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Thunderbird Club

Yep. Not a buzzing or a crackling. At lower frequencies for now. I’ve read complaints that others have had with the same issue that progressively worsens.
I sold mine to a guy and the distortion already died. Didn't find it useful personally. Later the guy that bought it had problems similar to what you describe as I recall. Not sure if he got it looked at or not. Doubt it as Covid was nearing at the time.
 
.....looks like another great deal on what is claimed to be a mint limited Edition Eppi PB bird with case. If it's everything the seller claims its a very fair price. Don't know if he will ship.

Again, no affiliation with the seller and I have not contacted him to confirm any claims. Just passing on to the club something I suspect will draw a lot of interest... especially from @MCF and maybe @KaraQ or even @Larry V

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Enjoy!


Looks very nice!

Unfortunately, that color isn't really my cup-o-tea :(

Looks like it could stand to have some chrome tuners to match the bridge & knobs...

That burst Greco on Reverb tho :drool: .....if I hadn't recently bought two (that I like really well, btw)....:sorry:


On a slightly separate topic...

What's the best way to intentionally remove bridge inserts?
 
Now you’re talkin’. The soundtrack of our high school keggers. The recording on it is really good IIRC.
Yes indeed. I have no idea how many times I played that LP after school along with musical enhancements. Much better than homework. Learning bass later, that was one of my teachers.
 
It will be my first VP. FUNNY, I got my CP by running into it at a local GC, send some phone pix to the club and you crew hooked me up with the info...
Anyway pretty psyched, I'll definitely post pix to make sure it actually happened!

Two 'Birds, and I'm not even stoned...

Thanks again man.
You are gonna love the VP. It will prove to be some of the best money you've spent. Like any bass, strings do make a difference.

I believe you pointed out my second VP (the burst near Boston I believe). I'm still thankful. I love both and neither one is going anywhere. The only exception might be a the new NR at some point. But I have other basses that would likely go first. I could live with a VP as my only bass and be happy. But I'm happier with more basses!
 
And gracefully moving back to the topic of TBirds...
For those in the northern Indiana, Southern Michigan, North West Ohio and Chicago area, looks like another great deal on what is claimed to be a mint limited Edition Eppi PB bird with case. If it's everything the seller claims its a very fair price. Don't know if he will ship.

Again, no affiliation with the seller and I have not contacted him to confirm any claims. Just passing on to the club something I suspect will draw a lot of interest... especially from @MCF and maybe @KaraQ or even @Larry V

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Enjoy!
That’s a nice one. For reference, I bought my beautiful mint condition LE Custom Shop in Pelham Blue with case and shipping for $470 from a Reverb seller in New York in August of ‘19. I watched it for weeks and jumped on it the minute the price dropped $150. I was lucky. Mine is completely stock with the three point. I’ve barely touched it; it was perfectly set up when I got it. Only put on new strings (Super Brights) and lowered the action a bit. It’s a great playing bass and sounds close to a modern Thunderbird.

That finish is a beautiful fine metal flake with a bit of sparkle in a shade that’s different from the Gibson Pelham blue. A little darker. It looks different under different lighting.

That’s a fair price including case and a Hipshot Supertone. You don’t see them for sale very often. I’d be all over it if I didn’t have one already.
 
And gracefully moving back to the topic of TBirds...
For those in the northern Indiana, Southern Michigan, North West Ohio and Chicago area, looks like another great deal on what is claimed to be a mint limited Edition Eppi PB bird with case. If it's everything the seller claims its a very fair price. Don't know if he will ship.

Again, no affiliation with the seller and I have not contacted him to confirm any claims. Just passing on to the club something I suspect will draw a lot of interest... especially from @MCF and maybe @KaraQ or even @Larry V

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Enjoy!

Looks very nice, but whats with the extra strap button in the cutaway? Looks like it might impede playing in the upper frets.
 
Looks very nice, but whats with the extra strap button in the cutaway? Looks like it might impede playing in the upper frets.
Certainly not where I would have put one, but probably better than on the back of the neck (yes, I've seen one there, not the heel, the actual neck, good grief). Thankfully it's nothing 30 seconds and a screwdriver can't fix, but in some eyes it would no longer be "mint" with a hole in the lower horn. Still the asking price looks mighty good.
 
Looks very nice!

Unfortunately, that color isn't really my cup-o-tea :(

Looks like it could stand to have some chrome tuners to match the bridge & knobs...

