Thunderbird Club

[KaraQ]

Somebody is hoping it doesn't have a broken truss rod or something.

What's a bit odd (to me, at least), most of those I've watched since I got mine have gone for $300+. And some have had breaks that appeared to be much worse

Too rich for my level of bravery, I guess

 

[Gaolee]

Ken very kindly gave me a set of SIT Power Steels when I saw him in Brooklyn recently. They really are nice strings. Might try the Power Wounds just for fun. I still love KS BassBurners a whole lot as well. DR Lo-Riders work nice on some of my basses.
For flats The Cobalts are the closest thing to the roundwound sound I’ve heard from flats, but the SIT Power Flats are really, really good. On my ‘67 Hofner Beatle bass, TI Jazz Flats are perfection if you want THAT sound, and I often very much want THAT sound on sessions. It’s not really a perfect copy of the McCartney thing. It’s got more highs and mids. If that bass hadn’t been gifted to me I doubt I ever would’ve bought one. Never had a desire to own a violin bass and for a fella my size it looks absolutely ridiculous, but I probably use it for at least 75-80% of my session work in the past two years or so. It’s a remarkable sounding bass, for real! Played it with a live band only once on a live stream and I just couldn’t look sillier playing it
View attachment 4314727

Mark channeling his inner Tiny Tim.

 

[dagrev]

Ken very kindly gave me a set of SIT Power Steels when I saw him in Brooklyn recently. They really are nice strings. Might try the Power Wounds just for fun. I still love KS BassBurners a whole lot as well. DR Lo-Riders work nice on some of my basses.
For flats The Cobalts are the closest thing to the roundwound sound I’ve heard from flats, but the SIT Power Flats are really, really good. On my ‘67 Hofner Beatle bass, TI Jazz Flats are perfection if you want THAT sound, and I often very much want THAT sound on sessions. It’s not really a perfect copy of the McCartney thing. It’s got more highs and mids. If that bass hadn’t been gifted to me I doubt I ever would’ve bought one. Never had a desire to own a violin bass and for a fella my size it looks absolutely ridiculous, but I probably use it for at least 75-80% of my session work in the past two years or so. It’s a remarkable sounding bass, for real! Played it with a live band only once on a live stream and I just couldn’t look sillier playing it
View attachment 4314727

I tried the SIT power wounds years ago. I liked them but for some reason never bought another set.... Likely tried a series of string rage of the month for a while and never got back to them.

That's a bass that has never been on my curiosity list at all either. Maybe it should be.

 

[dagrev]

Mark channeling his inner Tiny Tim.

That was that weird "I've seen this before" think when I saw that pic.

 

[Gaolee]

I am back from my travels and picked up the black one. There is a bit of corrosion on the clovers and a bit more on the pickup covers. There is one pretty good chip on the lower bout on the treble side. It looks like the bass hit something or something hit it. There are a couple minor scuffs on the headstock, probably from disciplining a singer, and cosmetic wear on the back and above the neck pickup that says it has been played. Other than those minor issues, it looks practically new. Whoever owned it had set it up reasonably well, but I still took about an hour to restring it, tweak the neck a little, clean everything and oil the fretboard, and adjust the intonation to get it close enough for me. It has new DR strings on it, but I took them out of the box a while ago and don't remember what they are. DOH. So, a picture from the basement of bad ideas with the usual green atmosphere. My pictures are worse than GC's pictures.

It is a 2017 with Wilkinson branded tuners. I don't remember if that makes it an early or late one. It is a little heavy, but not bad. It has a bit of neck dive, which I expected. The rest of the afternoon is for plugging it in to see what it really sounds like.

