Thunderbird Club

[dagrev]

That's a fact!

I'll be the first to say that the three point wouldn't be my first choice if I were building a bass from the ground up, but then again neither would a Fender bent plate. At least on the three point I can rapidly set the action and intonation with the quick twist of a few screws. Give me the VP style bridge/claw for the win. That design works great, looks great and is dead easy to set. Or give me a Babicz or Hipshot if I'm not worried about the modern look. Heck, even Alembic uses a bridge design concept similar to the VP.

On the Fender bent plate it's a matter of fidgeting with eight tiny grubs until the height is just right then messing with the four intonation screws and possibly having to go back again to the height grubs if they self adjusted while moving the saddles. And don't even get me started on the infamous two saddle Fender bridge, or that butt ugly threaded rod saddle bridge that looks like it was made from a Home Depot spare parts bin.

About the only Fender made bridge I'd even consider using on a bass build would be one of their high mass ones. At least it looks like it cost more than a buck to build. There's a good reason Leo Quan and Hipshot (and many others) came into being.

Been working fine since 1958.

While it does work just fine, I fully agree with everything you said and why you said it. My favorite is the bridge/claw. In my mind, I really like being able to adjust each string individually for height. However I have yet to have a Thunderbird with the bridge/claw that could not be set to my complete satisfaction in terms of height. For that reason, I do like the hipshot that is on the '06. But definitely prefer the bridge/claw if I had my way.

(My one and only bass lesson I mentioned pages back is kept in this case.)

 

[dagrev]

1972, a dark year for new Gibson Thunderbird offerings but an interesting year for the SoCal car scene.
Some great nostalgic pics...
Inside the vanished world of SoCal's cruising scene during the summer of '72 | Daily Mail Online
Brings back lots of memories. I'm sure a few of our club members were sporting TBird basses back then. How about some cool retro bird shots from the early 1970's, post em if ya got em.

Thanks for posting those pics! It was really cool to go back down memory lane to the early 70s. Nice to relive it in that way as I wouldn't want to go back and have to do it again! One thing I thought was interesting was the McDonald's cup setting between one of the first couples. That was likely considered the large drink a the time (but hard to tell). Now it's what they give you free water in and considered small in some cases.

 

[dagrev]

Personally, the bent plate bridges on my American Vintage basses is one of my favorites. I really don't like the later barrel ones where you can't move the string to adjust over the pickup, but the older style with the threaded saddle is about as perfect and simple as you can make a bridge. I much prefer the two point 'Bird bridge to the 3-point, but still think it's limited in adjustment compared to the Fender. Maybe in part that is because on my Fenders I have vintage radius 7.25", so each string needs to be adjusted to the arch more, but I hate not having individual string height adjustment on Gibson bridges. Maybe it's more effort with the Fender bridge, but I feel it's a better set-up, I can keep the G string dropped really low for tapping (which I'm learning), where as on the Gibson/Epiphone it's always a bit of a compromise across all string height.

Yes indeed. I very much like that as well.

 

[PillO]

First you post a picture of a watermelon, then you post a pic of your TBird and wait a few minutes for our Queen @TBird1958 to come along and grant you a club number and unlimited admission to the best club on Talkbass.

 

[Gaolee]

I remember going to guitar shops in the early 2000's and the prices on older Acoustic and Peavey bass amps were dirt cheap. You can still find some of it for reasonable prices these days but the prices do seem to be climbing for the pieces that are in good condition.

A local guy is on the hunt for some Acoustic cabs. I am not familiar with any of these models tho.

Wanted: vintage Acoustic control Corp bass cabs - $1 (Chandler)

make / manufacturer: Acoustic Control Corp
model name / number: 106, 402, 406

Looking for 106, 402, or 406 Acoustic Control Corp bass cabs. If they have speakers that's ok but not necessary. Looking for good condition not all beat up. Thanks

I have a lot of old ACC gear, all acquired for peanuts. I won't buy it now that it costs a whole lot more.

 

[PillO]

As long as @PillO doesn't find out you circumvented the Mellon tribute your ok.

Shoot, I already posted a pic of the Tbird before I had a chance to snap a melon pic. Is this going to result in some bad juju or can I still be saved??????

Post a photo wearing your best watermelon helmet and all will be forgiven...

 

[PillO]

Please be welcome here (Watch out for certain "Canadians")

Yeah, @Engle can be a handful...

 

[D.M.N.]

As long as @PillO doesn't find out you circumvented the Mellon tribute your ok.

Some of us joined in the Pre-melon days.

 

[D.M.N.]

