Thunderbird Club

[bobyoung53]

My sparkling burgundy non reverse T-Bird was sent out to my brother's in Mass on Oct 6th and I just found out about it today, I'm surprised Sweetwater didn't send me anything in my email as they had been good about updating me on delays, unless I missed it. Hopefully it will be there tomorrow when I call him. I also notice that the price went up a hundred bucks since I ordered mine.

Oh I don't know if I ever updated this, the burgandy non-reverse T-bird is there and I'm heading back for thanksgiving and can't wait to check it out, I'm also picking up my Marshall Major head from my tech. I think I'm going to buy a flight case for it and bring it out here, (the head), not sure if I'm bring the T-bird out here.

 

[dagrev]

I drink clear water. Not clear booze of any kind. And booze never gets mixed or polluted with ice. I am pedantic or something.

We must be related. Some kind of fork or non-fork in the family tree maybe.

 

[GBassNorth]

Most of the stuff I play/practice doesn't necessarily "need" me to use the pinky.

Except for pinky exercises

And they're usually further up the fretboard, which is easier.


That D - F stretch on the B-string I can do no problem, until I have to do it in the song, at 160+ bpm

My pinky is used all the time, it’s my ring finger that regularly gets the pass.

He did it, just shorter-slightly.

…and a bit quieter unfortunately, wish they had him turned up a tad more.

Goslings is the only rum I will drink. It has a somewhat fruity flavor that is out of character for me to like, but don't expect complete consistency from me ever.

Next time you’re at the liquor store buy some Ron Zacapa Centenario Solera 23 Year Old dark Rum, it’s smooth as silk, straight up is the only way to drink it. You’ll never go back to Goslings.

I really like seeing so many girls playing instruments. The keys player has some pipes, too.

She did. And she had that nice tremolo going on as well. The lead singer had a cool husky rocker type voice. They all did a great job.

 

[JIO]

We use the Nest doorbell camera. Works great.

I'm familiar with that unit. Required checks & balances for the likes of FedEx.

 

[JIO]

I drink clear water. Not clear booze of any kind. And booze never gets mixed or polluted with ice. I am pedantic or something.

I've heard that saying - "clear liquor is the devils drink" ... or something to that nature. I'd say any liquor can be the devils drink if you overdo it!

 

[JIO]

For all of us ThunderBird lovers.

Kinda especially to……
@TBird1958 and @dukeorock

I was really into MtH when they first hit. Before I knew who they were I bought this LP for the MC Escher cover-art alone. Overend Watts's white II and Martin Turner from Wishbone Ash were what got me interested in T-birds. When I saw WA in the early '70s he rocked a brown-burst IV. Note MT's upgraded bridge on his white bird.

 

[dagrev]

Next time you’re at the liquor store buy some Ron Zacapa Centenario Solera 23 Year Old dark Rum, it’s smooth as silk, straight up is the only way to drink it. You’ll never go back to Goslings.

I thought this would be more popular.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Oh I don't know if I ever updated this, the burgandy non-reverse T-bird is there and I'm heading back for thanksgiving and can't wait to check it out, I'm also picking up my Marshall Major head from my tech. I think I'm going to buy a flight case for it and bring it out here, (the head), not sure if I'm bring the T-bird out here.

Majors have a factory 120/220 switch?…

 

[dukeorock]

Play an upright like a Thunderbird and you will have strong, stretchy fingers. Or they will fall off. There is no in between.

I use my little finger all the time on the 'Bird. Sometimes stretching for a sixth instead of playing the sixth a string up or using the little finger on the root to play the fifth and sixth two strings up. I don't strtch for the sixth like that on the upright.

It helps to have cave dweller hands sometimes.

From playing upright for so long, the fingerings have migrated over to electric a lot, I’ve noticed. At least from the books I learned from when I first got into upright.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

From playing upright for so long, the fingerings have migrated over to electric a lot, I’ve noticed. At least from the books I learned from when I first got into upright.

Same for me. I’ve doubled on upright and the Thunderbird since ‘95 and playing similar technique on both hasn’t hurt me any. The only difference is really in right hand technique; but my left hand fingerings are fairly similar, except I use my ring finger more on the Bird.

 

[bobyoung53]

Majors have a factory 120/220 switch?…

No, Anything 120V I use transformers out here. It is an export version for the U.S so it's 120V. I have an SVT out here and they can be converted to 220 but there's no switch, you have to change the tap inside, I did it once but converted it back to 120.

 

[dukeorock]

Same for me. I’ve doubled on upright and the Thunderbird since ‘95 and playing similar technique on both hasn’t hurt me any. The only difference is really in right hand technique; but my left hand fingerings are fairly similar, except I use my ring finger more on the Bird.

