Thunderbird Club

[Gaolee]

Hey all looking at this Gibson Nikki Sixx blackbird and it looks off, no kill switch and the front of the headstock looks off. Any opinions?

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It looks well traveled and well flogged. It isn't just modified with pots, it's also got EMG pickups. But, it's a 2001. Gibson had lightening in a bottle in Thunderbird production right around then.

 

[dagrev]

View attachment 4350227 The beauty and the beast (I’ll let you decide which is which) and a PBass with tort and flats (just to fit in)

Hey, dogs are people too! Often better people as well!

 

[dagrev]

800 Class D Watts RMS into 2x12 4Ohm box…..theoretically class D boasts over 95% efficiency …….we must have been really cranking……checked it out this morning and all good…….gotta say, I like MB stuff….

I'd say somebody (won't mention any names) was really gettin' after it when playing!

 

[PillO]

Used to do that trick as well, especially when there were just three instruments and a vocalist. But it worked well regardless of how many. The guitar and myself had extra cabs and one would go on the opposite side. Works great even if you have decent PA support. Really great if you don't.

Are you counting drums as an instrument?
Interesting take on things that maybe all the band members want to hear what the others are doing...

 

[PillO]

Thanks but great bass player? Dusty? A huge YES! Me? Not-so-much...

...and I really have to thank the sharp eye of my urologist who was on his way to my kidney to break up an 11mm kidney stone. On his way in, he spotted the cancer, investigated and removed it from my bladder. Allayed my fears post op and told me that we'd be doing regular, routine screenings to make sure that this cancer was being kept at bay. These cancers do return but they are a slow growing cancer like prostate cancer in that regard. If you stay vigilant, these cancers aren't usually terminal.

Bladder cancer, much like colon cancer and malignant melanoma, is nearly 100% cure rate if caught early. Vigilance goes a long way.

 

[PillO]

View attachment 4350227 The beauty and the beast (I’ll let you decide which is which) and a PBass with tort and flats (just to fit in)

Who's a good dog?
WHO'S A GOOD DOG!?

 

[Jebberz]

Who's a good dog?
WHO'S A GOOD DOG!?

Oscar is, he is always volunteer to rince my dishes

He has other jobs too, for instance, he is very good to warn me when packages arrives at home.

 

[dagrev]

Are you counting drums as an instrument?
Interesting take on things that maybe all the band members want to hear what the others are doing...

In this situation we'll go ahead and label them an instrument.

We did it for two obvious reasons (to us anyway):
1. So we could easily hear each other. (Never needed a cab to hear the drums for some reason....)
2. To ensure that instrument sounds were more even across the front for those up close. We generally* didn't play stadiums. For people just on the guitar side they would be getting an ear full of that and not hearing much else. Even when we had keyboards we tried to spread out the sound that way.


*Means never in this situation.

 

[dagrev]

TT
A little backside...

 

[dukeorock]

Good morning, gentlemen and our one lady friend, Kara with the red TBird.

Just thought to share that I am cancer free after yesterday's screening and it's quite the relief for my wife and I. Next screening is next July.

No need to post about it... just hit the like button or don't. Thanks.

That’s fantastic news, Larry!

 

[Larry V]

Thank you, everyone! Really, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm humbled by the care you've all shown... it really hits me in the feels.

I am grateful but enough about me already. I'm good and I'm relieved.

 

[dukeorock]

String update yet again

I’ve been an MXR/Dunlop endorser for many years, but kinda let that slip because I don’t use pedals too much and I didn’t love their strings. The head artist rep is still a buddy and we caught up at NAMM and I told him I was doing a ton of touring this summer and am back into using rounds, but tend to change em every 2-4 shows. He sent me 6 sets of regular Super Brights, 6 sets of MM Super Brights and 3 sets of flats. I put on a set of regular stainless SB’s and played two long outdoor shows that were over 3 hours long, each set. These shows were super hot and humid, so the top end zing went away quick, but they still sounded nice. Did a third show outdoors, hot and humid (90 minutes) and the strings still sounded good. Fourth show, one hour indoors…still pretty good. Fifth show indoors, 4 hours and still sound pretty dang good! Usually my E&A have gone to mush well before that. Put a set of the flats on my Gretsch and they’re awesome on that bass.

