Thunderbird Club

[Miles_ONeal]

Maybe some day, but having too much fun with it right now. Tone wise, it’s clearly the most flexible bird I own.

I bet! That's what I've been wanting to do with my Epi IV (except CAR or purple metalflake). Just too many more pressing things.

 

[bobyoung53]

the 8 x 10 enclosure tuned to the third harmonic is a crucial contributor…

I play them through a variety of 4 ohm cabs and they always have had the ability to go deep and loud. In my younger days I was not the softest player in the world and band members or soundmen almost always ran out of patience before I ran out of amp with SVT's through just about any cab that matched the head.
810's will set you up for abuse though even before you turn them on if you know what I mean. I find SVT cabs (mine are flatbacks) don't really start dropping off until below low G and even then the E still has fundamental and punches although not quite as loud as the G.

 

[dagrev]

Finally some sound clips of the Tbird Shootout! (Test details are listed in the post quoted above).

Recall there were six Tbirds in the shootout (two Gibsons, two Epiphones, a Greco and the BlingBird) and a total of three different heats. I’ll wait until tuesday to reveal the actual order they were recorded in each heat, but I will say that I did keep the recording order the same for each heat. So if the Greco was the first bass recorded in the first heat it is also the first bass in the second and third heats, and so on.

Keep in mind that each bass is sporting different strings, and that can also go a long way in how a bass sounds. Finally, don’t forget, this was meant to be a quick and dirty test of the basses, not my playing ability, so please try to overlook the clams and sloppy playing. And as always, better speakers or headphones will make it easier to hear the differences between basses.

On with the shootout…

Heat One - noodeling around on the G and D strings (I forgot to trim the 30 second dead air time before the first bass)


Heat Two - a slow run up the A string with LedZep in mind


Heat Three - a short walk on the A and E strings


Did you have an overall favorite? Or a favorite in each heat? Was there as much difference as you were expecting? Can you spot the Nylon Tape strings or the Cobalt Flats or the Optima Golds?

fingers crossed that the sound files loaded correctly.

Trying to guess which is which drive me crazy--partly because I'm not good at it!
But here are my impressions after a quick listen to each. My perception not a judgment on how good each sounds.
1- Tapes
2- Tame
3- Not bad
4- similar to 2
5- Greco
6- Pyramids, likely?

 

[GBassNorth]

I bet! That's what I've been wanting to do with my Epi IV (except CAR or purple metalflake). Just too many more pressing things.

CAR looks fantastic on a Tbird, I’m hot and cold on metal flake, seen some that were knockout and others that just looked wrong, not sure why.

Now that I’ve heard how nice three pups can sound I might try a four pup bird next. I have two spare Goth pups. If I can find a cheap Goth in well used but good functional condition I think it would be a great platform for a four pickup beast and relatively easy and cheap to do.

 

[dagrev]

Wonderful looking basses with impeccable build quality and materials of construction that sound phenomenal in the studio and are frequently heavier than a boat anchor. This was my main stage bass for years until it nearly got stolen between sets. By dumb luck I went out to my car during break and happened to see the schmuck running to his car with my bass case. Managed to corner him before he could get away, so he dropped the case and ran. From that point on I never took it to another gig, it was Fenders and Squiers after that.
View attachment 4594569

BTW - this was the knob layout option that I could have had with my Alembic Dragon Wing, kinda glad I didn’t do it…
View attachment 4594570

I see the Q switches. Maybe not the same thing at all, but I have a Bill Lawrence Q-Filter in my '55 (in there when I got it). People have tried to explain what it does technically speaking but I'm still at a loss. Does it make it smooth, clean, more bass..... I keep wondering about taking it out but maybe its doing something great in there.

 

[dagrev]

not a priority, I still need a couple more sets of Pyramid Gold flats…

did you get the latest coupon code? 11% off…

Yes, thanks. Pondering.....you guessed it, pyramid gold flats. Might hold off for a better coupon since it's not really a must. Well, yes it is, but I think I can wait.