 

[TBird1958]

View attachment 4315041 I am back from my travels and picked up the black one. There is a bit of corrosion on the clovers and a bit more on the pickup covers. There is one pretty good chip on the lower bout on the treble side. It looks like the bass hit something or something hit it. There are a couple minor scuffs on the headstock, probably from disciplining a singer, and cosmetic wear on the back and above the neck pickup that says it has been played. Other than those minor issues, it looks practically new. Whoever owned it had set it up reasonably well, but I still took about an hour to restring it, tweak the neck a little, clean everything and oil the fretboard, and adjust the intonation to get it close enough for me. It has new DR strings on it, but I took them out of the box a while ago and don't remember what they are. DOH. So, a picture from the basement of bad ideas with the usual green atmosphere. My pictures are worse than GC's pictures.

It is a 2017 with Wilkinson branded tuners. I don't remember if that makes it an early or late one. It is a little heavy, but not bad. It has a bit of neck dive, which I expected. The rest of the afternoon is for plugging it in to see what it really sounds like.

You might as well stay in the basement till Tuesday Will, it's gonna get really hot here tomorrow and Monday.

Good times!

 

[Gaolee]

Well, I plugged into the 360. That is as good a way to find out what it does as anything, right? It is bright and aggressive. Probably the most aggressive sounding bass I own, at least with those strings. They sound like they are stainless, so that is part of it. I really like it with both bridge and neck at about 8 and tone about the same. It sounds a little nasal wide open and it clearly doesn't like being muted. There sure is a lot of bright teal in the sound, but no electric blue. The black is overwhelmed by the teal. There is white in it as well. I like it a lot. It won't work for everything, but it will out-Entwhistle Entwhistle.

Another observation from playing it. A relative of Jeff's owned it. The bridge is also corroded a bit. I didn't notice that while working on intonation.

 

[Gaolee]

You might as well stay in the basement till Tuesday Will, it's gonna get really hot here tomorrow and Monday.

Good times!

I have to be outside for work on Monday. It will suck!

 

[TBird1958]

I have to be outside for work on Monday. It will suck!

It 99 today and I am surrounded by light fixtures................... But, it's a dry heat.

 

[MCF]

That's a bass that has never been on my curiosity list at all either. Maybe it should be.

I get Mark having it in the arsenal for recording. I don't record. I'll never have one unless someone gives it to me. I work on Beatle songs, but I'll never sound like McCartney, regardless of the bass. I
like short scales, and there are a few more I wouldn't mind having. But not one of those. YMMV.

 

[BklynKen]

My pictures are worse than GC's pictures.

No. I can clearly read "Epiphone."

 

[MCF]

Well, I plugged into the 360. That is as good a way to find out what it does as anything, right? It is bright and aggressive. Probably the most aggressive sounding bass I own, at least with those strings. They sound like they are stainless, so that is part of it. I really like it with both bridge and neck at about 8 and tone about the same. It sounds a little nasal wide open and it clearly doesn't like being muted. There sure is a lot of bright teal in the sound, but no electric blue. The black is overwhelmed by the teal. There is white in it as well. I like it a lot. It won't work for everything, but it will out-Entwhistle Entwhistle.

Another observation from playing it. A relative of Jeff's owned it. The bridge is also corroded a bit. I didn't notice that while working on intonation.

Welcome home friend. In '17 the Wilkenson's were from the first run. Yours is mine's sibling. Best $700 bass on the planet.

 

[dukeorock]

I get Mark having it in the arsenal for recording. I don't record. I'll never have one unless someone gives it to me. I work on Beatle songs, but I'll never sound like McCartney, regardless of the bass. I
like short scales, and there are a few more I wouldn't mind having. But not one of those. YMMV.

The only reason I have one is because it was given to me
Incredible recording. I will not shut up about that (clearly)!

 

[Gaolee]

When I picked up the VP this afternoon, there was a young woman talking to the sales guy about bass guitars. From the conversation, it was clear she was a beginner. He was steering her toward Jazz basses, kinda, but she noticed a violin bass and asked about it. She was not a big person, so it probably would have been fine for her. And probably really appropriate. I didn't say anything at all, but sure thought about it.

 

[roccobass]

It 99 today and I am surrounded by light fixtures................... But, it's a dry heat.

This is one of the few times the Northwest is hotter than California. Not good. It’s 98 down here. I feel sorry for Salem, Or. I have friends there. Calling for 115 degrees tomorrow! Is this for real?

