Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

Sorry if this is the wrong way to go about this. I’m kinda new here and I’m not sure how the “club” thing works.....

I’ve got an Epi Thunderbird 60s bass (vintage pro) on the way and I’m trying to find an affordable gig bag that it’ll fit in. MF told me this one would work -
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/gator-gb-4g-bass-series-gig-bag-for-bass-guitar

It showed up today and I’m skeptical. Spec sheet says it’s got 48” length inside, but my tape measure says more like 46-1/2.

What I really want to know is either;
1) can someone who has one of the T-birds give me a point to point measurement from the tip of the body to the crown of the headstock, or......

2) Does anybody out there with one of these have a gig bag that’s decent and fits, for less than a C-note?

Thanks

Welcome! And congrats on a fantastic bass. I like the VP so much I bought another when I got a chance. They are very well made and sound really similar to the original 60's Thunderbirds. (Contrast that with the modern Gibson with black PU covers, which sounds little like a 60's version. I have one of those too.) I am fortunate enough to have one of those so high praise for the VP has some basis in fact. If I could only have one bass for less than $1,000, it would be a VP.

I measured one of my VPs and it looks like from the longest points is 50 3/4." The newer Epi may be a little shorter, I just don't know.

This is one of the few gigbags that will work as far as I know. I have one and it's really nice for a GB.
https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Thick-Thunderbird-Bass-Guitar/dp/B00915I8R2

Welcome to the wonderful world of Thunderbirds!

 

[bylar13]

Y

You need Radio Shack's gold connectors.

I prefer their battery club.....

 

[dagrev]

I prefer their battery club.....

Oh man, haven't heard about their battery club in a long, long time.

 

[Bassmike62]

Oh man, haven't heard about their battery club in a long, long time.

Prolly useful back then for new ME-50B owners

 

[dagrev]

Prolly useful back then for new ME-50B owners

No doubt!

 

[Platypus13]

Welcome! And congrats on a fantastic bass. I like the VP so much I bought another when I got a chance. They are very well made and sound really similar to the original 60's Thunderbirds. (Contrast that with the modern Gibson with black PU covers, which sounds little like a 60's version. I have one of those too.) I am fortunate enough to have one of those so high praise for the VP has some basis in fact. If I could only have one bass for less than $1,000, it would be a VP.

I measured one of my VPs and it looks like from the longest points is 50 3/4." The newer Epi may be a little shorter, I just don't know.

This is one of the few gigbags that will work as far as I know. I have one and it's really nice for a GB.
https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Thick-Thunderbird-Bass-Guitar/dp/B00915I8R2

Welcome to the wonderful world of Thunderbirds!
View attachment 4264959

Thanks, that’s exactly the info I was looking for! Nice collection btw
It was hard to decide b/t the white and the burst, but the one I chose is the tobacco burst like the 2nd from left in your pic (i hope... all the pics I see of them on forums or in videos look very rich in color like yours, but the stock pic from Epi/MF/GC all make the colors look kind of anemic.....so my fingers are crossed.) I’m stoked and can’t wait, but it looks like I’ll be sending that Gator bag back to MF.

 

[Engle]

Oh man, haven't heard about their battery club in a long, long time.

Blast from the past!

 

[PillO]

I was cautiously trying to ease Marshall into a purchase, knowing he would quickly detect the gratuitous nature of going for more. Once he gets another, we can always suggest more. One bird at a time fill an aviary.

You are missing the spousal management aspect. Let the spouse know that you need three new Thunderbirds, allow the fuss to be made then acquiesce to only getting two.

 

[GonePlaid]

You are missing the spousal management aspect. Let the spouse know that you need three new Thunderbirds, allow the fuss to be made then acquiesce to only getting two.

How'd that work out for ya?

 

[PillO]

How'd that work out for ya?

No more spouse; no more problems!

And a thriving business dispensing bad relationship advice.

 

[GonePlaid]

No more spouse; no more problems!

And a thriving business dispensing bad relationship advice.

 

[BklynKen]

I prefer their battery club.....

