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Thunderbird Club

#198,262
dagrev said:
The two black stings that I have any experience with are DR Black Beauties and LaBella Black Nylon Tapes. I like the sound of EBCFs, and neither of those sound anything like them. I'm nor sure any black string is going to get in that sonic territory. The DR BBs would be definitely be the brightest of the two, but nowhere near sounding like the CFs. The BBs felt odd and a little grippy. They are coated SS--but I forget which of their versions of SS. The LaBella's don't feel like flats and you can tell they are nylon but are super slick. Oddly enough, some people complain that they sound like plastic when you are playing. This would only be when you aren't connected to an amp and you wouldn't hear the strings hitting the frets. I'm not exactly sure why this is a complaint since most of the time you'd be playing through an amp and would never notice that. I guess some people just feel compelled to complain about something. They can sound like a cackling fake laugh unplugged for all I care since I prefer using an amp. In other words, I can't help you there!
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Some people would bitc...er, complain if you hung them with a new rope.
 
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#198,263
TBird1958 said:
Hipshot makes some nice small clovers but I don't think they list them on their website, you may have to call for the specific item number. If you can find a real Gibson 3 points it's your best choice as a drop in replacement, you may see some Epiphone versions out there, they have some slight differences but will work, I'm not a fan of the Allparts clone.
There are lots of chrome repro pickups out there, EY Guitars, Thunderbucker Ranch, Lollar, Seymour Duncan and Lull - and you could "skin" the plastic off of the Gibson pickups and pot them into new covers.
Happy to add you to the club, just let me know.
View attachment 4585594
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I like those tuners, but you're right, can't find them anywhere.
And sure I'll take a number. Will post pics as soon as mods are done.

EDIT: Found the tuners
USA Ultralite® Bass Tuning Machine 3/8
https://docs.hipshotproducts.com/20670MC_ULTRALITE_3-8_MINI_CLOVER_KEY.pdf
 
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#198,264
Good evening Thunderbird loving sisters and brothers. Just dropping in to say hello and hoping some might share a bit of experience or advice with me. I have been playing my new NR and enjoying getting to know it. It seems to have more clank and zing than I am used to, but have been playing Ernie Ball Cobalt flats on my 2014, and GHS precision flats on a 5 string P, so figured I had been away from roundwounds too long. I thought perhaps the strings would settle down with time. Mentioned it to my instructor, and pointed out it seems worse in the upper frets. He looked it over and thought the neck needed adjustment, the fretboard was dry, and that the frets need leveled. I haven't had a proper set up done since picking it up in early January. I do keep the humidity fairly constant, and included a whole house humidifier when the furnace was replaced. He said call Gibson, or take it to a luthier friend of his to have the frets leveled.
I plan on getting some EB flats and having my luthier friend look it over, but wondered if any of you had seen this before on a new instrument. I have several basses, and never had a fret issue. Always imagined it was something that came up on older instruments. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Take care and stay well my friends.
 

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#198,268
Border said:
Good evening Thunderbird loving sisters and brothers. Just dropping in to say hello and hoping some might share a bit of experience or advice with me. I have been playing my new NR and enjoying getting to know it. It seems to have more clank and zing than I am used to, but have been playing Ernie Ball Cobalt flats on my 2014, and GHS precision flats on a 5 string P, so figured I had been away from roundwounds too long. I thought perhaps the strings would settle down with time. Mentioned it to my instructor, and pointed out it seems worse in the upper frets. He looked it over and thought the neck needed adjustment, the fretboard was dry, and that the frets need leveled. I haven't had a proper set up done since picking it up in early January. I do keep the humidity fairly constant, and included a whole house humidifier when the furnace was replaced. He said call Gibson, or take it to a luthier friend of his to have the frets leveled.
I plan on getting some EB flats and having my luthier friend look it over, but wondered if any of you had seen this before on a new instrument. I have several basses, and never had a fret issue. Always imagined it was something that came up on older instruments. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Take care and stay well my friends.
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I'd just offer that hooking up a relationship with a guitar shop or guitar tech would be a good thing, and further your education on the subject.
A trip to the bench isn't a bad idea just as procedure, but I'm wary of referrals because- and it's not a bad thing really- people tend to help their friends. You want to be sure your expenditure is meaningful.
 
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#198,269
Border said:
Good evening Thunderbird loving sisters and brothers. Just dropping in to say hello and hoping some might share a bit of experience or advice with me. I have been playing my new NR and enjoying getting to know it. It seems to have more clank and zing than I am used to, but have been playing Ernie Ball Cobalt flats on my 2014, and GHS precision flats on a 5 string P, so figured I had been away from roundwounds too long. I thought perhaps the strings would settle down with time. Mentioned it to my instructor, and pointed out it seems worse in the upper frets. He looked it over and thought the neck needed adjustment, the fretboard was dry, and that the frets need leveled. I haven't had a proper set up done since picking it up in early January. I do keep the humidity fairly constant, and included a whole house humidifier when the furnace was replaced. He said call Gibson, or take it to a luthier friend of his to have the frets leveled.
I plan on getting some EB flats and having my luthier friend look it over, but wondered if any of you had seen this before on a new instrument. I have several basses, and never had a fret issue. Always imagined it was something that came up on older instruments. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Take care and stay well my friends.
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Three main questions i have for you are:

1- Is the action increasingly high to render it unplayable?
2- When had you changed the strings?
3- Is there fretbuzz like crazy which would lead your instructor to say have the frets leveled?