Been working fine since 1958.
View attachment 4293651

While it does work just fine, I fully agree with everything you said and what you said it. My favorite is the bridge/claw. In my mind, I really like being able to adjust each string individually for height. However I have yet to have a Thunderbird with the bridge/claw that could not be set to my complete satisfaction in terms of height. For that reason, I do like the hipshot that is on the '06. But definitely prefer the bridge/claw if I had my way.

(My one and only bass lesson I mentioned pages back is kept in this case.)

What I'd like, and I've thought about the feasibility, is to have the bridge/claw, but then the height adjustable barrels of the Fender bridge. Essentially something like Scott's Badbird, where it's wider for more travel, and then instead of the screw going all the way though, have it floating like the fender with height adjustment screws on the barrels. Combining the Claw/Bridge and the Fender.

 

[PillO]

Some of us joined in the Pre-melon days.

Once you go melon, you'll never go back!

 

[MCF]

Thanks for posting those pics! It was really cool to go back down memory lane to the early 70s. Nice to relive it in that way as I wouldn't want to go back and have to do it again! One thing I thought was interesting was the McDonald's cup setting between one of the first couples. That was likely considered the large drink a the time (but hard to tell). Now it's what they give you free water in and considered small in some cases.

Yeah, a simpler time.

 

[TBird1958]

Once you go melon, you'll never go back!

It is pride month. Melon, the love that dare not speak it's name.

 

[BklynKen]

It is pride month. Melon, the love that dare not speak it's name.

You can really find everything on the Internet.

 

[GBassNorth]

Some of us joined in the Pre-melon days.

Same here, my name isn't John Cougar, and I'm not in the Melon camp.

 

[GBassNorth]

What I'd like, and I've thought about the feasibility, is to have the bridge/claw, but then the height adjustable barrels of the Fender bridge. Essentially something like Scott's Badbird, where it's wider for more travel, and then instead of the screw going all the way though, have it floating like the fender with height adjustment screws on the barrels. Combining the Claw/Bridge and the Fender.

I'm sure that would be a neat feature for a lot of folks, but not sure it would really make much difference in my case.

I typically set my three points as low as I can get them without fret buzz. That's usually between three and five sixty fourths of an inch at the 12th fret on each open string. I have Three point, Babicz and Hipshot bridges as well as two point/claw bridges on my thunderbirds and I have never been limited by any of them when adjusting string height.

I personally find that I can dial in the VP two point quickest followed closely by the three point. The bridges that take me the longest to set up are the ones with individual string height adjustments, mostly because I'm constantly chasing my tail trying to get the action as low as it will go on each individual string and at the end of the day I still end up no better than my three points. String spacing would be cool on my 2015 because of the exposed pole pups and my OCD, not sure if it would make any difference in sound.

In your case, I can see where tapping would be much easier with the most flexible bridge you can find, but I don't really do that much at all. Sounds much better when other people do it.

 

[PillO]

It is pride month. Melon, the love that dare not speak it's name.

Same here, my name isn't John Cougar, and I'm not in the Melon camp.

 

[StephnG]

OK, so yer on stage playing one. What happens AFA balance for the other 2?

It shifts all little but nothing major, in fact when I'm at practice or live I use the triple to hold 2 & it holds them at a more accessible angle, I only use it for 3 at home, it by far is the most stable/secure stand I ever used!!

 

[KaraQ]

I'm sure that would be a neat feature for a lot of folks, but not sure it would really make much difference in my case.

I typically set my three points as low as I can get them without fret buzz. That's usually between three and five sixty fourths of an inch at the 12th fret on each open string. I have Three point, Babicz and Hipshot bridges as well as two point/claw bridges on my thunderbirds and I have never been limited by any of them when adjusting string height.

I personally find that I can dial in the VP two point quickest followed closely by the three point. The bridges that take me the longest to set up are the ones with individual string height adjustments, mostly because I'm constantly chasing my tail trying to get the action as low as it will go on each individual string and at the end of the day I still end up no better than my three points. String spacing would be cool on my 2015 because of the exposed pole pups and my OCD, not sure if it would make any difference in sound.

In your case, I can see where tapping would be much easier with the most flexible bridge you can find, but I don't really do that much at all. Sounds much better when other people do it.

I agree with all of those things

Once I figured out the logic in the 3-point, it became super easy to work with - as long as the body inserts stay put

But that's not necessarily the bridge's fault, or of its design. Seems to me more like manufacturing inconsistencies & age-related wear, mostly

 

[Engle]

Yeah, @Engle can be a handful...

A handful of what?

 

[PillO]

A handful of what?
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