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Thunderbird Club

#190,224
Bent77 said:
This will be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Tbird pickups shipped today, Jaguar body arrives tomorrow
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ThunderJag!!!

BklynKen said:
Hell no. It's a behemoth. I take the subway everywhere. Here's one time I had to take it out in its hardshell case. I used a Car2Go Smart Car. It just fit. No room to spare.

View attachment 4482400
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My case fits perfectly across the back seat of my car. My previous car was the same but a sedan (think G8 / SS) and it wouldn’t go in the boot. So tried the backseat and all good - I even looped the outside seatbelts around it.
I got the Sportwagon version this time. Lol more options now.
 
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#190,225
TBird1958 said:
They are big cases, but I do use mine, not taking chances with headstocks, Subaru's like Thunderbirds.
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One of the reasons I love my Suburban - it'll hold every piece of bass gear I own (including the "new" amp) all at once, and still have room for a few people :D :thumbsup:







....but I don't care for filling the 42 gal. tank, now that Diesel is almost $5/gal. here :(
 
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#190,226
ruined for life….guess who came to mind?….:rollno:
846BD2DB-471E-4B0B-A818-3B9096BB548D.jpeg
 
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#190,229
TBird1958 said:
Welcome mat is out, let me know you're coming and I can make Sauerbraten happen :drool:
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Thanks! I doubt I'll ever make it out that way, but it would be wonderful to meet you in person if it ever do--Sauerbraten or not!

Now let me check those flights.... :D (I actually dislike being stuck in a small tube at 30k ft.)
 
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#190,231
Gaolee said:
Songs have words?
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There are very few pop/rock tunes *(Edit: Bands not tunes)* I'm able to listen to and actually understand what's being expressed in the lyrics.
A few exceptions being...
Sex Pistols, sometimes (Johnny Rotten had my favorite vocal delivery ever),
Crimson with Adrien Belew,
Lene Lovich,
Blood, Sweat and Tears,
ZZ Top was pretty good about that...
 
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#190,232
augustinius said:
So, this happened....

I have been eyeing a non reverse Thunderbird and trying to figure out how to squeeze that in my budget. I wanted a regular Thunderbird for a long time to pad out my Gibson collection, but $2300 new is a ton to ask, and they don't show up used around here. On Friday, I see on AMS a listing for a single blemished reverse Thunderbird in tobacco sunburst - for $1500. That is too low to pass up so I took a chance. You never know with blemished. But it came today and so far the only flaw I can find is a dent in the gigantic case. Very impressed and happy. Various things I note:

- it is a 2021 serial number, and the checklist card dates it to September 21. I didn't know Gibson was making them this fall, thought it was only the non reverse ones? How does a basically brand new bass squeak through, and at that price?

- this case is a beast. Not sure it's going to fit in my car for gigs. I had to do gymnastics to get the box into my car as it was. Do any of you struggle to transport these? I tested the case out and the back door just barely makes it closed, so there won't be any gaps in transit.

- fretwork feels perfect. I usually hate slim thin necks but I adore this. Just a well made bass, no idea why someone returned it. Action was also well set. I honestly can't at first blush find a flaw in it to drop the price to where I got it.

- this is a big man's dream. I am 6'6" and while I love my short scale basses (I have an SG and a Les Paul Jr), they look like toys in my hands. This bass sits perfectly in my lap and the neck and fretboard feel ideal in such a position. I could see this becoming my go to, unless it just doesn't fit with the rest of my gear in my car.

So anyway, it's not ready yet. I ordered the Babicz replacement bridge and once that is on, we will be ready to go. Here is an initial shot though:
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That bass chose you. Congratulations! Like you, I prefer Babicz bridges. Any more, that is a great price for a used one. It was clearly meant to be.
 
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#190,234
Count Bassie said:
There are very few pop/rock tunes in able to listen to and actually understand what's being expressed in the lyrics.
A few exceptions being...
Sex Pistols, sometimes (Johnny Rotten had my favorite vocal delivery ever),
Crimson with Adrien Below,
Lene Lovich,
Blood, Sweat and Tears,
ZZ Top was pretty good about that...
Click to expand...
Then there are the songs where you can understand the individual words but the meaning is "WT7?"
 
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#190,236
dagrev said:
Thanks........for not helping.:D

I know Scott's take and it's likely the same as mine given our past conversations, but I can't wait to get out and find one in a store to play. But I like my '76 (Scott doesn't care for them much). It's a different sounding Thunderbird, just more tame IMO.

I can say the same about the '06 at home. With the SITs Powersteels it sounds fantastic--as good or better(?) at home than the VPs. Shoot, my '64 doesn't sound great at home--but live it's heaven! The '06 doesn't sound quite as good in a big room, but I like the sound and love how it plays. I'm going to try rolling the neck PU off a bit next time I use it, normally I never do that but it may just be the thing for some extra punch in a big room. I can't imagine getting rid of it because it now sounds good and it feels and plays as good as anything I've ever played.
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I find there’s a huge difference between how a bass sounds to me at home compared to on stage playing with a band.
 
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#190,239
Chucky Stiletti said:
rare, early 1900’s Italian 12 string that belonged to my grandfather…..trying to find someone qualified to repair the sound hole and give it a general going through….beautiful sounding instrument…
View attachment 4482723
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Are you still in S FL? Ever hear of a dude named Larry Lashbrook? He was Inger Malmsteen's luthier/repair guy. He's done some pretty slick work.
 
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#190,240
My influences as a youngin', I can't lay claim to being inspired by the likes of Jamerson or Jaco, it was always guys like Overend Watts and his big white Thunderbird that really made me want to play the bass.



Things worked out reasonably well.
JEsmtY3.jpg
 
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