In regards to these questions, i'll answer best i can here now (you can quote me still xD)

1- It's not simply neck relief/tightning which will give a good set up. That 3 point bridge has a way of being set up adequately. I had found a method someone explaining how to set up a 3 point bridge & i've always had success with it.

2- Usually new strings will always require a fresh set up from ground up, even if its the same gauge but different brand. Tension tolerance might be a few cents from each other, somehow it can make a pretty big difference overall.

3- if after having set up the 3 point bridge, & given the neck the proper relief it needs in accordance to the strings, & you still have buzz, THEN, i would suggest having the frets looked over.
 
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#198,270
Count Bassie said:
The Peavey is not second best, it is it's own category. It's every bit as badass as the Fender in it's own right.
I want to hear the Peavey through the 810...
I am heartened to hear your protest! A good Peavey amp is a quiet and able Sonic weapon of considerable devastation.
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When you play the Peavey through the 810, turn the blasted thing up so I hear it as well! That has to sound good.
at least the late 70s Marks were and still are one of the best sounding, most versatile and most reasonably priced heads ever made. If a person can't get a decent tone out of one, they have other issues.

Why did I sell mine......? Had a bowl of stupid for breakfast that day is all I can say.
 
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#198,272
Thank you much for the replies. I appreciate them. I have only had the bass a short time and it is still wearing the factory strings. I first thought it was the roundwounds, then thought perhaps the nut was cut too wide, and the strings were moving a bit, then thought something was loose. There is a high pitched, tinny buzz, or slight rattle up high, especially on the D and G strings. Ordering some EB Cobalt flats (there are none in this town) and heading for my long time tech. I am looking forward to getting his take on the frets. Take care.
 

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#198,274
Border said:
Good evening Thunderbird loving sisters and brothers. Just dropping in to say hello and hoping some might share a bit of experience or advice with me. I have been playing my new NR and enjoying getting to know it. It seems to have more clank and zing than I am used to, but have been playing Ernie Ball Cobalt flats on my 2014, and GHS precision flats on a 5 string P, so figured I had been away from roundwounds too long. I thought perhaps the strings would settle down with time. Mentioned it to my instructor, and pointed out it seems worse in the upper frets. He looked it over and thought the neck needed adjustment, the fretboard was dry, and that the frets need leveled. I haven't had a proper set up done since picking it up in early January. I do keep the humidity fairly constant, and included a whole house humidifier when the furnace was replaced. He said call Gibson, or take it to a luthier friend of his to have the frets leveled.
I plan on getting some EB flats and having my luthier friend look it over, but wondered if any of you had seen this before on a new instrument. I have several basses, and never had a fret issue. Always imagined it was something that came up on older instruments. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Take care and stay well my friends.
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Hey Border, it would be best to take that to someplace reputable if you are uncomfortable doing a little adjusting yourself. I'm sure your instructor knows what he's talking about, but it's possible if you get the neck straightened out and adjusted well you may not need the frets leveled. Then again you might. Even with some curvature in the neck, with a good straight edge you should be able to tell if any frets are in need of attention. If you find they are, I would call Gibson before taking it some place. They shouldn't need it coming from the factory, and they may take care of it/tell you where to take it and cover the cost. I would push for that. There's no reason you should pay for something that should've happened at the factory before it left. Hope it goes well!
 
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#198,276
devnulljp said:
I like that. So what is that, Babicz bridge and what are the pickups? Lulls? Thunderbuckers? (I've been doing my homework).
Any real advantage of the Babicz over Hipshot? (Hipshot is cheaper and easier to find in Canada, haven't found a source for Babicz up here).
What did you replace the tuners with? Did they drop in or did you need to ream the holes?
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Bridge is Babicz and no real functional difference from Hipshot as far as I know. I chose it because I didn't know about Hipshot at the time.

Pickups are Lollar replacements. Pickup rings are from Philadelphia Luthier Supply. I doubled them (no spacers were avaialble at the time) glued toghether with Shoo Goo, cut the heads off some mounting screws and superglued them in the scew holes. The rings themselves are held on with a few dabs of Shoo Goo which won't damage the finish and can be removed if neeed be. They have stayed on for about 5 years now, with no issues.

The tuners are the same model that are instaled on the bass originally, just chrome. They drop right in.

They, as all of the mods are all reversible with no permanent change to the bass. When I did them I was not sure if I would keep the bass long term. Pretty sure that decision has been made......
 
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#198,278
dagrev said:
Hey Border, it would be best to take that to someplace reputable if you are uncomfortable doing a little adjusting yourself. I'm sure your instructor knows what he's talking about, but it's possible if you get the neck straightened out and adjusted well you may not need the frets leveled. Then again you might. Even with some curvature in the neck, with a good straight edge you should be able to tell if any frets are in need of attention. If you find they are, I would call Gibson before taking it some place. They shouldn't need it coming from the factory, and they may take care of it/tell you where to take it and cover the cost. I would push for that. There's no reason you should pay for something that should've happened at the factory before it left. Hope it goes well!
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Hopefully just needs a good setup and some TLC
 
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#198,280
dagrev said:
When you play the Peavey through the 810, turn the blasted thing up so I hear it as well! That has to sound good.
at least the late 70s Marks were and still are one of the best sounding, most versatile and most reasonably priced heads ever made. If a person can't get a decent tone out of one, they have other issues.

Why did I sell mine......? Had a bowl of stupid for breakfast that day is all I can say.
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Well have a sit down over a brew and trade stories. I may make you cry... :roflmao:
 
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