Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

I actually really like that pickup. Had a Pawn Shop Mustang with that. Should have kept it.

the pickup I mean

I built-up a J with 3pu's, one being the RI'd Fender Tele pu in the neck-hugging mud-bucking position. Sold it years ago. Knobs were colour matched to the pu's w/red (T) matching the body. tricky, tricky... I liked it ok, it's on my list of favorite buckers - but there are a few that stand head & shoulders above it. I always liked the way it looked.

 

[WillyW]

I just got a new phone, I went from an iPhone 6 to iPhone 13 mini will see your feet show up in the new pictures…

 

[JIO]

always in a dual coil config right?

Yes. I think it's similar to what was used in the '70s T-birds.

 

[Bent77]

I built-up a J with 3pu's, one being the RI'd Fender Tele pu in the neck-hugging mud-bucking position. Sold it years ago. Knobs were colour matched to the pu's w/red (T) matching the body. tricky, tricky... I liked it ok, it's on my list of favorite buckers - but there are a few that stand head & shoulders above it. I always liked the way it looked.

View attachment 4576736

Well, since we’re on the subject. What are those other lucky ‘buckers?

 

[Bent77]

I just got a new phone, I went from an iPhone 6 to iPhone 13 mini will see your feet show up in the new pictures…

So you’re furry toes will be more, or less furry?

 

[dagrev]

The band ain't bad either...

Damn, I shot myself in the foot again. I thought I was G.A.S. free but apart from that ESP Bass IV that J.I.O. posted a while ago I want a Kenny Gradney -style two humbucker Tele.
Better take a walk in the snow to cool a bit.

Actually took one today. Want some snow? Got plenty around here:
View attachment 4576361

Had my quota of snow and ice already. Canadian's can keep the rest of it up there where it belongs. I want my global warming back ASAP!

 

[JIO]

Well, since we’re on the subject. What are those other lucky ‘buckers?

G&L MFD buckers are #1 in my book. Adjustable poles and just all around great sounding buckers, especially teamed with the L-2000 9v pre/harness. '60s T-bird pu's are next, maybe also #1, but in another way along with Seymour Duncan's 'Hawkbucker'. Wilkenson buckers, either w/exposed poles or not are great sounding and affordable buckers. Delano (Ovals) are huge sounding - probably the most dynamic of the bunch. And my '85 Jolana DiscoBass buckers are pretty uniquely voiced as well!

 

[dagrev]

I don't need vintage that badly. As much as a '60s reverse Thunderbird would be great to have, it would cost more than what I could get from selling most or all of what I have now. And I like what I have.

Except that the VP is black. It needs to be a different color that pops on stage better.

I was thinking something sparkly, but all I could find was this. I do think mirror's look great on a lot of instruments. I ordered one for a brilliant white jazz I had in the early 80s.

 

[JIO]

I was thinking something sparkly, but all I could find was this. I do think mirror's look great on a lot of instruments. I ordered one for a brilliant white jazz I had in the early 80s.
View attachment 4576772

Mirrored plastic always looks cool.

 

[dagrev]

G&L MFD buckers are #1 in my book. Adjustable poles and just all around great sounding buckers, especially teamed with the L-2000 9v pre/harness. '60s T-bird pu's are next, maybe also #1, but in another way along with Seymour Duncan's 'Hawkbucker'. Wilkenson buckers, either w/exposed poles or not are great sounding and affordable buckers. Delano (Ovals) are huge sounding - probably the most dynamic of the bunch. And my '85 Jolana DiscoBass buckers are pretty uniquely voiced as well!

View attachment 4576771

The G&L MFDs are either loved or hated. I love them. Crazy powerful. Humbuckers on steroids and crack. I love the adjustable poles. Every G&L I've owned has been flawless. And...they are as comfortable to play as anything. Leo got that body shape right as well. Why they are not more popular I don't understand.

 

[dagrev]

Mirrored plastic always looks cool.

View attachment 4576779 View attachment 4576781 View attachment 4576785

The last one is stunning. Love the middle as well. The first one looks great and I'm not a earth tones kind of person.

