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Thunderbird Club

#166,986
TBird1958 said:
Thunderbird time, these were in my FB feed this AM.

View attachment 4105551

View attachment 4105552
Click to expand...

Boy, I uh...don't love them, to be kind about it. The first one is close. If they did it more like the Firebird Custom, b/w/b/w pickguard, maybe gold hardware (at least silver), I'd be totally onboard, but the binding clashes with the chrome, and there isn't enough other color to offset the black. Like, if the pickups and bridge were chrome too, that would look far better, IMO. And it appears the center isn't raised, which makes it look weird that the pickguard just sort of ends before meeting anything (maybe extend it to meet the neck, and then cut our a bit for the pickups, more like an SG pickguard). It also raises the question, are these neck thru or set? On the red it sort of looks like there may be a raised section near the neck joint, but I don't see how that would work with the binding (again, see the Firebird Custom, which has a flat top). As for the looks...not my cup of motor oil, and the less said about it the better.

Chucky Stiletti said:
the height of the pups confirms the pitch theory...I don't own a Gibson reverse so i used the Greco as a reference which brings up another point; how come you don't see or hear about hs damage on Grecos or other non Gibson Birds?.....thought I read somewhere that although Greco used mahogany for their bodies, they used maple for their necks..
apologies for the crappy pics..
1989 GRECO REVERSE IV
View attachment 4106109

2012 GIBSON NON REVERSE IV
View attachment 4106112
Click to expand...

That could make sense about the neck would on the Greco, but what definitely helps is the much thicker neck where the headstock joins. My 2007 Gibson certainly has more of an angle than my NR, as does the Greco.
 
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#166,987
BklynKen said:
So I've pretty much got the RNR dialed in now. The tonal difference between the R and RNR is negligible. Biggest difference I notice is the thicker neck. Not bad, just different.
Click to expand...

That was my assessment as well. I played one at GC a while back but the neck and I did not get along. It stayed behind when I left... I did have thoughts about having the neck shaved and the volute removed but I have stupid thoughts often...
 
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#166,988
bylar13 said:
That was my assessment as well. I played one at GC a while back but the neck and I did not get along. It stayed behind when I left... I did have thoughts about having the neck shaved and the volute removed but I have stupid thoughts often...
Click to expand...
Haha. I don't even notice the volute. The neck will be fine for me I think. I've noticed that some things I play better on a thinner neck and others things better on a thicker one (ahem). So I think it will all equal out in the end. The luthier said that he could always reshape the neck to match my R. So that's a possibility.
 
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#166,990
One does NOT buy a Grabber, one GRABS A GRABBER!

There's a music-pub here called The Wanch that has an old beat up Grabber on the wall for those unfortunate bassplayers who've forgotten their instruments at home or their gear breaks on the gig. I've grabbed that Grabber several times, but not because of a faulty instrument nor forgetfulness...


I wish Peter Criss had been the bass player, I would've picked up the bass much sooner... instead I sucked at drums very briefly. I don't suck on drums now, 'cause I never play 'em!

"Destroyer" was the first record I got for myself, well technically my grandmother bought it at my behest.
On her record player, it did maketh a TERRIBLE noise; the turntable seemed broken, but her other records were fine.
Back to the record store with the defective record; back with the new replacement record to her apartment and monophonic record-player...

The second record was broke, too, again that terrible noise — but if you skipped the needle ahead in the groove it was alright... I was 7.

 
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#166,991
Miles_ONeal said:
are the basses pictured Tele Modern Players? If so, goof name, because tgey look nothing like Teles.

Either way, while I have nothing against Fenders, per se, I don’t mind at all that my bass of choice isn’t something that everyone and their third cousin (twice removed (and once restored)) Esmerelda has.
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LOL - the one on the right is the Fender, the one on the left is a Gibson EB 5 string.

I posted the two together because the EB5 is the most Fender looking Gibby I have and the Tele MP is the most Gibby sounding Fender I have. It's like each company was attempting to encroach on the others turf. Both ended up being very short runs and are now discontinued.

The Telecaster name is a reference to Telecaster basses of the 1970's (same body style and pic guard shape) but instead of just the mudbucker at the neck the modern player adds one at the bridge as well.
 
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#166,992
D.M.N. said:
Boy, I uh...don't love them, to be kind about it. The first one is close. If they did it more like the Firebird Custom, b/w/b/w pickguard, maybe gold hardware (at least silver), I'd be totally onboard, but the binding clashes with the chrome, and there isn't enough other color to offset the black. Like, if the pickups and bridge were chrome too, that would look far better, IMO. And it appears the center isn't raised, which makes it look weird that the pickguard just sort of ends before meeting anything (maybe extend it to meet the neck, and then cut our a bit for the pickups, more like an SG pickguard). It also raises the question, are these neck thru or set? On the red it sort of looks like there may be a raised section near the neck joint, but I don't see how that would work with the binding (again, see the Firebird Custom, which has a flat top). As for the looks...not my cup of motor oil, and the less said about it the better.



That could make sense about the neck would on the Greco, but what definitely helps is the much thicker neck where the headstock joins. My 2007 Gibson certainly has more of an angle than my NR, as does the Greco.
Click to expand...
hmmm....dunno...in my case (first Gen), other than the Greco neck being slightly wider at the nut, both neck/hs joints are purdy close...

Gibson on top....(ahem)..
upload_2020-12-28_17-30-13.png



will measure at some point, can't find calipers...
upload_2020-12-28_17-33-38.png
 
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#166,993
bylar13 said:
That was my assessment as well. I played one at GC a while back but the neck and I did not get along. It stayed behind when I left... I did have thoughts about having the neck shaved and the volute removed but I have stupid thoughts often...
Click to expand...
It’s not as thin, but it didn’t take long to get used to. At least for me. But I’m not out performing with it either. Anyway, I like the NR neck.
 
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