Thunderbird Club

[GBassNorth]

'68 NR I on eBay (no affiliation) I guess it's black as it is shot in bright sunlight and looks greenish. I wouldn't describe it being "in great shape", more 'player grade' and less $ because of that.

gibson thunderbird bass 68 | eBay

Saw that one the other day and was wondering if it was actually dark olive drab green or if that was just the way the photo was shot. Also noted the neck had been seriously abused. IIRC the headstock looked like it had been repaired, kinda expect that though, but further down the neck near the body looked like a major split. I’m sure a good luthier could put it all back together good as new but that’s another $1000 on top of the purchase and would require at least a neck refin which might lower the value. Overall, nice catch if you have the time and money to set it right, but as is might not be that playable.

 

[KaraQ]

Roto Bass strings sound really, really good on VPs. Roto's less expensive NPS.

I'd love to try the Nexus strings on the VP, but with my tremendous foresight, I cut the G-string about 1/2 an inch too short

 

[GonePlaid]

I'd love to try the Nexus strings on the VP, but with my tremendous foresight, I cut the G-string about 1/2 an inch too short

Try my method: measure once, cut twice, buy another string. Keeps 'em new.

 

[JIO]

Saw that one the other day and was wondering if it was actually dark olive drab green or if that was just the way the photo was shot. Also noted the neck had been seriously abused. IIRC the headstock looked like it had been repaired, kinda expect that though, but further down the neck near the body looked like a major split. I’m sure a good luthier could put it all back together good as new but that’s another $1000 on top of the purchase and would require at least a neck refin which might lower the value. Overall, nice catch if you have the time and money to set it right, but as is might not be that playable.

Yah, "great shape" compared to a basket case. Won't sell for that price.

 

[dagrev]

Just remember, there’s a tool for every job, and it looks like the other bass player was the perfect tool for the job of providing ignorant and uninformed bass gear opinions. Can’t fault him, he’s just doing his job.

On the other hand, you could always remind him that it takes a hell of a player to perform with a Tbird that’s constantly popping it’s head off, and diving to the floor while the finish peels and the bridge falls off right before your eyes, not to mention trying to coax more than one muddy sound out of the horrible pickups. Yep, it takes talent to play a Tbird, maybe when he gets some he should give it a try.

Exactly what I was thinking, only you said it much better!

I don't feel so bad at being a below average player given what all I'm having to contend with while playing.

 

[dagrev]

'68 NR I on eBay (no affiliation) I guess it's black as it is shot in bright sunlight and looks greenish. I wouldn't describe it being "in great shape", more 'player grade' and less $ because of that.

gibson thunderbird bass 68 | eBay

Hard to tell what all went on with the neck and headstock. Sure has a lot of "stretch marks." Clearly the AZ heat has gotten to him with the "in great shape" comment. Wishful thinking I would say. For the right price at the right time I'd still consider it. Hard to tell if it's been refinished or the undercoat just looks like a blue of some kind. Might be a good candidate for refin if it's had one already and tidy things up a bit.

 

[dagrev]

yeah, like this?….
View attachment 4362359

That's one crazy looking Fender.... How does it sound?

 

[Nocturnal]

Hard to tell what all went on with the neck and headstock. Sure has a lot of "stretch marks." Clearly the AZ heat has gotten to him with the "in great shape" comment. Wishful thinking I would say. For the right price at the right time I'd still consider it. Hard to tell if it's been refinished or the undercoat just looks like a blue of some kind. Might be a good candidate for refin if it's had one already and tidy things up a bit.

I didn't realize it was in Tempe. That would rule out shipping for me and save me a whopping $150 off the price. I still won't be buying it.

 

[dagrev]

I'd love to try the Nexus strings on the VP, but with my tremendous foresight, I cut the G-string about 1/2 an inch too short

Oh, thank goodness I'm not the only one who's done that! Maybe more than once.....

Strings and Beyond has 10% off all Rotos if you want to try again!

 

[JIO]

Hard to tell what all went on with the neck and headstock. Sure has a lot of "stretch marks." Clearly the AZ heat has gotten to him with the "in great shape" comment. Wishful thinking I would say. For the right price at the right time I'd still consider it. Hard to tell if it's been refinished or the undercoat just looks like a blue of some kind. Might be a good candidate for refin if it's had one already and tidy things up a bit.

