.

Either, I've done enough, time to relax and watch the grass grow and spend time with loved ones. Or, I have so much more that I want to do and I better get to it!

I'm going to be a grass grow and loved ones guy... with vacationing thrown in for good measure.

 

[kringle77]

Good luck in your search. I've been very fortunate in being able to scratch my Studio itch the two times I've gone looking. My first Studio V was a minty, gorgeous cherry finish and my second Studio V was in ebony finish and just perfect in every way.

So, can you compare the studio to a regular bird? I’m assuming there is no neck dive and is a lighter weight bass than the standard bird?