Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

Number 1, excited at the possibility of a proper 'Bird from Gibson. If it's a Reverse, I'll probably refrain from getting one given how great the Epi is. If they revamp the NR to me more vintage accurate, I am IN.

However, in more pressing news, I've been playing my Greco 4001s just about non-stop the last month, tracked our whole next album with it (barring one song on 8 and dub'd parts on the Epi). I've been moving in this direction for a while, but the 4001s really let me dive into stereo set-ups. Last gig I ran the bridge pickup straight into the Sunn, and the neck through a Wah and overdrive, and it was about the biggest, gnarliest sound I've managed. The way this 4001s is rigged has a push/pull pot to switch the mono output to stereo, and I want to rig that same sort of set-up into my Epiphone. Vol/Vol/Tone, with a push/pul on one of the pots to run with a TRS. I would think one pickup would have the tone knob and then the other would have to run direct from volume to output. Anyone done this before?

Not with a bird, but it’s easy to do. I did it to my old Hagstrom Model 1. I used stacked pots so I could have V/T for each pu.

 

[BklynKen]

How close is the Whirlwind? I like the M95 but love the original MXR sound.

I think it's about as close to the original Phase 90 as you can get.

 

[godofthunder59]

How close is the Whirlwind? I like the M95 but love the original MXR sound.

As close as one can possibly get, Michael holds and used the original schematics. I have a complete set.

 

[dagrev]

Here's a good video from Beato on handedness. So according to this, I'm cross-dominant, meaning I do some things left-handed and some right-handed. 1% of the population is like this. Another 1% is ambidextrous. So @PillO needed about eight months to get proficient playing left-handed.

Will watch it tonight. I guess I'm in the 1/2 percent category. I write left-handed, but writing with my right isn't much worse looking. I do some things with right or left, and do some things with either hand.

 

[dagrev]

How close is the Whirlwind? I like the M95 but love the original MXR sound.

I haven't been able to try the Whirlwind, but from Youboob it seems to be the closest--and may sound exactly like it. Hard to tell as some nuance is lost. There are a number of comparison vids, some more helpful than others. But the way people record, etc. it's not always possible to tell. It's the live setting that really shows the difference. I liked the sound(s) of the 95, though I could tell there was something different. But live something disappeared or was not as prominent. The old 90 seemed bigger for one thing and more pronounced, but without getting weird or goofy sounding. My 90 is set about 10:00 and is plenty interesting and pleasant at that point for my purposes.

My concern about the Whirlwind was: It seemed to sound good, and Ken confirmed that it did (and Scott), but did it sound like the old 90. Whirlwind says it does, but MXR says that about their 90 and 95 as well. I was also not wanting to get much over the $100 range if possible. I went with the TCE Helix because it was amazingly adjustable and editable via the app for further tweaking. If figured if anything could get close, that might be it. And I was into Sweetwater for the 95, and they had a demo of the Helix. The demo got lost and my guy sent me a new one at the demo price and expedited it so I got it the next day to use on Sunday. I'm working with the Helix now that the 90 is alive to see if I can get it to sound the same. So far, close, but not the same. At least not so far. I'm likely keeping the Helix as a backup. May use it as a different flavor phaser or more subtle chorus type thing. Hope that helps, but didn't bore to to sleep.

If I ever find a used Whirlwind, I'll likely buy it.

 

[GonePlaid]

I haven't been able to try the Whirlwind, but from Youboob it seems to be the closest--and may sound exactly like it. Hard to tell as some nuance is lost. There are a number of comparison vids, some more helpful than others. But the way people record, etc. it's not always possible to tell. It's the live setting that really shows the difference. I liked the sound(s) of the 95, though I could tell there was something different. But live something disappeared or was not as prominent. The old 90 seemed bigger for one thing and more pronounced, but without getting weird or goofy sounding. My 90 is set about 10:00 and is plenty interesting and pleasant at that point for my purposes.

My concern about the Whirlwind was: It seemed to sound good, and Ken confirmed that it did (and Scott), but did it sound like the old 90. Whirlwind says it does, but MXR says that about their 90 and 95 as well. I was also not wanting to get much over the $100 range if possible. I went with the TCE Helix because it was amazingly adjustable and editable via the app for further tweaking. If figured if anything could get close, that might be it. And I was into Sweetwater for the 95, and they had a demo of the Helix. The demo got lost and my guy sent me a new one at the demo price and expedited it so I got it the next day to use on Sunday. I'm working with the Helix now that the 90 is alive to see if I can get it to sound the same. So far, close, but not the same. At least not so far. I'm likely keeping the Helix as a backup. May use it as a different flavor phaser or more subtle chorus type thing. Hope that helps, but didn't bore to to sleep.

If I ever find a used Whirlwind, I'll likely buy it.

Whirlwind?

 

[dagrev]

Whirlwind?
View attachment 4429847

How else would you get that whirling swirling sound? You're not one of those conspiracy theory types that believe solder, wires and little electronic doodads in a metal box can make sound are you?

 

[GonePlaid]

How else would you get that whirling swirling sound? You're not one of those conspiracy theory types that believe solder, wires and little electronic doodads in a metal box can make sound are you?

