Thunderbird Club

[GonePlaid]

I've drunk the Koolaide and as Jeff says, Sweet!

You can get it 'sugar free' ya know.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Nah, you are normal according to Gibson.

I hope no one ever says that to me.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

The funny thing is that the strings do line up fine along the neck. Better than my BC Rich.

They looked slightly off toward the E side in the pic showing the bridge and higher frets.

 

[Gaolee]

Ok, Ok.... Here's my '60's Thunderbird and VP




Note: I am in neither video.

Both sound good. They are different. Eq, amp, strings, player, whatever. Different is fine.

 

[Engle]

Yes, that's the location. All my Gibson birds are exactly 7/8" from neck edge to block edge at the end of the fretboard. A 1/16" difference between the two measurements is huge on runout and could easily explain how the bridge is off center on the block but aligned perfectly on the neck.

As an interesting exercise in geometry - draw a straight line 34" long. That represents the centerline scale of your bass from nut to bridge. Then mark the halfway point. That represents the 12th fret. Now make another mark at 6-7/8" from that mark, that represents the heel end of your fretboard. Now make a mark 1/16" directly above or below that mark (not on the centerline), this represents the offset you might have at the heel. Now draw a straight line from the 12th fret mark through the 1/16" offset mark out towards the bridge mark. Measure the gap at the bridge between the two lines, it's how much your bridge could be off due to runout.

This how I check neck/bridge alignment:
Place a long straightedge on one side of the fingerboard extending down the bridge. Put a piece of masking tape where the line sits. Do the same on the other side. Is the bridge centered on those marks? Is the center block?

 

[Engle]

brings up a great question….seems like the three point has been around forever…..for the hardcore Gibson bass aficionados;
- who designed the three point?
- what inspired it's "floating" operation? UB bridges?
- was it cast/machined at Gibson? OR, did Gibson use a metal supplier and if so, who?

wonder who could answer these….

I always assumed it was derived from the Gibson one piece guitar bridges that sit on studs.

 

[TBird1958]

Still Thursday...............

 

[KaraQ]

What's the width of those narrow sides of your rings?

I'll check for you when I get home from work
(about 10p PDT)

According to my handy-dandy measuring thingamabob, about 4/32" (aka, 1/8"; 3.175 mm for our metric-using friends )

Hope that helps!

 

[PillO]

Just remembered, it's TT…
View attachment 4375867
…not a slacker in the bunch!

I have seen this picture many times and only now it occurs to me: most thunderbirds come with a white pick guard. It is only limited cases that come with black, yet 4 of your 7 have black pick guards.

 

[RedVee]

Ok, Ok.... Here's my '60's Thunderbird and VP




Note: I am in neither video.

Petersson on Sparkling Burgundy

 

[KaraQ]

It's not Thunderbird Thursday anymore but I decided to swap the Nexus strings back onto the Blackbird; this meant, of course, I had to play it for a bit... then decided it was a great time to play with some of the camera effects on my phone
Instead of going to bed at the proper time


So, I figured, why not have Black Friday a few months early?

 

[dagrev]

Just remembered, it's TT…
View attachment 4375867
…not a slacker in the bunch!

That there is what Thunderbird heaven looks like!

Sure will be glad when you get tired of crazy taxes, etc. and move back to KY!

 

[godofthunder59]

All this Pelham Blue talk. I picked this up today for next to nothing from my tech/friend. Its brand new and nicely setup.

View attachment 4369953
View attachment 4369954

That is just beautiful! Early JC basses had a murky translucent Burgundy back, later just had black. These newer ones with the correct original (70s Gibson) stained backs are gorgeous.

 

[BklynKen]

According to my handy-dandy measuring thingamabob, about 4/32" (aka, 1/8"; 3.175 mm for our metric-using friends )

View attachment 4375906



Hope that helps!

Yes, thanks!

 

[godofthunder59]

So I got a call from the House of Guitars yesterday, they contacted Gibson earlier this week and blasted them about my NR, now magicaly it should be here today or Monday.

 

[Gaolee]

It's not Thunderbird Thursday anymore but I decided to swap the Nexus strings back onto the Blackbird; this meant, of course, I had to play it for a bit... then decided it was a great time to play with some of the camera effects on my phone
Instead of going to bed at the proper time


So, I figured, why not have Black Friday a few months early?

View attachment 4375954

'Bird Noir. It's a new genre.

 

[JJR58]

Ok, Ok.... Here's my '60's Thunderbird and VP




Note: I am in neither video.

Oh hell yes!!!! On both vids!!!

 

[MCF]

You can get it 'sugar free' ya know.

Nope. Nothing but pure cane sugar sweetness from Mesa.

 

[MCF]

So I got a call from the House of Guitars yesterday, they contacted Gibson earlier this week and blasted them about my NR, now magicaly it should be here today or Monday.

Can you put in a word for me? Dying here.

 

[TBird1958]

Some more Non Reverse fun, I do a bit of explanation after the song, feel free to FF through my pedestrian playing