Is that the TalkBass club for people who prefer batteries in their pedals instead of using power supplies?

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Welcome! And congrats on a fantastic bass. I like the VP so much I bought another when I got a chance. They are very well made and sound really similar to the original 60's Thunderbirds. (Contrast that with the modern Gibson with black PU covers, which sounds little like a 60's version. I have one of those too.) I am fortunate enough to have one of those so high praise for the VP has some basis in fact. If I could only have one bass for less than $1,000, it would be a VP.

I measured one of my VPs and it looks like from the longest points is 50 3/4." The newer Epi may be a little shorter, I just don't know.

This is one of the few gigbags that will work as far as I know. I have one and it's really nice for a GB.
https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Thick-Thunderbird-Bass-Guitar/dp/B00915I8R2

Welcome to the wonderful world of Thunderbirds!
View attachment 4264959

gotta love a collection where the three point is a minority...

 

[GonePlaid]

Welcome! And congrats on a fantastic bass. I like the VP so much I bought another when I got a chance. They are very well made and sound really similar to the original 60's Thunderbirds. (Contrast that with the modern Gibson with black PU covers, which sounds little like a 60's version. I have one of those too.) I am fortunate enough to have one of those so high praise for the VP has some basis in fact. If I could only have one bass for less than $1,000, it would be a VP.

I measured one of my VPs and it looks like from the longest points is 50 3/4." The newer Epi may be a little shorter, I just don't know.

This is one of the few gigbags that will work as far as I know. I have one and it's really nice for a GB.
https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Thick-Thunderbird-Bass-Guitar/dp/B00915I8R2

Welcome to the wonderful world of Thunderbirds!
View attachment 4264959

The other day SW had the Gator GoPro gig bag on sale. I called my sales tech(Jeff) to double check that it would fit the 67NR. Someone had switched a coupla dimensions. Oops! and nope. Oh, well, I still gots the CoffinTM case.

 

[BklynKen]

The other day SW had the Gator GoPro gig bag on sale. I called my sales tech(Jeff) to double check that it would fit the 67NR. Someone had switched a coupla dimensions. Oops! and nope. Oh, well, I still gots the CoffinTM case.

Sorry, I think I was supposed to see how much room the 2013 NR had in there. Not much.

 

[GonePlaid]

Sorry, I think I was supposed to see how much room the 2013 NR had in there. Not much.

View attachment 4265033

You were right. I was responding to all both of you. There had been some praises of those bags recently so I was ready to buy. Luckily, since the numbers didn't look 'right', I called first

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Sorry, I think I was supposed to see how much room the 2013 NR had in there. Not much.

View attachment 4265033

why are Bird cases such a pain? even the 60’s cases are like an afterthought and not very well thought out....once owned a 70’s natural Bird that I bought new with the h/s case but I don’t recall the quality or functionality of that case.....the case on the 13 NR seems like overkill, nice but pretty large...the Gator case that came with the Greco is probably the nicest of the cases I’ve seen for a Bird...can’t help but wonder if it’s because that bass has a slightly shorter scale making it easier to fit an existing model case to that particular bass....dunno...just seems case discussions happen very often..

 

[BklynKen]

why are Bird cases such a pain? even the 60’s cases are like an afterthought and not very well thought out....once owned a 70’s natural Bird that I bought new with the h/s case but I don’t recall the quality or functionality of that case.....the case on the 13 NR seems like overkill, nice but pretty large...the Gator case that came with the Greco is probably the nicest of the cases I’ve seen for a Bird...can’t help but wonder if it’s because that bass has a slightly shorter scale making it easier to fit an existing model case to that particular bass....dunno...just seems case discussions happen very often..

Good question. Fenders are probably the main focus.

 

[MCF]

I was cautiously trying to ease Marshall into a purchase, knowing he would quickly detect the gratuitous nature of going for more. Once he gets another, we can always suggest more. One bird at a time fill an aviary.

Well, I’m committed to one of the new NRs. But don’t want to run chromes it. So....

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Good question. Fenders are probably the main focus.

thought the same..