Thunderbird Club

[MCF]

Hello. First time poster as I recently purchased a used Epiphone Goth Thunderbird IV for $140. I never held one as I’m told you should first, but at that price, I could not pass it by. It’s really dirty with dust and I’m wondering the best way to clean the entire bass. I read the rosewood fretboard is best cleaned with lemon oil. What about the mahogany body? Until I can replace the strings, I’m going with a soft damp cloth. I’m debating to place flatwound strings on the bass. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

Welcome! Goths are great!

 

[TBird1958]

Lull time before date night

 

[MCF]

I can understand but you never know when an absolute steal lands on your front porch

My motto, always be ready to pounce.

 

[JIO]

Ok, makes sense. I frequently see where people say if only it had 21 frets and so on. BTW, I do have multiple basses with more than 20, but wasn't looking for more, they came with them.

 

[MCF]

from the other day....apologies for the mess on the table....

Love Chris songs. Nice playing.

 

[GonePlaid]

I s'pose you don't get a hat when yer playing "second fiddle".

 

[Engle]

I like 22 fret basses. Here's my latest -

View attachment 4192172 View attachment 4192173 View attachment 4192175 View attachment 4192176

Cool! Is that a screw holding on the nut?

 

[Engle]

That's what you get for trying to catch one I guess?

Oh the stories I could tell you about Herb....It’s funny now when I think about it, but we used to be down at the Fraser River a lot when I was a kid.

 

[Engle]

I’m pretty sure this is answered somewhere in our illustrious T-Bird forum but does anyone know where to get a decent replacement Gibson bass case handle? The ones on Amazon and other online sources appear to need additional work to make them usable. Leather on metal will wear out without some sort of coating or plastic located between the leather and the metal bracket on the case. I’ve been using old bass strings as the handle for decades now (DR heavies last forever it seems), but I would love to replace it with a proper handle.

I have some old case handles, but I don’t know if any would work. Does it need to look original?

 

[Engle]

LOL - yeah, that's why I wore leather gloves to land it and a ten foot steel leader vs nylon fishing line. Strictly catch and release so I don't know how they taste, but I'd be pretty leery about eating a 5 foot long bottom feeder out of the Sacramento delta.

They taste oily and not so great...you are not missing anything!

 

[dagrev]

LOL - yeah, that's why I wore leather gloves to land it and a ten foot steel leader vs nylon fishing line. Strictly catch and release so I don't know how they taste, but I'd be pretty leery about eating a 5 foot long bottom feeder out of the Sacramento delta.

Indeed! Might taste like...... Multiple choice, with no wrong answers, but "chicken" might not be among them.

 

[Engle]

Please don't take this as a troll, but why are more needed? Perhaps the music I've played the last 53 years? Country, Classic, or Hard Rock, I've never needed to go above G19.

I have a few 24 fret basses - An Aria Pro 2 SD600 and a NCR Eagle. For myself, it’s rare that I go that high, but the territory around the octave is now nowhere near the heel. Basically you are never impeded by your hand hitting the body.

 

[JIO]

Cool! Is that a screw holding on the nut?

Yes, a Dano trademark.

 

[GonePlaid]

Yes, a Dano trademark.

Then wouldn't it be a 'bolt'?(not a screw)

 

[JIO]

Then wouldn't it be a 'bolt'?(not a screw)

The undisputed master of wordplay strikes again.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Thanks, I will - I do these projects to sell, and then I fall in love with them and don't want to sell them! But time and new projects can loosen up my grip on them. When I begin a project I never know how it's going to sound/play as they usually require a lot of work. This one was ok when I got it but all my work resulted in it being really good.
Here's my Luthiers Corner thread on it for more details - Hornet Crackle Kraze Batman! Craquelure effect finish

Thanks -cool stuff!

 

[Engle]

The undisputed master of wordplay strikes again.

All hail @GonePlaid !
Seriously it drives me crazy when people mix up nuts and bolts (in their language, not their workbench)

 

[Miles_ONeal]

There’s a white Epi 60s (rebranded VP) with case for $600 in the classifieds...

 

[darren1970]

View attachment 4192482 Lull time before date night

The finish on that Lull is gorgeous.

Do you still have the purple Tiger Stripe one that Mike painted for you?

 

[TBird1958]

The finish on that Lull is gorgeous.

Do you still have the purple Tiger Stripe one that Mike painted for you?

I hadn't played that bass in at least a month, grabbed it out of the rack in the "other" bass storage room and sat with it for and hour and a half, what a bass!
I don't have the purple striped Bird any more, I see it's on Reverb...

Gibson Thunderbird 1976/77 Re-Fin | ZWICK - Uli Salm Bass Collection & Shop | Reverb