Nah, it's just that when you said you were looking for a used Whirlwind, I remembered that after WWII they were all scrapped.

 

[GonePlaid]

Dunno if y'all noticed, but the price of the Epi Embassy went up $100 too. Just like the NR 'Bird.

 

[WillyW]

Dunno if y'all noticed, but the price of the Epi Embassy went up $100 too. Just like the NR 'Bird.

They could make them free, since I have been waiting for a green one since march.

 

[Gaolee]

Here's a good video from Beato on handedness. So according to this, I'm cross-dominant, meaning I do some things left-handed and some right-handed. 1% of the population is like this. Another 1% is ambidextrous. So @PillO needed about eight months to get proficient playing left-handed.

I do some things with either hand, other things left handed, but mostly I'm right handed. I can't tell you what color being left handed is, though. Sorry. I'm a freak, but not that much of a freak.

 

[Gaolee]

Will watch it tonight. I guess I'm in the 1/2 percent category. I write left-handed, but writing with my right isn't much worse looking. I do some things with right or left, and do some things with either hand.

There's probably a bunch of us like that here. We are 0.1%ers after all. An ambidextrous biker gang who play Thunderbirds.

 

[Gaolee]

My new 'Bird GAS will be dependent upon colors. Yeah, I'm shallow. If they come in the right colors, I'll find one near irresistible to buy, even though it would mean selling other things to fund it. Not the right colors, and I won't be interested. I don't know what the right colors would be, with the exception of Burgundy Mist Metallic, which is a given. A factory BMM 'Bird would blow my circuits pretty thoroughly.

 

[GonePlaid]

I do some things with either hand, other things left handed, but mostly I'm right handed. I can't tell you what color being left handed is, though. Sorry. I'm a freak, but not that much of a freak.

I was born 'lefty', but after breaking my left arm at ~5y/o, switched outta necessity. I still do a coupla things with my left(dealing cards. I get strange looks)and it may explain-partially-why my fretting hand work(ed) pretty well. I've slowed over the years.

 

[PillO]

Here's a good video from Beato on handedness. So according to this, I'm cross-dominant, meaning I do some things left-handed and some right-handed. 1% of the population is like this. Another 1% is ambidextrous. So @PillO needed about eight months to get proficient playing left-handed.

Or, if I had taken 20 minutes a day to work at it, perhaps only 4 months...

I was not going to be incapacitated that long, so maybe I made the right call quitting after a couple of weeks.

It is infuriating that you know what to do, but the motor skills are not available in the contralateral appendage. In that sense, it is worse than being a beginner; knowing what to do, and how to do it, but missing the motor component. At least as a beginner, you are learning what to do and how to do it along with the motor skill; there is a much greater feeling of accomplishment.

 

[D.M.N.]

My new 'Bird GAS will be dependent upon colors. Yeah, I'm shallow. If they come in the right colors, I'll find one near irresistible to buy, even though it would mean selling other things to fund it. Not the right colors, and I won't be interested. I don't know what the right colors would be, with the exception of Burgundy Mist Metallic, which is a given. A factory BMM 'Bird would blow my circuits pretty thoroughly.

"Heather Poly"

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I was born 'lefty', but after breaking my left arm at ~5y/o, switched outta necessity. I still do a coupla things with my left(dealing cards. I get strange looks)and it may explain-partially-why my fretting hand work(ed) pretty well. I've slowed over the years.

so was I, my teacher told me at 11 that i should play righty….wonder what would have happened if……I mean, my plucking hand would have been my dominant one…

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Whirlwind?
View attachment 4429847

always loved that frame….don’t believe it used Merlins……looks fast….same tail as the Meteor?..

 

[tomZbass]

@ 7:13

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I haven't been able to try the Whirlwind, but from Youboob it seems to be the closest--and may sound exactly like it. Hard to tell as some nuance is lost. There are a number of comparison vids, some more helpful than others. But the way people record, etc. it's not always possible to tell. It's the live setting that really shows the difference. I liked the sound(s) of the 95, though I could tell there was something different. But live something disappeared or was not as prominent. The old 90 seemed bigger for one thing and more pronounced, but without getting weird or goofy sounding. My 90 is set about 10:00 and is plenty interesting and pleasant at that point for my purposes.

My concern about the Whirlwind was: It seemed to sound good, and Ken confirmed that it did (and Scott), but did it sound like the old 90. Whirlwind says it does, but MXR says that about their 90 and 95 as well. I was also not wanting to get much over the $100 range if possible. I went with the TCE Helix because it was amazingly adjustable and editable via the app for further tweaking. If figured if anything could get close, that might be it. And I was into Sweetwater for the 95, and they had a demo of the Helix. The demo got lost and my guy sent me a new one at the demo price and expedited it so I got it the next day to use on Sunday. I'm working with the Helix now that the 90 is alive to see if I can get it to sound the same. So far, close, but not the same. At least not so far. I'm likely keeping the Helix as a backup. May use it as a different flavor phaser or more subtle chorus type thing. Hope that helps, but didn't bore to to sleep.

If I ever find a used Whirlwind, I'll likely buy it.

playing around with this thing now….not convinced yet….although more of a hassle, give me analog any day…