 

[MCF]

When I picked up the VP this afternoon, there was a young woman talking to the sales guy about bass guitars. From the conversation, it was clear she was a beginner. He was steering her toward Jazz basses, kinda, but she noticed a violin bass and asked about it. She was not a big person, so it probably would have been fine for her. And probably really appropriate. I didn't say anything at all, but sure thought about it.

Yeah. Those are supposedly fidgety to set up aren't they? Maybe not the best for a beginner. But then again, I watched a junior high school age girl trying basses with her Dad before the pandemic. The salesman kept trying to push her to a Squier. She liked an entry level Jacson. The Dad had the good sense to get her the one she liked. I hope she's still playing; she was really excited.

 

[Border]

View attachment 4315041 I am back from my travels and picked up the black one. There is a bit of corrosion on the clovers and a bit more on the pickup covers. There is one pretty good chip on the lower bout on the treble side. It looks like the bass hit something or something hit it. There are a couple minor scuffs on the headstock, probably from disciplining a singer, and cosmetic wear on the back and above the neck pickup that says it has been played. Other than those minor issues, it looks practically new. Whoever owned it had set it up reasonably well, but I still took about an hour to restring it, tweak the neck a little, clean everything and oil the fretboard, and adjust the intonation to get it close enough for me. It has new DR strings on it, but I took them out of the box a while ago and don't remember what they are. DOH. So, a picture from the basement of bad ideas with the usual green atmosphere. My pictures are worse than GC's pictures.

It is a 2017 with Wilkinson branded tuners. I don't remember if that makes it an early or late one. It is a little heavy, but not bad. It has a bit of neck dive, which I expected. The rest of the afternoon is for plugging it in to see what it really sounds like.

Welcome home, and congrats on a new bass. I have no doubt it sounds great through the Acoustic rig. I have concluded staying in the man cave commiserating with my basses is a great way to beat the heat here in Spokane. Was bummed to get the notice that the Roger Daltry concert has been canceled. I saw the Who years ago in the old Kingdome and was looking forward to seeing Roger out at Northern Quest. I hope everyone is staying cool during this heatwave.

 

[dagrev]

View attachment 4315041 I am back from my travels and picked up the black one. There is a bit of corrosion on the clovers and a bit more on the pickup covers. There is one pretty good chip on the lower bout on the treble side. It looks like the bass hit something or something hit it. There are a couple minor scuffs on the headstock, probably from disciplining a singer, and cosmetic wear on the back and above the neck pickup that says it has been played. Other than those minor issues, it looks practically new. Whoever owned it had set it up reasonably well, but I still took about an hour to restring it, tweak the neck a little, clean everything and oil the fretboard, and adjust the intonation to get it close enough for me. It has new DR strings on it, but I took them out of the box a while ago and don't remember what they are. DOH. So, a picture from the basement of bad ideas with the usual green atmosphere. My pictures are worse than GC's pictures.

It is a 2017 with Wilkinson branded tuners. I don't remember if that makes it an early or late one. It is a little heavy, but not bad. It has a bit of neck dive, which I expected. The rest of the afternoon is for plugging it in to see what it really sounds like.

Congrats on landing another Thunderbird!

Ah, who needs a mint bass? Do they sound better? It's got some life on it but that sucker is going to sound fantastic and you don't have to worry about the first scuff and...you got a great deal!!

The taller tuners are the first version. Note that both my VPs are Wilkinsons which made both styles. I like the tall tuners simply because they are taller like the old tuners. My first gen tuners on the burst all all smooth, but one on the white VP is a little rough. Both sets tune and hold tune which is the task assigned so I've never though of changing either of them.

 

[TBird1958]

Pretty unusual for us in the PNW..........

Cliff Mass Weather Blog: A One-Hundred Year Heat Wave Event Comes Into Focus


Time to stay inside and enjoy....... Happily my home is part of the 30% that has air conditioning.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

considering timezones, international date line etc., it's monday somewhere...

Monday on Mars