 

[WillyW]

Yes, thanks. Pondering.....you guessed it, pyramid god flats. Might hold off for a better coupon since it's not really a must. Well, yes it is, but I think I can wait.

the 15% isn’t usually until right before Christmas

 

[dagrev]

the 15% isn’t usually until right before Christmas

That's a long time.....

 

[bobyoung53]

I see the Q switches. Maybe not the same thing at all, but I have a Bill Lawrence Q-Filter in my '55 (in there when I got it). People have tried to explain what it does technically speaking but I'm still at a loss. Does it make it smooth, clean, more bass..... I keep wondering about taking it out.

I'm no expert but I think Q switches would make certain frequencies louder than others.

It basically makes a certain frequency segment louder than the rest (I believe) which you can set with a pot. It's explained really well at that link by the long post by bigredbass.

"The Q switch adds an accent at the start of the note. The tone knob sets the frequency where the accent is placed."

"If you visualize a 31-band EQ, Imagine everything from the 6khz slider to the left is at the middle, every thing past it to the right is shoved all the way down. This will help you visualize what's happening.

Then when you kick in the Q Switch, there's a 'bump' that attack-related centered around whatever the tone control is set at. A dynamic related boost, if you will. Imagine that same 31-band EQ, bump that same 6k slider UP 8db, and the slider on either side of it about half of that, and you can visualize the Q function."

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]!

 

[GBassNorth]

Trying to guess which is which drive me crazy--partly because I'm not good at it!
But here are my impressions after a quick listen to each. My perception not a judgment on how good each sounds.
1- Tapes
2- Tame
3- Not bad
4- similar to 2
5- Greco
6- Pyramids, likely?

Interesting guesses.
The only reason I didn’t indicate which bass is which is because I didn’t want to taint peoples opinions on the sounds. I’ll PM you with the actual order.

 

[Larry V]

We had a family get together yesterday to celebrate my Mother's 90th Bday, this is the view from the 41st floor in the building my brother lives at. The left margin faces due west and wraps around to the northeast. The building to the left and just behind the Space Needle is Climate Pledge Arena, I saw many concerts there, Alice Cooper, Led Zep, Tull, Deep Purple, Rush.......

View attachment 4594499

Happiest of birthdays to your mom!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I see the Q switches. Maybe not the same thing at all, but I have a Bill Lawrence Q-Filter in my '55 (in there when I got it). People have tried to explain what it does technically speaking but I'm still at a loss. Does it make it smooth, clean, more bass..... I keep wondering about taking it out but maybe its doing something great in there.

more accent...Q of a filter denotes it's "Quality Factor".....more Q sharper response of whatever frequency filter one is discussing....sharper cut offs etc.....as an example; if you recall older (70's/80's) graphic (or parametric) EQ specs they went in filter roll offs of 3, 6, or 9 dB per octave....the 9dB per octave filter would have better (more desirable, harder and more expensive to attain) "Q" than the 3dB filter....make sense?..

 

[GBassNorth]

I'm no expert but I think Q switches would make certain frequencies louder than others.

It basically makes a certain frequency segment louder than the rest (I believe) which you can set with a pot. It's explained really well at that link by the long post by bigredbass.

"The Q switch adds an accent at the start of the note. The tone knob sets the frequency where the accent is placed."

"If you visualize a 31-band EQ, Imagine everything from the 6khz slider to the left is at the middle, every thing past it to the right is shoved all the way down. This will help you visualize what's happening.

Then when you kick in the Q Switch, there's a 'bump' that attack-related centered around whatever the tone control is set at. A dynamic related boost, if you will. Imagine that same 31-band EQ, bump that same 6k slider UP 8db, and the slider on either side of it about half of that, and you can visualize the Q function."

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]!

