Thunderbird Club

[Larry V]

@GonePlaid
@JIO
…..and this is why we have one of the best kept secrets on the internet…..THANKS GENTS!…. you ROCK!!!
View attachment 4390196

It looks like Mike sent you one of my vinyls.

You are more than welcome and I'm happy to make you happy, as you have made me happy repairing my Ashdown Spyder 550 amp! A recommendation... cut/trim the decal/sticker as close to its perimeter as possible for the best effect. Can't wait to see the pg fit on your bass.

Nope... Peel the opaque release paper from the back being careful to ensure that the vinyl graphic stays on the clear transfer side. Then after placing the graphic where you want it, use adequate pressure to get the vinyl's pressure sensitive adhesive to adhere to the PG, give it a good rubdown going over the the Thunderbird using your finger tip to make that happen. Final step, peel the clear film away. DONE!

Don't mess this up... no do-overs with these and you most certainly have the last gold one.

 

[Goatrope]

Hello Folks.

I'm thinking about getting a new NR Thunderbird bass. Can anyone tell me if they have neck dive? Also, I'd love to see a photo inside the control cavity.

Thanks!

Michael

“Neck dive” is something that’s become a bit of a joke, whether here in TBird Land, or any other club. The truth is, nobody can answer correctly without you defining where you want a bass to hang, because it’s a highly personal preference.

Can you describe the neck angle of a perfectly balanced bass hanging on your shoulder, using the face of a clock as a reference?

I might be the only person here who added a strap button to the neck heel in order to be 100% satisfied with the balance. I like the neck up at about 1:30. Here are a couple, pics before and after I moved it. Also providing you that control cavity shot.

 

[dagrev]

Lipstick, of course. It even makes pigs look great!

You callin' my wife a pig?

“Warning, Will Robinson, Warning!”

LOL - an interesting point to ponder. I can come home with a bottle of perfume for my wife and it’s received as if it’s flowers or chocolates. But I can’t even fathom the depths of hell I’d be in if I came home with a gift of lipstick or eye shadow or blush or foundation. I guess the perfume implies I love this scent - will you wear it for me. Maybe makeup implies you’re ugly - try this it might help. Who knows, all I know is I ain’t going there, it’s a one way street to the dog house.

I refuse to live scared about such things and choose not to be oppressed by societal, ever-changing human constructs. Besides, I try to avoid overly touchy people or those who look for slights where none exist or were clearly intended!

I've actually got a very open relationship with my wife. If I thought something would be a good suggestion I could certainly make it, and she with me. Me being nearly perfect, there's really nothing to suggest on her end, but I'd listen anyway.

 

[MCF]

Lipstick, of course. It even makes pigs look great!

But it's still a pig.

 

[GonePlaid]

It looks like Mike sent you one of my vinyls.



Nope... Peel the opaque release paper from the back being careful to ensure that the vinyl graphic stays on the clear transfer side. Then after placing the graphic where you want it, use adequate pressure to get the vinyl's pressure sensitive adhesive to adhere to the PG, give it a good rubdown going over the the Thunderbird using your finger tip to make that happen. Final step, peel the clear film away. DONE!

Don't mess this up... no do-overs with these and you most certainly have the last gold one.

Yes, I sent @Chucky the gold one I didn't use. I thought it looked good on my custom PG, but it basically disappeared unless the light hit it just right. No sense in the second one going to waste. @Engle had sent me a black and a chrome. I used the black and sent the chrome along with the gold.

 

[BklynKen]

cool - for pg bird placement reference ... (same as my wht/blk/wht '64 pg)

View attachment 4390354

The logo how Chucky has it in the pics, against the edge, is actually accurate for Grecos. Weird as it is.

 

[Thumper]

Do you happen to know why they stopped making TBirds?

I don't know, but I'd guess because they didn't sell well? When I got my white Lull T5, there was a beautiful black T5 on TB classifieds that didn't sell for 6 months or more, and it was priced $500 less than mine was. I also remember the blue one with white racing stripes that never sold here and languished on Reverb forever. The 4s seemed to sell a little better...

The thing I don't like about my T5 is the VBT setup. I'd use it if it was VVT, but dont want to alter it, so it's wall art. I thought about selling or trading for a 4T, but our Queen convinced me to keep it. Besides, a T4 couldn't replace my ThunderJ or ThunderP, they're all I play these days.

 

[Tanner5382]

I don't know, but I'd guess because they didn't sell well? When I got my white Lull T5, there was a beautiful black T5 on TB classifieds that didn't sell for 6 months or more, and it was priced $500 less than mine was. I also remember the blue one with white racing stripes that never sold here and languished on Reverb forever. The 4s seemed to sell a little better...

The thing I don't like about my T5 is the VBT setup. I'd use it if it was VVT, but dont want to alter it, so it's wall art.

I was always curious if it was to prevent a potential lawsuit, as well.

 

[dagrev]

But it's still a pig.

What? You too now?

 

[Tanner5382]

Arrived about an hour ago!
View attachment 4388579
View attachment 4388587
View attachment 4388595
View attachment 4388607
View attachment 4388621
View attachment 4388644

Awesome, I'm glad you finally got yours! The blue looks great. Hope you love it!

