I guess I'll be a lurker for the foreseeable future.
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
Monsieur Dagrev’s package has landed……can’t wait to try the Cobalts…..
I have used this line several times in conversation. Most of the time someone gets the reference.
The more I look the more I think I see a pattern(s) developing.
True. We have that. We should be at two confirmed members, and I think two more who just can't fully admit it, but have all the symptoms. Denial is not a healthy thing.
And I'm down the rabbit hole. Ordering the Bartolini HR-3.3AP/918 preamp harness, and instead of the bypass I will use the push-pull to split. I hardly used the passive tone knob anyway. Now I just need custom pickup rings, black metallic to match the hardware, that would go where regular Thunderbird rings go, but with the EMG 35 shaped opening to hide the gaps the smaller pickup leaves in the routes. The refinish can wait.
My only worry now is that it'll take on a new life as a Bartolini voiced bass, I'll want to restring in standard tuning, and I'll have to buy a second Thunderbird, or other soapbar based bass, to leave in B Standard.
...hold up. It doesn't look like I'll be able to fit both the preamp and the battery into the control cavity. Since routing is looking inevitable, it'll have to wait until the refinish. I'll use the space under the pickguard for the batteries.
My only worry now is that it'll take on a new life as a Bartolini voiced bass, I'll want to restring in standard tuning, and I'll have to buy a second Thunderbird, or other soapbar based bass, to leave in B Standard.
...hold up. It doesn't look like I'll be able to fit both the preamp and the battery into the control cavity. Since routing is looking inevitable, it'll have to wait until the refinish. I'll use the space under the pickguard for the batteries.
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I was bummed that I couldn't snag this '77 Greco TB900, but my discretionary funds are earmarked for rebuilding my color bay right now (film and TV stuff). Whoever snagged this will not be disappointed.
I was watching that over on Jauce.com, I was gonna snag it but need to move some money around after getting the Rick clones. Sure is pretty!
Sharon tie-dyed them all.Duluth Trading?
Neck is pretty much always on full. For some things, I add a smidge of bridge. Rarely, 80-90% bridge. But both wide open loses something.
Well, the latest Tbird surprise acquisition from Guitar Center just arrived. It’s a plain Jane made in China Eppi with a chrome three point bridge, otherwise all stock. Pics will come tomorrow when there’s more light in the room.
Tuned it up, intonated it, adjusted the neck pup height up where it belongs vs hammered down. It’s currently strung BEAD with some fairly used but still good sounding strings. Body has a few bumps and bruises in all the normal places and with the exception of the D string tuner (A string on this bass) all the machines work nicely. The biggest down side is she’s a moose, weighing in at over 10 pounds, but she does resonate well and has no dead spots.
Not sure just yet if I’ll keep her or send her back, I’ll give it a few days and a restring to standard tuning. Usually anything over 9 pounds is a no go in my book.
Any clue which round wound strings strings have black silk on both ends? They sound nice.
Tuned it up, intonated it, adjusted the neck pup height up where it belongs vs hammered down. It’s currently strung BEAD with some fairly used but still good sounding strings. Body has a few bumps and bruises in all the normal places and with the exception of the D string tuner (A string on this bass) all the machines work nicely. The biggest down side is she’s a moose, weighing in at over 10 pounds, but she does resonate well and has no dead spots.
Not sure just yet if I’ll keep her or send her back, I’ll give it a few days and a restring to standard tuning. Usually anything over 9 pounds is a no go in my book.
Any clue which round wound strings strings have black silk on both ends? They sound nice.
“I bought this Gibson in the first year of The Darkness,” says Poullain, his Scottish accent ever so slightly lulled by the endless months of touring the world and living around Europe.
“I always liked the way Thunderbirds fell over, ha ha! I knew it would annoy people when they tried leaning it against things. Ray Williams, a lovely guy and bassist in [Welsh indie rockers] The Pooh Sticks, happened to be selling it, and to be honest, I didn’t love it straightaway, I grew into it. It had Kent Armstrong pickups but eventually I had the guitar restored to its original ones. In the band we started out as, Empire, I was using a black Music Man and felt like such a fraud… it was so 90s. I went the opposite direction!”
From: The Darkness's Frankie Poullain: “I honestly believe irreverence is the key to great rock music… and we just didn’t care”
I hope you can get it such that you feel it choose you. If not.... Life it too short for basses that just don't fit.
The only strings that I recall having black silks are old (10-15 yrs ago) Fenders 7250s and GHS Pressurewounds. Off the top of my head I can't think of any others, but clearly there are.
If Cobalt's did it, then yes indeed! I could never play them long enough to have that happen. If so, that's a solid three. Even if not, you look like you qualify!Feels so good to flick that cobalt dust off.
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