Yep, a refin in a heartbeat. In AZ sun, old black paint could look greenish as most black paint is not 100% pure black pigment.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

great sounding rig…

 

[KaraQ]

Try my method: measure once, cut twice, buy another string. Keeps 'em new.

Oh, thank goodness I'm not the only one who's done that! Maybe more than once.....

Strings and Beyond has 10% off all Rotos if you want to try again!

Well...I hadn't intended for them to be on the VP, originally. They're fine for any of the others.
But that huge headstock on the VP, and then even more needed string length because of the 2-piece bridge....

 

[GBassNorth]

I'd love to try the Nexus strings on the VP, but with my tremendous foresight, I cut the G-string about 1/2 an inch too short

Oh, thank goodness I'm not the only one who's done that! Maybe more than once.....
Strings and Beyond has 10% off all Rotos if you want to try again!

While we’re talking about stupid mistakes we’ve made with basses - not too long ago I was installing a fresh set of cobalts on my Goth. I normally use a headstock tuner but the battery was dead, no problem, I’ll just use my Korg Rack mount with strobe tuning.

So now I’m sitting at my practice bench with the strings on the bass and the slack taken out. The rack tuner is all the way to my far right, of course the tuning keys are 180 degrees away on my far left, well out of my peripheral vision.

I reach over to the E string tuning key and bring the string up to pitch with just a few cranks.

Then without looking back at the headstock I move on to what I thought was the A tuner (it was in fact the D tuner). I’m watching the strobe and plucking the A string while cranking away on the D tuner and no change in pitch - then suddenly, SNAP!

As we say in Engineering - The D string reached its yield point resulting in a catastrophic failure at the nut, and rendering the string completely unusable for its intended purpose.

 

[PillO]

While we’re talking about stupid mistakes we’ve made with basses - not too long ago I was installing a fresh set of cobalts on my Goth.

Indeed an error!

 

[Bassmike62]

interesting….

View attachment 4361615

Looks like Brian May's guitar bass counterpart...

 

[MCF]

While we’re talking about stupid mistakes we’ve made with basses - not too long ago I was installing a fresh set of cobalts on my Goth. I normally use a headstock tuner but the battery was dead, no problem, I’ll just use my Korg Rack mount with strobe tuning.

So now I’m sitting at my practice bench with the strings on the bass and the slack taken out. The rack tuner is all the way to my far right, of course the tuning keys are 180 degrees away on my far left, well out of my peripheral vision.

I reach over to the E string tuning key and bring the string up to pitch with just a few cranks.

Then without looking back at the headstock I move on to what I thought was the A tuner (it was in fact the D tuner). I’m watching the strobe and plucking the A string while cranking away on the D tuner and no change in pitch - then suddenly, SNAP!

As we say in Engineering - The D string reached its yield point resulting in a catastrophic failure at the nut, and rendering the string completely unusable for its intended purpose.

I'll admit to doing that before. You're not alone.

 

[JIO]

interesting….

View attachment 4361615

Nice looking - but a rock-solid neck-diver for sure.

 

[dagrev]

While we’re talking about stupid mistakes we’ve made with basses - not too long ago I was installing a fresh set of cobalts on my Goth. I normally use a headstock tuner but the battery was dead, no problem, I’ll just use my Korg Rack mount with strobe tuning.

So now I’m sitting at my practice bench with the strings on the bass and the slack taken out. The rack tuner is all the way to my far right, of course the tuning keys are 180 degrees away on my far left, well out of my peripheral vision.

I reach over to the E string tuning key and bring the string up to pitch with just a few cranks.

Then without looking back at the headstock I move on to what I thought was the A tuner (it was in fact the D tuner). I’m watching the strobe and plucking the A string while cranking away on the D tuner and no change in pitch - then suddenly, SNAP!

As we say in Engineering - The D string reached its yield point resulting in a catastrophic failure at the nut, and rendering the string completely unusable for its intended purpose.

Don't feel bad, I've done the same thing a couple of times, but fortunately never reached the yield point! It's a sick feeling when you realize you've tuned the wrong string way beyond normal...... When that happens I want to ask myself, "First time tuning a bass moron?"

 

[dagrev]

Indeed an error!
View attachment 4362624

Good catch. No telling how much of that toxic cobalt dust was expelled into the atmosphere.

 

[dagrev]

Looks like Brian May's guitar bass counterpart...

I thought the same. Glad I didn't fail the Rorschach test then! We're both OK and not Abbynormal.