Thunderbird Club

[Count Bassie]

I've taken a shot at some DR High beams. I haven't tried them, and if they don't do well I'll probably go back to Cobalt Flats...

Had a set of very light rounds hanging around, and put them on the Bird last night. Interesting, the standout result is the lightening up of hard work getting these stormtrooper bass lines played!
I think I'm just out of shape, I'll use the light gauges to get tuned up... But it's fun to just be able to bend up a whole step with ease. It does change your attack though, and it might be for the better.
Digging in hard as a general ethic is what messed up my shoulders- and maybe a few other mechanical aspects of my physical life. Maybe this is the beginning of a good trend.

 

[Border]

Good morning Thunderbird loving sisters and brothers, I hope everyone is staying well. Just dropping in to say how very much I am enjoying the new NR. I have a couple of questions I am hoping a few might share your thoughts on. I am not familiar with doing set ups, but my instructor raised the pickups a bit, and it did give it a stronger sound with a bit more growl. I have noticed the sides of the pickup covers, where they were raised, have something on them. It looks like adhesive and does not rub off. I am assuming there was no issue with raising the height of the pickups? Any reason there would be an adhesive or residue on the covers? I am thinking maybe rubbing alcohol on a Q tip swab? I attached a picture, but it is not the best.
My other question if anyone knows what the stock strings it has might be? They seem to have a lot of clank to them. I am used to the EB Cobalt Flats on my 2014, or a set GHS balanced nickels on 7ender 5 string jazz. Wondering if the stock strings are stainless steel? Might settle down over time? Or time to start exploring new ideas for this bass.
I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. Have a great weekend everyone.

 

[dagrev]

Yes, the redundant/dead-horse debate of a one pu bass vs a two pu bass. (Gibson, Fender, whatever) You are absolutely correct about the simplicity of magically transforming that pesky 2 pu bass into a 1 pu bass, but you'd never know if if you spend any time on a P/J related thread. But, I get the look thing - it's like a track bike vs a multi-speed road bike... there's an elegant simplicity to a 1 pu bass (and especially if it sounds killer!)

I also use both pu's most of the time, favoring the bridge pu by a varying degree. (depending on the song) I also use finger-style when appropriate, but mostly favoring a pick. I arrived at this after many years playing the opposite (occasional pick - mostly finger-style) and again - these days in servitude to the songs we play in my band. (where Carol Kaye is queen) Please google and watch YouTube vids of the East Bays very own Bobby Vega - the hands-down master of funky pick-playing if you have any doubts about the effectiveness of the mighty plectrum!

Hell - here's one to watch right here! (no slap)



I've seen and met Bobby on a couple of occasions - a super sweet guy!

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I used a pick about 30-40% of the time. Now, after needing it for the '06 to sound more defined I use a pick about 75% of the time. Depends on my mood and the bass really. I tend to use both PUs more with a pick and the neck tends to get more of just fingers, but not exclusively by any means. I never favor the bridge over the neck. Neck is always on 10 and the bridge can be anywhere.

 

[dagrev]

William Blake - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake My undergraduate art school major was lithography so I was well aware of WB at an early age. Some metaphysically surreal shït.

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Good description!

 

[dagrev]

There's a whole genre of "rat-rod" ... people who "get" the look -

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I am not among them!

 

[dagrev]

Thanks.

I found the flame maple capped body on eBay with the neck and control cavity routes already done. In mid build I stumbled across the used Fender neck on eBay and it ended up taking the build in a very different direction (the original plan was a transparent blonde finish that wouldn’t have highlighted the maple figuring nearly as much).

Originally the neck was a standard Fender finish and shape but I saw a hint of a lot of figuring in the headstock and all along the back. I suspect the seller was offing it because of the horrendous fret sprout. Took a chance on it, corrected the sprout, rolled the edges, sanded it to bare wood, reshaped the headstock to my standard North shape, filled the screw holes and handed it (along with the body) to a legend in the LA area for refinishing in Tiger Eye burst. I’m really pleased with how it came out.

Send a pic to Nashville. Maybe it will spark some creative thinking. If they can't get the neurons firing at the same time, maybe they will pay you to consult.

 

[KaraQ]

.... . I have noticed the sides of the pickup covers, where they were raised, have something on them. It looks like adhesive and does not rub off. I am assuming there was no issue with raising the height of the pickups? Any reason there would be an adhesive or residue on the covers? I am thinking maybe rubbing alcohol on a Q tip swab? I attached a picture, but it is not the best.
My other question if anyone knows what the stock strings it has might be? They seem to have a lot of clank to them. I am used to the EB Cobalt Flats on my 2014, or a set GHS balanced nickels on 7ender 5 string jazz. Wondering if the stock strings are stainless steel? Might settle down over time? Or time to start exploring new ideas for this bass.
I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. Have a great weekend everyone.

Not sure about the sides of the pickups ( or the NR generally), but my VP had decal-things on the tops pickups when I got it. Maybe if yours had something similar, it's just leftover residue from those?