That burst Greco on Reverb tho :drool: .....if I hadn't recently bought two (that I like really well, btw)....:sorry:


On a slightly separate topic...

What's the best way to intentionally remove bridge inserts?
You mean those inserts that the threaded posts go into?
 
I'd leave the threaded posts inserted (threaded into them), put a flat, clean scrap of wood on to he body next to the post, and employing that scrap of wood as a pad to protect the body, use a small flat-bar with a right-angled end and pry up on the head of the post that's threaded into the insert. Use the scrap of wood/body of the bass to leverage down against as you slowly lift up on the post, bringing the insert up with it.

That's what I'd do...
 
You mean those inserts that the threaded posts go into?

I'd leave the threaded posts inserted (threaded into them), put a flat, clean scrap of wood on to he body next to the post, and employing that scrap of wood as a pad to protect the body, use a small flat-bar with a right-angled end and pry up on the head of the post that's threaded into the insert. Use the scrap of wood/body of the bass to leverage down against as you slowly lift up on the post, bringing the insert up with it.

That's what I'd do...


Yes, the metal inserts in the body, that the threaded posts screw into - and your idea was actually where I was headed :thumbsup:

I have a couple of very small - maybe 6"? - pry bars that I was going to try, with a bit of wood as a pad. I got the genius :rollno: idea to see how tight they really were....and they just sorta came out with a firm pull :banghead:


Should'a tried that before asking, I guess :cautious: :bag:


20210412_190642.jpg
 
?...
On a slightly separate topic...

What's the best way to intentionally remove bridge inserts?

You can buy an anchor puller or you can make one with some scrap wood.

If your lifting an Eppi anchor with the raised flange you're less likely to lift the finish with the anchor. On a Gibby the anchor can sit a bit below the finished surface of the top, so lifting one of those can be a bit tricky without damaging the finish.

On the Eppi - get a 1" thick piece of scrap wood. Using a forsner bit drill a hole a bit more than half way through the wood block with a bit diameter just large enough for a slip fit over the exposed Eppi anchor shoulder. The closer the hole diameter is to the size of the anchor shoulder the less likely you'll damage your finish, but it should still be a slip fit, not a force fit. Next drill a hole in the center of the forsner hole all the way through the rest of the block. This hole should be just large enough to pass the Eppi bridge bolt through as a slip fit. You now have an anchor puller.

Simply place the wood block over the Eppi anchor and insert the stock bridge bolt with a flat washer (washer just adds a bit of strength to the wood block) then finger tighten. Next, using a screw driver or wrench that matches the head of your Eppi bridge bolt, slowly tighten. As you tighten the bolt with the tool it will pull the anchor up out of the body hole until the face of the anchor is up against the inside of the wood block forsner hole. The anchor should be loose enough now that you can slowly wiggle the wood block a bit and easily lift the anchor out of the hole.

Note that Eppi anchors have vertical splines to grip the wood, so pulling straight up us good, twisting is not good if you can avoid it. Also note that once the anchor is removed it will most likely never be as tight a fit as it originally was unless you add some wood and maybe glue back into the hole when re-inserting. Lastly, the anchor closest to the control cavity will have a friction contact with the ground wire, it's not soldered to the anchor, but it's important to make sure there's contact when you reinsert the anchor.
 
Yes, the metal inserts in the body, that the threaded posts screw into - and your idea was actually where I was headed :thumbsup:

I have a couple of very small - maybe 6"? - pry bars that I was going to try, with a bit of wood as a pad. I got the genius :rollno: idea to see how tight they really were....and they just sorta came out with a firm pull :banghead:


Should'a tried that before asking, I guess :cautious: :bag:


View attachment 4233547
LOL - or you could just pop them out with a lever or a good yank. Looks like you can disregard my previous post. :D
 
Yes, the metal inserts in the body, that the threaded posts screw into - and your idea was actually where I was headed :thumbsup:

I have a couple of very small - maybe 6"? - pry bars that I was going to try, with a bit of wood as a pad. I got the genius :rollno: idea to see how tight they really were....and they just sorta came out with a firm pull :banghead:


Should'a tried that before asking, I guess :cautious: :bag:


View attachment 4233547
Oh no!!!
 
RAWR! That's the stock factory bridge arrangement.........
have you had the luck of playing a 70’s one? I’d love to try that thing....wonder if the pup is similar to the later 80’s ones....not to offend anyone but a Greco NR that is more true to the 60’s Gibby the way the reverses are, would be a dream bass imho...:drool:..