 

[Bent77]

G&L MFD buckers are #1 in my book. Adjustable poles and just all around great sounding buckers, especially teamed with the L-2000 9v pre/harness. '60s T-bird pu's are next, maybe also #1, but in another way along with Seymour Duncan's 'Hawkbucker'. Wilkenson buckers, either w/exposed poles or not are great sounding and affordable buckers. Delano (Ovals) are huge sounding - probably the most dynamic of the bunch. And my '85 Jolana DiscoBass buckers are pretty uniquely voiced as well!

View attachment 4576771

Awesome, thanks for the reviews!

 

[Stealth57]

Gibson made a 'bright cherry' finished T-Bird in 2018.


View attachment 4576270

I am curious. My 2018 Epiphone has the jack on the front face. Did Gibson put it on the edge for the same model year? I saw someone advertising a new EBTB that had it on the side but said it was Epiphone...Also, all the pictures of EBTB models have a 2 piece bridge but the one for sale is the one piece like mine.

 

[Stealth57]

I was thinking something sparkly, but all I could find was this. I do think mirror's look great on a lot of instruments. I ordered one for a brilliant white jazz I had in the early 80s.
View attachment 4576772

I have permanent brain damage from a mirrored guitar. Somewhere in the 70s, it is a bit fuzzy, at the Winterland in SF Ronnie Montrose was playing Bad Motor Scooter and a spot went straight into my eyes off his guitar. I'm sure it was the light and not all the "smoke" in the hall...

 

[PhR75]

I have permanent brain damage from a mirrored guitar. Somewhere in the 70s, it is a bit fuzzy, at the Winterland in SF Ronnie Montrose was playing Bad Motor Scooter and a spot went straight into my eyes off his guitar. I'm sure it was the light and not all the "smoke" in the hall...

Was it with Sammy Hagar or Bob James on vocals? And Fitz Fitzgerald did have a modified Rickenbacker which had a mirrored scratchplate...

Or maybe it was metal...

 

[dasherf17]

I have permanent brain damage from a mirrored guitar. Somewhere in the 70s, it is a bit fuzzy, at the Winterland in SF Ronnie Montrose was playing Bad Motor Scooter and a spot went straight into my eyes off his guitar. I'm sure it was the light and not all the "smoke" in the hall...

Wasn't he playing that Veleno? I saw Montrose between Black Oak and Foghat...Ronnie was pretty phenomenal.
And at that time it was Sammy ('73)...

 

[JIO]

The G&L MFDs are either loved or hated. I love them. Crazy powerful. Humbuckers on steroids and crack. I love the adjustable poles. Every G&L I've owned has been flawless. And...they are as comfortable to play as anything. Leo got that body shape right as well. Why they are not more popular I don't understand.

To some they are - my guitarist friend (now in Madison WI) is a total G&L guy. He owns a number of key vintage G&L guitars and an early '80s L-1000 bass. He just got this late '80s Broadcaster, a somewhat rare and highly sought-after G&L guitar based on Leo Fenders' 1st electric 6-string guitar, which was originally badged the Broadcaster before becoming the Telecaster. The man knew how to create great instruments.

This is my heavily modded tribute to Leo's legacy - the L2K Mk II - a bass that can do it all.

 

[Engle]

always in a dual coil config right?

For some reason I thought there was an early big single coil pickup. Must have dreamed it!

 

[Stealth57]

Was it with Sammy Hagar or Bob James on vocals? And Fitz Fitzgerald did have a modified Rickenbacker which had a mirrored scratchplate...

Or maybe it was metal...
View attachment 4576875

Sammy left in February 1975 and the concert was September 1975. It was early Journey, UFO, and Ronnie Montrose. I do remember UFO had to extract their bass player from a Moonie compound in Belgium to make the tour.

 

[Stealth57]

Wasn't he playing that Veleno? I saw Montrose between Black Oak and Foghat...Ronnie was pretty phenomenal.
And at that time it was Sammy ('73)...

Yes, Veleno, so likely chrome vs mirror. The pain didn't care which. The whammy bar was made to look like a gear shifter...great for Bad Motor Scooter.