 

[Count Bassie]

Good morning Thunderbird loving sisters and brothers, I hope everyone is staying well. Just dropping in to say how very much I am enjoying the new NR. I have a couple of questions I am hoping a few might share your thoughts on. I am not familiar with doing set ups, but my instructor raised the pickups a bit, and it did give it a stronger sound with a bit more growl. I have noticed the sides of the pickup covers, where they were raised, have something on them. It looks like adhesive and does not rub off. I am assuming there was no issue with raising the height of the pickups? Any reason there would be an adhesive or residue on the covers? I am thinking maybe rubbing alcohol on a Q tip swab? I attached a picture, but it is not the best.
My other question if anyone knows what the stock strings it has might be? They seem to have a lot of clank to them. I am used to the EB Cobalt Flats on my 2014, or a set GHS balanced nickels on 7ender 5 string jazz. Wondering if the stock strings are stainless steel? Might settle down over time? Or time to start exploring new ideas for this bass.
I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. Have a great weekend everyone.

Strings are the long-running experiment for most I think. If you like the Cobalts, I think they're great with the Thunderbirds. Black Beautys are great too- not a lot of clank but nice, sharp top end.
I don't know what the adhesive is, maybe it's to keep the p'ups from wobbling in their seat? But It's go with alcohol and a Q-tip. Adhesive will collect dust and funky dead skin from your fingers, and it might look a little... funky... over time, lol.

Edit... Lol, nice picture!

 

[dagrev]

Corngrats. I'm gonna surmise it sounds effing bodacious.

They sound awful, as you know. Those of us who are stuck with those old pieces of junk that we bought when we were young and stupid just brag about them to make ourselves feel better about the old-neck broken equipment we have and likely can't get rid of. But you know this already.

 

[Count Bassie]

There's a whole genre of "rat-rod" ... people who "get" the look -

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That's me!! That's me!!

 

[dagrev]

The 67 NR was all black from the get-go.

I think they were all black. I don't ever recall seeing one otherwise. The reverses have that edging around the HS that I don't think any NRs have. Which is why the reverses sound better. It's all in the headstock.

 

[dagrev]

I use LaBella Black tapes on a number of my basses. My experience (finger style) is that they sound deep and full, very rounded and somewhat woody. Directionally more towards an upright sound. Occasionally I’ll detect a slight clack from them as I lift off the fret, but others have said they didn’t hear it, so might just be me. I Really like how they sound and have them on my Jazz basses as well as my 2015 bird and my FrankenGoth. Worth a try, but beware, standard tapes are likely larger than the grooves in your nut and may require a file job on the nut to sit properly. Light gauge tapes are roughly the same diameter as standard strings no no nut work needed fort them. Also, I found drastic differences in the sound and feel of different brands of tapes, don’t like the Roto tapes at all - way too stiff and more thud than note.

I’d be interested to hear Chuckys take on the tapes, I’m sure he runs them through their paces and puts them to a better use than I do.


I’ll have to check it out. So where did you go for your art schooling?

Thanks on the tapes observation! That I might have to file a nut was something I was not wanting to do. Wouldn't mind if I knew I was going hit the jackpot, otherwise...not for me. The Rotos seem to be huge, so I wrote them off. I don't mind really flexible strings. I have TI Jazz Rounds and nothing is as "flimsy" as those strings. I like the SITS on the '06 but black strings just look fantastic--once I got used to the all the black. Stupid reason I know. But am considering them on other bass possibilities as well and may leave the '06 alone. There was a guy in the classifieds that had a set of Fenders and a mystery set of black tapes for about $10 off new.

 

[dagrev]

LaBellas….i swore to myself 40 years ago that i would never use tapes as the old timers used them but i always liked them…. hate to admit it but they are forgiving and very effective and versatile with the right plucking technique…love the hefty bottom…..folks were praising the boom factor tonight….

Thanks!

 

[dagrev]

weird….the 68 hs rear is dark but not quite as much as the front…hard to tell without decent lighting……
my repair…..

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That crack line is so common. Seen that one many times. May be what mine looked like, but with the black finish I can't tell a thing.

 

[GonePlaid]

NR, whatever, whatever(as long as it's mahogany), 1, TB traditional, nickel/chrome, none, Emberglow(Chrysler/ Mustang).

And it'll need a bridge cover.

 

[Larry V]

While we’re on the topic of builds…
Here’s a status shot of the BlingBird, just wrapped up the routing and will be working on the shielding and electronics over the weekend. With any luck I’ll have a complete bird for next weeks Thunderbird Thursday shot.
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Dear GOD!!!!!!!

It is going to be amazing and if it doesn't sound as good as it looks, there are remedies.

 

[bobyoung53]

Live video of the Four Seasons doing a medley from the mid sixties with their 'birds, check it out, you can really hear the Thunderbird especially in Rag Doll. I think the drums were pre recorded.

 

[Larry V]

The 67 NR was all black from the get-go.

So it broke during shipping to the music store and was fixed before they put it out for sale. They were hoping no one would notice and it worked!

 

[GonePlaid]

Live video of the Four Seasons doing a medley from the mid sixties with their 'birds, check it out, you can really hear the Thunderbird especially in Rag Doll. I think the drums were pre recorded.

Aaaarrrggh! Laying it down on the floor!

 

[bobyoung53]

Aaaarrrggh! Laying it down on the floor!

Haha! I was always a big Four Seasons fan, being a fellow geezer you probably concur .