Kudos to Dunlop for the stainless SB’s for longevity. I actually like the MM SB’s too as I’d rather eq out too much zing than try to eq it in after they die out too much

 

[MCF]

It looks well traveled and well flogged. It isn't just modified with pots, it's also got EMG pickups. But, it's a 2001. Gibson had lightening in a bottle in Thunderbird production right around then.

Yeah, it could be a good player. But not at that price.

 

[MCF]

String update yet again

I’ve been an MXR/Dunlop endorser for many years, but kinda let that slip because I don’t use pedals too much and I didn’t love their strings. The head artist rep is still a buddy and we caught up at NAMM and I told him I was doing a ton of touring this summer and am back into using rounds, but tend to change em every 2-4 shows. He sent me 6 sets of regular Super Brights, 6 sets of MM Super Brights and 3 sets of flats. I put on a set of regular stainless SB’s and played two long outdoor shows that were over 3 hours long, each set. These shows were super hot and humid, so the top end zing went away quick, but they still sounded nice. Did a third show outdoors, hot and humid (90 minutes) and the strings still sounded good. Fourth show, one hour indoors…still pretty good. Fifth show indoors, 4 hours and still sound pretty dang good! Usually my E&A have gone to mush well before that. Put a set of the flats on my Gretsch and they’re awesome on that bass.
View attachment 4350442
Kudos to Dunlop for the stainless SB’s for longevity. I actually like the MM SB’s too as I’d rather eq out too much zing than try to eq it in after they die out too much

I put the stainless MM SBs on my Pelham Blue Epi, and with the right eguing, it sounds as good as a Gibson. I like the feel of them too. I like the regular nickels as well. Between SIT and Dunlop, I think I've found the balance between tone, price and longevity. 45 -105s all the way.

 

[dukeorock]

I put the stainless MM SBs on my Pelham Blue Epi, and with the right eguing, it sounds as good as a Gibson. I like the feel of them too. I like the regular nickels as well. Between SIT and Dunlop, I think I've found the balance between tone, price and longevity. 45 -105s all the way.

Same

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

String update yet again

I’ve been an MXR/Dunlop endorser for many years, but kinda let that slip because I don’t use pedals too much and I didn’t love their strings. The head artist rep is still a buddy and we caught up at NAMM and I told him I was doing a ton of touring this summer and am back into using rounds, but tend to change em every 2-4 shows. He sent me 6 sets of regular Super Brights, 6 sets of MM Super Brights and 3 sets of flats. I put on a set of regular stainless SB’s and played two long outdoor shows that were over 3 hours long, each set. These shows were super hot and humid, so the top end zing went away quick, but they still sounded nice. Did a third show outdoors, hot and humid (90 minutes) and the strings still sounded good. Fourth show, one hour indoors…still pretty good. Fifth show indoors, 4 hours and still sound pretty dang good! Usually my E&A have gone to mush well before that. Put a set of the flats on my Gretsch and they’re awesome on that bass.
View attachment 4350442
Kudos to Dunlop for the stainless SB’s for longevity. I actually like the MM SB’s too as I’d rather eq out too much zing than try to eq it in after they die out too much

Cool shot! I own a Gretsch bass as well (which I love, my oldest) but am not familiar with that model, reissue? What’s that model called?

 

[Bassmike62]

Geddy Lee is 68 yo today. God bless the man. I wouldn't dare trying to play Rush songs, but his lines in Closer to the heart are a direct inspiration for me taking up the instrument.

 

[RedVee]

those were the best years imo….just downright nasty, skanky Texas shuffle……Bad to the Bone swagger…...the stuff they sing about too….


In all fairness I was more concerned about Beard, saw them at the Warfield about 3 years ago and he was chain smoking one after the other, even while playing! Crazy…
on a separate note, great gig last night…..great crowd….by the end Highway to Hell the Marbass was emanating curious fragances LOL….
Oh lest we forget Happy TT!….
View attachment 4350124

Not the first time AC/DC has caused the release of magic smoke from an amp

 

[PillO]

Geddy Lee is 68 yo today. God bless the man. I wouldn't dare trying to play Rush songs, but his lines in Closer to the heart are a direct inspiration for me taking up the instrument.

View attachment 4350540

Hey, that looks like @godofthunder59 's bass tech!

Geddy told me to keep working, his parts aren't that difficult. Easy for him to say; he's not a hack like me.

 

[Bassmike62]

(...) his parts aren't that difficult (...)

And singing, moving, playing keys and tapdance on whatever gizmo's lying near the mic stand... walk in the park indeed.