 

[dagrev]

I was always curious if it was to prevent a potential lawsuit, as well.

Just guessing, but I doubt it. I'm sure Lull made them sufficiently different to avoid conflicts, and I imagine that was well considered before they made them, not being a newcomer to making basses. And as long as they didn't sell like hotcakes Gibson may not have cared much. But with Gibson, who knows what they were thinking.

 

[Tanner5382]

Just guessing, but I doubt it. I'm sure Lull made them sufficiently different to avoid conflicts, and I imagine that was well considered before they made them, not being a newcomer to making basses. And as long as they didn't sell like hotcakes Gibson may not have cared much. But with Gibson, who knows what they were thinking.

Yeah, good point, and you're probably right. I probably was lumping it in to much with how/when Warmoth stopped offering Gibson style bodies, even though they did come out with some of their own variations of them after a while. They never came out with another Thunderbird style though, unfortunately.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

The logo how Chucky has it in the pics, against the edge, is actually accurate for Grecos. Weird as it is.

yep, i tried to emulate the placement of the original which
looks wrong imho….because i used the JIO method (prior to reading his post) i hosed the silver one which is now off….if i use the gold one, it will be more carefully done and follow more standard placement……considering other stickers as well (such as my avatar and others)…

 

[Larry V]

yep, i tried to emulate the placement of the original which
looks wrong imho….because i used the JIO method (prior to reading his post) i hosed the silver one which is now off….if i use the gold one, it will be more carefully done and follow more standard placement……considering other stickers as well (such as my avatar and others)…

D'Oh! Doh GIF - The Simpsons Homer Simpson Doh - Discover & Share GIFs

Did you read my response to JIO?

 

[TBird1958]

Do you happen to know why they stopped making TBirds?

I don't know, but I'd guess because they didn't sell well? When I got my white Lull T5, there was a beautiful black T5 on TB classifieds that didn't sell for 6 months or more, and it was priced $500 less than mine was. I also remember the blue one with white racing stripes that never sold here and languished on Reverb forever. The 4s seemed to sell a little better...

The thing I don't like about my T5 is the VBT setup. I'd use it if it was VVT, but dont want to alter it, so it's wall art. I thought about selling or trading for a 4T, but our Queen convinced me to keep it. Besides, a T4 couldn't replace my ThunderJ or ThunderP, they're all I play these days.

I was always curious if it was to prevent a potential lawsuit, as well.

To my knowledge Gibson rattled the lawsuit saber with Lull and several others including Dingwall, thus their redesign of the D-Roc. This came after Mike's passing and Spencer (Mike's son) my have just decided to let it go and not take on a potential lawsuit. It's kind of strange though, because back in 2008 when Mike was starting up the project and we were discussing it, one of first questions to him was about this very issue and he replied that it had gone court and Gibson had lost the ability to trademark the shape for a number reasons. Thus he went ahead with his Thunderbirds, in the present day I don't know what's changed in the legal sense, but I will say that I think Mike's basses and probably others like Cataldo will increase in value because of this action by Gibson.

Regard the T5, I'd have rewired VVT, hardly an irreversible modification and, well I think the bass would be better, but that might just be my preference in terms of wiring.

 

[Thumper]

Thanks Your Majesty, I will redo the T5 VVT, I may as well play it some, besides, I think it will improve the tone, I personally find the Lull PUPs bland in the VBT configuration, certainly not what I expected. Maybe they are livelier with a pick?

Anyway, I don't buy basses as investments, but certainly don't expect the T5, Roscoe Custom SKB 3005, Dingwall SJ5XXX, or Fender CS NOS '59P to ever decrease in value, (and maybe the Carvin CS LB5f).
Edited to add '66J.

 

[MCF]

I was always curious if it was to prevent a potential lawsuit, as well.

My guess is they got “the letter” from Gibson, declined to pay a licensing fee and stopped making them.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

D'Oh! Doh GIF - The Simpsons Homer Simpson Doh - Discover & Share GIFs

Did you read my response to JIO?

i did, it’s what made me realize i screwed up as the sticker came together the way you describe it…….i’ll use the correct (your) method next time….grazie mille Gualione…

 

[Larry V]

i did, it’s what made me realize i screwed up as the sticker came together the way you describe it…….i’ll use the correct (your) method next time….grazie mille Gualione…

I think the gold one will look great on there and I'm on the fence about its placement. The purist wants to see it in the Greco location since it's a Greco that it's going on. But my eye has a hard time with that placement and thinks the Gibson location is better visually.

 

[JIO]

It looks like Mike sent you one of my vinyls.



Nope... Peel the opaque release paper from the back being careful to ensure that the vinyl graphic stays on the clear transfer side. Then after placing the graphic where you want it, use adequate pressure to get the vinyl's pressure sensitive adhesive to adhere to the PG, give it a good rubdown going over the the Thunderbird using your finger tip to make that happen. Final step, peel the clear film away. DONE!

Don't mess this up... no do-overs with these and you most certainly have the last gold one.

Oh, I didn't realize it was a transfer - I thought the clear stayed .