Sounds about right! It’s funny how upright has changed my approach to electric bass tonally. Especially on roots music gigs, more and more I’m playing electric with a harder attack but with a shorter note envelope. One of my favorite country bass players in Nashville, Becky Hinson has come up to me and said something like, “Even when you play a Thunderbird bass, you make it sound like an upright!” I don’t know about that, but upright has certainly informed my approach to electric on OG country/roots gigs. On those great 50’s-60’s ‘A Team’ country sessions, they typically had Bob Moore on upright, which sounded dark, thumpy and legato , but also had a second electric ‘tick tack’ ebass that was sharper/brighter, very staccato and doubled the upright lines. When I play electric bass on old school stuff, I often try to get a sound that is both of those things at once. Not sure I succeed at it, but Becky Hinson seems to think so and that’s good enough for me

 

[bobyoung53]

Sounds about right! It’s funny how upright has changed my approach to electric bass tonally. Especially on roots music gigs, more and more I’m playing electric with a harder attack but with a shorter note envelope. One of my favorite country bass players in Nashville, Becky Hinson has come up to me and said something like, “Even when you play a Thunderbird bass, you make it sound like an upright!” I don’t know about that, but upright has certainly informed my approach to electric on OG country/roots gigs. On those great 50’s-60’s ‘A Team’ country sessions, they typically had Bob Moore on upright, which sounded dark, thumpy and legato , but also had a second electric ‘tick tack’ ebass that was sharper/brighter, very staccato and doubled the upright lines. When I play electric bass on old school stuff, I often try to get a sound that is both of those things at once. Not sure I succeed at it, but Becky Hinson seems to think so and that’s good enough for me
View attachment 4448384

I love Tic Tac bass, they usually used Danelectro baritone guitars and played in unison with the URB and also played the fills, the upright stuck with the roots. And yes, staccato notes makes an electric bass sound like an upright, mutes can do that too. It's not so much the bass it's how you play it.

You can really hear the Tic Tic electric on this Everly Brother outtake from 1962:

 

[GonePlaid]

My pinky is used all the time, it’s my ring finger that regularly gets the pass.


…and a bit quieter unfortunately, wish they had him turned up a tad more.


Next time you’re at the liquor store buy some Ron Zacapa Centenario Solera 23 Year Old dark Rum, it’s smooth as silk, straight up is the only way to drink it. You’ll never go back to Goslings.


She did. And she had that nice tremolo going on as well. The lead singer had a cool husky rocker type voice. They all did a great job.

That little P____ he was plugged into was kinda 'weak'.

 

[Gaolee]

From playing upright for so long, the fingerings have migrated over to electric a lot, I’ve noticed. At least from the books I learned from when I first got into upright.

I am untrained and will probably hurt myself eventually. But as long as the self inflicted wound doesn't happen until I am old enough to not want to play all the time, life is good! Plus, there's always guitar.

 

[Gaolee]

I love Tic Tac bass, they usually used Danelectro baritone guitars and played in unison with the URB and also played the fills, the upright stuck with the roots. And yes, staccato notes makes an electric bass sound like an upright, mutes can do that too. It's not so much the bass it's how you play it.

You can really hear the Tic Tic electric on this Everly Brother outtake from 1962:

I built a baritone Telebird to play as a tic-tac bass. It hasn't had much use, but it is fun to play.

 

[MCF]

I saw the Welch FM with Deep Purple and Rory Gallagher way back when. Then later I saw Paris which was Bob Welch, Glen Cornick and Hunt Sales. Good times.

That’s quite a lineup. Paris was underrated.

 

[WillyW]

You could get one of these(they come in pairs)for the one on the upper bout. Grover 620C Straplocks.View attachment 4445294 They're actually eagles, but close. I have one in that spot on my 67 NR. The other's on the end.
EDIT: Mine are gold(colored). I like the gold against the burst-but chrome woulda worked too.
View attachment 4445298

The bird strap locks are in, they are kinda cumbersome if you want to remove the strap, but they look cool and that makes up for it.

 

[ToddOfThunder]

Needs a kick in the fanny pack.

Lol! +1

 

[Blazer]

I mentioned Golden Earring Bass player Rinus Gerritsen before in this thread, the man is criminally underrated. AND he uses Thunderbird pickups in this twin neck Danelectro/Fender P-bass, which is set up in a stereo way with the T-bird pickups and the Lipsticks going into separate amps.

Note that there's no pickup selectors on his bass, he fine tuned the sound he wanted from it and kept it that way.

Here he is doing a solo which puts many modern day bass players to shame.