Spot on!
Think of the Q switch as a feature to accent string attack. So if you’re a finger style player you can flip it on and get a bit more bump on the initial attack. The “tone” or Filter as Alembic calls it defines the frequencies that will be boosted, much easier to use than to explain. It’s different than a typical tone knob that mostly just decreases the high end cut Less and less as you open it up. The Filter maintains a relative tone curve but allows you to move that curve anywhere along the sound spectrum.

 

[Gaolee]

I have two Goths. The one made in China has a nut width of 1.50”. The one made in Korea has a nut width of 1.73”. Literally everything about the Korean model is better - the fit, the finish, the hardware, the sound, the tuners, etc. I don’t know if that’s typical of all Korean vs Chinese made Goths but if I ever buy another one it’ll be Korean.

I have a Korean Thunderbird IV. It's the bolt-on model. It's an early one with a cast neck plate and the upper strap button on the vestigial upper horn. The neck is 1.73". It's very well made. I wouldn't know about Chinese made versions.

 

[bobyoung53]

Spot on!
Think of the Q switch as a feature to accent string attack. So if you’re a finger style player you can flip it on and get a bit more bump on the initial attack. The “tone” or Filter as Alembic calls it defines the frequencies that will be boosted, much easier to use than to explain. It’s different than a typical tone knob that mostly just decreases the high end cut Less and less as you open it up. The Filter maintains a relative tone curve but allows you to move that curve anywhere along the sound spectrum.

Most of that was from an Alembic forum, I do know what the Q of a coil is though and figured it would boost a narrow set of frequencies. I used to use the 3000 Hz switch on the midrange control of an SVT and boost it to accent my finger plucking with a bass with dead half rounds on it to make it sound like a pick and it did.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Most of that was from an Alembic forum, I do know what the Q of a coil is though and figured it would boost a narrow set of frequencies. I used to use the 3000 Hz switch on the midrange control of an SVT and boost it to accent my finger plucking with a bass with dead half rounds on it to make it sound like a pick and it did.

really dig that feature of the SVT….that preamp yields a huge tonal pallet…just have to spend some time fiddling, many don’t have the patience…

 

[bobyoung53]

really dig that feature of the SVT….that preamp yields a huge tonal pallet…just have to spend some time fiddling, many don’t have the patience…

It took me a while to figure them out, I was used to the Fender/Marshall type of tone controls and that's what it was, I didn't have the patience to really understand how they worked.

 

[Bent77]

Finally some sound clips of the Tbird Shootout! (Test details are listed in the post quoted above).

Recall there were six Tbirds in the shootout (two Gibsons, two Epiphones, a Greco and the BlingBird) and a total of three different heats. I’ll wait until tuesday to reveal the actual order they were recorded in each heat, but I will say that I did keep the recording order the same for each heat. So if the Greco was the first bass recorded in the first heat it is also the first bass in the second and third heats, and so on.

Keep in mind that each bass is sporting different strings, and that can also go a long way in how a bass sounds. Finally, don’t forget, this was meant to be a quick and dirty test of the basses, not my playing ability, so please try to overlook the clams and sloppy playing. And as always, better speakers or headphones will make it easier to hear the differences between basses.

On with the shootout…

Heat One - noodeling around on the G and D strings (I forgot to trim the 30 second dead air time before the first bass)


Heat Two - a slow run up the A string with LedZep in mind


Heat Three - a short walk on the A and E strings


Did you have an overall favorite? Or a favorite in each heat? Was there as much difference as you were expecting? Can you spot the Nylon Tape strings or the Cobalt Flats or the Optima Golds?

fingers crossed that the sound files loaded correctly.

Interesting guesses.
The only reason I didn’t indicate which bass is which is because I didn’t want to taint peoples opinions on the sounds. I’ll PM you with the actual order.

well hit me a pm also. #5 was my favorite
Had the same impression on the strings also...

 

[GBassNorth]

well hit me a pm also. #5 was my favorite
Had the same impression on the strings also...

PM on the way.

 

[Bent77]

PM on the way.

I feel all warm and fuzzy